preuent all scandal They haue concluded by this regulation that both kindes were not essentiall to the Communion by the institution of CHRIST for otherwise they would haue bin bound absolutely to refuse the Sacrament to such as were not able to receaue it compleat and not to giue it them in a manner contrary to that CHRIST JESVS had commanded and in that case their disability would haue sufficiently excused them But our Aduersaries haue conceaued that such a rigour would be excessiue if they did not allow at least one of the Species to such as were not capable to receaue the other and since this condescendence hath no ground in the Scripture they must needs confesse with vs that the words whereby CHRIST IESVS hath proposed to vs the two Species are liable to some interpretation and that the right vnderstanding of them ought to be declared by the Authority of the Church But it might seeme that this Article of their Discipline which is of the Synode of Poytiers held 1560 had bin reformed by the Synode of Vertueil assembled in the year 1567 where it is said that the company is not of opinion the Bread should be giuen to those who would not receaue the Cupp These two Synodes neuerthelesse are not at all opposite to one another that of Vertueil speaketh of those who Will not receaue the Cupp and that of Poytiers of such as Can not take it And indeed notwithstanding the Synode of Vertueil that Article remaineth in their Discipline nay more hath bin approued by a Synode later then that of Vertueil namely by the Synode of Rochelle in 1571 where the Article was renewed and putt into that state which it now remaineth in But supposing the Synodes of the Pretended-Reformers had differr'd varied in their opinions that would serue only to manifest that the matter in question is not a point of Faith but of that kind which the Church may order dispose of according to their own principles There remaineth now nothing but to expose what the Catholiques hold touching the Word of God concerning the Authority of the Church CHRIST IESVS hauing lay'd the foundation of his Church vpon the Preaching of his Disciples the Vnwritten Word was the first guide rule of Christianity when the writings of the New Testament were adioyned to them the former Word did not for all that loose its Authority which causeth vs to accept with the same veneration all that was taught by the Apostles be it by writing or by word of mouth according to what S. Paul himself hath expresly inioyned And the certain proofe that a Doctrine comes from the Apostles is its being accepted and embraced by all Christian Churches whilst its beginning can not be pointed mark'd out We can not choose but receaue all that is establish'd in this manner with the submission due to the Diuine Authority and we are confident that such persons of the Pretended-Reformed Religion as are not very obstinate haue the same perswasion in the bottome of their harts it being impossible to beleeue that a Doctrine setled and receaued from the beginning of the Church can flow from any other spring then that of the Apostles Wherefore our Adversaries ought not to wonder that we being zealously carefull to inherit all that our Fathers haue left vs doe conserue the Deposite of Tradition as well as that of the Scriptures The Church being ordained by God to be the Depositary of the Scripture of Tradition we receaue from her hands the Canonicall Scriptures and we beleeue whateuer our Aduersaries say that it is principally the Church's Authority that determineth vs to reuerence as Diuine writt the song of Salomon which hath so few sensible markes of Propheticall inspiration and likewise the Epistle of S. Iames which Luther reiected and that of S. Iude which might be suspected by reason of some Apocriphall bookes cited in it in fine there can be no motiue but that Authority to perswade the receauing the whole body of the holy Scriptures which Christians accept as Diuine euen before the reading hath wrougt any feeling of the Spirit of God in those bookes Being then inseparably bound as we are to the Authority of the Church by meanes of the Scriptures which we receaue from her hand we are taught also by her Tradition and by the help of Tradition the true sense of the Scriptures So that the Church professeth to say nothing meerly of her self and likewise that she inventeth nothing new in her Doctrine that she doth but follow and declare the Diuine Reuelation by the interiour direction of the holy spirit which is giuen her for her Teacher That the holy Ghost expresseth himself by the Church the dispute raised about the Ceremonies of the Law euen in the time of the Apostles doth euidence and their Acts haue directed all succeeding ages by the manner that first contest was decided by what Authority all following differences are to be determined so that whensoeuer any dispute happens to deuide the faithfull the Church will interpose her Authority and the Pastours assembled will say after the Apostles It hath seemed good to the Holy Spirit and vs. And when the Church hath pronounced and determined her children will be taught not to examine a new the Articles resolued vpon but that they are bound to accept with all submission the Church's Decisions And in this methode we follow S. Paul and Silas who deliuered to the faithfull the first iudgment of the Apostles and were so farr from allowing a new discussion of what had bin decided as they trauell'd through the townes teaching to