ANNOTATIONS
Concerning the Book of TOBIAS, JUDITH, WISDOM,
ECCLESIASTICUS, and MACHABEES.
PROTESTANTS and other Sectaries of this time deny these Books to be divine Scripture, because they are not in the Jews’ Canon, nor were accepted for canonical in the primitive Church. But indeed the chief cause is, for that some things in these Books are so manifest against their opinions, that they have no other answer, but to reject their authority: An old shift noted and refuted by S. Augustin, touching the Book of Wisdom, which some refused, pretending that it was not canonical, but indeed because it convinced their errors. [Lib. de Paedest. Sanct. c. 14.] For otherwise who seeth not, that the Canon of the Church of Christ is of more authority with all true Christians, than the Canon of the Jews? And that the Church of Christ numbereth these Books amongst others of divine and infallible authority, is evident by the testimony and definition, not only of later general Councils, of Trent, Sess. 4. and Florence Instructione Armenorum, of Pape Innocentius, Epist. ad Exuperium, and Gelasius, Decreto de libris sacris; but also the Council of Carthage An. Dom. 419. S. Augustin lib. 2. Doct. Christ. cap. 8. Isidorus lib. 6. Etymol. cap. 1. Cassidorus lib. 1. Divinarum Lectionum, Rabanus, lib. 2. de Institutione Clericorum, and others testify the same, as we shall further note severally of every book in their particular places. And for so much as our adversaries acknowledge these Books to be Holy, and worthy to be read in the Church, but not sufficient to prove and confirm points of faith: the studious reader may consider that the Council of Carthage calleth them Canonical, and Divine, which showeth that they are of infallible authority. For a Canon is an assured rule and warrant of direction, whereby (saith S. Augustin lib. 11. contra Faustum cap. 5. & lib. 2. contra Cresconium cap. 32.) the infirmity of our defect in knowledge is guided, and by which rule other books are likewise known to be God’s word. His reason is, because we have no other assurance that the books of Moyses, the four Gospels, and other books are the true word of God, but by the Canon of the Church. Whereupon the same great Doctor uttered that famous saying: that he would not believe the Gospel, except the authority of the Catholic Church moved him thereunto. contra Epist. Fundamenti ca. 5.
True it is that some Catholic Doctors doubted whether these Books were Canonical or no, because the Church had not then declared that they were; but since the Church’s declaration no Catholic doubteth. So S. Jerom testifieth, that the Book of Judith (among the rest) seemed to him not canonical, till the Council of Nice declared it to be. [Praefat. in Judith.] Likewise the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of S. James, the second of S. Peter, the second and third of S. John, S. Jude’s Epistle, and the Apocalypse were sometimes doubted of, yet were afterwards declared to be Canonical. And most Protestants, namely English, admit them all, as the assured word of God though they were not always so reputed by all, but as S. Jerome affirmeth of S. James’ Epistle, Paulatim tempore procedente meruit authoritatem: By little and little in process of time merited authority. [De viris illustrib. verbo Jacobus.]