will therefore here set down some of the reasons which we have for the Figurative sense seeing that the Bishop of Condom doth require it of us and afterwards we will examine those which the Bishop of Condom doth alledge for the proper and literal sense In the First place whensoever any great of a Mystery and of a Sacrament 〈…〉 and the common use to take the â—â—pressions and the things themselves mystically and figuratively The very word it self Mystery doth lead us thereto otherwise it were no more a Mystery Let any examine generally all the Sacraments as well of the Old as the New Testament not one excepted no not the very ceremonies of the Roman Church it self where there is any visible sign as the Passover and Circumcision under the Law Baptism under the Gospel that which the Church of Rome doth call Confirmation and Extreme Unction through all will be found things and words which must be understood in a mystical and a Figurative sense But if it be demanded more particularly wherefore the Bread and the Wine are said to be the Body Bloud of Jesus Christ St. Austin and Theodoret Aug. Epist 23. ad Bonif. answer for us The First saith that it is because of the relation which the Sacraments have to the things whereof they are Sacraments and the latter to keep us from resting in the nature of the things that are seen Theodoret Dial 1. and that as Jesus Christ said that he was bread and a stock or vine so be honours the Symbols of bread and wine with the name of his Body and of his Bloud The force of these Testimonies is not here urged as to the maine Question they are onely alledged to give a reason of the use wherefore it is that the sign doth bear the name of the thing signified by a kind of mystical and Figurative way of speaking to elevate our spirits and our heartes above the Visible signs 2. We know in general that all the Scripture of the Old and New Testament is full of these sorts of Figurative expressions whether it was the Style of the Eastern Nations in those times as indeed it was or that God judged this Style the fittest to exercise our Faith We see that the First preaching of Jesus Christ is nothing else but a continued succession of Figures John 6.35 Joh. 15.3 every one knows those just now mentioned I am the bread which came down from Heaven I am the vine The rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 Mat. 5.29 De Doctrin Christ lib. 3. cap. 6. If thine eye offend thee pluck it out and an infinite number of others Now if it be demanded of us how we can distinguish betwixt Figurative expressions and those which are proper and literal St. Austin here again answers for us that what seemes to offend good manners or the truth of Faith ought to be taken in a Figurative sense and yet more expresly that this which Jesus Christ saith that we must eat his body and drink his bloud appearing a wicked thing is therefore a Figure We press not still this passage as to the main Question we onely alledge it to make the reason which we have for the Figurative sense better apprehended 3. Finally what can there be more natural and more reasonable than to understand the Scripture by the Scripture it self the obscure places by them which are more plain those which have a double meaning by them which have but a single The Authour of the Book intituled Lawful Prejudices layes down this Maxim for the understanding of Books that when there is any passage which may admit of a double sense that must be taken which agrees best with the whole and which is the most reasonable There is but one passage onely in the Scripture which seems to favour the literal sense that the Church of Rome gives to these words This is my Body to wit that which we now spoke of If you eat not the flesh and drink the bloud of the Son of man you have no life in you and this very expression St. Austin notes ought to be understood Figuratively whereas there are a great number of others which say that Jesus Christ is no more with us but by the operation of the Holy Spirit The poor you shall have always with you Mat. 26.11 but me ye shall not have always And if I depart I will send the Comforter unto you and so many more Joh. 16. that make us daily say in the Creed he ascended into Heaven and from thence he shall come c. the very words of the Eucharist require that we do this in remembrance of him and to shew forth his Death till he come To be in Heaven corporally and upon Earth by representation are not two senses repugnant but not to be any more with us or to be corporally in Heaven and yet to be every day upon Earth in mens hands in his proper Body are two terms contradictory and incompatible It is therefore natural to take these words This is my body in a mystical and Figurative sense which alone doth perfectly agree with all the other passages of the Scripture It is well known that the Church of Rome doth suppose that there be two divers ways according unto which she pretends that the Body of Jesus Christ may be present in Heaven and upon Earth the one with his dimensions and his exteriour qualities such as he was seen upon Earth and it is after this manner that she will have it to be said that Jesus Christ is no more with us or that he is onely in Heaven the other without his dimensions and exteriour qualities as she pretends