The By-Way, Treatise · Section 5
SECT. V. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee profeſſe (without the Apocryphall additions) is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages, and most of them acknowledged by the Romaniſts themſelues.
IT was the complaint of Campian the Ieſuite, that the ancient Canon of Scripture was altered at the comming of Luther; and thereupon as a man inraged againſt the Lutherans, Camp. Rat. 1.hee makes this open out-crie: What incenſed Luthers whelps, to put out of the true Canon of Scripture, Tobias, Eccleſiaſticus, and the two bookes of Maccabees? Deſperation: for by theſe heauenly oracles, they are expreſſely conuinced, as often as they diſpute againſt the defence of Angels, as often as they diſpute against Freewill, as often as they diſpute againſt Praying for the dead, as often as they diſpute againſt Praying to the Saints. Surely, if this Romaniſt had beene as reall in his proofes, as he was vaine glorious in his ſpeeches, he had gone beyond all the Romiſh Proſelytes of our age: for neuer man made greater flouriſhes with poorer proofes: for it ſhall appeare, that wee hauehave publiſhed no other Canon of Scripture, then Chriſt and his Apoſtles taught, and receiued no other then the ancient Fathers declared to be diuinely Canonicall (and thoſe onelyonly Canonicall) none other then the learned Doctors and Profeſſors, intirely preſerued in the boſome of the Roman Church in all ages: ſo that if any curſe be denounced againſt vsus, for renouncing doctrines of faith, deduced from Apocryphall Scriptures, I ſay it ſhall appeare by the ſame Decree, they hauehave layd an Anath…ma vponupon Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and hauehave curſed the ancient Fathers, and the principall members of their owne Church.
In the firſt age, to Ann. 100.
Firſt then wee muſt obſerue,Rom. 3.2. Factique ſunt (Iudaei) depoſitarii et cuſtodes Eloquiorū Dei. Tolet. coment. in Rom. 3.2. according to Saint Pauls teſtimonie: VntoUnto the Iewes were committed the Oracles of God: theſe Oracles, as Gods pledges, were preſerued by them, (ſaith Cardinall Tolet) and according to the number of the Hebrew letters, they were diuided into two and twentie Bookes, which is the Canon of Scripture now taught and receiued by the reformed Churches. The other Bookes, (which wee terme Apocryphall) were neuer receiued of the Iewes for Canonicall,Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. as Bellarmine himſelfe doth teſtifie. This Canon of the Iewes was ſo true and perfect at Chriſts comming, that neither Chriſt, nor any of his Apoſtles complained of it: nay more, they cited many things out of the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture, for proofe of their doctrine, with this ſpeciall character, As it is written: when as in all the Goſpell of Chriſt, there is not ſo much as one authoritie cited by Chriſt or his Apoſtles, out of the Bookes which we terme Apocryphall. This Canon of the Iewes, as it was intirely preſerued by them, and is now receiued by vsus, ſo it is likewiſe warranted by Chriſt himſelfe: for Saint Luke tells vsus, that our Sauiour after his Reſurrection, beginning at Moſes and all the Prophets, Luk. 24.27.expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning himſelfe; and what hee meant by all the Scriptures, hee afterwards expounds in the 44. verſe of the ſame chapter:Ibid. ver. 44. Theſe are the words which I ſpeake vntounto you, which were written in the Law of Moſes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pſalmes concerning mee; and hee giues the reaſon in Saint Luke; Luk. 24.44.That all things muſt bee fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moſes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pſalmes concerning me. Here then is the true Canon of Scripture deliuered, and rightly diuided by Chriſt himſelfe, into three ſeuerall rankes; into the Law, the Prophets, and the Pſalmes, vnderunder all or any of which rankes the Books which we terme Apocryphall, neither are, nor euer were conteined. And this was the conſtant Tenet of the Primitiue Church, touching the true Canon of the Scriptures in the firſt Age.
In the ſecond Age, An. 100. to 200.
