Unwholesome Henbane between two Fragrant ROSES. OR, Reasons and Grounds proving the unlawful and sinful inserting of the corrupt and most erroneous Apocrypha between the two most pure and sacred Testaments.  
Together with a most humble Vote, and serious desire to our most Reverend and Religious Assembly of DIVINES, to be a means to the High and honourable Court of Parliament for the utter expunging of it out of the Holy-Bible.  
AMong the many rank and high-grown stinking weeds of wickedness and impiety, fit to be eradicated and plucked up by the roots, and thrown out of the Garden of God's Church, in these so hopeful halcyon-days of a most holy and happy Reformation; I have a long time taken notice of one, which I humbly conceive to be none of the least, namely, the heretofore peremptorily commanded, and hitherto uncontrolled inserting, and marvellous ill misplacing the unholy and unwholesome Apocryphall-writings in our Bibles, and that between the two most holy and canonical-scriptures of the Old and New Testament; just, methinks▪ like a deal of clinging Clyver, or noisome Cockle, and Darnel, perking-up in the midst of a fair and fullgrown field of Wheat or Corn. Upon just and serious apprehension of the undoubted evil whereof, I have humbly made bold to be (though a mean and most unworthy, yet) a faithful Remembrancer both to our most grave and godly, learned and religious assembly of Divines, in special, for the holy and happy reformation of this great evil among us; And also to all the rest of God's people and truly faithfull-ones in general, not to permit or tolerate such an uncomely and corrupt piece of patchery, yea of downright errors, and therefore palpable impiety, in the very midst of, no nor in any part of their Bibles, the pure and unspotted, the most holy and wholesome Word of God. The not only indecency but apparent Impiety, and therefore undeniable sinfulness and unlawfulness whereof, I have here endeavoured (and, I hope, not unfruitfully) to make most easily and evidently appear to every pious and prudent Christian, who is bound to Abstain from all appearance of evil, much more, from every apparent evil. 2. Thess. 5, 22. And this, I say, will most perspicuously and plainly be manifested to us, if we wisely consider these few, but most serious and weighty considerations following. First, then, as touching the indecency and unfitness thereof, consider, with me, I pray; That between the prophecy of the Prophet Malachi, which is the end of the Old Testament, and the Gospel of St. Matthew which is the beginning of the New Testament, have too-long and too-inconsiderately, if not irreligiously been inserted certain Private-writings, called Apocrypha; which I may, methinks, fitly call an unwholesome Henbane planted between two most od●riferous and fragrant Roses. It being, indeed, a mere human stinking-breath, between the two sweet and most sacred lips of the most holy Old and New-Testaments, even in the midst and very heart, as it were of the blessed-Bible, God's Book, the only-book of all Books: Now, then, for the better dilucidating and clearing of this great and gross indecency, I shall desire the Christian and candid Reader to consider, That Malachi, the last Prophet (which signifieth Messenger, or Angel) did prophesy plainly, c: 3, 1. and c: 4, 5. that the Lord would send to the Jews a Messenger, even Elijah, to prepare the way before the Messiah, or Messenger of the new Covenant, viz: Christ. And these speeches of Malachi, or last Angel of the old-Covevant are the very face of the New-Testament or Covenant made for many. Then, immediately, comes (or, indeed, should come) the first Evangelist, St. Matthew, and he reports (Matth: 1. 20.) the Angel from heaven bringing news of Jesus; and immediately after, the Messenger of the New-Covenant is born, cap: 2, 1. And then, cap. 3. John Baptist, the Repairer of Christ's way, is introduced to the manifesting of that work. And this John is by the Evangelists, yea by our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus himself, called and declared to be that Elias, which Christ said should come before him (Matth: 11, 14, and 17, 3, 11, 12.) And he, indeed went before Christ, in the spirit and power of Elias: Luke 1, 17. And thus, I say, all the 4 Evangelists begin their work of the New Covenant, making the last Sweet-Breath of the