obserue the ordinances of the Apostles In this manner the children of God acquiesce in the iudgment of the Church beleeuing that by her mouth they hear the Oracle of the Holy Ghost and it is vpon the ground of this perswasion that after hauing profess'd in the Creed I beleeue in the Holy Ghost we ioine next to it The Holy Catholique Church by which protestation we oblige our selues to acknowledge an Infallible and Perpetuall Verity in the Catholique Church since the same Church which we beleeue perseuering throughout all ages would cease to be a Church if it left to teach the Truth reuealed by God so that such as apprehend least she should abuse her power by introducing Falsities haue little Faith in him by whose hand she is held and conducted And if our Aduersaries would consider discusse these matters in a fairer and more humane manner they would be forced to auowe that the Catholique Church is so farre from affecting to render herself Mistresse of her Faith as her Aduersaries charge her that quite contrary she hath laboured with all her power to binde her self and to exclude all means of In̄ouation since she doth not only submitt to the holy Scriptures but to banish for euer all Arbitrary interpretatiōs which would make the conceipts of men passe for Scripture declareth herself obliged
perfection of the new man Their diuine institution is extant in the holy scripture either by the expresse words of CHRIST who established them or by that Grace which by testimony of the same scripture is annexed vnto them and inferreth necessarily God's ordayning them By reason that infants can not supply their own want of Baptisme by the acts of Faith Hope and Charity nor by their vows desire of receauing this Sacrament we beleeue that if they doe not actually receaue it they haue no part of communication of the Grace of our Redemption and consequently dying in Adam they haue no part in JESVS-CHRIST It is fitt to obserue here that the Lutherans concurr with the Catholique Church in holding the absolute necessity of Baptisme for Infants and withall wonder that any one hath presumed to deny a truth which no one before Caluin had euer dared to call in question so deeply was it imprinted in the minds of all the faithful Notwithstanding this the Pretended-Reformers make no scruple willfully to lett their children dye as the Infidels doe without bearing any marke of Christianity and depriued of all the grace that belongs to it if the death of the child happen before the day of their Congregation The imposition of hands practised by the Apostles in order to the confirming fortifying the faithfull against persecutions deriuing the principall efficacy from the internall descent of the holy Ghost the infusion of his guifts ought not to haue bin reiected by our Aduersaries vpon this pretext that the holy spirit doth no longer descend visibly vpon vs no more then it is by all the Christian Churches who haue religiously continued it euer since the Apostles and make vse also of the holy Chrisme to demonstrate the virtue of that Sacrament by a more expresse and sensible representation of the interiour Vnction of the holy spirit We beleeue CHRIST IESVS hath bin pleased to ordaine that those who haue subiected themselues to the Authority of the Chruch by their Baptisme and after this engagement haue transgressed the lawes of the Gospel should be bound to vndergoe the iudgment of the same Church at the tribunal of Pennance where she doth exercise the power conferr'd vpon her to remitt or to reteyn sinns The termes of the commission granted to the Churches Ministers to absolue sinns are so large and general that without great temerity the power can not be restreyned only vnto publick and notorious offences and when they pronounce Absolution in the name of CHRIST JESVS since they doe but follow the expresse termes of their commission the sentence is reputed as giuen by CHRIST himself in whose place they are appointed as Iudges It is this inuisible High-Priest who absolueth interiourly the Penitent whilst the Priest exerciseth the exteriour ministery This Penitentiall iudicature being so necessary a curbe for our licentiousnesse so aboundant a spring of pious and prudent aduises so sensible a consolation to soules afflicted for their sinns when Absolution is not only declared to them in generall termes as the Protestant Ministers doe practise but giuen them in particular and the Penitent effectualy absolued by the commission of CHRIST IESVS vpon a perfect examination and a right vnderstanding of the case we can not possibly beleeue that our Adversaries can contemplate so many good consequences without resenting their losse and feeling some shame of such an abusiue Reformation which hath abrogated so holy so beneficial a practise The holy Ghost hauing annexed vnto Extreame-Vnction by the testimony of S. Iames an expresse promise of remission of sinns and ease vnto the sick party there is nothing wanting vnto this most holy ceremony towards the cōstituting it a true Sacrament We must only obserue that according to the Doctrine of the Councel of Trent the sick are more releeued in respect of their soules then their bodyes and the spiritual benefit is alwayes the principal ayme obiect of the new law it is that also we ought absolutely to expect from this holy Vnction supposing we are rightly disposed for it whereas our corporal eases and releifs in our infirmitys are afforded vs only as relating to our eternal health