for the honour of the Roman Communion they must be Answer'd The Third Column will produce an infinite number of Books of Controversie which may last a long time for Questions of matters of Fact are sometimes an Abyss whereof the bottom is never seen The Philosophers of this Country will be less impatient for these Books than for the Apology for that they hope that the Author of the Apology will teach them many curious things touching the Nature of the Soul and the Easiness of changing Opinions from morning to night for without this their Apology will seem to want one of its most Essential Parts because the Cartesians have made the World experience sensibly the great force of Prejudices that there are but few thinking Men but believe that there would be need of the Adress of the most able Philosopher for two years to persuade all People that Sensible Qualities are only in the Soul that the Earth moves continually that Body and Space are the same thing c. And upon this they imagine some hardness of the Fibres of the Brain for Fâ—ith But in all likelyhood they will be otherwise lookt upon in the Apology and it will be Mechanically Explicated unto them a Method to be instructed in four days which makes People to pass from white to black in Doctrines sucked in with their Milk as of Matters of the greatest and most eminent importance The British Theater or the True History of Great Brittain Written by Gregorio Leti Amsterdam Sold by Abraham Wolfang 1684. 5 Vol. in 12. THe Author of this Book hath made himself known long since by a greaâ— many fine Italian Pieces which have been Translated into divers Tongues and amongst others by Italia Regnante by Itinerario della Carte di Roma by Politica de Principi by il Livello Politico by i Diala hi politici by Vita di Philippi II. and by la vita de Gisto V. Printed lately at Paris being Translated into very fine French The Praise of some of these Works may be seen in the Journal of the Learned Mr. Leti hath published the most part of them at Geneva where he lived several years In the First Book of the second Volume of this Brittish Theater is the reason why he left it He went into France immediately upon it and presented to the King a Panegyrick which he had made upon that Monarch Entituled la Fama Gelo sa della Fortuna The Gallant Mercury of the Month of Iuly 1680. and the Journal of the Learned of the 29th of the same Month speak much in the Commendation of the Person of Mr. Leti and of the Panegyrick which he presented at the same time to the King at Fontainebleau He was very well received by this Prince yet notwithstanding he made no stay at his Court because he saw there was nothing to be done there for Protestants he chose therefore to withdraw into England He was soon known there and honoured with a considerable Present by our King some few days after his arrival Which also obliged him to Compose a Panegyrick upon His Majesty who received it very Graciously He afterwards got leave to carry on the History of England and the Secretaries of State received Orders to fuâ—nish him with the Memoires which he would require This was the reason why this Work was much talkt of As it was one day spoken of at the King 's getting up some one said That he did not believe that a Stranger could succeed in Writing the History of England others maintained That a Stranger would succeed better because he would speak with less Interest and that there ought to be no difficulty made to furnish him with requisites for it rather than to a Native born The King who excells in Reparties said thereupon Let him alone if he doth well it is so much the better if not 't will excite some other to try to acquit himself better The Author knowing what was said of his Work afore-hand neglected nothing of what could be useful to him He visited carefully the Wisest Persons of England and had considerable Memorials of them He informed himself of the Antiquities of the Laws and of the Customs of the State and of all the Particularities of the Countrey It must not be forgotten that he was made a Member of the Royal Society by the Nomination of the Deceased Duke of Norfolk He begun with describing the Antient and Modern State of Great Brittain which he included in two Volumes in 4to He proposed to himself to compose three others for the History it self of the Country Whilst he was about these two first Volumes the King asked him one day If his History would be soon ended He Answered That he feared it would be finished too soon And why reply'd the King Because Answer'd Mr. Leti I fear the Destiny of Historians which is to be recompenced by Exile or Imprisonment You are too Wise reply'd the King to expose your self to that If one was as wise as Solomon answered the Author ones destiny cannot be avoided Well then added the King if you believe there is so much danger in Writing Histories Write Proverbs as Solomon did That seemed to be a Presage of what hapned afterwards but Mr. Leti ceased not to go on in his Work and even to say to the Court when the occasion offer'd That he Writ a History and not a Panegyrick that they should dispose themselves so as to see the Truth there without Flattery as well as without Satyrs As soon as the Edition of these two Volumes were ended he presented them to the King and Queen to whom they were Dedicated to the Duke and Dutchess of York They were very well received and during ten days Mr. Leti was seen at Court as favourably as afore He believed then that seeing the King who was willing to read the Work himself and who stayed up very late some nights to end the Reading thereof said nothing it was a sign the Book did not displease him From that time he made divers Presents to the Ambassadors who were at London and to the Lords of the Court It was it seems through the suggestion of an Ambassador that this Work which the King had read without any apparent dislike passed for a dangerous Book and hurtful to the State as treating too openly and too clearly of such Truths as were thought would be better concealed The Council assembled divers times thereupon and it was at last concluded That all the Copies should be seized which the Author had and that he should be commanded in Ten days to depart England The thing was executed but mildly One may see what Mr. Leti saith thereof p. 16. of the Second Volume He relates in the Preface of the First something a Prelate said to him which deserves to be taken notice of Signior Gregorio saith he unâ—o him a few days afore he left London voi avete fatto l' Historia per altri non
fit an infinite number of places of the Antient Councils without having respect to the MSS. which makes Vsher to give him the Title of Contaminator Conciliorum As Hilary and Leontius Archbishops of Arles had favoured Semi-Pelagianism Cesario who succeeded Leontius inclin'd to what the Divines of Marseille called Praedestianism to wit the Sentiments of St. Augustine It was by his direction that the second Council of Orange was held in the year DXXXIX which approved the opinions of St. Augustin and our Author gives us an account of all their entire acts A little while after another Council was held at Valence upon the same matters and which also condemned Semi-Pelagianism Boniface II. approved the acts of this Council by a Letter that he writ to Cesario in the year DXXXI and which Vsher hath inserted in his Works Here it is that endeth the History of Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism which was not nevertheless extinguished among the Gauls nor in England by so many Efforts and Decrees of the defenders of Grace as may be seen by the History of Godescalch written by the same Vsher. What can there be concluded from thence according to the Principles of St. Augustin but that God would not apply his Grace to Anathemas to Confiscations to Depositions and to Banishments whereof the Pious Emperors and Holy Councils made use of against the unfortunate Pelagians We may relate the beginning of the third part of the British Antiquities in p. 268. where the Author begins to speak of King Arthur and of the priviledges pretended to be given by him to the University of Cambridge The rest of the Chapter excepting what there is in it concerning Gildas of whose works Vsher makes long Extracts is but a collection of Fables and Citations of Monks The 15 th Chapter treateth of the Colonies that the Facts a