Ordination and that it belongs to the Bishop only to confer it and she allows the Distinction of Orders And tho' there is none under a Deacon because the Scripture makes mention of none yet she acknowledges that they are very antient Sixthly As for the Real Presence tho' Dr. Wake treats of it at length we will omit speaking of it until we come to the XII Article where there are many Books seen that concern this Subject Seventhly We receive says the English Expositor with equal Veneration all that comes from the Apostles let it be by Scripture or Tradition provided we be assured that they are the true Authors of the Doctrine or Practice attributed to them so that when we are shewn that a Tradition was received in all Ages and by all Churches then we are ready to receive it as having the Character of an Apostolical Institution So our Church does not reject Tradition but only the Tenets and Superperstitions which Rome pretends to justify after this way Eighthly And as for the Authority of the Vniversal Church of all Ages the English acknowledges 1. That they have received Scripture from their Hands and it is chiefly for this Authority that they look upon Solomon's Song to be Canonical and reject other Books Apocryphal which perhaps they would have received with as much ease These Books have our respect even before we know by reading whether they be worthy of the Spirit of God but this Reading confirms us in the respect which the Authority of the Church gives unto them as to the Holy Writings II. If there had been an Vniversal Tradition not contested that had come from the Apostles to us concerning the meaning of the Holy Books as concerning their number the Church of England would receive it also but she does not believe that a particular Church such as that of Rome should usurp this Priviledge nor that it ought to force others to follow the Interpretations which she gives of the Passages of Scripture III. When any Disputes arise concerning Faith the best way to appease them is to assemble a Council but it does not follow that such an Assembly can say as the Assembly of the Apostles at Ierusalem It seem'd good to the Holy Ghost and to us nor that it is Infallible or that it's Canons are not subject to Correction IV. Dr. Wake goes on and says When we say I believe in the Holy Catholick Church we do not only understand that Iesus Christ has planted a Christian Church which is to last to the end of the World but also that the Son of God will conserve either among the Christians or in the Vniversal Church Truth enough to denominate it such a Church that is he will never suffer that Truths requisite for Salvation should be unknown in any place So that tho' the Vniversal Church can err it does not follow that it can sink altogether nor become wholly erroneous because then it would cease to be but such a particular Church as that of Rome can err and fall into utter Apostacy And tho' the Fundamental Points be clearly contained in Scripture and that it is very hard that one Man alone should gain-say the Opinion of all the Church nevertheless if this Man was certainly convinced that his Opinion was grounded upon the undoubted Authority of the Word of God we would be so far being afraid to bear with him that we all agree that the most glorious Action that St. Athanasius ever did was that he alone maintained Christ's Divinity against the Pope the Councils and all the Church V. And so tho we acknowledge that God has subjected Christians to the Government of the Church for Peaces sake and to preserve Vnity and Order and that she has power to prescribe to her Children what Doctrines are and are not to be publickly taught in her Communion yet we believe that the Holy Scripture is the only Support of our Faith and the last and infallible Rule by which the Church and we are to govern our selves Ninthly That there are some that think that the Church of England makes the Fathers of the three First Ages Idols and equals them in Authority to the Holy Scripture But Mr. Wake will undeceive them for says he Tho' we have appealed to the Churches of the first Ages for new Proofs of the truth of our Doctrine it is not that we think that the Doctors of those times had more right to judge of our Faith than those had that followed them but it is because that after a serious examination we have found that as for what concerns the common Belief that is among us they have believed and practised the same things without adding other Opinions or Superstitions that destroy them wherein they have acted conformably to their and our Rule the Word of God notwithstanding it cannot be denyed but that they effectually fell into some wrong Opinions as that of the Millenaries and Infant Communion which are rejected by both Parties Tenthly Whether one may be saved in the Roman Church the English think that as she yet conserves the Fundamental Doctrines those that live in her Bosom with a disposition to learn and leave off their pernicious Errors and profess all the truth that they will discover may be saved thro' the grace of God and Faith in Jesus Christ and by a general Repentance that puts their Errors in the number of the Sins they do not know of But that ill use may not be made of this charitable Grant the Expositor limits it as followeth I. That it is harder to be saved in the Communion of this Church since the Reformation than it was before because its Errors were not so well known nor so solidly refuted which rendred the ignorance excusable II. That they that live among Protestants and in a Country wherein they may learn and make publick and open profession of the Truth are more condemnable than the other III. That Priests are yet more than Laicks In a word the Protestants hope that the good Men of the Roman Church will be saved but they have no assurance that they are to be saved Whereas they are assured That they will be saved that live Christian-like in their own Communion They do not know whether God will condemn Roman Catholicks for the Errors they professed taking them for truth but they are assured that the Crime of those that being convinced of Popish Superstitions leave the Protestants thro' motives of Interest and Ambition and maintain Tyrannical and Superstitious Tenets against their Consciences deserve no pardon Eleventhly As for Idolatry the Homilies of the Church of England accuse that of Rome as well as the English Doctors who lived under Edward the VI. and Queen Elizabeth The Catholicks object that the Learned of this Kingdom changed Opinion in the Reign of King Iames the First and begun to maintain that the Church of Rome was not Idolatrous but these Gentlemen are so unlucky in Proofs that of six Authors
Party which is that of the Semi Arians or Homoiousians The Reader will not be displeased to find here a List of these Councils which is made upon the Remarks of Mr. du Pin. Councils against Arius 1. At Alexandria composed of near a hundred Bishops in the Year 322. 2. At Nice in 325 composed of 318 or 270 or 250 Bishops 3. The Third Council of Alexandria where St. Athanasius was absolved in 340. 4. At Rome by the Bishops of Italy in 341 where Marcellus of Ancyra and St. Athanasius were justified 5. At Milan where Ursacius and Valens were received into Communion for condemning Arius in the Year 346. 6. At Sardica in 347 composed of an hundred of the Western Bishops who sent back St. Athanasius and Marcellus of Ancyra Absolved 7. At Alexandria in 362 with St. Athanasius where it was declared that the difference upon the three Hypostases were only Disputes of words It was composed of the Bishops of â—gypt 8. At Paris where the Bishops of the Gauls retracted what they had done at Rimini in 362. 9. The Bishops of Italy did as much in another Synod the same Year 10. At Antioch in 363 where the Bishops of Egypt approved the Form of Nice 11. In 370 at Rome under Damasus 12. At Aquilea in 381. 13. At Constantinople in 383. Councils for Arius 1. In Bithynia in the Year 323 Sozom. Lib. 1. Cap. 15. 2. At Antioch where Eustathius Bishop of this City was deposed in 330. 3. At Caesarea in Palestine where St. Athanasius was cited but appeared not in 334. 4. At Tyre where St. Athanasius appeared as accused in 335. It was composed of a hundred Bishops 5. At Ierusalem where Arius and his Party were received to the Communion of the Church in the same Year 6. At Constantinople against Marcellus of Ancyra which communicated with St. Athanasius and who was deposed as convicted for renewing the Errors Paul of Samosetus and of Sabellius in 336. 7. The Third Council of Constantinople where Paul Bishop of that City Defender of St. Athanasius was deposed in 338. 8. At Beziers where the Followers of Arius were reconciled to the Church in spight of Hilary of Poictiers and some other Bishops which were banished in 356. 9. The Third Council of Sirmium where the Father was declared greater than the Son in 357. 10. Another at Melitin the same Year 11. At Antioch in 358 where they condemned these Terms The same in Substance 12. At Constantinople where the Anomeans cunningly condemned Aetius their Head and deposed many Semi Arian Bishops in 360. 13. At Antioch where Melece Bishop of Antioch was deposed and where the Son was declar'd Created out of nothing in 367. 14. At Singedun in Mesia against Germinius a Semi Arian 366. 15. In Caria where they rejected the Term of Consubstantial in 368. Councils for the Semi Arians 1. The Second Council of Alexandria in 324 where nothing was determined against Arius and they treated only of the Terms Substance and Hypostasis against Sabellius where Osius presided 2 3. Two Councils at Antioch in 341 and 342 where they declared they received Arius because they believed him Orthodox where they composed three Forms of Faith in the which they Anathematize those who said there was a time when the Word was not and made a Profession of believing him like to the Father in all things This Council made XXV Canons which are inserted in the Code of the Universal Church 4. Another Council at Antioch by the Eusebians where the word Consubstantial is not found though it be Catholick as to the rest It was held in 345. 5. At Philippolis in 347. 6. The Second Council of Sirmium the Form whereof was approved by Hilary of Poictiers although the word Consubstantial be not in it In the Year 351. 7. At Arles where St. Athanasius was condemned in 353. 8. At Milan in 355 where St. Athanasius was also condemned by Violence 9. At Ancyra where those were Anathematized which held the Son Consubstantial with the Father and those who deny'd he was the same in Substance in 358. 10. The Fourth Council of Sirmium where they approved of the Forms of the Councils of Antioch and of the second Council of Sirmium 11. The fifth Council of Sirmium in 359. 12. At Rimini composed of 400 Bishops where they rejected Terms of Substance and Hypostasis as was done in the fifth Council of Sirmium Notwithstanding they held the Son to be equal to the Father in all things It was also in the Year 359. 13. At Selucia the same Year where forty Anomean Bishops or pure Arians were condemned by 105 Semi Arians 14. At Antioch in 363 where the Term Consubstantial was received in different senses 15. At Lampsaca in 365 where the Anomeans were condemn'd and where the Bishops were re-establish'd which they had deposed 16. Divers Synods in Pamphilia Isauria Lycia and Sicily in 365 and 366. 17. At Tyanes in 368 where the Anomeans were reunited with the Semi Arians In 370 a Synod was held at Gangres the Canons whereof are inserted in the Code of the universal Church and the fourth of which condemns those that say the Communion ought not to be received from the hands of a married Priest The 59th and 60th and last Canon of the Council of Laodicea which Mr. du Pin believes to have been held between the Year 360 and 370 prohibits the Reading at Church any other than Canonical Books and those that were acknowledged for such and those the Protestants receive excepting the Apocalypse The 8th Canon of the Council of Saragossa defends the Vailing of Virgins that have consecrated themselves to Jesus Christ before the Age of forty Years The Bishops of Macedonia willing to confirm a Judgment they had given against a Bishop named Bonosus by the advice of Pope Syricius he answered them That the Council of Capua having sent this Cause to them it belonged not to him to judge on 't and that 't was their business to determin it The most ancient Monument according to Mr. du Pin where the name of Mass is found to signifie publick Prayers that the Roman Church makes in offering the Eucharist is the third Canon of the second Council of Carthage held in 390. At the end of this Volume the Author makes an Abridgment of the Doctrin of the 4th Age as he did in his precedent Book in respect to the three first and he confesses that though nothing was taught in the 4th Age which was not believed in the three first nevertheless the principal Mysteries were much more clear'd and expounded in the fourth The Travels of Mars Or The Art of War divided into three parts c. With an Ample Relation of the Soldiery of the Turks both for Assaulting and Defending A Work inriched with more than 400 Cuts engraven in Copper-plates by Allaâ—n Manesson Mallet Master of the Mathematicks to the Pages of his Majesty's lesser Stable heretofore Ingenier and Serjeant-Major
Author of the Apostolick Constitutions is the first who attributed them to the Apostles before which time they were only call'd Ancient Canons or Ecclesiastick Canons 'T is he who hath inserted many words there to perswade us that the Apostles were the Authors of 'em and in his Constitutions which he would father upon Clement Romanus he attributes many things to 'em which don't agree with the Apostles such are those which concern Temples Catechumens Energumens Feast-Days c. There were even some things absurd and wicked such as that which orders Women to be Shav'd and not Men lib. 1. and that other which permits Womenâ—Slaves to suffer themselves to be corrupted by their Masters lib. 8. Constit. cap. 32. Altho' Baronius Bellarmin and some other Catholick Criticks receiv'd the Acts of the Passion of St. Andrew Mr. du Pin rejects 'em with his ordinary liberty as a Book doubtful and whereof we can make no use to prove an Article of Faith and which was not cited as we have it now till the Seventh or Eighth Age. In the speaking of the Sybils the Author says many things agreeable to what Mr. Petit does and shews in his Notes that there is nothing more uncertain than the Name and Number of these Prophetesses The most particular thought is his refutation of Mr. Vossius who maintained that in the Verses of the Sybils which Otacilius Crassus brought from Greece after the Conflagration of the Capital was slipt in some Iewish Prophesies that however past for the Sybils which are those that the Fathers have cited To Answer to this M. Du Pin shews that this System altho well enough invented suffers many difficulties and that the Doctrin of the Sybils Books is rather that of a Christian than that of a Iew Iesus Christ being therein more plainly foretold than in the Prophets and the Resurrection Judgment Reign of a Thousand Years with Antichrist being there remarkt in formal Terms Twou'd be a groundless imagination to say with Ierom that the Sybils had received the gift of Prophesying in Recompence for their Virginity It s very well known they applyed themselves entirely to things of greater Consequence and that it was often their Fate to be mistaken in profane Histories and cite Supposititious Books such as Hystaspus and Mercurius Trismegistus c. It is not easie to determine either when or by whom these false Oracles of the Sybils were made But as they made no noise till since the time of Antoninus the Pious he Conjectures that these Verses were towards the beginning of the Second Age 'T was says our Author by a Pious Fraud much like this by which a passage concerning Iesus Christ got into the Fourth Chapter of the 18 th Book of the Antiquities of the Iews But the perplexed turn and sequel of the Discourse shews that it enter'd in by force This he proves by Origen Theodoret and Photius to which Mr. Huet answers that these ancient Authors had Manuscripts of Iosephus from whence the Iews had taken away this passage The Book that bears Hermas's Name who was a Disciple to the Apostles is certainly his It was received as Canonical in many Churches and St. Ireneus and Origen cited it as such altho it is fill'd with a great Number of Visions Allegories and Similitudes which make it very tedious Amongst the Works that are attributed to St. Clement he admits as true only the two Epistles to the Corinthians The first of which according to our Author after Holy Scripture is one of the finest Monuments of Antiquity But the Second is not so certainly his The Apostolick Constitutions is a work of the Third or Fourth Age which from time to time was reformed changed and augmented according to the different Customs of times and places False Dionysius the Areopagite was an Author of the Fifth or Sixth Age whose Books were first cited in 532 by the Hereticks that were call'd Serezians The Author speaks there of the Trinity and Incarnation in such Terms as have been used only since the Fourth Age of the Church He proves in his Notes that the true Dionysius the Areopagite never was in France that Photinus Preached Christianity the first in that Kingdom and that from the time of Ireneus his Successor the Faith was only establisht in Two Provinces of the Gauls since there were Martyrs no where else in the Kingdom He rejects the Vulgar Edition of the Letters of St. Ignatius but receives the Seven that the Learned Isaack Vossius published from a Greek Manuscript of the Florence Library which is perfectly conformable to the Version that Usher has published He refutes two opposite Opinions whereof one is that of Belarmin Baronius and Possevinus who received all that were in Greek or who admitted the Three Latin ones as Father Haloix did who altho in a clearer time were not however the best Criticks The other is that of some Protestants as Salmasius Blondel Aubertinus and Dailleus who to the utmost of their power endeavour'd to destroy the Credit of Usher and Voissius's Editions All the World now agrees that the Letter of Polycarp to the Philipians is truly his and that the other Works that are attributed to him are supposititious The Martyrdom of this Saint is described after a very Circumstantial manner in a Letter from the Church of Smyrna to the Churches of Pontus and our Author relates a passage from thence that Merits a particular Notice The Heathens having hindred the Christians from carrying away the Body of Polycarp which continued untouched in the middle of the Flames said it was for fear they shou'd adore it instead of Iesus Christ The Church of Smyrna makes this reflection upon it Senseless as they were to be ignorant that the Christians adored Jesus Christ only because he was the Son of God and that they loved the Martyrs only who are his Disciples and Imitators because of the Love they Testified to have for their King and Master Afterwards the Centurian having burnt the body of this Martyr the Christians carryed away his bones more precious than the rarest Stones and more pure than Gold which they buried in a place where they assembled together to celebrate with joy and cheerfulness the day of his Martyrdom Thus Honouring the Memory of those that Gloriously fought for Religion that they might Confirm and Instruct others by their Examples This is adds Mr. du Pin the Opinion of the ancient Church concerning the respect due to Martyrs and their Relicks explained after a very curious way equally distant from the Contempt that the Hereticks of our time have for 'em and the Superstition of some Catholicks Speaking of Papias who though a Disciple of St. Iohn the Evangelist pass'd in the Judgment of Eusebius for a very Credulous Man and of a most indifferent Wit who pleased himself with the hearing and relating Stories and Miracles He says That he made Errors and Falsities pass for the
