the Church at Corinth and through Achaia might be numerous both Paul and Peter having labour'd there succesfully yet for some tâ—me there were not any where so many but that the Bishop and his Deacon or Deacons might be sufficient for them 13. So likewise the being a Metropolis is no argument that there should be Presbyters by this time constituted there for supposing as I doe and my grounds have been largely set down that the Apostles conformed their models to the Governments and forms among the Nations where they came at their first planting the Faith in any region it must follow that the Church of Corinth as soon as it was formed into a Church with a Bishop over it was also a Metropolitan Church in relation to all other Cities of Greece which either then did or should after believe as Jerusalem was to all the Cities of Judea or as Philippi being a prime Citie or Metropolis of Macedonia and the first where Paul planted the Faith was straightway a Metropolitical Church how few or how many Christians there were in it it matters not 14. And therefore for his change of the scene from Corinth and Clement's to Philippi and St. Paul's Epistle it will bring him no advantage The case between them is exactly parallel There was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Province of Macedonia saith St. Luke of which Philippi was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Metropolis just as Corinth was of Achaia and this Citie being the first in that region wherein St. Paul planted the Faith it was certainly a Metropolitical Church and Epaphroditus was the Metropolitan of that Province the first day he was Bishop of it The truth of which is so evident that the jeere of the Metropolitical Infant might seasonably have been controverted into a more serious and decent expression there being no reason imaginable why if the Apostles did institute Metropolitical Churches as here is not one serious word of objection against all that hath been said to assert it those Churches should not at their first institution call it their infancie if you will be Metropolitical Churches For as to that of the whole countries being supposed to be converted and divided into Dioceses that is not consequent or necessary to my assertion for as Clement saith of the Biâ—hop and Deacon in each City at the first planting of the Faith that they were constituted in relation to them not onely which did but expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who should afterward believe so the Church and Bishop in the Metropolis when that was first converted might very well be Metropolitical in respect of the other Cities of that Province which should afterward receive the Faith 15. As we know when Augustin came first over into England and preacht the Faith and converted Christians first at Ethelbert's seat and the Metropolis of that Province he was by being made Bishop there made Metropolitan also That sure was Bede's meaning when he saith of it lib. 1 c. 27. Venit Arelas ab Archiepiscopo ejusdem civitatis Ethâ—rio Archiepiscopus Genâ—i Anglorum ordinatus est He came to Arles in France and by Etherius Archbishop of that Citie was ordained Archbishop to the Nation of the English and if as a learned Antiquarie thinkes Bede spake after the use of his own time and that the word Archiepiscopus was not in use here then at Augustine's coming hither yet for the substance of the thing wherein I make the instance and all that I contend from thence there can be no doubt but that he being at first made Bishop of the Metropolis was thereby made also Metropolitan 16. As for the divisions into Dioceses how little force that hath against all that I have said or thought in this businesse whether of Bishops or Metropolitans I have spoken enough to that in the Vindication to the London Ministers c. 1. sect 19. and to that I refer the Prefacer 17. And so still I am free enough from quarrelling with my self in the least or from being ingaged in any endlesse labour to reconcile the contradictions of my answers which as farre as my weak understanding can reach are perfectly at agreement with one another If the labour of shewing they are so prove fruitlesse I know to whom I am beholding for it even the Task-master whom I have undertaken to observe and in that guise of obedience shall now proceed briefly to answer every of his questions and I hope there cannot now need many words to doe it 18. To the first concerning the Institution of the second order that of Presbyters for the when I answer I know not the yeare but evidently before the writing of Ignatius's Epistles in Trajan's time and in all probability after the writing all the Bookes of Scripture and for ought I can discerne of Clement's Epistle as farre as concerns either Rome or Corinth 19. For the by whom and by what authority I answer I think they were first