People of Scythia and the Scâ—â—ch that inhabited Ireland sent into England and of the manner how these Barbarous People were converted to Christianity There are also in this place more Fables than Truths seeing if we except some general acts the remainder contains only impertinent fictions in this Chapter are also new Fables concerning St. Ursula which some Monks report to have been Daughter to a King of Scotland The 16 and 17 th Chapters which contain the Ecclesiastick Antiquities of Ireland are of the same stamp as the preceding ones and we may wonder how the Archbishop of Armagh hath had the patience to make such a great collection of Fables and to read such a great number of Works of Monks both Manuscript and Printed Those that are minded to know a great part of their fictions concerning the British Isles from the year DXXX unto the end of the fourteenth Age may have recourse to the Original In the same nevertheless may be found some more certain antiquities touching their firâ—â— Inhabitants and the names of these Islands and some considerable changes that happened in them The Author hath also added at the end a Chronological Index where one may see in what time each thing ought to be related It 's a thing much to be wish'd in other Works which contain such disquisitions of Antiquities where commonly there is a strange Confusion Those that desire to be throughly instructed in the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of England ought to add to Vsher's Work whereof we have given now the extract a Book in Folio of Doctor Stillingfleets Intituled Origines Britannicae or the Antiquities of the British Churches with a Preâ—aâ—e concerning some pretended Antiquities relating to Britain in vindication of the Bishop of St. Asaph Printed at London 1685. The true System of the Church or Analysis of Faith c. by Sieur Jurieu Doctor and Professor of Divinity At Dordrecht Sold by the Widdow Caspar and Theodore Goris 1686 in 8vo THIS piece is chiefly designed to answer Mr. Nicoli but the difficulties that Mr. Arnauld Father Maimbourg and the Bishop of Meaux have propos'd in the chapter of the Church are herein examined with the utmost exactness the whole is reduced to these five general questions 1. What are the essential parts of the Church 2. What is the invisibility and maâ—ks thereof 3. What is its extent 4. What is its Vnity and Schism 5. What is its authority and judgments the exact and profound discussion of these matters take up three Books The first is begun by the comparison of the Church with a Human Body animated and it 's pretended that as the essential parts of man are a reasonable Soul and an Organised Body and the Union of this Body and Soul likewise the essential parts of the Church are Faith and Charity the Profession of Faith the outward practice of Charity and the Union of these four Faith and Charity are the Soul of the Church the outward Profession and Practice the Body and according to this Idea neither the Saints in Paradise nor the Predestinated that are not yet born are any part of the Church which is proved by Scripture after that is examined if false Christians and Heretical Societies make part of the Church and having shewn the prodigious incumbrances whereunto the R. C. cast themselves in maintaining that an ill man may be a true member of the Church and even of those Members on whom God confers the Spirit of infallibility We are taught after what manner the men of the World are in the Church and may be lawful Pastors in it Mr. Nicoli stands here a rude brunt for he pretends that his efforts do make St. Augustin agree with the Scholastick Divines upon the question whether the wicked are true Members of the Church which is full of obvious contradictions As to Heretical or Schismatical Societies it 's needless to prove to the R. C. that they do not belong to the Church for they say it often enough yet without giving good reasons why crimes are more priviledged therein than errors but the incumbrance which may be in this respect hindreth not Mr. Iuricu from fully examining this matter he enters therefore into the discussion of the Unity of the Church He maintains always leaning upon his comparison of human bodies that all the Sects of Christianity belong really to the body of the Church and that in this there is no more absurdity than to maintain that a distemper'd Member is a true part of Mans Body he asks whence comes the Idea of the Unity which excludes from the Church all the Christian Societies but one and he persuades himself that the monstrous errors which are raised in the first Ages have been the true Origin of this Idea in accustoming the Orthodox to think that Hereticks are Members wholly separate from the Body He adds that St. Cyp finding this Idea ready at hand applyed the same to the Novations grounded thereon such strong reasons against the validity of the Baptism of Hereticks that nothing of weight was answered him this occasions the Author to criticise on the Hypotheses of St. Cyprians
took all imaginable care that the Roman Religion should not make any progress in Ireland yet it stole in by the negligence of other Bishops insomuch that that Party which maintain'd it did sensibly increase and grow strong It was this that oblig'd King Charles the first to write a Letter to the Primate of Ireland which is to be found in page 38. wherein he authorizes him to write Letters of Exhortation to all the Bishops of Ireland that they shou'd discharge their duty better than they had done About the latter end of the year 1631. Vsher makes a Voyage into England where he publish'd a small English Treatise concerning the Antient Religion of Ireland and of the People which inhabited the North of Scotland and of England he shews in this Treatise how it was in respect to the Essential parts of the same Religion which at present is establish'd in England and which is very forreign to that of the Roman Catholicks The year following our Arch-Bishop return'd into Ireland and publish'd a Collection intituled Veterum Epistolarum Hibernicarum Sylloge whereof the first Pieces were written about the year 1590. and the last about 1180. there one may learn the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Ireland In 1639. which was seven years after he publish'd his Book intituled Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates wherein he inserted the History of Pelagius and his Sentiments There are to be found the Antiquities of the most distant Churches of Great Britain since Christianity was Preached there that is to say since about 20 years after the death of Jesus Christ. In 1640. Vsher makes a Voyage into England with his Family with design to return very soon into Ireland but the Civil Wars hinder'd him insomuch that he cou'd never return to his Country again T is said that in the year following he brought the King to sign the death of the Earl of Strafford but as to this Dr. Parr speaks very much in his Justification he afterwards shews us after what manner he lost all that he had in Ireland except his Library which he brought into England Strangers very much envyed this great man that his Compatriots shou'd offer him divers Places of Retreat The Heads of the University of Leiden soon gave him a considerable Pension and offered him the Title of Honourable Professor if he wou'd come into Holland The Cardinal Richelieu sent him his Medal and also proffer'd to him a great Pension with the liberty of professing his Religion in France if he wou'd come thither Our Arch-Bishop thank'd him and sent him a Present of Irish Grey-Hounds and other Rarities of that Country Three years after he publish'd a small Treatise intituled A Geographical and Historical Research touching Asia Minor properly so call'd to wit Lydia whereof frequent mention is made in the New Testament and which the Ecclesiastical Writers and other Authors call'd Proconsulary Asia or the Diocess of Asia In this Treatise there is a Geographical Description of Asia Minor and of its different Provinces as that of Caria and Lydia under which the Romans comprehend Ionia and Aeolia Vsher shews there 1. That Asia whereof mention is made in the New Testament and the Seven Churches which St. Iohn spoke of in the Apocalypse were included in Lydia that every one of these Cities were the Chief of a small Province and because of this Division they were