unquaem debet progredi quia inter nos placuit semel Chrismari Nam inter nos Chrismatis ipsius non nisi una benedictio est Non ut praejudicans quicquam dico sed ut necessaria non habeatur Chrismaetio repetita But according to him this hinders not but that when they use two Chrisms in Italy as it appears by the famous Decretal of Pope Innocent who speaks of a Chrism which Priests as well as Bishops administred in Baptism and of another which Bishops alone administred in Confirmation Presbyteri seu extra Episcopum seu praesente Episcopo baptizant Chrismate baptizatos ungere licet sed quod ab Episcopo fuerit consecratum non tamen frontem ex eodem oleo signare quod solis debetur Episcopis cum spiritum tradunt Paracletum Grotius also believes that Father Sirmond had reason to follow the Mss. where there is non habeatur and not the Editions where this Negation is omitted but that he hath not well expounded praejudicans by nocens a signification which hath been given to this Latine word only in the time of Bartolos or of Baldus He saith it signifies condemnans Grotius wonders that Christians dispute so much amongst themselves for indifferent things as these which are neither commanded nor prohibited and which make nothing of themselves to the distinction of Bishops and Priests He treats besides of the same Ceremonies in Letter 355.1 p. where he saith much the same thing One may see what he thought thereof before he was gone out of Holland in Letter 62. Where he speaks very respectfully of these ancient Ceremonies Writing to one of his Friends from whom he had received Letters from Grand Cair and who had consulted him touching the Schism of the Nestorians and Eutychians he answers thus The Schism of Alexandria whereof you write unto me was begun from the time of Dioscorus of whom there are several Proselytes in this Countrey in spight of the Condemnation of the Council of Calcedon and who are spread even into Aethiopia as the party of Nestorius stopped at Babylon whence it extended it self into all Asia I doubt not but Nestorius hath used hard ways of speaking who inclined too much on one side as well as Eutychus did on the other and I freely follow in this the consent of the greatest number of Churches Nevertheless it seems to me that the Ancients were too forward in putting out of the Church those who were not of their Opinion in all things See Letter 239. p. 2. As Grotius believed that his Friend was in Abyssine he takes occasion to speak of some Ceremonies of the Abyssines as follows Suarez in his Book of the Laws says that although the Abyssines retain Circumcision provided they believe not that it is absolutely necessâ—ry to Salvation they may be received into the Church I believe they make use of this Mark not in imitation of the Jews or from the time of Solomon as they speak but that it is much ancienter seeing Herodotus puts it amongst the Customs which were always received in Aethiopia I should believe that it owes its Original to the Children which Abraham had of Kethura who according to Iosephus went to inhabit Aethiopia I suppose they abstain from certain Meats rather for health than for Religion The annual Commemoration of Baptism is a tolerable Ceremony It is better to interpret favourably the Ceremonies affirmed by the Observation of so many Ages than to rend the State and the Church all at once To mix some diverting Subjects to these which are so serious we shall not omit a remark touching the Original of Academies which is in Letter 285. p. 1. In the time saith he that the Roman Empire was the most flourishing each City had Professours not only in Eloquence Non Eloquentiae tantum Philosophicarum Haeresium nondum ob id nomen comburi homines coeperant sed Medecinae quoque and in all the Heresies of Philosophy thus the Sects of Philosophers were called in the Ages wherein Heresie was not a Crime worthy of Fire but also in Physick An arrest only of the Decurions was needful It 's what the Pandects the Code and several Greek and Latine Authors teach us In the time of the Controversies about Grace Grotius made a small Treatise intituled Disquisitio an Pelagiana sint ea dogmata quae nunc sub eo nomine traducuntur It is in the third Tome of his Theological Works He endeavours to shew in this small work that the Sentiments which then were called Pelagian are not so But he doth more in the 19. Letter of the second part where he maintains that these same Sentiments are far from those of some Pelagians The Divines of Marseilles saith he who were called Semi-pelagians pressed the necessity of Grace after such a manner that they denied Grace prevented the first good motions of the Will at least in some Persons We need only to see the Council of Orange which hath condemned the Errours of the Semi-pelagians This was all their Errour which the Council disapproved so that notwithstanding the Communion was not refused those who were of this opinion But those who believe adds he that Predestination is founded upon foresight the universality of sufficient Grace and the opinion of those who maintain that Grace can be resisted and that it can be lost are Tenets of Semi-pelagianisme ritu sabino quod volunt somniant according to the Latin Proverb And as to the Semi-pelagians we shall find a passage of Vincent of Lerius in Letter 31. p. 1. upon which Grotius makes some Reflections To return now to more modern Histories Grotius relates Letter 366. p. 2. A quarrel which happened between the Pope and the Venetians in 1636. about an Inscription which the Pope caused to be put under a Picture of Pope Alexander III. and Frederick Barbarousse at his Feet with these Words Alexander Papa III. Frederici Imperatoris iram impetum fugiens abdidit se Venetiis à Senatu perhonorifice susceptum Ottone Imperatoris filio navali praelio à Venetis victo captoque Fridericus pace facta supplex adorat fidem obedientiam pollicitus Ita Pontifici sua dignitas Venetae Reipublicae beneficio restituta est These terms did too much honour to the Republick of Venice the Pope caused the Inscription thus to be corrected Fridericus I. Imperator Alexandrum III. Pontisicem quem diu insecutus fuerat post constitutas cum eo pacis conditiones damnatum Schisma Venetiis supplex veneratur Grotius sends to his Brother a Latin Epigram where he equally disapproved the action of Alexander and that of Vrban and which ends with this distich Nolite in fastum titulo pietatis abuti Esse jubet Regum libera colla Deus This quarrel of the Venetians with the Pope makes me remember a rumour that ran at Paris in 1630. they said that Fra. Fulgentio a Divine of the Republick of Venice and Successor to Fra. Paolo endeavoured to
in his Historical Dissertations p. 45 c. fol. IV. Bom after that takes another turn to Answer the Question of Episcopius touching the Institution of a Soveraign Judge over Controversies who succeeded the Apostles He asks of him a formal passage Wherein Iesus Christ hath ordered the Apostles that if there arose Disputes in the Church they should Convocate a Synod and make Decisions thereupon to which the Faithful should be obliged in Conscience to submit There is no appearance adds he that the Apostles should do it if they had not believed this Action conformable to the Will of their Master nor that the Primitive Church should so soon imitate them if the Apostles had ordered nothing thereupon It must then be that either the Institution of Synods is an Apostolical Tradition or that it is an inseparable Sequel of the Ministery and Promises that Iesus Christ hath made to those who exercise it I am always with you until the end of the World and other Passages which tho they are at every moment in the mouth of Catholicks seem not the stronger for that to Protestants Episcopius confesseth that Iesus Christ hath commanded no where his Disciples to convocate Synods and that notwithstanding they have done it He adds That according to their Example Ecclesiastical Assemblies may be held but that it followeth not that these Assemblies where none less than the Holy Ghost presides have as much Authority as the Apostolick ones The reason hereof is that the Authority of the Apostolick Synods depended not so much on the consent and conformity of their Opinions as on the quality of their persons and of the Authority which God had clothed them with by the Revelations he had made unto them and the Orders he had given them This will appear evident if we take notice of the conduct of the Apostles When they have an express command from God they expect not the Resolutions of a Synod for to act and St. Peter understood no sooner the meaning of the Vision which he had had but he went to Cornelius But when they speak of their own head they say I advise you 1 Cor. vii 25. On these occasions they took advice of one another Sometime they agreed not as it happened to Paul and Barnabas Act. xv 39. But commonly the spirit of Mildness and Peace which fill'd them and which shewed them all the Principles and all the Consequences of the Gospel brought them mutually to consult each other So that their actions being thus conducted by the Spirit of God they could say It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us But tho it was granted that the Convocation of Synods is of a divine Institution doth it follow that all the Synods and Councils which have been held after the Apostles have made good Decisions A Catholick denyes it and if he is asked the reason He must of necessity answer that what distinguisheth true Synods from false ones is that there have been some which have had all the Conditions necessary for a true Synod and have made good Decisions and the others wanting these Conditions have been but Conciliabula But how can it be known that these Conditions are assured marks of the Truth of Synods seeing that there is not one which is not equivocate according to some Doctors of the Roman Church And how can one tell what Synod hath them Will it be known by its Decisions But they should be examined and so to deny the Principle to wit that it might have pronounced a definitive Sentence Is it enough to assure it lawful that it be general Yes for the Gallican Church which receives the Council of Basil but not for Italy It must besides be confirmed by the Pope but who hath given him this Right Is it a Priviledge of the Successors of St. Peter How have they obtained it and whence comes it that the Bishops of Antioch who have succeeded this Apostle as well as those of Rome have had no share in it After all what needs there any trouble to prove the Authority of Synods when People are of the sentiment of Bom and the Iesuites And seeing that St. Peter and his Successours are the Soveraign Judges of Controversies what need is there of these Ecumenick Assemblies convocated with so much difficulty and Expences It 's not enough to interrogate this infallible Judge and to receive his Decisions as Oracles from Heaven The Passages which the Catholick alledgeth here in his behalf and the Answers which he hath made to those of the Protestants have been so often repeated that tho Episcopius refutes them sufficiently after a new manner we notwithstanding do not think it worth while to stop at them We shall only relate the manner wherewith our Professour translates the famous passage of the First Epistle to Timothy III. 15 16. because it is not common and that it destroyeth at once all the proofs which the Roman Church could draw thence Episcopius having proved against his Adversary as an illiterate Person that the Division of the Canonical Books into Chapters and Verses is not of the Sacred Writers and that it is not they who have put the Points and Comma's thereto he sheweth him that it is much more natural and more conformable to the aim of the Apostle to point this place otherwise than the common Copies are And to Translate it thus I have written this unto you That if I delay to come you may know how Men ought to behave themselves in the House of God which is the Church of the living God The stay and prop of Truth and the Mystery of Piety is certainly great God manifested in the Flesh c. When there is want of clear Reasons and convincing Arguments people are constrained to have recourse to Prejudices to Comparisons and to the Reasons of Convenience Therefore the Roman Catholicks say incessantly to us That God who well knew that there would arise Disputes in the Church upon Matters of Faith as there are Processes formed amongst Citizens of one State touching the Goods which they possess ought to establish a Judge who should be consulted at all times and who might instruct us in the true sense of Scripture in contested places and thus end the Differences It seemeth that Iesus Christ otherwise would not have taken care enough of his Church and the faithful who compose it seeing he would not have given them means of assuring themselves perfectly that the Doctrine which appears most conformable to Scripture is true if they might be in doubt as to several Articles of Faith and that what they should most determinately believe thereupon could not pass but for a a greater likelihood of Truth It must be granted that there would be nothing better understood nor more commodious than a Judge of this nature There would be no more need for one to break his Head in examining all things and to seek for truth it should be all found and People would go to Heaven