Old-Testament, and the first and most sweet and savoury Breath of the New-Testament all one sweet canonical-breath inspired upon us from heaven. They look not, like bifronted Janus to 2 contrary coasts or ways, but, hand in hand, as it were they do (or at least, as I said before, should) join immediately and sweetly (without any stop or disturbance) meet and kiss each other. And who, now, should dare and be so bold as to hinder their holy lips from so due and decent a meeting? who, I say, should dare and presume to disjoin and put asunder, at such a foul distance, Those things which God hath so justly conj●yned together, by inserting such uncanonical writings, yea such a private & pernicious unwholesome and unsavoury a stinking-Breath, as I shall immediately show it to be? Besides, the Jews (who most carefully kept the Canon Law of God, or rather God for them) never received these writings for canonical as the Learned well know; neither were they written in Heber's sacred-tongue; A sufficient brand upon them to render them but a spurious offspring of merely erring men, & not a legitimate Birth sprung from Jehovah, nor any of his Divine Oracles given to Heber's people. Now, all this, I humbly conceive doth abundantly show the most unfit and undecent misplacing of these apocryphal writings, in the midst, or very heart, as I said, of God's canonical, unerring and immaculate Scriptures. And, now, in the next place, I shall, I hope, by God's assistance, make it no less clear and evident, that it is not only thus undecent and uncomely, but, indeed, most impious, and unlawful so to misplace them in the midst of God's Book, or, indeed, in any part thereof; which may most easily appear by these subsequent enormous and dangerous evils in them, viz. Errors, untruths, Blasphemy, magic, and Contradictions of canonical Scriptures.  
1, errors.  
For proof of this, namely, that the Apocryphall-writings have Errors in them; See, 2 Maccabees, 12, 43, 44, and 45. The words are these. And having made a gathering through the company, he sent to Jerusalem about 2000 drachmas of silver to offer a sacrifice, doing very well and honestly that he thought of their resurrection. For, if he had not hoped that they which were slain, should rise again, it had been superfluous to pray for the dead. And he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly, and therefore it was a holy and good thought. So he made a reconciliation for the dead that they might be delivered from sin. See here a plain and most notable Popish tenet of praying for the dead, and offering sacrifice for the sins of the deceased, maintained and justified by Judas Maccabeus, as a very godly and honest act in him. Again, see another gross error asserted and justified by the Author of the Maccabees, 2 Mac: 14, 41, 42, 43, 44, &c. In which place is set forth and expressed the high commendation and praise of Razis a Jew, for murdering himself in a most desperate, wilful and butcherly manner. Also, Ecclesiasticus, 46, 20. And, the book of wisdom, 19, 11. The words I omit to quote and express at length, for brevity's sake.  
2. untruths.  
For proof hereof, look into, 2 Esdras, 14, 21, 22, 23. The words begin thus. For thy Law is burnt, wherefore no man knoweth the things that are done of thee, or the works that shall be done in the world. But if I have found grace before thee, send the holy Ghost into me, and I shall write all that has been done in the world since the beginning; &c. Now that that is a palpable falsity & untruth the most complete History of the world's Creation and preservation all along, in the 5 Books of Moses, &c. and the books of the Prophets, Evangelists and Revelations, most admirably preserved and kept from burning and destruction, notwithstanding the frequent devastations and conflagrations of Jerusalem and the Captivities of the Jews, and persecutions since of the Christians, as in all former ages, doth most abundantly evidence and declare to the everlasting glory of God, and comfort of his children. So, likewise, you may see such other untruths, in, 2 Mac. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Tobit: 5, 11, 12, 13. Judith, 8, 33. And Judith, 10, 9, compared with 10, 12. And, 11, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15. Also, 1 Mac: 9, 3, 18, compared with 2 Mac: 1, 10, As also, 2, Mac: 1, 13.  
3, blasphemy.  
