who repented after having kept them some time in Prison to put upon their cloaths violet coulor'd Crosses which they thus wore all their Life not being suffered to appear with other cloaths and with this clause that the Inquisition reserved a full power of changeing the Sentence pronounced as it should be thought fit whether those who had been condemned to wear the Cross were accused anew or whether there was no accusation at all Those whom they resolv'd to mortifie by a sad imprisonment were kept between four Walls where they were constrained to go of themselves and where they were nourished only upon Bread and Water The obstinate Hereticks were put into the hands of the Secular There was at that time in Gasconny of divers sorts as well as before In this Register are Vaudois and Albigeses condemned for divers pretended Heresies as of denying Transubstantiation and the seven Sacraments of the Romish Church of maintaining that we shall not rise in spiritual Bodies c. There have been besides Baguins certain Monks of the third Order of St. Francis who thought that it was not lawful for them to possess any thing whatever who called the Pope Antichrist because he suffered the Religious of St. Francis to possess Riches and who suffer'd themselves to be burned rather than to retract these Fantastick Opinions There is also the Condemnation of divers Manicheans And the proceeding against Peter Ruffit who quite to overthrow Concupiscence had with a Woman the same commerce as some Priests had with Young Women in the time of St. Cyprian a Custom which lasted so long that the Council of Nice condemned it As being us'd in the beginning o' th' fourth Age and that St. Basil St. Chrysostome and St. Ierome employ'd all their Eloquence to cure several Ecclesiasticks of this Custom in their time an exact account hereof may be seen in Mr. Dodwel's third Dissertation upon St. Cyprian Two small pieces of James Usher Archbishop of Armagh One of the Original of Bishops and the other of Proconsulary Asia to which is added an Appendix of the Priviledges of the British Churches At London by Samuel Smith 1687. in 8vo And at Rotterdam by Renier Leers THis is another Posthume Work of the Learned Vsher Archbishop of Armagh which sufficiently testifies that profound Learning that hath rendered him so famous and makes him still respected as one of the Oracles of England The Question he starteth here has so imploy'd the wits for some years past that instead of reuniting for the common Interest they cannot without much ado calm the Agitation which this dispute hath caused tho' it only concerns Exterior Order It is therefore pretended that in this Work Episcopacy is a Divine Institution founded upon the Old and New Testament and the Imitation of the Ancient Church Vsher immediately remarks that the chief of the Levites bore a Title which was translated in Greek by that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishop of the Levites he expounds these Words of the Apocalypse Write to the Angel of Ephesus as if the word Angel was the same thing as that of Bishop The Succession of the Bishops of Ephesus appeared evident enough at the Council of Calcedon held in 451. And there 't is likely enough that Timothy or one of his Successors was the Angel to whom the words of St. Iohn are directed St. Ireneus says that he had seen Polycarp who was established Bishop of Smyrna by the Apostles Lastly he adds that Tertullian in his Book of Prescription against Hereticks and St. Irenaeus pressed the Hereticks by the Argument of the Succession of Bishops from the Apostles unto their time and chiefly upon that of the Bishops of Rome beginning with Linus Cletus or Clement that the Apostles had placed there and continuing until Elentherius the twelfth Bishop from the Apostles And it was Eleutherius who had the Glory of receiving into the Christian Faith Lucius King of England with all his Kingdom and that there were Bishops so well established from that time that ten years before the Council of Nice held in 325. three English Bishops assisted at the Council of Arles After having proved the establishment of Bishops by the Apostles Vsher examines the origine of the Metropolitans to whom he gives the same Antiquity For supposing as we have said that St. Iohn speaking of the seven Angels understands nothing else but Bishops he extends his conjecture so far as to say that St. Iohn having written to the seven Churches of Asia without denoting them more particularly it necessarily follows that they had some Preheminence and that they were distinguished by themselves that is to say by their quality of Metropolis He confirms it by this circumstance that the Prefects of the Romans resided in these Cities as Capitals and that the Adjacent Cities came for Justice thither Whence he concludes that they were as Mothers to the other Churches He concludes in shewing it to be the Sentiment of Beza and Calvin and proceeds to the second part of his Work which treats of the Proconsulary or Lydian Asia He observeth that the Name of Asia properly belonged to Lydia for they pretend that Asia was the Name of an ancient King of the Lydians and that it was Vespasian that made a Proconsulary Province on 't After that these three Questions are resolved The first if at the time of the Council of Nice all the Bishops were subject to the three Patriarchs of Rome Alexandria and Antioch It 's proved by the very Canons of the Council of Nice and by the first Council of Constantinople assembled under Theodosius the Great that each Patriarch had Power no farther than the extent of his Territory and over the Bishops of his particular Province And to inform us where the Patriarchats were limited he saith that that o◠Alexandria comprised Egypt Lybia and Pentapolis but that Africk Thebes nor the Mareotides were not subjected to it That of Antioch had not the whole Empire of the East whereof Constantinople was the Capital But only all that extended from the Mediterranean Sea towards the East to the Frontiers of the Empire That of Rome contained ten Provinces The Islands of Sicily Corse and Sardinia were three of them and the Continent of Italy on the East-side made the other seven that the ancient Lawyers called Suburbicaries But not to leave the work imperfect upon this Subject he examines in what dependance the Churches were who set up no Patriarchs To this purpose he observes that the Roman Empire was divided into thirteen Dioceses seven on the East-side and six on the West-side in all 120. Provinces Each Diocess had a Metropolis where the Primate resided as well as the Praetor or Vicar who decided appeals in Civil Affairs as also each Province had it's Metropolis It will not be useless to add that tho' Primates had the same Authority as the Patriarchs they preceded them notwithstanding in Councils and that Rome Alexandria and Antiochia were honoured
remarkable that he had a more than ordinary desire to be instructed in the Fundamentals of the Sciences and being yet very young he read the Works of my Lord Bacon Des Cartes and Gallileus In reading the Remarks of Scaliger upon Eusebius he observed that Chronology was founded upon Astronomy whereupon he also resolv'd to apply himself to the study of this last Science He set himself to read the Almagest of Ptolomy but he soon perceiv'd that he cou'd not read this sort of Books with advantage without the help of Geometry then he applied himself to the study of Euclides Elements in which he profited much in a little time and afterwards publish'd the Elements of Geometry explain'd in few words and better than ever was done before him Besides these are the Titles of some other Mathematical Books which he compos'd Euclidis Data Lectiones Opticae Lectiones Geometricae Archimedis Opera Apollonii Conicorum Lib. IV. Theodosti Sphaerica Lectio de Sphaera Cylindro One wou'd be surprized that so great a Geometrician cou'd also be a Poet yet we are assured in his Life that there are found several Poems amongst the Titles of his Latine Works Dr. Duport having renounc'd his Charge of Professor of the Greek Tongue he recommended Mr. Barrow who had been his Scholar whereupon he was admitted to Examination and read with great applause but he could not obtain the place because 't was thought he was inclin'd to Arminianism which was not savoured in England during the Usurpation this made him resolv'd to travail He went to France from thence to Italy where he embarked at Leghorn for Smyrna from whence he went to Constantinople there he tarried a year and we are assured during that time he read the works of the most famous Patriarch that that City ever had We may easily understand it was St Chrysostom that is here spoken of afterwards Mr. Barrow embarked for Venice from whence he returned for England by the way of Germany and Holland When King Charles the second was restored all the World believed Dr. Barrow would be preferred because he had been always firm to the Interests of the Royalists but being disappointed he made this Distich upon his unkind treatment Te Magis optavit rediturum Carole Nemo Et Nemo sensit te Rediisse Minus However he was elected Professor of the Greek tongue in 1660 and Chosen two years after to teach Geometry In the year following Mr. Lucas having founded a Chair for a Professor of Mathematicks he was the first that fill'd it and there was an Order made for him and those that were to succeed him that they shou'd be oblig'd every year to leave to the University Ten of their Lectures in writing he so passionately loved the Mathematicks that there was found before his Apollonius these words written in his own hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tu autem Domine quantus es Geometra cum enim haec Scientia nullos terminos habeat c. God himself hath Geometry in his thoughts but thou O Lord how great a Geometrician art thou For tho' this Science has no bounds yet one may find an infinite number of new Theorems by the only assistance of a humane Capacity THOV seest all these Truths at one glance without any chain of consequences and without being wearied with a long search of demonstrations In other things our Intellect is defective and it seems that we do think of I do not know what for want of a perfect assurance From whence it happens that there are almost as many Opinions as different Persons But all the World agree in the Truth of Mathematicks and 't is in this that the Mind of Man feels its strength and is perswaded that it can effect something great and wonderful c. This only is able to enflame me with the Love of Thee and to make me wish with as much ardor as is possible for that happy day in which my Spirit being delivered from every thing that now perplexes it shall be assured not only of these Truths but of an infinite number of others without the trouble of deducing consequences c. There is without doubt but a very few Men who amongst those reasons which induce 'em to wish for Heaven give this of expecting the Happiness of a Perfect Knowledge of the Mathematicks there Thus Mr. Barrow having wearied himself with these Speculations resolved to addict himself only to the study of Divinity After which the Bishops of St. Asaph and Salisbury gave him some Benefices and the King made him Rector of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge in the year 1672. The Colledges of the Vniversities of England are otherwise regulated than those beyond Sea The charge of the Master of a Colledge is much more considerable than that of the Rectors of Forreign Academies or Colledges A few years after Mr. Barrow was preferred to a more eminent Post to wit Vice-Chancellor which is the greatest charge of the University and after this Chancellor which is not given but to Persons of the first Quality The Author of the Life of Mr. Barrow informs us how he governed the Colledge with an Vniversal Applause but it shall suffice to say that he there composed divers Treatises and amongst others that of the Supremacy of the Pope which is at the end of the first Volume In fine he died at London the 4th of March the year 1677. and was buried at Westminster where his friends erected a Marble Monument without an Epitaph which is added to the end of his Life The first five Sermons which compose the first Volume treat of the Excellency of the Christian Religion and of the Interest which accrews to us in loving and practising it the four following expound the great Duties of Christianity Prayer and Thanksgiving The 10th 11th and 12th are upon particular occasions to wit The Return of the King The Gunpowder-Plot And the Conseâ—ration of the Bishop of Man his Vncle. The ten following from the 13th to the 23d were composed against the sin of speaking too much in conversation in speaking ill of his Neighbour and Swearing c. Mr. Barrow is very large upon these matters because there are few Vices so universal tanta hujusmodi Libido saith St. Paulinus cited by the Author Mentes hominum invasit ut etiam qui procul aliis Vitiis recesserunt in illud tamen quasi in extremum Diaboli Laqueum incidant Those which follow even to the 30th have respect unto the great Precepts in which the Law is fulfilled to wit to love God and our Neighbour All the preceding Sermons were not published till after the death of the Author but he himself caused the two last of this Volume to be printed whereof one treats of Charity towards the Poor and the other of the Passion of Iesus Christ Dr. Tillotson speaks of the first that there could be nothing more elaborate in its kind and that Dr. Barrow had spoken the utmost that the
the Gospel Preached unto 'em and Maximianus Herculius violently persecuted the Christians which he found here in the year CCCIII. It 's what Vsher tells us Chap. 7. Where beginneth what we have called the second part of his Work It may be that many things might be added to the precedent which he saith there upon the Faith of the Monks of the great number of Martyrs that Maximianus put to death and of the circumstances of their punishments Howbeit it 's certain that Dioclesian and Maximian having voluntarily quitted the Empire in the year CCCIV. and Constantius Chlorus being declared Augustus he put a period to all violences of what nature soever in the Provinces of his Jurisdiction and England was amongst the rest in which the Monks assure us that he built some Churches but dying two years after at York his Son Constantine who till then had been but Caesar was proclaimed Augustus by all the Roman Army which had lately got a signal victory over the Picts This gives occasion to our Archbishop to seek into the native Country of Constantine and of Helena his Mother in the eighth chapter The Country of this Princess is very doubtful although the Monks affirm she was of Treves yet is it not unlikely to be true that her Son was born in England as it may be seen in our Author who builds his opinion chiefly upon these words of Eumenius in his Panegyrick of Constantia O fortunata nunc omnibus terris beatior Britannia quae Constantinum Caesarem prima vidisti Vsher afterwards sheweth that some Bishops of England assisted at the Council of Arles in CCCXIV and 11 years after at that of Nice likewise at the other Councils called upon the occasion of the antient controversies Notwithstanding that hindered not Arianism to pass into Great Britanny when Gratianus had granted liberty to all the sects of the Christians saving to the Manicheans to the Photinians and to the Eunomians But it seemeth that the Tyrant Maximius that favoured the Orthodox suffered not Arianism to take root in England where he began to Govern in CCCLXXIII some time after he sent hence a great number of Inhabitants which he established in Amorica that is to say Low Brittany which he remitted to one Conan Meriadoc who was the person according to the Monkish History that obtained of Dionot King of Cornwall his Daughter Vrsula in Marriage with 11000 Virgins of noble Birth besides 60000 other Virgins of meaner families All the World are acquainted with the Story of St. Vrsula and of the 11000 Virgins and those that would know who hath refuted it may consult Vsher who relateth it with many reasons to shew it is but an impertinent Fable altho' Baronius maintains the contrary In that time many people went to see the Holy places in Palestine which was the occasion of making known in the West the Books of Origen which were unknown there before Rufinus Amongst others a Priest of Aquila after having lived three years in the East and Studied under Evagrius an Origenist imbib'd not only the sentimeâ—ts of Origen but returning into Italy spread them every where by translating divers of his works It was of him that Pelagius and Celestius learned at Rome this Doctrine whereof we shall speak in the sequel They both were Monks and of Great Britain Celestius of Scotland and Pelagius of England the second was called Morgan in the Language of the Countrey that is to say born of the Sea or in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name given him out of his Countrey If St. Ierom may be believed Pelagius was an ignorant man who could not express himself that was more to be pittied than envied and Celestius a studier of solecisms but St. Augustine speaketh advantageously of their wit in divers places and indeed it is seen by the fragments that remain in his works that they expressed not themselves so ill as St. Ierom saith We have still two pieces of Pelagius amongst the supposed writings of this last whereof one is a Letter to Demetriades and the other is intituled the Symboli explanatio ad Damasum whereas it should have been called Professio fidei ad Innocentium for it was to Innocent that Pelagius sent it This last piece is also found in Baronius and in the first Tome of the Councils of the edition of Cologne in 1606. Pelagius sojourn'd long enough at Rome where he acquired much reputation by his works and his conduct whence it cometh that Augustin Bishop of Hippona spoke honourably of him and writ to him a very obliging Letter before he entered into a dispute with him He calleth him in his Book de peccatorum meritis vir ut audio sanctus nec parvo profectu Christianus bonus ac praedicandus vir He is saith he a man as I am told Holy and much advanced in Piety a man of Merit and Praise worthy Father Petau in his book De Pelagianorum Semi Pelagianorum Dogmatum Historia remarketh that St. Augustin composed the Book in which he speaketh so advantageously of Pelagius after the condemnation of Celestius in the Council of Carthage in CCCCXII Thence he concludeth that it is not of this Pelagius whereof St. Chrysostome speaketh in his fourth Letter wherein he deplores the fall of a Monk of the same name There is no more likelihood that the Pelagius a Hermit to whom St. Issiodorus de Diamette hath written great censures be him that we speak of here whose life was always irreproachable as appears by the Testimony of St. Augustin Rome being taken by the Gothes in the year CCCCX Pelagius who was there departed and Sailed to Africa yet he remained not there but immediately went into the East Notwithstanding his Disciplie Celestius stayed at Carthage and aspired to be Priest of that Church but as he made no difficulty to maintain the Sentiments of his Master he was accused by Paulinus Deacon of the same Church in a Council where Aurelius Bishop of Carthage presided in the year which is already mention'd Celestius was there condemned and excommunicated as having maintain'd these seven Propositions I. That Adam was created mortal and that he should die whether he had sinned or not II. That the sin of Adam was only prejudicial to himself and not to all Mankind III. That the Law opened the entrance into Heaven as well as the Gospel IV. That before the coming of Iesus Christ men were without sin V. That Children newly born are in the same State as was Adam before his fall VI. That all Mankind dyeth not by the Death and Prevarication of Adam as all Mankind riseth not by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ. VII That man is without Sin and that he can easily obey the Commandments of God if he will Celestius answered to these Heads but we have only part of his Answers in the Books of St. Augustine that is to say that we have no other Testimonies of his Doctrine than