according to the secret and hidden dispositions of Diuine Prouidence and the seueral degrees of preparation and faith which are already acting in the soules of the faithful When we shall seriously cōsider that IESVS-CHRIST hath induced a new forme into the state of Marriage reducing this holy society vnto two persons immutably indissolubly vnited when we shall reflect that this inseparable coniunction is made the signe of his Eternall vnion with his Church we shall find little difficulty to comprehend that the Marriage of the faithfull is accompanied with the Grace of the holy Spirit we will easily praise the Diuine goodnes which hath bin pleased to sanctify in this manner the spring and deriuation of our birth The imposition of hands which the Ministers of holy matters receaue being accompanied with so present and actual a virtue of the holy Ghost and so intire an infusion of Grace is duly reckoned in the number of the Sacraments and we must confesse that our Aduersaries doe not absolutely exclude the Consecration of Ministers but they reiect it only from the number of the Sacraments which are common to the whole Church We are now at last come to the question of the Eucharist or Blessed Sacrament wherein it will be requisite to explaine more amply our Doctrine and yet not passing farr beyond the bounds which we haue prescribed to our selues The reall presence of the Body and Blood of our Lord in this Sacramēt is solidy established by the words of the institution which we vnderstand litterally and there is no more reason to aske vs why we tye our selues to the proper litterall sence then to question a traueller why he followeth the great high-way It is their part that resort to figuratiue senses and choose such by-paths to shew a reason of this their deuiation As for vs who perceaue nothing in the words which CHRIST IESVS vsed for the institution of this Mystery that obligeth vs to take them in a figuratiue sense we conceaue this reason sufficient to settle and determine our receauing them in their proper and litterall signification But we find our selues yet more strictly tyed vnto it when we considerately examine the intention of the sonne of God in this mystery which I will explaine in the cleerest and easiest termes I can possibly and by such principles as I conceaue our Aduersaries can not disagree in I say then that these words of our Sauiour Take and eate this is my Body giuen for you shew vs that as the ancient Iews did not simply vnite themselues in spirit vnto the immolation or killing of the victimes which were offered for them but did effectually eate of the Sacrificed flesh which was a signe
to vnderstand them in what relateth to Faith or Manners conformably to the sense of the holy Fathers from which she professeth neuer to depart declaring by all her Councells and by all her Professions of Faith already published that she admitteth no point of Doctrine which is not conformable to the Tradition of all preceeding ages Moreouer if our Aduersaries will examine their Consciences they will discerne that the name of the Church hath more authority ouer their minds then they dare auowe in their disputes and I am perswaded there is not any one prudent iudicious man amongst them who finding himself alone in his perswasion how euident soeuer it might seeme to him that would not be frightned with that Singularity so manifest it is that men haue need in these matters to be supported in their opinions by the Authority of some Society that is of the same iudgment And for this reason God who hath created vs and knoweth what is most proper for vs hath ordained for our benefit that all particular subiects should render obedience to his Church the Authority whereof is of all others vndoubtedly the best established not only by the testimony which God himself renders in proofe of it in the holy Scriptures but likewise by the euidencies of his Diuine protection which is manifested no lesse in the most inuiolable perpetuall subsistence then it was in the miraculous establishment thereof This Soueraigne Authority of the Church is so necessary to regulate the differences which arise vpon points of Faith and the right vnderstanding of the Scripture that our Aduersaries themselues after hauing discredited decryed it as an insupportable Tyranny haue bin at last necessitated to authorise establish it amongst themselues When those who are call'd Independants maintained openly that euery indiuiduall of the faithfull ought to follow the light of his conscience without being obliged to submitt his iudgment to any body or Ecclesiasticall assembly and that vpon this ground they refused to subiect themselues to Synodes that of Charenton held 1644. censured this Doctrine vpon the same reasons and in regard of the same inconueniences which moued vs to reject it That Synode obserueth in the first place that the Error of the Independants consisteth in their holding that euery single Church ought to gouerne it self by her own lawes without dependance vpon any person in Ecclesiasticall affairs and without any obligation to conforme to the Authority of Conferences and Synodes in point of their conduct regulation And in order thereunto the same Synode determineth that this Sect is as preiudiciall to the State as to the Church that it setteth open a dore to all sorts of irregularities and extrauagancies that it cutts off all means of applying any remedy and if it tooke place there might be as many Religions