please to furnish me with and grant me of their own accords 8. And to oblige my self to perform it with as much clarity and brevity withal as may possibly be I will conclude the matter in these three Chapters following In the first I will propose the Maxime or Principle which I intend to make use of and I will establish it by the Doctrine and proceedings of Prorestants themselves In the second I will apply it according to their own Rules unto the Subject of the Holy Eucharist And in the last I will draw those Consequences which their own agreed-upon Principles do afford me This seems to me the way to force our Adversaries but sweetly to return of themselves to that True Faith from which a miserable Schisme has unfortunately separated them by the revolt of their Fore-fathers I am not able to say what success I am like to have in so noble an enterprise My endeavours nevertheless shall not be wanting to effect it upon those terms which I have prefixed unto my self At least I intend to secure this advantage that having no litigious quarrel with these Gentlemen if I prove not so fortunate as to perswade them into and reduce them to the obedience of the Holy Church I will not at least interrupt that civil peace and sociable tranquillity we all enjoy under the Authority of the Lawes of our Gracious King by words and expressions which are apt sometimes to sound too loud and bite too sharply I will not I say have my part in those too bitter and violent expressions which the earnestness of Disputation is naturally apt to lead a man â—â—to unless more than ordinary care be used for the checking them Finally I will avoid the bitterness of those obstinate Contests which are too frequently accompanied with that sharpness and animosity which is not at all beseeming the civil breeding of this Age nor this happy time of Peace when all our worâ—â— ought to carry a certain sweetness with them which may inspire and maintain Union and Charity CHAP. II. The settling of this general Maxime That that Church in which are found the two Parties concern'd has ever had the Power to determine all differences and to declare that as matter of Faith which before there was no obligation to believe And that we are bound to acquiesce unto her decisions under the penalty of being Schismaticks 1. THere is not any one to be sound among those who bear the name of Christians who does not acknowledge that there is in the World a True Church which our Lord Jesus has purchased with the price of his own most pretious Blood All those who have separated themselves from us into so many several Sects declaring that their Congregation is the Company of the Faithful and the Church of God agree at least in this that they hold for certain that there is a True Church of Jesus Christ wheresoever it is to be found It is moreover evident that those who first entred into Dispute concerning matters of Faith were all of the same Church which Church before it did declare for either side of the Dissenters and before one Party made a separation was the onely then in being and consequently the True Church Now of this Church it is I intend to speak and I averr that all generally do agree that She is endowed with Soveraign Authority to define and propose that as matter of Faith which antecedently to her definition no body perchance was obliged to accept under that notion 2. For proof of this Verity which is not well to be denied when understood this reflexion is to be made out of St. Paul to the Romans Chap. 10 That to be bound to believe a thing as a Point of Faith it is not sufficient that it be contained in the Word of God which is the onely motive of divine Faith but it is also necessary that we know it and that we know it as revealed by God For to know it we must hear of it and for this purpose regularly speaking it is necessary that it be proposed by full Authority as the formal words of the blessed Apostle do clearly import How shall they believe him whom they have not heard Quomodo credent in quem non audierunt Quomodo autem audient sine praedicante Quomodo autem praedicabunt nisi mittantur Rom. 10. v. 14 15. Ergo fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi v. 17. and how shall they hear without a Preacher but how shall they Preach unless they be sent There is then no obligation to believe without a previous instruction concerning an Aâ—â—icle of Faith and this cannot be without the Ministry of those who are appointed by the Church to propose her Doctrine which Doctrine is grounded upon the Word of God In regard of this the Apostle concludes in this manner Faith then is by hearing and hearing is by the Word of Christ Thus for there is no difference betwixt us and Protestants They do own that for this end it is necessary there should be in the Church Ministers of the Word of God for the proposing by her Authority that which is contained in the Divine Word They profess that in order to an obligation of believing any particular point it is necessary that it be distinctly known and that it be proposed by some legal Authority to be believed 3. This notwithstanding there are many things which we are now obliged to believe which were not distinctly known at some other time nor proposed unto the Faithful as Points belonging to Faith and necessarily to be