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.
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
names of esteem and authority that so they might the better insinuate their pernicious doctrines into them that little vnderstood what they were and seduce the simpler sort of people from the right way And thereupon it came that so many bookes fraught with pestilent doctrine were aâ—tributed of old to the holy and orthodox Fathers and at this day goe a great number of them vnder their names many whereof at the first perhaps might be their owne but afterwards came to bee so corrupted and adulterated by other mens impurities that like bastards their owne reputed parents would not acknowledge them Of which thing euen Origen alone may bee a sufficient example who was long since numbred among the Arch-heretikes themselues and yet both by ancient and moderne writers is most strongly defended to haue been an Orthodoxe Father many things being falsely imputed vnto him by Heretikes and his Bookes otherwise pure and sound by them corrupted and plaistered ouer with their owne dawbings as S. Ierome and Vincentius Lirinenfis with others haue written of his old Apologists But to be short whether wee exemplifie this kinde of imposture by old or new times I dare say that there was neuer any bastard-booke fathered vpon a man with more notable impudence and fraud then this was vpon Casaubon What purpose they had that were the contriuers of such cousenage and what should chiefly mooue them to doe â—o vnworthy an act many probable coniectures may be made It is not vnlikely that some sculking crafty Puritan came stealing out with it to trie if hee could doe the Church of England a mischiefe Peraduenture one that bare some priuate grudge against my Father thought this way to wound his reputation Or rather it is most likely that some vnletter'd fellow some sharking companion lighting vpon an old moth-eaten Pamphlet which hee thought to be some great treasure and hard to be come by and agreeing with a Sordid Bookeseller to get it reprinted thought it best to put some mans name of note before it that so their gaines which they gaped for might come in the faster by the sale And this last howsoeuer the other two coniectures goe for there may be more in it then this alone they that haue had to doe and enquire into the matter haue found to bee most certaine and true In the meane who would not lament to see what a miserable case we are now adayes brought vnto when such base fellowes as these that neuer had any thing to doe with learning nor honestie neither shall take vpon them to iudge what Bookes may benefite the people and deserue to bee published Vnhappy Theologie which must be made a refuge for Runagates and whether shee will or no be forced to patronize the base seruice of such dishonest Mountebankes that doe so shamefully prostitute her to their gaine and filthie lucre The fault whereof it is a griefe to see how in a maner it comes from the very people themselues who hauing once got it by the end that there is no smal religion in making long discourses and in ostentation of much reading gape after such nouell Pamphlets as fast as euer the Athenians did after newes And so no maruâ—ile if wee haue euery day such dry kickses abortiue broods sent vs into the world when there are so many to buy them vpâ— as children doe babies and toyes But to make it no wonder that these Impostors were in such hope to cousen and deceiue the vnskilfull multitude at ease is it not beyond all the degrees of impudence that they should goe about to make Them Patrons and witnesses of their fraud whom they should much rather haue feared to be the Reuengers inst Punishers of it Lord what a licentious age doe wee liue in that such a lurking obscure fellow for hee is famous and knowen for nothing but villany should dare to inscribe his Booke which hee knew to be but forg'd and counterfeit to our most Noble and Pious Prince besides many other great Lords and all in hope of reward and gaine But to let passe this iuggling knaue that sets vs foorth his wares and toyes with such a vaunting kind of language and to come vnto the Booke it selfe Certainly I suppose there is no learned man specially to whom Casaubon or his Writings were not altogether vnknowen that can bee so sencelesse or grosse but vpon the first reading of this Booke hee will presently both perceiue and detest the fraud of these cheating companions And therefore had the Booke come into their hands onely that were able to iudge of such matters and to discerne trueth froÌ„ falshood I might haue saued all this labour But inasmuch as the Booke came forth in English and was snatched vp so fast by the vnlearned multitude and is now by their rash iudgement so much commended and approoued I haue heere briefly vndertaken the examination thereof both to rectifie the ignorant and to vindicate my Father from suspicion of impietie that so at last the vizard being pulled off the Pamphlet it may appeare to all as it is in its owne naturall likenesse And first I must seriously confesse that for the originall Author of the Booke I neither know him nor euer heard the least rumour of him what hee was â—tâ—r an albus French or English or whether he be yet aboue ground or no lest haply some might suspect that I vented any priuate malice of mine owne while in defending of my Father I seeme to write something sharpely against one whom I know not For his Religion I thinke it will satisfie a great many and be enough for his commendation too to say hee was no Papist but rather a fierce enemy to them all Indeed this may be enough for them that thinke a man presently right and orthodoxe enough if hee doeth but once professe himselfe an Aduersarie to Poperie it being their custome to measure the integritie and soundnesse of a mans Religion by his hatred against Papists onely And it is to bee feared lest that the Booke being written against the Sacrifice of the Masse as the Title of it pretends because I neither approoue the Booke nor acknowledoe it to be my Fathers both Father and Sonne as men taken napping be by some Puâ—itans reputed for errant Papists But howsoeuer it were a fault to giue any occasion of scandall vnto the weakest members in the Church yet the loue of trueth must more preuaile with me to vndertake her defence then the prauitie of other mens iudgements to deterre me from it In my opinion he defined vertue well that said it was the meane betweene two extreme vices which is not onely true in Morall and Practicall but in some Intellectuall vertues also of which kinde the right apprehension of Trueth is And therefore it is no marueile if they which take that way in matters of Religion doe oppose themselues against two extremes and haue two extremes opposed against them Yet hee that keepes this middle course
