howsoeuer he may perhaps differ in opinion from either side yet in charitie he may be vnited vnto both And for no other cause is hee more maligned by the hot-spurres on either part then for seeking to procure peace and concord betwixt them and for doing his best endeauour to make vp the great schisme and rent of the Church that againe wee might come to be all one body Which misery an olde Father was wont long agoe to lament in these words that may be very well applied to our times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth Nazianzen after hee had done speaking of mens maintaining their sides and factions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Whosoeuer keepe a middle â—ourse and follow after peace are ill used on both sides being either contemned or fiercely opposed of which number we being c. For the Papists I haue nothing to say to them now But I haue heere to doe with such kind of men who striuing to runne as farre from Papists as they can haue also vnaduisedly runne withall beyond the bounds of Truth These are the Men that with incredible pride and arrogancy despise all Antiquity that most superciliously contemne the ancient and holy Fathers that studie all they can how to abrogate and abandon all the ancient Constitutions of the Church and in the meane while that arrogate to themselues a power of making what Lawes they list of appointing Ceremonies at their pleasure and of bringing in such a discipline which the Christians of olde neuer heard of as if they had beâ—ne created the only perpetuall Dictators and Gouernours of the Church of Christ And though they haue no regard at all of any publique tranquillitie refusing to giue way but to the least thing that may make for the peace and vnitie of Christians yet neuertheles they would faine beare vp their credit and for a colour of their bad intents make vs beleeue they are wondrous zealous men Of which sort of men that he was one whosoeuer was the Author of this Booke which these Impostors haue published vnder Is Casaâ—bons name and that he was no meane one neither but a chiefe champion among them I thinke no body will make question that will but runne ouer the booke and of those infinite places which prooue the same most plainely will but a little more narrowly marke a few There being I suppose scarce any writing extant in this kind which doeth more clearely and euidently argue what an insolent peruerse and rash Author it had A man would verely thinke that hee was one whoâ— had proclaimed open warre and defiance to all Antiquitie or one that being starke-staring mad with noueltie and fury would abandon all the ancient Customes and Constitutions of our Forefathers The Booke indeed by the Title is pretended to be written against Papists but in effect it prooues as aduerse to the Primitiue as to the Popish Church And whereas the Church of England cutting off such corruptions as crept in vpon her in declining ages hath retained many of the Sacred Rites and Ceremonies which the ancient Church had yet she is also cunningly stricken at through the Papists sides with so much the more danger by how much the more craft and close subtiltie it is done Therefore let this be the first Argument of all the rest to prooue that Casaubon neither was nor could be the Author of this Booke For who was it that euer reuerenced the gray haires of Antiquitie more then hee Who euer without iniuring the holy Scriptures â—steemed more highly of the ancient Fathers And for the Church of England what should I neede to speake of iâ— whose Doctrine and Discipline Rites and Ceremonies hee did so much approoue and embrace that hee could neuer seeme to himselfe to haue commended and magnified it enough Though there were none of his workes and writings left behind him out of which it might be gathered and demonstrated what his mind was herein yet there be many graue and religious men still liuing whom I could call to witnesse how often they haue heard him professe and declare at large that he was thus affected But there will be no neede of that seeing his owne Bookes are euery where extant to confirme it For howsoeuer hee had neuer any occasion offered him purposely and ex professo to handle this Argument yet seeing all his Workes that belong to matters Ecclesiasticall and Diuine haue nothing in them not onely contrary or auerse from the vse and customes of this Church but what is altogether agreeable to the Canons and Constitutions of the samâ— and which as occasion is offered doe euer and anon defend them the intelligent Reader will easily perceiue how willingly hee submitted himselfe vnto the Forme thereof rested wholly content with it And for this purpose there are not wanting most certaine proofes and testimonies occurring in many places of his writings which will be enough to stop vp the mouthes of the most impudent gain-sayers As when in his Preface to his Ecclesiasticall Exercitations written to his Sacred Maiestie he saith Qui Ecclesiam habeas in tuis Regnis partim iam olim ità institutam partim magnis tuis laboribus ità instauratam vt ad floreÌ„tis quondam Ecclesiae formam nulla hodiè propius