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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62841	Amyntor, or, A defence of Milton's life containing I. a general apology for all writings of that kind, II. a catalogue of books attributed in the primitive times to Jesus Christ, his apostles and other eminent persons ..., III. a complete history of the book entitul'd Icon basilike, proving Dr. Gauden and not King Charles the First to be the author of it, with an answer to all the facts alledg'd by Mr. Wagstaf to the contrary, and to the exceptions made against my Lord Anglesey's Memorandum, Dr. Walker's book or Mrs. Gauden's narrative, which last piece is now the first time publish'd at large.	Toland, John, 1670-1722.; Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.; Wagstaffe, Thomas, 1645-1712. Vindication of King Charles the martyr.; Gauden, John, 1605-1662. Eikon basilike, the pourtraicture of His Sacred Maiestie in his solitude and sufferings.; Walker, Anthony, d. 1692. True account of the author of a book entituled Eikon basilike.	1699 (1699)	Wing T1760; ESTC R22638	52,206	178

a good deal of the Book was written afterwards be the Author who you please And they should have told us likewise how General FAIRFAX durst send one part of his Papers to the King when he sent the rest to the Parliament or since they would make us believe he was so kind to the King why he did not restore him all the Papers when 't is very evident that those which the Parliament order'd to be publish'd were infinitely of greater consequence and made him a world of Enemies which oblig'd the Author of Icon Basilike to write a Chapter on this very Subject whereas the Papers in question would probably mollify som of his Opposers But now when all is don tho' General FAIRFAX was afterwards against putting the King to death yet he was not at that time dispos'd to grant him any Favors and acted with as hearty Zeal against him as any in the Nation which appears by all the Histories of those times as well as by his own and the Memoirs of the Lord HOLLIS As for Major HUNTINGTON Dr. WALKER assures us That he told him when he heard such a Book was publish'd and confidently reported to be the Kings all he said was that he surely believ'd those were the Papers he saw him so usually take out of his Cabinet and that he never read one Line or Word of them This and Sir WILLIAM DUGDAIE'S Testimony are diverse from that of Mr. RICHARD DUKE of Otterton in Devon who writes the following Letter to Dr. GOODAL famous for his Zeal on the behalf of Icon Basilike Sir I confess that I heard Major HUNTINGTON to say more than once that whilst he guarded CHARLES the First at Holmby-House as I remember he saw several Chapters or Leaves of that great King's Meditations lying on the Table several Mornings with a Pen and Ink with which the King scratch'd out or blotted som Lines or Words of som of them Upon which I must also confess that I concluded they were originally from the King but others have drawn a contrary Argument from the King 's correcting the Papers Yet I put this under my Hand that the Major told me that he did suppose them originally from that learned Prince which is the Totum that can be intimated from Sir your humble Servant RICHARD DUKE Then one Mr. CAVE BECK writes to Dr. HOLLINGWORTH That Major HUNTINGTON at Ipswich assur'd him that so much of the sa'd Book as contain'd his Majesty's Mediations before Naseby-●ight was taken in the King's Cabinet and that Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX deliver'd the said Papers to him and order'd him to carry them to the King and also told him that when he deliver'd them to the King his Majesty appear'd very joyful and said he esteem'd 'em more than all the Jewels he had lost in the Cabinet This Major HUNTINGTON was a strange Man to vary so often in his Story and to tell so much more or less to every body that enq●●r'd of him but indeed 't is no great Wonder that these Gentlemen should so widely differ from one another both as to Time and Place as well as to Matters of Fact when Sir WILLIAM DUGDALE has printed under Major HUNTINGTON's Name quite another Story from the written Memorial out of which he had it In his short View he positively says as we read before that the Manuscript was written with the King 's own Hand But in his Warrant for this it is only said as Mr. WAGSTAF himself acknowledges that all the Chapters in it were written by the Hand of Sir EDWARD WALKER but much corrected with Interlineations of the King's Hand and that the Prayers were all so NOW to shew further how cautiously People should rely on Sir WILLIAM DUGDALE and Historians like him we shall produce another remarkable Instance In the Book before-quoted he expresly writes That Mr. HERBERT did often see the Icon Basilike while he waited on the King in the Isle of Wight wheras all that Sir THOMAS for he was Knighted after the Restoration has said in the Manuscript which Sir WILLIAM perus'd and wherof Mr. WAGSTAF has printed an Abstract is that he had there the Charge of the King's Books and that those he most read after the Sacred Scriptures were Bishop ANDREWS's Sermons HOOKER's Ecclesiastical Policy VILLALPANDUS on EZEKIEL SANDY's Paraphrase on the Psalms HERBERT's Poems the Translation of GODFREY of Bulloign by Mr. FAIRFAX of ORLANDO FURIOSO by Sir JOHN HARRINGTON and SPENCER's Fairy Queen to which he might have added PEMBROKE's Arcadia And at this time it was as is presum'd continues Sir THOMAS that he compos'd his Book call'd Suspiria Regalia publish'd soon after his Death and entitul'd The King's Portraiture in his Solitudes and Sufferings which Manuscript Mr. HERBERT found among those Books his Majesty was pleas'd to give him those excepted which he bequeath'd to his Children hereafter mention'd In regard Mr. HERBERT tho' he did not see the King write that Book his Majesty being always privat when he writ and those his Servants never coming into the Bed Chamber when the King was privat til he call'd yet comparing it with his Hand-writing in other things he found it so very like as induces his Belief that it was his own having seen much of the King's Writings before Here Sir THOMAS only presumes the King might write the Book in the Isle of Wight and directly says he never saw the King write it nor the Book it self till after his Death but Sir WILLIAM affirms from these very Papers for they are said to be written at his Request by Sir THOMAS that he often saw it in the Isle of Wight when he waited on the King in his Bed-Chamber 'T is to be observ'd that the Title of Suspiria Regalia is as agreeable to Mrs. GAUDEN's Narrative as the rest of the Particulars are different from Sir WILLIAM's Relation BEFORE we examin the Force of Sir THOMAS's Testimony we must first consider what is said by Mr. LEVET who attended the King at the same Time and Place In short he says That of his own certain Knowledg he can depose the Book was truly the Kings having observ'd his Majesty oftentimes writing his Royal Resentments of the bold and insolent Behavior of his Soldiers when they had him in their Custody That being nominated by his Majesty to be one of his Servants during the Treaty in the Isle of Wight he had the Happiness to read the same oftentimes in Manuscript under his Majesty's own Hand being pleas'd to leave it in the Window of his Bed-Chamber And that when the King was remov'd to Hurst-Castle he had the Charge of this Book and a Cabinet of other Papers which at the said Castle he deliver'd again to his Majesty where by the way he does not inform us if the Book was distinctly given him from the Cabinet or that he only concluded it was in it Here are several very observable Circumstances As First that altho' Mr. HERBERT who was of the