dogmata postea subtilius explicata tractet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For what regards the High Priest Levites and the Laicks relates according to our Author to the Priesthood and to the Custom of the Jews This Epistle being written about the end of Nero's Empire or at least before that of Vespasian whilst the Temple yet stood Letter 347. 1. p. Tacitus After having said that many learned men have discovered of what use Tacitus is in Politicks without excepting the the Italians who pretend to be the great Masters in this Science He saith that Berneggerus and Freinshemius had given at Strasbourg an Edition of it in 8 vo with a very large Index and most useful Notes in the Margent He adds that he read it with pleasure and that it was esteemed by all the Ingenious of Paris The same Author undertook to make an Addition in Folio with a perpetual Commentary drawn from all the Notes which had appeared tell then upon Tacitus Letter 1092. 1. p. Theophilactus 'T is the abridgement of the Greek Fathers which had written before him and is as the Voice of the Greek Church who gave us the opinions of St. Paul which he had preserved with much Fidelity Letter 1243. 1 p. Predestinatus 'T is the Title of a Book in 8 vo printed at Paris 1643. by Father Sirmond Grotius saith that he hath drawn this Book from a Manuscript which was formerly Hinâ—mar's Archbishop of Rheims that this work is oppos'd to those that believe absolute Predestination And that the Stile is strong and elegant Letter 673. p. 2. Father Casaubon I have not had less veneration saith our Author for his natural openness and sincerity than for his great Learning He told me in the year 1613. at London where I was almost every day with him when he went out of France he quitted all Studies which belong to the ancient Souldiery to which he had been perswaded by Henry the 4 th who was as great a Soldier as a Prince and that in England he had turned his Studies of that side which most pleased King Iames who was given more to peace than War Casaubon had no Collection except in his memory Margents of his Books and upon loose Papers Wherefore we have no Notes upon Polybe but what is upon his first Book and they are imperfect also 184. Letter p. 2. Selden This Author who made his wit appear in many pieces hath given to the Publick his book entituled Mare Clausum in opposition to another intituled Mare liberum This work is very learned and attributes in particular to the King of England all the Sea that extends it self from the Coasts of England Spain France the Low Countreys and Germany unto that of Denmark Letter 590. p. 1. Selden saith Grotius in another place hath taken figurative Expressions whereof I have made use in my Poetry to defend the Laws of the King of England and hath opposed them to others more serious I am very much obliged to him for the honesty with which he hath spoken of me and I believe I shall not injure the Friendship that is between us by this Epigram that I have made upon his Book Ipsum compedibus qui vinxerat Ennosigaeum Est graeca Xerxes multus in Historia Lucullum Latii Xerxem dixere Tagatum Seldenus Xerxes ecce Britannus erit Letter 371.2 p. The Bishop of Bellai I know him saith Grotius not only by his writings but also by Conversation He is an honest man and well versed in Controversie This is the Title of one of his Books The Demolishings of the Foundation of the Protestant Doctrine He hath a great hatred to the Monks and would not have them instruct the People but have it referred to the Ordinaries He is very much esteemed amongst the Bishops and of an exemplary Life Letter 1716. p. 1. Crellius I thank you saith our Author to him Letter 197. p. 1. both for the Letter and the book youâ— sent me I have resolved to read over and over with care all that you have written knowing how much profit I have gain'd by your Works When I received your Letter I was employed in reading your Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians You have very happily found the design and occasion of this Epistle as well as the sequel of this discourse I have cast my eye saith our Author elsewhere in speaking to Ruarius friend to Crellius upon his Commentary to the Epistle to the Hebrews which is very Learned I have profited much thereby as well as upon that which he hath made upon the Galatians of which the Ministers of Charenton make the same judgment as I do Let. 552. p. 1. He saith to his Brother speaking of the Book that the same Crellius had written against that of Grotius de satisfactione Christi that he hath written modestly and with much learning altho' he approves not of his opinions p. 2 Letter 138. George Calixta Professor of Divinity at Helmstadt I know not whether you have seen the preface that Calixta hath put before the books of St. Austin de Doctrina Christiana and of the Commonitorium of Vincent de Lerins the book that he hath made de Clericorum coelibatu and the first part of his divine Morals with a digression touching the new Method de Arte nova I approve the judgment of this Man and the respect he hath for antiquity joyned to the love of Peace A. M. des Cordes Canon of Limages p. 1. Letter 350. see Letter 339. p. 1. Salmatius I have run through the book of Salmatius upon Simplicius There is as you say much reading I wonder he disposeth not his thoughts in a better order 'T is sometimes difficult to reconcile him to himself he often disputes about words c. To William Grotius p. 2. Letter 326. Salmatius hath been with me he is dispos'd to defend every thing to the utmost extremity and even maintains that St. Peter never set foot in Italy I wonder the spirit of a Party should have so much strength says he in the same Letter 533. Salmatius is pleas'd to defend Opinions abandoned by all the World for even Blondel who is a Minister in France maintains in a book Printed at Geneva that St. Peter was at Rome He denyes also a Woman was ever Pope but Salmatius affirms it in the same Letter 536. A great friend of Salmatius hath told me a little while since that a Book could not easily be made de lingua Hellenistica Rediviva drawn from this that he saith he is constrain'd to confess in many places that he acknowledges the thing and disputes but of the Name He saith that no body hath remark'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to a manner of speaking Latin But I had and even in three places Mat. vi 2. c. in the same book 6921. Daniel Heinsius I have read the Works of Heinsius upon Nonnus which was not worth my while for others have said several
are very curious Particulars There is the Life of famous M rc Antony de Dominis Arch-Bishop of Spalatro included in a Letter written from Rome The Author had already published it in the Third Part of his Brittanica Politica It is a very curious Piece wherein is seen how this Prelate imbraced the Protestant Religion and how being deluded by the Promises of Dom Diego Sarmianto de Acuna Ambassador of France in England and by that of the Court of Rome he returned into Italy where he unhappily ended his Days without obtaining any thing of what he hoped There also is a Letter of Pope Gregory XV. to the Prince of Wales who was since Charles I. Upon his Marriage with the Infanta of Spain and an Answer of this Prince to the Pope The Fifth Book contains the Reign of the same Prince where his Innocence may be seen and the unheard of Violence of his Subjects described without partiality and all the Proceedings which were made against him The last Volume is composed of Six Books The first contains the History of Cromwell's Usurpation more exact and sincere that it had been heretofore Hitherto have been but Satyrs or Panegyricks thereupon The Creatures of Cromwell have raised him up to the Clouds and his Enemies have omitted nothing that might defame him The Author pretends that he hath been the greatest Politician and the greatest Captain of his time and that he was much more able to Reign than several of those whom Providence hath plac'd upon the Throne by Inheritance But he sheweth on the other side That he was a Cheat and a Tyrant who after having dipped his hand in the Innocent Blood of his Master all his Life cheated the People by a specious Zeal for Religion The Second Book contains the History of Charles the II. until his Restauration In this Book are seen the Honours which were rendred to him in Holland his Magnificent Entry into London his Clemency to those who had bore Arms against him and his Justice towards the Murderers of his Father The same History is continued in the Third Book from the Year M. DC LXI unto the Year M. DC LXXX There is also the Life of the Duke of York until his Marriage with Chancellour Clarendon's Daughter the Quarrel which happened between the Ambassadours of France and Spain about Precedency The subtilty wherewith the Spanish Ambassador carried it the Marriage of the Princess Henrietta and that of the King the War of England with Holland and with France the Peace that was made afterwards with both the others which was followed with a secret Treaty betwixt England France appeared in M. DC Lxxii the Marriage of the Duke of York with the Princess of Modena the Calling Prorogation and dissolving different Parliaments In fine the Discovery which Oates and Bedlow made of a Conspiracy which made so great noise and whereof this Author appears not very much persuaded We find in the fourth Book the sequel of the same Troubles and the History of what passed in the Parliaments convocated in M. DC.LXXX at London and Oxford There is particularly in this Book one thing of very great importance which the Author relates with as much sincerity as if none was interessed therein Which are 1. The Endeavours the Parliament of England made to exclude the Duke of York from the Crown 2. The Reasons which were alledged for this 3. The manner wherewith the Creatures of this Prince defended his Rights The Author endeth this Book by the Description of Pensilvania without omitting either the Offers which are made to those who will go to inhabit it or the manner they may be established in it The fifth Book begins with the Encomium of the House of Savoy and tells us afterwards with a very great exactness the means which Madam c. made use of in M. DC LXXX and M.DC.LXXXII to obtain of his British Majesty that the Ambassadours of Savoy shou'd be received in London like those of Crowned Heads It is one of the finest places of the whole Work and they who love to read the particulars of a Negotiation cannot read a more curious one nor one better related than this The last contains the Affair of Count Koningsmarc with all its Circumstances which is a very good History and whence the manner may be Learned after what Strangers are judged in England Here it is that the Work endeth The Author promiseth us in his Preface another Volume where all will appear which hath happen'd in England till these latter Years The Style of this History as well as the other Works of Mr. Leti is easy and without Affectation contrary to the custom of most Italian Writers But what is most considerable is that he relateâ— Matters so nakedly and speaks so freely of the Interests of the greatest Princes of Europe that perhaps one day persons will not be easily persuaded that the Author had caused this Work to be printed during his Life and the life of those of whom he speaks if at the beginning the Year had not been marked wherein it was printed Mr. Leti hath since written a Book which treats of all that concerneth Embassies There may not only be seen the modern use of all Courts in this respect but the ancient also so that it will be a History of great concern The Author is not contented to speak of the Duties and Priviledges of all the Ministers which one Soveraign sends to another but of each according to the Degree of his Character he speaks largely also on the Origine of this Function and upon all the Principalities which are formed in the World He relates several Examples of Ambassadours who have committed gross Mistakes and gives Instructions how to manage worthily this Post according to the different Courts wherein they are oblig'd to reside Men will easily believe that a Work which treats of things of this nature and of so great a number of others is worthy of Publication An Examination of the Infallibility and Right which the Roman Church pretends to have in Judging Absolutely in Matters of Controversie 8 vo 1687. 255. WHilst the Romish Church makes use of all the Power of Soveraigns to re-unite to its Communion those who have quitted it Protestants oppose these progresses by coâ—ntaining their Cause with the soundest Reasons which they can think upon Though they differ amongst themselves about several Speculative Doctrines they perfectly agree upon Morality and the Worship which we owe to the Divinity they also in general are of one Mind in those Principles of Religion which they admit in respect to Holy Writ and have all an extream aversion for that Church which pretends to be a Judge in its own Cause and which without delay forceth those it calls Hereticks to a Worship which is against their Consciences Amongst the Protestant Societies there is none who hath declared it self more openly against Human Authority in matter of Religion and against the Constraining and Spirit of
