Carthage (m) CoÌ„cil Carthag 3. c. 47. did admit into the CanoÌ„ the same books which Councell was kept within the first foure hundred (n) In the yeare of our Lord 397. years or in the beginning of the fifth age consequeÌ„tly that those books were held Canonicall within the lightsome tymes of Christianity when Religion did most flourish Secondly he saith that neuer any Popish Generall Councell was so presumptuous before this of Trent that euer durst adde more bookes to the sacred Canon then we receiued from the Church of the old Testament which is most inconsiderately spoken and apparently false except he meane to reiect as Apocriphall the foure Ghospells all the rest of the Apostolicall Scriptures of the new Testament which were not receiued from the Church of the old Testament as all know Thirdly he saith it is little materiall whether the Generall Councell of Florence did admit these bookes into the Canon or no seeing it was but a small tyme before Trent scarce an (o) Aboue an 100. yeares betwen these 2. Councells FloreÌ„ce in the year 1438. Trent began in the year 1545. 100. yeares by which you see what small accompt this Bachelour makes of Generall CouÌ„cells not fearing to meet in the field all the learned men of the Latin Greek Church who were gathered togeather in that generall Councell of Florence thinking himselfe perchance to be the Sampson of Protestants able to put to silence a thousand of such Doctours with the iaw-bone of an asse 8. Fourthly It is cleare saith he that neuer generall CouÌ„cell made these bookes Canonicall before Trent This S. Hierome doth conuince to be false saying of the booke of Iudith (p) HieroÌ„ praefat in Iudith Hunc librum Nicena Synodus in numero saÌ„ctarum Scripturarum legitur computasse The Hebrews placed this booke among the Apocriphall writings the authoritie of which is not sufficient in their opinion to establish any doctrine of faith but seeing we read that the Councell of Nice hath accounted this booke among the Canonicall I haue yielded c. What say you to this Councell M. Crashaw Was it popish Was it made in darke tymes Was it presumptuous Or may not you rather seeme puppish presumptuous that talke in the darke you know not what Fiftly he saith that we are not able to bring one Father that held these bookes to be Canonical within the first foure hundred yeares after Christ Looke into Bellarmine (q) Tom 1. coÌ„trouers 1. de verbo Dei l. 1. c. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. and Coccius (r) Tom. 1. l. 6. art 4. 9. 12. 13. 17. 18. whom he citeth and you shall clearely find he careth not what he saith For they both bring diuers Fathers that liued within the foure first ages after Christ for all and euery one of those six bookes in so much that of the booke of VVisdome which both Protestants and Iewes reiect Eusebius (s) Lib. 4. Histor c. 22. writeth that Aegysippus and Irenaeus omnis antiquorum chorus all the company of ancient Fathers doe affirme Salomon to be the author thereof of the authority of whose bookes neuer ancient Father did doubt And the same might be proued of the other fiue as you shall heare by that which shal be proued against his next impudent assertion where like that frantick Athenian who vaunted in the streets that all the ships in the hauen were his not being owner of so much as one dareth say that he is able to proue that all the Fathers for foure hundred yeares did reiect them not citing in text or margin so much as one a signe that he is a great prouer against vs in pulpit where without controll he may lye as he lift 9. And seeing he is so skilfull in the ancient Fathers we will set him a taske against the next tyme he print Let him proue that S. Augustine who liued and was conuerted vnto Christ within the first foure hundred (t) in the yeare 385. yeares did not admit these bookes who not only doth number then in the Canon of Scripture in his priuate (u) l. 2. de doctrina Christiana c. 8. writings but also subscribed to the Councell of Carthage where all those books are admitted into the sacred Canon as hath been sayd Let him proue that (x) l. 1. de partibê° diuinae legis Iulius Africanus or S. Ambrose did reiect the booke of Tobie which he termes (y) lib. de Tob. 1. PropheticuÌ„ librum a Propheticall booke of Scripture That S. Cyprian did reiect the same booke who citing it saith (z) Serm. de eleemos initio Loquitur in Scripture Spiritus sanctus the holy Ghost speaketh in the Scriptures That S. Athanasius or the Councell of Nice did reiect the booke of (a) Hieron prafat in Iudith Iudith That the same S. Cyprian did * S. Cyril l. 2. in Iulian vltra medium calles the booke of Wisdome diuine Scripture Melito epist ad Onefimum putteth it in the Canon The General CouÌ„cell of Sardica vseth the testimony thereof as Scripture against the Arians as Theodoret doth mention l. 1. Histor c. 7. let M. Crashaw proue they did reiect them reiect the booke of VVisdome which he calleth (b) De habit virg diuinam Scripturam diuine Scripture maketh Salomon the (c) Serm. de mortalit Author thereof Let him proue that S. Augustine did reiect the booke of Machabees which he saith not (d) Libros Machabaeorum non Iudaei sed Ecclesia pro Canonicis habet lib. 18. de ciuit c. 36. the Iewes but the Church of Christ doth hould for Canonicall 10. And here by occasion of S. Augustine and the booke of the Machabees I must giue M. Crashaw warning that in proofe of his assertion he bring not such testimonyes as are the three Syr Edward Hobby alleadgeth out of S. Augustine to proue he reiected the Machabees ignorantly and impudently corrupted not by Syr Edward himself I cannot thinke so dishonourably of men of his calling but by his trencher-School-maister or some mercinary (e) Syr Edward Hobbyes letter p. 23. Lecturer perchance euen by M. Crashaw himself who is great in the booke of this credulous (f) pag. 55. Knight whom they make fly hoodwinke to catch flyes which hood if I pull from his eyes that he may see how they (g) His owne phrase pag. 92. abuse him I hope he will take it in good part The first is out of the booke De mirabilibus sacrae Scripturae (h) l. 2. c. 34. which he citeth by their direction as S. Augustines which all learned men by vniforme consent discard from that number as a booke of no accoumpt which censure was made of this booke many hundred yeares (i) by S. Thomas 3. p. q. 45. a. 3. ad 2. before Syr Edward was borne or his Church eyther whose antiquity he doth say truly the Ladyes are not able to (k) In
see that the Councell doth suppose that Princes are bound to keepe oathes made vnto hereticks as far as it lyeth in their power or as they may by law and iustice and without wronging others or restrayning the authority of them that are not their subiects which is to keep oathes made vnto heretickes as far as the same may be kept vnto any other which oathes can neuer bynd eyther beyond power or against iustice 5. Thus treacherously doth this Minister deale with the Councell about keeping faith and no lesse perfidiously doth he falsely misreport the doctrine of Bishop Simanchâ— whom he makes speake in this sort pag. 49. By the authority of thâ— Decree A most notorious slander it is now a rule in our Church that faith made to an heretickely a priuate man is not to be kept no nor if it be made by a Magistrate 〈◊〉 is proued by the practise of the Councell of Constance Marke saith the Bachelour how they are healed afore it was true in publick persons now it is true in priuate men also afore it might be broken without any fault but now it may not be kept Thus doth this fellow insult ouer vs. But looke into Simancha you shall find him teach in expresse tearmes as may be the contrary to that which here the Minister doth inforce him to speake He hath two conclusions about this matter the first concerning publick persons in these wordes (h) Iacobus Simancha in institut Cathol c. 46. n. 52. Si fides haereticis data esset à Principe vel publica potestate exactè seruanda esset si modò quod addixisset non sit de illo genere rerum quas lex aut inspirata aut naturalis vetat praestare Non enim videtur esse vetitum eorum quae ad naturae gentium ius attinet habere cum haeretico commercium Si fides haereticis data esset à Principe exactè seruanda esset c. If the Prince or publick Magistrate giue his word vnto heretickes the same is to be kept exactly except the promises be of such thinges as the â—aw of God or nature doth forbid for it is not vnlawfull to haue traffique with heretickes in such thinges as pertaine to the law of Nations and nature This is Simancha his doctrine How could he speake more plainely to conuince the Bachelour of false dealing What can be more contrary then faith giuen vnto heretickes by the magistrate is not to be kept which the Bachelour doth make Simancha say and â—t is exactly to be kept which are his very wordes The second â—onclusion of Simancha is about priuate persons specially which is set downe in this sort Fides haereticis data etiam iuraâ—ento firmata contra publicum bonum contra salutem animarum contra â—â—a diuina humana nullo modo seruanda est Faith giuen vnto heretikes when it is against the Common wealth against â—he saluation of soules against the lawes eyther of God or â—an is not to be kept In a bad promise saith (i) In malis promissis rescinde fideÌ„ inquit Isidorus iuramentum esse non debet vinculum iniquitatis Simancha vbi supra Isidorus â—reake thy word neyther can any oath bynd a man vnto â—inne Thus far Simancha Where you see the Bachelour â—oth conceale the limitation of Simancha his doctrine that â—athes are not to be kept when the promise is a sinne but when the â—hinges are lawfull then it is to be kept by the Magistrate â—xactly and by priuate men as far as they are able to keep the same without transgressing the law eyther of Nature or Christ or Man to whom they are subiect How this may be excused from