chosen to be the principal Seats of the Bishops of Asia 2. That the Roman Provinces had not always the same extension but were often contracted or enlarg'd for reasons of State thus the Empire was otherwise divided under Augustus than it was under Constantine under whom Proconsulary Asia had more narrow bounds than formerly 't is remarkable that under this last Emperor Proconsulary Asia which was govern'd by a Proconsul of the Diocess of Asia from whence the Governor was call'd Vicarius or Comes Asiae or Dioceseos Asianae but this division was afterwards chang'd under his Successors and whereas every Province had but one Metropolis to satisfie the ambition of some Bishops 't was permitted to two of 'em at the same time to take the Title of Metropolitan 3. That under Constantine Ephesus was the place where the Governors of Asia met to form a kind of Council which decided affairs of importance and 't was for this that Ephesus was then the only Metropolis of Proconsulary Asia that the Proconsul which was Governor never submitted to the Authority of the Praetorian Prefect and that there was something so like this in the Ecclesiastical Government that the Bishop of Ephesus was not only Metropolitan of Consulary Asia but also the Primate and Head of the Diocess of Asia 4. That there was a great conformity between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government in this that the Bishops of every Province were subject to their Metropolitans as the Magistrates of every City were to the Governors of the whole Provinces This was the time wherein Vsher published in Greek and Latin the Epistles of St. Ignatius with those of St. Barnabas and St. Polycarp seven years after he added his Appendix Ignatiana where he proves that all the Epistles of Ignatius are not suppositious and explains many ecclesiastick antiquities he published the same year his Syntagma de editione 70 Interpretum where he proposes a particular Sentiment which he had upon this version 't is this that It contained but the five Books of Moses and that it was lost in the burning of the Library of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus and that Doritheus a Heretick Jew made another version of the Pentateuch and also translated the rest of the Old Testament about 177 years before the birth of Jesus Christ under the Reign of Ptolomaeus Philometor and that the Greek Church preserves this last version instead of that which was made under the Reign of Ptolomeus Philadelphus he also treats in this same work of the different editions of this version which according to him are falsly styled the version of the 70 this Book was published a year after the death of our Prelate with another De Cainane altero or the second Canaan which is found in the version of the 70. and in St. Luke between Sala and Arphaxad This last work of Vsher was the Letter which he wrote to Mr. 〈…〉 the difference he had with Mr. a friend of the Archbishops we shaâ—â— speak of it hereafter Dr. Parr informs us that in the Civil Wars of England Vsher going from Cardisse to the Castle of St. Donates which belonged to Madam Stradling he was extreamly Ill treated by the Inhabitants of Glamorganshire in Wales they took his Books and Papers from him which he had much ado to regain and whereof he lost some which contained remarks upon the Vaudois and which shou'd have serv'd to carry on his Book de Ecclesiarum Christianarum Successione where there is wanting the History of more than 200. years viz from Gregory the 11th to Leo the 10th from the year 1371 to 1513 and
per voi e dovevate far la per voi e non per altri We thought that the Reader would be glad to learn the Adventures both of an History and an Author who have made so much noise And therefore shall proceed to the Work it self What had been Printed at London contained but the Antient and Modern State of Great Britain It is to be had entire without any thing cut off in the two First Volumes of this Edition except the Author thought it more expedient to reserve for the Fifth Volume any thing which was Historical The First Volume contains eleven Books whereof the First gives a brief account of the History and Religion of England whilst it had been possessed by divers Princes and bore the Name of Britannia to wit unto Egbert who reduced it altogether under his Power and gave it the Name of England or of Anglia at the end of the Eighth Age. There are in this First Book divers things very curious concerning the Druides and the Gods who were adored in England before the Faith had been planted in it The Author describes in the Second Book the Greatness the Situation the Provinces the Rivers the Cities the Bishopricks the Inhabitants the Fertility the Merchandises the Negotiations and the Buildings of England The Third Book is employed altogether upon the Description of the Famous City of London Here there is more exactness than in the very Writings of some English who have given the Publick the state of this Famous City and that of the whole Kingdom There is according to the supputation of Mr. Leti near Four hundred fifty thousand Souls in London and about Six Millions in the whole Kingdom The Fourth speaks of the Government and Priviledges of the same City as well as of the Factions which do divide it The Sixth describes the Humour of the English and the Application they have to Religion and to the Observation of the Laws of the Country The Seventh is a Continuation of the same subject and a description of the Laws and divers Customs of England The Eighth speaks of the strangers who are in that Country and chiefly of the French Protestants who have fled thither some time since In this is the Declaration of the King of France importing That the Children of those of the R. P. R. may convert at seven Years accompanied with political and very curious Reflections In the Ninth Book the Author describes the Three States of England the Clergy the Nobility and the People but particularly the first It contains the number and names of the Bishops of this time the manner of consecrating them their Revenues c. The Tenth speaks of the State of Roman Catholicks in England of their number of their Exercises of the Endeavours to bring in again their Religion of the Missions of Fryars and of the Complaints they make of Protestants The Author adds the Answer of the Protestants to these Complaints and shews by the Catholick Authors the Designs of the Court of Rome upon England and of the Intrigues it makes use of to bring it under its Yoke The last Book of this Volume contains the Policy of the Court of England and its Maxims of State The Second Volume is composed of Eight Books whereof the two first do treat of the Religion and different Parties which divide it Therein are to be seen the Disputes of the Conformists and of the Non-Conformists the Opinions of the Quakers of Anabaptists c. The Fourth contains the Foundations and the Rights of the Monarchy of England the Revenues of the King and other Particulars of this nature There are several things in this place which cannot be found elsewhere The fifth describes the Government of England the King's Council the Parliament and the divers Tribunals of Justice of this Kingdom Herein are the Reasons why Parliaments have opposed in so many Rencounters the Designs of King's which Strangers are commonly ignorant of The sixth speaks of the particular Government of Cities and of Countries as also of the Posts of Governours of Places of the Garisons and of the Land Forces and Sea Forces of England The seventh is a Description of the Court and the King's Officers and of the Royal Family The last speaks of the strange Ministers who are at London of the manner wherewith they receive Ambassadours there Residents Envoys c. and of the Priviledges they enjoy Here is the Description of those who were in England whilst the Author lived here He tells very frankly their good or ill Qualities and this is not a little useful to judge of their Negotiations and to know why the one succeeds without pains in his Designs whilst the other stumbles every where It were to be wished that all the Histories which we have were thus circumstantiated For as there would be much more pleasure in reading them so we might also profit thereby much more than we do We should know not only the Events but also the secret Causes the Intrigues and the means which have