accedat quà m tua inter uel excessu vel defectu peccantes mediam uiam secuta Quâ moderatione â—oc primum assecuta est Ecclesiâ— Anglicana ut illi ipsi qui suam ei foelicitatem inuident saepe tamen ex aliarum comparatione illam cogantur laudare deinde c. that is Who haue in your Dominions a Church so established by former ages and so setled by your Maiesties Royal paines and care as no Church this day under heauen comes neerer to the flourishing estate and face of the Ancient then yours which hath taken the middle way betweene them that went astray on both handes by excesse or defect By which moderation the Church of ENGLAND hath got this speciall aduantage that euen such as enuy her happinesse are neuerthelesse oftentimes constrained to magnifie her in comparison of others Besides c. Whereunto these words agree in his Epistle to Cardinall Perron written though in his Maiesties name yet according to his owne sence and meaning Certò clarè ac liquidò sibi constare si notae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaerantur uerè necessaria ad salutem spectentur aut etiam ad decorum Ecclesiae nullam in orbe terrarum Deo vni sit laus gloria inuentum iri quae propius ad fidem aut speciem antiquae Catholicae accedat c. That it was most plaine and manifest unto him how for matters essentiall and truly necessary to saluation or belonging also to the beauty and decency of the Church there was God be thanked none in all the world to be found which came neerer to the faith and face of the ancient Catholike Church c. It wil not be amisse here to set downe his
THE VINDICATION OR DEFENCE OF ISAAC CASAVBON AGAINST Those Impostors that lately published an impious and vnlearned Pamphlet Intituled The Originall of Idolatries c. vnder his Name By MERIC CASAVBON his Sonne Published by his Maiesties Command ¶ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and Iohn Bill Printers to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie 1624. TO THE MOST HIGH AND POTENT MONARCH IAMES By the grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Most gracious Souereigne THat which I haue here in a few dayes written for the Defence of my Father I acknowledge to â—aue proceeded from your Maiesty as the first Author of it who beeing so highly offended at the iniury which Casaubon's name receiued that by your Royall authoritie the deceitfull plotters of it were duely punished I thought it would be some reproach to mee if a Sonne should conferre nothing to the pious vindicating of his Father And yet it is not so much the defence of him that I haue here vndertaken as the vindicating of the Truth it selfe which your Maiesâ—y hath so much disdained though in a good cause to haue beene so ill handled by a furious and inconsiderate writer Our Aduersaries shall be more indifferent to you â—ereafter if your Royall Maiestie be offended with the forgeries which they bring to maintaine a bad cause when You are so much offended with the falshoods that are brought against them by others that would otherwise seeme to haue vndertaken the defence of a good cause And though such may please themselues with their owne fancies whom any thing wil please that maketh for the vpholding of such a Religion as they professe yet it was most proper for your Sacred Maiestie whose Learning and Loue of purer Religâ—on are of equall eminencie both to detect and to shew your Royall indignatioÌ„ against these Impostors that were cloaked ouer with so faire an appearance Surely happy is our Cause that hath â—uch a Defender For who can now doubt of the Truth of that doctrine which must haue nothing to defend it but the Armes of Truth it selfe Whereâ—ore I present vnto your Maiestie with all humility that which I haue here written for the Truth not onely because You were so graciously pleased to accept it before it came to publike view but chiefly that I might oppose the Authoritie both of Your Sacred Power and exquisite iudgement against those Impostors that durst presume to offer a falseintituled Pamphlet to the patronage of our most Noble and Gracious Prince God long preserue your Maiesty the greatest of Kings to flourish with all kind of happines for these your Kingdomes and his Churches benefit Your Maiesties most humble Seruant and Subiect MERIC CASAVBON TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS AND MIGHTIE PRINCEâ— CHARLES PRINCE OF WALES c. May it please your Highnesse I Haâ—e endeâ—uoâ—red aâ— my dâ—ety was to free my Father from that â—â—spicioâ— of impiâ—tiâ— and ignorâ—â—ce which the late Booke falsly attributed vntâ— him had well-neere brought him into And I doubt not but by this meanes I haue obtained so much of all men as hereafter not to doubt but that Casaubon hath beene much abused to haue such a preposterous birth fathered vpon him Yet to little purpose were all that I could say or doe if in the meane time this mâ—sked Pamphlet should passe through all mens hands vnder your Highnesse Authoritie such being the impudence of this Impostor that hee durst venture to inscribe it to your Highnesse Patronage the better to deceiue the world But since without all question your