have a Rule and a Law which he is to follow in giving Judgement that his Sentence may be just and secure This Rule is the Word of God which rightly applyed renders Judgement highly equitable Now the Synod of Dort acknowledges that an Assembly of lawful Pastors representing the Body of the true Church is this Judge to whom it appertains to judge of the true sence of the Word of God and afterwards to resolve according to this Rule any cause depending 12. I do now earnestly beseech our Brethren of the Reformed Churches to reflect seriously upon these two Propositions I am now about to make The first is That as the Word of God is infallible in it self so certainly the Judgement of him who truely judges according to this Rule is also Infallible and consequently they are obliged to believe that the Church when she Judges according to this Rule or the Word of God does not onely not err but that she also cannot err The second is that they are bound as well as we to believe that the Church of God deciding controversies of Faith does judge according to the true sence of the Word of God because upon the matter it is concerning this very sence that she gives Judgement between the Parties who give it a different sence and who are obligâ— in Conscience to submit to her Judgement under pain of being Schismaticks and Hereticks as their Synod of Dort has positively declared From hence follows by necessary consequence according to their own Principles that they are bound to believe with us that the True Church of Jesus Christ is infallible in the Judgement she judicially pronounces touching matters of Faith 13. I think there can now be no 〈◊〉 but they are obliged according to their own grounds to acknowledge the infallibility of the Church of Christ But I am contented for the present not to press them so far nor to make use of that right which I might justly challange It is sufficient that the Synod which in these Gentlemens opinion represents the True Church is lawful judge in this case as the Synod is self declares obliging them in Confidence to adhere to and obey the Decisions made therein It is not then lawful for them who are of that Church and are at Difference amongst themselves to condeman the Synod of Error then judgement â—s given in order to the clearing Points of Faith confessed among them They have no power to frame a different Judgement from that of the Synod and adhering to it to seporâ—are themselves from communion with the rest They are bound to acknowledge the Authority of the Synod which is lawfull Judge and submit unto it believing that what is there desined 〈◊〉 Truth it self stand this without any necessity of entring upon the question of its Infallibility I demand nothing more for the preseâ—s I will content my 〈◊〉 with what themselves do grant That Church of which the Partins Contesting are members be she fallible or infallible has full Power to Debide differentes and 〈…〉 oblige under the penâ—ry of being Schismaticks And now having as I make my self believe give Monsient Claude all the satisfaction he can in 〈◊〉 require concerning this Point I 〈◊〉 on my course perceably and quietly and make bold to give him notice that 14. Here is that the Prescription that 〈◊〉 Point anâ—â—oisputable Pâ—â—ciple to which a receisary adhfione required when there arise Disputes between Parties for the discovering whether an Opinion be or be not contrary to the true Rule of Faith which is the Word of God and whether we stand bound to believe it as a Point of Faith Were it antecedently distinctly believed as such or no. Disputation will only serve to render the Debate eternal Both Parties will go on challenging the true sence of Scripture and Tradiuon on their sides Books shall be written without number for the asserting of it and that without any hopes or appearance of any end of these learned indeed but redious Contests which prove many times so intricate and confused that every one standing his ground and being strongly and willfully resolved not to yield reproaches his Adversary with affected Obstinacy against known Truth We must then make up to that unquestionable Point in which both Parties meet and which Tertullian so boldly establishes as the principal Rule or Prescription for the ending all differences which may arise about the agreeing or conformity with the Word of God which every one is so ready to challenge to himself This Learned Father having said in his twentieth Chapter A quibus traducem fidei semina doctrinae caeterae deinde Ecclesiae mutuatae sunt quotidie mutuontur ut Ecclesiae fiant Ataque tot ac tantae Ecclesiae una est illa ab Apostolis prima ex qua ommes Quid autem praedicavevint id est quid eis Christus revelaverit hÃc praescriham non alite pâ—obari debere nisi per easdem Ecclesias quas ipsi condiderunt ipsi eis praedicando tam vivâ quâ—d â—iunt voce quà m per epistolas postea de Praes c. 21. that the Apostles who were sent by our Blessed Saviour Founded many Churches in several places and that many others came from these by communication of the same Doctrine and that they all of them together make but one true Catholick and Apostolick Church he adde in the next Chapter that true Prescription is that nothing be received but what he revealed unto his Apostles whom he sent to Preach his Doctrine unto the world But in case there does arise any Contest concerning any particular Point and that we be in some trouble or doubt whether they Preacâ—â—ed it or no and by consequence whether they learned it of their Master or no behold here his solid Rule or Prescription in this great maxime that this is not to be made out or cleared by any other means but by those Churches which they founded either by Preaching or by Writing and which as we lately touched all of them make but one only Church To this Church then it does belong to determine what our Blessed Saviour did reveale in his Holy Word whensoever there is any cause of doubt in such Contests as do arise and what she defines what she declares in the case whatever former times did believe it now to be held as matter of Faith 15. As Protestants do acknowledge this Verity as I have made it appear so do we also most willingly submit unto it and intirely profess that the holy Church is lawful Judge of Controversies and that as Tertullian sayes addresses are to be made to her upon difference of Opinions that we may learn what the Son of God revealed unto his Apostles that is what is the true meaning of Holy Scripture and what Consequences are to be drawn from those Principles We have a very pregnant example of this in that famous Contest which has been for some Ages past between Catholicks concerning the Immaculate Conception
