A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

Of the Use of Ecclesiastical Revenues.

THe Revenues of Churches ought to be divided into four Parts, whereof one is for the Cler∣gy, and another for the Poor; and the two other parts ought to be subdivided into three, where∣of one shall be for the maintenance of the Church, the other for the Bishop, and the last for the wants of particular Persons, B. 4. Ep. 42.

That part which is for the Poor ought to be taken out of the new Purchases, as well as out of the old Possessions, B. 3. Ep. 11. B. 7. Ind. 1. Ep. 8. B. 11. Ep. 49. That part which is for the Clergy ought to be distributed indifferently among them, B. 7. Ind. 10. Ep. 8.

The Letter 51 of B. 8. contains many Articles of an Agreement made between the Clergy of Panormum and their Bishop, which the Pope confirms, and in consequence thereof, order'd the Bishop, first. To distribute a full fourth part of the Revenues of his Church among all the Clergy, propor∣tionable to their Merit, Office, and the Labour of each. Secondly, To give them the fourth part of the Offerings of the Faithful, whether they be in Money, or other Presents. Thirdly, To detain only the Remainder of the Moveables for himself, and to unite all the unmoveable Purchases to the Pos∣sessions of the Church. Fourthly, To Commission a Receiver of the Revenues with the Consent of the Elders and the Clergy, Seniorum & Cleri, who shall give an Accompt every year, that all occa∣sion

of suspicion may be cut off. Fifthly, To permit the Clergy to take up their Provision of Wine at a reasonable price upon the Credit of the Church. Sixthly, To take care to remove ill-gotten Goods, and to use only honest ways of getting. Lastly, He exhorts him not to believe lightly what shall be told him against his Clergy, not to proceed against them with Passion, but only by Canoni∣cal ways.

The Bishop cannot by Testament dispose of the Possessions of the Church, nor of the Purchases made while he was Bishop, B. 5. Ep. 1.

The Revenues of the Church ought to be employ'd for the Assistance of the Poor, without re∣serving any thing for the future by a dangerous Precaution, B. 8. Ep. 20.

In the extream necessity of the Poor, the sacred Vessels, and that which serves for Ministring in holy Things, ought to be sold, but all the ready Money must be first disburs'd, B. 6. Ep. 13, 35, 66.

The Rights or the Church must be maintain'd, the Possessions which belong to it must be defend∣ed and recover'd; but this must not be done with all the Rigor that's possible: 'Twere even better to lose something, and abandon a part of the Revenues of the Church, then to be the Cause of Ruin to the Poor, B. 7. Ind. 2. Ep. 23. when there is room for doubting, whether the Goods belong to the Church, or no, 'tis best to yield.

The Governors of Hospitals give an account of their Revenues to the Bishop, B. 3. Ep. 24.

It belongs to the Bishop to take care of these Revenues, B. 3. Ep. 24. B. 8. Ep. 20. When he can∣not do it by himself he must appoint a Steward for it, B. 11. Ep. 57.