he has seiz'd the Customs without any Act to impower him He never promis'd as King CHARLES did in a Letter to his Queen that he would take away all the Penal Laws against Roman Catholicks as soon as he should be able nor any thing else of this nature For these are only a few Instances not to blacken that Prince but to shew how little som sort of People seem to value his present Majesty for generously restoring the Constitution and for so willingly passing many excellent Laws for enlarging or securing the Liberty of his Subjects as well as for always paying such a Deference to Parliaments which he not only assembles willingly but likewise according to ancient Custom annually In short if King CHARLES the First was the best of Kings the late King JAMES is not half so bad as I think him Nor is there any Doubt if a second Restoration which God and all Freemen forbid should ever happen but that the Abdication-Day would be appointed as a perpetual Fast. What Mr. BLACKHALL thinks of dispensing with the Laws and acting without or contrary to them we may guess when he says That King CHARLES's greatest Enemies could not charge him with any Vice or Immorality as if only Whoring Drinking or Swearing were immoral Practices SINCE this King who truly was not the worst must needs be counted the best of Men I do not much wonder that Mr. LONG of Exeter was for having som Portions of his pretended Book read in the Church for the further enlightning of our Understanding Nor that Dr. PERINCHIFF should tell us in his Life how som purchas'd Chips of the Block on which he was beheaded and Parcels of the Sands discolor'd with his Blood as also som of his Hair Hoping continues he they would be a means of Cure for that Disease which our English Kings through the Indulgence of kind Heaven by their Touch did usually heal And it was reported that these Reliques experienc'd fail'd not of the Effect Now who can laugh at the Popish Legends and be serious when he reads this Passage Wheras if there was ●ver any Power in England of curing the King 's Evil it was plainly lodg'd in the People BEFORE I conclude I must remark that tho his pretended Friends were so ready to father such Books on CHARLES the First wherein he had no Hand yet they industriously left out of his Works a Letter to Pope GREGORY XV whereof I can prove him as evidently to be the Author as CICERO or VIRGIL may be entitul'd to the Philippicks and the Aeneids There is an interpolated Copy of it in the first Volum of RUSHWORTH's Collections It is rightly inserted in the Quarto Edition of a Book call'd Cabala or Mysteries of State It is also in the Italian Mercury of VITTORIO SIRI in Du CHESNE's French History of England Scotland and Ireland and in several Spanish and Italian Authors Pope URBAN VIII mentions it in the Letter which he likewise sent this Prince with another to his Father King JAMES both which may be read in RUSHWORTH's Collections Now was not the omitting of this Letter a notorious Fraud since that it alone with those Letters which the Parliament publish'd to disgrace him and a few Pieces besides make up all his genuin Writings For as to those Messages Propositions Declarations Treaties and other public Papers which fill that bulky Folio they call his Works whoever takes them to be his is likewise capable of believing he was the true Author of Icon Basilike THIS is all I had to write concerning this famous Book not to reflect on the Memory of CHARLES the First but in my own Vindication being a Liberty not deny'd me by Equity or Law and which if I neglected to improve I should be more unjust to my self than my Adversaries whose Malice I shall readily forget and heartily pray God to forgive FINIS Joh. 8. 5. * Dicit Augustinus de Consensu Evangel l. 1. c. 7. quod ipse Dominus ni●il scripserit ut aliis de illo scribentibus necesse sit credere † Salvator nullum volumen doctrinae s●ae proproprium dereliquit quod in plerisque Apochryphorum deliramenta confingunt Hieronym in Commentar ad Ezechielis cap. 44. * Origen contr Cels. l. 5. * Stromat l. 2. 5. Contra Cel● l. 1. de Princip l. 3. * Advers Haeres l. 4. c. 3 Stromat l. 1. 2. 4. 6. princip l. 1. c. 3. l. 2. c. 1. Homil. 10. in Hos. 〈◊〉 pa●sim † L. 1. contr Haeres Euseb. Hist. Eccles. l 4. c. 14. Phot. 〈◊〉 126. * Contra Haeres l 3. c. 3. Stromat l 1 4 5 6. De Princip l. 2. Hist. Eccles. l. 3. c. 16 36. l. 4. c. 22 23. † Contra Haeres l. 5. c. 28. Hist. Eccles. l. 2. c. 26. * Hom●l 6. in Luc. † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. ad Ephes. Luc. 1. 1 2 3. * 〈…〉 personas Evangel●i 〈◊〉 Haeres l. 3. 11. Ezek. 6 6 10. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist. Eccles. l. 3. c. 3. † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 25. * Let the third and twenty first Chapters of the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius be consulted with what St. Ierome has written on the same Subject 〈…〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen l. 2 contra Ce●● † Solius hilii p●tatis testamentum non potuisse corrumpi solum non habere aliqu●d quod in se debea● imp obari p●aesertim q●o● n●c ab ipso scriptum constat nec ab ejus apostolis sed lonpo post tem●●●e à quib●idam ince●ti nominis viris qui ne 〈◊〉 non 〈…〉 scribent●bus qu●● 〈…〉 Apos●olo●um nomina partim eo●●m qu● 〈…〉 Scriptorum suorum 〈…〉 a●●eve●anies ●ecundum ●os se scripsisse quae sc ipserint Quo magis mihi videntur injuria gravi affe●●sse discipulos Christi quia quae dissona iidem repugnantia sibi scriberen● ea referrent ad ipsos secundum eos hae● scribere se promitterentur Evangelia quae tantis ●int reserta erro●ibus tantis contrarietatibus narrationum simul a●●●ntentiarum ut nec sibi pro●sas necinter se conveniant Quid ergo aliud est quam calumnia●i bonos Christi Discipulorum conco●dem c●tum in crimen devocare discordi●● Augustin contra Faust. l. 32. c. 2. * Multa à majoribus vestris eloquiis Domini nostri in●erta verba sunt quae 〈◊〉 signata ipsius cum ●jus f●de non congr●unt 〈◊〉 sertim quia ut jam saepe pr●batum à nobis 〈◊〉 nec ab ipso haec sunt 〈…〉 sed mu●●a post 〈…〉 quibus ipsis inter 〈…〉 judaeis per sama● 〈…〉 Qui tamen omnia eadem in Apostolo●um Domini conserentes nomina vel ●orum qui secu●i Apostolos viderentur errores ac mendacia sua secundum eos ●escripsisse mentiti sunt Augustin ibid. l. 33. c. 3. * Latitabant usque ad recentiora illa seu Traj●ni seu e●iam fortasse ●●driani tempora in