wilfull lying and malicious corrupting the doctrine of Authors to make them odious I see not if he did peruse this place as he doth protest And thus much of the Councell of Constance 6. Let vs come to the Councell of Trent whome he doth yet more egregiously abuse and falsify not only changing some wordes of their Canon and peruerting the meaning therof as he did with Constance but indyting a new Canon for them in his owne wordes and those horrible exorbitant setting them a part from his owne in a differeÌ„t letter very conspicuously as the wordes decree of the Councell which is this The Apocriphall bookes of Tobiah Iudith and the rest shal be held and receiued of as Authenticall and Canonicall authority as any parts of holy Scripture whose authority was euer sacred This he saith was neuer till then decreed not in the darkest times of Popery The light of the Protestant Ghospell to see thinges that are not when ignorance superstition was without all controll which I do willingly yield vnto neyther had a Canon in such absurd and exorbitant terms byn euâ—â— indyted but in the dayes of the sun-shine of this new Ghoâ—pell when impudency and impiety is without all controll For this Canon he referreth vs to the fourth session of the Councell but truly if from the first line to the last of that CouÌ„cell in the fairest day of his sun-shining Ghospel when his eys are best he shal be able to shew me or any other a Canon where the Councell doth confesse books to be Apocriphal and yet define them to be of as Authentical Canonicall authority as those whose authority was euer sacred aâ— you see he doth make the tenour of their Canon to be and not only Tobias Iudith but the rest of Apocriphall books without limitation which are very many to be Canonicalâ— If I say he can shew me such a Canon I will coÌ„fesse the same was made in dark tymes of Popery But if this roaring souÌ„d the horrible crack of this Ordenance be faigned counterfaited by himselfe to fright poore ignorant people I am much deceiued in my conceipt of the conscience honour of most Protestants if they doe not highly detest such vnconscionable and shamefull dealing 7. Now as for the CanoÌ„ of holy Scriptures which the Councell of (k) Conc. Trid. sess 4. Trent doth professe to hould in which the books of Tobias Iudith Hester the book VVisdome Ecclesiasticus the first second of Machabees which Protestants following the Iews do reiect which were euer sacred in truth though some mistakers thought otherwise of them the truth therof may appeare by this that M. Crashaw is not able to speake one true word against it but laieth togeather such a multitude of palpable falshoods that more for number or greater for quality or for their impudency lesse excusable were scarce before euer vttered by any within the coÌ„passe of so few lines First saith he this was neuer decreed till then not in the darkest tymes of Popery which he speaketh by (l) Stultus vt luna mutatur Eccles 27. v. 12. pag. 50. moone-light as may appeare by his contradicting himselfe therin in the same page not many lines after graunting that the third Councell of
his epistle to the Collapsed Ladyes conceaue though they may easily conceaue her nouelty seing some Ladyes â—ay yet liue that are elder then his Church and many are yet not very old whose parents were some yeares before Luther her first Father But as for that pretended booke of S. Augustine he that hath perused the same and can thinke it to be worthy eyther of the wit or learning or to sauour of the style of that learned Father he hath I dare say more â—kill of trenchers then of Authors specially seeing the Author himselfe in the fourth Chapter of his second booke doth say in expresse termes that he wrote the said booke in the yeare of our Lord 627. (l) In the third yeare of the 12. Cyclus which he makes begin 624. almost 200. yeares after that S. Augustine (m) Ann. Dom. 480. Prosper in Chronico was dead And was not Syr Edward think you heere bobbed by the Bachelour or some Lecturer 11. But more grossely by many ods do they abuse him in the two other authorityes which do not onely bewray grosse ignorance which is pardonable in a Knight Syr Edw. Hobb let pag. 60. when it is not ioyned with arrogancy but also great impudency and want of conscience framing sentences for S. Augustine which he neuet wrote nor so much as dreamed of The first is Machabaeorum Scriptura recepta est ab Ecclesia non inutiliter 〈◊〉 sobriè legatur vel audiatur maximè propter istos martyres sed ob haâ— causam in Canone morum non fidei censeri posset Thus they make S. Augustine speake shewing saith the Knight that theâ— must great sobriety be vsed in the hearing and reading oâ— these bookes and that they are in the Canon of manners and not of faith Now let vs see how intolerably his (n) His phrase of some of his Ministers Pedantes deceaue him S. Augustines words are these Scripturan quae appellatur Machabaeorum non habent Iudaei