JOHN IV.
THIS Pope did not enjoy the Roman See long, for he was raised to it in 640, and Died in 1641. Anastasius hath preserved in his Collections an Apology which he made for his * 1.1 Predecessor Honorius, in which he pretends, that that Pope was not in the Error of the Mono∣thelites, who acknowledged but one will in Jesus Christ; and that when he said, there was not Two wills in Christ, he understood it of Two contrary wills, or of the inferior and supe∣rior part, that is, of Concupiscence which is contrary to the rational will; but he never meant, that there was but one will only in Christ, consisting of the Divine and the Hu∣mane will united into one.
We have yet Two Letters of this Pope; the First is written to the Irish Abbots in the Name of Hilarius, Arch-Priest of the Church of Rome, holding the See, during the vacancy, in the place of John, who was Elected, but not Consecrated yet, and of Two other Officers of the Roman Church, the one having the Title of Secretary of State, the other of Coun∣cellor. They reprove them for not keeping Easter at the same time with other Churches, and for retaining some Relicks of Pelagianism among them.
The Second Letter is to Isaac of Syracuse. He declares therein, That Monks ought to be permitted to chuse, and put into the Churches given them, such Priests as they will, yet with this Proviso, That if they do any thing against the Bishop, they shall be punished by the Synod.