The Anatomy of the Mass, Book 1 · Chapter 25
CHAP XXV. Of the corruption and falſification of the Fathers writings: and of the difficultie to underſtand them.
IN the Allegation of Fathers about our Controverſies we have this diſadvantage, that we have them but by the hands of our owne Adverſaries. For all the impreſſions that have been made of them, were made upon the Manuſcripts found in Monaſteries, written by Monkes, who had faire opportunitie to clip and alter them at their pleaſure, and ſet old titles upon new Bookes made and compoſed by themſelves. It is a hard caſe to one of the parties that goes to Law, when he can make uſe of no other writings but of ſuch as his owne Adverſe party furniſheth him with, who hath thruſted in ſuch clauſes as ſeemed good unto him. But it is come to paſſe through the Providence of God, that the moſt part of theſe falſifications are ſo groſſe and ſo palpable, that we have not had much paines to diſcover the falſity of many places and falſe Workes, which are in ſo great number, that if they were taken away, the Fathers Workes would bee found diminiſhed of a third part. Thoſe among our Adverſaries that are well read in the Fathers, acknowledge the ſame with us, and paſſe condemnation in this point. Reade Sixtus Senenſis about the end of his fourth Booke, and the Booke of Cardinall Bellarmin Of Eccleſiaſticall Writers, where he hath put the Catalogue of the Fathers Works. There ſhall ye wonder to ſee the multitude of Bookes, which he ſaith to be doubtfull or manifeſtly counterfeit. Which cauſes men to doubt of the other Workes, whoſe falſitie is not eaſilie found out.
For the diſcovering of theſe falſities, we have beene helped by the Catalogue of the Workes of Ancient Writers, which Photius, Patriarch of Conſtantinople, who wrote about the yeare of our Lord 878. hath put into his Librarie. And by Gennadius, a Prieſt of Marſeilles, that wrote a Booke of the Illuſtrious men, about the yeare of our Lord 492. Item by the diverſity of ſtile. Item by certaine places of the Fathers, which are alleadged by Ivo, Gratian, Burchardus, Lombard, Thomas and others, quite otherwiſe than they bee found in the editions printed in this laſt age. Item by other places of the ſame Fathers which ſay the contrary: ſo that one and the ſame Father is oftentimes found to contrarie himſelfe.
Even as the ninth Age was the Age wherein the Decretals of the ancient Biſhops of Rome were forged, under the name of one Iſidorus Mercator, which was falſely framed for the grounding of the Papall Monarchy, which with might and maine was a building in that Age: So the eleventh Age, in which Berengarius, Archdeacon of Angiers, withſtood and impugned ſtoutly and vigorouſly the opinion of the reall preſence and Tranſubſtantiation, was the Age wherein were forged ſundry works in the behalf of that error, and divers clauſes were chopt into the Books of the ancient Fathers. Of this falſe coyne is the Book attributed to*Bellar. lib. de Script. Eccleſ. Sixtus Senenſis ſub ſinem libriquart. Cyprian, of the Lords Supper, which all the learned of the Roman Church acknowledge not to be of his making. And the Cathecheſes Myſtagogicall of Cyril of Jeruſalem. The Catecheſes of Gregory of Nyſſe are indeed his, but horribly corrupted and full of errors, which the Roman Church approves not. There is mention made there of one Severus an Heretick, who is poſterior to this Gregory above 150. yeares.
Of theſe falſifications and divers others, we have entreated more at large in the Book againſt Cardinal du Perron. He that ſhould take away from the works of Cyprian, Ambroſe, Hierome, Auſtin and Athanaſius, the counterfeit Books, ſhould diminiſh the writings of theſe Fathers more than of a third part.
Wherefore after ſo many falſities diſcovered, when our adverſaries object us ſome place of a Father, we might very juſtly deſire them to proveunto us that that place was not added or depraved by ſome falſifier aſwell as ſo many others. By all manner of reaſons, if in an writing brought in juſtice there be found but one falſification, the whole inſtrument loſeth all its force and is rejected.
There is another difficulty that deceiveth ſuch men as are not wel ſeen in antiquity, to wit, that the words uſed in old time, have now changed their ſignification. In the Fathers are found theſe words, of Pope, of Sacrifice, of Oblation, of Purging fire, of Indulgence, of Station, of Species, of Monke, of Penance; but quite in another ſenſe than theſe words are taken at this day.
Notwithſtanding theſe difficulties and diſadvantages, whereby our adverſaries ſtrive to prevaile againſt us, we refuſe not for all that to buckle with thē. For what falſifications ſoever were made in the Books of Ancient writers, yet in them remaines ſtill ſo many expreſſe and formall places againſt Tranſubſtantiation, that of the collection of them, a man might make a great volume. Wee have produced above 500 in the Book of the Novelty of Popery; and Mr le Faucheur, and Mr Aubertin have laboured lately, and taken paines about this ſubject with a …oſt exact diligence and full of great learning. Here wee will content our ſelves to produce ſome few places for a taſte, yet with this proteſtation, that I do not alleadge the Fathers for to be a ſtay to our cauſe, which is ſufficiently propped and eſtabliſhed upon the Word of God. Go… doth not beg the teſtimonies of men. H… word is as ſtrong alone, as being a… companied with humane teſtimon… To goe about to defend it with th… teſtimonies of men ſubject to errou… is as if a man would lighten the Sun… with a Candle. But wee doe alleadg… the Fathers for to defend their honour, becauſe that againſt their … tent, our Adverſaries make them Advocates of a bad cauſe: And for … condeſcend and yeeld ſome thing to the diſeaſe of this froward age, wherein the holy Scripture hath loſt its power and efficacy, and which armeth it ſelfe with human teſtimonies againſt the Word of God.