howsoeuer he may perhaps differ in opinion from either side yet in charitie he may be vnited vnto both And for no other cause is hee more maligned by the hot-spurres on either part then for seeking to procure peace and concord betwixt them and for doing his best endeauour to make vp the great schisme and rent of the Church that againe wee might come to be all one body Which misery an olde Father was wont long agoe to lament in these words that may be very well applied to our times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth Nazianzen after hee had done speaking of mens maintaining their sides and factions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Whosoeuer keepe a middle â—ourse and follow after peace are ill used on both sides being either contemned or fiercely opposed of which number we being c. For the Papists I haue nothing to say to them now But I haue heere to doe with such kind of men who striuing to runne as farre from Papists as they can haue also vnaduisedly runne withall beyond the bounds of Truth These are the Men that with incredible pride and arrogancy despise all Antiquity that most superciliously contemne the ancient and holy Fathers that studie all they can how to abrogate and abandon all the ancient Constitutions of the Church and in the meane while that arrogate to themselues a power of making what Lawes they list of appointing Ceremonies at their pleasure and of bringing in such a discipline which the Christians of olde neuer heard of as if they had beâ—ne created the only perpetuall Dictators and Gouernours of the Church of Christ And though they haue no regard at all of any publique tranquillitie refusing to giue way but to the least thing that may make for the peace and vnitie of Christians yet neuertheles they would faine beare vp their credit and for a colour of their bad intents make vs beleeue they are wondrous zealous men Of which sort of men that he was one whosoeuer was the Author of this Booke which these Impostors haue published vnder Is Casaâ—bons name and that he was no meane one neither but a chiefe champion among them I thinke no body will make question that will but runne ouer the booke and of those infinite places which prooue the same most plainely will but a little more narrowly marke a few There being I suppose scarce any writing extant in this kind which doeth more clearely and euidently argue what an insolent peruerse and rash Author it had A man would verely thinke that hee was one whoâ— had proclaimed open warre and defiance to all Antiquitie or one that being starke-staring mad with noueltie and fury would abandon all the ancient Customes and Constitutions of our Forefathers The Booke indeed by the Title is pretended to be written against Papists but in effect it prooues as aduerse to the Primitiue as to the Popish Church And whereas the Church of England cutting off such corruptions as crept in vpon her in declining ages hath retained many of the Sacred Rites and Ceremonies which the ancient Church had yet she is also cunningly stricken at through the Papists sides with so much the more danger by how much the more craft and close subtiltie it is done Therefore let this be the first Argument of all the rest to prooue that Casaubon neither was nor could be the Author of this Booke For who was it that euer reuerenced the gray haires of Antiquitie more then hee Who euer without iniuring the holy Scriptures â—steemed more highly of the ancient Fathers And for the Church of England what should I neede to speake of iâ— whose Doctrine and Discipline Rites and Ceremonies hee did so much approoue and embrace that hee could neuer seeme to himselfe to haue commended and magnified it enough Though there were none of his workes and writings left behind him out of which it might be gathered and demonstrated what his mind was herein yet there be many graue and religious men still liuing whom I could call to witnesse how often they haue heard him professe and declare at large that he was thus affected But there will be no neede of that seeing his owne Bookes are euery where extant to confirme it For howsoeuer hee had neuer any occasion offered him purposely and ex professo to handle this Argument yet seeing all his Workes that belong to matters Ecclesiasticall and Diuine haue nothing in them not onely contrary or auerse from the vse and customes of this Church but what is altogether agreeable to the Canons and Constitutions of the samâ— and which as occasion is offered doe euer and anon defend them the intelligent Reader will easily perceiue how willingly hee submitted himselfe vnto the Forme thereof rested wholly content with it And for this purpose there are not wanting most certaine proofes and testimonies occurring in many places of his writings which will be enough to stop vp the mouthes of the most impudent gain-sayers As when in his Preface to his Ecclesiasticall Exercitations written to his Sacred Maiestie he saith Qui Ecclesiam habeas in tuis Regnis partim iam olim ità institutam partim magnis tuis laboribus ità instauratam vt ad floreÌ„tis quondam Ecclesiae formam nulla hodiè propius accedat quà m tua