For the clearing of this, look into Tobit, 12, 12, & 15. The words are these. Now therefore when thou didst pray, and Sara thy daughter in law, I did bring to memory your prayers before the holy One; and when thou didst bury thy dead, I was with thee likewise. I am Raphael, one of the 7 holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saints, and which go forth before his holy majesty. These 2 verses being compared with Rom. 8, 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. And, with the 1, Tim: 2, 5. For, there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. And also with, Revel: 8, 3, 4. And another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censor, and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer it, with the prayers of all Saints, upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the odours which came up with the prayers of the Saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. Compare these 3 places, I say, with that of Apocryphal-tobit, and then see and say whether it be not abominable blasphemy to make or mention any other Mediator twixt God and his Saints, than Christ Jesus alone; as there it is of one Raphael.  
4. magic, or enchantment.  
That this is so also, be pleased to see Tobit, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9 The words are these. Then the young man said to the Angel, Brother Azarias, to what use is the heart, the liver, and the gall of the fish? And he said unto him; touching the heart and the liver; If a devil or an evil spirit trouble any, we must make a smoke thereof, before the man or the woman, and the party shall be no more vexed. As for the gall, it is good to anoint a man that hath whiteness in his eyes, and he shall be healed, &c. Also, Tobit, 11, 10, 11, 12, 13. Tobit also went forth toward the door and stumbled. But his son ran unto him and took hold of his father, and he strake of the gall on his father's eyes, saying, be of good hope, my father. And when his eyes began to smart, he rubbed them, and the whiteness peeled away from the corners of his eyes. Now, if these were not plain spells and unwarrantable ways of magic and enchantment, thus to drive away devils and evil spirits, and to cure diseases, by the help of such a spirit, as Azarias and Raphael, let all truly godly say and determine.  
5. Contradictions to canonical Scriptures.  
For proof hereof, be pleased to take notice of that in Judith 9, 2, 3, 4▪ The words are these. O Lord God of my father Simeon, to whom thou gavest a sword (Genes: 34, 2, 25.) to take vengeance of the strangers who had loosened the girdle of a Maid to defile her, and discovered the thigh to her shame, and polluted her virginity to her reproach (for thou saidst, it shall not be so, and yet they did so) wherefore thou gavest their rulers to be slain, &c. Now, compare this with Gen. 49, 5, 6, 7. The words are these. Simeon and Levi are brethren, instruments of cruelty are in their habitations; O my soul, come not thou into their secret; &c. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel, &c. And then see and judge, whether that of Apocryphal-judith, were not a most false and foul contradiction to this canonical Scripture in Genesis; Judith accusing the Lord God as consenting to, and allowing of that cruel murder, committed by Simeon and Levi, on the Shichemites, for the rape of Shichem on their sister, Dinah. Also, Ecclesiasticus, 46, 20. The words are these. And, after his death, he prophesied and showed the King his end (1, Sam: 28, 18, 19) and lift up his voice from the earth, in prophecy, &c. Now, compare this with Isa: 57, 2. He shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds, every one that walketh before him. And, with, Ecclesiastes, 12, 7. Then shall the body return to the earth▪ as it was, and the spirit shall return to God that gave it. And, now, see if there be not a most egregious contradiction of God's canonical Truth, in that of Apocryphall-Ecclesiasticus, falsely bringing in the holy Prophet Samuel to rise alive out of his grave, and to prophesy to Saul, after his death. So, also, in Hester Apocrypha, 12, 5. compared with Hester canonical, 1, 3. And Hester apocryphal, 15, 9, 10. compared with Hester canonical, 5, 2. And there you will also easily perceive apparent oppositions and clear contradictions to God's sacred-Truths not to be admitted or endured, especially in one and the same book and volume. Besides, take this one more note by the way (as a black-brand and mark of unworthiness of thus misplacing the Apocrypha with (or in the heart and midst of) the holy Bible, the most sacred canonical-scriptures) even the low and base style of the Penman of the Apocrypha 1, who, at the conclusion of all, writes thus, 2, Maccab: 15, 39 If I have done well, and as the story required, it is the thing I desired; But if I have spoken slenderly, it is that which I could do. Whereas the Inditer of the holy canonical-scriptures, begins, goes on, and concludes from Genesis to the end of the Revelations, with majesty, gravity, and convincing authority, Thus saith the Lord; The Word of the Lord is pure and undefiled; And, Cursed is he which adds or diminisheth from this word, and such like most high and authoritative expressions, I say, all along, from first to the last.  