Euſeb. hiſt. Eccles. li. 4 c. 25.Melito Biſhop of Sardis] In an Epiſtle to Oneſimus, numbreth the Bookes of the Old Teſtament, wherein hee maketh no mention of Iudith, Tobit, Eccleſiaſticus, nor the Maccabees: and this is likewiſe confeſſed by Bellarmine: Bell de verbo Dei. li. 1. cap. 20.Many Ancients (ſaith he) as namely Melito, did follow the Hebrew Canon of the Iewes. Cum diligē ter de omnibus explorauerat, omni inueſtigatione comperit hos libros eſſe à veteris Teſtamēti Canone reticiendos. Euſ. li. 4. ca. 26.And Euſebius more plainely tells vsus, that when hee had made diligent ſearch of all the Bookes of Scripture, hee accounted thoſe bookes (which wee terme Apocryphall) to bee reiected from the Canon.
In the third Age. An. 200. to 300.
Origen] in his Expoſition vponupon the firſt Pſalme, ſaith; We may not be ignorant, there are two and twentie books of the Old Teſtament after the Hebrewes, which is the number of the letters among them. This is likewiſe witneſſed by Euſebius, that as Origen receiued the Canon of the Iewes, Euſeb. lib. 6 cap. 18.ſo likewiſe he reiected thoſe ſixe bookes which wee terme Apocryphall with the Iewes.
In the fourth Age, An. 300. to 400.
Hilary Biſhop of Poictiers] tells vsus, The Law of the Olde Testament is contained in two and twentie bookes,In viginti duos libros lex Teſtamēti veteris deputetur, vt cum literarū numero conuenirent: qui ita ſecundū Traditiones veterū dep…tantur: vt Moſi ſint libri quin que Ieſu Naue ſextus, Iudicum & Ruth ſeptimus, &c. Hilar. in Prolog. in Pſal explanationem. according to the number of the Hebrew letters. And there he tells vsus further, how they are diſpoſed, and put in order according to the tradition of the Ancients, (in this manner) There are fiue bookes of Moſes, Ioſuah is the ſixt, the Iudges and Ruth the ſeuenth, the firſt and ſecond of Kings the eight, the third and fourth of Kings the ninth, the two bookes of Chronicles the tenth, Eſdras the eleuenth, Pſalmes the twelfth, Solomons Prouerbes, Eccleſiaſtes, Canticles, 13. 14. 15. the twel…e Prophets the ſixteenth, Eſay, Ieremy with the Lamentations, Daniel, Ezechiel, Iob and Heſter, doe make vp the number of 22. bookes.
Cyril of Hieruſalem] giues the like leſſon to the Reader. Veteris Teſtamenti libros meditare duos et viginti. Tu ita que cum ſis filius Eccleſia non tranſgredi eris illius terminos. Cyril. Catech. 4.Peruſe the two and twentie bookes, but meddle not with the Apocrypha; meditate diligently vponupon thoſe Scriptures, which the Church doth confidently reade, and vſe no other.
Athanaſius] tells vsus, Sunt itaque Canonici veteris Teſtamentilibri 22. literis Hebraicis numero pares, praetèr iſtos autem ſunt adhuc alii etuſdem veteris inſtrumenti libri nō ſunt Canonici, qui Catechumenis tantum leguntur Sapientia Solomonis &c. Athanaſ in Synopſ Nec ab hâc ſententia alienus fuit Damaſcenꝰ et Athanaſius, quos Theologi multi ſecuti ſunt. Canus loc. Theol. lib. 2. ca. 10. Euſe. Chro. li. 2. ex Hier. verſione. Euſebio at que reliquis licuit aliquando dubitare. Can. lib. 2. ca. 10.The Chriſtians had at that time a definite number of bookes comprehended in a Canon, and of that Canon touching the Olde Testament, they were twentie two bookes, equall to the number of the Hebrew letters: and as touching the Apocryphall books, as namely, the book of Wiſedome, Maccabees, and the reſt, libri non ſunt Canonici; they are read onelyonly to the Catechumens, but are not Canonicall. This teſtimony is ſo true, that Canus confeſſeth, hee was not onelyonly of our opinion, but alſo drew many Diuines after him to this opinion.