sicut Legem Prophetas Psalmos c. sed recepta est ab Ecclesia non inutiliter si sobriè legatuâ— vel audiatur maximè propter istos Martyres Machabaeos c. The Iews doe not admit the Booke of Machabees S. Augustines true wordes shewing the Machabees to be Canonicall lib. 2. cap. 23. contra Gaud. Ep. or in the better editions lib. 1. cap. 31. as they doe the Law the Prophets and Psalmes c. Yet it is profitably receaued of the Church if it be read or heard with sobriety specially in regard of those Machabees Martyrs c. This is that which S. Augustine saith of this matter By which it is cleare first that in S. Augustines iudgment the Christian Church doth admit the Books of the Machabees as Canonicall in thaâ— sense that the Iews did refuse them to wit euen as the Law Prophets and Psalms are Canonicall whose authority was euer sacred SecoÌ„dly that this whole sentence sed ob hanc causa in Canone morum non fidei censeri posset that therfore they may be admitted into the Canon of maÌ„ners but not of faith which coÌ„taineth the substance of the matter is wholy added by Syr Edw. Chaplain or School-maister Will Syr Edward suffer himselfe to be thus bobbed and his credit blowne vp Will he not set such a frowne on them as may make them vanish out of his sight for euer Can any staine to his (o) p. 24. Knighthood be greater then to be thought so notorious a falsyfier of so great and learned a Father euen in print Neyther can one gather because S. Augustin saith that the book is good if it â—e read soberly that therfore it is not Canonicall For what Booke of Scripture may not hurt rather then profit if the same be read without humility in a dronken fit of a wanton wit What Story or Miracle in the holy Bible will not some men deride when they bibble or take tobacco or when they â—ead the Scripture as Syr Edward doth seeme to doe Lypsius his Booke of our Ladyes miracles by the fire side when men rost crabs â—o driue a man out of a melancholy (p) pag. 102. fit 12. No lesse shamefully do they make the poore weake â—nueihgled Knight corrupt another place of S. Augustine to the same purpose This it is (q) De ciuitate lib. 1. cap. 20. In sanctis canonicis libris nusquaÌ„â—obis diuinitus praeceptum permissúmue reperiri potest vt vel ipsius adipisâ—endae immortalitatis vel vllius carendi cauendique mali causa * nobis ipsis necem inferamus vt Raâ—is seipsum occidens laudatur This place they gaue the Knight â—ut tould him not where it was to be found in S. Augustine â—eauing vs to seeke it in the wide world of his writings â—either haue the Latin words any sense as any that doth vnderstand that language must needs perceiue though in the â—nargent I haue both noted the place and added the words â—f S. Augustine that were waÌ„ting to make vp the sense which â—yr Edward doth thus turne into English In the holy Canonicall â—â—oks there is no diuine precept or permissioÌ„ to be found that we may eyther â—aine immortality or to escape any perill make away with our selues (r) Al this is added to S. Augustine pag. 61. 〈◊〉 Razis did and is therfore commended in the Machabees Thus Syr Edward Englisheth the wordes and then demaundeth VVhere 〈◊〉 now the collusion Truly Syr in the Minister that suggested vnâ—o you this corrupted peece of S. Augustine adding to the text 〈◊〉 Razis seipsum occidens laudatur as Razis did kill himself and is â—herfore commended in the Machabees which words S. Auâ—ustine hath not and were put in to discredit the Booke of â—he Machabees in which to the lesse wary or sober Reader Razias for that is his name not Razis as your suggester doth â—â—yle him may seeme to be praised for that fact of making away himself But did S. Augustine read that Book with so little sobriety that he fell into this dronken conceipt of your huâ—â—ourizing discourser Far was it from S. Augustines grauity pag. 24 who â—aith the coÌ„trary in expresse terms in that very place against Gaudentius you cyted where the Circumâ—elliam who killed themselues in their defence did obiect that sanctarum Scripturarum authoritate laudatus est Razias Razias is praysed by the authority of diuine Scripture Doth S. Augustine say he is praysed in the Machabees but that booke is not Canonicall No. He denieth that he was praysed for killing himself Quomodo laudatus sayth he quia fuit amator ciuitatis (s) 2. Machab 14. How is he praysed because he was a louer of the Citty or CoÌ„mon wealth and so goeth forward speaking of other causes why Razias was praysed and hauing set downe the bloudy and vndaunted manner of his death concludeth in these words This (*) Hanc eius morteÌ„ mirabiliorem quà m prudentiorem queÌ„admodum facta esset narrauit