believed by them It is a verity which no Protestant I think will make difficulty in For I will now grant them that all that we are to believe is contained in the Word of God which we have received in the Holy Scriptures and which the blessed Apostles have delivered unto us having first received it of their Divine Master Christ Jesus But I hope also they will not stick to acknowledge that all that is comprehended in Holy Writ whether in the sence of the Letter or in the Consequences which are included in those Divine Principles has not alwayes been clearly and distinctly known by all persons and at all times It is an admirable sure of Tapistry wrought by the hand of God himself and framed with a most rare variety of gracefull figures both for ornament and instruction of his Church but it was not from the beginning exposed all at once to view These rare lineaments did not appear but by degrees as it happened that the pieces were unfolded one after another upon occasions It is a most fertile soil which bears a marvellous variety of sweet flowers of excellent fruit and all sorts of choice grain in its bowells as it were inclosed or shut up in the seeds which are as so many Treasures with which she is inriched but you must expect till the Sun disclose and discover them making them spring and bud
explication oâ— their Doctrine so fully as it was afterwards thought fitting to do and thâ— they did not judge it necessary to descend to all those particulars which were examined and looked into in afteâ— Ages It was possible also that the would not deduce all those particular sequels which were inclosed or shut up as it were in those Principles which they established as our Blessed Saviour himself had formerly dealt with theâ— It is also very likely that men oâ— of neglect not preserving those Truth in memory as they ought to have done they came insensibly to â—e forgotten or that whilest mens wits were wholly taken up in defending some part oâ— them against Hereticks who opposed them there was not so much heed taken of those others which never came into Controversy However it be this iâ— indubitably certain that a time there was when many things were not clearly and distinctly known nor at such time obligatory as to exercise of faith which the Church has since placed in the number of such things as are belonging to Faith For although all those things were comprehended in Holy Scripture and in the Doctrine of the Apostles and that there alwayes were the same marks to know them by yet they were not alwayes taken notice of with the same reflexion or application But now by occasion of Disputes which have been raised at certain times the Church having set her self to examine them legally and according to form and making reflexions upon Holy Scripture and looking back upon the neighbouring times of the Apostles making up by such means unto the Fountain-head of true Apostolical Tradition she has declared them to be of faith as being exactly conformable to the Rule of Belief 6. I do not say therefore what some haply of our Adversaries who are not so well acquainted with our Tenets may reproach me with that the Church has Authority to frame new Articles of Faith No I do acknowledge together with them that she cannot act but according to Rule which is the holy Scripture and Tradition truely and purely Apostolical from which also we have received the holy Scripture it self She holds forth nothing new but she proposes unto us Antiquity which we knew not before She does not give new birth to Scars which never were before but she makes them appear in that Instre which formerly they had done by removing those clouds which did obscure them She has no new revelations she onely publishes those antient ones of which we had no formeâ— assurance Finally she settles no other Principles but such as she receiveâ— from our Saviour himself out of which by force of her light and certain necessary sequels she makes those Veritieâ— appear which were hidden and as 〈◊〉 were Quid est Depositum Id est quod tibi creditum est non à te inventum quod acceptisti non quod excogitasti 〈◊〉 rem non ingenii sed doctrinae non usurpationiâ— privatae publicae traditionis rem ad te perductam non a te prolatam in quae â—on author debes esse sed custos non instituâ—or sed sectator non ducens sed sequens Comment 1. c. 27. shut up in those Principles This is that which Vincentius Lirineâ— sis expresses most admirably applying unto the Church those words of S. Paâ— to his Disciple Timothy Depositum câ—stodi keep well the Depositum which 〈◊〉 put into your hands What is the meaning of this Depositum saith he speaking of matters of Faith It is that which you are intrusted with and by no means that which your self have invented It is that which you have received and in no wise that which your self have found out it is not the result of your own Wit or understanding but it is what you learn from that Doctrine which has been taught you It is not any thing which you have established in the World by your own private Authority it is a Point of Tradition which you have been trusted with for the publick good It is a Treasure of which there was no Mine in your own Land You are not the Author â—ut the conserver of this Doctrine You are not here the Guide but he that follows