contributed to the great Revolutions and it is what may profitably instruct us What signifieth it to know in general that a certain thing hath happened in a certain Year if we do not know how and wherefore It is the Conduct of Men which serveth us for an Example and an Instruction and not the simple Events which of themselves are of no use to us But where are there Men so couragious as to write without Flattery the History of their Time Where are there Princes who are so just as to suffer that their Truths should be told to their Faces Where are there even Ministers of State who would permit that their Defects should be divulged during their Life Nevertheless it is but then that it can be well done for if in the time wherein things are fresh more than one half is forgotten much more are the following Ages deprived of the knowledge of a thousand particular Facts which have produced great Affairs The Author having thus described the State of the Kingdom in the two first Volumes takes up again in the three others the sequel of the History of England from Egbert and continues it unto M DC Lxxxii He hath disposed his Work after this manner that after having made all the Essential Remarks of the History of England in the two first Volumes he should not be obliged in the following to interrupt the course of his Narration The third Volume contains Six Books whereof the last is destined to the Life of Henry the VIII The fourth Volume is composed of Five Books the first whereof includes the Reign of Edward and of Mary and the Second that of their Sister Elizabeth In the Third the Author after he begins the History of King Iames who reunited the Three Kingdoms makes a Description of Ireland and Scotland and speaks of their Ancient and Modern State after which in the Fourth Book he composes the History of the Reign of King Iames wherein
Domestick shewing his Friend in his Masters Library the suppressed Edition of M. de Meaux's Exposition with Marginal Notes which he assured him were Written by the hands of some of the Doctors of Sorbonne the Friend desired to borrow the Book which the Servant consented to So strange an accident made the borrower use his utmost care to get a Copy of the First Edition but there was such care taken to suppress it that all he could do was but to gather up some loose Leaves whereof he almost made an entire Book and copyed what he wanted out of M. Turenne's Original which he then restored to the Servant it is this same Copy which Mr. Wake has with his Certificate that gather'd it and compared it with the Mareschal's Copy It is not at all likely that Mr. Cramoisi Director of the Printing-House at the Louvre should Print a Book of Importance without the knowledge and good-will of the Author that was a Bishop and Tutor to the Dauphin and a great Favorite at Court and it is more unlikely that Mr. Crà moisi should obtain the King's leave and the Approbation of the French Prelates for a subreptitious Copy And why did not M. de Meaux shew his resentment for a boldness of this nature And how came he to give this Printer not only the Corrected Copy but also all the other Books that he made since We must examin but Fourteen places of the First Edition taken notice of by Dr. Wake to see whether the alteration that M. de Meaux made in it did only concern the exactness and neatness of the style First Edit p. 1. Thus it seems very proper to propose the Doctrine of the Catholick Church to the Reformers in separating the Questions which the Church hath decided from those which belong not to her Faith Second Edit p. 1. It seems that there can no better way be taken than simply to propose the Doctrine of the Catholick Church and to distinguish them well from those that are falsly imputed to her First Edit p. 7 8. The same Church Teaches That all Religious Worship ought to terminate in God as its necessary end So that the honour which the Church gives to the blessed Virgin and to the Saints is only Religious because this honour is given to them only in respect to God and for the love of him And therefore the honour we render our Saints is so far from being blamable as our Adversaries would have it because it is Religious that it would deserve blame if it were not so M. de Meaux has thought it expedient to blot out the last period and to express himself thus in his common Editions p. 7. And if the honour that is rendred to Saints can be called Religious it is because it regards God In the same place speaking of M. Daille the Author expressed it after a very ingenious manner but little favourable to his cause As for Mr. Daille said he he thought that he ought to keep to the Three first Ages wherein it is certain that the Church then was exercised more in Suffering than Writing and has left many things both in its Doctrine and Practice which wants to be made clearer This Acknowledgment was of importance and the Censurers had reason to note it and has not been seen since All the other Alterations are as considerable as these and Dr. Wake protests he could mention more if he were minded to shew all the places wherein the Manuscripts differed from the common Editions The Author may judge whether these be words or things that M. de Meaux has corrected but as to Father Cresset it may be said that this Bishop has strained his boldness to such a degree that none dares give him the Epithet it deserves Is it possible that this Author should not have heard of a great Volume in Quarto Writ against the profitable advice of the Blessed Virgin since the Pastoral Letter of the Bishop of Tournay who approved this last Book has caused such long Disputes in France Can it be supposed that M. de Meaux was ignorant that the Opinion of this Jesuit was contrary to his Exposition After M. de la Bastide reproached him with it in his Answer to the Advertisement And that the Author of the General Reflexions on his Exposition and M. Iurieu in his Preservative have made great Extracts out of the Book of The True Devotion Since Mr. Arnaud laughed at Father Cresset in his Answer to the Preservative and Mr. Iurieu refuted his Adversary in the Iansenist convicted of vain Sophistry That Mr. Imbert in his Letter to this Bishop offered to refute the Preservative provided he might be secured that no violence should be done him and that he might have the liberty of saying what he thought In fine after that he himself Answered divers passages of the Preservative in his Treatise of the Communion under both kinds Let us add to all this what M. de Meaux had the confidence to advance in his Pastoral Letter upon the Persecution of France I do not wonder says he my dear brethren that you are come in such great numbers and so easily into the Church none of you have suffered violence either in his Body or Goods And so far from suffering Torments that you have not heard talk of any I hear that other Bishops say the same Let this notorious falshood be compared with the Apology for the Persecution which this Prelate made in a Letter to one of his Friends that I read my self Writ and Signed by his own hand The Original whereof a certain Author proffered to shew him And it will be acknowledged that one may be very hard upon the Catholick Religion without committing so gross a contradiction But why should we stay so long upon the discovering the mystery of the Composition the Gentleman had done it himself without thinking of it Confessing that he weighed all his words and racked his Invention to cheat the simple At least this is what they that understand French will soon perceive in reading this period of his Advertisement In the mean time the Italian Version was mended very exactly and with as much care as a Subject of that importance deserved wherein one word turned ill might spoil all the Work Though one must be very dull to look upon these pious Cheats as a sincere dealing M. de Meaux was so fearful lest he might be thought to abolish some abuses and to labour to reform his own Church that he has lately given evident proofs of the hatred that he always bore the Protestants and which he thought fit to hide under an affected mildness until the Dragoon Mission It was in the History of Variations that he unmasked himself and shewed him what he was by the Injuries and Calumnies which he cast upon the Protestants and has given a Model of the manner how he deserves to be treated There were Three Months past when Dr. Burnet whom this Bishop attacked without any cause made