inter uel excessu vel defectu peccantes mediam uiam secuta Quâ moderatione â—oc primum assecuta est Ecclesiâ— Anglicana ut illi ipsi qui suam ei foelicitatem inuident saepe tamen ex aliarum comparatione illam cogantur laudare deinde c. that is Who haue in your Dominions a Church so established by former ages and so setled by your Maiesties Royal paines and care as no Church this day under heauen comes neerer to the flourishing estate and face of the Ancient then yours which hath taken the middle way betweene them that went astray on both handes by excesse or defect By which moderation the Church of ENGLAND hath got this speciall aduantage that euen such as enuy her happinesse are neuerthelesse oftentimes constrained to magnifie her in comparison of others Besides c. Whereunto these words agree in his Epistle to Cardinall Perron written though in his Maiesties name yet according to his owne sence and meaning Certò clarè ac liquidò sibi constare si notae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaerantur uerè necessaria ad salutem spectentur aut etiam ad decorum Ecclesiae nullam in orbe terrarum Deo vni sit laus gloria inuentum iri quae propius ad fidem aut speciem antiquae Catholicae accedat c. That it was most plaine and manifest unto him how for matters essentiall and truly necessary to saluation or belonging also to the beauty and decency of the Church there was God be thanked none in all the world to be found which came neerer to the faith and face of the ancient Catholike Church c. It wil not be amisse here to set downe his
Cyprian and S. Augustine say of it they that know any Antiquitie cannot be ignorant Againe hee tells vs that from this Custome their Abuse sprung vp who steeped the bread of the holy Supper in the blood of young infants and so celebrated the Sacrament What a most detestable wickednes of a man is this to ioyne the monstrous impietie of lewd miscreants that went for Christians indeede among the vnskilfull multitude but were nothing lesse the vniuersall practise of Christs Church together and to ascribe the wickednesse of heretickes to innocent and harmelesse men So the Pagans of olde what villanie soeuer any base fellow that was but thought to be a Christian had done they were wont to lay it vpon the true Christians themselues as the Writers of those elder ages haue so often complained But so true is it that this wicked bloodshed of infants sprang from the Custome of the Churches mingling water with wine whereof hee makes Alexander to haue beene the first Inuenter as that many of better authoritie then hee fetch the beginning of it from Simon Magus who was a whole hundred yeeres elder then Alexander And it was this Alexander also whom he makes to be the Reuiuer of Iewish Ceremonies in the Church and the first Inuenter of unleauened bread to be vsed in the Eucharist A wonder the man should be no more afraid of the Allobrogicall Consistory the Tribunall seat at Geneua where the same bread according as the olde custome was is vsed at this day In his ninth Chapter to mak◠〈◊〉 way for that which was to follow like a wise fore-caster hee begins to treat of the Religion and Rites of the ancient Romane people which Argument hee handleth iust like himselfe hauing no more knowledge in Antiquitie then what he could get from Bâ—ondâ—â— and Alexander and such other late Writers whom he cites euery where for antiquitie as witnesses beyond all excepâ—â—on yet for this hee is to bee commended though for nothing else that he doeth so ingenuously acknowledge his good Benefactors But how well this kinde of writing agrees with Casaubon to depend wholly vpon new Writers and neglect the olde let them say that are fit iudges in these matters But it made altogether for his purpose to explicate the Paynim Rites and Ceremonies of the Romans froÌ„ whence hee vndertaketh to deduce the whole Masse and to conuince it of Paganisme For his vndertaking let honest and moderate men iudge how laudable it is I know hee is not the first or at least the onely man that hath attempted it there haue beene those that would needes fetch the whole Religion of the Papists both in Faith and Ceremonies from Turks Pagans But sure I am that any such thought was very odious to Casaubon who was neither so inept to beleeue any such thing himselfe nor so malignant to perswade other men to it Which I speake not as if I meant to excuse the many and detestable superstitions of Popery no such matter But it is one thing faithfully to reduce errors and corruptions vnto their prime beginnings which many excellent men haue with great felicitie vndertaken and another shamefully to detort and bitterly to exaggerate all things for the bringing of them into hatred which the Author of this Booke hath most impudently done aboue all others that euer belaboured themselues in this kind And seeing the Church of England hath retained many things in her publike Liturgie that were before in the Romane Missall the one cannot altogether be accused of Paganisme without the opprobrious iniury of the other But wee said euen now and it is too manifest that this Pamphlet is in most things repugnant to the Church