perceiving no great advantage gotten by the contest has found himself in a wavering condition and has thought it not unreasonable to begin to call that now in question of which before he made no doubt at all This is the very reason why this Learned man concludes Ergo non ad Scripturas provoc andum nec in his constituendum est certamen in quibus aut nulla a ut incerta victoria est aut par incertae c. 18. that the most compendious and the most ready way for the reducing such kind of spirits into peace and unity is not that way which for the most part obliges them to a continuance of the war lest they might seem to be overcome I mean the way of dispute and even that which is managed with holy Scripture and that we ought not lightly to ingage in those wayes or matters where there is little to be gotten and where the victory appears uncertain and doubtful at least to those of meaner capacities even then when to the wiser sort it appears most evident on the sounder parties side 3. This is that which makes him lay aside all particular Controversies concerning all those Points which may be made out by Scripture and in that his excellent Book of Prescriptions to fall upon certain generall Maxims which are Rules and Principles agreed upon on all sides and from whence certain necessary Consequences which do most naturally flow from them being well applied do convince all men of reasonable understandings without either dispute or reply and by a shorter and more certain way lead them sweetly to a desired unity He calls them Prescriptions Adversus haereticos etiam fine retractatu verborum revincendos l. 1. contra marc making use according to his Custom of a term of Law in the knowledge whereof he had arrived to great perfection And he makes use particularly of this Term upon this occasion because it imports in its signification a total defeat and solid conviction of Falsitie according to such certain and undeniable Principles of which there has been a constant Possession in all Ages by a due application whereof it is easy to discover and overthrow Errour without being obliged to attacque it with any other weapon or refuting it by particular Arguments 4. This seems to me the onely means to end this endless war to bring the business home to some one of those Principles which are received and allowed of on both sides and are agreed upon as the chief Rule for deciding all our differences Without this we shall hardly ever come to any agreement if we be still resolved to dispute the business as it is easie to do when a resolution is already taken never to yield And after tedious contests and large Volumes which almost equally tire the patience of both Authours and Readers the businesse will be found alwayes in the same posture it was at first in As the Better side has reason to take satisfaction in the advantage obtained Haec utique ipsi habent in nos retorquere necesse est enim illos dicere à nobis potiùs adulteria Scripturarum expositionum mendacia inierri qui proinde sibi defendant veritatem c. 18. so the Weaker sayes Tertullian attributes unto it self the self-same glory and would fain seem Victorious That which the one does most justly in exprobating falsity and error unto his adversary the other thinks most unjustly done and declares against it Truth which onely has reason to use such language finds it self set upon afresh even after Victory And Falsity which disguises it self under the name of Verity and usurps her right begins again to fight her at her own weapon uttering the same or like reproaches against her 5. This appears particularly in the proceeding of the Protestant Party who upon their separation from us thought good to accuse us of error and novelty It is scarce to be believed how many set Disputations and Conferences there have been held both in publick and in private concerning Points in question between us The number of those Volumes which have been writ concerning those subjects would serve to fill whole Liberaries What passages have not Bellarmin Perron Coëffeteau Richelieu and those other famous Defenders of the Faith drawn out of the Holy Scriptures and Antient Fathers together with all the Reasons and Arguments which might serve to place Truth again in its proper light and restore unto it the lustre which Falsity had endeavoured to rob her of I speak this because for my own part I am highly satisfied that the Proofs which these great men have made use of are of very great force and their Discourses very exact and convincing and that the Church of God owes much unto them for their Labour and industrie in maintaining her just Decrees I will add something more yet I have so good an opinion of the natural ingenuity and honesty of many of the most sincere and witty persons of the Protestant party themselves for there are certainly in other respects many excellent Wits and Learned men amongst them that they will not make much difficulty to own candidly and plainly that the Reasons and Places which our Doctors have alledged against their Tenets have put them very much to it and that they have need enough of all their Wit all their shifts and all their industry to disengage themselves in some handsome appearance at least from such streights as those troublesom passages have brought them into And now as I have taken the freedom to desire them to deal candidly with me so is it my intention to be plain and sincere with them and to yield so far unto them as ingeniously to acknowledge that in those Answers of theirs with which in their turns they have filled large Volumes they are not without some colourable pretence and that they carry such an appearance of Reason with them as may easily seduce the understandings of those who are not well versed in disputes of this nature Nay I will own farther that some passages out of Scripture and the Holy Fathers alledged by them against us have obliged us to make use of the famoufest Wits amongst us to find a clear and natural sense in the explication of them which has not been of efficacy to hinder these men from making their Replyes that they may still still seem to bear up handsomly in case they remain absolutely resolved not to yield to the known Truth which may indeed convince their understandings but not compel nor force their wills Thus after so many assaults and so many repulses after so many brave Works of those great men who have so gallantly maintained the Churches cause our adversaries will not at all own themselves weakned thereby And as they make themselves believe they have by their Answers sufficiently guarded themselves from our blows and that on the other side they seem to please themselves with those which in their turn they imagine they have given us
