discourse more freely and with greater weight concerning the matters The event happen'd as the Author had foreseen for the Pope vindicated the persecuted Jansenists either as being of their opinion or designing by the Publick expressing of a Compassion that cost him nothing to strengthen his party with the acceâ—ssion of so considerable a number of Learned Divines and of he best Writers in France Whereupon the King being incenseâ—d that his Holiness should attempt as it were to prescribe Laws to him and should endeavour to withdraw his Subjects from their Allegiance to him took other measures and having Summon'd an Assembly of his Clergy †In the Year 1682. caus'd it to be declar'd therein 1. That the Pope hath no Authority directly or indirectly over the Temporalities of Kings 2. That much less hath he any power to depose them 3. That he is not infallible 4. That he is inferiour to a Council At that time the breach seem'd to be irreparable and it was generally believ'd that a Patriarch would e're long preside in France It is true indeed that the persecution of the Protestants whose entire Destruction was then hasten'd afforded but little hope of a Reformation to the moderate part of Roman Catholicks However many of them that were willing to flatter themselves with vain Expectations gave it out that none ought to be discourag'd by these rigorous Persecutions that the Court not being ignorant of the commotions that a too much precipitated Reformation hath produced in other places intended to proceed therein by degrees And that even on this account they had very good grounds to abolish the Exercise of the Reformed Religion either to avoid a Schism like unto that which vexes yet England at this present or insensibly to gain the consent of the old Catholicks by the Conversation of the new Upon the whole matter this is sufficient to induce us to believe that the Court of France is not unwilling that their Divines should take the Advantage of this Conjuncture obliquely to assault the Superstitions of the Church of Rome However Father Simon to vindicate himself in regard that our Author had refuted (a) 〈◊〉 4. Disseâ—â— Prol. P. 30.38 â—9 his too presumptuous Conjectures on the Pentateuch hath written against him with much animosity accusing him as one that had employed his Pen to revive Calvinism that was so lately extirpated Nevertheless all these loud Clamours produced no effect serving only to promote the Sale of the Book neither have they oblig'd Mr. Du Pin to blot out these passages that were offensive to his Adversary but only to add certain Notes in this Second Edition to prove that Moses really composed the Pentateuch And the Author is so far from having been reprehended for bringing allegations in favour of the Protestants that the Censors of Books have loaded him with extraordinary Commendations in the beginning of the second Volume which they conclude in these words That not being able to determine whether the vast extent of his Learning the Sagacity of his Judgment or the continual solidity of his Reflections ought most to be admin'd they find themselves oblig'd to declare that that which would serve for the Commendation of many is not sufficient to discharge all the Obligations that they judge to be due to his singular merit A large Preface is prefixed to the first Volume wherein the Author explains and justifies the Title that he hath given to his Book gives an account of his Design and Method and propounds certain Critical Rules to determine whether a Work be forg'd or whether it really appertains to the Person to whom it is Attributed This Preface is follow'd with a Preliminary Dissertation concerning the Books of the Bible in which he treats 1. Of the Authors of the Books of the Old Testament in general 2. Of the Canonical and Apocryphal Writings And indeed the judgment of Mr. Du Pin on this Article is very Remarkable seeing he is a Roman Catholick for according to his opinion the Six last Chapters of the Book of Esther are not extant in the Hebrew Text but were taken from divers places and contain several pieces apparently Collected by the Hellenist Jews St. Jerom expresly rejects the Book of Buruch as not being included in the Canon of Sacred Writings in his Preface to the Prophecy of Jeremiah The History of Tobit is likewise excluded in all the Ancient Catalogues from the number of Canonical Writings as well as that of Judith In a word Christian Antiquity hath follow'd the Canon of the Jews as to the Books of the Old Testament there are no others Cited in the New and a great part of these are often alledged therein Moreover the Primitive Catalogues of Canonical Books composed by the Greek and Latin Ecclesiastical Authors do not contain any others In the Chronicon of Eusebius the Books of the Maccabees are separated from those of the Holy Scriptures and placed in the Rank of Josephus and Africanus The Books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are inserted in the Ancient Catalogues among those Writings that are esteem'd to be very useful but such as are not Canonical Nothing can be inferr'd to prove their being