of England We will briefly point at some of them In the eighth Chapter The keeping of Lent is reckoned vp among those ordinances that be contrary to Christs precept Temples that beare the names of Saints are scorned and taunted at as if they were built to the honour of men and not to the worship of God Praying towards the East and the situation of Churches that way are condemned for inuentions of superstitious heretickes The Titles of Father and Reuerend Father which we vse to giue vnto Ecclesiasticall persons are traduced as being deriued from the custom of the Gentiles Confirmation of children is hoâ—ted at as the fond deuice of idle men that had nothing elâ—e to doe Through the Popes sides all distinction of Order in the Church is pulled apieces and a paritie of Eâ—aâ—gelicall Ministers set vp and maintained as Ius Diuinum The vse of a Surplice in performance of Diuine Seruice hee deriueth from the idolatrous Egyptians and againe those that brought it first into the Church hee sayth plainely were men inspired with the spirit of Numa Pompilius whom hee is eueâ— and anon calling the Magicianâ— All the Furniture and Ornaments of the Church as vessels of siluer Hangings and Tapisteries are condemned and scorned The vse of Musicke as well uocall as instrumentall in the time of Diuine Seruiceâ— hee doeth most reprochfully raile at affirmes that Numa the Magician and not the Bishops of Rome was the first bringer of it into Churches Dispensations for plâ—ralities of Benefices are but an old renewed custome of the Romane Idolaters with him and no Constitution of Christians And these with such other like monstrous absurdities he is not onely so impudent to affirme but he will needs betray and shew such great ignorance alâ—o to confirme them with reasons that a man cannot tell at what he should wonder most his ignorance or his impudence As for example first bringing that which wee alledged last of all concerning Dispensations and auouching them to haue come from the Romans he saith Ouer these Benefices the high Pontife had usurped a power to giue dispensation to whom he would for the holding of two together as in I itus Liuius it is related of Fabius Maximus who by a dispensation helde two Benefices when hee was created Pontife more then 200. before the Incarnation of â—esus Christ. These things to be spoken by a Pagan after the manner of our own times who would not marueile at But in Liuie there is no such matter Hee speakes not one word of a Dispensation That Fab. Maximus of whom Liuie here writes was neuer any Pontife neither but died when he was young Indeed his Father Q. Fab. the elder was said to haue had two Priesthoods as they call'd them of two kinds nothing like one anotherâ— but not two places or two preferments in the same kinde of Priesthood Forsooth the same man was Augur and Pontife too And not to tell you what Plutarch saith that the name Augur was no title of Magistracie or dignity but of Art and knowledge onely Liui's words are Eodem anno Quin. Fabius moritur c. Augur in eius locum inauguratus est Quin. Fabius Max filius in eiusdem locum Pâ—ntifexâ— nam duo
sends vs to Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was one Marcus saith Epiphanius of whom the Marcosians were so called Now who would not wonder what a monstrous blinde bayard this fellow is to make vs proper names of denominatiues as if a man should say there were two certaine famous Heretikes called Arrius and Arrianus But what is the madnesse of the Marcosians to the ancient custome of the Orthodoxe Fathers The Marcosian Heretikes vsed not their oyle for an indifferent Ceremony in Baptisme but made the vertue and efficacy of the Sacrament to depend vpon it insomuch that some of them neuer baptized their yong beginners if they were once anointed after their owne fashion with oyle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Epiphanius there Some of them thinke Baptisme superfluous A little after hee doth malapertly inueigh against the ancient Bishops as if they had permitted women to baptize which is a meere false tale Tertul. de vel virg Nonpermittitur mulieri in Ecclesiâ loqui sednec docere nec tingere c. It is not permitted to a woman for to speake in the Church or to teach or to Baptize c. In a case of extreme necessitie the very same Father saith that Laymen might doe it Wherupon the Church of England howsoeuer it alloweth not women or Lay-men to baptize yet the last being once done when necessity so requireth it doth not beleeue it to be void or to haue no account madâ— of itâ— In the meane while what a wicked and vngracious companion is this same Pseudo Casaubon of ours so impudently to bespot the integrity of the ancient Church with the foule imitation of the Montanists Marcionists Cataphrigians and such other rabble of Heretikes who permitted their women and â—heâ— their whores too to doe any thing whatsoeuer Then in his Eighth Chapter as if hee had all this while thought himselfe too modest he begins with open face as they say and a tongue past all shame to flie vpon the venerable face of Antiquity And first of all see how brauely he giues the onset Wherefore