Euſebius Biſhop of Caeſarea] ſaith; The Hebrew Hiſtorie of the Maccabees, reckons from thence, the raigne of the Grecians; but thoſe bookes are not receiued among the diuine Scriptures. This Authour is likewiſe acknowledged in this Tenet to be ours.Haec ſūt quae Patres intra Canonē concluſerūt, ex quibus fidei noſtrae aſſertiones conſtare volueruut, ſciendū tamen eſt, qd et alii libri ſūt qui nō ſunt Canonici, ſed Eccleſiaſtici à maioribus appellati ſūt vt ſapientia Solomonis et alia Sapientia quae dicitur filii Syrach, eiuſdem ordinis eſt liber Tobiae, et Iudith, et Machabaeorum libri—qua omnia legi quidē in Eccleſiis voluerunt, nō tamē proferri ad authoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam. Ruff. ſiue Cypt. in explic. Symb. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 20. Quod verò Ruffinꝰ aſſerit ex patrū Traditione eos libros à canone reiiciendos pace Lectoris dictum ſit, patrū traditiones ignorauit. Can. lib. 2. c. 11. Sicut Iudith et Tobiae, & Macabaeorū libros legit Eccleſia, ſed eos inter Canonicas ſcripturas non recipit; ſic et haec duo volumina ſapientia Solomonis et Syrach legit ad adificationē plebis non authoritatē dogmatum cō firmandum. In Praefat. lib Solom. Admitto Hieronymū ea fuiſſe opinione quia nondū generale Cō ciliū de his libris aliquid ſtatuerat, &c. Bell de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 10. Ipſo ergo ſacra Codicis … pandam tibi, Omnes libellos &c. vltimū nomen duplex cui eſt Angelum Malachiam. Greg. Naz. Car. Iamb. ad Seleucū Iamb. 3. De quibꝰ tamen nunc dubitare nefa… eſt, antequam autē ab Eccleſiâ cōmuni cō ſenſu recepti eſſent, nihil piaculi fuit eos in Canonicorū numerū ac ſedē minimè admittere. Iacob. Bill. in Iam. 3. Nazian. Non oportet libros qui ſunt extrà Canonem legere niſi ſolos Canonicos Noui et Veteris Teſtamenti Concil. Laod. Can. 59.
Ruffinus] as ſome ſay Cyprian, in reciting the Canon of the Scripture, teſtifies the like in this age; Theſe be the bookes which our Fathers hauehave included within the Canon, out of which they would hauehave the aſſertions of our faith to appeare: but yet wee muſt know, that there bee alſo other bookes, which are not Canonicall, but are called of our Ancestors, Eccleſiaſticall; as is the Wiſedome of Solomon, Eccleſiaſticus, Tobias, Iudith, and the bookes of Maccabees: all which they will indeed hauehave to bee read in the Church, but not to bee alledged for confirmation of faith. Bellarmine confeſſeth (with vsus) that Ruffinus did follow the Hebrewe Canon: but his fellow Canus is not contented with ſuch a moderate confeſſion, but returnes this anſwere, Although Ruffinus did affirme, that the bookes of Maccabees were to bee rejected by the tradition of the Fathers, yet by the Readers leaue hee was ignorant of that Tradition.
Saint Hierome] is our witneſſe; As the Church readeth Iudith, Tobias, and the Maccabees, but receiueth them not for Canonicall Scriptures: ſo theſe two bookes (namely) the Wiſedome of Solomon, and Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach, doth the Church reade for the edification of the people, not to confirme thereby the authoritie of any doctrine in the Church. This is likewiſe confeſſed by Bellarmine, I admit (ſaith hee) that Hierome was of that opinion, becauſe as yet in thoſe dayes a generall Councell had decreed nothing touching thoſe bookes, except the booke of Iudith, which Hierom afterwards receiued.
Gregory Nazianzen] writing to Seleucus, promiſeth him, that he will ſhew him a catalogue of the Canonicall bookes, and accordingly beginning from Geneſis, cites the bookes in order to Malachie, the laſt of the Prophets. This authoritie in our behalfe is likewiſe confeſſed by Iacobus Billius, a Romaniſt in his Commentary vponupon thoſe verſes, but hee excuſeth him in this manner, That hee omitted other bookes, as namely Iudith, the Maccabees, &c. of which notwithstanding to make a doubt in theſe dayes, would bee accounted a wicked thing: but before they were generally receiued of the Church, it was no ſinne not to admit them amongſt the number of Canonicall Scriptures.