Highnesse is so farre from patronizing such kinde of men that You detest as well their fraudulent dealings as the impietie of the Booke it selfe I presumed of Your Gracious acceptance if I should present vnto You this Defence of my Father against them that such Impostors may know how vainely they haue sought for patronage of their forgeries from Your Highnesse Authoritie which they shall perceiue You haue bestowed vpon the Defence of the Trueth God grant vnto Your Highnesse as to the most glorious of all Princes a life of many and many yeeres with his perpetuall and fauourable assistance of You in all things Your Highnesse most humbly deuoted MERIC CASAVBON THE DEFENCE AND VINDICATING of IS CASAVBON Against those Impostors that lately published an impious and vnlearned Booke intituled The Originall of Idolatries c. vnder his name VNto how great and various iniuries the names of well-deseruing men are subiect after their death I would it had been my hap to haue learned any other where then to haue had such neere experience of it at home I was in good hope my care had been at an end in answering their sundrie calumnies that being of a contrary part set vpon my Fathers name like open enemies yet these inasmuch as they professed themselues his aduersaries and were cleane opposite against him in the case it selfe seemed to bee the lesse dangerous and not so much to be feared But now I must haue to doe with other manner of men that pretending nothing lesse then any malice or hatred against him haue vnder faire shews of good-will most grossely abused his estimation credit But the lessesuspicion there is of an iniury the greater is the iniury done to a man and the more hainously to be accounted of Not many weekes since there was a Booke published vnder the name of Isaac Casaubon Which for the Argument was not altogether vnlike those workes of his that he had partly published already and partly vndertaken to write as I shall shew hereafter And for the place who would imagine that any thing should come foorth in Print at London to Casaubon's disgrace where as long as he liued hee was so much esteemed of by his Maiestie and the chiefest of the land and now hee is dead I hope I may say his memory is precious to all honest men And besides for him that procured the booke to be set foorth hee is so profuse in his praise that a man would thinke hee meant him no small addition of glory by his large commendations But if you once reade the booke it selfe you shall soone see it is such kinde of stuffe as cannot bee imagined to haue been my Fathers without his great shame and infamie being a Pamphlet full of such grosse ignorance malignity and most insolent desire of nouitie in Religion Surely the Author of it deserues the name of a Schismatike that I may say no worse and whosoeuer hee was is worthy to bee punished for such a one as being no lesser enemy to the Church of England then hee is iniurious to my Fathers good name But that the Reader may wonder the lesse at it it is no new thing for bookes of nouell and vnsound doctrine to bee fathered vpon such men that be free from error and sound in their opinions Euery one of the worst and vilest Heretikes were wont to vse this craft long agoe to maske vnder other mens
iudgement about some certain Rites and Ceremonies which as occasion serued he wrote and inserted into his Ephemerides from whence what hee thought of all others in that kinde may be easily coniectured Octob. 31. An. 1610. Diem sacram non malè posui Dei beneficio sum enim inuitatus bodiè ut interessem sacris quae factasunt ad consecrandos Episcopos duos Scotos Archiepiscopum Scotiae Vidi illos Ritus Impositionem manuum Preces in eam rem O Deus quanta fuit mea uoluptas Tu Domine Iesu serua hanc Ecclesiam Catharis qui ista rident da bonam mentem God be thanked I haue spent this Holy day well For I was this day inuited to be present at the sacred sâ—lemnities of the Consecration of the Archâ—ishop and two other Bishops of Scotland I saw the Ceremâ—nies the Imposition of hands and the Prayers made for that purpose O God what apleasure it was to me to behold it Preserue thou this Church O Lord Iesu and turne the hearts of the Puritans that deride such things as these Ian. 4. An. 1611. Gratias tibi Domine quod hodiâ— ad sacram mensam sum admissus Corporis Christi sanguinisâ— factus sum particeps in Ecclesiâ Anglicanâ cuius Formulam heri diligenter meditatus admodum probaui ordinem agendi mirâ— laudaui prae receptâ apud alios consuetudine Thankes bee to thee O Lord that I was this day admitted vnto thy Holy Table and made partaker of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Church of England the Forme of which Administration hauing read it ouer yesterday I did highly approoue and commend aboue that custome which others vse And not onely these things which concerne the Church of England but those also wherein hee had to doe with our Aduersaries alone doe sufficiently argue for his defence Euen by his whole manner and genius of writing euery body may knowe that the booke is none of his For who cannot tell with what great moderation and mildnesse Casaubon was