The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 62 – Chapter 63
CHAP. 62. That the Cardinal attributes weak objections to us, and defends that which we do not impugne.
M. Du Perron not daring to meddle with ſuch ſtrong objections, puts ſtraws in our hands inſtead of ſwords, and aſcribes to us reaſons which we do not uſe, or if we uſe them it is another way, and anſwereth objections which we never made.
He makes us ſay that the book of Maccabees is not an original hiſtory, but a ſummary. That the primitive Author was called Jaſon which is a profane name; And that he was a Cyrenian not a Jew. But we do not reaſon thus. We know that a holy man may have a name taken from the Pagans, as Apollo, Philippus, and the like. If the Etymology of the name of Jaſon is Greek, it ſignifies Phyſick or remedy, where there is nothing that is prophane. But if the origine be Hebrew, it is a name corrupted from the name Jeſus, according to the cuſtom of the Hebrews of that time to give to their Hebrew names a Greek or Latin inflection, turning Phinees into Phoenix, Saul into Paul, and Jeſus into Jaſon. We know alſo that Cyrene was full of Jews, and that the ſame man might be a Jew and a Cyrenian. And ſuch was that Simon that bore the croſs of the Lord, Mark 15.21.
This is then our true Objection. The Author of the Maccabees ſaith that his book is an abridgement of the five books of Jaſon the Cyrenian. That book of Jaſon being not a ſacred book, how can the ſummary of a profane book be ſacted and Canonical? This is as unreaſonable as if n epitome of Titus Livius or Cornelius Tacitus were made a Canonical book.
He makes us ſay alſo that the Author of the ſecond book of the Maccabees excuſeth the rudeneſs of his ſtyle. But we do not ſay that only, but we ſay that this Authour doubts whether he hath ſaid well, and craves pardon, ſaying that he could do no better. Which are things unbeſeeming an Author ſpeaking by the inſpiration of the Spirit of God.
CHAP. 63. That we reject not the Apocrypha becauſe they are contrary to us; And that they are rather favourable to us.
SOme perſons little verſed in our Controveſies and in the reading of the Apocrypha, might think that we reject all theſe books becauſe they are contrary to us. The following texts will ſhew the contrary.
In theſe books the Purgatory and the Limbus of the Fathers are clearly condemed. Wiſdom 3.1. the Author ſpeaks thus, The ſouls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there ſhall no torment touch them. They are not then tormented in a fire.
Tobit 3.6. Tobit ſore afflicted, and wiſhing for death, prayeth thus to God, Command that I may be delivered out of this diſtreſs, and go to the everlaſting place. Then he did not believe the Limbus of the Fathers; for our Adverſaries do not hold it to be an everlaſting place. No more did he believe Purgatory; for none is ſo ſenſleſs as to beſeech God that he may be tormented in a fire. Neither can Purgatory be called an everlaſting place: for our Adverſaries hold that the ſouls come out of it after the purgation is ended, and that Purgatory ſhall be no more after the day of judgement.
In the Apocrypha ſupplement of Eſther, chap. 13, ver. 13, 14. to kiſs a mans feet is accounted idolatry: for Mardocheus gives this reaſon why he would not kiſs a mans feet. I would have been content with good will for the ſalvation of Iſrael to kiſs the ſoles of his feet. But I did this that I might not prefer the glory of man above the glory of God; Neither will I worſhip any but thee O God. Yet neither this, nor the example of Jeſus Chriſt who gave not his feet to kiſs though he was God, could hinder the Pope from giving his to kiſs, not only to perſons of low condition, but even to Kings and Emperours. And he cauſeth himſelf to be worſhipped with a religious worſhip.