Divinely inspir'd from those passages that are produc'd by the Fathers in regard that Origen St. Jerom and St. Hilary by whom they are cited reckon them among the Apocryphal Writings Moreover these Books were not admitted into the Canon of holy Scripture even in the time of Gregory the Great Forasmuch as this Pope speaks to this effect †Greg. Lib. 12. Moral We do nothing that is unreasonable in exhibiting the Testimony of Books that are not Canonical since they were Published for the Edification of the Church Many Ecclesiastical Writers both Greek and Latin reckon only 22 Canonical Books annexing the History of Ruth to that of Judges and the Lamentations of Jeremiah to his Prophecies although they lived after the third Council of Carthage and after Innocent I. who is reported to have inserted the Maccabees and other Apocryphal Books into the sacred Canon which shews adds our Author that these definitions were not follow'd by all Authors and by all the Churches until this was at last entirely determin'd by the Decision of the Council of Trent Insomuch that these Ecclesiastical Assemblies partake of this general property with the others that the Decrees of the later should abolish all those of the preceeding or otherwise it is but just that the Church of Rome which hath a power to make new Articles of Faith should likewise be invested with that of causing the Books from whence they are taken to be esteem'd as Canonical In the third Article of this dissertation the Author gives us the History of the Hebrew Original of the Translation of the Septuagint and of other Greek Versions of the Old Testament 4. He discourseth anfterwards concerning certain Authors whose works have some Relation to the Sacred Writings of the Hebrews as Philo Josephus Aristaeus c. 5.
how reconciled to the Church of Rome Blasphemies of the French Panegyrists Pag. 1. II. A New Bibliotheque of Ecclesiastical Authors An History of the Author and his Book Canonical Scriptures Ancient Liturgies whether St. Denis was ever in France What Honour is due to the Saints No Bishop of Bishops Doctrine of the Three first Centuries Of the Power of Councils Invocation of Saints Worship of Images and Celibacy Pag. 2. III. Horatius Rodellii Whether Mecoenas was descended from the Kings of Etrury Deus esse Oculo irretorto Descendere Vinum Pag. 14. IV. The Comedies of Terentius by Madam D'Acier Character of Plautus and Terentius and their Comedies Contaminare New Explication of a perplex'd Passage in the Andria Pag. 19. V. Cornelius Nepos Nic. Courtin Pag. 23. VI. Juvenalis Persius Lud. Pratei Passage of Persius explain'd Pag. 3. VII A Defence of Diocesan Episcopacy Opinions of the Independents Pag. 25. VIII Description of the United Netherlands c. Vsefulness of Travels London bigger than all the Cities of Holland together Pag. 27. IX Vauban's New Method of Fortification Character and Contents of this Book Original of Fortification Situation of Places to be fortified Orillon Flank retired Bastion c. Pag. 28. X. Haver's Osteologia Nova An Idea of the Formation of the Foetus of the Periosteum the Bones and the Teeth Of Growth and Nourishment Of the Marrow Of the Mucilage and Mucilaginous Kernels Of the Cartilages Pag. 33. 2. Ruyschius Observationes Anatomico-Chirurgicae Wonderful Cure of an Aneurisma Of the Membrant Hymen Pag. 46. XI Leonardi Plukenetii Phytographia Pag. 42. XII Praxis Mayerniana .. Whether the Smoak of Tabacco can reach the Brain Pag. 47. XIII Richerius De Potestate Ecclesiae Votes of the Third Estate in France against the Pope's Power The Doctrine and Practice of the Gallican Church prov'd agreeable with them Rules to examine whether a Doctrine be orthodox or no Whether it be lawful for the People to depose Princes Of Ecclesiastical Power and Excommication Sentiments of Marsilius of Padua Blasphemy of Pope Gregory VII against Royal Dignity Pag. 48. XIV An Universal Analysis of Equations Pag. 53. XV. Leybourn's Cursus Mathematicus How to know the Length of the Way which a Vessel makes XVI Some Observations made in the great Congregation of Waters communicated by the Honourable R. Boyle That Sta-water is colder on the deep below than by the Surface Pag. 58. XVII Inscriptionum Antiquarum Sylloge Whether the Daughter of the first Christian Emperour builded a Church to S. Agnes Whether the Idolatry of the Heathens be excusable Pag. 59. XVIII The Falshood of Humane Vertues Whether Subjects may rebel against their Kings Pag. 62. THE HISTORY OF LEARNING I. HISTOIRE DU ROY LOUYS LE GRAND par les Medailles Emblemes Devises c. History of Lewis the Great Taken from the Medals Emblems Devices Inscriptions Armories and other Publick Monuments Collected and Explained by Father CLAUDIUS FRANCIS MENESTRIER Jesuit A new Edition augmented with five Plates Fol. Paris 1691. F. 64. IF the Contents of this Work were answerable to its Title and if the Author had given us an exact and continued History of the Exploits of his Hero and had proved the most remarkable Actions that were performed under his Reign by the Medals that were coined and other publick Monuments that were erected on that occasion