instituted by St. John in Asia before his death and shall adde to my reasons elswhere given for it this farther consideration that Ignatius in all his Epistles to the Churches of Asia Ephesus Smyrna Trallis Magnesia Philadelphia makes mention of them within few years after John's death though in his Epistle to the Romans he doth not And if this be so then also it appears by what authority viz. such as John's was Apostolical Or if this should not be firmly grounded as to the person of St. John yet the reason why they were not at first instituted as well as Deacons being but this because there was no need of them yet and the power given by the Apostles to the first Bishops being a plenarie power so far that they might communicate to others what was committed to them either in whole or in part and those accordingly in the force thereof constituting Presbyters in partem officii the authority still by which they were instituted will be Apostolical and so if as this Prefacer gives order they be let goe to the place from whence they came they will not be much hurt they are but remitted to the society of the Apostles and Apostolical persons by this 20. To the second concerning the meaning of my words Diss 2. c. 29 21. when I say that Hierom's words of Churches being governed by common consent of Presbyters are to be understood of the times of the Apostles and whether all those Presbyters were Bishops properly so called I answer that my meaning was that if Hierome be reconcileable to himself that must be his meaning that in the Apostles times the Churches were first governed by common consent of Presbyters and after in the Apostles times too upon the rising of Schismes a Bishop was every where set over them that according in Hierome's notion all those Presbyters were not Bishops but such as out of whom after one was chosen in every Church to be a Bishop 21. That this was the truth of the fact I no where
to dispose of it when he mentioned confession of sinnes and the example of the Publican he interposed Ego ille sum Publicanus I am that Publican when he remitted him to Christ without whom there is no Salvation he replyed In solo Christo omnis spes mea reposita est In Christ onely all my hope is reposed When he used the prayer beginning Herr Jesu wahrer Mensch und Got c. he folded his hands and followed him in a low voice when he asked him at the end whether he understood he answered probè intellexi I understood it well when upon reciting some seasonable texts of Scripture he askt-againe whether he understood him his last words were Vocem tuaÌ„ audio sed quae singula dicas difficulter intelligo I hear your voice but doe not easily understand every word you say And having said so he became Speechlesse This bare recitall of his novissima is a sufficient confutation of all the uncharitable relations that are made of them 6 Lastly then for the passages in the Annotations it may suffice to remember that they are in his posthuma those which have been publisht since his death those especially on the Epistles of which it is evident that they had never been formed by him or fitted for the publick but were put together by some body else after his death who finding many things in his adversaria throwne into Paper bookes as he had at any time occasion either from his reading of Scripture or others writings it being ordinary for every man to note not onely what he approves but what he dislikes and what he thinkes matter of farther consideration hath as he thought fit made a body of Annotations and publisht them under his name Many indications of the truth of this I might produce having elsewhere mentioned some I shall onely adde one Col. 1. 16. where the Apostle saith by him all things were created that are in Heaven the Annotation publisht under Grotius's name hath these words Rectius est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic interpretari ordinata sunt novum quendam statum sunt consecuta the righter interpreting of were created is were ordered obteined a new kinde of state and so in the end All things were created by him the Scholion is Intellige omnia quae ad novam creationem pertinent Vnderstand all things which belong to the New Creation 7. Which explications as they more than savour of the Socinian leaven not willing to permit Christ there to be said the Creater of Angels but referring all to the New Creation as the Socinians generally doe and accordingly interpret In principio Joh. 1. 1. In principio Evangelii In the beginning of the Gospel so they are expresly contrary to the words of Grotius as we know they were publisht by him on Joâ— 1. 3. where on those words without him was nothing made that was made the nothing saith he is put to take away all exception Id autem ideo factum ut in iis quae per verbum sunt condita intelligerentur etiam ea quae conspicua nobis nen sunt Col. 1. 