called it the Dauphine Island in 1665. The Description that is here made of it gives a very pleasing Idea of the same whereas the Orange-Trees and Trees covered with Flowers like the Jasmin of Spain by their mixture form natural Arbours which surpass all the Regularity of Art It produceth all sorts of Animals and particularly Chameleons whereof Naturalists have so variously spoken The Author assures us that they take by the eyes the colour of the Objects upon which they stay The Cloathing of the Inhabitants is Fantastick enough and their Past-times gross and barbarous He observeth nevertheless a singular Ceremony amongst them which is that the Master of the House offers the Fairest of his Women to the Pleasure of those that come to Visit him It is an Incivility and even a kind of Shame to make any Excuses The Woman on her part is grieved when her Beauty acquireth only Looks The People of the Country are of a Large Size they have a Proud Gate and can Dissemble as well as the most refined Nations Their Blackness is unalterable and proceedeth not from the heat of the Sun The Cause is chiefly in their Blood for the French there are Born as White as at Paris The Author shews that these Black Women have the advantage of having a constant Beauty because it hath not those inequalities and paleness of White Faces which renders our Beauties variable Marriage is there accompanied with no manner of Ceremonies The Virgins make none unhappy and each takes a certain number of Women according to his Fortune or his Quality There are no Temples seen in the Isle and Circumcision which is in use amongst them makes us judge that the Iews or Mahometans have left there some footsteps of their Religion They Adore an Oly which is a kind of a Cricket that they nourish with great care When one Reproches them that they prostrate themselves before a vile Animal they Answer very seriously That through it they respect the Author and it being necessary to have some Object to fix the Mind on the lowest best represents the Homage which they owe to the true and Soveraign Being The Beginnings of the Company was not Prosperous at Madagascar The Jealousie of Command divided the French and that which hasted their Ruin in the Island was that the Catholick Zeal came in for a share A Missioner willing to Convert Dian Manangue the most Valiant and full of Spirit of all the Princes of the Insulars without staying for the tediousness of Reasons and Persuasion made use of Force and Menaces Dian Manangue that had been drawn into the Dauphin-Fort under pretence of a Deliberation of War perceiving the violent designs that were formed against his Person very cunningly feign'd to yield himself and set a day apart to be Baptized He returned very full of Trouble and meditated the Cruel Tragedy that he Executed some days after For he Poysoned the Missioner who went to him to perform the Ceremony and Marching at the Head of a small Army being Clothed with the Surplis of the Missioner and wearing the Square Cap upon his Head in an Insulting manner routed the French and forc'd them to shut themselves up within the Walls of the Fort Dauphin Their Affairs were never since re-established On the contrary Dian Manangue having raised the Chief Men of Madagascar drove away almost all the French and those that were left were forced to abandon this Isle which might have served as the Center for the Commerce to the Indies The Company not being dismayed at these Ill successes went further into the Indies and took Measures how to establish themselves at Suratte This Puissant City is under the Obedience of the Great Mogul and there are Inhabitants of all the Countries of the World It is the Magazin of the Indies and Asia and perhaps the Chief City in the World for Traffick The Author makes some Remarks upon the Manners of the First Inhabitants of the Country and Affirms a thing that without doubt will find many Incredulous Readers That there are many Hermophrodites at Suratte who with Womens Cloaths wear Mens Turbants for distinctions and to shew all the World they have the advantage of both Sexes The Women for Decency and Honour are obliged to Burn themselves with the Body of their Husbands and give them after their Death this sad Mark of their Love Yet they ask permission of the Governor who Grants it only according as he thinks fit They seem to believe that Old Women Ask it with all their Hearts and they are permitted to Sacrifice their Sorrowful Remainder according to Custom As for the Young they are Commanded to be Comforted and are acquitted for some Extraordinary Shew of Grief In short the Company hath not made such progresses as answered what might be expected from a Puissant Kingdom and the Cares that had been taken to render it Flourishing Of Nature it self Or an Ingenuous Disquisition into the received Notions of Nature In a Letter to a Friend By the Honourable R. Boyle Esq Fellow of the Royal Society In Twelves at London ONE may see in the second Part of our Bibliotheque an extract of a Book taken from the English Journal All the Matters which are treated on in this Work are well digested but there is one thing wanting to render it conformable to our Method that is to make an Abridgment of one of the Matters and also to give an Idea of it and of the Author himself but Mr. Boyle having lately done us the Honour to send it to us we shall now supply the Defect and set apart the eighth Section for it After having explain'd by other Causes in the preceding Sections the greatest part of the effects which we attributed to Nature we shall here shew that though some of these Phaenomena's which some would have Nature to produce could not be explain'd by Mechanick Principles yet it follows not that we must have recourse to an Imaginary Cause which is express'd by that confus'd word Nature which gives us not to understand after what manner these effects are produced and to shew that this pretended Principle of all Motions and of all bodily Operations is a Chimera we demand of all Naturalists If it is a Substance or an Accident If they answer that it is an Accident we continue to demand What kind of Accident it is and how it is possible that an Accident by it self and separate can produce Effects so different and extraordinary If they say it is a Substance we ask of them What sort of Substance Created or Increated Corporal or Spiritual And as they shew which Side they incline so they lose themselves in such Absurdities as they cannot disengage themselves from Mr. Boyle has not contented himself to maintain this System with so many Reasons but he also ends this Section by shewing that 't is not less profitable than true 1. Because it seems to destroy the Opinion of those Heathen Philosophers who would
like yet seeing he pleads for his Opinion with all Elias's Arguments which Elias brings for his own Opinion and chideth Buxtorf for stating his Opinion as if it were different from that of Elias seeing he agrees with him that they might be begun by the Masorites A. D. 500. Therefore we shall examine the Arguments and Objections of Capellus more at large together with the Opinion and Arguments of Elias which we shall begin to take in hand in the following Chapter CPAP. II. The Evidences for the Novelty of the Points considered in the Examination of the Opinion of Elias Levita and of the Testimonies produced by him and his Followers Capellus and Others for the same in General WHereas there is no Testimony produced by any for the Proof of the Time Place and Persons when where or by whom the Points were invented or placed A. D. 500. or since that time but only those Expressions that Elias Levita hath gathered out of Aben Ezra Cosri Kimki Tsak Sephataim c. as he supposeth in favour of his Opinion That the Points were invented Simul Semel A. D. 500. and then placed by the Masorites of Tiberias It will be convenient therefore to examine the Evidences for the Novelty of the Points under this Opinion of Elias seeing they were first brought by him for the Proof of his own Notion But we must distinguish between the Arguments which are brought or Objections made against the Antiquity of the Points and the Evidences for the ubi quando à quibus when where and by whom precisely they were invented For most of the strength of Capellus and Others is placed