brings Lazarus and his Sisters at the same time into Provence The strongest reason to persuade us that the Gospel was so soon Preached in England is drawn from a passage of Gildas's which was not well understood Interea glaciali frigore rigenti Insulae veluti longiori Terrarum Recessu soli visibili non proximae verus ille non de firmamento solum Dr. Stillingfleet reads Sol sed de summa etiam those who read Solum for Sol have also added this Etiam for the clearing of the sense coelorum arce tempora cuncta excedente universo orbi praefulgidum sui coruscum ostendens tempore ut scimus summo Tiberii Caesaris quo absque ullo impedimento ejus propagabatur Religio comminata senatu nolente a Principe morte dilatoribus Militum ejusdem radios suos primum indulget id est sua praecepta Christus These words of Gildas were taken until now as if he meant that the Gospel was Preached in England towards the end of Tiberius's Reign But thus the Bishop of Worcester understands them Jesus Christ the true Sun who as 't is known made his Light to shine over all the Vniverse towards the end of Tiberius 's Reign at which time his Religion was propagated without hinderance in spight of the Senate because this Prince threatned those with death that should accuse the Christians Jesus Christ I say made his Sun-beams to shine to wit his Precepts not from the Firmament but the highest place of the Heavens and which was from all Eternity upon this frozen Island distant from the visible Sun Gildas speaks of two several times wherein the visible Sun appeared the one towards the end of Tiberius's Reign at which it shined to the view of the whole World and the other that it particularly appeared in England and which he marks by the Particle interea This word relates to the time whereof he speaks to wit that in which Suetonius Paulinus Conquered the Queen Boadicea which happened towards the middle of Nero's Reign about Twenty years after that Claudius had sent A. Plautius to reduce England into the form of a Province The Monks of the last Ages fruitful in Ancient Histories affirmed that Ioseph of Arimathea came from Glassenbury where he founded a Monastery Preaching there the Gospel In a time wherein all that came from these pious Lyars was believed this Fabulous History was taken for an ancient Tradition but the Bishop of Worcester easily shews it is supported only by the Authority of such Men and actions as are very suspicious and accompanied with ridiculous circumstances Nevertheless he believes it may be proved by good Authorities and maintained by probable circumstances that Christianity entred into England in the time of the Apostles Eusebius positively affirms that these Holy Men Preached the Gospel in the British Isles Theodoret reckons the Britans amongst those People Converted by the Apostles St. Ierome saith that St. Paul after his Imprisonment Preached the Gospel in the West in occidentis partibus by which he seems to understand England as well as St. Clement who saith that St. Paul went to the farthest part of the West Terms which Dr. Stillingfleet proves to have been commonly taken for Great Britain He shews after that by the History of St. Paul's Life that this Apostle had time to come into England and that he might have been persuaded to have taken this Journey because this part of Great Britain was then reduced into a Province There is also some likelihood that Pomponia Graecina Wife to Plautius was a Christian Tacitus assuring us that she was accused of a Strange Superstition and that she lived in a continual Melancholy If this Lady was a Christian she might have inform'd St. Paul what state England was in and encouraged him to come hither He might likewise have been instructed by those whom Plautius led Prisoners to Rome True it is that it has been said that St. Peter and some other Apostles were in England but these Traditions appear altogether Fabulous and if any came it was undoubtedly St. Paul according to the Testimony of St. Clement of whom we have spoken II. To pursue the Ecclesiastical History of England our Prelate undertakes in the 2 d. Chapter to Collect what is found in the Antients about the space of time from the Apostles to the First Council of Nice The Principal Proofs from whence we conclude there were Christians in that time in England are the Testimonies of Tertullian and Origen which the Author defends and Expounds at length Many of the Writers of the last Ages said that a King of England named Lucius was Converted to Christianity in the time of M. Aurelius and Lucius Verus But suppose this true in the Main there are divers circumstances which are really false as when this Lucius is made King of all England which was at that time a Roman Province Our Prelate believes there might be a Christian Prince of that Name in some place of England and whom the Romans suffered to Reign because he was of their side such as might have been the Descendants of one Cogidunus who favoured them That this place of England perhaps was the County of Sussex where there is no Monument of the Romans This being so it may easily be conceived that Lucius had heard Discourses of the Christian Religion by some antient Britans or Soldiers of the Army which M. Aurelius brought hither and which had been delivered from an eminent danger by the Prayers of the Christians that were in it as the Emperor himself said in one of his Letters After that Lucius might send as Tradition has it Messengers to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome to be better Instructed because of the great Commerce which was betwixt England and Rome If Persons had been satisfied to have related this History after this manner it may be none would have called it in question but the Lyes wherewith it 's stuft the better to maintain it have rendered according to the Remark of the Author doubtful and suspicious that which may be true in it Others will not fail to add to this that in the Conjectures that are always made in the Enquiry after these Antiquities founded upon the Traditions of as great Lyars as the Monks of the past Ages that in these Conjectures I say Si trapassano i confini del vero per scrivere negli ampii spatii del possibile cose incerte non seguite according to an Italian Author And also the silence of Gildas who inform'd us of all he knew of the Antiquities of England yet speaks not one word of this Lucius which renders this History very suspicious even in what appears most possible in it Our Prelate proves there were Christians in England in the time of Dioclesian and that several suffered Martyrdom in it though the Persecution could not last long here seeing Constantius Father to Constantine stopped it Constantius dying at
than he Spoke What has been said of him may be seen Tome 8. p. 228. and Foll of the Vniversal Bibliotheque The Learned have much Disputed to know if there really had been Hereticks who may be named Predestinarians Some believed they were but Semi-Pelagians who turn'd the Sentiments of St. Augustin into Heresie and consequences of 'em into another Name and others have said that really there were some who had indeed drawn from the Doctrine of this Father this consequence That there was no Free-will and consequently that God would not Iudge Men according to their Works Our Author proves there have been Men who maintained these strange Opinions though there was not enough to make a Sect. After that Dr. Stillingfleet returns to St. Germain and Loup who established Academies or Schools in England and who also introduced here the Gallican Liturgy Upon this Subject he seeks for the Origine of the most antient Schools of England and speaks of the Gallican Liturgy which he compares with the Roman He shews finally the Conformity of the English Church of this time with the Antient British Liturgy and concludes that the Non-Conformists are in the wrong to accuse the Episcopal Church of having received its Liturgy from the Roman Church It sufficeth to speak of this briefly because there are almost none but the English who can be curious of these sorts of things V. The same reason obligeth us to make this use of it in respect of the 6th and last Chapter where the Author treats of the fall of the British Churches He sheweth 1. That all Great Britain was never Conquer'd by the Romans and that the Picts and Scots being not subdued made Excursions upon the Britans 2. That what is said of Scotch and Irish Antiquities is no more assured than what Geoffrey of Monmouth hath published of those of England 3. That as soon as the Barbarous Nations of the North had some knowledge of Sciences they would have Histories as they saw the most Polite Nations had and to descend from some Illustrious People such as the Trojans were the Greeks and the Aegyptians whence an Infinity of Fables hath taken birth 4. That the Evils of the British Churches came from their being exposed to the Fury of the Scots and Picts upon the Declining of the Empire of the West which was no more in a way of helping them and that several times there were Walls or Retrenchments made betwixt Scotland and England to preserve the latter from the Incursions of these Barbarous People 5. That the Britans being afterwards divided one of the Parties called to its help the Saxons whose Origine is here sought for that they repented it soon after and that the Britans were obliged to make War against them whereof divers events are described drawn from the Monastick Histories full of Lyes and at the same time very defective 6. That Armorick Britain was Peopled by a British Colony towards the end of the Fourth Age. There it was that Gildas Writ his Letter where he Addresses himself to Five Kings amongst whom England was divided and describes at large the Vices of the Britans to induce them to Repentance Lastly The Bishop of Worcester Relates the manner how the Prelates of England received the Monk Augustin who was sent hither towards the end of the Sixth Age by Gregory Bishop of Rome This Augustin being made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by the Pope desired to have a Conference with the British Bishops to whom he represented that they ought to embrace the Unity of the Catholick Church viz. to submit to him and the Pope All that he could obtain is that they asked time to consult and offered afterwards to Answer him in a greater Assembly There were Seven British Bishops and several Learned Men chiefly of the Monastery of Bangor whereof one named Dinot was Abbot The Result of the Assembly was That the Britans altogether refused to submit to the Church of Rome or to Augustin as their Arch-Bishop It is what Beda whose Authority is indisputable in these matters relates of this Conference It is yet found more at large in a M. S. published in the Collection of Mr. Spelman an Antient Britan in English and in Latin As there have been some objections made against this History and this M S. Dr. Stillingfleet Answers 'em at the end of this Chapter Thence he concludes that the British Churches are in the same case in relation to the Dispute they have with the Bishop of Rome as the Churches of Cyprus were in regard to the Bishop of Antioch who would fain be their Patriarch against their Antient Rights according to which they had a particular Metropolitan As the Council of Ephesus condemned the Bishop of Antioch who would extend too far the limits of his Jurisdiction If the pretentions of the Pope upon England be this day judged by the antient Canons he shall infallibly be condemned for striving to extend his Patriarchship in places where he hath not been acknowledged for above 600 years All the WORKS of James Alting Professor of Divinity in the Academy of Groningen Fifth Vol. in Fol. at Amsterdam Sold by Gerard Borstius 1687. THose that have read the Schilo of this Author his Treatises upon the Sabbath the Conversion of the Iews and his Theological and Philosophical Dissertations will not wonder that Mr. Becker Minister of Amsterdam hath taken care to Print all his Works Posthumâ— It hath been thought that the Style of Mr. Alting which is simple enough and sufficiently disengag'd from the terms of Schools would not be ill received in an Age where neatness is so much loved and wherein great words are no more taken for great things This is what may be judged by a general view of the Subjects to which this Divine hath applyed himself and by an Essay that shall be given here of his Method 1. We find in the First Tome an Analysis and Notes upon the Four first Books of Moses and upon the 24 First Psalms a larger Commentary upon Deuteronomy from the first Chapter until the XIX Vers. 11 and Lessons upon all the Prophet Ieremy The 2d contains besides the Parallel of divers Prophecies of the Old Testament cited in the New very ample Commentaries upon several passages of the Old Testament whose sense is given and whose use is shewn in Religion and Morality The 3d and 4th Volumes comprise Expositions of the same nature upon the whole Epistle to the Romans and divers Texts of the New Testament an Analysis of this Epistle and of that to the Colossians with Lessons upon the Epistle to the Hebrews from the beginning to the Ninth Chapter Vers. 10. In the 5th there are the Dissertations which have been already Printed with a very long Treatise upon the Nature of the Sabbath where 't is shewn it was altogether Evangelick Notes upon the Catechism of Heidelberg a Method of the Didactick Divinity Five Heptads of Theological and Philosophical Dissertations the First
THE Young-Students-Library CONTAINING EXTRACTS and ABRIDGMENTS OF THE Most Valuable Books PRINTED In England and in the Forreign Journals FROM THE Year Sixty Five to This Time To which is Added A New Essay upon all sorts of Learning WHEREIN The USE of the SCIENCES Is Distinctly Treated on By the Athenian Society ALSO A Large ALPHABETICAL TABLE COMPREHENDING The CONTENTS of this Volume And of All The Athenian Mercuries and Supplements c. Printed in the YEAR 1691. LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry Where is to be had the Intire Sett of Athenian Gazettes and the Supplements to 'em for the Year 1691. bound up all together with the Alphabetical Table to the Whole Year or else in Separate Volumes Or single Mercuries to this Time 1692. behind ye. scenes sit mighty we nor are we known nor will we be the world and we exchanging thus while we find chat for y m they work for us dy' e see that lady in e y e mask wee 'l tell ye what she comes to ask tho an unconscionable task t is how her louer fast to bind false as her selfe false as y e faithless wind that other brings her fav'rite flea with golden fetters lock and key if t' has a sting our thoughts does craue or only a tongue as other females haue thinking our notions too ieiune some take their aime at madam moon some bring hard queryes which we crack and throw the gazeing world y e kernels back here 's honest tarr who woud his crown afford were he paid off'ere he returns aboard to know what he must ask in vain when we shall beat y e french again euclid where art tho 't was before despaird now maist thou haue thy circle squar'd but art is long and thou most stay nor Rome was built nor athens in a day we know s r but too well your case some powrfull fachon right or wrong embrace or starue and dye without a place auoid you rowt of noisy fools once more you are not in our rules could we but please y e learned few which send from far we coúd dispence w. you whither lost wretches whither woúd you run by guilt or by unhappy loue undon what need you perish or despair if you 'd haue aid an angel shows you where this querys quickly understood he only asks-dye think his coffee good yet woúd croud in tho iust by th' door or uówd heed take our letters in no more these dainty nútts j múst not loose nor búrn my paws-b your leaue dear puss jf those that pút em there enq 〈…〉 t' was you not j that robb'd y e fil how sweet is interlopers hire all englands rarityes are gath◠〈◊〉 from unknown earth fire waâ—◠〈◊〉 thoúsands agree in such a gloria 〈◊〉 or else a moments work wou'd 〈…〉 with beak and talons j infest those cúckoes that invade my 〈◊〉 and if minerva yet supply my antient gift in prophecy all scab'd and old they in some hollow tree shall dye London Printed For Iohn Dunton at ye. Raúen in ye. Poultrey THE Young-Students-Library CONTAINING EXTRACTS and ABRIDGMENTS OF THE Most Valuable Books PRINTED In England and in the Forreign Journals FROM THE Year Sixty Five to This Time To which is Added A New Essay upon all sorts of Learning WHEREIN The USE of the SCIENCES Is Distinctly Treated on By the Athenian Society ALSO A Large ALPHABETICAL TABLE COMPREHENDING The CONTENTS of this Volume And of All The Athenian Mercuries and Supplements c. Printed in the YEAR 1691. LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry Where is to be had the Intire Sett of Athenian Gazettes and the Supplements to 'em for the Year 1691. bound up all together with the Alphabetical Table to the Whole Year or else in Separate Volumes Or single Mercuries to this Time 1692. THE PREFACE THE Learned Grotius tells us in p. 34. of his Epistles That the Athenians in their High Court forbad all Introductory Prefaces and Addresses because they hated Affected Ornaments and what was not to purpose in their Discourses VVe are as willing to follow 'em as possible and the Subject of this Book being Abstracts it wou'd be very disproportionable to make a Tedious Preface to it VVe shall only tell the Reader what he is to expect from this VVork and then leave it to its sate The Catalogue whereof it is compos'd was made by our Bookseller and a stranger to our Society and was publisht to the VVorld before we ever saw it or had the least notice of the Design The Collections being not over regular neither as to the sorting them nor which is worse as to the Subject Matter it self However the Design appeared so serviceable to the Age that Subscriptions came very plentifully in and the whole was put out to be Translated VVhen it came to be Revis'd by our Society and some of us had engag'd to VVrite the Essay and an Original Treatise on the Masore and punctuation of the Hebrew Text we found the VVork very dangerous and difficult especially in these particulars 1. Several things in Divinity were taken out of the Republick of Letters which pass'd through the hands of the French Divines and where there were such Doctrines laid down as we thought very unsafe to publish in a Protestant Nation where 't is impossible not to find some who are weak and unsetled in our Religion 2. Most of the Fathers that were promis'd had met with the same fate and were so much Iesuitiz'd that we knew no more of 'em but the Title the rest was what the Papal Interest was pleas'd to make 'em speak 3. There were several Titles of Books in our Booksellers Catalogue which were found in the Catalogues of the Universal Bibliotheque Journal des Scavans c. which those Authors themselves had barely set down and not made any Abstract of 'em So that 't was impossible to Translate what was not those Authors having forgot them VVe have undertaken to redress these Mischiefs and we hope in such a Method as the Age may rather be a gainer by the disappointment 1. As to the first we have prevailâ—d with our Bookseller contrary to his Interest to expunge 'em entirely and to make a better Catalogue in their Room as it was easie enough to do in so fair a Field of Collections amongst 40 or 50 Volumes which he had to choose out of 2. As to the Second VVe have consider'd the Learned Dupin's VVorks which are here translated as also Dr. Cave's Lives of the Fathâ—rs which with those Fathers that were not Corrupted in these Translations do altogether remedy that Evil and give a very handsome Account of what we found so miserably mangled and corrupted by the Iesuits beyond Sea 3. VVe cou'd have no remedy but to choose out other Subjects which we hope have exceeded those few that were thus promis'd and we dare venture the Iudgment of the severest Criticks upon it In fine the