inuented as there are particular parishes or assemblies These last words shew cleerly that it was principally in point of Faith that this Synode intended to establish a Dependance since the great est inconuenience it obserues the faithfull would be lyable to by this independency is that there might be as many Religions formed and professed as there are parishes It followeth then of necessity by the Doctrine of this Synode that euery particular Church and much more euery priuate person ought to Depend in what belongs to Faith vpon a Superiour Authority which resides in some Assembly or Body of men to which Authority all the Faithfull subiect their priuate iudgments for the independants doe not refuse to submit vnto the Word of God in that sense they conceaue they ought to vnderstand it nor to accept the Decision of Synodes when after they haue examined them they conclude them reasonable and fitt to be obserued what they refuse to yeald vnto is to resigne vp their priuate iudgment vnto that of an Assembly vpon this ground which our Aduersaries haue lai'd for them viz that all Assemblies euen that of the Vniuersall Church is a company of Men subiect to Error vnto which consequently a Christian ought not to subiect his iudgment since he oweth his resignation but to God alone It is from this pretension of the Independants that all those inconueniences are inferr'd which the Synode of Charenton hath so well obserued for what profession soeuer be made to submit vnto the Word of God if euery one thinketh he hath right to vnderstand it according to his own iudgment though it be contrary to the sense of the Church declared in a Finall decree this pretension will open the way to all sorts of extrauagancies and exclude all means of applying any remedy since the Decision of the Church is no restraint to such as doe not conceaue themselues bound to submit vnto it and in fine it will open the way to frame as many Religions not only as there are parishes but euen as there are priuate heads For precaution against these incōueniencies from whence would ensue the ruyne of Christian Religion the Synode of Charenton is forced to constitute a Dependance in Ecclesiasticall matters and euen in points of Faith But this their designed Deference will neuer retrench those pernicious consequences they haue proposed to themselues the preuenting vnlesse they settle conformably to vs this maxime that euery particular Church and much more each single person ought to beleeue himself obliged to submit his priuate iudgment vnto the Authority of the Church And so we see likewise in the fifth chapter of the Discipline of the Pretended-Reformed Religion tit of Consistories art 31. that desiring to prescribe an expedient to determine the debates which might arise vpon any point of Doctrine or Discipline they decreed first that the Consistory shall endeauor to appease all without noise and with all the sweetnes of the Word of God and after hauing sett and rank'd the Consistory the Conference and the Prouinciall Synode as so many distinct degrees of Iurisdiction coming at last to the Nationall Synode aboue which there is no Authority amongst them they speake of it in these termes There it is that the Entier Finall resolution shall be taken according to the Word of God to which if they refuse to acquiesce in euery point and with a direct renouncing of their Errors they shall be cutt off from the Church Is it not then euident that the Pretended-Reformers doe not attribute the Authority of this Finall iudgment to the Word of God taken alone by it self and without dependance on the Authority of the Church since the Word hauing bin employ'd and consulted in the first conclusions they haue made vpō it they doe neuerthelesse admit an Apeale from it It is the Word as interpreted by the Soueraigne tribunal of the Church that frameth this last and Finall resolution vnto which whosoeuer refuseth to acquiesce from point to point though he boasteth his being authorised by the Word of God is no longer reputed but as a profane abuser and Corrupter thereof But the forme of those Letters
of deputation which were drawn vp agreed vpon at the Synode of Vitré in the year 1617. to be obserued by the Prouinces when they were to send deputies to the Nationall Synode is yet more positiue it runns in these termes We promise before God to submit to all that shall be concluded and resolved in your holy Assembly and to obey execute it with all our power being perswaded as we are that God will preside in it and conduct you by his holy Spirit into all truth and equity by the rule of his Word Here the point is not the receauâ—ng of the resolution of a Synode after hauing discern'd that it hath ordain'd according to the Scripture but here is a submission made unto it euen before the assembling of it and this is done by reason they are perswaded that the holy spirit will preside in it If this perswasion be grounded vpon a humane presumption can one in conscience promise before God to submitt to all which shall be resolued and concluded and to obey execute it to the utmost of ones power And if this perswasion be grounded vpon an assured beleef of that assistance the holy Ghost affordeth the Church in her Finall ordinances the Catholiques themselues require no more of them Thus the proceedings of our Aduersariers doe manifest that they concurr with vs in the necessity of a Supreme Authority without which there can neuer be a Finall decision of any