distinctly known or taken under that notion as we have now made out it must needs be our duty and obligation to receive it as such and consequently to believe it if we intend not to make our selves guilty of infidelity in receiving what appertains to Faith 7. In this we and the Protestants are well enough agreed For the force and strength of Mr. Claudes laborious piece lyes chiefly in that ground-work which he has laid with a great deal of Art and skill where he treats of the change he pretends has been made in our Belief concerning the most Blessed Sacrament And this he endeavours to settle upon that distinct and confused knowledge which he will have to have been concerning this Mystery in several and distinct times He affirms that the whole Body of the Church did insensibly fall from a distinct knowledge of this Verity into another confused one and that there was a time when there was no positive belief either of Real Presence or Real Absence because no body so much as thought of it and that there was in the faithful only a general confused Idaea of the Body of our Lord in the Sacrament it self and in the receiving of it without troubling themselves to reflect much less to examine by what kind of presence or in what manner he was there There was then no obligation in his opinion to adhere to one side and reject the other because neither the one nor the other was then distinctly known nor clearly proposed But when afterwards some-penetrating further into this matter had given occasion to those hot Disputes and lasting Contests which divided mens wits into several opposite judgements in the case it was necessary that the true Church on which side soever she was having brought the matter to the test of Scripture and Apostolical Doctrine should declare for one side And then was there an obligation to adhere unto and distinctly to believe that which was confusedly or not certainly known before the decision of the matter in contest This has happened in our dayes more than once even in their own Church but particularly in the subject of that famous Controversy between the Arminians and the Gomarists which made so much noise in Holland the particular flory whereof I think fit to set dowâ— that you may discover this verity bâ— the confession even of those who were in greatest esteem amongst our adversaries themselves 8. Acta Synodi Dordt typ Isaaci Ioannidis Canininii Dordt 1620. Mercur. Franc. to 4. to 5. Arminius Minister of Amsterdam and afterwards Professor of Divinity at Leyden held forth a doctrine which did not at all agree with that of Calvin Beza Zanchius and Peter Martyr particularly in the matters of Predessination of Grace and of Free-will This Arminius having a very good Wit and being of great esteem amongâ— them did soon gain a great Party iâ— the University and his Scholers whâ— were zealous for their Masters Opinion being now become Ministers did not fail to set them out in many Towns of Holland The more antient Ministers and serior-Professors opposed him with all their power Gomarus that famous Doctor and Professor of Grouning hen appeared in the head of them The waâ— grew hot on all fides The Alarâ—â—â— was given to all the Churches and by their Deputies they demanded of the States of Holland and West-Friesland that a Provincial Synod should be called to judge of the business But Arminius having found Powerful Protectors among the States dealt his business so that instead of a Synod which was not all for his purpose he proposed and made them yield to admit of Disputations and Conferences wherein he had his end because nothing was concluded therein 14 May. He and Gomarus Disputed the businesse before the Council which was appointed for that purpose 13 Oct. They were heard one after another in a full Assembly of the States They had a solemn Conference each of them being accompanied by four Ministers whom they had made choyce of for their assistance But all those debates served for nothing else but to raise new difficulties and to bring poor Arminius the sooner to his end who so over-heated himself in those Conferences 5 Oct. that he died soon after But his Abettors dyed not with him but on the contrary after the death of their Chief rallyed all their forces together All the Ministers and Divines who were of his perswasion especially those of Holland dtrecht and Overislâ— presented a Petition and offered unâ—â— the States a Remonstrance in which they did declare and justify their Doctrine which they had now reduced to five Articles all which they were ready to make good by the pure Word oâ— God And to guard and secure themselves from the sentence of a Synod which they much apprehended they addeâ— further in that their Remonstrance treading still in the footsteps of their Master that it did belong properly to the particular States of every Province to judge of differences in matters of Religion especially in this case where there was nothing in agitation which could disturb the peace nor break that union they now enjoyed And that for their parts they desired nothing but a Toleration and liberty to follow their own Opinion providing for and preserving alwayes the peace and union of the Reformed Church Being earnest in this manner to have the business ended by thâ— civil Magistrate it was easie for them to prerend that whatsoever was thus ordained should pass for a meer direction by way of Policy which could not any wayes reach unto the grounds of their Doctrine The Gomarists against this Remonstrance set out a large Treatise in which they remonstrated also on their part that the five Articles of the Arminians concerning Predestination and Grace were contrary to the received Doctrine of their Church ever since the Reformation that their Divines had never held any thing concerning those matters but what had been taught by Calvin Merc. frauc To. 5.1617 pag. 32. except some few who for that very cause had been excommunicated and also banished And that consequently such novelties as these were not to be tolerated until by a National Synod to which according to the example of the Apostles the business ought to be referred it were otherwise ordained All this writing on both sides did but increase the fend and cause the several parties to be called by the new names of Remonstâ—ators and Anti-Remonstrators In the interim these first having gotten more credit with the States of Holland and West-Friesland by the means and Protection of Barnevelt Advocat General of those States 1614. 25. July obtained of them that Toleration which they so much defired and by the cuning insinuation of Utengobardus whâ— had been one of Arminius's chief Collegues and the most zealous of the Party got their Doctrine to be received as current in many Towns of Holland The others made what opposition they could and protested highly against it and particularly