History of Barbados and the Caribbee Islands fol. Lodges Translation of the History of Josephus fol. Ogleby's History of China in 2 Vol. fol. History of Africa fol. History of America fol. History of Japan fol. History of Asia fol. Plutarch's Lives Printed by Sawbridge fol. Rawleigh's History of the World fol. Rushworth's Historical Collections all the Parts fol. Rycaut's History of the Turkish Empire fol. Knowl's History of the Turks fol. Spotswood's History of the Church of Scotland fol. Andrew's History of Scotland fol. State of new-New-England in reference to the War with the Indians in the years 1675 1676 fol. The English Atlas in two Vol. fol. An Historical Relation of the Island of Ceylon in the East-Indies fol. Cave's Ecclesiastici or Lives of c. fol. Wheeler's Voyage into Greece fol. The Travels of Monsieur Thevenot into the Levant fol. The VVorks of the famous Historian Salust Philosophy PHILOSOPHY may be consider'd under these two Heads Natural and Moral The first of which by Reason of the strange Alterations that have been made in it may be again Subdivided into Speculative and Experimental Speculative Philosophy was mostly the Study of the Antients not that they were without some little of the Practick and Demonstration especially in Greece It wou'd be too long to run through the several Orders and Practices of the Eastern Philosophers where we may properly say Mankind took its Original that is discovered the ways of Living with safety convenience and delight The Chaldeans and Assyrians made some small progress before the Eastern parts but it was so dark mysterious and hieroglyphical and so confin'd to a certain sort of Men that the VVorld was but little the better for it but for a fuller Account of the Manner of its increase the different Sects that patroniz'd c. VVe refer you to the Abstract of Stanlyes Lives of the Philosophers which you shall find in this Book Our chief design in this Essay being to shew the Usefulness of it and the readiest way to attain it But first we must consider the distinction we have made of Speculative and Experimental and as much as possible Exclude the first for an indefatigable and laborious Search into Natural Experiments they being only the Certain Sure Method to gather a true Body of Philosophy for the Antient Way of clapping up an entire building of Sciences upon pure Contemplation may make indeed an Admirable Fabrick but the Materials are such as can promise no lasting one Hence 't was that our ever Famous ROYAL SOCIETY that Great Enfranchizer of Experimental Truth and Knowledge assum'd the Motto Nullius in Verba The great Vse then of Natural Philosophy whose true Origine depends upon Experiments is manifold one can scarce think of any Affair in a practical Life any Imploy Profession or Business whatever but may receive great Advantages from it Nor is the Usefulness of it in the private Government of mens Minds less than its Advantages in respect of their publick Practices This is very apparent if we consider that our Mind has a great dependance upon our Body's Hence the Poets wish had a happy Conjunction in 't Mens sana in Corpore sano the least disturbance to the Body incapacitates the Mind from a free and easie Speculation an unfortunate Blow sometimes wholly takes away the Use of Right Reasoning and on the contrary a healthful and sound Body facilitates the Labours of the Mind Now no Man can be so insensible as not to see the vast Usefulness of this Science to the Body and how properly 't is call'd Natural Philosophy not to mention the great Delight and Satisfaction the Mind receives in Theory of it either by Converse or Reading But when we come to Practice all the World agrees in a common Suffrage All the Mechanick Arts acknowledge the Usefulness both in new Inventions and Improvements of what things are already found out Merchandize the main Sinew of Bodies Politick ows its great Assistance to the Invention of the Compass and if Encouragement were given no doubt but the Method of finding out a Longitude at Sea might make this universal Correspondence of Nations more safe speedy and by consequence more Advantagious we being very well satisfied that such a Task is not impossible But Experiments are not only confin'd to the Sea abroad All domestick Affairs have a very great share in this Study and the Benefits accrewing from it as Instruments for the Help and greater Perfection of the Senses than former Ages knew of viz. Microscopes Otocoustions c. Engines and Devices for the speedier making of all Manufactures Now Methods of Improving Lands restoring the Barrenness of Soyl Management of Agriculture The bettering of Corn Fruit c. in short for the greatest Advantages of a laborious Life which Adams Transgression has subjected his Posterity to As to Moral Philosophy the well governing of Mens Lives and Manners it has been a Subject very nobly treated on by Cato Seneca Epicurus Epictetus and several of the Antient Philosophers 'T is a faint Essay to Christianity and those Precepts that have been laid down by those Great Men are so far both beyond the Knowledge and Practice of most Christians that we doubt not but at the day of Judgment they will condemn them We might add more and say we doubt not but that they may easily be sav'd and share of as great Degrees of Glory as many Christians Ro. 2.14 compar'd with v. 12. shews that Heathens have a Law of Nature which dictates the Notions of God Justice Temperance c. and that they shall be judg'd neither by the Precepts of Christianity or Law of Moses but by this Law and if they sin against it they shall perish by it Now 't is plain that the Antithesis holds that if they act agreeably to it they shall be saved by it Nor will that Text exclude 'em that says There 's no name under Heaven given whereby we may be saved but by the Name of the Lord Iesus For it 's a plain Consequence that if they believe on God they also believe virtually in Iesus Christ who is of the same Essence or one God with his Father that this virtual Belief is that which will save Men and not the bare Nominal Letters that make up the Name of Iesus Christ is plain from the different Sounds and Expressions in different Nations Besides if we believe on Emanuel Shiloh c. 't is the same thing and this is yet plainer when we consider that some good Christians born deaf and dumb have by outward Signs and Motions receiv'd a very fair Idea or virtual Knowledge of Iesus Christ and have liv'd and dy'd without ever hearing of the Name Lastly without this virtual Power all Children wou'd certainly be damn'd whether baptiz'd or not which the Christian Church never yet believ'd since it was a Church But to leave this Digression the Advantage and Use of Moral Philosophy can't want a high Recommendation when we see
said also that Usher was a Bishop that he had made because that he had appointed him so without being sollicited to it by any person this Election was made in 1620. Returning into Ireland sometime after he was oblig'd to discourse some persons of Quality of the Roman Religion to administer to 'em the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy that they had refused to the Priest this discourse is inserted in his Life he remarks the form of this Oath is compos'd of two parts the one positive in which they acknowledge the King is Soveraign in all cases whatsoever and the other negative in which they declare they acknowledge no Jurisdiction or Authority of any strange Prince in the estates of the King he says afterwards in regard of the first part that the Scripture commands that we submit our selves to the Higher Powers and that we ought to acknowledge that the power the Kings have whatsoever it may be is Supream as they are Kings upon which he cites this verse of Martial Qui Rex est Regem maxime non habeat That one ought well to distinguish the power of the Keys from that of the Sword and the King of England does not exact an acknowledgment of the same power that is possess'd by the Bishops but nevertheless the Kings may interest themselves with Ecclesiastical Affairs in as much as it regards the body since according to the Church of Rome 't is the Magistrates duty to punish Hereticks For that which regards the second part of the Oath where it 's said that we shall not own any strange power as having any Iurisdiction Superiority Preheminence Ecclesiastical or Temporal in the Kingdom He says that if St. Peter were still alive he would willingly own that the King had this Authority in Ireland and that he us'd the same in regard of all the Apostles that the Apostleship was a personal dignity which the Apostles have not left hereditary to any but nevertheless suppose it was so he sees not why St. Peter should leave it to his successors rather than St. Iohn who outliv'd all the Apostles that there was no reason to believe that St. Peter shou'd leave the Apostolical Authority to the Bishops of Rome rather than to those of Antioch this last Church being founded before the first The King writ to Vsher to thank him for this Discourse which produced so good effect He afterwards went into England by the King's order to collect the Antiquities of the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland and publish'd two years after that his Book intituled De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britannicarum 'T was in that time that the King made him Arch-Bishop of Armagh The Winter following he caused to be brought before him the Order for Toleration of the Roman Catholicks and the Lord Falkland then Deputy for the King in Ireland convocated and assembled the whole Nation to settle this Affair But the Bishops call'd by the Primate oppos'd it with much heat as may be seen by a Remonstrance sign'd by ten Bishops besides the Primate and which is in the 28th page They also spoke of raising some Forces by the Joynt consent both of Catholicks and Protestants to hinder any differences that might arise in the Kingdom the Protestants refus'd to consent thereto and wou'd not hearken to discourse the Primate thereupon in the Castle of Dublin altho' his reasonings were founded upon the principal Maxims of the Government of Ireland and maintain'd by Examples drawn from the Antient and Modern Histories of that Kingdom During the time our Primate stayed in Ireland after he had performed the Duties of his Charge which he acquitted with extraordinary care he employed the remaining part of his time to study the fruits whereof were to be seen in 1631. in the first Latin book which he ever published in Ireland 't is his History of Godescalch Monk of the Abby of Orbais who lived in the beginning of the 6th Age there was soon made a small abridgment of the History of Pelagianism which was then extreamly dispersed through Spain and England when he comes to the History of Godescalch he explains his Doctrine and shews by Flodoard and other Authors of that time that those sentiments whereof Hincmar Archbishop of Rhemes and Rabanus Archbishop of Maynce accused him and which were condemn'd by their Authority in two Councils were the same that St. Remigius Archbishop of Lyons and the Clergy of his Diocess defended openly many opinions and odious consequences according to Vsher were fathered upon Godescalch because that this Monk who maintained the opinions of St Augustine about Predestination and Grace did not at all understand ' em Ioannes Scotus Erygenus wrote a treatise against him in which are to be found the principal heads of Vsher but Florus Deacon of the Church of Lions answers it and censures him in the Name of all the Diocess Vsher gave an abridgment of this Censure as also of divers other treatises as that of St Remigius Pudentius Bishop of Troy Ratramus Monk of Corbi who writ against Scotus for his defence of Godescalch there had been two Councils which established the doctrine of this Monk and condemn'd that of Scotus 'T is true that Hincmar published a very large Book against these Councils which he dedicated to Charles le Chauve as Flodoard reports who shews briefly what it is that this Book treats of but that did not at all hinder St. Remigius and those of his Party to convocate another Council at Langres where they confirm'd the Doctrine established in the former Councils and condemn'd that new one of Scotus These Controversies were still agitated in the National Council of the Gauls where nothing was concluded altho' Barancus and others voted that Godescalch should be condemn'd there On the contrary Vsher maintains that in an Assembly which was in a small time after his Sentiments were approv'd of Nevertheless this wicked Godescalch was condemn'd by the Council of Maynce to perpetual Imprisonment where he was severely treated because he would never retract his Errours There are still two Confessions of his Faith by which one may see there are many things attributed to him which he never believ'd after having made a faithful report of the Sentiments of this Monk and those of his Adversaries Vsher concludes that it were better for men to be silent upon these matters than to scandalize the weak in proposing to 'em such Doctrines from which they may draw bad consequences There has been adds Mr. Parr and always will be different Opinions upon the great and abstruse Questions of Predestination and Free Will which nevertheless may be tolerated in the same Church provided those who maintain these divers Opinions have that Charity for one another which they ought to have That they condemn them not publickly That they abstain from mutual Calumnies and that they publish no Invectives against those who are not of the same Sentiments To return to the Life of our Prelate who altho' he
took all imaginable care that the Roman Religion should not make any progress in Ireland yet it stole in by the negligence of other Bishops insomuch that that Party which maintain'd it did sensibly increase and grow strong It was this that oblig'd King Charles the first to write a Letter to the Primate of Ireland which is to be found in page 38. wherein he authorizes him to write Letters of Exhortation to all the Bishops of Ireland that they shou'd discharge their duty better than they had done About the latter end of the year 1631. Vsher makes a Voyage into England where he publish'd a small English Treatise concerning the Antient Religion of Ireland and of the People which inhabited the North of Scotland and of England he shews in this Treatise how it was in respect to the Essential parts of the same Religion which at present is establish'd in England and which is very forreign to that of the Roman Catholicks The year following our Arch-Bishop return'd into Ireland and publish'd a Collection intituled Veterum Epistolarum Hibernicarum Sylloge whereof the first Pieces were written about the year 1590. and the last about 1180. there one may learn the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Ireland In 1639. which was seven years after he publish'd his Book intituled Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates wherein he inserted the History of Pelagius and his Sentiments There are to be found the Antiquities of the most distant Churches of Great Britain since Christianity was Preached there that is to say since about 20 years after the death of Jesus Christ. In 1640. Vsher makes a Voyage into England with his Family with design to return very soon into Ireland but the Civil Wars hinder'd him insomuch that he cou'd never return to his Country again T is said that in the year following he brought the King to sign the death of the Earl of Strafford but as to this Dr. Parr speaks very much in his Justification he afterwards shews us after what manner he lost all that he had in Ireland except his Library which he brought into England Strangers very much envyed this great man that his Compatriots shou'd offer him divers Places of Retreat The Heads of the University of Leiden soon gave him a considerable Pension and offered him the Title of Honourable Professor if he wou'd come into Holland The Cardinal Richelieu sent him his Medal and also proffer'd to him a great Pension with the liberty of professing his Religion in France if he wou'd come thither Our Arch-Bishop thank'd him and sent him a Present of Irish Grey-Hounds and other Rarities of that Country Three years after he publish'd a small Treatise intituled A Geographical and Historical Research touching Asia Minor properly so call'd to wit Lydia whereof frequent mention is made in the New Testament and which the Ecclesiastical Writers and other Authors call'd Proconsulary Asia or the Diocess of Asia In this Treatise there is a Geographical Description of Asia Minor and of its different Provinces as that of Caria and Lydia under which the Romans comprehend Ionia and Aeolia Vsher shews there 1. That Asia whereof mention is made in the New Testament and the Seven Churches which St. Iohn spoke of in the Apocalypse were included in Lydia that every one of these Cities were the Chief of a small Province and because of this Division they were chosen to be the principal Seats of the Bishops of Asia 2. That the Roman Provinces had not always