AMYNTOR OR A DEFENCE OF Milton's Life CONTAINING I. A general Apology for all Writings of that kind II. A Catalogue of Books attributed in the Primitive Times to JESUS CHRIST his Apostles and other eminent Persons With several important Remarks and Observations relating to the Canon of Scripture III. A Complete History of the Book Entitul'd Icon Basilike proving Dr. GAUDEN and not King CHARLES the First to be the Author of it With an Answer to all the Facts alledg'd by Mr. WAGSTAF to the contrary and to the Exceptions made against my Lord ANGLESEY's Memorandum Dr. WALKER's Book or Mrs. GAUDEN's Narrative which last Piece is now the first Time publish'd at large DI quibus imperium est animarum umbraeque Silentes Et Chaos Phlegethon Loca N●cle tacentia late Sit mihi fas audit a loqui Sit numine vestro Pandere res alta terra caligine mersa● Virg. Aen. 6. London Printed and are to be Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster M. DC.XC.IX     Errors Amendments Page 5. line 1● hose those 20. 5. Christ his Christ his 21. 4. Ceretum Ceretium 37. 19. Cophtic Coptic ●8 3. of of the 53. 15. Mat●hies Matthias 57. 15. Ex mple ●xample 65. 15. may be be any 66. 17. ●ittgius ●●itigius 101. 23. hop'd o hop'd to 105. 5. Consciences Conscience 113. 20. somtime Som time 131. 16. this his 137. 8. Mediations Meditations * In the Margin of Pag. 57 after Eus●bius 〈◊〉 lib. 3. and 〈◊〉 of first read fifth THE AUTHOR TO A FRIEND THE Public is so seldom interested in the Debates of privat Men and I am so little concern'd at the Malice or Mistakes of my Adversaries that without som better Motive I would never presume to trouble the World with any thing merely personal But if the Subject in question be of extraordinary Weight and Consequence and that on the certain Decision of it should depend the Tranquillity of a considerable number of People then I think a Man is indispensably oblig'd to appear for the Truth and so while he 's endeavoring to serve others no body will say he ought to neglect his own Defence Whether the Treatise I now send you be of this Nature is submitted to your equal Iudgment And unless I really design'd a Nobler End by it than the Iustification of one Person neither you nor any body else should lose your time in reading no more than I my self would be at the Pains of writing it which yet I 'll count the highest Pleasure if I understand it has never so little contributed to the Satisfaction of a Gentleman of such undisputed Learning and Merit March 30. 1699. J. T. AMYNTOR OR A DEFENCE OF Milton's Life WHEN I undertook to write the Life of the most celebrated MILTON I was far from imagining that I should ever much less so soon be oblig'd to make an Apology in justification of such a Work both harmless in it self and greatly desir'd by the World There was no positive Law or Custom against publishing the particular History of this extraordinary Person consider'd in any respect whatsoever for the Lives of Good Princes and Tyrants of Orthodox and Heretical Divines of Virtuous and Wicked of Public and Privat Men are indifferently perus'd by every body of which it would be superfluous to alledg Examples the thing being so commonly known by all that have learnt to read Nor without such a Liberty could we possibly form a true Taste or have any certain Knowledg of Affairs since the Excellence or Imperfection of all Matters best appears by opposing 'em to one another And I was sure which I find was no Mistake that the Learning and Sentiments of JOHN MILTON were too considerable not to deserve the highest Commendation or Dislike according to the Judgment or Affection of the Readers SINCE therefore it was equally lawful for me to write whose Life I pleas'd when my Hand was in the first Charge against me one would think should have bin that I had not fairly represented my Hero But very far from that the great Crime whereof I am arraign'd consists in telling more than som People would have me or discovering Truths not fit to be known and the Manner of my Relation is to them altogether as offensive and displeasing as the Matter of it 'T is strange that Men should be found of a Judgment weak enough to make a Crime of such Proceedings in a Writer who labors to keep himself wholly independent from the Fears or Eng●●●ments of any Party and who ●●ofess'd in the very beginning of his Book that being neither provok'd by Malice nor brib'd by Favor he would as well dare to say all that was true as scorn to write any Falshood But the rude Opposition with which I have met notwithstanding such plain Declarations convinces me more than ever how much I was in the Right by following the peculiar Method I propos'd to my self in compiling MILTON's Life and which I partly declar'd in these Terms In the Characters of Sects and Parties Books or Opinions I shall produce his own Words as I find 'em in his Works that those who approve his Reasons may owe all the Obligation to himself and that I may escape the Blame of such as may dislike what he says Now what could be more impartial than this or more likely to secure me from all Imputations whatever should be the Reception of MILTON from the Public Yet if by adhering religiously to this Rule so loud a Clamor was raised against me it is apparent how much worse I might expect to be treated had I trod in the common Road. For if like most Historians I had in my own Words tho' with never so much Candor related the Actions or Sentiments of my Author my Adversaries would presently have told the World that this was not the true MILTON but one of my own Creation whom I promted to speak what I durst not own and by whose Mouth I had publish'd all hose Opinions which I would recommend to other People Well knowing therefore the ordinary Temper and Artifices of these Men I did partly on that Account produce his own Words to obviat their Sophistry and Calumnies their two principal offensive Weapons and also to spare my self the Pains of Quotations afterwards to prove I had neither injur'd him nor abus'd my Readers Besides this particular Regard to them I am also of opinion that this is the best and only good way of writing the History of such a Man And had the Ancients always follow'd it our Modern Critics would have been less exercis'd to discern their real Sentiments nor wou'd they be so often oblig'd to examin whether they understood or mis-represented their Authors BUT instead of any Objections like these I am expresly told that I ought not to meddle with MILTON's Books nor to revive his Sentiments or the Memory of those Quarrel 's wherein he was engag'd which is only in other Words that I

ought not to write his Life at all For what I pray is the principal Part of a Learned Man's Life but the exact History of his Books and Opinions to inform the World about the Occasion of his writing what it contain'd how he perform'd it and with what Consequences or Success I have no Reason from my own second Thoughts the Opinion of better Judges or the Fortune of the ●●ok to be dissatisfi'd with my Conduct on this Occasion And had this Method as I said before been strictly observ'd we might have more Knowledg and fewer Critics AY but say these Gentlemen you have made an Inroad on our Persuasion and directly attack'd the sacred Majesty of Kings the venerable Order of Bishops the best constituted Church in the World our holy Liturgy and decent Ceremonies the Authority of Councils the Testimony of the Fathers and a hundred other things which we profoundly respect and admire nor are we the only Sufferers for almost all other Sects and Parties have equal Reasons of Complaint against you Well be it so then but good Sirs betake your selves for Reparation to JOHN MILTON or if he is not to be brought to easie Terms defend your Castles and Territories against him with all the Vigor you can For I assure you I am no further concern'd in the Quarrel than to shew you the Enemy and to give a true Account of his Forces And all this if you were of a peaceable Disposition you might learn from these plain Words in the Conclusion of the Life 'T is probable that you as well as I or any other may disapprove of MILTON's Sentiments in several Cases but I 'm sure you are far from being displeas'd to find 'em particulariz'd in the History of his Life For we should have no true Account of Things if Authors related nothing but what they lik'd themselves One Party would never suffer the Lives of TARQUIN or PHALARIS or SYLLA or CAESAR to appear while another would be as ready to suppress those of CICERO of CATO of TRAJAN or BRUTUS But a Historian ought to conceal or disguise nothing and the Reader is to be left to judg of the V●tues he should imitat or the Vices he ought to