16. This was done that among these things that were created by the word may be understood also those things that are not seen citing this very place to that sense Col. 1. 16. which in the post humous Annotations is interpreted in such a contrariety both to this former note and to the writings last published by him before his death that nothing can be more discernibly injurious to him 8. By this the Reader may observe and judge of others and consider how unequall we are likely to be to dead men if we judge of their opinions by all that is after death published under their names Witnesse also his Book De Potestate Regis â—irca sacra which being written by him in his younger dayes but never approved by him to be publisht in his life but purposely supprest onely some Copies stolne out in Manuscriâ—â—ts from him in which forme I read it many yeares since 't is now against his consent and in many things distant from his sense exprest in later writings publisht as if it had been fully allow'd by him But this by the way 9. Next then for the charge of Popery that is fallen upon him it is evident from whence that flows either from his profest opposition to many doctrines of some Reformers Zuinglius and Calvin c. Or from his Annotations on Cassander and the Debates with Rivet consequent thereto the Votuns pro Pace and Discussio 10. For the former of these 't is sufficiently known what contests there were and at length how profest the divisions betwixt the Remonstrant and Contraremonstrant and it is confest that he maintain'd all his time the Remonstrants party vindicating it from all charge whether of Pelagianism or Semipelagianism which was by the opposers objected to it and pressing the favourers of the Doctrine of Irrespective Decrees with the odious consequences of making God the author and favourer of sin and frequently expressing his sense of the evil influences that some of those Doctrines were experimented to have on mens lives and by these meanes it is not strange that he should fall under great displeasure from those who having espoused the opinion of irrespective decrees did not onely publish it as the truth and truth of God but farther asserted the questioning of it to be injurious to God's free Grace and his eternal Election and consequently retain'd no ordinary patience for or charitie to opposers 11. But then still this is no medium to inferre that charge The Doctrines which he thus maintained were neither branches nor characters of Popery but asserted by some of the first and most learned and pious Reformers Witnesse the writings of Hemingius in his Opuscula most of which are on these subjects whereas on the contrary side Zuinglius and others who maintained the rigid way of irrespective decrees and infused them into some of this Nation of ours are truly said by an excellent Writer of ours to have had it first from some antient Romish Schoolmen and so to have had as much or more of that guilt adherent to them as can be charged on their opposers 12. The truth is these or the like to them have been matters controverted in all times and in these latter dayes the controversies inflamed and the doctrines warmly maintained on both sides by the Lutherans against the Calvinists who are yet no more Papists than they and by the Papists among themselves witnesse the continual disputes between the Jesuits and the Dominicans and at this time between the Molinists and Jansenians the parties for a long time so equally balanced that the Popes have thought it prudent to wave defining on either side till this last year Innocentius X. upon the instance of the French King hath made a decision of them 13. So that from hence to found the jealousie to affirm him a Papist because he was not a
repeated or inlarged on 7. In the close he is pleased to adde that by this time i. e. in Ignatius's time who suffer'd in Trajan's time and survived St. Iohn very little some alteration was attempted and if that were so meant by him as to belong to the jurisdiction of the Church of Rome over other Churches which the discourse is upon this truly might passe for prâ—ttie antient being scarce distinguishable from Apostolical and so if what was attempted were attain'd also 't will be very like the yielding that which I contended from that testimony Sect. 8. Alexandria a Patriarchate instituted by St. Mark This proved and vindicated The Essens in Alexandria Christians Bishops among them Num. 1. IN the next and last place he will passe his judgement on the evidence drawn from the storie of the Church of Alexandria thus 2. The exâ—mpâ—e of Alexandria is urged in the next place in these words idâ—â— de 〈◊〉 de qua Eusebius Marâ—um 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesias in plurali primum in Alexandriá instituisse Haâ— omnes ab eo sub nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 administrandas