Communities there are alwayes Courts of Justice which have received full Authority to Judge of Causes and Actions between particular persons When there happens a Sure at Law between two be they of what quality and condition they will even members of the Court it self they are no other than Parties Contesting Plaintiff and Defendant They must also have their Solicitors their Attournies and their Counsil to Plead for them but it is the Judge's business to give Sentence And when Sentence is once given if he who was cast should slight the Decree of the Court and be so bold as to say that he owns it not as legal nor the Court as lawful Judges and that it is He and his Solicitors and Council and those who are his Abettors who constitute a true Court and Seat of Justice I think he would be taken for no better than a Rebel and as Out-law or one that were not in his right wits And those who an hundred years after should dare to say that he had reason to do as he did would be thought to have as little judgement and reason as he Now can it be imagined that God would permit such an irregularity such a fearful disorder in the Government of his Church He has been pleased to give Power and Authority to an Assembly of Pastors who are the Representative of his Church to end all Contests in matters of Faith in such manner as we have already seen It is one this or that may be held or denyed before Judgement given as any one with his Party may think fit But when the Decree is once passed and it comes to be defined by this Church or Representative of the Church what is to be believed concerning the Point controverted he who has lost the cause be he who he will having antecedently to such definition owned that Church to be the True one must not nor cannot now say that it is not the Assembly but that it is he himsef his followers and Disciples who do represent and in reality constitute the True Church He who uses this language and those who take part with him in and at what time soever it does happen can be held for no other than true Schismaticks 8. This is clearly to be seen in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Ecclesiastical History and Protestants themselves will without difficulty grant it as they have already acknowledged it and solemnly professed it in the Synod of Dort The Primitive Church was made up of Jews and Gentile who had received the Holy Gospel It happened as it is recounted in the 15. of the Acts that some of those who had been converted from Judaisme coming to Antioch taught this Doctrine That if those who were of Gentils become Christians were not Circumcised according to the Custome of Moses his Law they could not be saved There fell to be a great Contest and a great disturbance in the Church about the matter St. Paul and St. Barnaby strongly opposing that Opinion and others maintaining it with a great deal of earnestness For the composing the business it was thought fit to send these two Saints and some of those of the contrary perswasion to the Apostles and Priests at Hierusalem to propose unto them the difficulty They failed not in the performance of their charge S. Paul and S. Barnabas relating unto them the favours which it had pleased God to shew to the Gentils by help of their Ministery without the assistance of the Law of Moses and those others especially some of the Pharisees who had been Convertedo urging very hotly Surrexerunt quidam de heresi Pharisaeorum qui crediderunt dicentes quia oportet circuncidi eos c. that it was necessary to oblige them to be Circumcised and to observe the Law of Moses in its full 〈◊〉 Upon this the Apostles assembled a Council at which all those of chiefest note were summoned to be present for the serious examination of the business And having weighed the Reasons on both sides at a large Conference Convenerunt Apostoli Seniores c. Cum autem magna conquisitio fieret c. and St. Peter having first declared himself upon the Point and being seconded by St. Iames with the general consent of the Holy Assembly there passed a Decree which was received by the whole Church in which was defined and declared with the assistance of the Holy Ghost who inspired them for the understanding Scripture that Circumcision was not at all necessary for salvation Visum est Spiritui sancto nobis c. as it had formerly been during the Law of Moses which was now to give place to the Law of Jesus Christ The business being thus concluded this Doctrine became a Point of Faith and those of the Pharisees who remained still obstinate in their opinion and those others who took part with them still pressing for a conformity with the Jews were now indeed true Pharisees in Christianity that is to say people cut of from the True Church however they pretended that she was onely in them and their Party 9. The same may be said of other Councils which have been afterwards held according to the example of that one which is the Model of all the rest Before the Heresie of Arius there was no speech of Consubstantiation That wicked Priest having dared to teach that The Blessed Word though Son of God was not of the same substance with the Father but onely like unto him found many passionate followers of his doctrine even among the Bishops who grounded themselves upon some passages of Holy Writ About which there arose a most desperate Dispute in the Church which caused a general disturbance to the peace thereof For the setling whereof and reaniting mens Spirits in one and the same Doctrine the great Council of Nice was called which did define that The Word was Consubstantial with the Father which was also inserted in the Symbol or Creed When this was done notwithstanding that many Bishops even of those who had assisted at the Council remained still of the Opinion of Arius and had made a strong and numerous Party who stiled themselves the True Church and called Councils amongst themselves they are still held and Protestants generally do even at this day hold them for Hereticks and all those who after so many Ages have followed that Sect are treated with the same stile by them The same is to be said of the Macedonians of the Nestorians Syn. Const Syn. Ephes Sy. Chalced. VI. Synod of the Eutychians of the Monothelites and the like who stand condemned in other Councils For although after their condemnations they protested that they were the True Church slighting the Councils which had Condemned their Opinions yet have they alwayes been accounted Hereticks and are so at this time by Protestants themselves And now if after they had rejected and condemned the Articles of the Arminians in their Synod of Dort those condemned persons should