euer wont to treat of Controuersies in Religion insomuch that many preposterous Puritanes out of their ignorant and mad zeale did blame him for it and from thence tooke occasion to suspect him more then they had reasoâ— to doe But this was the way that hee tooke and hee perswaded himselfe it was the best and safest way that could bee taken both for the finding out of trueth and the redresse of error to follow that path which meeknesse and moderation either led him or went along with him in without all affection or partiality either way supposing that such as tooke any other course did put pace in a dangerous and slippery path and put others further out of their way that were gone astray one from another Now if a man should run through the whole rout of Nouellers and diligently make inquiry into their writings I think there could not one bee found for furie and malice and bâ—tternesse against his Aduersaries to bee compared with this Counterfeit-Casaubon then whom neuer was any man more childishly and fondly in loue with his owne fancie or more bent to his faction It is but a small matter that he hath rail'd a little more bitterly then became a modest man against such things as were worthy of blame but so infinitely to bely his Aduersaries and to put such forged crimes and calumnies vpon them was vnsufferable specially in such an vndertaker for the Trueth of Christ Such manner of dealing with Aduersaries though it may be pleasing to some hotte fiery Zelotes whom learning neuer taught any modesty yet wiser men cannot but condemne it as being fitter to spoyle then to helpe or defend a good cause For if there beâ— strict Lawes prouided against such colluding pleaders that pretending to helpe a man do of purpose leaue out that which should most make for his cause and bring nothing but false allegations for his defence so to betray his right to his Aduersariesâ— what is to bee done with such vndertakers of Controuersiâ—s in Religion that either of purpose or through grosse ignorance let passe those Arguments that be solid and of greatest moment and come in with such idle poore reasons as euery childe may answer and blow away Ought not the same Law when the case is the same to be made against these men as betrayers of an honest and good cause What readier way then theirs can be imagined wholly to alienate our Aduersaries mindes from vs that being ouercome with the truth on our parts began somewhat to incline vnto vs Caius Fabritius is highly commended vnto vs by the writers of old times for his vertue and magnanimity in scorning to accept of that victory in a doubtfull battell which was offered him by the perfidie of a trecherous fellow And is it not a shame now adayes that Christians contending with Christians about the Trueth of Faith should vse lesse faith and conscience one towards another then the Pagans themselues were wont to doe who regarded nothing but their owne wordly praise and honour Can there then be any body so iniurious to Casaubon or so quite bereaued of his owne iudgement as to thinke these things that smell only of a furious Sycophant and a most impudent Calumniator could come from him FroÌ„ him I say Whose mildnesse and moderation in matters of Religion is so euident in all his writings that to take any paines to prooue it were but to waste time and to light a candle in the Sunne And howsoeuer it befits not the modestie of a sonne to contend about the learning of his Father yet I hope I may haue leaue without the breach of good manners to say that hee was no meere Blocke or such a one as had no good learning at all â—n him which let but be once granted mee and I doubt not of the good successe I shall haue in vindicating his name and estimation from these Hucksters handes that put this booke vpon him A booke which is so full of excessiue ignorance and stupiditie that whereas euery thing in it except a few scraps taken from others argue a most vnlearned writer there are many things besides which I wonder how they could come from a man that was sound in his senses if yet he is to be thought sound in his senses whom this pestilent madde puritanisme hath once possessed But I suppose the Reader expects that for the better confirmation of what we say we should produce some Examples out of the Booke it sâ—lfe concerning these things wherewith we haue all this while charged the Author of it It remaines therefore that we briefly runne the Booke ouer rather pointing at the places then vndertaking any refutation of them IN the first part of his Booke hee reckons vp all such things which either happened by occasion or were directly ordained by God in the olde Law hauing some mysticall or typicall signification in them as the Trees of Life and Death of