In the book of Baruc, chap. 6. the honours and ſervices which the Pagans yielded to the images of their falſe Gods, are amply deſcribed, which are the ſame as the people of the Roman Church yield to the images of the Saints. In ver. 11. the Author ſaith that the Pagan Prieſts will deck with garments their Gods of gold, and ſilver, and wood. The ſame is done to the images of the Saints. That they wipe their faces becauſe of the duſt, ver. 13. The like is done to the images of the Saints. That ſome of thoſe images hold a dagger, ſome an axe, ver. 15. Thus alſo the images of the Saints are armed. St. Paul with a ſword, St. George with a launce, St Peter with a key like Janus, and St. Chriſtopher with a club like Hercules. That to theſe images they light candles, though they cannot ſee, ver. 19. The ſame is done to the images of the Saints. That theſe idols are carried upon mens ſhoulders; That being fallen they cannot riſe again. That offerings are made unto them as to the dead. That their Prieſts gather thoſe offerings and make profit of them. That they ſing before thoſe images, ver. 25, & ſeq. What is there in all theſe, that is not done to the images of the Saints which the Roman Church worſhippeth? Who ſeeth not that Popery imitates Paganiſm, and that the one is copied out upon the other?
2 Macc. 15.12. it is related that Judas Maccabeus ſaw in a dream Onias the Prieſt, and Jeremiah the Prophet, dead long before, praying and interceding for the people of the Jews, and watching for their defence. Of Jeremiah particularly it is ſaid that he was of a wonderfull and excellent Majeſty, and that he gave to Judas a ſword to fight for the people of the Jews. Nevertheleſs for all this neither Judas nor any of the people called upon Jeremiah or Onias. An evident proof (if that hiſtory be not fabulous) that the Jews of that time believed that the Saints in heaven intercede for men living on earth, but yet that they muſt not be invocated. For if one prayeth for me, it follows not that I muſt pray to him or defer to him a religious ſervice. Note alſo, that if the relation be true, Jeremiah and Onias were not in an underground priſon, which they call the Limbus of the Fathers.
In the 12th chapter of the ſame book, v. 43, 44. Judas Maccabeus makes offerings and ſacrifices for the dead that had defiled themſelves with idolatry; and the reaſon is added why he prayed for the dead, that he was mindfull of the reſurrection. For (ſaith the Author) if he had not hoped that they that were ſlain ſhould have riſen again, it had been ſuperfluous and vain to pray for the dead. Thereby it appears that Judas prayed for thoſe dead men that they ſhould riſe unto ſalvation, and beſought God that though they were dead polluted with Idolatry, and (as our Adverſaries ſpeak) dead in mortal ſin, that God would nevertheleſs ſave them in the day of reſurrection. It is then (by this Authors judgement) a vain and ſuperfluous thing to pray, not for the reſurrection, but to deliver ſouls out of Purgatory, as the Roman Church doth. Which alſo approveth not the action of Judas Maccabeus to have made prayers, and offerings for perſons dead in motral ſin.
In ver. 14. of the ſixteenth chapter of Eccleſiaſticus, there is in the Greek, which is the Original, foreign. Every one ſhall find according to his works. Which text being not favourable to the doctrine of merits, becauſe it is one thing to find according to his works, another thing to find according to the merit of his works, the Bible of the Roman Church doth corrupt it with an horrible falſification; for inſtead of according to his works, it ſaith, according to the merit of his works.
So I make no doubt but that the moſt clear-ſighted among our Adverſaries with theſe books aboliſht; And that the Council of Trent by the ſame authority whereby they cut off the third and the fourth book of Ezra from the Canon of the Bible, could willingly have done the ſame to Tobit, Judith, and the other Apocrypha's.
We do not then reject theſe books out of fear that our Adverſaries uſe them againſt us, but becauſe we are obliged to maintain the authority and purity of holy Scripture, which is loſt (as far as in us lieth) when it is mingled with fables, and impious or abſurd doctrines, of which theſe books are full. That ſhaketh the faith of the weak; and gives occaſion of triumph and inſultation to the enemies of the Chriſtian name; for they reproach us that we receive fables for the word of God.