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A18107 The vindication or defence of Isaac Casaubon against those impostors that lately published an impious and vnlearned pamphlet, intituled The originall of idolatries, &c. vnder his name, by Meric Casaubon his sonne. Published by his Maiesties command.; Is. f. vindicatio patris. English Casaubon, Meric, 1599-1671. 1624 (1624) STC 4751; ESTC S107684 28,694 88

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howsoeuer he may perhaps differ in opinion from either side yet in charitie he may be vnited vnto both And for no other cause is hee more maligned by the hot-spurres on either part then for seeking to procure peace and concord betwixt them and for doing his best endeauour to make vp the great schisme and rent of the Church that againe wee might come to be all one body Which misery an olde Father was wont long agoe to lament in these words that may be very well applied to our times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth Nazianzen after hee had done speaking of mens maintaining their sides and factions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Whosoeuer keepe a middle ●ourse and follow after peace are ill used on both sides being either contemned or fiercely opposed of which number we being c. For the Papists I haue nothing to say to them now But I haue heere to doe with such kind of men who striuing to runne as farre from Papists as they can haue also vnaduisedly runne withall beyond the bounds of Truth These are the Men that with incredible pride and arrogancy despise all Antiquity that most superciliously contemne the ancient and holy Fathers that studie all they can how to abrogate and abandon all the ancient Constitutions of the Church and in the meane while that arrogate to themselues a power of making what Lawes they list of appointing Ceremonies at their pleasure and of bringing in such a discipline which the Christians of olde neuer heard of as if they had be●ne created the only perpetuall Dictators and Gouernours of the Church of Christ And though they haue no regard at all of any publique tranquillitie refusing to giue way but to the least thing that may make for the peace and vnitie of Christians yet neuertheles they would faine beare vp their credit and for a colour of their bad intents make vs beleeue they are wondrous zealous men Of which sort of men that he was one whosoeuer was the Author of this Booke which these Impostors haue published vnder Is Casa●bons name and that he was no meane one neither but a chiefe champion among them I thinke no body will make question that will but runne ouer the booke and of those infinite places which prooue the same most plainely will but a little more narrowly marke a few There being I suppose scarce any writing extant in this kind which doeth more clearely and euidently argue what an insolent peruerse and rash Author it had A man would verely thinke that hee was one who● had proclaimed open warre and defiance to all Antiquitie or one that being starke-staring mad with noueltie and fury would abandon all the ancient Customes and Constitutions of our Forefathers The Booke indeed by the Title is pretended to be written against Papists but in effect it prooues as aduerse to the Primitiue as to the Popish Church And whereas the Church of England cutting off such corruptions as crept in vpon her in declining ages hath retained many of the Sacred Rites and Ceremonies which the ancient Church had yet she is also cunningly stricken at through the Papists sides with so much the more danger by how much the more craft and close subtiltie it is done Therefore let this be the first Argument of all the rest to prooue that Casaubon neither was nor could be the Author of this Booke For who was it that euer reuerenced the gray haires of Antiquitie more then hee Who euer without iniuring the holy Scriptures ●steemed more highly of the ancient Fathers And for the Church of England what should I neede to speake of i● whose Doctrine and Discipline Rites and Ceremonies hee did so much approoue and embrace that hee could neuer seeme to himselfe to haue commended and magnified it enough Though there were none of his workes and writings left behind him out of which it might be gathered and demonstrated what his mind was herein yet there be many graue and religious men still liuing whom I could call to witnesse how often they haue heard him professe and declare at large that he was thus affected But there will be no neede of that seeing his owne Bookes are euery where extant to confirme it For howsoeuer hee had neuer any occasion offered him purposely and ex professo to handle this Argument yet seeing all his Workes that belong to matters Ecclesiasticall and Diuine haue nothing in them not onely contrary or auerse from the vse and customes of this Church but what is altogether agreeable to the Canons and Constitutions of the sam● and which as occasion is offered doe euer and anon defend them the intelligent Reader will easily perceiue how willingly hee submitted himselfe vnto the Forme thereof rested wholly content with it And for this purpose there are not wanting most certaine proofes and testimonies occurring in many places of his writings which will be enough to stop vp the mouthes of the most impudent gain-sayers As when in his Preface to his Ecclesiasticall Exercitations written to his Sacred Maiestie he saith Qui Ecclesiam habeas in tuis Regnis partim iam olim ità institutam partim magnis tuis laboribus ità instauratam vt ad florētis quondam Ecclesiae formam nulla hodiè propius accedat quàm tua inter uel excessu vel defectu peccantes mediam uiam secuta Quâ moderatione ●oc primum assecuta est Ecclesi● Anglicana ut illi ipsi qui suam ei foelicitatem inuident saepe tamen ex aliarum comparatione illam cogantur laudare deinde c. that is Who haue in your Dominions a Church so established by former ages and so setled by your Maiesties Royal paines and care as no Church this day under heauen comes neerer to the flourishing estate and face of the Ancient then yours which hath taken the middle way betweene them that went astray on both handes by excesse or defect By which moderation the Church of ENGLAND hath got this speciall aduantage that euen such as enuy her happinesse are neuerthelesse oftentimes constrained to magnifie her in comparison of others Besides c. Whereunto these words agree in his Epistle to Cardinall Perron written though in his Maiesties name yet according to his owne sence and meaning Certò clarè ac liquidò sibi constare si notae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaerantur uerè necessaria ad salutem spectentur aut etiam ad decorum Ecclesiae nullam in orbe terrarum Deo vni sit laus gloria inuentum iri quae propius ad fidem aut speciem antiquae Catholicae accedat c. That it was most plaine and manifest unto him how for matters essentiall and truly necessary to saluation or belonging also to the beauty and decency of the Church there was God be thanked none in all the world to be found which came neerer to the faith and face of the ancient Catholike Church c. It wil not be amisse here to set downe his