10. lib. 2. de CoÌ„cil c. 12. l. 1. de sacr matr c. 5. Authors Definitions and Decrees of Popes and this is one new trick of falshood Secondly he chargeth vpon the Canon-law that doctrine which euen in that place the new reformed booke of Gratian denyeth in expresse termes putting a maine difference betwixt diuine Canonicall Scriptures Popes Decretall Epistles declaring that the saying of S. Augustine cyted out of a corrupt copy of that Fathers workes (p) Bellar. l. 2. de Concil c. 12. by Gratian that might seem to magnify the Canonicall Epistles of Popes was not referred to the Decretalls but to the Canonicall holy (r) Quae quideÌ„ sententia B. Augustini noÌ„ ad decretales Romanorum PontificuÌ„ sed ad Canonicas sacras Scripturas refereÌ„da est Decr. dist 19. c. 6. In canonicis Scripture Which note the Bachelour doth acknowledge and no meruaile saith he though they confesse it For the name of Decretall Epistles of the Popes was to get and to beare many a fayre yeare after his dayes where his ignorance of Histories might be shewed by many Decretal (s) See their Epistles tom 1. Concil Epistles of Popes as of Anacletus Alexand. Victor Anicetus Marcellus others that liued many a fayre yeare before S. Augustine The Decretall Epistles of S. Leo Pope Protestants themselues do not doubt of who liued in S Augustines tyme and was made Pope not long after his (t) S. Augustine died 430. S. Leo chosen Pope 440. death Likewise the Decretall Epistles of Innocentius the first are no lesse certaine and vndoubtedly his who liued in S. Augustines tyme and dyed some yeares before (u) Innocentius anno 417. him as all that haue any acquaintance with antiquity do know So that this cauill is eyther foule ignorance or a faire lye But that which is most to our purpose the Bachelour cannot deny but that a distinction betwixt the authority of diuine Scriptures and Popes Decretalls is expressely taught euen in this place whence he would inforce the contrary doctrine which is not ignorance only but impudency also 2. Thirdly he doth peruert the playn and cleare meaning of Gratian in that place which I will shew out of that very distinction the more largely to stop the mouth of this Minister and his Mates who still come forth with this trish-trash triuiall slaunder For I demaund of him seeing his Conscience speaketh that he hath perused the whole scope of this place whether he doth not know that Canonicall Scriptures or writinges doe not there signify holy and diuine Scriptures but Codicem Canonum the Booke of Canons or Decrees of Generall Councells to which and not vnto diuine Scriptures Gratian intendeth to proue in that distinction that the Popes Decretalls are equall as appeareth both in the beginning ending body thereof The beginning is De (x) See the beginning of the 19. distinctioÌ„ 1. part Decreti Epistolis Decretalibus quaeritur an vim authoritatis obtineant cùm incorpore Canonum non inueniantur The question is whether the Decretall Epistles be of authority seeing they are not found in the body or booke of Canons This is the question which Gratian handleth in that distinction and maketh answere in the wordes cited by the Bachelour that the Decretall Epistles are reckoned among Canonicall writings concluding in the end with these words (y) Titulus cap. 6. Decretales itaque Epistolae Canonibus Conciliorum pari iure exequantur The Decretall Epistles haue right to be equalled to the Canons of Councells (z) in fine distinctioÌ„is 19. It is then playn that a distinction is made by Gratian betwixt Canonicall writings and holy Canonicall Scriptures and that the Popes Decretalls are said to be of equall authority with the first not with the second Which is yet more playnly set downe in the body of the distinction in the words of Nicolaus Pope about this matter bringing many arguments that the Decretall Epistles of Popes that are not in the Booke of the Canons of Councells are to be reckoned Canonicall and of authority to bynd If (a) cap. Si Romanorum saith he the Decretall Epistles of ancient Roman Bishops were not to be admitted because they are not inserted into the Codex Canonum the Code of the Canons then neither the constitutions of holy Gregory nor of any other Pope are to be receiued because they are not written in the booke of Canons Itaque nihil refert saith he vtrum fint omnia necne Decretalia Sedis Apostolicae coÌ„stituta inter Canones Conciliorum immista cùm omnia in vno corpore compaginari non possint That is It imports not though all the Decretall Epistles of the Apostolicall Sea be not ioyned with the Councells seeing that all could not be compacted into one corps or booke Thus writeth the Pope cited by Gratian. By which it is euident and by the whole scope of that distinction that Canonicall writings signify in that place the Code of Canons and not holy and diuine Scripture What shall we think then of the coÌ„science of this Bachelour which speaketh that he hath diligently perused the whole scope of this place and yet so notoriously falsifyeth the meaning thereof The fifth slaunder That the Popes Decretals are of more authority then diuine Scriptures â— THE second Babel about holy Scriptures and his fifth wound is that we not only equall but also prefer the Popes Decretalls before the holy Scripture for this ambitious Bachelour will needs proceed to higher degrees of slaunder not ceasing to clymbe till out of hatred to the Pope he become graduate in Atheisme a plaine Atheist as you shall heare in his next wound This Babel â—he seeketh to rayse vpon the words of S. Boniface our Countreyman famous for sanctity and learning who conuerted a great part of the Germayne Nation vnto the Christian fayth (b) See Baron tom 9. ann 722. 