doubt in Religion and although when they cast of the yoke of Obedience they denied that the faithfull were obliged to resigne their iudgment vp to that of the Church yet the necessity of settling some order among themselues hath forced them in processe of time to acknowledg what their first engagement had moued them to contradict Nay they haue gone much farther in the National Synode held at Sainte Foy in the year 1578. There was some ouerture made of a reconcilement with the Lutherans by means of a forme of profession of Faith general and common to all the Churches which was proposed to be concerted and drawn vp The Churches of this Kingdome were inuited to depute vnto an Assembly to be held for that purpose virtuous persons approued and authorised by all the forenamed Churches with an ample Procuration TO TREAT AGREE VPON AND DECIDE ALL POINTS OF DOCTRINE and other matters concerning the vnion Vpon this proposition the resolution of the Synode of Sainte Foy was agreed vpon in these termes The National Synode of this Kingdome after having giuen God thanks for such an ouerture and commended the care and diligence as well as the good counsels of the fore-mentioned persons conuoked APPROVING THE REMEDIES THEY HAVE SVGGESTED viz principally that of framing a new Confession of Faith and giuing power to some certaine persons to compose it hath ordained that in case the copie of that aboue-named Confession of Faith shall be sent time enough it shall be examined in euery Prouinciall Synode or after some other manner according to the conueniency of each Prouince and in the mean time hath deputed four Ministers the best experienced in affairs of that nature to whome expresse order hath bin giuen to render themselves vpon the places and at the day with letters and ample Procurations of all the Ministers and ancient Deputies of the Prouinces of this Kingdome together with those of the Viscount of Turene to doe all things aboue mentioned and euen in case that MEANS COVLD NOT BE FOVND TO EXAMINE THE SAYD CONFESSION BY ALL THE PROVINCES it is referr'd to their prudence and sound iudgment to agree and CONCLVDE all the points which shall be brought into deliberation as well FOR THE DOCTRINE as for any other matter concerning the benefit vnion and quiet of all the Churches This in fine is the result of that feigned tendernesse of Conscience in the Ministers of the Pretended-Reformed Religion How often haue they reproached to us as a weakenesse that Submission we professe to the iudgment and Decrees of the Church which is say they but a company of men subiect to Error and yet they being assembled themselues in a Body at a Nationall Synode which represented all the Pretended-Reformed Churches of France haue nor scrupuled to leaue their Faith to the Arbitration of four persons with so Absolute a Resignation of their Iudgments that they transferr'd vpon them a full power to change the very Confession it self which they propose euen to this day to all Christian people as a Confession of Faith which containeth nothing but the pure Word of God and for which in presenting it to our Kings they haue said that an infinite number of people were ready to shed their blood I leaue the prudent Reader to make his reflections vpon the Decree of this Synode and will conclude in few words my explication of the perswasions tenents of the Catholique Church The sonne of God hauing bin pleased that his Church should remaine one and be solidly built vpon this Vnity hath instituted founded the Primacy of S t Peter to maintaine and cement it whereupoÌ„we acknowledgethe same Primacy in the Successors of the Prince of the Apostles vnto whome vpon that title we owe that Submission Obedience which the holy Councells Fathers haue taught and inioyn'd the faithfull As for those points which are so vsually disputed in the Schooles although the Ministers doe coÌ„tinually alledge them to asperse and render that Authority odious it is to little purpose to mention them in this discourse since they are not points of Catholique Faith It is sufficient here to confesse a Head established by God which will freely be accorded by all such as affect Vnion Concord of Christian Fraternity Ecclesiasticall Vnanimity And certaine it is that if the Founders of the Pretended Reformation had loued Vnity in the Church they would neuer haue abolished Episcopall Gouernement which we finde established by IESVS-CHRIST himself and which we see impower'd authorised euen in the dayes of the Apostles nor would they haue despised the Authority of S. Peter's seate which hath so solid a foundation in the Ghospel and so euident a continuation in Ecclesiasticall Tradition they would rather haue zealously maintain'd Episcopall Iurisdiction which setleth preserueth Vnion in particular Churches and the Primacy of S. Peter's Chaire which is the common center of all Catholique VnioÌ„ This is the exposition of the Catholique Doctrine wherein to tye my self to what is most important in it I haue declined some questions which the Pretended-Reformers themselues doe not account a legitimate motiue for a Breach or Separation and I may hope that those of their Communion who shall examine fairely with Christian equity all the parts and consequences of this Treatise will by the reading thereof be better disposed to accept and acquiescevnto those proofs vpoÌ„ which the Faith of the Church is established and will at least auowe that many of our Controuersies may be decided by a