Kings that had taken Lot his Nephew Prisoner Father Kircher says that the Abyssins pretended to have all these Books and a great Number of others in the Library of the Monastery of the Holy Cross upon Mount Amara and that the Queen of Sheba received them as a Present from Solomon They pretend moreover that she Composed many Books that they have in the same Library and that she had a Son born by Solomon who was Prince Melilech that had also Compos'd many Books they had in the same place Those who cannot get the Works of Father Kircher may find what I have said in a Treatise of Bibliotheques publish'd 1680. If the Abyssines had only said that Solomon gave many Books to the Queen of Sheba and that he lay with her they wou'd have said nothing so very improbable for a Prince so Learned as he was and which is more an Author of such a multitude of Books wou'd not without doubt send away a Princess so Curious as the Queen without giving her a Copy of his Works and some other rare Treatises Besides he hated not the Sex and perhaps she was touched with the same desire and a long time after that obliged the Queen of the Amazonâ— to make a Visit to Alexander And it is apparent enough that Solomon had as much Complaisance as the King of Macedon But these are things which are so insignificant that all the World may be permitted to believe what they please of it The Author then considers the Vanity of the Egyptians who gave 100000 Years Antiquity to their Writings and sends us to St. Augustin who refutes them in his eighteenth Book of the City of God the 29 th Chapter He relates what was said of Zoroaster concerning the making of a Book entituled The Similitude which was edged with Gold and required for a Covering twelve hundred and sixty Oxes Hides some think this Zoroaster was Cham the Son of Noah He omits not that it was said of Trismegistus that he had Composed twenty five thousand Volumes or else thirty six thousand five hundred and twenty five and that the Science of the Egyptians in which Moses was so well Vers'd was contained in this great Number of Books and that Moses himself took some thoughts from 'em to insert in the Pentateuch He forgets not likewise to speak of the Sybil Daughter or rather Daughter-in-Law to Noah nor the Book of Iob according to some writ before Moses for there are some which pretend that Moses found it perfect at Iethro's his Father-in-Law in the Land of Midian and thinking it proper to Comfort the Israelites in their Misery he took it with him into Egypt to show it them Mr. Huet dissents from this Opinion and believes only that Moses Composed the History of Iob during the Servitude of his Brethren to the end to propose to them a great Example of Patience and Hope After all these ridiculous and fabulous Traditions the Author concludes that there is great probability that the Custom of writing Books was in use before Moses's time but nevertheless that the Pentateuch is the most Ancient of all Canonical Books and even of all Books whatsoever that are now extant He maintains that the Prophecy of Enoch was not written and that St. Iude had no knowledge of it only by inspiration that the Book that formerly bore the Name of this Patriarch was made by some Cheat and that St. Augustin did not well consider the Text of the Apostle since he makes him say that Enoch writ Prophecies He makes the same Judgment of the other Works that go under the Name of the Patriarchs As to the two Pillars of the Descendants from Seth he is of their Opinion who conclude it to be one of the oversights of Iosephus he also takes occasion by this to reproach him with having corrupted the sense of a Passage of Moses to flatter the Idolaters 't is where he says that Moses forbid the speaking ill of the Gods of other Nations and the destroying their Temples As to what concerns Zoroaster the Author says that we have no certainty and after having related a long passage of Mr. Huet's who believed he should find Moses not only in Zoroaster but also in all the false Gods and in all the first Heathen Poets he gives his own Judgment upon this Opinion with much equity He shows after that by a Passage of Eusebius's that Moses having lived in the time of Cecrops the first King of the Athenians he was before the most ancient Greek Poets Orpheus Linus and Museus and gives the Reason why some maintained that Cecrops and Moses was the same Person He says also that nothing certain can be established concerning the History of Mercurius Trismegisâ—usâ— He gives the Title of some of his Works which Clement of Alexandria has spoken on and sends us to Causabon where we may see that instead of Moses's Copying any thing from the Egyptians it must be confess'd that all the wise Heathens have borrowed something from him The Work that he cites of Causabon's is the 10 th Article of the Exercitations against the Annals of Baronius Causabon justifies that the Pimander of Trismegistus was writ since the Apostles time by one that was half Christian and half Platonick In â—â—ne Mr. Selden observes that that Treatise of Origen's is a suppositious Work which says the Book of Iob was found in the House of Moses's Father-in-law Our Author refutes those that believed Iob was the same with Iobab in the 36 th Chapter of Genesis who was the great Grand-son of Esau He does not believe Iob Composed his History himself because it is writ in Verse and he does not disapprove the Opinion of Mr. Huet upon it who says that Moses having Collected divers Memoirs which were in Manuscript concerning the Life of Iob and heard upon that the Relation of many Persons composed a Work with all these Materials We shall hardly give Credit to this Proof that the Author makes use of for altho' he had a very great reason to say that a Man in such Afflictions as Iob was cou'd not entertain his Friends in Verse yet a Poetical Discourse is as likely on this occasion as in those that are recited in Tragedies or sung in Opera's yet it is not improbable that Iob himself after his Affairs were re-established might give the History of his Misfortunes in Verse This is an Abridgment of Mr. Selden's first Dissertation which is about eighteen Pages In the second he examines whether Moses was the Author of the Pentateuch and answers in the affirmative and refutes the Objections of Spinoza He thinks it very unadvised that some writ in Dutch against this impious Author because says he this wou'd make us fear that the Curiosity of the People wou'd be stirr'd up if these Disputes were manag'd in a Language that they understood not I believe that our Author speaks principally in respect to the Philosophical Works of Spinoza many think
there are many things very remarkable as that the Cook of Corbie getting up at Midnight the Eve of St. Vitus the year 86 and opening the Larder Door it appear'd to him all of a light fire Cocta autem comestaque in festo paâ—roni carne quam ubi suspenderat Oeconomus splendor iste evanuit I Relate these words in Latin because I fear I could not Translate them well for I find no Syntax in them Upon this M. Paullini says That Bartholin and Aquapendente have made the same experience The Journal of the Learned informs us That on the 14th of Iune 83. at Orleans Meat has been seen at the Shambles to shine like phosphore The Conjecture of Bartholin is not altogether improbable that somewhat of the Glo-worms sticks to this Flesh and communicates this shining There is affirm'd in one of the French Novels of the foregoing Month That M. Lanzwerdo does not much credit such Generations as are called Equivocal that is to say where the Mother is of a different kind from that which engenders or is produced nevertheless one of these Fryars assures us that in the year 874. a Woman brought forth a Black Cat and that a Mare brought forth a Calf He adds That this Black Cat was burned because the Father of it was supposed to be of Devils M. Paullini makes mention of several such Generations and it may be concluded in general that the Text and Commentary thereon make a very curious Treatise There is likewise the History of a Dog that lived in the year 897. at Corbie which was of an Exemplary Devotion hearing the Mass very modestly and observed all the requisite Postures at the reading the Evangelists or when the Priest rais'd up the Host Besides this he kept Fasting Days with so much exactness that all imaginable Civility could not engage him to tast Flesh. If he had seen any Dogs piss against the Walls of the Church he went presently to bite them with great Zeal and if there were any that barked in the Yard during the Mass he would not fail to quit the place without disturbance to quiet them he never suffered any Dog to enter into the Church Father Iohn Eusebe of Nieremberg brings yet a more admirable Example of a Dog if the Crow of the Abby of Conrad were as wise as that Dog he had not felt an Excommunication that took away his Appetite and ordinary briskness the cause whereof was thus Conrad having a mind to wash his Hands took the Ring off his Finger and could not find it when he wanted it again he caus'd it to be sought for in every place without hearing of it so that he had issued out an Excommunication against whoever had stole his Ring the Crow that took it presently felt this stroke and confin'd himself within his Nest with a heavy heart this raised the Abbot's suspicion that it was he that had stole his Ring and in effect so it proved for it was at length found in his Nest upon which the Crow came to his first Condition as may be seen more at large in the Holy Recreations of Father Angelin Gazee A Work full of Pious Iests and Diversions for Devout Souls as the Sieur Rems remarks who has Translated them into French It may be truly said that there are more pleasing Accounts in this Book than in that of Bocace I do not know what to say to that which Fryar Isibord relates concerning a Cat of their House which hatch'd Ducks Eggs and took all possible care of the young ones to whom she communicated her Nature of warring against Rats But for what concerns the inability of the Ears of a certain young Girl the Abbot of Marolles has left no room to doubt of it being so confirmed by the Philosopher Cressot in the 32 page of his Memoirs She much resembled says he the Figures or Pictures of the Cynick Philosophers that are in the Closet of the Curious being as dirty as they with a long Beard and Hair uncombed she had a very particular thing which I never took notice of in any but in her which was to raise her Ears and to fould them at pleasure without touching them Father Messie in his 24th Chapter of his first Part makes mention of a Man which St. Augustin has seen not only to move his Ears at pleasure but also his Hair without any motion of Hand or Head This little Girl then is not so great a rarity as the Relation of a Woman who had 4 Breasts corresponding to each other before and behind equally full of Milk she lived in the Year 1164 and had thrice Twins who sucked her on both sides Nevertheless what we hinted at the Fryars of Corbie does not hinder but there have been very famous Men amongst 'em which may be seen in the Account that M. Paullini published at Ione intituled Theatrum illustrium virorum Corbeae Saxonicae Fasciculus Rerum Expetendarum Or a Collection of Things to be sought after and Things to be avoided Published at Cologne in the Year 1535. by Orthuinus Gratius Presbyter in Daventry for the Vse and Instruction of an Assembly then Conven'd freed from Innumerable Faults according to the best and choice Editions of those may Tractates which are contain'd therein by the Labour and Study of Edward Brown Minister Tom. 19th Sold at Amsterdam WHen Orthuinus Gratius alias Graes Publish'd this Work there was a Council call'd for a Reformation of the Church and the Catholick Princes did extreamly desire it from the Court of Rome yet it was doubted very much whether they shou'd obtain it Nevertheless the Collector of these Pieces believed he ought to publish 'em that in case the Assembly met they might draw thence some very necessary Instructions to satisfie such as were for a regulution of Abuses Wherefore he added it to his Title which was since a little changed in this new Edition Quod si futurum Concilium celebrari contigerit summopere tanquam cognitu necessaria ab optimis quibusque expostulabuntur All these Advertisements being unprofitable this Collection is become very scarce Whether it was endeavour'd to be suppress'd because it has been condemn'd by the Index's of many Books or that length of time only had produced this effect is uncertain However 't was this perswaded Mr. Brown to publish this Book anew though the Roman Church having not received those Truths it contain'd 't is not likely they shou'd be more welcome now than formerly also the World hath not seen this Collection because of the fewness of the Copies I will in brief give an account here of what it means It 's compos'd of 66 different pieces all which relate to some Abuses of the Roman Church either in the Doctrin or in the manner of the Clergy or some Scandalous Histories which this Church hath produc'd since the Popes have had a desire to usurp a Despotick Power over the Revenues and even the Consciences of the Christians or of pretended
begins to apply his Rules for Criticism to the Books of the Bible and proves by them that Moses was really the Author of the Pentateuch since 't is Established by Holy Scripture by the Authority of Iesus Christ by the consent of all Nations and by the Authentick Testimonies of the most Ancient Authors It is necessary to observe that this Dissertation upon the Bible and all the rest of the Book is disposed in such order that each Article contains a following Discourse where he only proposes his opinion and maintains it by some Reasons which all the World agrees to After that is the Notes that include the Proofs and Authorities of what has been advanced in the precedent Article Following this Method the Author to prove that Moses writ the Books that bear his Name Cites in the Notes many passages of the Old and New Testament He says that the Samaritan Pentateuch being writ in ancient Hebrew Characters must necessarily be composed before the Captivity of Babylon where the use of these Characters were lost He relates the Testimonies of Manethon Philocorus Atheneus and other ancient Authors that Iosephus and the Primitive Christians have preserved some passages of to which he adds other Authors of a latter date and whose Works still remain amongst us as St. Strabo the Abridgment of Trogue-Pompeus Iuvenal Pliny Tacitus Longinus Porphirius Iulian c. And from this universal Consent he draws an invincible Argument to prove that Moses writ the Law and that he was the Law-giver of the Iews In the Notes he Answers Eleven Objections which seem to be drawn from the Critical History upon the Old Testament and the Sentiments of some Dutch Divines upon this Book which contains the Reasons of those who pretend that the Pentateuch is a Collection made upon the ancient Memoirs and Writings of Moses but compiled by some other In short he maintains that when they wou'd suppose that the reasons that are alledg'd against the Antiquity of the Pentateuch are all unanswerable they shou'd prove only that there is some Names of Towns or Countries changed some little words inserted to clear Difficulties and in fine that the Narration of the Death of Moses was necessary to be added to finish the History of the Pentateuch We have not the same certainty according to M. Du Pin in respect to the rest of the Historical Books since we are absolutely ignorant of the Authors of ' em The Judgment that he gives of the Book of Iob is that the Foundation of Narration is true But that the manner how this History is related the Stile that it is writ in the Discourses that were held between Iob and his Friends and what is said of his mean condition must be confest to have been much amplifyed and adorned with many feigned Circumstances to render the Narration more agreeable and useful For the Book of Wisdom which is commonly attributed to Solomon he thinks it to be composed by a Grecian that was a Jew who to imitate the Books of Solomon had taken many thoughts from thence In respect to the Book of Ecclesiasticus some have imagin'd that Iosephus acknowledg'd it to be Canonical because he cites a passage out of it in his Second Book against Appion But according to the observation of Mr. Pithou this allegation which is not in the ancient Version of Ruffinus was added to the Text of Iosephus * The Book of Esther was according to some in the Iews Canon but others deny it s ever being there Meliton rejects it and the Six last Chapters of this Book are not in the Hebrew Origen believed they were formerly and that they have since been lost But it is evident they are taken from many places says our Author and that they contain such things as were apparently Collated by some Greeks that were Iews St. Ierom formally rejects the Book of Baruck and denies its being Canonical in his Preface upon Ieremiah The Story of Tobias also is not in any ancient Catalogue placed in the Rank of Canonical Books no more than that of Iudith In a word the ancient Christians followed the Canon of the Iews for the Books of the Old Testament there is none else cited in the New and a great part of these are very often mentioned The first Catalogues of Canonical Books made by the Greek and Latin Ecclesiastick Authors comprehended none but these In the Chronicle of Eusebius the Books of the Maccabees are opposed to those of Holy Writ and placed with Iosephus and Africanus The Book of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are in the ancient Catalogues placed in the number of such Books as are most useful Except Canonical Nothing can be concluded in favour of their Divinity from any passages of the Fathers since Origen St. Ierom and St. Hillary place them in the number of Apocryphal Books Even from the time of St. Gregory the Great these Books were not in the Canon of the Holy Scripture since this Pope speaks in those terms We do nothing unreasonable in bringing the Testimony of such Books as are not Canonical since they were publisht for the Edification of the Church Many Ecclesiastical Authors both Greek and Latin agree only upon 22 Canonical Books joyning the History of Ruth to the Iudges and the Lamentation of Ieremiah to his Prophesies altho' they lived after the Third Council of Carthage and Innocent the First who placed the Maccabees and other Apocryphal Books in the Canon of Holy Writ Which shews adds the Author that these Definitions were not approved by all Authors nor followed by all Churches until it was intirely determined by the Council of Trent This Ecclesiastical Assembly has this common with others That the last Decrees do still abolish the preceeding ones Besides it is just that the Church of Rome who hath power to make new Articles of Faith should also have power to make those Books Canonical whence they take these new Articles III. In the Third Article of this Dissertation where there is the History of the Hebrew Text the Version of the 70 and other Greek Translators the History of Aristeus is refuted almost by the reasons that are mentioned in the Extract of Mr. Hodi Nevertheless he believes not that it can be absolutely denyed that there had been a Greek Version of the Bible made in the times of Ptolomy Philadelphus because there 's no likelyhood that the Authors of Books attributed to Aristeus and Aristobulus have wholly invented this mater But he rejects as a conjecture without any Ground the Opinion of Father Simon viz. That this Version was called the Version of the Seventy because it was approved by the Sanhedrin He also maintains against the common receiv'd opinion of the Learned that the Caldaick Language was not the only Language spoke by all the Iews at their return from the Babylonish Captivity but that many amongst them did then speak Hebrew and all of 'em understood it but that