723. 724. seq and was therfore called the Apostle of Germany where he endured a glorious martyrdome for that cause (c) Vide Baron an 755. This blessed Saint and Martyr sayth That (d) Decret d. 40. in appendice ad cap. 6. all men do so much reuerence and respect the Primacy of the Apostolicall Roman Sea that they seeke some part of the disciplyne of holy Canons (e) NoÌ„nullam SaÌ„ctorum Canonum disciplinam which the Bachlour traÌ„slateth much of the discipline of holy Canons putting in to the text much of his owne and of the ancient Institutions of Christian Religion rather from the mouth of the Bishops thereof then eyther from holy Scriptures or the Traditions of Ancestors and that therefore if the Bishop of Rome be zealous of Gods glory carefull in his office irreprehensible in his life he is able by his doctrine and example to draw great multitudes of all sorts of professions vnto to Christ to the great increase of his reward But if on the contrary side he be carelesse of
hatred to the Pope then of loue to him from which proceed three fraudulent tricks heere vsed by him to raise this Babel that giueth aduantage vnto Atheists First he doth wittingly misconster the playne meaning of the Glosse giuing it this impious sense that the wordes of God are not of as good authority as the Popes and that they are to be belieued not because they are Gods but because the Pope hath pleased to put them in the Canon law which doctrine the Glosser neuer dreamed of who by canonizing the senteÌ„ce of Salomon The Glosser by canonizing the words of SalomoÌ„ doth not vnderstaÌ„d the making them Canonicall Scripture but only a part of the Canon law or a rule in the Ecclesiasticall Court doth not vnderstand the making it diuine and Canonicall Scripture but the making it a Canon law with authority to bynd or a rule to decide doubts in the Ecclesiasticall Court which authority a Prince that can make lawes may giue to a place of Scripture if he doe vtter his law in wordes thereof For all sentences of Scripture though truths which must be belieued haue not the necessity to bynd as lawes but some only as directions and counsells which may be made lawes of a Common-wealth eyther ciuill or Ecclesiasticall by the Princes Gouernours therof This sentence of Christ for example he that striketh with the sword shall dye by the sword is a truth that such as strike with the sword though perchance they do not kill yet deserue the punishment of death which is a law in some Countreys Now suppose that the Parlament intending to make a law that those that go into the field or fight with eminent danger of their liues be punished with death should set downe that law in these words of Christ Qui gladio percutit gladio peribit he that striketh with the sword shall dye by the sword should not the Parlament giue to that sentence of Christ the power of a ciuill and politike law which it had not before Should not they bestow impart their authority vpon it Should not they authorize that part of Scripture to be a part of our CoÌ„moÌ„ law Is there any blasphemy or absurdity in this speach Doth it giue any aduantage vnto Atheisme Were he not an absurd fellow or an Atheist that would therupon infer that the ParlameÌ„t gaue diuine authority vnto that sentence That the word of the Parlament is of more authority then the word of God All which Babels and many moe pag. 74. this Babel-Bachelour doth infer out of the saying of the Glosse that a sentence of Salomon was inserted by the Pope into the Canon law as a rule or law how to proceed in the Ecclesiasticall Court Now hath he not religiously discharged his duty to truth and giuen Atheists vantage where they had none Is not this proceeding to be detested by all that haue eyther religion or conscience in them 7. Secondly he doth conceale from his Reader that these wordes of the Glosse both in regard of their harsh sound as also because they are grounded vpon a grosse ouersight in the Glosser in all the latter Editions of the Canon law reformed by Gregory the 13. are left out so that now they should not be seene so much as in a secret Pamphlet did not such children of darknes as our Bachelour is bring them to light to giue aduantage vnto Atheists to obscure the light of all truths that God is And here M. Crashaw I caÌ„not but charge you vpon your Allegiance vnto God to discharge your duty to the truth and shame the Diuell by taking away the vantage you may haue giuen Atheists are not these words indeed