it would without doubt have been a very useful Book but nothing of all this is to be found therein for the Medals are confusedly placed the order of time which is the most principal matter in a History is not well observ'd and instead of a Commentary there is only a licentious Interpretation of the Latin Inscriptions or some other trivial Circumstances and that too but very rarely insomuch that it can neither be esteemed as an History nor a Panegyrick but a gross and imperfect Collection of whatsoever could be invented by Flattery to aggrandize the Idea of a Prince that delights in Vain-Glory and is perhaps too much addicted to the love of popular applause And indeed what can be devised more vain than the Medal (a) 25.5 wherein he is represented in the midst of the Cities of Genoua and Luxemburg turning the Globe of the World on the point of his Sword with this Motto Quod libet licet I do whatsoever I think fit Altho' the Character of a Jesuit and a Panegyrist doth not well agree with that of a sincere Writer never heless we are induc'd to believe that Father Menêtrier hath found it to be a very difficult task to produce these Medals as undoubted proofs of the Historical matters and facts related by him as being conscious to himself that the greatest part of them were founded only on Hyperbolical exaggerations or on the false reports of hired News mongers As for example it is well known to all the World that in the War that happen'd between England and Holland in the Year 1666 France amused this Commonwealth with feigned Succours that those few French Vessels that joyned with de Ruyter served only to molest and perplex him by breaking all his measures or giving an account thereof to the Enemies and that the Forces that were sent thither by Land marched only to espie out the Country and to contrive intrigues and plots against them as it afterwards appeared by the design which was discovered in the Year 1672. Therefore we may very well turn the reverse of the Medal and instead of (a) f. 13.2 Batavis terrâ marique desensis Religio foederum put Batavis terrâ marique proditis Derisio foederum There are others likewise that are absolutely repugnant to evident matters of fact particularly that which is consecrated to Lewis the Great for granting peace (b) p. 26.3 to the Hollanders whom he had Conquer'd to the Germans whom he had every where Vanquished and almost to all Europe that had combined together against him For without reckoning Switzerland Italy and the most part of the Princes of Germany Poland and Moscovy who were not engag'd in this quarrel France was assisted by England Sweeden and the Bishop of Colen and Munster through whose Territories they attacked the Hollanders at unawares Moreover in the beginning of the War all Europe seemed unanimously to concur in promoting the ruine of the United Provinces since Spain opened a passage to their Enemies and the Emperour for a long time stood still as it were a Spectator to which if we add the Intelligence that the French obtain'd within the Country and the Cowardise of some of those that had the Command of the Principal Posts it may well be concluded from thence that these Conquests are not so Glorious as they would have them to be believed But on the contrary there accrues to King William Everlasting Glory which cannot be eclipsed by the most inveterate Envy for rescuing by his Valour and Prudence at the Age of about 22 Years four Great Provinces out of the Hands of so Haughty and
imparting to it the Remedies which hâ—â—â—maderuse of with scâ—nâ—â—tiâ—n ness It were to be wish'd that the Deceased Sir Theodore had himself pursued his own Work and put in Order it would have doubtless been much more useful for our Instruction But in short since all the Remains of Great and Learned Men are esteem'd as precious Relicks there was Reason sufficient for not suffering these Observations which were found among the Collections of that Famous Physician to be lost You must not expect to meet with many Chymical Remedies because the Use of such Medicines was but newly begun to be introduc'd in his Time But there are other Receipts which will appear to be Novelties to the Physicians beyond Sealâ— as several Preparations of Tabacco and other Herbs to be smoak'd in Pipes which he prescrib'd in sundry Distempers There are some Persons who will hardly believe that the Smoak of Tabacco will reach the Brain and the Reason which they bring for so saying is this because Tabacco is an Herb so sharp and vehement that if the Smoak of it attended and reach'd the Substanne of the Brain it would beget Convulsions in those that took it But this is no convincing Argument For besides the Trouble which they who first begin to smoak Tabacco have to accustome themselves to take it and the Noysomness of it to those that love it not the great Effects which Smoak produces will doubtless prevail with all Persons not prejudic'd against it to believe that Dr. Mayern's Practice was not without very good Grounds XIII Edmundi Richeri Doctoris Parisiensis De Potestate Ecclesioe in Rebus Temporalibus Libri IV. Nunquam antehac editi 4º