detest and avoid THIS might serve for a sufficient Answer to all that has bin yet objected to MILTON's Life if any Reply were thought necessary For the trivial and scurrilous Libels of mercenary Fellows I shall never regard they being already sufficiently neglected by the World and making themselves as little by this Practice as any of a more vindictive Temper could desire Besides that to answer 'em in their own Dialect I must first learn to speak it which is absolutely contrary to my Genius and below the Dignity of Human Nature since no body openly approves it even at Billingsgate I shall as little consider the censorious Tongues of certain more Zealous than Religious People who judge of others by their own narrow Schemes and despise all Knowledge in comparison of their privat Imaginations wherein they exceedingly please themselves a Happiness no body envies them Nor should I if that were all think my self concern'd in making any Return to the obliging Complements of those Gentlemen who as Father PAUL formerly said of himself remember me oftner in their Sermons than in their Prayers tho' som of them are apt to say that when they mention Turks Iews In●idels and Heretics they do not forget me But when I am openly accus'd before the greatest Assembly in the World the Representative Body of the People of England let the Charge be never so frivolous in it self or to be slighted on any other Occasion yet such a Respect is due to the Dignity of those to whom it was exhibited that I hold my self oblig'd to convince 'em of my Innocence and to remove all Suspicion far from me of what in its own Nature is acknowledg'd to be Criminal or by them might be reputed Indecent THE Matter of Fact is this On the Thirtieth of Ianuary Mr. OFSPRING BLACKHALL who stiles himself Chaplain in Ordinanary to His Majesty Preacht a Sermon before the Honorable House of Commons wherein after exclaiming against the Author of MILTON's Life for denying Icon Basilike to be the Production of King CHARLES the First he pursues his Accusation in these Terms We may cease to wonder says he that he should have the Boldness without Proof and against Proof to deny the Authority of this Book who is such an Infidel as to doubt and is shameless and impudent enough even in Print and in a Christian Country publicly to affront our Holy Religion by declaring his Doubt that several Pieces under the Name of Christ and his Apostles he must mean those now receiv'd by the whole Christian Church for I know of no other are supposititious tho' thro' the remoteness of those Ages the Death of the Persons concern'd and the decay of other Monuments which might give us true Information the Spuriousness thereof is yet undiscover'd Here is indeed a Charge of a very high Nature I will not say in his own mean Language an impudent and a shameless one tho' if it be not better prov'd I cannot hinder others from calling it what they please or the thing deserves But before I proceed to make Observations on it I shall insert the intire Passage of my Book which he has taken the liberty of abridging and so joining the Words of two widely different Assertions as if they were but one About this little Artifice however I shall make no difference with him for I can easily determin our Controversie without using all the Advantages I might otherwise take AFTER stating the Proofs therefore that Dr. GAUDEN and not King CHARLES was the true Author of Icon Basilike I added a very natural Observation in the following Words When I seriously consider how all this happen'd among our selves within the Compass of Forty Years in a time of great Learning and Politeness when both Parties so narrowly watch'd over one anothers Actions and what a great Revolution in Civil and Religious Affairs was partly occasion'd by the Credit of that Book I cease to wonder any longer how so many supposititious Pieces under the Name of CHRIST his Apostles and other great Persons should be publish'd and approv'd in those Primitive times when it was of so much Importance to have 'em believ'd when the Cheats were too many on all sides for them to reproach one another which yet they often did when Commerce was not near so general as now and the whole Earth entirely over-spread with the Darkness of Superstition I doubt rather the spuriousness of several more such Books is yet undiscover'd thro the remoteness of those Ages the death of the Persons concern'd and the decay of other Monuments which might give us true Information Here then in the first place it is plain that I say a great many spurious Books were early father'd on CHRIST his Apostles and other great Names

of the Christians and not of the Jews who when there 's occasion will afford as large a Catalogue XV. Of the Gospels of the Hebrews and the Egyptians with som general Pieces 1. The Gospel of the twelve Apostles Origen Homil. 1. in Luc. Ambros in Prooem Commentar in Luc. Theophylact. Comment in cap. 1. v. 1. secundum Lucam c. But this Piece was I believe Originally the same with 2. The Gospel of the Hebrews Ignat. in Epist. ad Smyrnaeos Clem. Alex l. 1. Stromat Origen tract 8. in Matt. Idem Homil. 14. in Jerem in Comment ad Joan. Epiphan Haeros 30. n. 13 22 c. Hieronym in Catalogo Script Eccles. c. 4. alibi Passim This Gospel several have maintain'd to be the Original of St. Matthew 3. The Gospel of the Egyptians Clem. Rom. Epist. 2. ad Corinth c. 12. Clem. Alex. l. 3. Stromat ld ibid. Origen Homil. in Luc. Epiphan Haeres 62. n. 2. 4. The Apostles Creed tho' of late Years it begins to be call'd in question 5. The Doctrine and Constitution of the Apostles Euseb. Hist. Eccles. l. 3. c. 25. Athanas. in Synopsi Epiphan Haeres 80. n. 7. 45. n. 5. 70. n. 10. 75. n. 6. Idem in Compendiaria fidei expositione n. 22. Incertus de Aleatoribus inter Scripta Cypriani There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Doctrines both attributed to every one of the Apostles singly and also to their Companions and immediat Successors too long to insert particularly These Doctrins were bound with the other Books of the New Testament as appears by the Stichometry of N●ephorus and Anastasius tho' it was not always pretended that they were Original Pieces but rather Collections of what the Companions and Successors of the Apostles either heard or pretended to hear from their own Mouths 6. We need not produce our Authorities for the Canons and Constitutions of the Apostles since so many learned Members of the Church of England have written large Volums to prove 'em genuin 7. The Precepts of Peter and Paul This Book lies in Manuscript in the Great Duke's Library in Florence if we believe Ludovicus Iacobus a Sancto Carolo in his Bibliotheca Pontificia l. 1. pag. 177. 8. The present Cophtic Christians have a Book of Doctrins which they believe was compos'd by the twelve Apostles with the Assistance of St. Paul c. 9. The Gospel of Perfection Epiphan Haeres 26. n. 2 10. The Acts of all the Apostles written by themselves Epiphan Haeres 30. n. 16. Isidor Pelus l. 2. epist. 