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.

Rules concerning the Monks.

ST. Gregory having been a Monk himself, 'tis no wonder that he took a particular care of the Monks during his Pontificat.

He would have no Person receiv'd into the Monasteries before the Age of Eighteen, B. 1. Ep. 41.

Before any one becomes a Profess'd Monk, by taking upon him the Monastical Habit, he must first be try'd in a Lay-habit, and serve as a Probationer for two years, B. 4. Ep. 44. B. 8. Ep. 23.

A Monk who abandons his Habit and Profession, should be shut up. St. Gregory would grant no Dispensation in this Case, B. 12. Ep. 20. B. 1. Ep. 33, 40.

Vagabond Monks ought not to be suffer'd, B. 1. Ep. 4. B. 6. Ep. 32. B. 7. Ind. 2. Ep. 36.

Lay-men ought not to be admitted to stay in Monasteries, B. 4. Ep. 1.

The Clergy who have taken upon them the Monastical Habit, cannot have a place among the Clergy if they quit the Monastical Life, at least unless they be Ordain'd Priests by their Bishops, B. 1. Ep. 40.

St. Gregory would not have those chosen for Abbots who are Priests, Deacons, or Clerks of Churches. Neither would he have those who are of the Clergy made Monks, because the Ecclesi∣astical Order is perfectly different from the Monastical Life, B. 3. Ep. 11. B. 4. Ep. 8.

But notwithstanding this, some Abbots and Monks were Priests; for St. Gregory writes to many Abbots that were Priests, but they were Ordain'd in their Convention. As for example, St. Gregory enjoyns the Bishop of Panormum to Ordain him Priest whom the Monks should choose to say Mess in their House, B. 5. Ep. 41. Sometimes also in a case of Necessity the Bishop could take the Monks in the Monastery of his Diocese, and advance them to the Priesthood, that he might imploy them in his own Church, B. 5. Ep. 27. But the design of the Church was, that those who were of the Cler∣gy, and destined for the Service of the Church, should not be Monks, and that the Monks should not be of the Clergy, because the Monks are oblig'd to Retirement, which is disturbed by the Ser∣vice which the Clergy are bound to do to the Church. For this reason St. Gregory would not have the Bishops come to celebrate Publick Messes in the Monasteries, B. 5. Ep. 46. But thinks it sufficient

that they send thither a Priest, if they would have Messes said there, Ibid. & B. 3. Ep. 18.

The Monks had not power to make a Will. St. Gregory allows it to one whom he had made an Abbot against his will. This Concession is in B. 9. Ep. 22. The date of the years of Jesus Christ which might make the Truth of it questionable, is not found in the ancient Manuscripts.

A Monk who cannot labour, ought to be maintained at the expence of his Family, B. 7. Ind. 1. Ep. 1.

A Monk ought not to go forth alone, because it is to be presum'd that he who walketh without a Witness lives not well: Qui fine teste ambulat non recte vivit, B. 10. Ep. 22.

A Monk ought to have nothing which may be call'd his own Propriety, B. 1. Ep. 40. B. 5. Ep. 12. B. 10. Ep. 22.