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
hinderance because the Sacrament was not solemnly celebrated why then thâ— Martyrs themselues if they were still in the number of the â—atâ— humeni Christians instructed but nâ—â— yet baptized shall receiue no crowne of their Martyrdomeâ— for hee that is not initiated is not râ—â—â—iuâ—d neither But if their owne blood did baptize them then did his pietie and desire also baptize him Now that Constantine was baptized by an Arrian Bishop howsoeuer this opinion be fauoured by S. Ierome yet the contrary is maintained by others The Emperours that succeeded next after Theodosius the Great whether they were Romane or Barbarous though they were many of them infected with the Arrian heresie yet Christians they were all and which is most to the purpose they were euery one farre from any suspicion of Paganisme For Symmachus his Relation which this frantike Zelote falsly calleâ—h his Answere because hee would not bee brought to coÌ„fesse that euen the chiefest men in authoritie and office were faine to beg for their Religion the matter must bee a little more fully thought on inasmuch as he makes it against strengthening of his cause to prooue that the Senate and Senators of Rome for so hee writes could not any of them bee euer brought to imbrace the faith of Christ The case was this Symmachus was sent Ambassadour by the Heathens to Ualentinian to get them their Altar of Uictory restored c. but could not obtaine it Therefore the Emperour was a Christian at least But who were they that desired this Absit saith S. Ambrose in his first booke against the Relation of Symmachus ut hoc Senatus petijsse dicatur pauci Gentiles communi utuntur nomine Nam ante biennium ferme câ—m hoc petere tentarent misit ad me S. Damasus Romanae Ecclesiae Sacerdos iudicio Dei electus Libellum quem Christiani Senatores dederunt quidem innumeri expostulantes nihil se tale mandâsse non congruere Gentilium huiusmodi petitionibus vos praebere consensum Questi etiam publicè priuatimâ— se non conuenturâ—s ad Curiam si tale aliquid dâ—â—â—rnâ—râ—tur Dignum est temporibuâ— vestris hoc est Christianis temporibus ut dignitas Christianis Senatoribus abrogetur quò Gentilibus Senatoribus prophanae deferatur voluntatis effectus Hunc libellum ego fratri Clementiae vestrae direxi Vnde câ—nstitit non Senatum aliquid de superstitionis impensis mandasse Legatis c. God defend that the Senate should be said to haue desirâ—d it a few heathen men usurpâ— the name of all the rest For well nigh two yeeres since when they attempted it S. Damasus the Bishop of Rome elect of God sent mee a booke that the Christian Senators a very great number of them had giuen vpâ— expostulating the matter how that they had giuen no such thing in charge and that it was not meete You should giue way to any such pâ—tition of the Heathen And further they complain'd both in publike and priuate that they would not come at the Senate-housâ— if any such thing were granted or decreed Is it fit for Your times that is for Christian times to haue the Christian Senators put by their honour that the profane Heathen Senators may haue their will This Booke I directed to Your Brother by which it appeareth that the Senate gaue no order to those Ambassadours for the vpholding of Superstitious Paganismâ— Let the Reader now iudge whome wee should beleeue of the two this most holy Prelate that was an eye-witnesse of those things in his owne time or this impudent knaue that hath no knowledge at all in Ecclesiasticall Antiquitie It remaines now last of all that as we promised at first wee should say a little of that booke which my Father undertooke in the like Argument with this Wee will dispatch it in his owne words Quaedam breuiter attigi quaedam paulò uberiùs tractaui vt doctrinam de sacro sanctâ Eucharistiâ de quâ dum uestigiâ— Baronij premo Tres scripsi Disputationes unam de uarijs huius Sacramenti apud ueteres Appellationibus alteram de Transubstantiaâ—ione tertiam de generâ— Sacrificij Christianorum conatus primorum saeculorum doctrinam non minus candide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam accurate exponere That is I haue touched some things briefly and other things I haue handled more at large as the doctrine of the Holy Eucharist whereof treading in Baronius his owne steppes I haue wrote Three Treatises One of the various appellations of this Sacrament among the Ancient Another of Transubstantiation A third concerning the nature kind of the Christians Sacrifice And I haue done my indeuour in them to set forth the doctrine of th primitiue times no lesse accurately then candidâ—ly and without guile or fraud The first of these you haue in his Exercitations already published Of the rest thus hee writes himselfe Atque haec de Appellationibus huius diuini Sacramenti impraesentiarum satis Restabat vt ad secundam partem Baronianae digressionis de Eucharistia quae est de Transubstantiatione accederemus quae fuit ueteris Ecclesiae â—ides super eo articulo accurate expenderemus Sed cum nostra ad eam partem responsio itemque ad tertiam de sacrificio Christianae Ecclesiae in molem multò maiorem quam initio putaremus excreuerit satius fore uisum est ut illae disputationes separatim ederentur neque huius operis editionem morarentur And this shall suâ—â—ice for the present concerning the Appellations of this Holy Sacrament It remained that wee should come to the second part of Baronius his digression about the Eucharist which is of Transubstantiation and that wee should diligently examine what the faith of the Ancient Church was concerning that Article But forasmuch as our answere both to that and to the Third part about the Sacrifice of the Church groweth to a far greater bignesse then wee thought it would haue done at firstâ— I thought good to let those Tractats rather bee published by themselues then that they should let or stay the Edition of this worke But what hee here promiseth being preuented by an vntimely death he neuer published And whether he began them onely or brought them to any perfection and left them ready for the Presse I cannot tell hauing neuer had any thing of them come into my hands but sure I am that in this Pamplet besides the very name of Casaubon there is nothing of them at all None of that candor which he vsed none of that simplicitie none of that accurate diligence is here to bee seene nor any signe of that Method which hee had proposed Besides that which my Father promised he had gathered it all out of the Fathers and other old Writers here is no mention of Fathers no testimonies produced from them except three or foure at the most which are brought in by the By at the latterend of the booke That which we cited euen now from his exercitations