THE ARGUMENT
OF THE BOOK OF
JUDITH.

SAINT Jerom sometime supposed this book not to be canonical, but afterward finding that the Council of Nice accounted it in the number of holy Scriptures, he so esteemed it, and thereupon not only translated it into Latin, out of the Caldee tongue, wherein it was first written, but also as occasion required alleged the same as divine Scripture, and sufficient to convince matters of faith in controversy. [Epist. 111. 115. Prefa. in Judith.] For otherwise his opposing the authority of the Nicene Council, should prove nothing at all against the Jews, seeing also they acknowledge this book amongst Agiographa (or holy writs) but less fit (say they) to strengthen those things which come into contention. whereby is clear that S. Jerom thenceforth held it for divine Scripture. As further appeareth in his commentaries in Isaie 14. more expressly Epist. ad Principiam, he counted it in rank with other Scriptures whereof none doubteth, saying: Ruth, Esther, Judith were of so great renown, that they gave the names to sacred volumes. And in this Preface doubted not to say: that the rewarder of Judith’s chastity (God himself) gave her for imitation not only to women, but also to men: gave her such virtue that she overthrew him, whom none could overcome, and conquered the invincible. Also Before the Council, Origen in c. 14. Judith, Tertullian de Monogamia c. ult. and divers whom S. Hilary citeth, and dissenteth not from them, Prologo in Psalmos, held this Book for Canonical. Many more writers likewise about the same Council, and after so account it. Prudentius in Phychomachia pudicitiae & libidinis: Chromatius in c. 6. Mat. Paulinus in Natali. 10. S. Chrysostom hom. 10. in Math. S. Ambrose li. 3. Offic. c. 13. Epist. 82. & li. de viduis. S. Augustin (or some other good author) writ two sermons of Judith, 228. 229. Cassiodorus divini lect. c. 6. Fulgentius Epist. 2. de statu viduarum. Ferrandus Carthaginensis ad Regium de re militari. Junilius Africanus li. 1. de partibus divinae legis. Sulpitius in historia. S. Beda de sex aetatibus. Alredus writing the life of S. Edward our King. More are not necessary to reasonable men. Concerning the time, and author, it seemeth most probable that these things happened when Manasses King of Juda was either in prison in Babylon, or newly restored to his Kingdom, [2. Para. 33.] who as it seemeth permitted the government to the high Priest Eliachim (Ch. 4.) otherwise called Joachim (ch. 15.) who also writ this Book, as Philo’s Chronology, li. 2. reporteth. From which time they had no wars till the reign of Joachaz, about 80 years, conformable to the long peace mentioned chap. 16. v. 30. In sum we have here, not a poetical Comedy (as Martin Luther shameth not to call it, in Simposiacis, c. 29. and in his German Preface of Judith) but a sacred History (as all aforementioned esteemed it, and the Jews confess) of a most valiant Matron’s fact, delivering the people of God from persecution of a cruel Tyrant. The first three chapters show the occasion of this danger: the next four describe the difficulties and distresses thereof: other seven with part of the 15^th how Judith delivered them from it. In the rest Judith is much praised, and she with the whole people praise God.