who before their condemnation were of the same Church must not say that she is unchurched and that it is they themselves who now make up the Church under pain of being held not onely Schismaticks but also very extravagant fantastical persons And those who follow them after this and declare for them at what time soever it be become fully as criminal as those who first separated themselves from the Church in so unreasonable and so unjustifiable a manner This Assembly or Representative having examined the proofs and reasons on both sides and consulted with the Holy Scriptures which are the Rule of Faith has often declared that the Rea Presence and a substantial Change are to be believed and has condemned as an Heresie that opinion which stands for Real Absence Of all that I have now said I cannot imagin any one Point which can be call'd in question as I have stated the business And I think I have made it appear by the very words and Principles of Monsieur Claude himself that he is bound to agree with me in every particular since by following his own conduct we find our selves exactly and precisely in the state and condition of the Synod of Dort In the mean time those who first stood for a Real Absence against those who proposed a Real Presence when they saw themselves condemned by that Church of which they were and which before their condemnation was to all intents and purposes the real True Church as we are agreed undertake to say that she is not so and that they onely who maintain what she condemns do constitute the True Church Now according to the Principles a greed upon I cannot discover how they can avoid being held Schismaticks And by unavoidable consequence all those who have taken part with them these five hundred years must needs be subject to the same censure It being certain that they joyn with those who separated themselves from the True Church of Christ for no other reason but because they found themselves condemned by her It is true that that Church which is acknowledged to have been at that time the True Church was indeed the Church of Rome or Roman Church But what follows from thence according to the Principles agreed upon but that we must conclude for Her all that has been said in behalf of the True Church even by the consent of our adversaries themselves And that those who were of that Church before they withdrew themselves upon that Judgement she gave against them could not in reason and suffice say that she did now cease to be the True Church and that she misunderstood the meaning of Holy Scripture For she being the True Church as themselves grant before this happened 't was she that was Judge thereof according to the Decree of the Synod of Dort and not they who according to the same Synod were bound to submit to her Judgement and to hold that for the true sence of Scripture which she followed in her decisions All this is so clearly proved without mixture of any proofs by way of Disputation that I think I shall do well to stop here without pretending any further that I may peaceably draw those consequences which this great Principle affords us CHAP. IV. The Consequences which naturally flow from this Principle by a due application thereof 1. IN the second Chapter you may have seen how the True Church when contests do arise has power to decide them according to the Word of God and to propose that unto Christians as matter of Faith which antecedently to such decision they were not obliged to believe because it was not clearly and distinctly known but remained as yet involved in a general and confused knowledge In the third Chapter we did apply that uncontroulable Principle unto the subject of the Holy Eucharist and have clearly shewed that the Church of which the first contestors then were and which being the onely Church before separation made by one of the Parties was also the True Church did decide this matter according to method and Rule in favour of the Real Presence From these two Verities thus established even without Dispute and by-wayes we were all the way agreed upon taking along with us the thoughts of Monsieur Claude and allowing him whatsoever he was pleased to ask it will not be hard in this Chapter to to draw some consequences which offer themselves unto us and which it is impossible not to discover how little soever we desire to reflect upon what we have fairly and candidly acknowledged to be true 2. For first who does not see that it is necessarily inferred from thence that although the Real Presence had not been believed before the tenth Age which notwithstanding is a great mistake yet we are now obliged to believe it Because the True Church of which the first Contesting Parties were members and before their being condemned acknowledged her for such has put an end to the quarrel giving Sentence for and proposing as matter of Faith the said Real Presence Moreover that those first Abettors of a Real Absence by refusing to submit to her Judgement became Schismaticks and that all those who declared afterwards for that Faction are as faulty and in the same crime with them I do absolutely believe with the Authour of The Perpetuity c. that considering some circumstances and certain matters of fact which cannot be denied it was morally impossible that such an insensible change should have been made by passing imperceptibly from a belief which is pretended to have been of a Real Absence to that which we now have of a Real Presence But in case such a change was made not by way of negation but of Addition passing from an obscure confused kind of knowledge to a distinct positive Belief of the Real Presence proposed for the lucidation or clearing this great Mysterie in such manner as Monsieur Claude is pleased subtily enough to imagin yet the obligation of believing it would still subsist and stand in force Because the same Church of which the Parties who were first in Dispute about this matter were lawful subjects having heard and examined their Reasons did judge according to Rule that it was of Faith It is not therefore now lawful to follow those who revolted against their Mother Church for the same cause that Monsieur Claude will without question freely grant that it was not lawful in Conscience to side and take part with the Monothelites who would by no means receive the Decree and decision of the Church they lived in touching two wills and operations in Christ On the contrary I am sure he does reteive and reverence that Doctrine as an apputtenance of faith although here was also a change in the same manner by way of Addition in the belief of the Church and that this distinction of wills and operations was not before clearly and distinctly known Some body perchance may here tell me that for this very reason the Protestants of