in making Objections against the Antiquity of the Points which we intend to consider in the SECOND PART And such are the Objections 1. Of Reading an Vnpointed Copy of the Law in the Synagogue 2. The Samaritan and other Eastern Languages being without Points 3. The LXX and other Versions not following the present Punctation 4. The Silence of Jerom and the Fathers 5. The Silence of the Caballistical Writers 6. The Silence of the Talmuds the Mishna and Gemara about the Points 7 The Novelty of the Names of them 8. The Redundancy Superfluity and Anomalies of the Punctation and the like do only conclude a bare Conjecture against their Antiquity but do not so much as touch the Time Place and Persons when where and by whom positively the Punctation was invented and placed which alone is our present Enquiry Nay indeed they tell us they do not insist much when where and by whom the Points were invented whether A. D. 500 600 700 or 800. whether by the Mosorites or Others at Tiberias or elsewhere so it be granted the Points be not of Divine but Humane Original Vid. Considerator Considered p. 219. Capellus Arcanum Vindicia in the Prooemium and yet do say that Elias hath proved they were invented A. D. 500. by the Masorites of Tiberias Prol. 3. § 42. But we say we 'll not be so served for before we quit the Punctation we 'll know when where and by whom it was invented within this last Thousand Years then we 'll yield it But if they can't prove this we 'll abide by our own For if it were invented so lately they might be able to shew us when where and by whom it was invented and placed to the Text for it is impossible the whole World of Jews and Christians should universally receive it without taking notice when where and by whom it came So that will they or nill they we must examine what they can say to this Point When where and by whom the Points were first invented and placed to the Text. Now if they were placed since A. D. 500. it must be done by the Jews they would never have received it at the Hands of Christians had any been able to have done it This must then have been best known to the Jews and none of them would have done more to gather up the Evidences hereof than Elias the first and last of this Opinion among them This he hath done as well as he could which we shall now examine seeing his Followers have added nothing to what he hath produced in this Matter Which amounts to no more than some dubious Expressions of four Rabbins about the Punctation viz. Aben Ezra Kimki Cosri and Tsak Sephataim and what they say in Commendation of the Skill of the Masorites of Tiberias Now we shall examine the Quotations out of the four Rabbins about the Punctation And we say in General 1. We deny that any one of these Rabbins do speak one Word for the Novelty of the Points But if they did all four speak positively for it what could be thence concluded more than this That four Jews were of this Opinion contrary to the universal Belief of all their own People 2. Our Adversaries say the Jews are not fit to be heard when they speak in the Praise of their own Nation for they are partial to their own Glory But nothing could be said more to their own Honour than this That they were enabled by the Lord to perform so great so useful and admirable a Work as the present Punctation is even then when the Christians said they were under the Curse of God for Crucifying of Christ. The Time of Ezra needed not the Honour it had as much besides as this was there being several Books of Scripture then written by Men divinely inspired but the poor ignorant Jews A. D. 500. despised of all the World and rejected of God for their Unbelief wanted such an Encomium So that by their own Argument their Testimony is to be rejected because it is in their own Cause and for their own Glory of which they are too ambitious 3. But we deny that Aben Ezra Kimki Cosri and the Author of Tsak Sephataim do suppose the Points to be a Novel Invention For First We shall produce plainer Testimonies out of these very Authors wherein they plainly express themselves for the Antiquity of the Points Secondly We shall prove they have wrested those places they have collected and that the genuine Sence of the Authors in those very places they have alledged out of them is very consonant unto and doth well agree with what the same Authors say elsewhere for the Antiquity of the Points We shall begin in the First place with Aben Ezra who by Elias and his Followers is esteemed Instar Omnium none being in their Opinion so fully of their mind in this Matter CHAP. III. The Opinion of Aben Ezra for the Antiquity of the Points particularly considered IN the Consideration of Aben Ezra's Opinion we shall First Produce plain Testimony out of him for the Antiquity of the Points And then Secondly Discover the Frauds and Violence which Elias and his Followers have used to wrest his words in the places they alledge out of him First then We shall produce what he saith for the Antiquity of the Points and to this purpose
objected against him during his Life as has been sufficiently proved by the Apologies writ in his Defence Epiphanius was the first that ever spoke of it So that it is not altogether without reason Baronius hath conjectured that this Passage may have been added to St. Epiphanius Dr. Cave believes likewise that Epiphanius hath said enough on this occasion to make an Intelligent Reader apprehend that he ought not to give too easie a Faith to all that he hath related He saith he hath spoken many strange things of Origen which he himself did not believe to be true and that he thought good nevertheless to insert them among his Writings Besides those who have read but little of what he hath done saith our Author know how much his Faith was upheld by popular Reports and having testified so much Zeal and Anger against Origen he took care to omit nothing that might sully or lessen his Fame In fine the Relation we have had of Origen's Mutilation and the Noise that it made in the World would not permit his Enemies to offer him that Choice before mentioned 'T was in the 233 d Year of our Lord that Origen quitted Alexandria and retired into Palestine St. Epiphanius to confirm his Accusation saith That Origen being at Ierusalem and desired to preach he stood up and read these words of Psalm 50.16 And God said unto the Sinner why speakest thou of my Righteousness and takest my Covenant into thy Mouth That with great Sorrow he spoke these words and then shut up the Book and sat down covered with Shame and fell into a violent Passion of Tears That there might be nothing wanting to compleat his History he hath made a Recantation under Origen's Name where he confesses his Sin and testifies a lively Repentance for it but the Misfortune is that the Style of this piece does not agree with that of the Author whose name is affixed to it Origen having set up a School at Cesarea drew many Men thither to him and among others Gregory Thaumaturgus and Athenodorus his Brother who were afterwards Bishops in that See Firmilian Bishop of Cesarea in Cappadocia a Person celebrated for his Virtue and Learning was also one of Origen's Admirers The 235 th Year Maximinus of Thrace succeeded Alexander Severus and with the utmost Severity treated the Christians who had some Rest in the time of his Predecessor This occasioned Origen to write his Book entitled An Exhortation to a Martyr which he dedicated to Ambrose and to the chief Presbyter of Cesarea who had then signaliz'd themselves by a Couragious Confession of the Christian Faith Origen at this time resided with a Lady of Quality called Iuliana who furnish'd him with Books and particularly with the Version of Symmachus and his other Works in favour of the Ebionites 'T was then that Origen took pains to collect the different Translations of the Old Testament which were publish'd before his time Whereof he made some Famous Editions entitled Tetraples Hectaples and Octaples which Dr. Cave explains in order as is his general Custom according to the Idea's of St. Epiphanius One may see in the second Tome of the Universal Bibliotheque Page 407. the Disposition of this Work according to the thought of Mr. de Valois and Mr. Vossius to the end that we may compare what these Gentlemen say thereof with the common Sentiment that Dr. Cave has follow'd after Father Petau Here is in short the common Order and Method