left out in the latter impressions of the Canon law I named Heare his answer then iudge of the religion of the Minister If saith he they haue left it out in any latter impression so it be with open confession and detestation of the fault it is well but sure I am it is in the impression I haue and in all other which I could borrow further I do not know any Pope or Popish writer that hath with authority and allowance condemned and reproued this Atheisme If they know any they may do well to produce them Do you perceaue how he that before was so hoat to discharge his duty to the truth now is become so cold in the same duty that he flyeth from confessing the truth like a Beare from the stake feeding vs with iffs ands loath to bereaue Atheists of the aduantage he hath giuen them And not onely doth he conceale the truth but also against his conscience vttereth a mayne and malicious vntruth that he could not borrow any impression where these words were left out which to be notoriously false this very Sermon doth conuince in which he doth cite very often (k) pag. 5◠〈◊〉 70. pag. 72 pag. 42. the new impression of the Canon law corrected by the appointment of Gregory the 13. that of Lyons and that of Paris in both which impressions all other the aforesaid recited words are left out and his iffs and ands and humming about the matter doth make it more then suspicious that he did find them left out in that impression but would not confesse it nor discharge his duety to the truth which by the former flaunder he might haue obscured And I desire the Christian Reader specially the Gentlemen of the Temple to charge M. Crashaw to shew according to his promise the reformed Edition of Gregory the 13. which he did borrow and cyte in this Sermon wherby they may make tryall of his honesty and bring this lurking Atheist to light who vnder pretence of the Ghospell seeketh wickedly to conuey Atheisme into his Auditors harts which yet shal be made more plaine 8. Thirdly concerning the errour ouersight in the Glosse for which the former words were discharged wheras M. Crashaw requireth open detestation therof he cannot but know that we do curse detest it who seeing he could with no colour of truth charge that errour vpon the RomaÌ„ Church vnto which his owne Church doth come much nearer concealing the same from his Auditours in lieu therof fathereth his owne Atheisticall brat vpon vs. For what was that errour ouersight in the Glosse To think that the Sapientiall bookes of Salomon among which are the Prouerbs were not Canonicall mistaking a place of S. Hierome and of another Glosse where some bookes ascribed to Salomon as that of VVisdome and Ecclesiasticus were accounted Apocriphall reading the place sat citò sed non sat bene with more hast then good speed as M. Morton excuseth his (l) In his AnimaduersioÌ„s in the very end 2. p. Apol. Cathol Vide Deâ—ret l. 2. tit 23. ouersights For a little after the former wordes in that very place the Glosser moueth the question in termes whether the Prouerbs and other bookes of Salomon be Canonicall of authority or no and answereth that by
the sentence of Hierome it seemeth they are not quod saith he est valde notabile which is a thing much to be noted And it is in very deed notable to discouer the fraud and perfidious dealing of this Bachelour who seeing he could not charge the Church of Rome with this errour that Salomons bookes are not Canonicall knowing we admit not only the Prouerbs but also the bookes of VVisdome and Ecclestasticus which Protestants reiect he giueth vs quid for quo insteed of this errour and ouersight of the Glosse caused by ouer hasty reading the words of S. Hierome such an horrible blasphemy and monster as could scarse fall into the imagination of man which impiety against God and iniury vnto vs Protestants may better vnderstand by this example Luther not out of ouer sight as this Glosser but obstinately doth reiect the Epistle of S. Iames calling the same contentious swelling with pride and not worth a (m) Praefat in Ep. Iacobi contentiosam tumidam aridam stramineam in edit Ienensi rush If one to comfort Atheists should charge Luther and the whole Protestant Church for his sake that they teach that holy Scripture and the word of God is contentions prowde not worth a rush were not this wicked and perfidious dealing might not ProtestaÌ„ts iustly and would they not bitterly exclayme against vs who yet are so blinded that they permit their Bachelour to build such wicked Babels against vs to father such falshoods vpon vs making that mistaking of one Glosser doubting of the Canonicall authority of one booke of Scripture a deniall and contempt of all Scripture and euen of the knowne word of God in the whole Catholick Church I want wordes to expresse this wickednes which therefore I leaue to the ponderation of the Reader what a Church that is which permitteth and in what dreadfull danger they are that heare such Preachers who couertly