The Councell of Laodicea] Wee ought to reade onelyonly the bookes of the Old and New Teſtament: and in that 59. Canon, the Councell recites onelyonly thoſe Canonicall Bookes of Scripture which we allowe; and the Canons of this Councell are confirmed by the ſixt Generall Councell in Trullo, and Binius himſelfe confeſſeth, that the booke of Iudith, by the authoritie of this Councell, is rejected amongst the Apocrypha. And this was the conſtant opinion of the Primitiue Church, Can. 2. Liber Iudith authoritate huius Prouincialis Concilii inter Apocrhyphos reiicitur. Binius in Concil. Rom. ſub Sylueſt. Not.touching the intire rule of Scripture in the fourth Age.
In the fifth Age, An. 400. to 500.
Epiphanius] after he had reckoned vp the Canon of two and twentie Bookes,Vtiles quidem ſunt et cōmodi ſed in numerū receptorum non referūtur quare neque in Aaron, ne que in Teſtamenti Arcam repoſiti ſunt. Epiph. li. de Menſ. & Ponder. cenſureth the Bookes of Wiſedome, and Eccleſiasticus, in theſe words: They are fit and profitable, but not reckoned amongst thoſe bookes which are receiued by our Church, and therefore were neither layd vp with Aaron, nor in the Arke of the new Teſtament.
In Machabaeorū libris etſi aliquid Mirabilium numero inſerendū conveniens fuiſſe ordini inueniatur, de hâc tamē nullá curâ fatigabimur quiae tantū agere propoſuimus vt de Diuini Canonis Mirabilibus exiguā expoſitionem tāgeremus. Aug. de Mirab. ſacrae Scrip. l. 2. c. 34. Has ſupputatio non in Scripturis ſanctis quae appellantur Canonica, ſed in aliis inuenitur in quibꝰ ſunt et Machabaeorū libri. De civ. Dei l. 18. c. 36.Saint Auſten] Although there may ſomething bee found in the books of Maccabees meet for this order of writing, and worthy to bee ioyned with the number of Miracles, yet we will not we…ry our ſelues with any care thereof, for that we hauehave intended onelyonly to touch a ſhort rehearſall of the miracles conteined in the diuine Canon; And for a further explanation of the true Canon, different from the Apocryphall Scriptures, he tells vsus, This reckoning is not found in the holy Scriptures that are called Canonicall, but in certaine other bookes, amongst which are the bookes of the Maccabees. And as concerning the authoritie of theſe bookes, when it was obiected againſt him, that Razis killed himſelfe, and therefore it was lawfull by the Scripture for a man to kill himſelfe: amongſt other anſweres hee returnes this for one; The Iewes doe not esteeme this Scripture called the Maccabees, in ſuch ſort,Scriptura quae appell… tur Machabaorum recepta eſt ab Eccleſia non in…tilitè… ſi ſobrie legatur vel audiatur maximè propter illos Machabaeos qui pro Dei lege indigna perpeſſ. ſunt. Aug. contra Secundū Ep. Gaud. li. 2. c. 23. as the Law, the Prophets, and the Pſalmes, to which Chriſt giueth testimony, as to them that beare that witneſſe of him, ſaying, It behoued that all theſe things ſhould be fulfilled that are written of mee in the Law, the Prophets, and the Pſalmes: but it is receiued of the Church not vnprofitably, ſo that it bee read and heard with ſobrietie, eſpecially becauſe of theſe Maccabees, which indured grieuous perſecutions for the Lawe of God.
In the ſixth Age, An. 500. to 600.