which you give for the holding or renouncing an Article be the true one The first of these you can no more know or be secur'd of then we Aug. cont Ep. Man qu. voc fund unless by means of the Church to whom it is derived by certain Tradition Learn the second then by the same way since there is no other by which you can come to any light thereof This is what Vincentius Lirinensir shews in that excellent Work of his All is not done when we have got the Rule it must also be rightly applyed and according to art For when in the heat of those earnest and tedious contests which do arise about some subject or other every one will confidently affirm that he applies it right and that it is in his sence that Scripture is to be understood who can end the quarrel or who has so much power and authority with the parties as that his Opinion or judgement shall be regarded and bear the sway with them Is it not absolutely necessary that it be some Judge who has received both authority and light from God himself for the performing this office And who can be that Judge but the True Church in which the Parties were before separation and her lawful Representative a Canonical Assembly which alone has full power and Soveraign Authority to say â—uridically It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us Visum est Spiritui sancto nobis Act. 15. Whatever else you can alledge may as well be alledged by another who may make his advantage of it in as good measure and proportion as your self can possibly do The gift of Understanding the interiour Unction the revelation of the Father the private Spirit and a hundred other pretty inventions which have been and are at this day made use of contain nothing of regular general or certain in them or which an adversary may not affirm he has as much right to challenge as you Who then is able to free us from uncertainties in such encounters as these who can restore us a calm after such a Tempest who will bring back day to us after so dark a night who will bless us with peace after war who can bring such spirits together again into the same Sheep-fold under one and the same Shepherd Can this be done but by the Church of Jesus Christ That Church which is The pillar and ground of 1 Tim. 3.1 Truth That House of God which is built upon a living Rock Mat. 16.18 and when all the powers of Hell shall never shake which most certainly they had done before this had she once erred in defining matters of Faith Finally that Spouse of Jesus Christ which he has endowed and quickened with his own Spirit for the instruction and education of the Children of his Family 7. I know you will approve of this Nay I know it is to her you pretend to resort and make your addresses in your Assemblies or Synods for the cleering your doubts and determining matters of difficulty and differences which often arise among you I ask but this one thing at your hands Do but proceed faithfully and sincerely therein Omnes nos necesse est apud Christi tribunal adstare redentes rationem imprimis ipfius Fidei Tertull. de praescr c. 44. And to this end I beg of you in the Name of that Great God whom we adore and who is to be our Judge demanding of us principally an account of our Faith that returning back to the source of our divisions you will be pleased to reflect that those who first questioned and disputed the Points which made the breach were even in their own judgements of the same Church which before the breach was the only and by necessary consequence the True Church That consequently that Church during the contest had full power to judge according to Rule and Order and to define what was to be believed and that the Parties were bound to submit to her Decrees That those who stood condemned by her Canons having separated themselves from her became Schismaticks as well as Hereticks Because not adhering to the Doctrine of the True Church of which they were members before their condemnation they made a Party against her and withdrew themselves into a society apart which was cut off from Communion with her And that finally all those who follow or take part with them though a thousand years after are no other then disciples and followers of Schismaticks and Hereticks This is the Totall of what in this linde Treatise principally in the matter of the Blessed Sacrament I have endeavoured to evince without conâ—â—ing or Disputing the matter out of such Principles or the necessary consequences drawn from them as we have been perfectly agreed upon 8. Now I beseech you Gentlemen give me leave to tell you with as real a desire of your eternal Salvation as the Prophet Nathan had for that of David when he spoke those moving words to him which pearc'd his heart Tu es ille vir Alas Gentlemen it is you who unfortunately are engaged in the party of those first rebells who forsook the Church to revenge themselves of those Decrees which condemned their Opinions As the Laws both Humane and Divine right reason natural understanding and the order and method which your selves do observe oblige you to acknowledge that they were bound to submit to the Judgement of that Church which themselves owned to be the True one and that they could not separate from her but by evident Schisme so is it certain that you after so many ages which have passed since their Condemnation cannot joyn with them following their Doctrine and proceedings without bearing a part with them in their crime and becoming guilty of their defection Rather quit their company wihose origin your selves condemn Return into the bosom of that Church from which you find the first Authors of that Sect could not in Conscience and natural equity withdraw themselves as they did upon that score onely that the Decree was not in favour of their cause Do not any longer trouble your selves as they do with Disputing pleading and excepting after Sentence is once pass'd Allow me to speak unto you in the language of that worthy Martyr of Christ and great Bishop of Lyons St. Irenaeus Why do you Non opâ—rteâ— adhuc quaerere apud alios veritatem quam facile est aâ— Ecclesiâ sumere cum Apostoli quasi in depositorium dives plenissimè in eam contulerint omnia quae sunt veritatis ut omniâ— quicunque velit sumat ex eâ potum vitae Haec est enim vitae introïtus omnes autem reliqui fures sunt latrones propter quod oportet devitâ—â— quidem ilios quae autâ—m sunt Ecclesiae tum summa diligentia deligere apprehendere vertatis tâ—â—â—tionem â—ren lib. 3. adv haer c. 4 Câ—ucirc mâ—â—sta quaeâ—in flu 〈◊〉 varâ—â—â— haberet iâ—ter se collega um salâ—â unâ—ta 〈…〉 hoc