the Guide What Guide The Word of God which is this Guide and the true Rule of Holy Church Vald. l. 2. Doct. fid c. 22. Can. l. 2. de Com. 7. à castro de Luâ— go valentia alii Videte quid dicat qui fuerunt non qui sunt ut exceptis Apostolis quodcunque aliud postèa dicetur abscindatur Hier. in Ps 86. All our Divines agree in this Doctrine which they have taken from the Holy Fathers For St. Hierome has it in exâ—ess terms upon the 86. Psalm where he Psalmist sayes that Our Lord will delare in Scriptures of People and of Prinoes and of those that have been in her He makes use sayes St. Hierome of a word signifying time past fuerunt that have been because we are to hold nothing for a Point of Faith in the Church but what we find in the Prophers and in the Apostles who are the Princes of the Church And upon this ground it is that St. Irenaeus and after him S. Augustine saith That the faith of our Ancestors and ours makes but one and the same Faith because we believe nothing at this day which was not contained in the whole Body of their Faith The Church therefore never did make Iren. l. 3. c. 2 lib. 4. c. 13 Aug. Ep. 51 and undoubtedly never will make any new Articles of Faith since it is not in her power to define any thing but according to the Word of God which she is alwayes to consult with as with her Oracle and the Rule she is bound to follow But there is no question also but upon occasion of Differences from time to time in mens judgements and opinions she has often declared for and defined some Points which were antecedently by some questioned and that without offence or at least were not known before unless in general and by a confused kind of knowledge There is nothing more certain nor more common in the History of the Church and Councils where you shall frequently see defined and proposed as a Point or Principle of Faith that which before Conteâ—â—s did arise and before that violent clashing which has been in almost every Age of the Church about some Point or other in Controversy which was neither defined nor so much as thought of For example concerning the authentickness of some Canonical Books concerning the validity of Baptisme conferred by Hereticks concerning one or two Wills and operations in our Blessed Saviour concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost and many such like All which are now no more to be called in question although before the definition of the Church it might have been done without offence For if it be true that it belongs unto her to propose that as matter of Faith which was not before
Prophets This makes it further more manifest that it cannot be said that the Decrees of Synods are onely Rules of Policy which do not reach unto Doctrine and only serve for exterior order which is the utmost limit of their authority For it is most evident that this Assembly at Dort did pretend to regulate iâ— self according to the four first Councils whose example they proposed unto themseles In the mean time these Gentlemen do acknowledge that those Councils did condemn the doctrine of those Arch heretiques whom they gave Sentence against in such manner that it was not lawful to hold it not adhere unto their Party without becoming like unto them Hereticks and Schismaticks It cannot then be doubted but this Synod pretended to the same thing and that by declaring that the Doctrine of the Arminians was full of errors and contrary to the Word of God they intended to say an obligation of renouncing the said Doctrine by subscribing to their Decrees that they might not become guilty of Schisme and Heresie But without any great necessity of reasoning the business it is but hearing how the Synod delivers it self upon this subject For you must know that the Arminians refused to observe the Order which was appointed for the discussion and examination of their Articles Nay they were so bold as to maintain that they could not in Conscience accommodate themselves to that Method which they apprehended to be so prejudicial to the good Cause The Synod thereupon declares Quin potius si conscientiae suae quam debent rationem habereve lint eâ—s ad obtemper andum aequissimis supremarum potestarum mandatis hujúsque Synodi ordini judicio acquiescendum teneri Seff 42. die 29 Decembâ—is that it belongs to them as Judges to prescribe the Order which was to be observed in a Hearing of that nature and not at all to the Parties upon whom Sentence was to pass and that the pretext of Conscience which was laid hold on upon this occasion is no wayes jufâ—ifiable because there being nothing here in concern but the examination of the business their Consciences in this can suffer nothing Then they add these decisive words That if they on the contrary intend to have any regard to their Consciences as they ought in duty they are obliged to obey the Commands of Higher Powers to follow Orders and to acquiesce unto the Judgement of the Synod To this purpose it is that they alledge that passage of the Gospel which commands to esteem him as an Infidel who does not obey the Church It is pretended then that this Synod which represents their Church obliges to another kind of Obedience then meerly Political and that in matters of Faith where there is an obligation to believe under pain of damnation there is a duty incumbent