susâ—episse Anianum Neronis anno octavo idem Eusebius affiâ—…t quibus patâ—t primariam Alexandriae Patriarchalem Cathedâ—â—m fiâ—…sse ad quam reliquae Provinciae illâ—us Ecclesiae à Marco plantatae ut 〈◊〉 Met opâ—…ticaâ— suam pertinebant doubtlesse for 1. There is noâ— any passage iâ— any aâ—…ent Author more clearly discovering the uncertainty of many things in Antiquity than this pointed to by the Dâ—ctoâ— in Eusebius Fâ—… 〈◊〉 the sending of Mark the Evangelist into Aegypt and his pretching theâ—e at Alexandria what he had written in â—hâ— Gospel is but a Repâ—â—â— Men said so but what ground they had for their saying so hâ—…elatâ—s noâ— And yet we know what a foundation of many aâ—â—eâ—tions by following Wâ—…s his uâ—â—or oâ— report is made to be 2. In the very next woâ—â—â— the Author affiâ—mes and insists lâ—ng upon it in the next Chapâ—er that Phâ—lo's bâ—ok 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was written concerning the Câ—… convâ—râ—ed by Mark 's preaching at Alexandria when it is notoriously known that it treateth of the Essens a Sect among the Jew amongst whose observances many things were vain superstirious and foolish uâ—worthy to be oâ—ce appâ—â—uded as the practice of any Christian in those day s that 〈◊〉 Phâ—lo â—s far as can be gâ—thered living and dying in the Jewish Religion having been employed by them with an Apology to Rome in the dayes of Caligâ—lâ— But 3. supâ—â—se that Mark were at Alexandria and preached the Gospel there which is not improbable and â—…ed many Chuâ—ches in â—â—at great and populous City of Jewes and Gentiles and that as an Evangelist the care of those Churches was upon him in a â—eculiar manner â—ay and adde farther thâ—â— after his death as Hieromeâ—ssuâ—â—s â—ssuâ—â—s us the Elders â—nd Presbyters of those Churches câ—oâ—â—e ouâ—…ne among themselves to preside in their Convocations and meetings I I say â—l â—his be supposed what will ensue wâ—y then it is manifest thaâ— theâ— was fixed at Alexandria a Paâ—…chaâ— Chaiâ— and a Metropolitical Church according to the appointment of Jesus Christ by his Apostles Si hoâ— non sit probationum satis nescio quid sit satis If some few Congregations live together in love and communion and the fellowship of the Gospel in a City he is stark blind that seâ—s not that to be an Archbishops See The reason is as clear as his in the Comâ—… for the freedom of his Wife Sy Utinam Phrygiam â—xâ—râ—m mâ—am â—â—à mecum videam lâ—beran Dem. Optiâ—aâ— muliereâ— qui lem â—y Et quidem nepoti tuo hujus filiâ— hodiâ— primam mammam ded haec Dem. Hercle vero sâ—…ò siquidem prioâ—am dedit ba dâ—dubium quâ—â— emâ—â—i Aequum sâ—â—t Mâ—â— Ob eaâ—â— rem Dem. Ob â—am And there is amend of the contest The Doctor indeed hath sundâ—y other Sections added to â—hâ—se foregoing whâ—… as they concern times more remote from those who first received the Apostolicaâ— Institutions so I must ingeniously professe that I cannot see any thing whereon to fastâ—n a suâ—piâ—ion of a proof so â—a re as to call it into examination and therefore I shall absolve the Reader from the penaâ—ty of this Dâ—gression 3. It is most true that I have deduced the Original of Metropolitans from the first plantation of the Faith in Alexandria the prime City of Aegypt and having before spoken many things of it I begin here with a reference to what had there been said And for the clearing of it it is not aâ—â—sse that I give the Reader a brief view of all 4. They that write the History of that Church and are thought to write it least favourably to Bishops doe yet aâ—… of the Records of that Church that St. Markâ—oundâ—â— â—oundâ—◠〈◊〉 and left Ananias or Anianus Patriarch there Of this Eusâ—b us thus speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Mark first erected â—hurches in Alexandri◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anianus received and ruled under thâ—â— tâ—â—o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Province of Alexandria adding that 〈◊〉 was such a multitude of them which upon St. Mark 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first onset received the Christian Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 most Philosophical or pious excellent mâ—â—ner 〈◊〉 living that Philo Judâ—us who lived at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—it to write a Book to describe their whole manner of 〈◊〉 5. That the same St. Mark constituted 〈◊〉 so in Pentapolis is affirmed by the Author of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accordingly the sixth Canon of the first 〈◊〉 Nâ—… appoints those Churches as also all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lybia to be subject to the Patriarch oâ— Alexandâ—◠〈◊〉 firming that so it was to be by the antient and primitive custome 6. Here it is evident that by Mark himself Alexandria was constituted a Metropolitical