our stage But I hope they may be perswaded that it is not the first time a French man has spoke good fence though in bad English As we willingly receive Marchandize which is for our turn from any place so need we not be ashamed to admit of Reason from any part The Reformed Churches of France which ours here have upon occasion acknowledged a very tender respect and kindness for do own Monsieur Claudâ— to be their great and Learned Champion and it must be granted I think by all that Monsieur Arnaud has in this late famous Contest behaved himself as a valiant and skilful Souldier of the Catholick Church The subject of Dispute between them is of common concern And perchance the setling of that one Point upon such grounds as my Authour in a moderate peaceable way endeavours to lay down may prove final to all other debates whatsoever I foresee that his Instance for agreement upon Principles taken in part from the Council of Dort will not be allowed by all as sterling 'T is possible there may be some left who retain a greater kindness for both the Person and Principles of Arminius than for Gomarus and his Predestiparians 'T is pitty Countries and Climates should have an influence upon Reason and Principles of Religion as they have upon Complexions and Constitutions Now certain it is that generally among the Reformed of France for whom this Authour chiefly designed his Work the Council of Dort and the Transactions and Decrees thereof as you may plainy discover by the annexed Extract of the Synod of Alez and others have been and to this hour are in great esteem And it may be supposed both by the unanimous Votes of the select Divines of all the Reformed Churches then in being and by the solid and impregnable grounds of their proceedings that there is a great deal of reason for their so doing such as setting aside passion and preingagement cannot be parllel'd by any of the diffenters But as I must confesse my self a friend of my Authors Method particularly in assuming nothing but what his Adversary seems to grant so will I not make it my business to apologia for that Council which to some may seem to lye open to exceptions It shall be sufficient for me to give a hint at what has past within our own Dominions much of the same nature and to give occasion to those who make any question of it to search into the several Parliamentary and Synodical proceedings of our own Reformed Church in late dayes that is in Queen Elizabeth's King James's and King Charles his time when the 39. Articles and some other Points belonging to Religion have been advanced with as great a claim of Legislative Power and Definitive Authority as any Council either of the Catholick or Reformed Church ever challenged to themselves See if you please the very Title of the 39. Articles That these Articles were drawn up for the avoiding diversities of Opinions and for the establishing consent touching true Religion requiring all the Subjects of this Church to continue in uniform profession thereof and prohibiting the least difference from the said Articles And again â—an 5. in 1603. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that any of the 39. Articles agreed upon by the whole Clergy in the Convâ—cation held 1562. for the avoiding diversity of Opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion are in any part erroneons or such as he may not with a good Conscience subscribe unto let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but after his repentance and publick revocation of such his wicked error And now I am apt to believe that those Learned men who could not chuse but understand very well of what weight an Excommunication is were in very good earnest and that the transgression which they by the threat of so severe a penalty endeavoured to prevent was esteemed by them no mean enormity The same seems to be the sense of the whole Parliament 13 Eliz. 12. That every one thath an Ecclesiastical living declare his assent and subscribe to the 39. Articles of Religion c. And that no person be admitted to any Benefice with Cure except he shall first have subscribed the same Articles with declaration of his unfeigned assent to the same And now though this Injunction seems immediately to reach the Clergy onely yet it being particularly contrived for those who are to be admitted to Benefices with Cure that is to the charge of Instructing others the Parliament does in this sufficiently declare what Principles they are obliged to be of and consequently what Doctrine they are bound to teach and what others ought to learn The Statute of 1 Eliz. 1. is yet more comprehensive as intended for the regulating all in general By this Statute it is Enacted that no manner of Order Act or Determination for any matter of Religion or cause Ecclesiastical had or made by the Authority of this present Parliament shall be accepted deemed interpreted or adjudged at any time hereafter to be any Hersie Schisme or Schismatical Opinion any Order Decree Sentence Constitution or Law whatsoever the same be to the contrary notwithstanding And then limiting the power of Ordinaries in things of this nature tells us That they shall not in any wise have Authority or Power to Order Determine or adjudge any matter or cause to be Heresie but onely such as heretofore have been determined ordered or adjudged to be Heresie by the Authority of the Canonical Scriptures or by the first four General Councils or any of them or by any other General Council wherein the same was declared Heresie by the express and plain words of the said Canonical Scriptures or such as hereafter shall be Ordered Iudged or determined to be Heresie by the Highâ— Court of Parliament of this Realm with the assent of the Clergy in their Convocation It is to be presumed that this High Court of Parliament was very well informed that there had been more Heresies than one in times past and that they thought it very necessary to appoint some effectual means for the suppressing others which might arise Those means thus deliberately appointed by the Legislative Power of the Nation are deservedly to be reflected unon First The Canonical Scriptureâ— And here by the way let me intreat you to call to mind the Discourse concerning this Point which I suppose you have already perused in the second Chapter Sect. 11. c. of this small Treatise then which I must needs think nothing can be more rational in order to the convincing a necessity of a further Determinative Power either for the clearing the Scriptures themselves to be truly Canonical or for making out the true fence and meaning of them so as to render them truly and effectually useful Secondly as to the respect and Authority allowed here by Act of Parliament to the four first General Councils it were to be wished that some good solid Reason might be