Quarehi libri nō inter Canonicas Scripturas currunt. M. Quoniam apud Haebreos quo que ſuper hac differentia recipiebantur ſicut Hier. cateri que teſtātur. Iun. de part. diuinae legis lib. 1. cap. 3. Sūtpratereà alii quidem libri vt Sapientia Solo monis, liber Ieſu filii Syrach, et lib. Iudith et Tobiae, et libri Machabaeorqui legūtur quidē ſed nō ſcribūtur in canone. Iſid. Praenot. Elucid. de ſcript. & Scripturis ſac. c. 6 & 7.Iunilius Biſhop of Africa] excludeth from the Canonicall bookes, Iudith, the Maccabees, and the booke of Wiſedome: and concerning them, he puts this queſtion, and reſolues it: Why are not theſe books inſerted amongst the Canonicall Scriptures? Becauſe (ſaith he) the Iewes did make a difference of them, as S. Hierom and others doe teſtifie.
Iſidore] is a witnes, that our doctrine was profeſſed in the church in his daies: there are other bookes, as namely, the Wiſdom of Solomon, the book of Ieſus the ſon of Syrach, the books of Iudith, and Tobias, and the Maccabees, which are read, but not written in the Canon.
In the ſeuenth Age, An. 600. to 700.
Gregory the Great] did account the bookes of Maccabees Apocryphall:De qua re non inordinate agimus ſi ex libris licet nō Canonicis, ſed tamē ad aedificationē eccleſiae editis teſtimonium proferimus. In Iob. lib. 19. cap. 13. B. Gregoriꝰ authoritate vt opinor Hier motu… videtur cō cedere illos non eſſe Canonicos cum tamen de tis producat teſtimonia. Cathat. opuſc. de lib. Canonicis. Secundum Greg. in Moralibus liber Iudith, Tob. et Machabeorū, Ecclas. at que lib. Sapientiae non ſūt recipiēdi ad cōfirmā dū aliquid de fide. Occ. Dial. part 3 tract. 1. l. 3. c. 16. Wee doe not amiſſe (ſaith hee) if wee produce a testimony out of the bookes of Maccabees, though not Canonicall, yet publiſhed for the inſtruction of the Church. This is witneſſed alſo by Catharinus their own Scholeman: Gregory (ſaith hee) led as I conceiue, by the authoritie of Saint Hierome, did ſeeme to graunt; that thoſe bookes were not Canonicall, although hee produced teſtimonies out of them. But learned Occham more plainely declares his opinion touching Gregorie; According to Gregories doctrine (ſaith hee) the booke of Iudith, Tobias, the Maccabees, Eccleſiaſticus, and the booke of Wiſedome, are not to bee receiued for the confirmation of any doctrine of faith.
In the eighth Age, An. 700. to 800.
Damaſcene.] who was canonized a Saint, for his ſeruice at the 2.d. Councell of Nice, tells vsus, it is operae preti…m, &c worth our paines, to ſearch and know,foreign. Damaſc. Orth. fid. l. 4. c. 18. that there are two and twentie bookes of Canonicall Scripture; and as touching the Apocryphall, hee termes them, foreign, they are full of vertuous inſtructions, but are not numbred amongst the Prophets, neither were they layd vp in the Arke.Nec ab hâc ſententia alienus fuit Damaſcenꝰ quos Theologi multi ſecuti ſunt. Canus loc. Theol. lib. 2. cap. 10. This Author is confeſſed to bee ours in this poynt: inſomuch as Canus profeſſeth, that Damaſcene and Athanaſius were of his opinion, and were followed in this by many Diuines.
In the ninth Age, An. 800 to 900.
Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople] giues vsus to vnderſtand, foreign Niceph. Patr. C.P. Canon Script. in operibus Pithei. In libro Ieſu filii Syrach hac praefata ſentētia legitur quē librū B. Hier. at que Iſidorꝰ inter Apochry. (id eſt) dubias ſcripturas deputatū eſſe ab que dubita tione teſtā tur. Qui etiā liber non tēpore Prophetarū ſed ſacerdotum ſub Simone Pont. Max. regnāte Pto lemao Euergete cōſcriptus eſt. Al…. aduerſ. Elip. l. 1. col. 941that the bookes of the Old Teſtament were twenty and two. And in treating of the Apocryphall bookes, hee mentioneth in particular, the books of Maccabees, the Wiſdome of Solomon, Eſter, Iudith, Suſanna, Tobit.