when errors came in and preuailed euen in the Apostles times Let no man hereafter thinke it strange that the Apostles Successors froÌ„ time to time adulterated the true vse and rites of the holy Sacraments As if it were all one that there were some Heretikes in the Apostles times and that the Apostles Successors were Heretikes themselues No body will deny but that there haue beene Heresies from the beginning of the Church or at least haue sprung vp not long after But if the heads of the Church immediatly succeeding the Apostles were tainted what hope is there that the rest of the body specially in after ages may bee sound Wherefore that which hee repeates by and by againe wâ— will not care to grant him that there were from the beginning of the Church many and infinite corruptions crept inâ— but by his leaue none of them were receiued by the Church or approoued by the godly Bishops and sound members of the same It is the open profession of the Church of England that shee doth wholly assent and firmely adhere to the doctrine of the first foure hundred yeeres and more That which the holy Fathers of those times deliuered and taught with common consent shee willingly imbracetâ— That which they did not teach shee forbids to be now taught vnto the people as necessary for them to beleeue which is apparant by that goldeÌ„ Canon ofhers as Casaubon was wont to call it made in a Synode Anno 1571. and set forth together with the Articles of Religion and confirmed by subscription of all whereby all Preachers and Pastours are bound That they should neuer teach any thing as matter of Faith religiously to be obserued but that which is agreeable to the doctrine of the Olde and New Testament and is collected out of the same doctrine by the Ancient Fathers and Catholike Bishops of the Church But a Gods name what are these so great corruptions of the Primitiue Church which this same swinger of Antiquitie hath made such a stirre withall Next and immediatly so hee sayes after the Apostles times there was a contention about a certaine Compromission of dayes when this holy Sacrament was to be celebrated and then they began to make Holy-dayes and appoint dayes of fasting c. That there were any dayes appointed for the celebration of the Eucharist in the Primitiue Church or that there arose any contention among the Bishops about it I thinke is this idle mans fancie onely and that no sufficient testimonie can be brought to prooue it For the innocencie and puritie of these first ages was such that as the ancient Fathers and other writers doe witnesse not onely any day but euery day was appropriated to this Sacred Celebration the Christians then for the most part neuer missing a day but they did communicate A long while after when deuotion began to waxe cold there grew a necessitie of making Lawes to meet with the peoples contempt of so great a blessing Then were times appointed chiefly to tie those that were so negligent and auerse of themselues But this dull Asse liuing perhaps among such as thought it religion enough to communicate once a yeere whatsoeuer he had read about the Feast of Easter which was a long time variously obserued hee applied most fondly vnto the time of receiuing the Lords Supper as if that had beene the onely appointed day for the celebration of that Sacrament But so hee goeth on the Apostles left us nothing in writing about Fasting and Feast dayes But so would Casaubon neuer haue written in a matter not meerely belonging to Faith who hath often admired and approoued of that Rule which S. Augustine giueth vs. Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec Concilijs institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi Apostolicâ authoritate traditum rectissimè creditur That which the uniuersall Church holdeth which is not defined by Councels but hath beene alwayes retained and used we doe rightly beleeue to be a Tradition of Apostolicall authoritie And for the obseruation of the Hebdomadasancta that Great and Holy weeke before Easter hee freely professeth his mind in his Exercitations Ego sanctissimam illam consuetudinem iam inde ab Apostolorum temporibus initia habuisse aut non multò post facilè crediderim I doe easily beleeue that either in the Apostles times or not long after this most holy Custome had its beginning In the same Chapter hee tells vs that Pope Alexander the first of that name who was the fifth from S. Peter as Eusebius writes in his Ecclesiasticall History lib. 4. c. 1. and one that was crowned with Martyrdom as other Authors testifie that this Alexander going about to reforme the Gospel of Christ was the first that inuented the mingling of water and wine in the Eucharist Concerning which custome what the practise of the ancient Church was and what S.