Now, then, all these most serious and weighty premises advisedly and piously considered, How dares my man (especially by his or their authority, who ever they be) join such patcheries, nay rather, such putrified and pernicious impieties, with God's most pure and holy Canon, the sacred Scriptures? Certainly it is most impious, and impudent pertinacy and saucynes for any man, I say, to presume and dare to join and set up such bumane and rotten-posts by the Lord's most strong, pious, and precious Posts, and their Thresholds by his Thresholds; which the Lord himself complains of, and calls and counts defiling abominations. Ezek: 43, 7, 8. And for which very thing, he cut off and consumed in his anger, his people of Israel, both them and their kings; as there in that Scripture is most evidently clear. And yet, even this durst our late most impious and imperious tyrannising Taskmasters, the prelates do in their formerly uncontrolled most proud and even Papally-domineering days; yea, and so audaciously durst they do it, and proudly command it to be done, as not to suffer any Bibles to be bound up without it, under pain of sharp reproof and severe censures and Fines too for it. Yea and to this very day do too many even very good Christians, and especially almost all our irreligious Malignants and sottish Ignoramuses both in City and country (I know not out of what insensible and corrupt custom) hug and holdfast in their Bibles, these so impure and polluted Apocryphal-writings (just as they idolised formerly their prelatical Common-Prayer-Book) almost with equal faith and affection to the most pure and unspotted, most holy and wholesome canonical-scriptures, which only are abundantly sufficient and profitable to life and salvation, as being for this very use and end indicted, penned and preserved by the Lord's own special command, power and providence in all ages, maugre all the malicious machinations of Satan in any or all his instruments to have destroyed them, Atheists, Infidels, and Assyrian or Babylonish heathens. But, here, it may peradventure be objected (especially by or blockish Malignants and silly Ignerants) O, but, Sir, are there not very many excellent and Divine sayings and Sentences in the books of Apocrypha, as in the book of Wisdom, and Ecclesiasticus fit for men and women to read, and therefore were it not pity (say they) such good things should be so ill spoken of, and so harshly and wholly rejected, and quite put out of the Bible? Whereunto I easily answer, first, But are there not far more excellent, purely-holy and Divine Sayings and Sentences in most parts of the sacred Scriptures, especially in those precious pearley-Bracelets and golden-chains of sacred Sentences in the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the sacred and sugared Book of Psalms, and, as I said, generally all over the whole Bible, which may, nay ought to be more holily and wholesomely read and ruminated on, than any or all those in the so polluted Apocrypha. Secondly, I answer, If the mere moral goodness of those Apocryphal-writings (and that's the most and lest you can make of them) be the main and only ground of retaining them in your Bibles (as so it seems it is) then, I say, for the very same reason, and on the very same ground, you may as justly, yea and as profitably place in the midst of your Bibles, the excellent Sayings and Sentences, collected in a book called The Lives and Answers of the Philosophers, wherein is contained as many, and as excellent, wise, and morally Divine Sayings and Sentences of those Philosophers, as any that are in the books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus; But, I say, neither these nor those, nor any other men's sayings, who ever they were, being but meer-mens', aught (as I humbly conceive) by any means to be conjoined and set cheek by jowl (as the proverb is) especially, not to be tolerated in the very heart and midst of the sacred Scriptures, what ever specious pretences or fair glosses may be urged for it. For, that which, ofttimes, seems good and very goodly to the eyes and heart of man, is a most palpable and execrable abomination to the Lord.  

The Vote upon the Premises.  