the same extension but were often contracted or enlarg'd for reasons of State thus the Empire was otherwise divided under Augustus than it was under Constantine under whom Proconsulary Asia had more narrow bounds than formerly 't is remarkable that under this last Emperor Proconsulary Asia which was govern'd by a Proconsul of the Diocess of Asia from whence the Governor was call'd Vicarius or Comes Asiae or Dioceseos Asianae but this division was afterwards chang'd under his Successors and whereas every Province had but one Metropolis to satisfie the ambition of some Bishops 't was permitted to two of 'em at the same time to take the Title of Metropolitan 3. That under Constantine Ephesus was the place where the Governors of Asia met to form a kind of Council which decided affairs of importance and 't was for this that Ephesus was then the only Metropolis of Proconsulary Asia that the Proconsul which was Governor never submitted to the Authority of the Praetorian Prefect and that there was something so like this in the Ecclesiastical Government that the Bishop of Ephesus was not only Metropolitan of Consulary Asia but also the Primate and Head of the Diocess of Asia 4. That there was a great conformity between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government in this that the Bishops of every Province were subject to their Metropolitans as the Magistrates of every City were to the Governors of the whole Provinces This was the time wherein Vsher published in Greek and Latin the Epistles of St. Ignatius with those of St. Barnabas and St. Polycarp seven years after he added his Appendix Ignatiana where he proves that all the Epistles of Ignatius are not suppositious and explains many ecclesiastick antiquities he published the same year his Syntagma de editione 70 Interpretum where he proposes a particular Sentiment which he had upon this version 't is this that It contained but the five Books of Moses and that it was lost in the burning of the Library of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus and that Doritheus a Heretick Jew made another version of the Pentateuch and also translated the rest of the Old Testament about 177 years before the birth of Jesus Christ under the Reign of Ptolomaeus Philometor and that the Greek Church preserves this last version instead of that which was made under the Reign of Ptolomeus Philadelphus he also treats in this same work of the different editions of this version which according to him are falsly styled the version of the 70 this Book was published a year after the death of our Prelate with another De Cainane altero or the second Canaan which is found in the version of the 70. and in St. Luke between Sala and Arphaxad This last work of Vsher was the Letter which he wrote to Mr. 〈…〉 the difference he had with Mr. a friend of the Archbishops we shaâ—â— speak of it hereafter Dr. Parr informs us that in the Civil Wars of England Vsher going from Cardisse to the Castle of St. Donates which belonged to Madam Stradling he was extreamly Ill treated by the Inhabitants of Glamorganshire in Wales they took his Books and Papers from him which he had much ado to regain and whereof he lost some which contained remarks upon the Vaudois and which shou'd have serv'd to carry on his Book de Ecclesiarum Christianarum Successione where there is wanting the History of more than 200. years viz from Gregory the 11th to Leo the 10th from the year 1371 to 1513 and
afterwards in what manner the Apostles consecrated the Sabbath particularly by this passage of St. Ignatius to the Magnesians Non amplius sabbatizantes sed secundum Dominicam Viventes in qua vita nostra orta est But this matter hath been more largely treated upon by others and Vsher confesses when he read the Fathers he collected nothing upon this subject because he thought there was never any controversie about it produced amongst the Divines Those that desire to understand all the Antient Characters of the Saxons may find an Alphabet thereof in the 253 Letter from Dr. Longbain as also divers Letters that treated by the by of Chronological questions and Astronomy but as there is nothing compleat or very considerable upon these abstruse matters upon which few persons will give themselves any trouble 't was thought unnecessary to make any extract thereof I shall say but one word of the 267 Letter addressed to Lewis Cappel where our Archbishop takes against him the part of Arnold Boat the difference that was between these two Learned men may be reduced to these two heads First Boat believed there was very little variety of reading in the Old Testament as the differences of Keri and Chelib and of the Eastern and Western Copies and that these varieties were not to be found but by the means of the Massore and from the Hebrew Manuscripts Cappel on the contrary maintains that the number of these varieties are very great that they may be collected from many ancient Copies and particularly that of the Septuagint although much corrupted The Archbishop says also that we can't have such assurance upon this version where there are many prodigious faults and so very many differences that the Authors connot be made use of but as an Original very corrupt even without speaking of the errors produced by malice but there is no Book of the Scripture where they are so far from the Original as that of Iob which by the Authority of Origen and St. Ierome is proved that these Interpreters have cut off a great number of verses Vsher maintains after St. Ierome that they added and changed several passages He says 't was occasioned by malice to keep from the Greeks the knowledge of the Sacred Oracles having shewn in some places that they were very capable of translating it well had they been Inclin'd thereto as in the Book of Ezek. where they are much more conform to our Hebrew than in the other Books of the Scripture according to the works of St. Ierome These Sentiments of Vsher are not to be wondered at when we consider what hath been said of his opinion concerning the Author of the Translation of the 70. Secondly Boat and Vsher believed that they began to work at Massore immediately after the time of Esdras whereas Cappel maintains that it was not so much as thought on till 600 years after Christ Vsher endeavours to maintain his Sentiment by a proof drawn from the Gemare of Babylon Which makes mention of Certain Scribes who counted all the Letters of the Law and mark'd that Vau which is in the word Gachon Levit. 11.24 is exactly in the middle in regard of the number of the Letters c. On which occasion Usher speaks of Ioseph and tho he confess'd to Cappel that Philo did not know the Hebrew he agrees not with the Jewish Historian who had written his History in Hebrew as himself saith and who drew it from the Original Hebrew Vsher says nevertheless that he hath not done it faithfully As Ierome Xavier the Jesuite saith 't is not long since he gave the History of the Evangelists to the Persians which he hath adjusted as himself pleas'd Ioseph gave formerly to the Greeks the History of the Old Testament changing therein and adding thereto many things drawn from the Apocriphal Books 'T is thus that he says Solomon Reigned 80. years in stead of 40. and that he says David Left for the use of the Temple 100000 talents of Silver instead of 1000000 He adds to the Text an account of Moses Age from three years of the War he made with the Ethiopians and of Tharbis son of the Ethiopian King which conceived a great love for him c Vsher speaks also of the Samaritan Pentateuch from whence he brings 5. or 6 Copies first into Europe He believes that it was corrupted by one Dosthes or Dositheus which in the time of the Apostles was suppos'd to pass for the Messia amongst the Samaritans this is founded upon the Authority of St. Origen who assures us in express terms that this Dositheus corrupted the Pentateuch in many places He afterwards brings some passages in the Samaritan Pentateuch where he maintains that the numbers or the words were chang'd he even believes that Hebrew was intermix'd with the Greek Septuagint If that were true we ought not to be surpriz'd to find that this translation is more conform to the Samaritan text than the Hebrew Vsher also pretends that there is not more variety of reading any where than in the Greek Version Tom. 8. p. 174. The Antiquities of the British Churches in which is inserted the History of the Pestiferous Heresie introduced into the Church by Pelagius a Britain against the Grace of God To which is added an historical Exposition of the most important dispute about the Succession and State of the Christian Churches By James Usher Archbishop of Ardmagh Primate of Ireland The Second Edition Each part Corrected and Augmented by the Author himself At London 1687. in Fol. pag. 738. THE British Antiquities of Usher are composed of three parts the first containeth six Chapters and includes the fabulous History of the Progress of the Christian Religion in England since the year XLI of Jesus Christ to the year CCI. The Monks of the last Ages have almost entirely invented it and whatsoever truththere may be in it is so mingled with gross lyes that in divers places of the Pagan Fables are found more footsteps of truth than in these Monastick Histories Neither doth Vsher propose them as true he is so far from that that he advertiseth the Reader to believe nothing of it by these terms of the Epicharme Watch and Remember to be incredulous are the sins of Wisdom and by these words of Euripides there is nothing more profitable to mortals than a wise incredulity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it is certain that a great many men do but too much follow this maxim in our Age So it cannot be doubted but a great part of Christianity hath need enough to be put in mind thereof What is most likely in it to be true is according to the testimony of Gildas which hath been related elsewhere that some person Preached the Gospel in England towards the end of the Reign of Tiberius which continued here until the time of Dioclesian At least Tertullian and Origen reckon England amongst those Countries that in their time had
be found that almost none of these Ideas are distinct so that when the word is spoken to which it is applied we may perfectly know what is meant by it There are also according to them some of these words to which there hath been no Idea absolutely applied so that in some places of this dispute the two parties do very nigh the same thing that a French man and an Arabian would that should know their natural tongue only and speak by turns the lowdest they could and sometimes both at once without understanding each other and then each should boast to have conquered his Adversary This was chiefly what the opinions of Pelagius consisted in and those of his Adversaries touching Grace As to the election it seemeth Pelagius hath believed that there were two sorts the one to Grace and the other to Glory God hath resolved according to his Judgment to call certain persons to the knowledge of the Gospel that they might the more easily arrive at everlasting happiness This was the predestination of Grace He after that hath resolved to save those that he foresaw would persevere until the end in making good use on these favours This is the Predestinatiof to Glory which is founded upon merits whereas the other is purely of Grace St. Augustin in disputing against Pelagius hath confounded as Father Petau believes these two Predestinations and made thereof but one because according to his opinion all those that have received the necessary means to attain Salvation do infallibly arrive at it 'T was that made him exclaim so strongly against those that maintain'd Predestination according to works as if the Predestination to Grace was in question whereas they meant but the Predestination to Glory The year after the Council of Diospolis being Anno 415. there were in Africk held two Councils upon the same matter the one at Carthage and the other at Mileve Aurelius Bishop of Carthage presided in the first where were LXVII Bishops more met together also They had not as yet received in Africk the Acts of Diospolis but Eros and Lazarus had written what had passed therein and had sent their Letters by Orosius who was returned from Palestine to Africk It was resolved on the hearing this Relation to anathematize the opinions of Pelagius to hinder them from spreading any further and to anathematize him after with his Disciple Celestius in case they did not absolutely renounce these Errours After that they sent the Acts of the Council to Pope Innocent to engage him to condemn the same opinions The Council of Mileve consisting of LXI Bishops in which Silvanus Primate of Numidia presided did the same thing as that of Carthage Besides the Synodal Letters of these two Councils Innocent received particular ones from some Bishops of Africk among which St. Augustine was one The design of these Letters was the same as of the preceding ones the design being to incline Innocent to condemn the Doctrine attributed to Pelagius and to cite him before himself to examine whether he continued to maintain the same They insinuated that they might accomplish their end that it might be that Pelagius had deceived the Bishops of Palestine tho' they cou'd not positively affirm that the Churches of Africk might not be joined to those of the East Innocent answered the year following ccccxvii to the two Councils and to the Bishop that had written to him in particular He said he believed that Pelagius and Celestius did deserve to be excommunicated and that the former could not be purged at Diospolis but by Equivocations and by obscure expressions Nevertheless having received no new assurances from that Country and not knowing well how things had passed there he saith he can neither approve nor disapprove the conduct of the Bishops of Palestine He likewise excuseth himself in regard of citing Pelagius upon the distance of the places This Bishop writ these Letters at the beginning of the year and died a little after for the tenth of March in the Martyrology of Beda is marked for the day of his death After the death of Innocent St. Augustine and Alypius writ to St. Paulin Bishop of Nola to exhort him to oppose Pelagianism in Italy provided he was in a Condition of making any An historical Explication of the most weighty Question of the continual Succession and State of the Christian Churches especially in the West from the Apostles time until the last Age. By James Usher Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland Augmented and Revised by the Author London 1687. in fol. p. 191. THe principal difficulties which Roman Catholicks raise against Protestants consists in these two things that the Protestant Religion is new and that it was not remitted from the Apostles unto us whereas they pretend theirs is that of the Apostles and hath suffered no Interruption from their time unto ours Iohn Iuel Bishop of Salisbury hath undertaken in his Apology for the Church of England to shew on the contrary that the opinions of Protestants are conformable to those of the Fathers of the six first Ages Vsher was willing to answer the above cited difficulties in shewing that from the sixth Age unto the Reformation to wit during 900 years there have always been Churches in the West who have received the same Doctrines with the Protestants To that end he thought he ought to give the History of the Tenets and conduct of the Popes with those who have opposed their Usurpations during these nine Ages without mixing any thing of his own being contented to cite only the proper terms of the Authors who have spoken of those times for fear he should be accused of turning things after a more favourable manner for the Protestants This History had once appeared imperfect enough but now very much corrected and enlarg'd in this Edition and therefore we shall give a compleat Abridgement thereof We shall not however stay to relate what the Author saith as concerning the thousand years during which the Devil was to be bound and the time in which he was to be set free As there are as many different Sentiments as Interpreters upon this opinion and that there are but simple conjectures brought which are likewise subject to a thousand difficulties 1. Those who have a mind to be instructed therein may consult the Commentaries upon the Apocalypse At what year soever men relate the beginning of the thousand years whether it be from the Birth of our Saviour or from his Death and his Ascension or finally from the ruine of Ierusalem our Author equally draws his advantage as will be seen in the sequel It shall suffice to say that he divides his work into three parts whereof the first goeth from the seventh Age to the eleventh in which Gregory the seventh arrived to the Pontificate The second should have gone to Mccclxx but the Author could not continue it but to Mccxl. The third reaches to the past Age. So this work is far from being
