_Eustathius_, _Gregory Nazianzen_, _Gregory
Nyssen_, _Basil_, &c. had Monasteries of Clergymen in their cities, out of
which Bishops were sent to other cities; who in like manner erected
Monasteries there, till the Churches were supplied with Bishops out of
these Monasteries. Hence _Jerome_, in a Letter written about the year 385,
[3] saith of the Clergy: _Quasi & ipsi aliud sint quam Monachi, & non
quicquid in Monachos dicitur redundet in Clericos qui patres sunt
Monachorum. Detrimentum pecoris pastoris ignominia est_. And in his book
against _Vigilantius_: _Quid facient Orientis Ecclesiae? Quae aut Virgines
Clericos accipiunt, aut Continentes, aut si uxores habuerint mariti esse
desistunt_. Not long after even the Emperors commanded the Churches to
chuse Clergymen out of the Monasteries by this Law.
_Impp. Arcad & Honor. AA. Caesario PF. P._
[4] _Si quos forte Episcopi deesse sibi Clericos arbitrantur, ex monachorum
numero rectius ordinabunt: non obnoxios publicis privatisque rationibus cum
invidia teneant, sed habeant jam probatos. Dat. _vii._ Kal. Aug. Honorio A.
_iv._ & Eutychianio Coss._ A.C. 598. The _Greek_ Empire being now in the
hands of these _Encratites_, and having them in great admiration, _Daniel_
makes it a characteristick of the King who doth according to his will, that
_he should not regard the desire of Women._
Thus the Sect of the _Encratites_, set on foot by the _Gnosticks_, and
propagated by _Tatian_ and _Montanus_ near the end of the second century;
which was condemned by the Churches of that and the third century, and
refined upon by their followers; overspread the _Eastern_ Churches in the
fourth century, and before the end of it began to overspread the _Western_.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186