99. Varadatus in epist. ad Leonem Imp. Tom. 4. Concil Labbaei col 978. Io. Malala Chronograph l. x. 11. The Itinerary of all the Apostles as well as of every one of ●em singly was formerly extant XVI Of the Writings of the Disciciples and Companions of the Apostles OF the Books ascrib'd to the Disciples and Companions of the Apostles and which are still extant som are thought genuin and of great Authority at this time Every one were approv'd at som time or by som Party And yet I am of Opinion that it is the easiest Task in the World next to that of shewing the Ignorance and Superstition of the Writers to prove them all Spurious and fraudulently impos'd on the Credulous Those I mean are the Epistles of Clemens Romanus to the Corinthians his Recognitions Decretals and other Pieces bearing his Name All the Epistles of Ignatius the Epistle of Pol●carpus to the Philippians with his other Writings The Acts of the Martyrdom of Ignatius and Polycarpus The Pastor of Hermas The Epistle of Barnabas The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite The Epistle of Marcellus Peter's Disciple to Nereus and Achilleus and his Treatise of the Conflict of Peter and Simon Magus The Life of Saint Iohn by Prochorus The Petition of Veronica to Herod on the behalf of CHRIST The Passion of Timothy by Polycrates The Passions of Peter and Paul in two Books by Linus The two Epistles of Martial of Limousin and the Life of the same by Aurelianus The Gospel of Nicodemus The History of the Apostolical Conflict by Abdias who is said to be appointed first Bishop of Babylon by the Apostles The Passion of Saint Andrew written by the Presbyters of Achaia The Epistle of Evodius entitul'd the Light the Altercation of Iason and Papiscus The Acts of Titus compos'd by Zena St. Paul's Companion with a multitude of other Acts and Passions The Gospel of Barnabas the Revelation of Stephen the Passion of Barnabas and the Epistles of Ioseph the Arimathean to the Britons are quite lost and were they extant would probably appear to be as foolish and fabulous as the rest XVII Of Pieces alledg'd in favor of Christianity which were forg'd under the Name of Heathens 1. The Works of Trismegistus and Asclepius extant 2. The Books of Zoroaster and Hystaspes 3. The Sibyllin Oracles cited so frequently and with such Authority by the Primitive Fathers that Celsus takes occasion from thence to nick-name the Christians Sibyllists extant 4. The Letter of Pontius Pilat to Tiberius with the Speech of Tiberius to the Senat. extant 5. The Epistle of Lentulus giving a Description of the Person of CHRIST extant 6. The Epistles or Orders of Adrian Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius in favor of the Christians extant in Iustin Martyr c. c. c. HERE' 's a long List for Mr. BLACKHALL who 't is probable will not think the more meanly of himself for being unacquainted with these Pieces nor if that were all shoul'd● I be forward to think the worse of him on this Account but I think he is to blame for denying that there were any such because he knew nothing of 'em much less should he infer from thence that I deny'd the Scriptures which Scandal however because manifestly proceeding from Ignorance I heartily forgive him as every good Christian ought to do TO explain now therefore the several Members of the Passage in MILTON's Life In the first place by the spurious Pieces I meant tho' not all yet a good parcel of those Books in the Catalogue which I am persuaded were partly forg'd by som more zealous than discreet Christians to supply the brevity of the Apostolic Memoirs partly by designing Men to support their privat Opinions which they hop'd to effect by virtue of such respected Authorities And som of 'em I doubt were invented by Heathens and Jews to impose on the Credulity of many wel-dipos'd Persons who greedily swallow'd any Book for Divine Revelation that contain'd a great many Miracles mixt with a few good Morals while their Adversaries laught in their Sleeves all the while to see their Tricks succeed and were rivetted in their ancient Prejudices by the greater Superstition of such Enthusiasts IN the second place by the Books of whose Spuriousness I said the World was not yet convinc'd tho' in my privat Opinion I could not think 'em genuin I meant those of the other

than those whose Business it is to teach others Moderation Patience and Forgiveness nor was there ever any Cause more defended by the Dint of Calumny than that of Religion which least needed it of any other SEVERAL of these Books whereof I now treat are quoted to prove important Points of the Christian Religion by the most celebrated Fathers as of equal Authority with those we now receive and the Testimony of these Fathers was the principal Reason of establishing these in our present Cannon and is still alledg'd to that purpose by all that write in defence of the Scriptures Of so much weight is this Testimony that EUSEBIUS rejects the Acts Gospel Preaching and Revelation of PETER from being Authentic for no other Reason but because no Ancient or Modern Writer says he has quoted Proofs out of them But herein EUSEB●US was mistaken for the contrary appears by the Testimonies ma●kt in the Catalogue and which any body may compare with the Originals In another place he says That the Gospels of PETER THOMAS MATTHI●S and such like with the Acts of ANDREW JOHN and the other Apostles are spurious because no Ecclesiastic Writer from the time of the Apostles down to his own has vouchsaf'd to quote them which is absolutely false of som as we have already shewn So that Mr. BLACKHALL is not the only Man I find who makes his own Reading the Measure of all 〈◊〉 and a Thousand to One but now 〈◊〉 justifies this Practice since he can prove it from Antiquity 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 got the Authority of 〈…〉 Had 〈…〉 Piec●s 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 Orthodox Writ●●s he would have own'd them as the genuin Productions of the 〈◊〉 and admitted them as we say into the Canon but having m●t no s●ch Citations he presently 〈◊〉 there were none which made him reject those Books And I say what I have already 〈◊〉 that Proofs 〈◊〉 quoted out of som of 'em long before so th●● they might still 〈…〉 to the Canon for all 〈◊〉 TO these Considerations two Objections may perhaps be made First It is unlikely they●ll say that EUSEBIUS should not have read the Ancients nay that the contrary appears by his many Citations out of them and that consequently those Works of the Fathers which we have now in our Hands are not the same which were read in his time or that at least they are strangely adulterated and full of Interpolations With all my Heart But then let us not be urg'd by their Authority in other Points no more than in this since in one thing they may as well be alt●r'd and corrupted as in another and indeed by a common Rul● of Equity being found charg'd in som places they ought to be So reputed in all the r●st till the contr●ry be evidently prov'd THE 〈◊〉 Objection 〈◊〉 That altho' 〈…〉 have bin 〈…〉 the Writings of those Apostles whose Names they bear at certain times and in som Churches yet they were expresly rejected by others To this I answer That there is not one single Book in the New Testament which was not refus'd by som of the Ancients as unjustly father'd upon the Apostles and really forg'd by their Adversaries which as no body thinks it now a good Reason to disapprove them so I see not how it should any more conclude against my Opinion But because the various Sects of those early Days did like us condemn one another for damnable Heretics and the admitting or refusing the framing or corrupting of certain Books were som of the Crimes which were mutually imputed I shall n●w insist only on the Epistle to the Hebrews that of JAMES the second of PETER the second and third of JOHN the Epistle of JUDE and the Revelation These seven Pieces were a long time plainly doubted by the Ancients particularly by those whom we esteem the soundest part and yet they are receiv'd not without convincing Arguments by the Moderns Now I say by more than a Parity of Reason that the Preaching and Revelation of PETER for Ex●mple were receiv'd by the Ancients and