Alcuinus, Abbot of Saint Martins at Tours in France,] writing againſt Elipantus, Biſhop of Tolledo, tells him, that hee vrged authorities out of the booke of Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach: but (ſaith hee) Saint Hierome did teſtifie, that without queſtion it was to bee reputed amongst the Apocryphall and doubtfull bookes; and withall addeth: This booke was not written in the time of the Prophets, but vnderunder the …igne of Ptolomey, and Simon the high Prieſt.
In the tenth Age, An 900. to 1000.
Aelfrick Abb…t of Malmſbury] in his Saxon treatie of the old Teſtament, Aelfrick of the old Teſtament. pa. 17. 22. 23.tells vsus, There are two bookes more placed with Solomons workes, as if he had made them, which for likeneſſe of ſtile, and profitable vſe, hauehave gone for his, but Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach compoſed them: one is called Liber Sapientiae, the booke of Wiſedome; and the other Eccleſiaſticus, very large bookes, and read in the Church of long cuſtome, for much good inſtruction: amongst theſe bookes the Church hath accuſtomed to place two other, tending to the glory of God, and intituled, Maccabeorum, I hauehave turned them into Engliſh, and ſo reade them you may if you pleaſe, for your owne instruction.
In the eleuenth Age, An. 1000. to 1100.
Petrus Cluniacenſis] after the recitall of the Canonicall bookes, ſaith, There are beſides the authenticall bookes, ſixe others not to be rejected, as namely, Iudith, Tobias, Wiſedome, Eccleſiasticus, and the two bookes of Maccabees, which though they attaine not to the high dignitie of the former, yet they are receiued of the Church,De author. veter. Teſt. Epiſt. contr Petro Buſ…nos. as containing neceſſary and profitable doctrine.
In the twelfth Age,Omnes ergo fiunt numero 22, ſunt praterea alit quidē libri vt Sapientia Solo… monis, liber Ieſu filis Syrach, et liber Iudith, et Tob. et libri Machab qui legūturqui dem, ſed non ſcribuntur in Canone. Hugo de S. Vict. Praeno. Elucid de ſcrip. et ſcrip ſacris. ca. 6. & cap 7. Omnes ſunt numero 22 ſūt pratereà et alii libri vt ſapientia &c. Rich. Except li. 2. cap. 9. An. 1100. to 1200.
Hugo de Sancto Victore] All the Canonicall bookes of the Olde Testament, are twentie two: there are other bookes alſo, (as namely) the Wiſedome of Solomon, the booke of Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach, the bookes of Iudith, Tobias, and the Maccabees, which are read, but not written in the Canon.
Richardus de S. Victore] was liuing at this time, and hath the ſame words, All the bookes are twenty two: there are other bookes alſo, (as namely) the booke of Wiſedome and Maccabees, and which are read in the Church, but not written in the Canon.
In the thirteenth Age, An. 1200. to 1300.
Hugo Cardinalis] ſpeaking of the bookes reiected by vsus,Hugo in Prologum Galeatum. ſaith, Theſe bookes are not receiued by the Church for proofe of doctrine, but for information of manners. And in his Preface to Tobias (hee ſaith) they are not accounted amongst the Canonicall Scriptures.Prolog. in Tobiam.
Bonauenture] in his Preface before the Expoſition of the Pſalter, ſheweth which are the Canonicall bookes of Scripture: and paſſing by the bookes of the New Teſtament, hee reckoneth all thoſe, and thoſe onelyonly that Hierome doth, ſorting them into their ſeuerall rankes and orders as the Hebrewes doe.
In the fourteenth Age, An. 1300. to 1400.