Reader is not at all a loser in the Exchange either in the Number or Quality of Books for as they may be assured we had no interest in expunging some and putting in others which we cou'd yet wish had been more so we shou'd hardly put in worse than those we took out having perhaps as much Iudgment in Books as the first Single Collector and our Bookseller But to do our Bookseller Iustice in this affair we shall acquaint the World that he very readily offer'd to add â—en Sheets more than the Proposals for the same Money to wit 130 instead of 120 and this after he had receiv'd a deal of Subscription-Money because he wou'd have the Work Compleat and Perfect and lay more than a Common Obligation upon his Subscribers perhaps there has not been another such an Instance to be found amongst those of his Calling Our Bookseller has been extreamly harass'd about a Speedy Publication which above all Men he has least deserv'd for there 's no body more diligent in his Employ than himself as every body of his Acquaintance will acknowledge There were Six Presses at work Mr. Rush-worth's Collections were in the Press at the same time and there were Six Weeks Frost which hindred the Printers therefore no Reasonable Person can suppose our Bookseller careless in the Affair or responsible for things out of his Power We have also to Advertise that the Author of the Hebrew Punctuation has retir'd into the Countrey where his necessary business will take up a great part of his time yet whatever Letters Objections c. shall be sent to him about his Performance if they be directed to our Bookseller they will come to his hands and he will notwithstanding his business set apart so much time as to maintain what he has advanc'd and to Answer all Objections whatever The Reader is to expect one other Inconvenience which was almost impossible to be avoided in having to do with six Presses the Abstracts are not exactly placed Dupin's Works being divided one Volume in one place and another in another but the Table will rectifie that Error only in one place the Printer has through a Mistake broken off in the midst of Bishop Ushers Works p. 37. and began another Subject and what shou'd have follow'd is transferred to page 65. which the Reader is desir'd to Correct and make a note of Reference with his Pen. And also instead of The the Direction word in page 316 should be Apostolici He that translated above an hundred of these Sheets is a Frenchman a Stranger to us and tho' we have revis'd all we cou'd not possibly give the Style a new Air and turn unless we had wholly alter'd it which wou'd have been so much labour that we had better to have translated all over again However this we can say for the Translation that its greatest Fault is that it keeps too nâ—ar the Original which the severest searcher after Truth will not be sorry to find for there 's less Error in such a Translation than in one where an affected profuse Liberty is assumed And after all we can't promise that in this hasty Review we have been rigid enough in our Examination only we hope there 's nothing very Material and if so a few small defects may easily be pardon'd by the Ingenious when they reflect of what great Vse this YOUNG STUDENTS LIBRARY will be to the World of which we shall now speak a word or two This Book is a kind of a Common Theatre where every person may Act or take such Part as pleases him best and what he does not like he may pass over assuring himself that every ones Iudgment not being like his another may choose what he mislikes and so every one may be pleas'd in their Turns A Book of this Nature provided every one follows the Rule just now laid down will solve the Common Complaint of Authors viz. that it 's impossible to please every Body for there 's scarce any one that can't find some Subjects here very agreeable to his Iudgment which if it alters may be refurnisht either by something new or perhaps by the very same things that displeas'd before Only here 's one Inconvenience depends upon this Variety to wit The unsetling people in their Iudgments and Perswasions To such we answer That what we here offer to the VVorld is rather a History of Books than a Method for people to fix their Iudgments by Here are several Subjects and some such as are diversely treated of but this hinders not the profit of the Reader since 't is universally granted that Diversity and Opposition shew the way to Truth It wou'd be an endless Task to Comment upon every good Thing that we find abstracted to our Hand or to expect that we shou'd censure what we find disagreeable to our Iudgments 't is enough to expunge such things in Divinity where Fundamentals are attaque'd by Libeâ—tines or Atheists we think we ought not to do it in any other Sciences let 'em all find out â—ruth after their own manner which when the Reader has fully consider'd he may by their Errors avoid Falsehood and raise one new Model out of their best Materials These Treatises are not only pleasant as to their Variety but useful for their Brevity there being the Substance and Value of a Considerable Part of a good Library brought within the Compass of this one Volume which as it will spare much Labour a man being able to peruse here more of an Author in half an hour than in half a day in the Author himself so it will save a great deal of Expences to such as wou'd be Master of the Knowledge of many Books by laying out a little Mony the performances of the Author and Quality if known being here Epitomiz'd and such as wou'd see more than oâ—â— Abstract may by the Title be directed where to buy the Author himself That there can be no Convenience without its Inconvenience we are satisfi'd and it may be alledg'd that Compendia sunt Dispendia but that this is an Error we dare appeal to the Encouragements that the Journal des Scavans the Republique des Lettres and the Universelle Bibliotheque c. out of which these Abstracts are Translated have met with from all the Men of Letters beyond Sea So that it must first be shewed that what has been so universally approved by the Ingenious in other Nations shou'd not also meet with the same Success here amongst us when Translated into English which to doubt wou'd be to question the Capacity Spirit and penetrating Genius of our Nation In fine We hope the Iudicious Reader will also pardon the Errataâ—s of the Press and with his own Pen Correct such Faults as may happen that way we having only had leisure to revise what went in not what comes out of the Press tho' we hope there 's nothing of an Error has escaped that 's very Material Directions to the Bookbinder
dogmata postea subtilius explicata tractet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For what regards the High Priest Levites and the Laicks relates according to our Author to the Priesthood and to the Custom of the Jews This Epistle being written about the end of Nero's Empire or at least before that of Vespasian whilst the Temple yet stood Letter 347. 1. p. Tacitus After having said that many learned men have discovered of what use Tacitus is in Politicks without excepting the the Italians who pretend to be the great Masters in this Science He saith that Berneggerus and Freinshemius had given at Strasbourg an Edition of it in 8 vo with a very large Index and most useful Notes in the Margent He adds that he read it with pleasure and that it was esteemed by all the Ingenious of Paris The same Author undertook to make an Addition in Folio with a perpetual Commentary drawn from all the Notes which had appeared tell then upon Tacitus Letter 1092. 1. p. Theophilactus 'T is the abridgement of the Greek Fathers which had written before him and is as the Voice of the Greek Church who gave us the opinions of St. Paul which he had preserved with much Fidelity Letter 1243. 1 p. Predestinatus 'T is the Title of a Book in 8 vo printed at Paris 1643. by Father Sirmond Grotius saith that he hath drawn this Book from a Manuscript which was formerly Hinâ—mar's Archbishop of Rheims that this work is oppos'd to those that believe absolute Predestination And that the Stile is strong and elegant Letter 673. p. 2. Father Casaubon I have not had less veneration saith our Author for his natural openness and sincerity than for his great Learning He told me in the year 1613. at London where I was almost every day with him when he went out of France he quitted all Studies which belong to the ancient Souldiery to which he had been perswaded by Henry the 4 th who was as great a Soldier as a Prince and that in England he had turned his Studies of that side which most pleased King Iames who was given more to peace than War Casaubon had no Collection except in his memory Margents of his Books and upon loose Papers Wherefore we have no Notes upon Polybe but what is upon his first Book and they are imperfect also 184. Letter p. 2. Selden This Author who made his wit appear in many pieces hath given to the Publick his book entituled Mare Clausum in opposition to another intituled Mare liberum This work is very learned and attributes in particular to the King of England all the Sea that extends it self from the Coasts of England Spain France the Low Countreys and Germany unto that of Denmark Letter 590. p. 1. Selden saith Grotius in another place hath taken figurative Expressions whereof I have made use in my Poetry to defend the Laws of the King of England and hath opposed them to others more serious I am very much obliged to him for the honesty with which he hath spoken of me and I believe I shall not injure the Friendship that is between us by this Epigram that I have made upon his Book Ipsum compedibus qui vinxerat Ennosigaeum Est graeca Xerxes multus in Historia Lucullum Latii Xerxem dixere Tagatum Seldenus Xerxes ecce Britannus erit Letter 371.2 p. The Bishop of Bellai I know him saith Grotius not only by his writings but also by Conversation He is an honest man and well versed in Controversie This is the Title of one of his Books The Demolishings of the Foundation of the Protestant Doctrine He hath a great hatred to the Monks and would not have them instruct the People but have it referred to the Ordinaries He is very much esteemed amongst the Bishops and of an exemplary Life Letter 1716. p. 1. Crellius I thank you saith our Author to him Letter 197. p. 1. both for the Letter and the book youâ— sent me I have resolved to read over and over with care all that you have written knowing how much profit I have gain'd by your Works When I received your Letter I was employed in reading your Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians You have very happily found the design and occasion of this Epistle as well as the sequel of this discourse I have cast my eye saith our Author elsewhere in speaking to Ruarius friend to Crellius upon his Commentary to the Epistle to the Hebrews which is very Learned I have profited much thereby as well as upon that which he hath made upon the Galatians of which the Ministers of Charenton make the same judgment as I do Let. 552. p. 1. He saith to his Brother speaking of the Book that the same Crellius had written against that of Grotius de satisfactione Christi that he hath written modestly and with much learning altho' he approves not of his opinions p. 2 Letter 138. George Calixta Professor of Divinity at Helmstadt I know not whether you have seen the preface that Calixta hath put before the books of St. Austin de Doctrina Christiana and of the Commonitorium of Vincent de Lerins the book that he hath made de Clericorum coelibatu and the first part of his divine Morals with a digression touching the new Method de Arte nova I approve the judgment of this Man and the respect he hath for antiquity joyned to the love of Peace A. M. des Cordes Canon of Limages p. 1. Letter 350. see Letter 339. p. 1. Salmatius I have run through the book of Salmatius upon Simplicius There is as you say much reading I wonder he disposeth not his thoughts in a better order 'T is sometimes difficult to reconcile him to himself he often disputes about words c. To William Grotius p. 2. Letter 326. Salmatius hath been with me he is dispos'd to defend every thing to the utmost extremity and even maintains that St. Peter never set foot in Italy I wonder the spirit of a Party should have so much strength says he in the same Letter 533. Salmatius is pleas'd to defend Opinions abandoned by all the World for even Blondel who is a Minister in France maintains in a book Printed at Geneva that St. Peter was at Rome He denyes also a Woman was ever Pope but Salmatius affirms it in the same Letter 536. A great friend of Salmatius hath told me a little while since that a Book could not easily be made de lingua Hellenistica Rediviva drawn from this that he saith he is constrain'd to confess in many places that he acknowledges the thing and disputes but of the Name He saith that no body hath remark'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to a manner of speaking Latin But I had and even in three places Mat. vi 2. c. in the same book 6921. Daniel Heinsius I have read the Works of Heinsius upon Nonnus which was not worth my while for others have said several
are very curious Particulars There is the Life of famous M rc Antony de Dominis Arch-Bishop of Spalatro included in a Letter written from Rome The Author had already published it in the Third Part of his Brittanica Politica It is a very curious Piece wherein is seen how this Prelate imbraced the Protestant Religion and how being deluded by the Promises of Dom Diego Sarmianto de Acuna Ambassador of France in England and by that of the Court of Rome he returned into Italy where he unhappily ended his Days without obtaining any thing of what he hoped There also is a Letter of Pope Gregory XV. to the Prince of Wales who was since Charles I. Upon his Marriage with the Infanta of Spain and an Answer of this Prince to the Pope The Fifth Book contains the Reign of the same Prince where his Innocence may be seen and the unheard of Violence of his Subjects described without partiality and all the Proceedings which were made against him The last Volume is composed of Six Books The first contains the History of Cromwell's Usurpation more exact and sincere that it had been heretofore Hitherto have been but Satyrs or Panegyricks thereupon The Creatures of Cromwell have raised him up to the Clouds and his Enemies have omitted nothing that might defame him The Author pretends that he hath been the greatest Politician and the greatest Captain of his time and that he was much more able to Reign than several of those whom Providence hath plac'd upon the Throne by Inheritance But he sheweth on the other side That he was a Cheat and a Tyrant who after having dipped his hand in the Innocent Blood of his Master all his Life cheated the People by a specious Zeal for Religion The Second Book contains the History of Charles the II. until his Restauration In this Book are seen the Honours which were rendred to him in Holland his Magnificent Entry into London his Clemency to those who had bore Arms against him and his Justice towards the Murderers of his Father The same History is continued in the Third Book from the Year M. DC LXI unto the Year M. DC LXXX There is also the Life of the Duke of York until his Marriage with Chancellour Clarendon's Daughter the Quarrel which happened between the Ambassadours of France and Spain about Precedency The subtilty wherewith the Spanish Ambassador carried it the Marriage of the Princess Henrietta and that of the King the War of England with Holland and with France the Peace that was made afterwards with both the others which was followed with a secret Treaty betwixt England France appeared in M. DC Lxxii the Marriage of the Duke of York with the Princess of Modena the Calling Prorogation and dissolving different Parliaments In fine the Discovery which Oates and Bedlow made of a Conspiracy which made so great noise and whereof this Author appears not very much persuaded We find in the fourth Book the sequel of the same Troubles and the History of what passed in the Parliaments convocated in M. DC.LXXX at London and Oxford There is particularly in this Book one thing of very great importance which the Author relates with as much sincerity as if none was interessed therein Which are 1. The Endeavours the Parliament of England made to exclude the Duke of York from the Crown 2. The Reasons which were alledged for this 3. The manner wherewith the Creatures of this Prince defended his Rights The Author endeth this Book by the Description of Pensilvania without omitting either the Offers which are made to those who will go to inhabit it or the manner they may be established in it The fifth Book begins with the Encomium of the House of Savoy and tells us afterwards with a very great exactness the means which Madam c. made use of in M. DC LXXX and M.DC.LXXXII to obtain of his British Majesty that the Ambassadours of Savoy shou'd be received in London like those of Crowned Heads It is one of the finest places of the whole Work and they who love to read the particulars of a Negotiation cannot read a more curious one nor one better related than this The last contains the Affair of Count Koningsmarc with all its Circumstances which is a very good History and whence the manner may be Learned after what Strangers are judged in England Here it is that the Work endeth The Author promiseth us in his Preface another Volume where all will appear which hath happen'd in England till these latter Years The Style of this History as well as the other Works of Mr. Leti is easy and without Affectation contrary to the custom of most Italian Writers But what is most considerable is that he relateâ— Matters so nakedly and speaks so freely of the Interests of the greatest Princes of Europe that perhaps one day persons will not be easily persuaded that the Author had caused this Work to be printed during his Life and the life of those of whom he speaks if at the beginning the Year had not been marked wherein it was printed Mr. Leti hath since written a Book which treats of all that concerneth Embassies There may not only be seen the modern use of all Courts in this respect but the ancient also so that it will be a History of great concern The Author is not contented to speak of the Duties and Priviledges of all the Ministers which one Soveraign sends to another but of each according to the Degree of his Character he speaks largely also on the Origine of this Function and upon all the Principalities which are formed in the World He relates several Examples of Ambassadours who have committed gross Mistakes and gives Instructions how to manage worthily this Post according to the different Courts wherein they are oblig'd to reside Men will easily believe that a Work which treats of things of this nature and of so great a number of others is worthy of Publication An Examination of the Infallibility and Right which the Roman Church pretends to have in Judging Absolutely in Matters of Controversie 8 vo 1687. 