he wrote in the yeere of our Lord 1614. The French Edition of this Booke out of which this English Copie was translated anâ— re-printed is pretended to haâ—e been â—et foorth as I remember for I could get the sight of it but once in the yeere 1607 at what time Casaubon liued in Paris beeing sent for thither by the most Christian King Henry IIII. of France to bee Professor of Humaniâ—ie Who then desiring leaue of his Maiesty modestly to reâ—uâ—e Baronius his Annals was denied it And at that time that is to say in the yeere 1607. was his Booke De Ecclesiasticâ Libertate vpon publishing howsoeuer his name was suppressed and yet that would doe no good for when there was but a very little part of it printed the Booke was called in by the Kings authority and so Casaubon forced to breake off that which he had vndertaken to write Was it likely therefore that hee durst venture to set foorth such a virulent Booke as this and one that was so vniustly written against the Papists Or if he had ventured it could hee haue escaped vnpunished Where were his Aduersaries at that time who after his comming into England and his first beginning to write about matters of Religion opposed themselues against him in such number and such bitternesse as they did I haue a Catalogue by me of all the Books which my Father euer published written with his owne hand which elsewhere I haue set foorth to the world How came it to passe that hee should leaue out this But what need wee any more seeing the Imposture of these deceitfull men is already detected who had cunningly printed and prefixed the name of Isaac Casaubon before a French Booke which was put forth without any name at all as in France many are specially if they be Diuinitie Books and so by an artificiall immutation of the Arithmeticall figures for the yeere put a new face vpon an old moth-eaten Pamphlet supposing themselues to be safe enough if they could but any way transferre their imposture vpon others It concerned after ages that at no time there should be want of such as might both deprehend and reuenge the fraudulent dealings of these wretchlesse and wicked men FINIS AN ADMONITION TO ABRAHAM d' ACIER the Geneuian falsly surnaming himselfe DARCY SIr Vndertaker for a false worke it were not amisse if you be capable of good aduise that you gaue some satisfaction to the world your selfe for this foule iniurie which you haue so rashly done not onely to Mr. Casaubon but to the whole Church of England in republishing a Booke vnder his name that was fitter for a Turke then a Christian to write and hereafter that you would take notice of your owne insufficiencie to spend your Censure vpon such matters as you vnderstand not What had you to doe to tell the world what a Rare and Admirable piece of Diuinitie you had found out a Booke of such abstruse Learning in it so Orthodox all so 〈◊〉 a worke Is it for â— man â—hat neuer had his sight to iudge of colours or for you to tell vs what is Orthodoxall or what not Goe I 'le giue you better counsell home againe and meddle with your Fiddle-strings Take not vpon you beyond your reach It is not for such as you are to tell vs whâ—t Bookâ—s are beneficiall for this Church and Monarchy And when you looke vpon your Booke againe let it be through this that you may perceiue and acknowledge your selfe to haue beene a more rash and ignorant and M. Casaubon a more Religious and Learned man then you thought on But aboue all things because you are not capable of many the next time you reade ouer your Title with his Namâ— on 't at the beginning and your Aliterate verses vpon his Name at the end of your pretended precious worke Reade on here withall and reade with shame enough That this your admired Pamphlet this your Allobrogicall Dormouse indeed came stealing out in a corner by owle-light no good signe of a Sincere Booke and was Printed in French Three yeeres before M. Isaac Casaubon was borne I say no more then what I haue seene and can make good But it is no marueile you counterfeit other mens names seeing you haue already falsified your owne So wishing you to be wiser and more honest hereafter lest a worse thing happen then you haue endured hitherto I leaue you C. Faults to be amended in the Print Pag. 6. lin 17. for Inâ—the 〈◊〉 Reade In the â—ean◠〈◊〉 Pag. 33. lin 21. for thâ— last Reade That Ibid. lin 23. for 〈◊〉 to hâ—â—e c. Reade as a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all Pag. 34. lin 7. for They Read Them Pag. 46. lin 14. after the word Pâ—nâ—ifex blot out the Colon Pag. 48. lin 16. for a name Reade And a name Pag. 52. lin 24. for as it Reade as if it Pag. 67. lin 5. for receiued Reade crowned Pag. 68. lin 2. for against Reade a great Pag. 73. lin 19. adde in the Margin See the admonition to Darâ—y Nazianz. Orat. 3. Pag. 2 3 c. 8 9 21. Pag. 85 86. S. Aug. contra Faâ—stâ—â— lâ—b 19â— c. 13. †Exeâ—c 16. ð„ Num. 47. Pag. 10. 11 c. Pag. 15. Pag. 63. 65. 66. 70 c. In his Epistle to the Reader Pag. 27. 28. Pag. 28. Pag. 29. Pag. 30. Pag. 32. In the Chapter of Preachers Pag. 31. S. Aug. de bapt contra Donat. l. 4. cap. 24. Exerc. pag. â—71 Pag. 33. Pag. 35. a Pag. 41. b Pag. 61. c Pag. â—1 d Pag. 41. e Pag. 46. f Pag. 59. g Pag. 73. h Pag. 40. i Pag. 64. k Pag. 68. l Pag. 67. Pag. 48. 49. Pag. 49. 72. ibid. Pag. 52. Pag. 54. Pag. 59. Pag. 55. Pag. 62. â—g 25 25. Pag. 63. Greg. Naz. orat 3. de pace Pag. 40. 41. Pag. 73. 74. Pag. 434. Pag. 43. S. Ambros de obitu Valent Idem lib. 1. cont Relationâ—m Symmachi Casaâ—bon to the Reader in his Exercit. vâ—on Baronius Exercit. Pag. 587.