upon Conscience to submit unto her Decrees Eandem pro legitimo causae Judice agnoscerent because as is there expresly determined in the 26. Sess It is The Synod which is Lawful Iudge in this Cause 11. Certainly the Synod had a great deal of reason to speak in that mannen For in so remarkable a Contest as this between two such Parties who were in Dispute of matters of such importance presupposed that they looked upon themselves as the Representative Body of the Church of Christ theâ— could not in reason discover any other Judge but themselves For they saw manifestly in that conjuncture that the Scripture could not be it for so much as the two Parties upholding theâ—â— Opinions by Scripture as it has always happened in all the Conrests which have risen in the Primitive Church the Controversie between them was concerning the true meaning of those passaged which were alledged on both sides Neither these Passages then nor those other which were brought for the explication of these and about which there was as hot a Dispute as about the former could ever end the difference between them because indeed they were the very Subject of the Dispute And consequently they found that there was a necessity of some other Supreme Authority which should give Sentence about the matter in contest and appease those troubles which otherwise must prove endlesse in the same Church This is the very Reason the Synod gives when they cite the Remonstrators to appear Sess 5.16 November Sess 23.7 Decembr Pro certâ ac indubitatâ fidei regulâ adqibiturum and oblige them to submit to their Decrees This is that makes them protest so often and take their solemn Oaths that they will determine things according to the Word of God Which they will make use of as a certain and indubitable Rule in matters of Faith In which proceeding of theirs they shew excellently well that there is a great distinction to be made between him that Judges and the Rule he follows to Judge well by In all the well govern'd Societies of the world there may arise differences yea even such as may by the contesting parties be managed bona fide But for the ending of them it is requisite there be a Court appointed and authorized from the Highest Power to Judge of them and by pronouncing Sentence to give clear notice to the Parties which of them has got the day Behold here â— Judge Behold a Court But this Judge and this Court are not without Lawes and Orders according to which Judgement is to be given Which Laws and Orders are many times the Subject of great Disputes each Party endeavouring to make them appear favourâ—ble to their side which Point is to 〈◊〉 cleared by the Sentence of the Judgâ— Here is the Rule he is to follow It 〈◊〉 not the Law it self the meaning whereof is actually in dispute that is Judge Were it otherwise it were impossible ever to determine any thing For the Law it self cannot explicate nor declare it self for either side but it is He that has received Authority who is to enâ— the strife according to Law the meaning whereof he determines and applyes to the present case The Assembly of Dort knew very well that this was the very state and condition of things in the Church of God which is without doubt the most holy and best ordered Community in the world In this Community notwithstanding there have happened great differences in matters of great importance and where the Contest has also been managed many times with a great deal of good meaning on all sides every one believing they had the Scriptures on their sides Witness S. Hierâ—me and S. Augustine in that difference between St. Peter and St. Paul witness S. Cyprian who was so earnest against the validity of the Baptisme of Hereticks and a thousand others of the same nature It is necessary there be a Judge Synodi mandato morem gerant quo praesentem hanc Synodum pro legitimo causae Judice agnoscere jubentur Sess 25. who has received power and Authority from our Blessed Lord to decide all these differences and that this Judge
Learnedst Ministers of the Church of Paris said pleasantly enough Mr. Dialle in his Book of the true use of the Fathers that as by force of imagination which modells the sound and determines it to the expression it fancies we make the Bells speak what we list even so in citing and alledging the Fathers we make them say whatever we have a mind they should have said and it is the resolution of drawing them to our side which determines their sayings to a particular pretended sense or meaning I require then of you for the present that you rest upon what was said on this subject by that Minister who was so long and so faithful a Servant to the Party This has so much reason and equity in it that I make my self believe you will never have the heart to refuse it And now in case the Fathers by you cited should not be found to have so positively mentioned the Real Absence as you pretend they have done and we deny you would not be upon much worse terms as to the main business Because according to you the Fathers are not the Râ—le of Faith So likewise if it should happen that those whom we make use of in opposition to you should not have declared themselves so clearly and distinctly for a Real Presence as we suppose they have done and you deny it for the same reason we should not be much