Patriarchal See in the hands and government of a Patriarch who by being Bishop of that had the care of the whole Province and many particular Churches in it and accordingly superintended in all of them And this the second Canon of the Council of Constantinople refers to when it decrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Bishop of Alexandria shall administer onely the affairs of Aegypt and this in their care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to confound the Churches disturb the order antiently observed among them 7. The onely thing that I could foresee possible to be objected to this was the authority of Eutychius the Annalist affirming that till the time of Demetrius's Patriarchate there was no other Bishop in Aegypt but onely at Alexandria But to this authority it was sufficient to oppose the farre greater of Eusebius who speaking of that Demetrius saith that after Julian he undertook 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the government of the Dioceses there in the plural which cannot be imagined to be without Bishops over them And the same is
AN ANSWER TO THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON THE DISSERTATIONS TOUCHING IGNATIVS'S EPISTLES and the EPISCOPACIE in them asserted By H. HAMMOND D. D. LONDON Printed by J. G. for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane 1654. AN ANSVVER TO THE ANIMADVERSIONS on the Disputations concerning EPISCOPACY THE INTRODVCTION Nu. 1. I Had thought I had concluded the Readers trouble and mine own when I had gotten to an end of the Assemblers Exceptions but by that time I had transmitted those debates to the Printer and from him received one Sheet of the Impression I found my self called out anew by a Preface to a Book of a very distant subject The Saints verseverance wherein is inserted a Discourse touching the Epistles of Ignatius and the Episcopacy in them asserted and some animadversions on Dr. H. H. his Dissertations on that subject And this Preface and these contents of it leâ—t it might be less discernable thought fit to be exprest in the Title page and subscribed by John Owen servant of Jesus Christ in the work of the Gospel 2. And although the speedy return of such tasks is not overgratefull to me yet because 1. I conceive it is his pleasure that we should enter this commerce And 2. because the work of the Gospel is so glorious an employment that I cannot be averse or flow to the giving all possible satisfaction to any which professeth to labour in it And 3. because if the Reader so consent this discourse may be annext to the former debates with the Provincial Assembly being likely to be on the same heads which are there spoken to I shall not doubt thus speedily to undertake the labour of it and if his Animadversions prove any way usefull to me I shall acknowledge by whom I have profited retract most readily what he shall give me cause to retract and never multiply any debates which may be thus more compendiously ended being confident that no miscarriage of mine of which yet I am not conscious to have committed any in the Book of Dissert will be able to prejudice the main truth which is there defended the Institution of Bishops by the Apostles CHAP. I. Of the Apostolical Canons Sect. 1. The Controversie about them The Codex Canonum What is meant by Apooryphal and so by Genuine Canons The two mistakes of the Praefacer which produceth his Animadversion What is meant by the title Apostolical Canons The Praefacers ungrounded suggestion against the writings of the first times Numb 〈◊〉 TO set out then with all speed that may be on this new Stage not knowing of what length it may prove the first Animadversion I finde my self concern'd in is in these words The first Writings that are imposed on us after the Canonical Scriptures are the eight Books of Clement commonly called The Apostles Constitutions being pretended to be written by him at their appointment with the Canons ascribed to the same persons These we shall buâ— salute for besides that they are but faintly defended by any of the Papists disavowed and disclaimed as Apocryphal by the most learned of them as Bellarmine de Script Eccles in Clem. who approves onely of fifty Canons of eighty five Baronius An. Dom. 102 14. who addes thirty more and Biâ—ius with a little inlargement of Canons in Tit. Câ—n. T. 1. Con. p. 17. and have been throughly disproved and decryed by all Protestant writers that have had any occasion to deal with them their folly and falsity their impostures â—…triflings have of late been so fully manifested by Dallaeus de Pseudepigrapâ—iâ— Apost that nothing need be added thereunto Of him may Dr. H. H. learn the truth of that insinuation of his Dissert 2 c 6. sect 3. Canone Apostolico secundo semper inter genninos habito but of the confidence of this Author in his assertions afterward 