seeke to strengthen Atheisme shewing that their owne iudicioâ— Protestant writer Hooker (n) In his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy had reason to conceyue much feare that Puritans and such hoat-spurrs and enemyes of the Pope as this Bachelour vnder colour saith he of rooting out Popery will make in the end a way for Paganisme or for extreme Barbarity to enter 9. In the same wound he doth notoriously slaunder our learned Countreyman Doctor Heskins which though in regard of the matter they may seeme light and nothing compared with the former yet they be great tokens of his great malice Doctor Heskins in his Parliament of Christ tells a story of one whom he heard vpon the reading of the booke of Ecclesiastes earnestly say that it was a naughty (o) l. 1. c. 2. fol. 7. booke What was he saith the Bachelour that spake it a Protestant No a Papist Which is more then Doctor Heskins saith though he make it his answer For the man rather seemes to haue beene a Protestant seeing vpon conference had with the Doctour vpon the matter he seemeth not to haue yielded to the definition and doctrine of the Church which seemeth the Protestant practise of priuate spirits Secondly he said Doctor addeth of a Gentlewoman Heskins ibid. that hearing a â—ext of Scripture which seemed more liuely to describe the â—hamlesnes of some womeÌ„ their immodest behauiour vnder hedges theÌ„ her bashfulnes could well endure said that â—he would no more belieue Scripture for it was naught Heere the Bachelour asketh againe what was she that said this His answere is which he pretends to set downe in Doctor Heskins wordes A vertuous Catholick Gentlewoman and â—ne that feared God Here is another trick of the Bachelour â—dding the word Catholicke which is not in the Author â—hough the Bachelour might perchance very probably â—hesse by her blushing at womens shameles immodesty that â—he was not like those Godly sisters that goe weekely as I â—m informed to gossip with him to Pemlico Thirdly he â—hargeth Doctor Heskins that he telleth these storyes rather with approbation then with any detestation of them which to be a manifest slaunder the wordes of Doctor Heskins which follow vpon this story declare May not this saith he â—rieue a Christian hart that the Scriptures Gods holy word should be â—â—us blasphemed Is this to approue those sayings Doth he not detest them as blasphemyes Doth he not openly condemne them How doth malice blynd this Bachelour that dareth vtter such open and impudent slaunders 10. I omit his other cauils at Doctor Heskins his sayings as his accusing him of blasphemy for saying that the song of Salomon seemeth wanton in the outward face that the Book of the Preacher seemeth vehemently to diswade from wisdome (p) Here the Bachelour doth also falsify D. Heskins making him say of the whole booke what be speâ—keth of one only senteÌ„ce therof that some speaches of Scripture a modest man cannot repeate without blushing which the holy Ghost did purposely vtter that modest men should speake them with blushing that others might see their owne shame not blushing to do what the modest blush to name These cauils I say the Reader of himselfe doth see to be foolish which D. Heskins brings to proue that it is not conuenient that ignorant people should commonly read the Scripture in their vulgar tongue which doth much distast our Bachelour because he saith in another place (q) His 3. wound pag. 62. had his women vulgar people the Bible in their mother tongue they would startle hearing in pulpit some doctrine they do not vnderstaÌ„d would soone say that is false doctrine which whether it be good discipline or no Pride that women should by the Bible in their mother tongue get tongues of Mothers presuming to teach their Fathers and of sheep that should heare the voice of their Pastours Disorder become shrewes chiding them out of pulpit as he maketh his vulgar people to do with the Italian Fryer Bernardinus de Busto whether this I say be good discipline and whether reading Scripture in the vulgar tongue be not worthily forbidden by the Church of Rome if it do produce the former effects of startling correcting their Pastours and some saying they know not what these things I remit to the iudgment of any prudent Protestant or discreet man I am sure had this order byn kept with this Bachelour in this Sermon made at the Crosse to wit that men might haue soone said that is false that is a lye that is a slaunder that is folly knocking such Babes of Babel on the head straight as they came thicke and threefold out of his mouth he might haue bene I dare say interrupted so often that he would not haue ended in a yeare But the Church of God and God himselfe doth rather require that women and vulgar people haue the eares of daughters then the tongues of mothers not to startle from the beaten way of the faith of their Ancestors when they heare any doctrine preached they do not vnderstand nor so