Gul. Occham] ſaith, According to Hierome in his Prologue before the booke of Proverbs; and Gregory in his Moralls, the bookes of Iudith, Tobias, and the Maccabees, Eccleſiaſticus, and the booke of Wiſdome, are not to bee receiued for confirmation of any matter of faith:Occham Dial. part. 3 Pract. 1. li. 3. cap. 16. ſo alſo it readeth thoſe two volumes of Eccleſiaſticus, and Wiſedome, for the edification of the people, but not for confirmation of poynts of faith and religion.Poſtquam auxiliante Deo ſcripſi ſuper libros ſacrae ſcripturae Canonicos—alios intēdo ſcribere qui non ſunt de Canone, ſcil. liber Sapientiae, Ecclus. Iudith, Tobias, et libri Machabaorum. In Praefat. Tobiae.
Nicholas Lyra] After that (by the aſsiſtance of God) I hauehave handled the Canonicall bookes of Scripture, beginning from Geneſis, and proceeding to the end of the Apocalypſe; being confident of the ſame ayde and aſsistance, I purpoſe to write of thoſe bookes, which are not in the Canon, as namely the booke of Wiſedome, Eccleſiasticus, Iudith, Tobias, and the bookes of Maccabees. This Author is ſo truely ours in this poynt, Nicholas Lyra in prafatione in librū Tobia dicit, neque eum, neque Iudith, ne que Machabaorum, neque Sapientiae, ne que Eccleſiaſticū, neque Baruch ne que vltimos Eſdrae in Canone haberi, recipi tamen in Eccleſia, legi que ad mores informandos, quanquaem eorum authoritas ad probanda ea quae in contentionem veniunt minus idonea reputetur. Ioh. Fr. Pic. Mirand. Theorem. 5.that Picus Mirandula profeſſeth, Lyra ſaith, Neither the bookes of Tobit, nor Iudith, nor the Maccabees, nor Wiſedome, nor Eccleſiaſticus, nor Baruch, nor the laſt bookes of Eſdras, are to bee reckoned in the Canon; but notwithſtanding they are receiued of the Church, and are read for rectifying of manners, although their authoritie is of leſſe account for proofe of thoſe things which are in controuerſie.
In the fifteenth Age, An. 1400. to 1500.
Alphonſus Toſtatus] giues his voyce with the reformed Churches. Quanquam iſti libri ab Eccleſia recipiantur nullius authóritatis ſolidae ſunt, ideò ad confirmandū et probandū ea quae in dubium venerint inutiles ſunt &c Toſt. praef. in lib. Paralip. q. 2. Deni que liber iſte non eſt de Canone id eſt inter Scripturas Canonicas cōputandus, quamuis de eius veritate non dubitatur. Dyoniſ. Carth. prolog. in Eccleſiaſt. Perer. in Dan. lib. 16. p. 742.Although (ſaith hee) the bookes (in queſtion) bee receiued of the Church, yet are they not of any ſolid authoritie; and therefore they are improfitable to prooue, and confirme thoſe things which are called in queſtion, according to Saint Hierom.
Dionyſius Carthuſianus] in writing vponupon Eccleſiaſticus, (ſaith) That booke is not of the Canon, (that is) amongst the Canonicall Scriptures, although there bee no doubt made of the trueth of that booke. This is confeſſed likewiſe by our aduerſaries: Dyoniſius Carthuſianus, and Lyra, doe not denie the Hiſtorie of Suſanna to bee true, but they denie the bookes of Iudith, Tobit, and the Maccabees do appertaine to the canonicall Scriptures.
Ita 22 volumina ſupputātur quibꝰ quaſi literis et exordiis in Dei doctrina &c. Wald. doct. fidei lib 2. art. 2. circa initium. Anton. par. 3. tit 18. ca. 6. juxt. finē.Thomas Waldenſis] cites out of Hierome, the Canon of the olde Teſtament in theſe words, As there are twentie two letters, by which we write in Hebrew all that wee ſpeake, ſo there are accounted twentie two bookes, by which as letters, wee are inſtructed in the doctrine of God; and withall addeth, Dicit Thomas 2.2. Nichol de Lyra ſuper Tobiam, ſcil. iſti non ſunt tanta authoritatis quòd ex dictis eorum poſſet efficaciter argumentari, in his quae ſunt fidei, ſicut ex aliis libris ſacrae ſcripturae, vndè fortè habent authoritatē talem qualē habent dicta ſanctorum Doctorum approbato ab Ecc…eſia.that the whole Canonicall Scripture is conteined in the two and twentie bookes.