2. I am not here much surprised 1. with this charge of untruth and 2. this promise that my confidence in asserting shall be discovered knowing that it was one of Aristotles insinuations in his Elenchs at the beginning of a Dispute to endeavour to put the Respondent in passion and then he might easily have fallacies imposed on him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If this were his design I have more reasons than that one to hope his pardon if I do not thus gratifie him And although there be not one word said in this place to prove either of these charges but I am appointed to learn one from Mr. Daillé whose book I have not been so curious as to see and to expect the other afterwards from the Prefacer yet being concerned to know that veracity and humility are my duties as I am a Christian and that I ought not to live one minute under the scandal of having offended against either of them and having yet no motive to retract that expression in the Dissert I am obliged to render an account of my using it And it is this 3. In the second Canon of the Council in Trullo An. 681. I find a conciliarie affirmation of eighty five Canons under the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Canons of the holy and honourable Apostles before us And what was there confirmed is farther ratified by the second Council of Nice An. 787. which cites the 53d of those Canons And this I take for a testimonie of the Eastern Churches reception of that number of 85 Apostolical Canons at that time Whereas in the Western Churches both before and after this time although the Canons of the Apostles were by the Eastern communicated to them yet that number was not received but in a Council of seventy Bishops at Rome under Pope Gelasius somewhat before 500 years after CHRIST the Book of the Apostles Canons was defined to be Apocryphal By Apocryâ—hal here I conceive to be meant such as are not obligatorie wâ—…ch are not so owned or received by the Church as to be entered into Codex ordinarily known by the name of Corpus Canonum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Phâ—tiâ—s his stile The body of Synodical Canons their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Justiniaâ—… their Rule of Discipline in like manner as the Books of Canonical Scripture to which Justinian added the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or definitions of the four first General Councils made up their Rule of Doctrines That there was such a Codex we find in the fourth General Council that of Chalcedon when the Book of Canons as well as the Bible was solemnly brought in at the opening of the Council and * call'd for to be read before them as occasion required And 't is sufficiently known what Justellus observes That the Christian Church was ruled of old by a double Law Divine the Books of the Canonical Scripture and Canonical the Codex of Canons And those Canons that were not received into that Codex though they might hold the authority due to antient pieces be esteemed worthy the reading and observing were yet stiled Apocryphal i. e. usefull though not obligatory
Sancti Patres Canones Apostolorum numeraverunt inter Apocrypha exceptis capitulis quinquaginta quae decreverunt regulis Orthodoxiae adjungenda The Holy Fathers have numbred the Canons of the Apostles among Apocryphal writings except onely fifty Canons which they have decreed to be annext to the rules of the true doctrine i. e. to the Book of Canons received by them Where again by the way the notion of Apocryphal is evident as opposed to those which are received into the Codex Regulis Orthodoxiae adjungenda And so by Bellarmine whom he names in the front of those most learned Papists and of him saith expresly and truly that he approves onely of 50 Canons of 85 de script Eccles in Clâ—m And then again I have now minded him of that which was before evident that the second Canon which was cited by me was one of those fifty and so not disproved by that learned Papist As for the other two Baronius and Binius whom he names to the same purpose as those who have disavowed and disclaimed them as Apocryphael I shall not accuse his confidence but must think he was in some haste that he could doe so Baronius being by him acknowledged to adde 30 more and Binius to have made a little inlargement of Canons which sure doth not intimate that they disavowed or disclaimed the fifty 8. So when he saith of them that they are faintly defended by any of the Papists I shall desire to know among many others Bovius Lamb. Gruterus Stapleton Haleander c. what he thinks of Turrian whether he were a Papist or no and whether he were a faint defender of them nay whether Monsieur Daillé take no notice of his zeal for them If he doe not I shall very much wonder at it If he doe I shall have the more reason for my question how he that sends me to be taught