particularly into the Difficulties of this Holy Sacrament they were struck at them and did accordingly seek to lessen the weight of this Mystery by humane wayes and Philosophical explications and to qualify them with certain solutions which drew near to those of the Calvinists Moreover whether Ioannes Scotus and Bertramus be two several Authors or but one and the same Whether he or they did directly oppose the Doctrine of Poscâ—sius or whether they onely gave him a hit indirectly by teaching a Doctrine contrary to his in the ninth Age Whether his or their Schollers did or did not follow the blow in the tenth Age Whether their Disputes grew cold or hot at the beginning of the eleventh Age And whether Leutherilus Arch-Bishop of Sens did or did not engage in the quarrel for a Real Absence all which is matter of Contest between Monsieur Arnaud and Monsient Claude it is enough for me that after opposition was made against the Doctrine of Pascasius at such time as his Book was come to be publick and common there were occasioned again very frequent and most earnest Disputes concerning the same Subject during the life of Berengarius and after his death For although we should grant unto Mr. Claude what we may with reason enough refuse him we shall still find ways enough to come handsomly and quietly off and we find our selves still in that very posture condition where we should just be for the ending this difference without violating that peace we endeavour to preserve For in fine Monsieur Claude will have it that people had for some time only a coufused kind of knowledge without positively believing or rejecting a Real Presence or Real Absence That Pascasius was the first who took upon him to propose distinctly the Doctrine of Real Presence by way of addition explication and confirmation of the Mystery that notwithstanding the opposition which was made this Doctrine insensibly got the upper hand by the care which his disciples took for the spreading of it abroad and establishing it in the world He is obliged also to acknowledge that in the time of Berergarius those who stood for a Real Absence taking courage from the number of their Partisans renewed the Contest with a great deal of heat and earnestness even to the making a great noise in the Church which continued many years after the decease of Berengarius The Controversie was concerning Scripture and the meaning of those Places which were alledged on both sides out of the Holy Fathers Every one pretended to have them on their sides and boasted of Antiquity which they would needs have to stand for them Each Party maintained that their Opinion had the true marks thereof and that such had been the Belief of former Ages Behold here the very state of affairs between the Arminians and the Gomarists before the National Synod Here are just the circumstances in which as we have seen the Church had power to make use of her legal Right in deciding and proposing Points of Faith and obliging the Faithful to a belief of them even although they were not clearly and distinctly known for suczh before the raising of the Contest And consequently laying all other Disputes aside for the present I think we have now outhing else to do but to see whether the Church did in those dayes define any thing concerning this matter that we may stick to this as to the setled and resolv'd of Point which 〈◊〉 never to be forsaken And this is what remains to be done in this last undertaking 6. It is not my intention here to â—â—course the matter concerning the maâ—â— and qualities of the True Church This is already done to my hand by the Learned Cardinal Bellarmin and Câ—dinal Richelieu with exceeding great strength of wit and clearness of reasâ— in those great Works of theirs in which they have also apprepriated them to the Church of Rome Should I take 〈◊〉 road I know I should be stopped more than once by those Gentlemen who will not at all allow of what they 〈◊〉 of this kind in those Works although those Great men say nothing upon this subject as I must needs think but what they prove most evidently and convincingly But since it does not please these Gentlemen to think so and I for my part profess not to intermeddle in this small Treatise with things of that nature and to reliuquish some part of my right rather than come to Dispute it I am willing to take another more peaceable way and propose nothing as yet which themselves are not â—â—liged to grant me if they be not reâ—â—ved to condemn their own proceedings I have therefore only this little short Discourse to make by way of cerâ—in Corollaries which follow out of what seems already agreed upon First When we are of a Community or Church which is presupposed to be the True one we are bound to acknowledge that an Assembly of the Passors of that Church which is made by publick Authority according to Rule and Custome does represent the said Church Secondly That that Church of which the first Contestors were Members before one Party separated themselves upon their condemnation was the true Church because she was the onely Church before separation made It cannot then be questioned both Patties must of necessity be agreed upon it but that she being the onely Church owned by both Parties was also without all doubt at that time even in their own opinions the True Church and the Spouse of Christ Thirdly That it belongs to this Assembly representing this Church to determine all Differences and Contests which may arise in any matter of Religion whatsoever Fourthly That particular persons who argue pro or con concerning the Point in Contest of what quality soever they be and those who take part with one or other side for the upholding either are the Parties Contesting and as such and under that notion cannot represent the Church which is Judge in the case Fifthly That they as all others are bound to submit to the Decisions of the said Assemblies Sixthly That if they refuse obedience and separate themselves from her framing another independent Body and Community by themselves they are declared rebells and Schismaticks And finally That those who adhere unto them whether presently or a long time after are guilty of the same crime I think there is nothing more evident and certain than what I have now proposed Otherwise the Church which Jesus Christ who is the God of Order has established with so much Wisdom He who is Wisdom it self would prove a meer Babylon and a fearfull Confusion of all things where there never were any distinction to be made between good and bad true and false since it would be in the power of every one with the assistance of a Party to make himself at his pleasure Judge and Church and any thing for the making that pass for Truth which was rejected as a notorious falshood 7. In Civil