ought not therefore to be rejected by the Moderns if the Approbation of the Fathers be a proper Recommendation of any Books THE Council of Laodicea which was held about three hundred and sixty Years after CHRIST and is the first Assembly wherein the Canon of Scripture was establisht could not among so great a variety of Books as were then abroad in the World certainly determin which were the true Monuments of the Apostles but either by a particular Revelation from Heaven or by crediting the Testimony of their Ancestors which was always better preserv'd and convey'd by Writing than by Oral Tradition the most uncertain Rule in Nature witness the monstrous Fables of Papists Rabbins Turks and the Eastern Nations both Christians and Idolaters But of any extraordinary Revelation made to this Council we hear not a Word and for the Books I defend I have the same Testimony which is usually alledg'd in the behalf of others However I shall not be too hasty to make a final Decision of this 〈◊〉 with my self least I incur the 〈◊〉 Curse which the Auth●r of the Revelation pronounces 〈◊〉 such as shall add or take away from that Book Let Mr. BLACKHALL be assur'd that if he must needs have me to be a Heretic I am not unteachable tho' I would not have it reputed Obstinacy if I should not surrrender without satisfactory Reasons Instead therefore of censuring and calumniating which ought not to be reckon'd Virtues in any Order of Men and least of all in the Ministers of the Gospel let such as are better enlighten'd endeavor to extricat the Erroneous out of these or the like Difficulties that they may be able to distinguish truly and that in such an extraordinary number of Books all pretending equally to a Divine Origin they may have som infallible Marks of discerning the proper 〈…〉 they unhappily mis●●ke the false one for the true HOW necessary it is to have the Canon of Scripture s●t in its due light we may 〈◊〉 from the Ancient as well as our Modern Unbelievers CELSUS exclaims against the too great Liberty which the Christians as if they were drunk says he took of changing the first writing of the Gospel three or four or more times that so they might deny whatever was urg'd against 'em as retracted before Nay as low down as St. AUGUSTIN's time was there not a very considerable Sect of the Christians themselves I mean the Manichaeans who shewed other Scriptures and deny'd the Genuinness of the whole New Testament One of these call'd FAUSTUS after shewing that his Adversaries disapprov'd of several things in the Old Testament thus pursues his Argument You think says he that of all Books in the World the Testament of the Son only could not be corrupted that it alone contains nothing which ought to be disallow'd especially when it appears that it was neither written by himself nor his Apostles but a

in the Catholic Church whose Authority must ever after serve to determin Matters of Faith neither were the spurious Pieces of Heretics yet rejected nor were the faithful admonisht to beware of them for the future Likewise the true Writings of the Apostles us'd to be so bound up in one Volum with the Apocryphal that it was not manifest by any Mark or public Censure of the Church which of 'em should be prefer'd to the other We have at this Day certain most authentic Ecclesiastic Writers of those times as CLEMENS ROMANUS BARNABAS HERMAS IGNATIUS and POLYCARPUS who wrote in this same Order wherein I have nam'd 'em and after all the other Writers of the New Testament except Iu●● and the two JOHNS But in H●RM●S you shall not meet with one Passage or any mention of the New Testament Nor in all the rest is any one of the Evangelists call'd by his own Name And if somtimes they cite any Passages like those we read in our Gospels yet you 'll find 'em so much chang'd and for the most part so interpolated that it cannot be known whether they produc'd them out of ours or som Apocryphal Gospels nay they somtimes cite Passages which it is most certain are not in the present Gospels From hence therefore it is evident that no difference was yet put by the Church between the Apochryphal and Canonical Books of the New Testament especially if it be consider'd that they pass no Censure on the Apochryphal nor leave any Mark whereby the Reader might discern that they attributed less Authority to the spurious than to the genuin Gospels from whence it may reasonably be suspected that if they cite somtimes any Passages conformable to ours it was not don thro' any certain design as if dubious things were to be confirm'd only by the Canonical Books so as it is very possible that both those and the like Passages may have bin borrow'd from other Gospels besides these we now have But what need I mention Books that were not Canonical when indeed it does not appear from those of our Canonical Books which were last written that the Church knew any thing of the Gospels or that Clergy-men themselves made a common use of ' em The Writers of those times do not chequer their Works with Texts of the New Testament which yet is the Custom of the Moderns and was also theirs in such Books as they acknowledg'd for Scripture for they most frequently cite the Books of the Old Testament and would doubtle●● have don so by those of the New if they had then bin receiv'd as Canonical St. PAUL cites a Saying of our Lord in the Acts of the Apostles which if he had it out of any Writing was not certainly out of these we now have The Gospels continu'd so conceal'd in those Corners of the World where they were written that the latter Evangelists knew nothing of what the Precedent wrote Otherwise there had not bin so many apparent Contradictions which almost since the first Constitution of the Canon have exercis'd the Wits of learned Men. Surely if St. LUKE had seen that Genealogy of our Lord which is in St. MATTHEW he would not himself have produc'd one wholly different from the other without giving the least Reason for this Diversity And when in the Preface to his Gospel he tells the occasion of his Writing which is that he undertook it being furnisht with the Relations of such as were Eye-witnesses of what he writes he plainly intimats that the Authors of the Gospels which he had seen were destitute of this Help So that neither having seen themselves what they relate nor with any Care or Diligence consulted such as had seen them their Credit was therefore dubious and suspected whence it must necessarily follow that the Writers of those Gospels which LUKE had seen were not at all the same with our present Evangelists So far Mr. DODWELL and excepting the Genuinness of the Epistles of CLEMENS BARNABAS and the rest for they are incontestably ancient I agree with him that the Matters of Fact are all true tho' I am far from drawing the same Inference from 'em as he has don that there is an equal Proof for Episcopacy as for the Canon of Scripture which is the Testimony of the Fathers of the Second and Third Centuries and that the Disciplin was better known and preserv'd than the Doctrin of the Apostles Whoever has an Inclination to write on this Subject is furnisht from this Passage with a great many curious Disquisitions wherein to shew his Penetration and Judgment as how the immediat Successors and Disciples of the Apostles could so grossly confound the genuin Writings of their Masters with such as were falsly attributed to them or since they were in the dark about these Matters so early how came such as follow'd 'em by a better Light why all those Books which are cited by CLEMENS and the rest should not be counted equally Authentic and what stress should be laid on the