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.

GREGORY II.

GREGORY the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of that Name was raised to the See of Rome * 1.1 the 24th Day of 〈…〉〈…〉 that Church 16 Years, eight Months, and some * 1.2 Days. We have several of this Pope's 〈◊〉〈◊〉

The 1st 〈…〉〈…〉 is directed to Boniface the Priest, to whom he gave permission to preach the Faith 〈…〉〈…〉 of Germany, To this is annexed the Form of the Oath, which Boniface swore to the 〈…〉〈…〉 Ordi•…•… in the Year 722. or 723.

The 2d Letter is 〈…〉〈…〉 of the Kings Houshold, to recommend Boniface to him. Upon which this Prince granted him Letters of Protection, which are among Gregory's.

The 3d is also a Letter of Reco•…•…dation for Boniface, directed to all Bishops, Priests, Dea∣cons, Lords, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and i•…•…ral to all Chri•…•…

The 4•…•… is to the People, over whom he was Constituted Bishop. 'Tis in the ordinary Form which •…•….

The 5th is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the great Lords of that Country.

The 6th is to all People.

The 7th is to the whole Nation of the East-Saxons inhibiting Germany.

The 8th, which bears date ••25. is directed to Boniface, to congratulate the progress he had made in converting the Infidels.

The 9th, 11th and 12th, respect the Controversie about Images, and are set down in the Acts of the VIIth Council, where we shall have a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 opportunity to speak of them.

The 10th is addressed to Urs•…•… Duke of Venis••, whom he exhorts to joyn himself with the Ex∣arch in recovering the City of Ravenna from the Lombards, and putting it under the Government of the Emperors Le•• and Constantine again.

The 13th is a Decretal Epistle, in which he answers several Questions put to him by Boniface.

In the 1st Article about the Degrees of Consanguinity, within which it is forbidden to Marry, he says, that it were to be hoped that no Persons nearly related would contract Marriage, but to yield a little to the Barbarity of that Nation, they must content themselves to prohibit Marriages between Persons related in the fourth Degree.

In the 2d he permits an Husband, whose Wife is unable to perform Conjugal Duties, to Mar∣ry another.

In the 3d he orders, that a Priest accused of any great Crime, shall clear himself by Oath, if there be no Witnesses for him.

In the 4th he forbids, that Confirmation performed by a Bishop shall be repeated.

The 5th commands, that there shall be only one Chalice set upon the Altar at the Celebration of Mass.

In the 6th he uses S. Paul's words to resolve the Question, Whether it be lawful to eat Meats of∣fered unto Idols?

In the 7th he declares, that it is not lawful for Children, whose Kindred have put them into the Monasteries before the Age of 14 Years, to go out of them to lead a Secular Life.

In the 8th he forbids to Rebaptize those, who have been once Baptized in the Name of the Trinity, although it were by wicked Priests.

In the 9th he will have those Children Baptized, of whom there is no clear proof, that they have ever been so already.

In the 10th he orders, that Lepers shall not be deprived of Communion.

In the 11th he forbids flying, when the Plague, or any other Contageous Disease is in a Mo∣nastery, or in the Church.

In the last, he commands Boniface to reprove disorderly Priests and Bishops, but would not have him to refuse to talk, or eat with them.

This Letter is quoted by Gratian under the Name of Gregory, but it is Gregory II, and 'twas dated the 10th Year of the Emperor Leo, the 10th Indiction, which is Anno 726 of the Vulgar Aera, or common Account.

The 14th Letter of this Pope is directed to Serenus Bishop of Aquileia, and in it he exhorts him not to invade the Rights of the Patriarch of Grado.

In the last to this Patriarch he tells him, what a strict prohibition he had laid upon the Bishop of Aquileia.

Besides these Letters we have a Memoir, which this Pope gave to the Bishop Martinian, the Priest George, and the Sub-Deacon Dorothaeus, whom he sent into Bavaria, in which he gives them Instructions, what they should do in that Country for the establishment of the Churches, for the Ordinations of Bishops, and Regulation of Discipline. He advises them to allow of those Bishops who hold the Faith of the Church, and have been Canonically Ordained; to permit them to ce∣lebrate Divine Service according to the Roman way; but to put out those, whose Faith is sus∣pected, or Ordination faulty; to model the Divine Service according to the usage of the Church of Rome; to constitute in the Provinces a sufficient Number of Bishops, with an Archbishop; to set Bounds to Provinces and Diocesses; to enjoyn the Bishops not to Ordain such as have been twice Married, nor Ignorant, nor lame Men, nor such as have done publick Penance, nor Slaves, nor Servants, nor Africans; to have a special care of the Churches Revenues, and divide them into four parts, one for himself, another for the Clergy, a third for the Poor and Strangers, and a fourth for the Building; to Ordain only in the Ember-weeks; to administer Baptism at Easter and Whitsuntide only, unless in case of Necessity; to observe the Constitutions of the Church of Rome; not to suffer any Man to have more Wives than one, nor to Marry his Niece; to esteem Virginity more highly than Marriage; to account no Meats unclean, but such as are offered to Idols; to avoid all sorts of Superstition; to teach, that it is not lawful to Fast upon Sunday, or upon Christmass, Epiphany, or Ascension-Days; not to receive the Offerings of such as are at En∣mity, till they are reconciled; to do Penance for daily Faults; to instruct the People concerning a Resurrection and a Judgment. This Memoir is dated Anno 715. [This Pope's Epistles are ex∣tant in the Councils, Tom. 6. P. 1437.]

Notes

• * 1.1

  28 of April, in 715. D. Cave.
• * 1.2

  Gregory II.