Coloniae Londini for Abel Swall 1691. pag. 526. THere are few People but have heard of Richer Doctor of Sorbonne who has made himself so famous for maintaining in Times of Danger and Trouble the Sovereign Authority of Kings against the Usurpations of the Popes of Rome These Pontiffs always upon the Watch to take the Advantage of all Opportunities to enlarge their Power laid hold of the Occasion which the Minority of Lewis XIII put into their hands and the Intrigues of Cardinal Perron who was all in all at that Time in France to spread abroad that monstrous Opinion of their having Power to excommunicate and depose Kings The Clergy was devoted to the Interest of the Roman See The Nobility was drawn to their Party by Promises and Threats so that the Third Estate only stood firm because it was composed of Learned Civilians and Doctors well skill'd in the Canon-Law But the Pope's Nuâ—cio so well knew how to scare the Queen Regent the Chancellor being besides a Pensioner to the Clergy that he silenced the Third Estate and prevented the Publishing of the Declaration which was made and included these Eight Articles 1. (a) p. 3. That it should be declared by the Three Estates that the King held his Authority only from God and that he has no Dependence upon any Authority whatever either Spiritual or Temporal upon Earth 2ly That all the Subjects in the Kingdom of France shall be obliged without Distinction or Equivocation to declare That this Doctrine is confirm'd by Scripture 3ly That the Commissioners of the Three Estates shall swear to it and subscribe it as likewise all that hold any Office or Benefice 4ly That all the Instructers of Youth Doctors and Preachers shall promise upon Oath to teach this Doctrine and refute any Opinion to the contrary as detestable 5ly That all Books which maintain that it is lawful to excommunicate and depose Kings shall be suppressed as seditious 6ly That all Foreigners that shall Publish the like Opinions shall be look'd upon as Enemies to the Crown 7. That all the King's Subjects who declare themselves to be of their Opinions shall be proceeded against as guilty of High Treason 8. That if any Religious Foreigner shall maintain any Proposition contrary to the Law of the States of the Kingdom those of the same Order in France shall be obliged to condemn it solemnly and without Equivocation as also to refute the Author if it be thought necessary C.l. You will find more at large the History of all these Disputes in the First Chapter of the First Book of this Work In the Second Chapter the Author shews That the Practice of the Catholick Church is conformable to the Declaration of the Third Estate In the Third he proves That it is no less conformable to the Practice Doctrine of the Gallican Church which has all along defended the Authority of Kings against the Usurpations of the Popes with an extraordinary Zeal for which the Author brings many Examples (b) p. â—0 1. Hinkmar the Archbishop of Rhemes's Letter to Pope Adrian the Second 2. The Refusal of the French Clergy to obey Gregory VII who would forbid the celebrating of Divine Offices in France 3. The Answer which the Ministers of Philip Aug. gave to the Legat of Innocent III. who would have excommunicated Lewis VIII Philip's Eldest Son because he had taken Arms to maintain the Right which the Election of the Barons of England revolted from K. John for submitting himself a Vassal to the Pope gave him to the Crown of that Kingdom 4. The Constancy of St. Lewis who would never yield to his Clergy That their Excommunications were of any force till they were examin'd and confirm'd by the Secular Magistrate 5. The Acts of the Three Estates against Boniface VIII which constrained his Successor Clement V. to revoke his extravagant Vnam Sanctam To this the Author adds the Decrees of Parliament against the Books of John Tanquarelli Bernardin Castori Cardinal Bellarmin of the Jesuits Decanus Suarez and others who advanc'd the Power of the Popes above that of Kings II. In the Second Book the Author marks out the Method which he intends to observe and sets down Three General Heads (a) p. 66. by which we are to examin whether a Doctrine be Orthodox or no. 1. He would have it so clearly contain'd in Scripture that it may be clearly drawn from thence without any tedious Ratiocinations 2. If the Sense of the Passage be contested to have recourse to the Tradition of the Church that is to say to the unanimous Opinion of the Ancient Fathers 3. To assure your selves that this Tradition is true and that it proves something it is requisite that it should be universal that is to say receiv'd believ'd in all Times and in all Places Afterwards the Author examines a little Scholastically nevertheless with good Judgment the Essential and Formal Causes of Politick Power There he makes an Analysis (b) p 73. of that famous Passage of Rom. 13.1 2. and shews that the most Learned of the Fathers Tertullâ—an Origen St. Basil St. Chrysostom c. and the most Famous Modern Doctors Tho. Aquinas Tolletus Estius Cornelius à Lapide c. believed that that same Passage prov'd the Independency of Princes from all