than to hope for peace particularly since the Memory of M. Anthony de Dominis had been condemned by burning his body It 's known this Prelate believed that it was easie to reunite Religions by correcting some abuses in the Roman Church and Grotius saith of him Let. 37. p. 2. Marc Anthony de Dominis now saith Mass at Antwerp He followeth the opinions of Cassander only he attacks more openly Transubstantiation and some other Tenets I know not what he will say of changing his Religion if he says not that he hath not changed â—or he believes that the Religion of Protestants and Catholicks is the same Another thing which made Grotius despair of ever seeing Religious united was the establishing chambers for the Propagation of Faith whereof he complains in a Letter to the great Chancellour of Swedland dated Iune 29. 1639. Besides these matters wherein great Kingdoms have been interested there are several particular Histories in these letters whereof we shall here relate some Ambrosio Spinola Besieging Breda prohibited duels in his Army upon pain of Death His Son having afterwards transgress'd this Order was seized and condemned to Death but the Guards letting him escape he turned all his severity against them and hanged six of them He demanded his Son of the King of France into whose Countrey he was withdrawn to punish him but he had not his desire Let. 83. p. 2. Here is moreover another example of a Roman severity A Venetian Senator of the Council of Ten named Zeni after he had punish'd the Sons of the Doge who had done something against the State he was attacked by assassinates who wounded him in divers places The People running to him he was carried to his house where he ordered his Sons and his Men to take his Bloody Cloaths and thus to carry them to the Palace of St. Marc to call for Justice The Senate thereupon promised a great recompence to those who should discover the Accomplices some days after the Doge himself came to accuse his own Son who was withdrawn from the State of Venice after having done the Fact and was of opinion that a far greater reward should be promised to him who could deliver the guilty dead or alive into the hands of Justice Let. 166. p. 2. Grotius relates in the Letter where he speaks of Spinola which we have cited a History of another kind and which is more diverting He saith that a Courrier named Doublet who was sent in 1625 from Holland to the Ambassador of the States at Paris not knowing his aboad nor even himself made a pleasant equivocation Which is that having asked where lived the Ambassadour of the Low Countries he was carried to the Envoy of Brussels to whom he gave the Packet and immediately begun to speak of affairs of great consequence afterwards perceiving his mistake he got himself conducted to the Ambassador of the States where he yet committed another fault in opening his Port-mantle before those who conducted him and shewed them that there was Money in it after which going abroad about some affair he returned no more and this caused in the Ambassador a great uneasiness It was doubtless a great imprudence to commit matters of State to so unhandy a Man but Grotius relates another fault of a witty man which is as great if it be true He saith that famous Peter du Moulin was obliged to go out of France by reason of a Letter he had written to King Iames wherein he exhorted him to succour the Elector Palatine who was of late chosen King of Bohemia to which he added that the Reformed of France would see what they could expect from him in such an occasion These Letters being fallen into the Hands of the King of France M. du Moulin staid not to be bid to withdraw nor until he should be seized Let. 640. p. 2. Here are other Histories for the diversion of Naturalists and Philosophers Grotius assures us in Letter 361. p. 2. that the whole Court of England had seen in 1635 a man aged 153 years who was in good health but that he lost his sight 20 years before In the Letter 405. p. 2. a Souldier saith he lying in the Trenches before Landrecy was advertised in a Dream speedily to retire unless he was willing to be overwhelmed by a Mine which was going to play Scarcely was he up but the Mine blew up the place he lay upon This will surprize you but if you had M. de Saumaise he would relate unto you a History which he has of his Father A certain man who knew not a word of Greek came to see M. de Saumaise his Father who was a Counsellor at the Parliament of Dijon and shewed him these words which he had heard at night in his Dream and which he had written in French Characters as soon as he awaked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he asked of Mr. de Saumaise if he knew not their meaning Mr. de Saumaise said unto him that they signified Away perceivest thou not thy Death This man quitted the House where he lived and it fell the night following If this History is true it is assuredly surprizing It includes a prediction which may be attributed to some Invisible power who had advertised this man in a Dream of what was to happen the next day but here is another prediction which deserves not less our Relation Grotius not only made a kind of Horoscope of a great Prince who was born the fifth of September in 1638. In the Letter 1079 of the 1. p. directed to Queen Christine but foretold upon a simple passage that he would be one day a great Conqueror This Prince troubled several Nurses which were to be given him in biting the Nipple of their Breasts Fugiunt eum conquisitae ad hoc Faeminae saith Grotius Letter 189. p. 1. quod ubera earum morsicando lancinet robustus calidique Spiritûs puer non sine omine futurae rapacitatis Grotius seems to have taken delight in this thought seeing he repeats it in his Letter 1231. written to Barlaeus the following year Nutrices saith he non lassat tantum sed lacerat caveant vicini sibi à tam matura rapacitate The Fable teacheth us some such thing of Hercules whom Iuno was obliged to abandon after she had undertaken to Nurse him because he dealt too violently by her Paps See Diodorus Lib. IV. To finish the Extract which we are to make of the Historical things which are in the Letters of Grotius we need no more but to add some matters which concern himself Mr. Aubery who caused to be Printed some years ago a Book Intituled Memorials of the History of Holland hath made in this Book a kind of an abridgment of the Life of our Author where he praiseth and blameth him according as he thought him to have deserved either But it is astonishing that being a particular friend to this great man and having often seen him in the time wherein he
he durst not despise them he did believe it not necessary to make a party therein Our Author shews what pains St. Prosper and the Popes Xystus and Leo took to refute or to destroy Pelagianism and Semi-pelagianism It was in the same time that Vincent of Lerins made his Commonitory to wit three years after the Council of Ephesus He is suspected to be the Author of the objections that St. Prosper hath refuted under the Title of Objectiones Vincentianae this Commonitory was Printed lately in 12. at Cambridge with the Notes of Mr. Baluze and the Book of St. Augustine of Heresies Vsher in this same Chapter relates the Ravages that the Scotch and the Picts committed in England the arrival of the Saxons into this Island the manner how they became Masters on 't and the other events of that time Before that these disasters happened in England a Monk named Faustus retired from hence into the Narbonick Gaul where he became Abbot of Lerins and afterwards Bishop of Riez after Maximus whom he also succeeded in the Abbey of Lerins He assisted at a Council which was held at Rome towards the end of the year Cccclxii where it was concluded that every year there should be a Council held amongst the Gauls which should be convocated by the Archbishop of Arles There was assembled one in this City which ordered Faustus to express his Sentiments touching the matter of Grace and another at Lyons by the order of which he added something to what he had already writ because some new Errours had been discovered These Errours are those to which the Divines of Marseilles gave the Name of Predestinarian Heresie that some maintain to have been a real Heresie and others the opinions of St. Augustine We have no more of the Acts of these two Synods but the work of Faustus subsisteth yet It is intituled de Gratia libero arbitrio directed to Leontius Archbishop of Arles and very clearly containeth Semi-pelagianism Erasmus got it first printed at Basil in M.D.XXVIII and it hath been since inserted in the 8 th Tome of the Library of the Fathers Faustus sent the opinions of the second Council of Arles to a Predestinarian Priest named Lucidus to oblige him to retract his Errours and to subscribe this Doctrine of the Council His Letter to Lucidus is still to be â—ad and the answer of this Priest directed to the Bishops assembled at Arles where he declares that he condemns the Sentiments of those that believe that after the fall of the first man Free-will was entirely extinct That Jesus Christ died for all men that some are destined to death and others to life that from Adam to Jesus Christ no Pagan hath been saved by the first Grace of God to wit by the law of nature because they have lost the free Will in our first Father That the Patriarchs and Prophets and the greatest of Saints have remained in Paradice untill the time of Redemption This is almost a full Abridgment of the Book of Faustus Some learned men have maintained that Faustus had passed his Commission and that many of those that had assisted at the Councils of Arles and Lions had not subscribed his Book It is nevertheless difficult to believe that a Bishop that was very much esteem'd as Faustus was as it appears by the Letters of Sidonius Apollinaris Bishop of Clermont in Auvergne who makes his Elogy in several places and by Gennadus who praiseth this work it is I say difficult enough to conceive how he could have the boldness to attribute to a Council opinions which were so odious to the greatest part of 'em and to think the Members of this Council could not shew their Resentment thereof Neither do those who say that Faustus exceeded his Commission give any reason only that they cannot persuade themselves that there were so many Semi-Pelagians amongst the Gauls In our Author are the different Judgments that divers learned men have made of Faustus and the greatest part of 'em are not very favourable to him Baronius too speaketh ill enough of him So that it happeneth now to the Semi-Pelagians what did in times past to the Pelagians which is that those who believ'd their principal Tenets condemned them only because those who have been more considerable than themselves have formerly condemned them The Book of Faustus is not unknown it being carried to Constantinople where mens minds were divided concerning the Doctrine it contained Some maintained it was Orthodox and others Heretical as it appeareth by a Letter of Possessar an African Bishop who was then at Constantinople and who writ of it to Pope Hormisda in the year DXX to know his thoughts thereupon Persons of the first quality amongst which were Vitalianus and Iustinian who hath been since Emperour desired to be instructed what Sentiments the Church of Rome had of it Hormisda disapproved the Book of Faustus and sent them to consult these of St. Augustin of Predestination and Perseverance There was then at Constantinople a Monk named Iohn Maxence who writ an answer to the Letter of Hormisda where he compareth the opinions of St. Augustin and those of Faustus and desperately censures Possessar and those that maintained that the Book of Faustus was Orthodox It appears by that that Possessar was a Semi-Pelagian and consequently that the Councils of Africk had not been able as yet to submit all the Bishops of this Church to their Decisions The Vandals were become Masters of Africk during the heat of the Pelagian Controversies and as they were Arians they drove away a great number of Bishops that followed the decisions of the Council of Nice Thrasamond King of the Vandals had sent 60 of them into exile from the Province of Byzacene into Sardinia They were consulted from the East upon the Controversies of Grace rather to have a publick Declaration of their opinions than to draw instructions from them seeing those that did write to them had already taken party and condemned in their Letters not only the Pelagians but also the Books of Faustus Fulgentius Bishop of Esfagues answered in the name of the others and exposed the sentiments of St. Augustin in a Letter and in a particular Book directed to one Paul a Deacon The same Fulgentius made also other works upon this matter whereof several places may be seen in our Author He had composed seven Books against the two of Faustus of Grace and Free-Will but they are lost These African Bishops returned to their Churches in the year DXXIII which was that of the Death of Thrasamond as Victor of Tonneins informeth us in his Chronicle But Fulgenius had refuted Faustus before he had left Sardinia whence it followeth as well as from the Letter of Possessar that Binius hath not well related the third Council of Arles whose opinions Faustus had expounded in the year DXXIV. But this is not the only fault he hath committed he hath corrected or rather corrupted as he thought
drew Tears from our Author When he there saw that Threatning accomplisht that Jesus Christ had made to this Church when flourishing To remove it's Candlestick from it's place It fares little better with Pergamus whose Church formerly so fine is now composed but of 12 or 15 Families of poor dejected Christians Sardis has no way the Advantage Once the Capital of Craesus's Kingdom is now the retreat only of Beggars and Vagabonds which have a few Christians amongst 'em who serve only as Slaves to these Infidels But the Desolation of Laodicea surpasses all the others for it is absolutely destroyed and deserted There are still at Philadelphia 200 Christian Families who have four Churches where they assemble together which our pious Author omits not the observing that 't is an effect of the promises that Jesus Christ had made to this Church to preserve it in the time of Tryal that shou'd come upon all the World And Greece which he afterwards travelled into presented him with a Picture not less sorrowful for the Inconstancy and Vanity of humane Things than that of Natolia It was no small trouble to Mr. Spon and to himself that they cou'd not find the place where Delphos formerly stood and after a great deal of care and diligent Search they perceiv'd some Old Inscriptions that testified this City once so famous was now a Village call'd Castri upon the Hill of Parnassus Athens has not perfectly shared the same Fate It at least retains it's Old Name for the Greeks still call it Athini and not Satines or Saitenes as it is now read in the Modern Maps 'T is 2 or 3 Leagues in Circumference and is possess'd by eight or ten thousand Inhabitants who are all naturally of a great Wit and Politeness Tho' there remains no sign of it's Antient Splendour but the Ruines of some Rich Places and Noble Monuments Mr. Wheeler assures us next to Rome 't is a place that surpasses all the world for curious Pieces of Antiquity The chief of which he describes very exactly He observes amongst other things that there is in the Acropolis which is the Citadel the Ruines of a Temple of Minerva the Front of which is adorned with Historical Figures round about to an admirable Beauty Likewise he hath not forgot to mention the Stadium where they celebrate the Publick Games call'd Panathenaica 'T is built all with Marble in length about 120 Geometrical Paces in breadth 26 or 27 which had two parallel sides and was enclos'd Eastward and opened exactly at the opposite Point Yet saith he cou'd have no certainty of the Place where the Areopagite was no more than many others related to us in the Histories of former Times The Mount Hymetta which is but three or four Leagues from Athens is the most noted for it's Honey which is indeed the best of all Greece Megara is but a small Village with very pitiful Houses cover'd with Faggots and Turfs thereon And there 's nothing remains of the Antient Grandeur but the Footsteps of its Walls and a few Inscriptions that are not quite obliterated Something more considerable is to be found of the Town and Theater of the Isthmus of Corinth where they kept public Plays and observes the place they begun to dig a Canal to joyn the two Seas together in Corinth hath been more favourably dealt with by time than any of the former since it is at this day large enough to merit the Name of a Town at least it cannot pass for worse than a very handsom Village Tho' nothing is more worthy observation than the Change that hath happened to the Euripus if what Pomponius Mela and Strabo saith is true That in their time it Fluxt and Refluxt regularly seven times a day since Mr. Wheeler affirms That for two days that he staid there he saw no more motion in it than that of our Marishes and all the Inhabitants agree that this Flux and Reflux is sometime regular and often irregular according to the Moon As a Learned Jesuite found out who resided two Years at Negropont that it is regular and very little differing from the Main Ocean at the end of the Old Moon till the first Quarter of the New but at the other part of the Month it is irregular and changes 12 13 or 14 times in 24 or 25 hours In the end of our Authors Work he gives only a succinct Relation of his Return to Zant and from thence to England A New Relation of China containing the Description of the Particularities of the most considerable things of this great Empire Composed in the Year 1668. By the Reverend Father Gabriel de Magaillans of the Society of Jesus Apostolick Missionary and Translated from Portuguese into French by the Sieur B. Paris at Mr. Claudius Barbins 1688. in Quarto pag. 385. and is to be had at Amsterdam at Henry Desbordes ALthough after so many Relations that have been given of China since one Age or thereabouts it seems it is difficult to tell us any new thing thereof notwithstanding we are assured that in this there is scarcely any thing to be found that hath been seen in others and that it will appear to the Readers as new as it is curious Besides that the History of China is a matter rich and vast enough and therefore not to be so easily drain'd it 's pretended that the most part of those who have written thereof instead of making exact Recitals have said nothing on 't but what 's almost all Fabulous that others having written in a different intention to that of informing us of all the Particularities of this great Kingdom have omitted the principal ones or have spoke of them but by the By and that finally amongst so many Men that have treated of the same Subject scarcely was there seen one who could so Learnedly speak thereof as Father Magaillans and that had the same means and the same occasions of instructing himself therein It was therefore in all likelihood to Supply what was deficient in the other Relations that this Jesuite so well informed had composed his But as he dyed in the Year 1677. without having published his Writings and even without having finished it the Publick would have run the hazard of being deprived of all the Fruit that it might gather from this Work if the Translator who is said to be the Abbot Mr. Bernou had not drawn it from its Obscurity and Dust and had not put into a condition to see Light by his Translation and Notes and by all the care that he took thereof This Author begins C. 1. with the divers Names that the Chinois and Strangers give to China And he immediately noteth that it is an ordinary custom where some new Family becomes Master of this State they make it to lose it's name Under the Precedent Family it was called Tai-Mim-que that is to say Kingdom of a great Brightness But the Tartars which are now the Masters call it Tai-cim-que Kingdom