inconvenienced by it seeing especially that the true Church in which resides the power when Contests do arise of defining what is of Faith in such manner as we have already mentioned has yet determined nothing in the case nor declared in particular what is the meaning of this or that passage of St. Cyprian St. Cyrill or St. Augustine c Let this then for the present remain undecided and let us proceed as if these Fathers who are the occasion of this dispute had said nothing clearly and distinctly concerning this matteâ—y think there can be nothing more 〈◊〉 and reasonable then this And I can not apprehend that either Monsieâ— Claude or any of his Party will think fit to Dispute this Point with us For if they object Fathers against us it is nor than according to their Principleâ— they pretend they are infalâ—ible and that what is to be believed is to be decided by their Authority but it is to shew us that they can fight us at the same weapon we sometimes make use of against them 4. As to the second thing in Contest to wit Whether there ever was a time in the Church wherein there was but a confused kind of knowledge touching this Mystery without reflexion upon either Real Presence or Real Absence Monsieur Arnaud proves in one whole Book that this could not be And for mine own part I confess unto him that if he had none else to deal with besides my self he should not at all â—eed to give himself any further trouble of arguing the business for I am absolutely of his perswasion Nay I 'll add further should make a scruple in Conscience to refuse my consent to so rational and well-grounded an assertion But by misfortune Monsieur Claude is not of my humour and will not yield the least in a point where he imagins he has some advantage and which he seems resolved to make good to the very last Behold why I am more than half perswaded to ield up something of that right which I might so justly claim and this for peace and quietness sake and that I may not be engaged in a Dispute which I have resolved to decline as much as may be Let us then frankly grant what he demands although we are far enough from agreeing with him upon the matter Let us not contest with him about a Point which we may dispense with without any great difficulty Let him have full scope to fancy to himself such an obscure dark season of confused knowledge Let that invention of his own brain pass for a reality and that Christians actually as he will have it were at that time in a state of ignorance and obscurity I am contented to yield so far for his satisfaction And now by way of one little peaceable digression more 5. I will grant moreoever that this great Mystery has not at all times been examined to the bottom and that men did not employ themselves so much in the discussion of this as of many other Points The Fathers indeed have not written such large Treatises of itâ— as afterwards were written and as themselves have written concerning other Mysteries which they were obliged to maintain against those who opposed them All the Heresies of those dayes which interrupted the peace of the Church were chiefly concerning the most Blessed Trinity concerning the Divinity and Incarnation the Word Eternal They were at peace and quiet concerning the most Holy Eucharist It was not at all questioned by the Hereticks of those dayes The hour for that was not yet come Here you have the reason why the Holy Fathers insisted chiefly upon the defence of such Mysteries as were then questioned or opposed It was upon those occasions they compiled those great Works of theirs with so much exactness explaining and clearing many particular Points which were not much looked upon before those Contests were raised in the Church upon different occasions Without question there can be no great difficulty to agree that the same has happened in the subject of the Holy Eucharist That there was a time when men did not set themselves to Write purposely of the depth of the great Mystery as they did of some others about which mens wits were at work by occasion of some Propositions which had caused some disturbance There has been another time when men did upon design fall a writing more at large for the explicating not only the nature of this Sacrament but also of the Mysteries contained therein It is most certain that about the beginning of the ninth Age Anno 818. Bell. Sermon Defence of the Perpet l. 8. c. 10. pag. 840. Pascasius Radberâ—â— writ a Treatise of this nature in the Book he made concerning the Body and Blood of our Saviour Whether he were the first or no that treated of this subject in that manner discussing the particulars more-minutely with method and at large uniting together all the parts belonging to this glorioâ— Mystery Whether there were at the beginning many adversaries who shewed themselves in opposition to his Doctrine Pag. 227. Pag. 629. l. 8. c. 8. as is pretended by Mr. Claudâ— or very few and those who durst not publickly shew themselves as Monsieur Aenand evidences very learnedly and clearly concerns me not at all It is sufficient for me that it is most true as both agree that that Book in fine Ibid. was cause of some trouble and as is said of it in the Defence of the Perpetuity had this effect in some Pag. 813. that having given them occasion to look more