O, therefore, that among the many most excellent and eminent work of Reformation, in the Church of God now lately thought upon, and in much measure fairly (already) effected (to the perpetual praise and glory of our good God, the just honour of his pious Instruments Both Houses of Parl●ament, and the most learned, Reverend and religious Assembly of D●vines, and to the ineffable soul ●●●●ring joy and comfort of all true Engl●sh-hearted Saints and Servants of the Lord, who have (together with mine unworthy-self, the meanest of them all) long time longed for, and from the root of their hearts desired to see those holy happy halcyon-days of K●ng Jesus, sitting solely upon his throne of powerful and pure Ordinances) O, therefore, I say, that it might please the Lord to put into the hearts of our most grave and godly Assembly (to whom, I humbly conceive it most properly, now, appertains) seriously to see unto (if, already, they have not) a most exact and accurate Reforma●●●● both of the particular great and gross vitiosities and also the general foul abuses offered to the whole Kingdom in and about this sacred Book of God, the Bible, both as touching the constant defect of exact correction of the orthography of it from the Printers-Presses, whereby the sense is in very many places, feully corrupted and falsely mistaken; as also the constant and general printing of our Bibles in very course and extreme thin and bad sinking-paper, and a dull and blunt letter, yet setting a high and enhanced price upon them; a most foul shame to them, and an intolerable abuse to the whole-Kingdom, that such a most preciously useful, and daily vendible Book should be so ill used: Also the adding unto (heretofore by constra●nt, & on pain of H●gh-Commission penalties and forfeitures of their Bibles, through the horrible pride, tyranny and Popish-superstion of the Bishops, and by the base aims and ends of some London-Stationers and others, who for filthy lucre, got Patents for) the adding unto (I say) and binding with our bible's divers human patches and pieces of men's inventions; to be, as it were of necessity (by reason of their Patents) bound with every B●ble, making them, thereby, to swell out to a bigger bulk, and so the more unconveniently portable, principally to raise the prices of Bibles, and to vent every man's inventions, if, I say, they could but procure the B●shops papal authority thereunto, as namely, the superstitious and idolised Book of Common-Prayers, the Genealogies, the Concordance, the Doctrine of the Bible, the history of the Bible, and such like. Some whereof, though I acknowledge to be useful in themselves for honest, ignorant, and plain people: yet not fit (as under correction I conceive) to be set cheek by jowl, with the pure and immaculate Word of God. But, most especially, I say, my humble suit and hearty desiro is and shall be, that our most Reverend and Religious assembly of Divines would be piously pleased to be a means to our present Parliaments that by their supreme Authority the most vile and vicious Apocryphal-writings (so erroneous and enormous, as hath been forementioned) may be utterly expunged and expelled out of all Bibles whatsoever, hereafter to be printed and bound up for public and private use; and this, under such pain or penalty as their grave and godly wisdom shall see fit. That so, God's holy word alone may be had and used in its own genuine orbs and native purity without any human coagulated mixtures or improper additions, in any part of them: That thus, both those arch enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ, I mean Jesuits and Papists may lose a mighty advantage, which they, at least, seemed and pretended to have among us, and against us, and God's Truth, especially, by those vicious-writings, so equalised (as it were by many of us) with Sacred Scriptures; and by which they most boldly (though most falsely) used to bolster up (upon mine own knowledge, I speak it) and to wrangle-out many of their blasphemous and damnable opinions, against the most pure, immaculate and invincible Truths of God's word: And, also, that by this means, all Malignants and ignorant poor and blind formal Protestants (whom the specious and glitterring tales and fables, and, for aught we yet know to the contrary, untrue Stories, of Susanna, Judith, Bel and the Dragon, and such like, do so please and affect, as hath been fore-specified) may be made better, yea, only, acquainted with the pure, and undefiled, and most authentic Word of God, the sacred Scriptures, which are able, of themselves alone, to conform and confirm souls to Christ, and to make simple-ones wise to salvation. Psal: 19, 7, 8. And this, I say hath been the longing and thirsty desire, and (till it be throughly effected) is and shall be the most servant and zealous prayer of one of the meanest and most unworthy Servants of his most dear and precious Lord and Master Christ Jesus,   
John Vicars.  
FINIS.   

Imprimatur  
Ja: Cranford.   

London: Printed for John Rothwell at the Sun in Paul's churchyard. 1645.