per voi e dovevate far la per voi e non per altri We thought that the Reader would be glad to learn the Adventures both of an History and an Author who have made so much noise And therefore shall proceed to the Work it self What had been Printed at London contained but the Antient and Modern State of Great Britain It is to be had entire without any thing cut off in the two First Volumes of this Edition except the Author thought it more expedient to reserve for the Fifth Volume any thing which was Historical The First Volume contains eleven Books whereof the First gives a brief account of the History and Religion of England whilst it had been possessed by divers Princes and bore the Name of Britannia to wit unto Egbert who reduced it altogether under his Power and gave it the Name of England or of Anglia at the end of the Eighth Age. There are in this First Book divers things very curious concerning the Druides and the Gods who were adored in England before the Faith had been planted in it The Author describes in the Second Book the Greatness the Situation the Provinces the Rivers the Cities the Bishopricks the Inhabitants the Fertility the Merchandises the Negotiations and the Buildings of England The Third Book is employed altogether upon the Description of the Famous City of London Here there is more exactness than in the very Writings of some English who have given the Publick the state of this Famous City and that of the whole Kingdom There is according to the supputation of Mr. Leti near Four hundred fifty thousand Souls in London and about Six Millions in the whole Kingdom The Fourth speaks of the Government and Priviledges of the same City as well as of the Factions which do divide it The Sixth describes the Humour of the English and the Application they have to Religion and to the Observation of the Laws of the Country The Seventh is a Continuation of the same subject and a description of the Laws and divers Customs of England The Eighth speaks of the strangers who are in that Country and chiefly of the French Protestants who have fled thither some time since In this is the Declaration of the King of France importing That the Children of those of the R. P. R. may convert at seven Years accompanied with political and very curious Reflections In the Ninth Book the Author describes the Three States of England the Clergy the Nobility and the People but particularly the first It contains the number and names of the Bishops of this time the manner of consecrating them their Revenues c. The Tenth speaks of the State of Roman Catholicks in England of their number of their Exercises of the Endeavours to bring in again their Religion of the Missions of Fryars and of the Complaints they make of Protestants The Author adds the Answer of the Protestants to these Complaints and shews by the Catholick Authors the Designs of the Court of Rome upon England and of the Intrigues it makes use of to bring it under its Yoke The last Book of this Volume contains the Policy of the Court of England and its Maxims of State The Second Volume is composed of Eight Books whereof the two first do treat of the Religion and different Parties which divide it Therein are to be seen the Disputes of the Conformists and of the Non-Conformists the Opinions of the Quakers of Anabaptists c. The Fourth contains the Foundations and the Rights of the Monarchy of England the Revenues of the King and other Particulars of this nature There are several things in this place which cannot be found elsewhere The fifth describes the Government of England the King's Council the Parliament and the divers Tribunals of Justice of this Kingdom Herein are the Reasons why Parliaments have opposed in so many Rencounters the Designs of King's which Strangers are commonly ignorant of The sixth speaks of the particular Government of Cities and of Countries as also of the Posts of Governours of Places of the Garisons and of the Land Forces and Sea Forces of England The seventh is a Description of the Court and the King's Officers and of the Royal Family The last speaks of the strange Ministers who are at London of the manner wherewith they receive Ambassadours there Residents Envoys c. and of the Priviledges they enjoy Here is the Description of those who were in England whilst the Author lived here He tells very frankly their good or ill Qualities and this is not a little useful to judge of their Negotiations and to know why the one succeeds without pains in his Designs whilst the other stumbles every where It were to be wished that all the Histories which we have were thus circumstantiated For as there would be much more pleasure in reading them so we might also profit thereby much more than we do We should know not only the Events but also the secret Causes the Intrigues and the means which have contributed to the great Revolutions and it is what may profitably instruct us What signifieth it to know in general that a certain thing hath happened in a certain Year if we do not know how and wherefore It is the Conduct of Men which serveth us for an Example and an Instruction and not the simple Events which of themselves are of no use to us But where are there Men so couragious as to write without Flattery the History of their Time Where are there Princes who are so just as to suffer that their Truths should be told to their Faces Where are there even Ministers of State who would permit that their Defects should be divulged during their Life Nevertheless it is but then that it can be well done for if in the time wherein things are fresh more than one half is forgotten much more are the following Ages deprived of the knowledge of a thousand particular Facts which have produced great Affairs The Author having thus described the State of the Kingdom in the two first Volumes takes up again in the three others the sequel of the History of England from Egbert and continues it unto M DC Lxxxii He hath disposed his Work after this manner that after having made all the Essential Remarks of the History of England in the two first Volumes he should not be obliged in the following to interrupt the course of his Narration The third Volume contains Six Books whereof the last is destined to the Life of Henry the VIII The fourth Volume is composed of Five Books the first whereof includes the Reign of Edward and of Mary and the Second that of their Sister Elizabeth In the Third the Author after he begins the History of King Iames who reunited the Three Kingdoms makes a Description of Ireland and Scotland and speaks of their Ancient and Modern State after which in the Fourth Book he composes the History of the Reign of King Iames wherein
a general Critique of all this History to which he adds some Reflections upon M. le Grand It was translated into French and had been published long ago had not M. le Grand busied himself in making a small Book against a Letter of Dr. Burnet and against the Extract of his History of Divorce The Author of this Bibliotheque had begun to Answer it but this xi Tome of the Bibliotheque which lay upon him alone and which could not be put by made him discontinue yet 't is hop'd that the Publick will lose nothing by this delay but may see once more if God be pleased to lend him health and give him leisure to shew that M. de Meaux is none of the sincâ—rest in the World And yet this Prelate has subject to reason himself since those who approve his Works have as little sincerity as himself At least Mr. Wake shews that what the Cardinals Capisucchi and Bona teach in their Works is a very different Doctrine from that of the Catholick Exposition concerning the Invocation of Saints and the Worship of Images Dr. Wake 's Adversaries were so long silent that the Dispute was thought ended but at last they broke silence about the middle of the year 1687 when was publisht a Reply to the Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England with a second Letter from M. de Meaux Dr. Wake a little after that made his 2d Defence which he divided into two parts in the first he justifies all that he advanced concerning the Expositions of M. de Meaux He brings many Historical Proofs of the difference between the old and new Papism or between the Speculative Doctrine of M. de Meaux and of the other Doctors of the Catholick Church and their common practice And examins in particular what Rome Teaches concerning the Worship of Images The Second Part runs upon the Nature and Object of the Divine Service upon the Invocation of Saints and upon Images and Relicks and upon the accusation of Idolatry which the Protestants charge the Roman Church with III. M. de Meaux's Apologist believed that to be even with Dr. Wake he should make a History of Controversies and presently runs upon Generalities that are not to the purpose he speaks of the Roman Catholicks Zeal and of the different methods that Rome has made use of to bring back those who have left her Communion but he has forgot the chiefest of them at least that which had most success which is her Persecution Then he comes to England jumps from the Monk Augustin to Henry the VIII makes some Reflections upon the Duke of Sommerset and on Queen Elizabeth and then like Lightning passes to the Reign of Queen Mary and then to Iames the 1 st to Charles the 2 d and then to Iames the 2 d. These Preambles gave Dr. Wake occasion to speak of several remarkable things which would be too tedious to mention here It will be enough to Remark two of the most important The First relates to the Dissentions of the Episcopal Party and the Presbyterians and the other to the Murther of Charles the 1 st 1. As to the First He acknowledges that many of those whom the Persecution of Q. Mary had Exiled were obstinate in the Form of Religion which they saw abroad but that this Spirit of Schism was fomented by Roman Catholicks who mix themselves with them pretending to be of their number In effect it was by the Roman Catholicks in 1588 that the Puritans begun to make a noise the Chief of them being Commin Heath Hallingham Coleman Benson were all Papists who thus dissembled and disguised themselves as appeared by a Letter which dropped out of Heath's pocket And it was discover'd that the Roman Catholicks had Colledges in Germany France Spain and Italy wherein the Students were brought up in Sciences and Mechanick Arts and they exercised twice a week to Dispute for and against Independents Anabaptists and Atheism it self After which they sent them to England to play the best game that they understood A Iesuit of St. Omers acknowledged that there were some of the Fathers of their Society hid for Twenty years among Quakers which is likely enough because the scruple these Fanaticks make of Swearing gives the Fryars the means of living among them being so exempted from the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy In 1625. the Jesuites published a Book Intituled Mysteria Politica or the Letters of some famous persons designing to break the League that divers Princes of Europe made against the House of Austria it contained Eight Letters equally injurious to France and England to the Venetians Hollanders and Swissers In the last the Author that counterfeited the Protestant forgot nothing which he thought proper to give a mean Idea of King Iames and to sow division between this Prince his Son and the Princess Palatine and between the Lords of the Parliament the Clergy of the Church of England and the Puritane Ministers Upon the Civil Wars of England and the death of King Charles the First Mr. Wake acknowledges that the fear of seeing Popery re-established made the People take Arms who since the Reformation had always horror for this Superstitious Worship But he maintains that the Papists were the first Authors of the troubles M. du Moulin Doctor of Divinity and Chaplain to King Charles the II. accused the Roman Catholicks with this a little after the Re-establishment of this Prince and not contented to prove it in his Answer to the Philanax Anglicus he offered to prove it legally or by Law there were then many alive that were ready to Swear that there was held a Consultation of Cardinals and Doctors of Sorbonne wherein it was declared That it was lawful for the English Roman Catholicks to push the King on to his ruin thereby to endeavor the Change of Religion and Government The Roman Catholicks instead of taking this Challenge made use of King Charles's Authority to hinder Mr. Moulin to press for the decision of this Suit And though the Book and Accusation remained without Answer for 17 years The Author renewed the Challenge in a Second Edition of his Work and dyed without being Answered none having Courage to undertake it They that do not understand English will find the most part of M. Moulin's proofs in the Politicks of the Clergy in the last endeavors of afflicted innocence And in Mr. Iurieu's Parallel betwixt Calvinism and Popery with some new reasons of the Author to which if we add what Mr. Wake has here the conjecture will be more than probable 1. In the beginning of the Troubles the King perceived that the Fanaticks were set on by the Papists Their Principles says he in his Declaration against the Rebels of Scotland are those of the Iesuites their Preachers Sermons are the style of Becan Scioppius and Eudaemon Joannes from whom they borrow their very Phrases The pitiful Arguments of their Seditious Libels are drawn word by word out