255. WHilst the Romish Church makes use of all the Power of Soveraigns to re-unite to its Communion those who have quitted it Protestants oppose these progresses by coâ—ntaining their Cause with the soundest Reasons which they can think upon Though they differ amongst themselves about several Speculative Doctrines they perfectly agree upon Morality and the Worship which we owe to the Divinity they also in general are of one Mind in those Principles of Religion which they admit in respect to Holy Writ and have all an extream aversion for that Church which pretends to be a Judge in its own Cause and which without delay forceth those it calls Hereticks to a Worship which is against their Consciences Amongst the Protestant Societies there is none who hath declared it self more openly against Human Authority in matter of Religion and against the Constraining and Spirit of
Christ the Sins which were committed before his coming and which he bore by his patience and that God hath declared in the Gospel how much he loves Justice since he has pardoned Sinners after that his Son their Surety had expiated their Crimes and has even pardoned those which sinn'd before his coming It was objected to Mr. Alting that the sense he gave to the term Paresis was unknown to all Greece He answers to this it is the Custom with the Writers of the New Testament to give Hebrew Significations to Greek Words and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to the Hegnebbir of the Hebrews nor is it strange that St. Paul has taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Transport To confirm his Opinion the Author brings many Examples of a very extraordinary Signification of the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which answering to that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chi In Hebrew is employed for although in the following passages Iohn 4.44 Two days after Iesus returned into Galilee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altho' Iesus had testified himself that no Prophet would be well received in his own Country Rom. 5.7 One would scarce die for a just Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altho' for a good Man some wou'd even dare to die There are infinite Examples of these Hebraisms Thus the passage of St. Iohn 8.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which has given so much trouble to the Interpreters is a phrase of the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lebitchilla tascher ani omer Lachem I am really what I tell you The same Apostle doth not commonly take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Greek sense but in a signification which the Rabbins give to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beparhesia which signifies Publickly 50 27 42 44 52. In the 45.50 Mr. Alting proves the necessity of studying the Hebrew Tongue against a Professor who durst maintain in his Publick Lessons that that Tongue was not necessary for Ministers nor for Students in Divinity because St. Augustine and all the Doctors of his time were ignorant of it except St. Ierome who drew upon himself the hatred of all his Contemporaries The same Author writing against the Jew Athias p. 4. according to the citation of Mr. Alting Libros veteris Testamenti partem Bibliorum inutilem dixit potiorem vero sanctiorem novi Testamenti libros that is the Books of the Old Testament are the unprofitable Part of the Bible but that those of the New Testament are the most holy and most considerable Mr. Perizonius designing to refute Spinosa consulted Mr. Alting upon some difficulties which our Professor resolves in his 59. and 50. The first relates to the Authors of the Canon of the Old Testament and 't is asked whether it was Esdras Mr. Alting saith That 't is commonly believed upon the Testimony of Buxtorf who assures us in his Tyberiade That the Members of the great Synagogue assembled to bring into one Body the Canonical Books and that Esdras presided in that Assembly and that the three last Prophets were there accompanied with Mordocheus But Gans David remarks that Simeon the Just who is said to have been the last of the Assembly of this great Synagogue lived eight Generations after Ioshuah Son to Iosadack Add to this that there is no likelyhood that Malachy was Contemporary with Esdras since he doth not speak of the rebuilding of the Temple nor return of the Iews and that he chiefly sticks to reprehend the Priests who corrupted the Law by their Interpretations So that this Prophet seems to have lived about the time of Hillel when the Sect of the Pharisees began to flourish and their Traditions to be in Vogue Parker has remarked that the Fathers of the Church pass'd for Apostolical Traditions customs established by long use whereof the first Author was not known and to which they had a mind to give some Authority The same Remark may be made concerning the Iews There were amongst them Institutions whereof the Authors were uncertain which they attributed to the Members of the great Synagogue and made them come from inspired Men which were but Traditions of the Pharisees The Members of the Synagogue never lived in the same time nor in the same place and that consequently there never hath been such an one It is an invention of the Sticklers for Tradition to give some likelihood to their System The second difficulty regards the numbering of Iews who returned from Babylon to Ierusalem Esdras and Nehemiah agree in a Total Sum which was 42360. but when we our selves will muster up the number of each Family there will be only found 29818 in Esdras and 31089 in Nehemiah There is yet this thing remarkable that Nehemiah mentions 1765 Persons which are not in Esdras and that Esdras has 494 whereof Nehemiah doth not all speak The Difference that seems to make it impossible to reconcile these two Authors is what makes them agree for if you add the Over-plus of Esdras to the number of Nehemiah and the Surplus of Nehemiah to that of Esdras the same Number will come of them both Which being substracted from 42360 there remains 10777. which were not mentioned perhaps because they lost their Genealogical Books being of the Posterity of the Priests Chabaja Cotzi Barzillai or of the Israelites of the Ten Tribes In the sixtieth Letter our Author makes the History of the Canon of the Old Testament Moses saith he committed the keeping of his Books to the Levites Deut. 31.25 and the following and created them as 't were Doctors of the People Deut. xxxiii 10 And it seems that Malacby alludes to this charge Ch. 2. vers 4 5 6 7. Yet these Doctors did not much increase this Bibliotheque until the time of David The Prince assisted with some Prophets divided the Priests and Levites into divers Classes who were to serve by turns But this Order was the cause of a great confusion amongst the holy Levites whereof none took care but when his turn was come Thence proceeds the disorder which is remarked in the Collection of the Psalms David gave them to the Levites who were in their Week according as he composed them each Classis kept those which had been remitted to it In fine there was a Collection made joyning together what each Classis had received without having regard to the Order or time in which they were Written The same thing sometimes hapened in regard to the Sermons of the Prophets Habac. 2.2 which having been intrusted to divers Priests were gathered according to this Method and put into the number of the Sacred Books As in the time of Malachy they began to have too much esteem for Traditions and to attribute unto them an Authority which weakned that of the Sacred Writings this Prophet discover'd the Imposition of the Levites who gave way to these Traditions because it augmented their credit He prohibited for the future that any Writing whatever should be put
into the Sacred Volumes upon their Word and before it had been compared with the Law of Moses which he would have to be as the Rule to all Books Thence it cometh that after him nothing was added to the Canon of the Holy Writings I cannot believe that this was done by the advice or order of some Ecclesiastical Assembly There are no Footsteps of these sorts of Assemblies in Scripture and 't is evident that God would not suffer that there should be any least it should be thought that the Authority of his Word depended on the Will of Man or that the Church under this pretence should attribute to it self the right of Pronouncing upon the Canon and to reject or admit the Books as it should think fit If the Church had this power there are many Prophetical Writings which we should miss undoubtedly we should not have the Prophesies of Ieremiah to whom the whole Colledge of Priests and all the ordinary Prophets were opposed and it is absurd to say that the Church had this Power one time and not another God gave Credit enough to Moses in speaking to him in the sight of all Israel Exod. xix 14. and his Writings never wanted the Authority of any Assembly to be received As to the other Prophets Do you ask how their Books were received or how they have been preserved It is a conduct of Providence which I adore without comprehending its ways It hath not yet been proved that we owe this obligation to the Pharisees or Rabbins in particular It is to the Jewish People in General that St. Paul gives the Title of Depositors of the Divine Oracles Rom. 3. Several other Questions of Criticks are treated of in these Letters of Divinity and Morality If Boaz Espoused Ruth by vertue of the Right of Next-a-Kin What Motive compelled the Gibeonites to feign that they were come from a far Countrey If the Seven Nations of the Canaanites were not of the number of those to whom God had commanded Peace to be offer'd It 's Answer'd That these Seven Nations were excepted and not contain'd amongst those to whom Peace was to be offered That the Gibeonites being of their number saw themselves obliged to put a Guile upon the Israelites to be received amongst their Allies that this having been Sworn it was not permitted to break it because it was not the Israelites who had offered Peace but the Gibeonites which had demanded it a Conjuncture upon which God pronounced nothing and which seemed even to exempt them also Submission being a mark of Faith see Ioshua 11.9 and compare the example of Rahab Ios. 2. Yet as the Gibeonites had obtained this Alliance by deceit and remained in the midst of Palestine for fear they should corrupt the People they were obliged to Abjure Idolatry and an Employment was given them which kept them with the Priests As for the other People which the Israelites Conquered they were suffered to live in their Religion as it appears by the Example of the Neighbouring Nations whom David made Tributaries It is Asked if the Daughter of Iephtha ought to have been Sacrificed and it 's Answer'd Yes Divers Questions are put about the Baptism of little Children if it canbe Administred without the Temples and set Hours or by Laicks upon which occasion our Author makes the History of this Sacrament and concludes that we ought to Conform our selves in this to the use of the Church wherein we live that it is absurd to have the Publick stoop to our own particular Customs and that a Protestant who threatens to separate himself for these things from the Communion of a Church hath already abandoned it seeing he has a design to trouble the Peace thereof and that he can suffer no Order but that which he establisheth L.LXX. Other Questions upon Baptism of Infidels may be seen in L. XCVIII Those who would have it that the Prophets who followed Moses made alterations in his Writings and those who suspect that the Pentateuch is a Collection of some other Prophet who lived a long while after and composed it upon the Memoirs of this Lawgiver commonly do cite to prove their Hypothesis the Passages of the Five Books of Moses where there are Names which were not in use in his time That of Genesis Chap. xiv 14 where it is said that Abraham pursued the Five Kings unto Dan seems one of the strongest seeing it is evident by Iosh. xix 47 and Iudges xviii 29 that this City was called before Leschem or Lais. Mr. Alting Answers 'T is likely there were Three Cities of this Name Leschem and Lais being perhaps different Cities to which the Danites gave the Name of their Father and that of Genesis being it may be a Third City scituate near the source of Iordan If we may not rather say that it is at the very source of Iordan And this source was but Ten Miles from Sidon whereas Lais seems to be distant enough from it Iudg. xviii 7 28. This same source was very distant from the Territories of the Tribe of Dan being at the South of Naphtali and Asher There is no likelyhood that these two Tribes should permit the Danites to seize upon Cities which were fallen unto them by Lott nor that the Idol of Micah to which the Tribe of Dan gave Publick Adorations was erected so far from their Land Iudg. xviii 18 30 31. All this makes our Author believe that Lais was scituate near Ioppe more than Forty Miles from Sidon since it is said it lived after the Fashion of the Sidonians because it was washed with the Sea that it subsisted by Commerce and that its Government was Democratick as well as that of that Famous Republick L. lxxx and the Letters lxxxiii lxxxiv lxxxvii lxxxviii are Burman's and Alting's and Treat of several Questions wherein these Two Divines differ'd in their Opinion concerning the duration of the Sanhedrin and the Scribes of the Old Testament What the Face of God signifies in the first Precept of the Decalogue If the Seven Epistles of the Apocalypse are Prophetical The CXIV contains Two Curious Questions of Morality Whether it be lawful for a Christian to wear Modest Ornaments and to get his Livelyhood in making Lace Ribbands Perukes c. After the Letters are Two Dissertations upon the Hebrew Tongue the first Treats of its Names Iudaic Hebraic and Holy The Second shews that 't was God himself who Taught Man this Tongue The Manner of Thinking well as it has a Relation to the Operations of the Mind In Dialogues At Paris Sold by the VVidow of Sebastian Mabre-Cramoisy 1687. in Quarto p. 402. And at Rotterdam by Reinier Leers IT is not difficult to find out the Author of the Dialogues of Aristus and Eugenius Here we find the same Form and Politeness with a Collection of the finest places of the best Authors done by a delicate Hand Yet we are not more charmed with the choice of things than with the pleasant