by M. Daillé had not learned so much from him that there was some Papist by whom they were not faintly defended So again when he saith that they have been throughly disproved and decryed by all Protestant writers that have had any occasion to deal with them I might certainly mind him of more Protestants than one that have been far from decrying them I shall not mention as I might the severall Bishops of our Church since the Reformation and our Divines in their writings that make their Appeals to them frequently and with as pompous forms of citations as I have done semper inter genuinos habito I shall not adde the learned Hugo Grotius because I know not whether any or all of these may not be deemed by him to be no Protestants Onely what doth he think of Frigevillaeus Gautius He certainly An. 1593. in his second part of his Palma Christiana dedicated to Queen Elizabeth c. 1. 2. was far from disavowing and decrying those Canons How little short he came of Turrian himself I shall not now tell him lest he be disavowed as no Protestant for so doing but leave him at his leisure to inquire whether one such example might not have taken off from the generalitie of the affirmation decryed by all Protestants or indeed whether D. Blondel's vouching them in the manner which I shall by and by set down might not have had some force in it if he had taken notice of such things But all this by the way as an Essaâ— that some other men as well as H. H. may be confident in asserting 9. Secondly When immediately after his Animadversion on my words he mentions his Exceptions to the Books of Apostolical Constitutions and Canons taken out of Daillé and the learned Vsher 't is apparent that these all belong to the Books under Clement's name called the Apostles Constitutions But then it must be remembred that that Book of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Constitutions is another thing clearly distinct from the Book called the Apostles Canons and there is but one way imaginable to involve the later under the censure that belongs justly to the former and it is this That in some Copies the Constitutions and Canons are put together into one Volume and that 〈◊〉 Photius his time and that in the end of the Canons there is a solemn confirmation of the Constitutions But then it must be remembred again that these are later Copies which so confound them and I take not them to be genuine and that Canon is the eightie fifth of that Book and so no part of the first fiftie which I suppose to be the onely genuine Canons and consequently that none of the ridiculous things in the Constitutions is imputable to that former Collection but indeed on the contrary that one expression in that eightie fifth Canon which prescribes the keeping them close because of some mysterious passages in them is justly thought by learned men to betray them both the later 35 Canons and the Constitutions so magnified by them to be of a much later Edition than that which they pretend to 10. And thus I hope I have vindicated my self and given the grounds of my Assertion And for the confidence I did not I confess expect to be charged with any immoderate degree of it from any nor doe I yet discern how those few words in the Parenthesis semper inter genuinos habito could be deem'd so criminously guilty of it or that hee that undertook to be my Monitor having in so short a time proved so much more guilty of it should in any reason think himself the most competent for that office 11. To help him to any appearance of reason and so to qualifie him thus to charge me some want of observation of vulgar stile must be necessary either in not adverting what is ordinarily meant by their title of Apostolick Canons or some other the like That he takes the meaning of that title to be their pretension to be written by the Apostles or by Clement at their appointment I conclude from the words with which he begins that Paragraph The first writings that are imposed on us after the Canonical Scriptures are the eight Books of Clement commonly called the Apostles Constitutions being pretended to be written by him at their appointment with the Canons ascribed to the same persons and if according to this his notion he conceive me by the word genuine to affirm that they are rightly so ascribed he is mistaken 12. That those Canons whether to the number of 85. or but of 50 were written by the Apostles I never meant but neither is that the meaning of those that cite them and call them as I have done by the vulgar name of Apostolick Canons If there be any doubt of this I shall prove it by competent testimonies whether among Papists or Protestants Of the former in stead of many I instance only in that account which Gabriel Albispine in his Observations rendreth of it that some of these Canons the fifty he means being made by the Successors of the Apostles the