of Bellarmin and Suarez The means they use to make Proselytes are the pure Stories and Inventions of the Iesuites and false Reports and Prophecyes and pretended Inspirations of Womens Dreams as if Herod and Pilate were reconciled and had joyned to destroy Jesus Christ his Worship and his Religion In 1640 there was a design discover'd to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury That the Pope the Cardinal of Richlieu and several English Roman Catholicks but especially the Iesuites were engaged together and that what they proposed was to cause a Rebellion in Scotland as was done a little after this is certain for the Histories of those times have it all at length Sir William Boswel was then King Charles the First 's Resident at the Hague he was told of this Conspiracy and that the Roman Clergy misled the English giving them hopes of a Presbyterian Government That there were Indulgences from Rome and Dispensations from the Pope approved by a Congregation of Cardinals that suffered Scholars to be instructed to Dispute against the Episcopal Party and against the Liturgy of the Church of England That in the space of a years time 60 Priests and Fryars went from France to England to Preach the Scotch Doctrine and to endeavor to destroy the Bishops whom they looked upon as the only Supporters of the Crown Arch-bishop Bramhall being in France some time after the King's death learned there how this business was manag'd In 1646 about 100 Popish Clergymen crossed the Seas and being Mustered in the Parliament Army they kept Correspondence with the Catholicks that served the King and acquainted them with what passed every day The ensuing year having deliberated among themselves whether the King's death would not be an advantage to their Cause and main Business they concluded in the Affirmative But some Priests and Fryars were of opinion to Consult the Universities and among others that of Sorbonne which made Answer That for the good of Religion and Interest of the Church it was lawful to alter the Government especially in a Heretick Countrey and that so they might take off the King with a safe Conscience Father Salmone in his History of the Troubles of England Printed in France with the King's Priviledge makes mention of two Companys of Walloon Catholicks which the Parliament had in it's Service and that at Edge-Hill-Fight there were many Popish Priests found among the dead of their Army After all these Proofs if one does but consider the Principles of both Religions it will be easie to find the true Authors of King Charles's Death It is certain that the Reformed had not Pastors at the Court of Vienna nor in Italy nor in Spain to cause Rebellions or beset the Prince and make them violate the Priviledges of their Subjects But it must be confest that they were for a Common-wealth as their Adversaries accuse them and not that they did not obey a King as freely as they would States it was because they loved Peace and Liberty and that after the Example of Common-wealths they sought quietness suffering others to do as they please Their Doctrine and Discipline dispose them equally for a Peaceable Life All their Ministers may Marry and because this is a Grave and Staid State there are few but do Marry When one is engaged in such firm Tyes there are but few that think of Removing or Seeing and Travelling the World whereas those that serve the Roman Church have no greater engagement than that of a Mistress which they may break at pleasure and which they always do when a good occasion serves or when they are sent into other places by their Superiors Moreover the Popish Conspirations against Q. Elizabeth and King Iames the First without mentioning other Princes make it more suspicious that the Monks were the contrivers of King Charles's death What could not they do against a King who did not love them and that is certainly dead in the Profession of the Protestant Religion since they have Sacrificed the Repose and Restitution of both his Sons whereof the latter has declared in Ascending up to the Throne that he was of their Communion After a step of that consequence one should think that the Roman Church had reason to be satisfied and that they should study to blot out the remembrance of her past Cruelties by a more moderate and mild conduct But on the contrary it is well known how far the Jesuites have pushed this easie Prince and his Retractations are undoubted proofs of the Infringments they made him guilty of they may be seen in the Memorials of the English Protestants and in his Highness the Prince of Orange's now King William's Declaration which now are very common But if these Books and several others were lost and that one had but the King 's own Writing they would be sufficient to condemn that Society The Proofs that were brought that the Prince of Wales was but a CHEAT deserved to be otherwise destroyed than by Witnesses incapable of being heard to Swear according to the Laws of the Country Or of such as only heard a Woman Groan which they did not see or have seen a Child new-born without being sure that it was the Queen's To examin a business of this consequence and to prevent Civil Wars there ought to be a Free Parliament according to the Custom of the Nation And though all England desired it yet the Roman Catholicks stay'd the King a long time from calling it to give all along the marks of their bad intentions IV. It is time to give an Idea of each of these Treatises In the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England Dr. Wake follows the Bishop of Condom's Order and in explaining his Doctrine he shews wherein it agrees or disagrees with Popery as Mr. de Meaux explains it and according as the other Doctors Teach it There is a Preface in the beginning where the Author examins the Principle by which the Expositor pretends to justifie the Tenets of his Church which is that it is unjust to impute the consequences of a Tenet to Adversaries that deny them Which is true when they deny as well in deed as in word And thus the Contra-Remonstrancers are to be excused that make God the Author of Sin for this Inference can lawfully be made out of their System of Absolute Predestination Nor can it be imputed to the Lutherans that some of them believe that Iesus Christ ceased to be Man and was Transformed into a Deity after his Ascension though this is a clear consequence from the Doctrine of Ubiquity The reason is not that Contra-Remonstrants fear these consequences but because they do not influence neither their Worship nor their Practice and because they Teach contrary Doctrines to these Principles If in stead of this the first had maintained that a Man was but a Machine that had neither Liberty Vice nor Vertue nor Punishment nor Reward and that all is necessary to God himself And if the other affirms
which the Thunder had given to all the Needles that were in Grofton's Vessel was so strong that tho' they were turn'd with ones Finger to the first Situation it wou'd always return with great violence to that Position which it received by means of the Thunder and these Compasses cou'd never be recover'd 2. 'T was observable that there was a notable Change in the Temperature of the Air of America since the Europeans went thither and especially such Places as the English have rendred themselves Masters of Either it is to be attributed to the Cutting down of the Wood or the cultivating the Earth which the Savage Inhabitants took no care of or to some unknown Cause As it has happen'd in Ireland which being less cultivated than it was before the late and bloody Wars of England there being fewer People than there was is however much more Temperate for it has been sometimes two or three Year without either Snow or Ice during the Winter whereas before that it used to be two or three several times in a Winter and continue fifteen Days or three Weeks together with so much Violence that not only the Lakes but the most rapid Rivers were covered with Ice 3. There is nothing more rare than a Horned Beetle That which is found in the Woods of Virginia has this Particular only proper to it self That where it tarries upon the Body of a Tree or ordinarily rests it self it begins to sing with a very shrill Voice raising it by little and little with so much force till all the Wood ecchos with the sound and afterwards it diminishes with the same proportion until it makes so gentle a Murmur that it seems almost asleep and then flying upon another Tree it begins and ends his Song after the same manner 4. Those who believ'd it was a particular Quality of the Thames only to recover its natural Sweetness after it has been putrified and that this wonder is to be met with no where else know not that the Water of New London in New England hath the same Virtue of recovering its first Sweetness after an Insupportable stinking 5. M. Iosselin affirms That the Testicles of the Animals that we call Musquash smells as well as Musk it self and he pretends to maintain it by Experience The Art of Navigation demonstrated by Principles and confirm'd by many Observations drawn from Experience By Father Deschalles c. IT cannot be deny'd that the Ancients allow'd the Loadstone to attract Iron But it is certain they were Ignorant of its propriety in causing the Needle that is touched with it to turn towards the North and the South This Wonder of Nature was not observ'd till towards the end of the twelfth Age and one may affirm that the true Science of Navigation begun but since this happy Discovery And this is likewise the Reason why we have no Account of the Ancient Authors that writ upon this Subject The time is not precisely known in which they begun in Europe to make use of the Loadstone for Navigation Some believe that Paul Venetian having made a Voyage into China about the year 1260. he brought this Invention from thence And that which confirms their Opinion is That in the beginning they made use of 'em in Europe after the same manner that the Chinese did also about the end of the last Age which was a kind of little Frog made of Linnen upon which they let the Loadstone swim in the Water to give it the more facility to turn towards the North. The general Opinion is That Iohn Gira Native of Amalphi who was a Citizen of Naples by searching into this new Knowledg invented the Compass about the year 1300. This Author pretends that its likely he might find out the manner of using the Needle but that the Flower de luce which in all Countries is placed beneath the Compass to mark the North sufficiently shews that the French have brought it to this Perfection Let it be how it will it 's certain that the great Navigations were made only in the following Ages by Christopher Columbus in 1492. by Americ Vesputius some time after and by Magellan in 1519. but never endeavoured with more Ardour than in these two last Ages to bring the Art of Navigation into its utmost Perfection F. Deschales hath collected all that has been said of it and hath treated of it in Latin in his Mathematical Course but as this Language is not always familiar to those who have the Conduct of Vessels no more than to many others who are curious to have some Intelligence of this Art he hath voluntarily render'd it into French much better than those who have written since Petrus Nonus that famous Portuguese Mathematician who began in the year 1530. and have done it after an obscure perplext and untelligible manner He first establishes four Principles upon which the whole Science depends The 1. whereof is the Course or Rumb that the Compass corrects which must be given very exactly 2. How much way the Ship makes 3. The Observation of the height of the Stars And 4. to describe the Line that the Compass makes In explaining these Principles he touches all other things that regard this Matter so well that in seven Books whereof this Treatise is composed it contains whatsoever is necessary for the Knowledg of Navigation He teaches for Example in the second Book the manner of observing the height of the Stars with the common Instruments and with others which may be very serviceable upon the Sea To which end he gives in the beginning of his Book the Principles of the Sphere necessary to Navigation In the third he forgets nothing that belongs to the Compass and in the fourth he explains the Nature Proprieties and Use of the Loxodromick Lines that is the secret Principle of this Art which few Persons understand How to make a right estimation of the way which the Ship steers is the Subject of the fifth Book In the sixth this Author explains all the Methods of correcting it by the different manners of observing the Latitude Upon which he likewise proposes the famous Problem of the Longitude for which the French English and Dutch have profer'd so considerable a Recompence and examins the Means that have been made use of all along to accomplish it In fine in his seventh he teaches many practical Rules very useful upon the Sea as the Method of keeping a Journal of raising the Plan of a Port or of a Coast all entire the means of knowing the Hour when it is full Sea on each Coast the History of the Periodic and running Winds that of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea c. He stops particularly upon this last Subject and after having examined and refuted the Opinions of all those that have yet treated on it he establishes his which attributes the Flux and Reflux of the Sea to one of the most common Principles which is that of Fermentation made in the Sea
Dissertation is extremely short the Reader is desired to consult it We shall only Remark that according to this Author St. Peter being upon the point of parting from Rome for England in the Year of our Lord LV he established Linus to govern the Church of Rome in his absence whither being returned in LXVI he found it without a Pastor Linus being dead during his absence A little time after being cast into Prison he established Clement in the place of Linus towards the time of the Pass-over in LXVII a few Months before his Death St. Clement held the See nine Years and eleven or twelve Days after which great Contestations arose in the Church of Rome which obliged St. Clement to quit the Episcopacy It would not be permitted if we believe Vandelin that St. Clement should succeed in the See of Rome by virtue of St. Peter's Testament fearing lest this Example might render the Episcopacy Hereditary and St. Clement having declared That if it was upon his account that these Contestations happened he was ready to retire in what place of the World they would have him he was taken at his word and Cletus was chosen in his place to whom Anacletus Evaristus Alexander Telesphorus c. succeeded in the order we have named them Vendelin believes that the first Epistle of St. Clement as it is commonly called was written by this Holy Man not in his own particular name but in that of the Clergy of Rome in XCV after the death of Anacletus and during the Vacancy of the See though according to him Evaristus had been nominated to succeed Anacletus so that this Letter was written during the most violent Persecutions of Domitian But Vendelin pretends that which is called the Second was written in a time wherein the Christian Church enjoyed an entire Peace in LXXV after which account the second would have been written twenty Years before the first He grounds what he says chiefly upon a Letter of Denys Bishop of Corinth to Pope Soterus written about the Year CLXVII where Denys speaks thus to the Church of Rome We have celebrated Sunday this day in which we have read your Letter which we always read for our Instruction as well as the former that Clement writ to us He believes the latter to be that which is called the second of St. Clements and that the other is the first which Clement of Alexandria calleth according to the Remark of Mr. Colomies the Epistle of the Romans to the Corinthians After the Dissertation of Vendelin are the two Epistles of St. Clement in Greek and Latin the first of the Version of Iunius and the second translated by Vendelin Mr. Colomies hath joined to it little Notes where 1. he corrects some places of the Text which Iunius had ill transcribed from the Original For Example from the first Page there is according to the Edition of Iunius That Grace and Peace which come from God-Allmighty through Iesus Christ be abundantly poured upon you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. upon every particular Person amongst you and upon one towards another We have thought most dear Brethren a little later then we should have done upon what you have demanded of us by reason of the evils and accidents which happened to us c. but according to the MS. of Alexandria the Phrase is much more clear since there it is That Grace and Peace c. be given to you abundantly by reason of the unforeseen Evils and Accidents which have happened to us one after another we have thought c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Colomies Remarks also in a place or two wherein the Original was not observed but these Passages are not of the same Importance with that which we have cited 2. Some Conjectures are in these Notes and varieties of Reading taken from Clement of Alexandria who has several times cited St. Clement of Rome which places are all marked here as well as the rest of the Ancients who have cited the latter Clement 3. Mr. Colomies in some places corrects the Latin Version 4. He Expounds divers words of the Original 5. Upon the occasion of St. Clement he makes some critical Observations about Ecclesiastical History Thus also upon what St. Clement saith § 21. of the death of St. Peter and St. Paul he affirms that the time of their death is not certain A Council held at Rome under Pope Galasius says that the Hereticks pretend that St. Peter and Paul received the Crown of Martyrdom in divers times nevertheless it was the Opinion of Iustin Martyr and St. Irenaeus who said St. Paul died five Years after St. Peter Philastrius also reckoned amongst Hereticks those who give the names of the Seven Planets to the days of the Week though St. Ignatius and Iustin Martyr followed the received Custom therein St. Clement in Chapter 28th cites a Passage of the Psalms under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writing upon which it 's remarked that Mr. Vossius was mistaken when he saith that this word was found out by Aquila and that seems to teach us that the word Chetoubim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Writings to mark the Psalms Proverbs Iob and the other Books which the Iews comprise this day under this name is not new 2. There have been in England several Learned Men who having consumed all their Life in the study of Antiquity seem to have studied only for their particular Satisfaction without caring to impart to the publick their admirable knowledge therein Such was Richard Thomson Gerard Langbaine and Matthew Bustus whose few Writings which remain amongst us serve for almost nothing but to discover to us what these great Men might have done had they been willing Mr. Colomies adds Thomas Bruno Chanon of Windsor who left several Collections with his Friend Mr. Vossius but of which there is scarcely any thing that is fit for the Press The Dissertation which we have of it here De Therapeutis Philonis adversus Henr. Valesium was by good Luck ended and it is to Mr. Vossius who communicated it to Mr. Colomies that the Publick is indebted Amongst the Works of Philo is found a Treatise of a Contemplative Life where he describes the Esseans manner of living who dwelt near Alexandria and solely applied themselves to Contemplation There were Esseans spread through all Egypt who sent the most virtuous amongst them to inhabit a Hill which is near the Lake of Maria in a Place agreeable enough and which is not far from Alexandria They lived there after a Devout manner and very austere and Eusebius thought that when St. Mark went to Preach the Gospel into Egypt he converted them to the Christian Faith Ioseph Scaliger hath very bitterly reprehended Eusebius for saying so and many times that these Therapeutes as Philo calls them never were Christians but only Essean Jews Mr. Valais in his Annotations upon Eusebius holds with Scaliger that the Therapeutes did not embrace Christianity