make God the Soul of the World and who would imagine that the Soul of Man is part of his Substance this is a Sentiment which those who make an exterior Profession of Christianity have renewed in our days under other Names and which Mr. Boyle stiles wicked pretending that their God is very different to that of the Iews and Christians The second Use which the Author draws from his Method is to justifie Providence and the Divine Wisdom against Atheists who pretend that all things happen by pure Chance or Necessity because of certain Events which they look upon as Imperfections and Disorders such as Earthquakes Innundations Volcanos the Plague c. which he explains according to his own Principles I. God being one perfect free Being who created the World as a pure effect of his Bounty when there was no Being besides himself there could be no Bounds put to his Works by any other Power nor could he receive Laws of any Creature II. And as the Divine Intellect infinitely surpasseth ours in Extension and Penetration we must believe that God created the World and form'd its different Motions for various ends some to serve for Corporal Creatures and some for Spiritual ones those which are discovered to us to exercise our Reason and those which are hidden from us to make us adore the unsearchable depth of his Wisdom III. We have Reason to think that this Infinite perfect Being has stamp'd his Works with a Character in which we may discover his Divine Wisdom this Character is the Production of a great number of things by a small number of Principles simple uniform and worthy his Perfections IV. According to these Suppositions God having duly established among other parts of the World universal and constant Laws and which should be conformable to the ends he proposed to himself in creating them did dispose of things in such a manner that the universal Laws should not contribute to the good of particular Beings but so long as these particular Beings should agree with the simplicity and uniformity of these Laws and with the designs of God Thus laying aside Miracles and Events wherein God acts after a particular manner one might reasonably say that the infinite Wisdom to whom all things are present having weigh'd all the Consequences of these Laws and all their connexions in all their Circumstances he always thought fit to prefer Miracles and other Cases excepted the universal Laws to the particular ones the principal ends to the Subalternate and the uniform Methods to an Inconstant Administration He thinks not fit to change these simple and pure Laws to prevent what Men call Irregularities as Earthquakes Innundations Flux and Refluxes of the Sea the Eclypses of the Sun and Moon c. V. He adds That what appears Irregular to us in comparing the Designs of God with what we know may be a very wise Method to find out these other ends which are unknown to us and 't is very just to have this thought of God since in those Works of his which we know least we see clearly so much Order and so much Wisdom we should have at least in this search as much Equity as a Man of a good understanding wou'd have when he judges of a Book that treats of many Heads and which is written in divers Languages and Characters whereof he understands but a part if what he understands there pleases him he imagines he should not be dissatisfied with what he does not if he could find out the sense Thus it must certainly be confessed That the Eye was made to see since all the parts thereof are so composed that they concur to form the Organs of the the Eye VI. This Administration of God which discovers unto us clearly some of his ends and hides others from us is worthy of his Wisdom and adapted to our Wants for it convinces us of two Important Truths That we are of our selves but Imperfection and Darkness and that 'T is God which is the Light of our Minds In fine Mr. Boyle believes that there may be drawn from this System this Use which is of great consequence in Religion to wit To look upon God as the only Governor of the World and to attribute to him the great variety of Effects which are falsly assigned to a Chimera of Nature An Extract of a Book Entituled A Philosophical Essay upon Human Understanding wherein is shewn the Extension of certain Knowledge and the manner of attaining to it By Mr. Lock BOOK I. IN my Thoughts upon Human Vnderstanding I have endeavoured to prove That the Mind of Man is at first like a Tabula rasa a blank Paper without Ideas and Knowledge but as this was to destroy the prejudice of some Philosophers so I was persuaded that in a small Abridgment of my Principles I ought to pass by all preliminary Disputes which compose the first Book I intend to shew in the following Discourses the Source from whence we draw all Ideas which happen in our Reasonings and the manner how BOOK II. The Intellect being suppos'd void of all sorts of Natural Ideas comes to receive them by degrees as Experience offers them to it If we will observe them we shall find that they all come from two Sources to wit from Sensation and Reflection 1. It 's evident that the outward Objects in striking our Senses give divers Ideas to our Minds that they had not before Thus it is that we have the Ideas of Red Blew Sweet Bitter and all the rest that are produced in us by Sensation I believe that these Ideas of Sensation are the first Ideas of the Thought and that until such time as the outward Objects have furnished to the Mind these Ideas I do not see that there is any Thought 2. The Mind in attending upon its proper Operations which regard the Ideas that happen to it by Sensation comes to have Ideas of these same Operations which are in it And this is the other Source of our Ideas that I call Reflection by whose means we have our Ideas of Thinking Willing Reasoning Doubting Resolving c. It s from these two Principles that all the Ideas come to us that we have and I believe I may boldly say that our Mind hath absolutely no other Ideas but those which our Senses do present to it and the Ideas that it hath of its proper Operations received by the Senses This clearly appeareth by those that are born Deaf or Blind It followeth Secondly That if we could suppose a Man that had been always destitute of all his Senses he would have no Idea because he never would have an Idea of Sensation the exteriour Objects having no way to produce any in him but by the means of his Senses nor an Idea of Reflection because of the want of all manner of Sensation which is that that exciteth first in him these Operations of his Mind which are the Objects of his Reflection For there being in the Mind no
little the better for the very places of Scripture we most frequently alledge because they most commonly respect the Masoretick Bible which we have not room to explain to those who know nothing of these things If therefore such Subjects are fit for Divines to understand then must the Knowledge of the Rabbinical Writings be so likewise 'T is peculiarly incumbent on the Ministry by their Office to defend the Doctrines they teach by the Scriptures But if they are unable to defend the Scriptures the only Evidence and Proof of their Doctrines the Christian Religion with the Doctrines thereof must fall to the ground And yet this Position That the present Hebrew Bible and Greek Testament in the Words Letters Points Vowels and Accents we now enjoy is the same uncorrupted Word of God which was delivered of old by the holy Pen-men of it to the Church This we say cannot well be defended against all Opposers without the Rabbinical Knowledge we speak of And so much for the need of this Knowledge We shall only give some Directions about this Study First He must well understand the Hebrew Bible in the first place who would know the Rabbins before he look after them And for this if he hath no Latin he must get William Robertson's First and Second Gate to the Holy Tongue His Key to the Bible Iessey's English Greek Lexicon c. But we suppose most have the Latine Tongue and such have Grammars and Lexicons enough as Buxtorf's Epitome his Thesaurus His Lexicon And many other Authors especially Bythner's Lyra Prophetica in Psalmos Leusden's Compendium Biblicum Arius Montanus his Interlineary Bible c. Let him read the Hebrew Bible much And then for the Rabbins take this brief Account and Direction The ancient Chaldee Paraphrasts are most of them translated and thereby easie to learn The ancient Cabalistical Writings as the Zohar Bahir c. are both most difficult and least useful Their Oral Law or Traditions were collected after the Destruction of the Temple A.D. 150. by Rabbi Iudah the Holy as they call him This they preferr before the Scripture and suppose it was Orally delivered by Moses to Israel and unlawful to be written but when Ierusalem was destroyed they were constrained to write it lest it should be lost but yet 't was so written as that none but themselves might understand it This Book is called Mishnaioth comprizing all their Religion with the Bible 'T is divided into Two Parts each Part into Three Seders or Books each Seder into many Masecats or Tracts each Masecat into Chapters and Verses A brief Account of the Contents of the Mishna and all the Parts of it is given by Martinus Raimundus in his Prooemium to his Pugio Fidei a very Learned and Useful Book which also gives an Account of the Tosaphot the Gemara and the Commenâ—â—ries thereon which compleat the Talmuds both that of Ierusalem A.D. 230. and that of Babylon Five hundred Years after Christ which Gemara is but a Comment and Dispute on the Mishna which is the Text of the Talmud There are several Masecats or Tracts of the Mishna translated as the Nine first Masecats viz. Beracoth c. So also Masecat Middoth by Le Empereur Sanhedrin and Maccoth by Cock Megillath by Otho Codex Ioma and others But as the very Learned Ludivicus de Campeigne du Veil observes He that would know the Mishna must learn Maimonides This Moses Maimonides Physician to the King of Egypt about Five hundred Years ago wrote his Iad Chaseka or Mishna Torah wherein he hath comprized the Substance of the Mishna and Talmud in a pure pleasant plain and easie style if compared with the Mishna and Talmud and yet he that has read him may with ease and pleasure understand all the Mishna And then for the Talmud There is Clavis Talmudica Cock's Excerpta c. This Maimonides of whom the Jews say from Moses the Law-giver to Moses Maimonides there was never another Moses like this Moses Several of his Tracts are translated also as Iesudee Hatorah the First Masecat of all and Deoth Aboda Zara the 1 st entituled De Fundamentis Legis 2. Canones Ethicae 3. Idololatria 4. De Iure Pauperis 5. De Poenitentia c. But most are translated by the excellent Ludivicus de Campeigne du Veil as De Sacrificiis one of the fourteen Books which he hath divided this Work into and De Cultu Divino another of the fourteen Books comprizing several Tracts Also his Tracts about Vnleavened Bread about the Passover about a Fast c. As to other Rabbins several are translated as Cosri c. and that on various Subjects as Logick by R. Simeon Physick by Aben Tibbon with Maimonides's Epistle against Iudiciary Astrology So of Arithmetick and Intercalating the Month by Munster and that of Maimonides by Duveil with many other Books as Ietsirah Bachinath Olam c. And of History as Seder Olam Zutha and Seder Olam Rabba Tsemach David c. And as to Rabbinical Commentaries the best and chief are R. Sal. Iarchi or Isaac R. Aben Ezra R. David Kimchi all these upon the Proverbs are translated by Antony Giggeius upon several minor Prophets by Mercer viz. on Hosea Ioel Amos c. on Ioel and Iona by Leusden as also a Masecat on the Misbna called Pirke Abbot Kimchi on the Psalms is likewise translated These Rabbins lived about Five hundred Years ago and do excellently explain the Text where Grammar and Jewish History are necessary But several of the above-mentioned Books being scarce we shall be ready to Translate and Print in two Colums the one Hebrew the other English either any Masecat of the Mishna or any Hilcoth or Tract of Maimonides or the Commentaries of the Rabbins on any part of the Bible if our Bookseller receive Encouragement which with Buxtorf's Great Lexicon Talmudicum and his Book de Abbreviaturis would no doubt enable one that hath read the Hebrew Bible to understand the Rabbins Which is all the Direction we have room to give here and therefore conclude with our hearty Wishes That our Young Students may be mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 2 Tim. 3.15 16. and thereby they will by the Grace of God become Able Divines according to the Old Proverb Bonus Textuarius Bonus Theologus The PROEM Containing the Cause Occasion and Method of the ensuing Debate IN this Introduction we shall take notice of Three things wherein are contained the Cause and Occasion of the following Discourse with the Method of proceeding therein 1. The Weight and Moment of the Subject in Controversie 2. The many Circumstances that render its Consideration at this time necessary and seasonable 3. The Method and Order of manageing the same First As to the Weight and Moment of the Matter in Controversie it is small in quantity about no more than a Point or Tittle but great in quality about no less a Cause than the Keeping or Rejecting of the Bible For 1 st The Old
Examples to prove what we have advanced of the Verses of the Hebrews not but that we might draw a great Number of them but the brevity in which we were bounded to be included hath hindered us to bring more The Reader then ought to be assured that if it was needfull we could have produced a far greater Number The second thing is that we have not chosen Psal. 150. because we thought we have gone through it better than in most of the others but simply because it is short and that one may in some wise conjecture what Tune it might have had LOu ez le Dieu des Dieux Que sa majes té soit be ni e Sa pu issance est in fi ni-e Peuples réve rez l'en tous lieux Chantres entonnez des Airs U nis sez u nis sez pardesaints concerts La Trompet te le Haut bo is la Muzet te Le Cornet l'Orgue le Bas son Et que la Flûte au doux son Leur réponde Qu'en ce beau jour Tout le monde tout le monde tout le monde chant à son tour tour N. De Rosier We have given this CL th Psalm in the French Version as we found it and have added this English Version which bearing the same quantity of Syllables is also applicable to the same Musical Composure And as the French took a little Liberty as may be seen from the former Translation of this Psalm just after the Hebrew so have we only instead of their repetition at the last we have made one Verse in a proportionable length That Holy God whose might is hurld Throughout this vast material World Praise him Oh Praise ye him each hour Extol his great his mighty Power Awake ye Harps ye Timbrels sing Eternal Praises to this King Let Trumpets raise Their Noblest Accents to his Praise Drums Organs Violins and Lutes Cymbals String'd Instruments and Flutes Shall all combine To Praise the Lord. Let all the Vniverse in this great Chorus join PRAISE YE THE LORD Seldeni Otia Theologica c. at Amsterdam in quatuor Libris THis Work is very Curious and very agreeable to those that don't care for the trouble of gathering dispers'd Materials together The Author who is very Learned and has read much spares them the trouble and gives them his Opinion as well as that of many others upon a great Number of Critical Questions in Divinity Thus I ought to call the Subject of this great Treatise For altho' he there explains some places of Divinity generally receiv'd he does it not after the way of the Schools he very ingeniously discourses upon sacred and prophane Antiquity Besides that the generality of the Examinations entirely respect certain Persons or matters of Fact which the Scripture speaks of or of certain things which are different from common receiv'd Notions in Divinity As to what regards the Sentiments of the Author we ought to acknowledge this on his behalf that he proposes them with much modesty and makes use of that honest liberty which Men of Learning may safely do He is very exact in citing those that he borrows any thing from and desires the Reader not to take this exactness as an Ostentation of his Learning which certainly is a better way than barely to cite such Authors as are serviceable to him He divides his Work into four Parts which in all contain forty one Dissertations in each of which many different Subjects are Treated on as happens in Persons who know much or who wou'd divert the Reader with variety of Objects We shou'd almost make a Book it self if we shou'd speak to every one of the Dissertations It shall suffice to give the Analysis of the first where it is examined who was the first Writer and a Judgment may be made of the rest by this Piece The first thing this Author does is to relate the Dispute formerly rais'd amongst the Doctors concerning the Prophecy of Enoch which the Apostle St. Iude makes mention of Some said this Patriarch's Prophecy was committed to Writing others maintain the contrary many Fathers and especially St. Augustin was of the first Opinion they often spoke of the Book of Enoch Some have made no difficulty to hold it as Canonical and wou'd prove by it that the Angels begat the Giants by the Commerce they had with Women There are some which say the Prophecy of Enoch contained four thousand and eighty two Lines and that it spoke of all that shou'd happen to the Posterity of the Patriarchs of the Crimes and Chastisements of the Iews of the Death that they shou'd make the Messiah suffer of their being dispersed through all the World and of the second Coming of Jesus Christ to judge Mankind They also pretended they found many Mathematical Opinions and that Noah had taken a great deal of Care to secure this Work in the Ark. After that the Author relates also many more ridiculous Fancies some have said that the Angel Raziel Tutor to Adam gave him a Book containing all Sciences and that after he was put out of the Garden of Eden he had it again suffering him to touch it at his humble Entreaties Others say that Adam did not receive this Book 'till after he had sinned then having besought God Almighty to grant him some small Consolation in the unhappy State he had reduced himself to they say that three days after he had thus begg'd of God the Angel Raziel brought him a Book which discovered to him all the Secrets of Nature the Power how to Command both good and bad Angels and the four parts of the Earth of Interpreting Dreams and Prodigies and foretelling whatsoever was to happen in the time to come They say also that this Book pass'd from Father to Son 'till it fell into the Hands of Solomon and that it gave to this learned Prince the Virtue of Building the Temple by means of the Worm Zamir without making use of any Instrument of Iron Mr. Selden afterwards speaks of those two Celebrated Pillars that some say the Successors of Seth built to engrave upon them the Discoveries that they made in the Sciences He also speaks of the suppositious Books of Enoch and Noah that Postulus forg'd in the last Age of the Book that Philo makes mention of as Abraham's which was Translated from Hebrew into Latin by Ritangelius of the Book that is entituled The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs and the Fable of the Rabbini who said God writ his Law two thousand Years before the Creation of the World He might have added to all these Fabulous Works the Testament of Iacob the Ladder of Iacob which was a Book very much esteem'd amongst certain Hereticks call'd Ebionites the Books of Enoch upon the Elements and some other Philosophical Subjects those of Noah upon the Mathematicks and Sacred Ceremonies those that they attributed to Abraham teaching Philosophy in the Valley of Mamre to those he lead against the five