Antoninus] tells vsus, that Aquinas, and Nicholas de Lyra ſay, the Apocryphall bookes reiected by the Hebrewes, are not of that authoritie that a man may argue from their ſayings as efficaciouſly touching poynts of faith, as from other writings of the ſacred Scriptures; and therefore happily they hauehave ſuch authoritie as the ſayings of holy Fathers, which are approued by the Church, but not as the Canonical Scriptures themſelues.
In the ſixteenth Age, An. 1500. to 1600.
Reliqui, viz. Iudith, Tobiae, Machabeorū libri, cū Sapientia et Eccleſiaſtico à Diuo Hier. inter Apocrypha locā tur. Nec turberis (Nouitie) ſi alicubi reperias libros iſtos inter Canonicos ſupputari vel in ſacris Cōciliis, vel in ſacris doctoribus Nā ad Hieronymi lineam reducenda ſunt, tāverba Conciliorum quam Doctorū, ſic vt libri iſti non ſint Canonici, id eſt regulares ad firmand…m ea quae ſunt fidei, poſſunt tamen dici Canonici, id eſt regulares ad aedificationē Fideliū. Caiet. in finecom. Hiſt. veter. Teſtament.Cardinall Cajetan] tells vsus, The bookes in queſtion betwixt vsus (as namely) Iudith, Tobit, the Maccabees, the books of Wiſedome, and Eccleſiaſticus, are reckoned by Hierome amongſt the Apocryphall books; neither be thou troubled, (ſaith hee) O Nouice, if elſewhere you finde theſe bookes reckoned amongst the Canonicall Scriptures, both by ſacred Councells, or by the holy Doctors of the Church, for they are to bee reduced to the rule of Hierome, that thoſe bookes may not bee accounted Canonicall, that is, to regulate our faith, but they may bee termed Canonicall for the edification of the faithfull. This teſtimony of Cajetan, againſt the Tenet of the Church of Rome, fully agrees with vsus, in ſo much that Ambroſius Catharinus, a Romaniſt profeſſeth, that Cajetan in this poynt committed almoſt as many ſinnes as hee deliuered words. And his fellow Canus proteſteth, that hee is aſhamed, that a man otherwiſe ingenious and learned, and a godly pillar of their Church,In huius vero confirmatione argumenti Ambroſius Cath…rinus, Caietanum affirmat tot peccata admiſiſſe, quot verba penè effudit. Can lib. 2. cap. 11. ſhould ſo much degenerate from the learned profeſſors of the Romane Faith, that when all Writers agree, that the name of Canonicall is ſacred and diuine, onelyonly Cajetan ſhould ſay the Biſhops and Councels did otherwiſe vnderſtand it. And for a concluſion, Arias Montanus, in his Edition of the Bible, Acceſſerunt et huic Editioni libri Graecè ſcripti quos Eccleſia Orthodoxa Hebraorum Canonem ſecuta inte Apochryphos recēſet. Arias Mon. in the Frontiſpice of the Bible Edit. Antwerp. ex Offic. Plant. Ann. 1584.tells vsus, there are added to that Edition bookes writen in Greeke, (as namely, Toby, Iudith, Heſter, the Booke of Wiſedome, Eccleſiasticus, Baruch, the Additions to Daniel, and the two bookes of Maccabees) the which bookes (ſaieth hee) the Orthodoxe Church following the Hebrew Canon, reckons amongst the Apocrypha. And thus by our aduerſaries owne confeſſions, the true and Orthodox Church did reiect thoſe Apocryphall bookes which our Church refuſeth, which the Trent Councell allowes at this day for Canonicall. And thus briefly I hauehave produced a Catalogue of ancient Fathers, and moderne Writers in the Romane Church, who hauehave witneſſed with vsus the ſame Canon of Scripture which wee profeſſe at this day, whereby I hauehave giuen you a taſte of that challenge, (which God willing I purpoſe heereafter to make good in the principal points of our Religion) that our Church and doctrine hath continued Viſible in all ages, euen to the dayes of Luther.