of Origen's Works The Tetraples were four Columns which contain'd the Versions of Aquilas Symmachus the Septuagint and of Theodotion in the Hexaples there were more than two Colums where the Hebrew Text was in Judaick Characters and the same Text collateral to it in Greek Characters In the Octoples might also be seen after the six Colums whereof we are a coming to speak the fifth and sixth Edition which were found not long since one at Iericho the other at Nicopolis near to Actium It is evident saith Dr. Cave by what St. Jerom tells us thereof these two last Versions were not compleat but contain'd only some Books of the Old Testament and particularly the Prophets tho' we cannot determine whether it may be concluded from thence that the Hexaples and Octaples were only one Work under different Titles according to those parts to which the fifth and sixth Edition were added Besides this there was a seventh Edition but it contained only the Book of the Psalms and by consequence made no change in the name of the Work The Reader will more easily comprehend the Method of this Collection by a Copy which is here added to it and drawn from an Ancient Manuscript of the lesser Prophets out of the Bibliotheque of the Barbarines 'T is the first Verse of the eleventh Chapter of Hosea When Israel was a Child I loved him and called my Son out of Egypt To render this Work Fruitful Origen Remarks on the Version of the Septuagint that it contain'd either more or less than the Hebrew Text when there was something more he noted it thus †and when there was any thing Deficient he thus distinguished it * and if confirm'd by many Versions he added a Note which he call'd Lemniscus and when two only agreed he affix'd a Hypolemniscus This Work which was a Labour almost impossible to accomplish was begun at Cesarea and perfected at Tyre Nevertheless it seems that Origen made a second Voyage to Athens where he writ his Commentaries on Ezekiel and the Song of Songs He pass'd through Nicomedia where he met with his Friend Ambrose who was retired thither with his Family He there composed his Answer to Iulius Africanus touching the History of Susanna who had Fruitlesly endeavour'd to maintain it as a Truth Returning into the last he recover'd Beryl Bishop of Botsra in Arabia as Eusebius calls him from a new Opinion apparently destructive to the True Faith which he soon renounced that he might be better instructed and thank'd Origen for having disabused him Beryl believed that Iesus Christ before his Incarnation did not so exist that he had a distinct Essence which was only proper to him and that he had not a Divinity peculiarly his own but only that of his Father dwelling in him Origen did not apprehend this Opinion at first but after divers Conferences with Beryl and indeed it is difficult to understand what he meant according to the words of Eusebius when he comes to cite and translate him word for word from the Greek Dr. Cave thus expresseth it in English That our Lord before his Incarnation had no proper Substance nor personal Deity but only a derivative Divinity from his Father Mr. de Valois hath translated this Passage of Eusebius into Latin after this manner Servatorem antequam inter homines versaretur non substitisse in propriae personae differentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec propriam sed paternam duntaxat divinitatem in se residentem habere In
they writ their Epistles but that they only taught privately being not as yet separated from the Church He enquires into the time that all these Epistles had been written and shews according to his account that this agrees very well with the Epoche which he hath observed of the first Schism that happened in the Church Celsus a great Enemy to Christianity confesseth in Origen that the first Disciples of our Lord were all of the same Opinion and that they were not separated from one another until their number increased He reproaches them with these Divisions and had not omitted it if there had been any in the time of the first Disciples to have made a Demonstration of them in like manner The same Truth also appears by a place of Clemens of Alexandria This Author pretends to prove that the Heretical Churches were of a later date than the True To this purpose he divides the time which passed since the Birth of Iesus Christ into three Periods the first comprehends the time of our Saviour's Life from Augustus to the fifteenth Year of Tiberius according to the Calculation of Clement the second from the Death of Iesus Christ to the Martyrdom of St. Paul under Nero's Empire and the third from Nero to Adrian Clement shews that all Heresie began after these three Periods thus agreeing with Mr. Dodwell that they appeared not until Adrian so that some were in being until the Emperor Antoninus's time which is true of the Heretick Marcion and very likely of Valentinus Mr. Dodwell having proved in his first Dissertation that the Hereticks did not begin to disturb the Church until under the Emperor Trajan pursues this Subject in the Dissertation whereof we give the Extract and proves in particular that Marcion Basilides Valentinus and some other Hereticks made Polycarp say so often O God to what times am I reserv'd That all these Hereticks I say did not discover themselves until under the Empire of Adrian the reason hereof may be seen in the Author we will be satisfied to remark that he reprehends Tertullian by the bye of some very gross Faults as that he made but one Emperor of Tiberius and Claudius under the name of Tiberius Claudius but this of Tertullian will not seem so strange as in Eusebius one Emperor divided into three Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and that the Historian says they were Brothers After having spoke of the time of St. Irenaeus's Birth Mr. Dodwell search'd after that of his Death he rejects the pretended History of his Martyrdom by the Persecution of the Emperor Severus because it does not appear in any Author of the four first Ages that this Father was Martyred there being none that gives him this name To comprehend the strength of the Argument which is a Demonstration on this Subject you must know that the Honour of Martyrdom was so Glorious that this Praise was never forgot so that St. Irenaeus not having it from any Ancient Author though they gave him many Glorious Titles we ought to conclude that it was not due to him It 's true some of the following Ages honoured him with the Title of Martyr the first that gave it him was the Author of the Questions to the Orthodox which Mr. Dodwell supposes to be one Iustina Sicilian that is supposed to be writ about the end of the fifth Age at least he is sure he did not live until after the Emperors embraced Christianity and consequently his Testimony alone ought not to be taken for things that passed a long time before The second who calls S. Irenaeus Martyr is St. Ierom but because this Doctor has not given him this name in the places wherein he ought to have given it him if he had thought it his due Mr. Dodwell judges it is some Remark that might have passed out of the Margin into the Text so that nothing can be concluded in favour of St. Irenaeus's pretended Martyrdom neither from the Author of the Questions to the Orthodox nor from the Testimony of St. Ierom and Gregory of Tours may be looked upon as the first that spoke of it affirmatively but it is with so little Exactness and upon so false Supposition that one ought not to take notice of what he says He will have him dye in the same Persecution that crowned Photion Bishop of Lions whom nevertheless St. Irenaeus succeeded Besides it is certain that he lived when Victor was Pope as appears by the famous Dispute that happened about Easter which was undoubtedly in that Pope's time And it seems under the Empire of Commodus Eusebius and the Chronicle of Alexandria make mention of this Father in the third Year of this Emperor Mr. Dodwell believes that it was upon the occasion of his Works against the Schism of Blastus and Florinus that he put out under Commodus rather than Severus by reason of the Troubles of the Reign of this last during which it seems this Dispute was quieted The last Actions of St. Irenaeus which we have any knowledge of end in the Year CLXXXIX of our Saviour and the Tenth of the Emperor Commodus so that it may be concluded this Father died about Ninety but