Testimony of those Fathers who not only contradict one another but are often inconsistent with themselves in their Relations of the very same Facts with a great many other Difficulties which deserve a clear resolution from any capable Person tho' none may safely propose 'em but Mr. DODWELL who I heartily wish were always as free and unprejudic'd as he is really learned THUS have I defended and explain'd my self against Mr. BLACHALL's Accusation nor do I question but I have given entire Satisfaction to all impartial Men and lovers of Truth But there 's another sort of People whom I despair of ever contenting These never fail of finding in the Writings of their Adversary not what is there but what they have a mind should be so to represent him odious or dangerous All the Protestations in the World can signifie nothing with them nor is it more safe than otherwise to prove the contrary of what is laid to one's Charge for they are sagacious enough to discover the hidden Poyson of every Word and will be sure to give loud warning of the Danger to shew where the Snake lies in the Grass and to tell what 's in the Belly of the Trojan Horse But I shall not be in great pain how such People apprehend me if I have the Happiness to please the moderat and discerning part of Mankind The Complete HISTORY OF Icon Basilike MR. BLACKHALL who by a public Provocation would needs engage me in a Controversie about spurious Books has not confin'd me to expose the Impostures of Antiquity alone tho' it be pretty plain that this is Employment enough for one body but he likewise accuses me of not being more favorable to a Modern Saint as he is pleas'd to stile King CHARLES the First That excellent Book which he says was compos'd by himself in the time of his Distresses will he supposes be an everlasting Evidence of his profiting under his Sufferings to after Ages notwithstanding the Endeavours

seal'd it giving him cautionary Directions how to deliver it which he did on Saturday the 23d of December 1648. for Mr. ROYSTON the Printer to Mr. PEACOCK Brother to Dr. GAUDEN's Steward who after the Impression was finish'd gave him for his Trouble six BOOKS whereof he always kept one by him To these Particulars Dr. WALKER adds that the Reason why the Covenant is more favorably mention'd in Ikon Basilike than the King or any other of his Party would do was because Dr. GAUDEN himself had taken it That in the Devotional part of this Book there occur several Expressions which were habitual to GAUDEN in his Prayers which always in privat and public were conceiv'd or extemporary and that to his Knowledge it was Dr. GAUDEN being best acquainted with the Beauty of his own Sayings who made that Collection of Sentences out of Ikon Basilike intitul'd Apophthegmata Caroliniana These and som Observations about the same individual Persons variation of Stile on different Subjects with the facility and frequency of personating others may be futher consider'd in Dr. WALKERS Original Account In this condition stood the Reputation of this Book till the last and finishing discovery of the Imposture was made after this manner Mr. ARTHUR NORTH a Merchant now living on Tower hill London a Man of good Credit and a Member of the Church of England marry'd the Sister of her that was Wife to the Doctor 's Son CHARLES GAUDEN who dying left som Papers with his Widow among which Mr. NORTH being concern'd about his Sister in Law 's Affairs found a whole Bundle relating to Ikon Basilike These Papers old Mrs. GAUDEN left to her darling Son JOHN and he to his Brother CHARLES There is first a Letter from Secretary NICHOLAS to Dr. GAUDEN 2. The Copy of a Letter from Bishop GAUDEN to Chancellor HYDE where among his other Deserts he pleads that what was don like a King should have a Kinglike Retribution and that his design in it was to comfort and incourage the King's Friends to expose his Enemies and to convert c. There is 3. The Copy of a Letter from the Bishop to the Duke of York wherin he strongly urges his Services 4. A Letter under Chancellor HYDE's own Hand dated the 13th of March 1661. wherein he expresses his uneasiness under the Bishop's importunity and excuses his inability yet to serve him but towards the Conclusion it contains these remarkable Words The Particular you mention has indeed bin imparted to me as a Secret I am sorry I ever knew it and when it ceases to be a Secret it will please none but Mr. MILTON There are other Papers in this Bundle but particularly a long Narrative of Mrs. GAUDEN's own writing irrefragably shewing her Husband to be Author of Ikon Basilike It intirely confirms Dr. WALKER's Account and contains most of the Facts we have hitherto related with many other curious Circumstances too long to be here inserted yet too extraordinary not to be known wherfore I refer the Reader to the Original Paper or to the faithful Extract made out of it before several learned and worthy Persons and which is printed in a Paper intitul'd Truth brought to Light Thus came all the World to be convinc'd of this notorious Imposture which as it was dexterously contriv'd and most cunningly improv'd by a Party whose Interest oblig'd 'em to keep the Secret so it happen'd to be discover'd by very nice and unforeseen Accidents Had not GAUDEN bin disappointed of Winchester he had never pleaded his Merit in this Affair nor would his Wife have written her Narrative had King CHARLES the Second bestow'd one half Years Rent on her after her Husband's decease which upon her Petition and considering her numerous Family none could imagin should be refus'd It was a slighter Accident that begot a a Confession from two Kings and CHARLES's own Sons And I doubt if any other than one of Mr. MILLINGTON's great Curiosity and no Bigotry had the disposal of my Lord ANGLESEY's Books we should never have heard of the Memorandum Had not Dr. HOLLINGWORTH's indiscreet Zeal provok'd the only Man then alive who had any personal knowledg of this Business Dr. WALKER had never publish'd his Account nor would the whole Discovery be so complete without the least Intricacy or Question without Mr. NORTH's Papers THIS is the complete History of Ikon Basilike as it is suppos'd to be a Forgery and we must next proceed to examin the Exceptions made to it as they are collected by Mr. WAGSTAF in his Vindicatiof King CHARLES the Martyr To begin with my Lord ANGLESEY's Memorandum 't is urg'd that it does not particularly express by the Date whether it meant the last Session of Parliament before the writing of it or the last Session of the Year 75. when it is plain that he meant the last or Winter Session and that it was therefore the immediat Session preceding the writing of this Memorandum To say that there is no Witness to it is a very singular sort of Objection when his Lordships Relations and all that have seen this and his other Writings own it to be his Hand It is not likely that there were any Witnesses of the Royal Brother's telling him their Opinion of Icon Basilike Nor is there any thing more common than for learned or great Men to leave such Memorandums in a Book concerning the Author of it when it was a Question or about any other Secret relating to it which they thought they had discover'd and yet 't is a thing unheard till now that they were deny'd to be theirs whose Names they bear because the Day of the Month was not mention'd nor the Names of any Witnesses added when the Hand was confest to be the same with their other Writings Many instances of this kind appear in the Books of Mr. HAMDEN lately sold and whereof I have som to shew as in the Book intitul'd Apollonii Grallae he writes that LANSBERGIUS was the Author of it of whom he there gives a Character IT is no just Exception to this Memorandum that my Lord ANGLESEY did not communicat the Contents of it to any of his Friends or Relations for tho' the Two Royal Brothers imparted the Secret to him it does by no means follow that they intended he should publish it to the World And supposing they did not oblige him to silence yet 't is probable that his Lordship was not very fond of being disturb'd by the Clamors of som Churchmen who carry'd things so high at that time that I do not believe they would pardon such a Discovery to either of the Brothers themselves There was never any poor Prince more notoriously abus'd by many of those he took for his best Friends than CHARLES the First They put him on all those unhappy Measures which prov'd his Ruin in the end And as they made use of his Temper to serve their own Purposes when he was alive so they did of his Name for the same