Book insinuates that Mr. Cleyerius first Physitian to the Dutch Company in the Indies had gathered some Fragments and committed them into Europe and that now at last he has sent 'em all well corrected having received them from China by the hands and care of Father Couplet a Flemish Jesuit that was lately sent to Rome in Embassy about the concerns of that Country I find something dark in the Title for I do not see why that Jesuit returning to Rome could not bring that Manuscript along with him but must leave the Glory to a Dutch Physitian of sending the Work of an other Jesuit into Europe However it be the Treatise of Father Boymus is very curious and shews he had a great deal of leisure which he well employed in learning the Foundation of the Chinois Physick he explains the System very neatly and it is easie to see by what he says that the Chinois are very able men 'T is true their Principles are not the clearest in the World but if we had them in the time of Aristotle's Philosophy they would be much admired and there would be found in them as much Reason and Evidence at least as in our own But they were unluckily brought into Europe when the Mechanick Principles invented and received by our Modern Naturalists had given our Physitian such an Aversion 〈◊〉 the Faculties natural Heat and radical Moisture The great Bases of the Philosophy of 〈◊〉 Chinois agree well with the 〈◊〉 We should do ill to say that 〈◊〉 Chinois had their Physick from Europe 〈◊〉 the first Physitian of that Nation was their Emperour Hoamti who lived 400 years after the Deluge and 2697 years before the Birth of our Saviour We took notice last year p. 97 that the chief Ability of the Chinois Physitians consists in the Knowledge of the Pulse wherein they are very expert This is the reason why this Jesuit thinks to learn the Subtilty of their Precepts if he can explain unto us their Speculation and Practice upon the Pulse to render which he says more likely he observes that that several Chinois Physitians apply themselves solely to certain Distempers and particular Persons some undertake only Hectick Fevers some Children others Women and these last have most Trouble because they are not permitted to see Women of Quality they must divine by their Pulse which they will without the help of the other external Signs which they consult with Success in the Distempers of Men a strange Madness of these People that will not suffer that their Wives be seen even when they prove rather Objects of Pity than an incentive to Lust. The Eastern Christians are yet more foolish about their Wives for there is a certain Armenian that has never yet seen his Wife whom he married Ten years ago nor ever heard her speak When she lyes with her Husband she takes not off her Veil until the Light be first put out And in whatever Season it is she gets up before day and never eats with her Husband The Chinois want one thing very necessary to the Perfection of Physick which is the Anatomy of Human Bodies whoever would undertake to direct any Person upon what account soever must expect a publick Execration The Author conjectures that they have not always been of this Humour because they have very exact Draughts of our internal Parts and it were hard to imagine that the Emperour Hoamti had formed the Theorie of the Pulse without the help of Dispection His Precepts upon this are very different from those of Galen for as this latter will have the Pulse to be felt but in one place of the left Arm the Chinois have ordered it should be felt in Three different places of both Arms and by Three different Degrees of Pressure First to the Flesh then to the Nerves and at last to the Bones Galen confesses that he knew not the number of the Beatings of the Arteries for any considerable time but Hoamti has given a very particular Table of them taking his Rules from the Intervals of Respiration It will do well to acquaint the World with the Abilities of the Chinois that their Observations may be compared with those of our Moderns who are certainly more acquainted with the Qualities of the Pulse and have a far more perfect knowledge therein than Galen himself This appears by the Treatise de variatione Pulsus Printed at London in 8 vo and Writ by Mr. Abercromblus Physitian that made himself known before by his Method of curing veneral Distempers without the help of Mercury and without any mercurial Salivation The other pieces of the Appendix are 1. a Letter of M. Sturmius wherein he gives M. Volkamer an account of the Experiences which he has spoken of in the other 2 Letters and that serves to shew the Truth of the Principles by which the subtile Borellius hath explain'd the force of the Office of the Muscles 2. A Letter of M. Lauranti Physitian at Boloyn to Father Ferroni a Jesuit and Professor of the Mathematicks in the same place upon the erecting of Figures in an Optick Chamber for so is that Chamber called that is close on every side one place only excepted that gives passage to the Light to shew plainly upside down upon a piece of clean Paper all the Objects abroad that are opposite to this Hole wherein a convex Glass is put It wou'd be much more pleasing to the Eye if Objects cou'd be so represented as to give their true Situation and for this purpose Expedients have been thought to redress the Figures before they came too near the Glass or to the utmost end of the Radius which is before they came to the Paper The Author mentions 10 of these Expedients and in every one are some inconveniencies at last he finds one that is without any and which by the means of a Prisme through which the sight is and by which the Images are seen in Paper in their natural order that so it increases the vivacity of their Colours We are oblig'd to Chance only for the Discovery of this Phenomeny The 3d. piece of the Appendix is a plain Table invented by Lothaire Zumback and much better as is reported than all the Endeavours that divers Astrologers have made in instruments of this kind There are in the 4th place two Manuscripts composed by two Fryars of Corbie in Germany one of these Fryars is called Isibord D' Amelaxer and the other Alexander of the Island both very good Gentlemen of an extraordinary Application to Learning which was more commendable because they lived in those ill times wherein the Fryars of Corbie as well as of other places were too much addicted to Vice and Idleness These two Religions made a Collection of memorable Adventures which had remained a long time unknown and all covered with Dust but at last M. Paullini published them with Notes of his own making upon the places that have any particular Relation to natural History
necessity of eating is pleasing to him which afterwards he prevents and eats between Meals will have Sauces and imploys in them the Mony he at first gave the Poor He gets him Friends who are people of pleasure and Goodfellowship He thinks himself no longer rich enough but seeks after Benefices he is distasted at a Regular Life and in a little time becomes like the Laicks Commixti sunt inter Gentes didicerunt opera eorum For in fine he keeps not Company with them in their Pleasures to Preach Repentance They invite him to divert themselves with him and he strives to be neither Incommodious nor Displeasing He like to them esteems Goodfellowship they Sing they provoke one another to Drink It is indeed a most dangerous Temptation for Ecclesiastical Persons They are too much afraid lest they should pass for Formal Men and interrupt the Pleasures of a good Meal They are too solicitous lest People should complain that they are not contended only to be tedious in their Sermons A Recital of the Conference that Luther had with the Devil given by Luther himself in his Book of the Private Mass about the Vnction of Priests with Remarks upon his Conference at Paris by John Baptista Coignerd 1684. THis is the third Edition of this Work of Monsieur Cordemoi He relates the Dispute that Luther confesses himself he had one Night with the Devil touching private Masses and draws from them most grievous and odious Consequences against the Protestants The Lutherans who have made so great a number of Books ought to oppose him It looks as if he was not willing to destroy the disadvantageous Idea that it represented to the mind when in a Dream or any other manner an Instruction is received from the Devil for as he is call'd in the Evangelist the Father of Lies so there is no great Perswasion necessary to make one believe he never spoke truth But we ought to conclude otherwise when a Spirit is so wicked as himself which delights in the disorder of the World and in committing many Crimes so that nothing is more hateful to him that the Truth that he shou'd be capable to Induce Men to speak the Truth 'T is not wonderful that the Providence of Almighty God who often to his end makes use of second Causes and sometimes employs the Malice of the Devil to the advancement of good Now in part omitting here the Question Whether Luther Preaches the Truth or not It is easily apprehended that 't is possible that an Evil Spirit might at that time believe a Lye would be less proper than the Truth to excite cruel Passions in their minds It is not very likely that any thing was more pleasing to the Devil than the Discord that was caused about the Contest of Truth As for Example The Ten Persecutions of the Ancient Church sufficiently shew The Grand Seignior's Spye and his Secret Relations sent to the Divan of Constantinople discovered at Paris in the Reign of Lewis the Great in Twelves at Amsterdam by Westhein THis Work was Counterfeited at Amsterdam with the consent of the Bookseller of Paris who first Printed it it s composed of many little Volumes which contain the most considerable Events of Christendom in general and of France particularly from the Year 1637. to 1682. An Italian Native of Genoa Marana by Name gives these Relations as Letters Written to the Ministers of the Ports by a Turkish Spy who conceal'd himself at Paris He pretends he Translated it from Arabick into Italian and relates at length how he found them It 's probably suppos'd 'tis the product of an Italian Spirit and an Ingenious Fiction like to that which Virgil made use of to praise Augustus This Poet very often introduces Anchises sometimes Vulcan who to praise this Emperor more artificially begins by little and little and falls by degrees into the Panegyrick which was the Poets main design this is much handsomer than to praise a Prince purely with a prospect of Interest It s thought that the Sieur Marana had no other design than to make an Elogy upon His Most Christian Majesty the better to conceal his Game and to render him something marvellous he puts into the mouth of a Turk that which himself had studied upon the Glorious Actions of this Puissant Monarch but before he hath done makes his Spye say many other things 't is no matter whether it be a Turk or Genoese that speaks to us provided he gives us a good Book The first Book is very agreeable it contains the History of the last Month from the Year 1637. and of the most part of the Year 1638. An Anatomical Bibliotheque Or a New and Copious Treasury of Anatomical Discoveries in which there is a full and exact Description of the whole Human Body which is accurately treated of from the Collections of the Tractates of the most Famous Anatomists Publish'd and Vnpublish'd To which is added an Anatomical Administration of all its parts with divers Curious Preparations A Work very profitable and necessary for Anatomists Physitians Surgeons Philosophers and all Learned Men whatever performed by Daniel le Clerke and Johannes Jacobus Mangetus M. M. D. D. who have supply'd the Tractates Arguments Notes and Anatomico-practical Observations with necessary Indexes and a great number of Copper Cuts Geneva at the expence of Johannes Antonius-Chouet in Folio 2 Vol. 1684. A Title so well Circumstantiated as this seems to leave nothing for the Journalists or the Novelists of the Learned to add It carries the Recommendation and Praise of the Work with it self Nevertheless if we had seen it we wou'd observe many things of this Anatomical Bibliotheque but how can we see it not being yet publish'd but hope it may be soon ready for the Press 'T will be a most useful Work because it unites in one Body many Books of Anatomy that were dispers'd and being joyn'd together from a Compleat Anatomy there are divers pieces of Mr. Malpighi and some Celebrated Authors which never appear'd in the World Those who have endeavour'd to gather so many separated Pieces together and give an account of them as soon as they came out are Mr. Clerk and Mr. Manget Physitians of Geneva which will be very serviceable to the Republick of Letters There was Printed also in Geneva the Research of Truth translated into Latin with a handsome Preface which the Translator had joyned thereto to shew the usefulness of those Principles the Author hath offer'd to give some Advice to them who wou'd read the Work with advantage And in fine 't is to shew that it is impossible to have an exact knowledge of these things if we are not skill'd in the Abstracts of Metaphysicks If any will buy the whole Edition Sieur Iohn Picteat Bookseller at Geneva will sell it at a reasonable Price 'T is in Quarto A Treatise of the Excellency of Marriage of its necessity and of the means of Living Happy therein Where is an Apology