he wrote in the yeere of our Lord 1614. The French Edition of this Booke out of which this English Copie was translated anâ— re-printed is pretended to haâ—e been â—et foorth as I remember for I could get the sight of it but once in the yeere 1607 at what time Casaubon liued in Paris beeing sent for thither by the most Christian King Henry IIII. of France to bee Professor of Humaniâ—ie Who then desiring leaue of his Maiesty modestly to reâ—uâ—e Baronius his Annals was denied it And at that time that is to say in the yeere 1607. was his Booke De Ecclesiasticâ Libertate vpon publishing howsoeuer his name was suppressed and yet that would doe no good for when there was but a very little part of it printed the Booke was called in by the Kings authority and so Casaubon forced to breake off that which he had vndertaken to write Was it likely therefore that hee durst venture to set foorth such a virulent Booke as this and one that was so vniustly written against the Papists Or if he had ventured it could hee haue escaped vnpunished Where were his Aduersaries at that time who after his comming into England and his first beginning to write about matters of Religion opposed themselues against him in such number and such bitternesse as they did I haue a Catalogue by me of all the Books which my Father euer published written with his owne hand which elsewhere I haue set foorth to the world How came it to passe that hee should leaue out this But what need wee any more seeing the Imposture of these deceitfull men is already detected who had cunningly printed and prefixed the name of Isaac Casaubon before a French Booke which was put forth without any name at all as in France many are specially if they be Diuinitie Books and so by an artificiall immutation of the Arithmeticall figures for the yeere put a new face vpon an old moth-eaten Pamphlet supposing themselues to be safe enough if they could but any way transferre their imposture vpon others It concerned after ages that at no time there should be want of such as might both deprehend and reuenge the fraudulent dealings of these wretchlesse and wicked men FINIS AN ADMONITION TO ABRAHAM d' ACIER the Geneuian falsly surnaming himselfe DARCY SIr Vndertaker for a false worke it were not amisse if you be capable of good aduise that you gaue some satisfaction to the world your selfe for this foule iniurie which you haue so rashly done not onely to Mr. Casaubon but to the whole Church of England in republishing a Booke vnder his name that was fitter for a Turke then a Christian to write and hereafter that you would take notice of your owne insufficiencie to spend your Censure vpon such matters as you vnderstand not What had you to doe to tell the world what a Rare and Admirable piece of Diuinitie you had found out a Booke of such abstruse Learning in it so Orthodox all so 〈◊〉 a worke Is it for â— man â—hat neuer had his sight to iudge of colours or for you to tell vs what is Orthodoxall or what not Goe I 'le giue you better counsell home againe and meddle with your Fiddle-strings Take not vpon you beyond your reach It is not for such as you are to tell vs whâ—t Bookâ—s are beneficiall for this Church and Monarchy And when you looke vpon your Booke againe let it be through this that you may perceiue and acknowledge your selfe to haue beene a more rash and ignorant and M. Casaubon a more Religious and Learned man then you thought on But aboue all things because you are not capable of many the next time you reade ouer your Title with his Namâ— on 't at the beginning and your Aliterate verses vpon his Name at the end of your pretended precious worke Reade on here withall and reade with shame enough That this your admired Pamphlet this your Allobrogicall Dormouse indeed came stealing out in a corner by owle-light no good signe of a Sincere Booke and was Printed in French Three yeeres before M. Isaac Casaubon was borne I say no more then what I haue seene and can make good But it is no marueile you counterfeit other mens names seeing you haue already falsified your owne So wishing you to be wiser and more honest hereafter lest a worse thing happen then you haue endured hitherto I leaue you C. Faults to be amended in the Print Pag. 6. lin 17. for Inâ—the 〈◊〉 Reade In the â—ean◠〈◊〉 Pag. 33. lin 21. for thâ— last Reade That Ibid. lin 23. for 〈◊〉 to hâ—â—e c. Reade as a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all Pag. 34. lin 7. for They Read Them Pag. 46. lin 14. after the word Pâ—nâ—ifex blot out the Colon Pag. 48. lin 16. for a name Reade And a name Pag. 52. lin 24. for as it Reade as if it Pag. 67. lin 5. for receiued Reade crowned Pag. 68. lin 2. for against Reade a great Pag. 73. lin 19. adde in the Margin See the admonition to Darâ—y Nazianz. Orat. 3. Pag. 2 3 c. 8 9 21. Pag. 85 86. S. Aug. contra Faâ—stâ—â— lâ—b 19â— c. 13. †Exeâ—c 16. ð„ Num. 47. Pag. 10. 11 c. Pag. 15. Pag. 63. 65. 66. 70 c. In his Epistle to the Reader Pag. 27. 28. Pag. 28. Pag. 29. Pag. 30. Pag. 32. In the Chapter of Preachers Pag. 31. S. Aug. de bapt contra Donat. l. 4. cap. 24. Exerc. pag. â—71 Pag. 33. Pag. 35. a Pag. 41. b Pag. 61. c Pag. â—1 d Pag. 41. e Pag. 46. f Pag. 59. g Pag. 73. h Pag. 40. i Pag. 64. k Pag. 68. l Pag. 67. Pag. 48. 49. Pag. 49. 72. ibid. Pag. 52. Pag. 54. Pag. 59. Pag. 55. Pag. 62. â—g 25 25. Pag. 63. Greg. Naz. orat 3. de pace Pag. 40. 41. Pag. 73. 74. Pag. 434. Pag. 43. S. Ambros de obitu Valent Idem lib. 1. cont Relationâ—m Symmachi Casaâ—bon to the Reader in his Exercit. vâ—on Baronius Exercit. Pag. 587.