great Persons or the suppos'd Writings of certain Apostolic Men as they call 'em which are at this present as well as in ancient times read with extraordinary Veneration And they are the Epistle of BARNABAS the Pastor of HERMAS the Epistle of POLYCARPUS to the Philippians the first Epistle of CLEMENS ROMANUS to the Corinthians and the seven Epistles of IGNATIUS These are generally receiv'd in the Church of Rome and also by most Protestants but those of the Church of England have particularly signaliz'd themselves in their Defence and by publishing the correctest Impressions of them The Ancients paid them the highest Respect and reckon'd the first four of 'em especially as good as any part of the New Testament The Epistle of BARNABAS is by CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS and ORIGEN not only reckon'd genuin but cited as Scripture tho' he says in express Terms That the Apostles before their Conversion were the greatest Sinners in Nature which if believ'd would rob us of an Argument we draw from their Integrity and Simplicity against Infidels to say nothing now of the many other ridiculous Passages in BARNABAS The Pastor or Visions Precepts and Similitudes of HERMAS who is suppos'd to be the Person mention'd by PAUL in his Epistle to the Romans is cited as Canonical Scripture by IRENAEUS CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS ORIGEN and others and was for such receiv'd by several Churches tho' I think it the sillyest Book in the World The Epistle of POLYCARPUS the suppos'd Disciple of St. JOHN was read in the Churches of Asia and is quoted by IRENAEUS EUSEBIUS and others The Epistle of CLEMENS ROMANUS whom they would have to be the same that 's mention'd by PAUL in his Epistle to the Philippians is cited by IRENAEUS CLEMENS ALEXANRINUS ORIGEN EUSEBIUS and others The Epistles of IGNATIUS are quoted by IRENAEUS EUSEBIUS with several more but particularly by ORIGEN who says that in one of 'em he found it very elegantly written That the Virginity of MARY was a Secret to the Devil which Virginity with her Delivery and the Death of our Lord IGNATIUS says were Three famous Mysteries wrought in the Silence of God These Words may be now read in the Epistle of IGNATIUS to the Ephesians Now these are the Books of whose Genuinness and Authority I took the Liberty to doubt notwithstanding the better Opinion which is entertain'd of 'em by others My present Business is not to insist on this Subject but to clear my self of an Imputation which I thought no body could infer from my Words Yet since many were less knowing than I imagin'd tho' Mr. BLACKHALL alone has the Candor of publishing his Weakness to the World I assure 'em all that I alluded to these Books and I hope they will be just enough in allowing me best to explain my own meaning and prove so tender of their own Reputation as to consider well of it before they censure me another time BUT tho' I will not as I said enter now into a particular Discussion of these Writings yet I shall offer one thing to the Consideration of their Defenders Either they really believe the Epistles of BARNABAS and CLEMENS for Example to be theirs or to be supposititious If not theirs there 's a speedy end of the Dispute and I have attain'd my End without more Argumentation But if they think 'em genuin why do they not receive 'em into the Canon of Scriptures since they were the Companions and Fellow laborers of the Apostles as well as St. MARK or St. LUKE If this Quality was sufficient to entitle the two last to Inspiration why should it not do as much for the two first And if this be not all the Reason pray let us know the true one having never heard of any other To say that tho' the Books are authentic yet they ought not to be receiv'd now into the Canon because the Ancients did not think fit to approve 'em is but a mere Evasion For 't is well known that till after EUSEBIUS'S time neither the second Epistle of PETER nor that of JAMES or JUDE with som others were approv'd as Canonical and yet they were afterwards receiv'd by the whole Church Wherefore then may not we as well at this time establish the Epistles of CLEMENS and BARNABAS if they be undoubtedly theirs which I shall be persuaded their Patrons believe when they quote 'em as Scripture and then I know where to have them and how to deal with ' em But of this enough I SAID above that by the spurious Pieces I meant only a great part of the Books which are recited in the Catalogue for others of 'em do not seem to deserve so mean a Rank and I am so far from rejecting all those Books of the New Testament which we now receive that I am rather solicitous lest as in the dark Ages of Popery those we commonly call Apochryphal Books were added to the Bible so at the same time and in as ignorant Ages before several others might be taken away for not suiting all the Opinions of the strongest Party Nor is it unworthy observation that most of these Books are condemn'd by the Decree of Pope GELASIUS How many true and spurious Gospels or Histories of C●RIST were extant in St. LUKE's time God knows but that there were s●veral may be evidently infer'd from his own Words who tells TH●OPH●LUS that many had undertaken the same Work before him and as if he alluded to som spurious Relations assures him that he 'll write nothing but what he receiv'd from such as had a perfect knowledg of th●se Matters from the beginning That there should be first and last but just the number of Four I never heard of any that w●nt about to demonstrat except 〈◊〉 the sam'd Successor of the Apostles and he positively affirms that there cannot be more nor fewer than Four Gospels Fo says he there be Four Regions o● this World wherein we live with Four principal Winds and the Church is spread over all the Earth But the Support and Foundation of the Church is the Gospel and the Spirit of Life Therefore it must follow that it has Four Pillars blowing Incorruptibility on all sides and giving Life to Men. Then he corroborats his Argument from the Four Cherubims and the Four Faces in EZE●I●L's Vision to wit of a Lyon an Ox a Man and an Eagle which is the Reason by the way why the Four Evangelists are painted with these Emblems in the Mass-Book and in our Common Pray●r-Book So he concludes at last That they are all vain unlearn'd and impudent who after this would assert that there were more or sewer than 4 Gospels Where we may observe that Mr. BLACKHALL has the Warrant of an ancient Father for giving hard Names to such as contemn precarious Reasoning And indeed it is but too manifest to be d●ny'd that no Order of Men have more violated the Rules of D●cency and Civility in their Writings