Eight first Verses thereof but he found that all the Nobility and the Grandeur was behind them and he added that they made him laugh in calling into his Memory the Pageants of Italy where Servants Precede their Masters We should value the Speech of Mr. Abbot de Choisy at too low a rate if we judged with so little favour on 't It not only hath the Precedence by Right of Age but also may dispute a Preheminence amongst his other celebrated Works What Mr. Bergeret hath said of the King that so many holy Mission's are maintained by the continual Succours of his Power and Piety It 's doubted whether the Consequence drawn from thence can be admitted it is certain say they that there is a great difference betwixt the ancient and new Christianity The ancient one maintained it self by it self and the sole force of Truth served for a Prop and Recommendation to the first Christians But at this day things have changed Face and Catholick Truths are not so easie to be perswaded as when a great Monarch makes use of his whole Authority without which this great number of Missions made within and without the Kingdom would have little or no effect An Extract of a Letter written from Versailles to the Author of the Republick of Letters concerning some Manuscripts of China T IS about 18 Months ago the Embassadors of China being then here that the Duke of Mâ—ntz took an occasion to tell the King that those People had the Chronicles of their Country from about 3000 Years past that they were the first who had Arts and Sciences and that as yet there has been no particular Account given of it and that it belonged to none but such a Prince as the King to send for some of their Books from China and to provide People that might translate them His Majesty presently gave his order for this Project I am assured that some days past there were brought to Paris 300 Volumns of these Books of China some being of the Civil and some the Natural History of that Country others of Mathematicks and divers curious Treatises That besides there are two Translators come one a Jesuit who has been 30 Years in China the other a Chinois who belonged to the last Embassage and understands French Latin Italian and Portuguese c. That these will translate these Books out of hand beginning with the most curious and will publish them as soon as they are fit for the Press Since it is known that the King of China takes delight in the Jesuits there are Eight young Jesuits sent thither who receive a Pension from their King and are to learn that Country Language and to instruct the Chinois in the French and Latin that they may be brought into France to go on with the Translation We shall have others also come to teach us their Mechanick Arts. Another Letter gives us an Account that Father Couplet is returned from Rome where he has made his young Chinois a Jesuit like himself and it is hoped they will Translate all Confutius's works A Clergy Mans Letter to the Nuns who have the care of the Education of young Women exhorting them to second the Popes Intentions about Nakedness I Received a Memoire not long since from an unknown hand containing that the Censurer of the Books of the Arch-Bishop of Malines being of Liege and a Iansâ—nist had approved a Letter directed to the Nuns wherein the Heresie of M. Arnaud concerning the Two heads of the Church and the Pelagian Errors comdemning all kind of Ornaments are renewed As I do not love to speak of a Book before I see it especially if any ones Reputation is concerned so I have deferr'd speaking of this Letter before I had seen it I do not repent this delay for having at last examined this little Writing I have seen nothing in it of Mr. Arnaud's pretended Heresie nor any thing but what agreed with the Doctrin of St. Peter and Paul concerning Womens Dresses so that if it be an Opinion of Pelagius's I see no harm that would come of setting it on foot again it surprises me more that any should send such false Advices I shall say somewhat of this little Book and first observe that the Pope not being able by all the means he used to oblige the Women to cover their Breasts and Arms and understanding that the fear that all Italy was in when the Turks besieged Vienna did not hinder this disorder he had recourse to his last shift his Excommunication which he published by a Decree the 30 th of November 83. commanding all Women and Girls to cover their Shoulders and Breasts to the Neck and their Arms to their Hands and this with no Transparent but thick Cloth under pain if they did not exactly obey it within six days to be excommunicated Ipso facto that in no other case but at the Point of Death none but the Pope himself should absolve them For it was declared That the Confessors that durst presume to absolve from this Excommunication should incur it themselves and should become subject to what Temporal and Spiritual punishments the Pope would be pleas'd to lay on them to which Temporal punishments also the Fathers Husbands Masters or other heads of Families should be subject that continued at or permitted their Wives Daughters or Maids to disobey this Ordinance This is all there at length with two Letters which relate to it one was writ through the Pope's Order by the Procurer general of the Capuchins to all the Provincials of his Order to oblige their Preachers and Confessors to endeavour more than ordinarily against the corrupruption of Manners and chiefly in relation to Women to strive to bring them off their Dresses that are too Luxurious and immodest The other Letter is that of Mr. Stravius Administrator of the Nunciature of the Low-Countries which he writ to the Bishops the 31 th of March 35. by order from Urban the VIII to put them in mind of proceeding against worldly Women who uncovered their Breasts and Shoulders and cover'd their Faces with Patches And to proceed against them to the very shutting them out of the Church if it could be done This shews that for a long time they have taken pains to remedy these Nakednesses and that they are obstinately resisted therein This in all likelyhood will be an employment that will never be wanting to the Preachers of Reformation All these pieces which I have quoted come after the Letter to the Nuns the Clergy-man that writes it to them directs it only to the Reverend Mothers He represents to them to the Life the extent of that disorder which Innocent the XI punished with so much severity He adds that its their business chiefly to endeavour this Reformation as well because the Publick trusts them with the Education of their young Daughters as that it is easie for them to instruct 'em in all that is modest in such a tender age wherein they have
Discourse upon the Authors of the Bible At Paris 1686. ALtho' the Title of this Work is so well known that the Design of it is easily perceived yet since the Matter is new and the manner it is promised to be treated on is difficult Mr. Du Pin thought it very necessary to Instruct the Publick more particularly in a Preface of the assistance that he had and the Method he follow'd to accomplish this work He divided it into Two Parts and begins the First with Justifying the Title of Bibliotheque shewing for example that 't is a Name that ought to begin to the collection of many Authors and to Books that treat of their Works He afterwards shews that the Custom of writing Bibliotheques is very Ancient and that it was introduced amongst the Christians in the First Ages of the Church The Stromates of Clement of Alexandria being a kind of Bibliotheque of the Opinions and Thoughts of an Infinite Number of Writers and the History of Eusebius may be call'd a Bibliotheque of Ecclesiastical Authors since he hath done almost nothing else in this Work than Writ their Life give a Catalogue of their Writings and relate many Passages out of them After having spoken of those who have taken like pains and above all of Photius Mr. Du Pin adds that Authors never took so much pains especially Ecclesiasticks as in the Last Ages in which Learning was renew'd and Criticks carryed to such a point as they never were before Both Catholicks and Hereticks have endeavoured to out-vy one another in making Bibliotheques Erasmus pursues he in Printing the Fathers hath put Prefaces and Notes before their Works which contain must Judicious Criticks and that altho' he is sometimes too confident in rejecting some Pieces It must be confessed nevertheless that he has broke the Ice for those that have followed him He speaks with the same freedom of other Authors of the Roman Church and in respect to the Protestants altho he accuses them of Passion and of being very Erroneous he confesses nevertheless as to what regards Criticks they were sometimes sharper and more quicksighted than the Catholicks and that the Protestants have discovered many things therein that they were obliged to acknowledg and aprove of The Author afterwards tells the Motives that engaged him to undertake this Work which were that no body before him had done any thing Compleat upon it He shews the design of his Book by a Comparison between a number of Books well ranged which is properly call'd a Bibliotheque and the Order that he has observed in this Work to which he gives the same name There is only this difference between these two Bibliotheques it is that in the first if we content our selves only to read the Titles no advantage to Learning is to be received from it and to run through all the Authors which compose it much time and pains is required Whereas in this we may instruct our selves in many important things with great Facility since there is not only the Titles of the Books but also the Abridgment and Sum of what they contain with a Remark upon the particular Sentiments in them In the Second Part of the Preface Mr. Du Pin shews the necessity there was to make use of such a Method as followed to write the Life of the Authors to make a Catalogue and Remark of the Chronology of their Works the Circumstances of the Time Place Age and Condition of him that writ and of the Persons he was concern'd with changing the manner of his Discourse according to the nature of the Subject An Author that engages against a Heresy of his own time that is the Head of a Party and who hath Personal Contestations with those that Attack him expresses himself very differently from him that writes against a Heresy that is extinguisht who takes no part in the Quarrel and has no other Motive in writing than defending the Truth St. Cyprian speaks of the Reconciliation of Penitents following the different Circumstances of the Times St. Augustin writing against the Pelagians speaks otherwise of Grace and Free-Will than he had done before And from the time that his head was possess'd with these Hereticks and the Donatists he speaks continually in all his writings even in his Homilies of the Church and of Grace He afterwards tells the Reason why many Works are attributed to some Celebrated Authors which is none of theirs viz. the Malice of Hereticks the little Piety of some of the Orthodox the Levity of some Men Ignorance or Avarice of the Copyists of the Printers and the oversight of those that have taken for Authors of certain Dialogues such Persons as are made to speak in those Dialogues So 't is that Vigilius of Tapse has made Five Books under the name of Saint Athanasius and it may be that also under the same name he made the Creed that is attributed to this Father In short the Ambiguity of Titles and the Resemblance of Names have often caused Pieces to be attributed to such Persons as they belonged not to After that he establishes Rules for true Criticks remarking that the Proofs or Conjectures that we can make of any Work are Internal or External Time is one of the most certain Internal Marks and nothing is more capable of convincing an Author of Imposture than when the date of his Work is false or that he speaks of Persons that have lived a long time after him whose Name is affixed to the Work 2 ly The matter that is contained in a Book discovers whether it be Supposititious or no. 1. When we find Opinions in it that were not maintained till a long time after that Age. 2. Expressions concerning those Opinions Ceremonies and Customs that were not then in use 3. Errors that are of a latter date or such matters as were not treated on in that time that the Author lived whose name is affixed to the Work 4. Opinions contrary to such as are seen in their writings 5. Or Histories manifestly Fabulous 3 ly The turn of the Discourse the manner of Writing the Elocution the Figures and the Method being a thing most difficult things to Counterfeit are of very great use to discover whether a Work be supposititious or not Tho'we must not always reject a Book for a small alteration in the Stile without any other proof because Persons may write differently according to their Age Places and the Subject of the Discourse nor should we receive a piece as true only for the Resemblance of Stile for an Ingenious Man often imitates the Phrases and Genius of an Author very well in a Discourse that is not long The External proofs whether a Work is supposititious or no are taken 1. From Ancient Manuscripts in which we find not the Name of the Author or find that of an others 2. The Testimony of Ancient Authors that reject this work or that say nothing at all of it Mr. Du pin
the Syriack Tongue did insensibly mix with the Hebrew Dialect and became common to the Iews and hath since been called the Hebraick Language IV. He Examins in the Fourth Article the Works of many Authors who make mention of the Old Testament as those of Philon Iosephus Iustus c. in speaking of the Writers of the New Testament he Remarks after St. Ierom that the last Chapter of the Gospel of St. Mark is but in a very few Copies and that we may reject it almost with all the Greeks because it seems to mention several things contrary to those which are spoken of by the other Evangelists Besides he assures us upon the Credit of this Father that that which obliges St. Iohn to write his Gospel after all the rest was that having read the rest he remarked that they had only confined themselves to write the History of one Year of the Life of Jesus Christ viz. from the Imprisonment of St. Iohn the Baptist to the death of our Saviour and thereupon he resolved to give the Church an account of what happned in the preceeding Years He does not precisely find in the Acts of the Apostles the time when St. Paul changed his Name from Saul Mr. Du Pin conjectures that it was after the Conveâ—tion of Sergius Paulus because he says it was the custom of the Romans to give their own Names in Testimony of Friendship It might also be said as Budeus proves in his Pandects that it was to honour their Patrons and Benefactors for these they had obliged to take their Names He ends this Dissertation with the Books of the New Testament which were at first doubted but that were soon after placed in the Canon of Holy Writ by the consent of all Churches to wit the Epistle to the Hebrâ—ws the Epistle of St. Iames the Second Epistle of St. Peter the Second and Third of Saint Iohn that of Saint Iude and the Apocalypse The Bibliotheque it self he begins with Criticisms upon the Letters of Agbar to Iesus Christ and Iesus to Agbar which he shews to be Supposititious as well as the Gospel according to the Egyptians The Gospel according to the Hebrews and many other pieces that some wou'd have to pass under the name of the Apostles There were Persons in St. Ierom's time that pretended the Gospel according to the Hebrews was originally that of St. Matthews because it was written in Syraick and Chaldaick Characters Mr. Du Pin proves here that they were different not only by the passages of this Gospel according to the Hebrews which has nothing in it like the History of the Adulterous Woman in Saint Matthew But also because Eusebius and after him St. Ierom absolutely distinguisheth them that this last had translated the Gospel according to the Hebrews whereas the Author of the Version of St. Matthew is wholly unknown and that in the Gospel according to the Hebrews the Scripture is cited there after the Hebrew and St. Matthew in his follow'd the Translation of the Septuagint Yet there is room to doubt of this last Argument since the same St. Ierom which distinguishes these Two Gospels here confounds them in another place according to the relation of our Author in the 39. pag. of his Dissertation And it is not only Contradiction of that Father which he has observ'd Always saith Mr. Du Pin when St. Jerom Treats expresly of Canonical Books he rejects as Apocryphal all those that are not in the Iews Canon but when he speaks without making any reflection he often cites these same books as Holy Scripture Ib. p. 72. speaking diversly by Economie and according to the Persons with whom he had to do The Epistle of St. Barnabas which we have also an entire Latin Translation of and great part of the Greek Original is certainly his since we see in it the same passages that St. Clement of Alexandria Origen Eusebius and St. Ierom cite out of it But says he if this Letter was really St. Barnabas's it ought not to be added to the other Books of the New Testament That follows not according to our Author for if 't is true that a Book is Canonical when we are certain 't was writ by an Author who had the Authority of making it Canonical Who is it that hath said St. Barnabas must be of this Number rather than St. Clement or Hermas 'T is the business of the Church to declare it and it 's sufficient that it has not done it therefore his Letter is look'd upon as Apocryphal altho ' 't was certainly his own He adds that this Letter is unbecoming this Saint being full of all Stories and Allegories But we must know a little the Genius of the Iews and the first Christians who were nourisht and brought up in the Synagogue to believe that these kind of Opinions cou'd not come from 'em On the contrary this was their Character they Learned from the Iews to turn all the Seripture into Allegories and to make Remarks upon the Properties of Animals which the Law had forbidden 'em to eat of We must not be surprised then if St. Barnabas who was Originally a Iew writing to the Iews has Allegorically explain'd many passages since every body knows that the Books of the first Christians were full of these sorts of Fables and Allegories He rejects the Liturgies attributed to the Apostles Because he cou'd not but make a little Reflection upon what is read in the Celebration of the Eucharist in the First Epistle to the Corinthians and upon what St. Iustin and the first Fathers of the Church have said to perswade us that the Apostles and those which succeeded them have celebrated the Sacrifice of the Mass with great simplicity He only relates a small Number of Orisons but by little and little he adds some Prayers and a few External Ceremonies to Render the Sacrifice more venerable to the People In fine the Churches have regulated all abuses in the Sacrament and wrote down the way of celebrating it as may be found in the Liturgy The Apostles Creed the Canons and Apostolick Constitutions are none of theirs Ruffinus was the first and only Author of the Fifth Age who wrote that the Apostles composed the Creed and he only advanced it as a popular Tradition Mr. du Pin to confirm his Opinion and prove that the Creed was not the Apostles as to the Words and Form gives us a Table of the Four ancient Creeds the Vulgar the Aquilean the Eastern and Roman where one might compare them together and observe considerable Differences between them for Instance the Terms Catholick Communion of Saints and Life everlasting which are in the Vulgar or Common Creed are wanting in the other Three As for the Canons which are attributed to the Apostles he defends the opinion of Aubespinus and Beoregius who believ'd 'em very ancient and who pretend that they were properly a Collection of many Councels held before that of Nice the