not full a Hundred Years of Age. This Author attributes this long Life to Providence that Tradition might be more compleat The same also was said of the Patriarchs before Moses because the Revelations were not writ but the Writings of the New Testament being received and known the like Necessity does not appear Nevertheless Mr. Dodwell carries this thought further and says That it was more difficult that the Churches planted by the Apostles should consent to an Error than to convey Books under the borrowed names of Apostles there would be nothing wanting to fall into this Unhappiness but the Perfidiousness of an Ill or the too great Credulity of a Good Man It 's to befriend Tradition extreamly to bring it from the Inconveniencies to which it seems a thousand times more subject than Scripture For after all how would it be possible to distinguish from the true Apostolick Tradition what might be added under pretext of Explication for some other end After having spoke of the Person of St. Irenaeus Mr. Dodwell passes to his Writings in the following Dissertations The design of his Work against Heresies and the time wherein it was written wholly takes up the fourth Dissertation If this Father excuses the Rudeness of his Style it is not that he was an Enemy to Eloquence or that he despised it but because his long abode in Gaul made him lose the Habit of speaking the Greek Tongue and because he was not accustomed to write whence it is concluded that his Work against Heresies was the first of his Writings nor did he write it until he was far in Years because he talks of having seen Polycarp in his Youth as a particular Advantage which seems to intimate that there were but few then in the World that could say the same thing He says
Choice of such a Person as pleases us and who has an agreeable Temper It wou'd not be unpleasing to have her handsome but since 't is not very common to find such a one we ought to be contented if she please us whether she does others or no and that 't is not always advantageous for the Wife to please all the World But 't is not sufficient to be pleas'd with her Beauty except there be a Sympathy in Humours The Author advises us to study the Genius of those we design to marry that may the better succeed in spight of the Address that some make use of to hide their weakness he adds for the better security that we may choose one that is young and resides near our own habitation In the first place he advises to a choice in a well ordered Family and to observe the equality of Condition and Fortune and to take care that she has no such pre-engagements as may make her marry him by constraint To these things only which regard the Lover he adds two others for the choice of a Husband which relate both to Women and Children he adviseth them upon the whole to a conjugal Amity good Example Devotion and Moderation in the pleasures of the Bed and gives good reasons for what he says There is upon this subject also one of the elegant Epistles of Anthoninus de Guerre's Advice touching the Education of Children In fine we may say without flattering Mr. Chause that there appears in the whole Book the Character of an honest Man and good Christian without prejudicing his Favour we may see besides good Wit much reading of the ancient Poets many things that divert the Reader at the same time that they instruct him I believe that a good part of Mankind wou'd be glad that this Work might have the same Success that the discourse of Socrates had at Xenophon's Feast this great Philosopher so sensibly touch'd the Guests in speaking to 'em of Love that those amongst 'em who were yet Batchellors made Vows to marry and those that had Wives immediately took Horse and ran full speed home that they might soon embrace their Wives 'T is a good Observation that the Author who in his Book exhorted Men to marry says not a word to perswade Virgins to the same He well foresaw that this Silence would surprize some of his Readers therefore he has put 'em out of pain in the Preface by acquainting them that Virgins are sufficiently convinced of the necessity of Marriage therefore want no Exhortations thereto 't is certain says he that though a Virgin never proposes Marriage because of her modesty there is nothing she so passionately wishes for her Heart often gives her Mouth the Lye she often says I will not when sometimes she dyes for desire The rest of the Passage ought to be read The Lives of Saints and Saintesses drawn from the Fathers of the Church and Ecclesiastical Authors Tom. 11 4to at Paris 1687 with Approbation of the Doctors WE have not seen the first Volume of this Work but 't is sufficient to give an Idea to the Reader of it and the other Ten that are to follow because 't is apparent the Saints in Ianuary and other Months have not been less fruitful in Miâ—acles than those of February whose Lives are contained in this Second Tome But two of the Licensers assure us that the Author continues to give Marks therein of his Exactness and great Judgment Tho' the Month of February hath but 28 Days yet there are more than 60 Lives in this Volume without reckoning that one Life sometimes includes the History of several Saints They are all Edifying at least for those who suffer themselves to be gained rather by Declamations than solid Reasons who are only touched with Noble Actions rather than with what is related in a Sublime and Periodick Style In the Title the Authors which are made use of are commonly marked and the place is sometimes marked in the Margen Neither do the Licensers fail to say that tho' Men make a kind of Religion of Piously cheating others in the matter that the Author treateth on after having first abused themselves He on the contrary advanceth no fact but for which he hath Witnesses which cannot in Reason be denyed being perswaded that how bright soever the Actions of Saints are they alwayes makes less Impression upon the hearts of Men as soon as there is any Ground to doubt of them It were a thing to be desired that not only the Lives of the Ancients that have been Canonized were given to the Publick but also a compleat Ecclesiastical History written in a Style as pure as that of this Book Such another Work would be extreamly profitable providing the Author always kept the Character of an Historian and fell not into the ways of Preachers eâ—pâ—cially of the Catholicks It may be that Vertuous Actions that would be read therein would make more Impression upon the Mind and would more Efficaciously oblige the Readers to imitate them such is that which the Author relates of the Solitary Moses which Maria Queen of the Sarazins asked of the Emperour Valens to be Bishop of the Christians of her Nation He was brought to Lucius Bishop of Alexandria who was an Arian to be Consecrated but Moses would not receive from him the Imposition of Hands because he had dipped them in Blood and defiled them by the Death of a great many Saints Lucius who imagined that the refusal of this Hermit came from this that he believed him an Heretick answered him That not knowing which was the Faith it was against Justice that he should thus treat him before he knew him Your Faith replyed Moses shews it self clearly by your Actions So many Servants of God banished so many Priests and Deacons Relegated into Countries where Jesus Christ is not known exposed as a Prey to wild Beasts or consumed by Fire are convincing proofs of the Impiety of your Belief For we know that these Excesses are infinitely opposed to Jesus Christ and unworthy of all those who have the Sentiments which they ought to have Ethelbert was made a Saint who was first King of Kent that embraced Christianity and he certainly deserves it were it for nothing but the Sweetness with which he received the Preachers Pope Gregory I sent him The Monk Augustine was the chief of them and was accompanied with Forty others Before they came into England he stopped in the Isle of Thanet which is on the East of the Province of Kent whence he sent word to the King that he came from Rome to bring excellent News to those that would believe him and would follow the Advices he would give them seeing they would be certain to Reign everlastingly with the True God and of enjoying Heaven and all manner of Happyness Some time after the King himself went to meet those Missioners and speak to them in these terms These are fine words and