that he is under the covert of Bread and Wine But this is to answer here punctually the thing in question We formally deny this second manner of being bodily in a place it is not contested but that nature the senses reason far from teaching any such thing cry loudly against it It would therefore highly concern the Church of Rome upon the whole case to establish this second manner of being in a place by some passage the sense whereof were not at all in question and till that is done it may be truly said that the figurative sense of these words This is my Body is the true and genuine sense the first and the onely that presents it self unto the mind We might here add many other reasons as to the main to make appear that the Doctrine of the real presence is not onely above reason as the Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation but directly against reason and which in fine destroyes the testimony of the senses which nevertheless is it that our Lord made use of John 20.27 Theodoret Dial. 2. to prove unto Thâ—mas the truth of his presence as the Church also hath since done to prove that the Body of Jesus Christ was a true Humane body against the Eutychians but this would be
Church I most firmly admit and embrace Likewise I admit the Holy Scripture according to that sense which our Holy Mother the Church ever did and doth hold to whom it belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures neither will I receive or interpret it but according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers I profess also that there are seven true and proper Sacraments of the new Law instituted by our Lord 〈◊〉 Christ and necessary 〈…〉 Mankind though not 〈…〉 person to wit Baptism 〈…〉 the Eucharist Pennance Extream Vnction Holy Order and Matrimony and that they do confer grace And of these â—â—â—t Baptism Confirmation and Order without Sacrilidge cannot be repeated The received and approved rites also of the Catholick Church in the Solemn administration of all the foresaid Sacraments I do receive and admit I do embrace and receive all and every points and point touching original sin and justification which have been defined and declared in the Holy Council of Trent I do in like manner profess that there is in the Mass offered up to God a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice for the living and the dead And that in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist after Consecration there is truly really and substantially the body and bloud together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and that the whole Substance of bread is converted into the body of Christ and the whole substance of the Wine into his Bloud which conversion the Catholick Church calls Transubstantion I acknowledge likewise that under one kind onely all and entire Christ and a true Sacrament is taken I do constantly hold there is a Purgatory and that the Souls there detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful In Like manner that the Saints reigning with Christ are to be Venerated and called upon and that they offer up Prayers to God for us and that their Reliques are to be had in veneration I do most stedfastly affirm that the images of Christ and of the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin are to be had and kept and that due honour and veneration is to be given to them That the Power of Indulgences was left by Christ in the Church and that the use of them is most wholesom to Christian People I do acknowledge that the Holy Catholick and Apostolick Roman Church iâ— Mother and Mistress of all Churches I do promise and swear true obedience to the Pope of Rome Successour of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Jesus Christ I do likewise without doubting receive and profess all other matters that are delivered defined and declared by the Sacred Canons and the Oecumenical Councils and especially by the Council of Trent and I do likewise together condemn reject and Anathematize all things contrary and all whatsoever Heresies condemned rejected and Anathematized by the Church Here they lay their hand on the Gospels I the same N. do promise vow and swear that as far as lies in me I will take care that this self same true Catholick Faith out of which no man can be saved which at present of my own accord I profess and truly hold by Gods help be most constantly held and confest by me whole and inviolate to the Last breath of my Life and that the same be held taught and Preached by all that are under me or those the care of whom shall in my charge belong to me So God help me and these Gods Holy Gospels We will farther that these present Letters be read in our Apostolick Chancery according to the accustomed manner and to the end they may be the more easily known unto all that they be Registred in the Rolls thereof and that they be Printed And let no person whatsoever dare to infringe this declaration of our Will and commandment or by bold presumption to offend against it And if any one shall presume to attempt it let him know that he incurs the indignation of Almighty God and of his Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul Dated at Rome at St. Peters the Thirteenth day of November in the year of the incarnanation of our Lord 1564. And of our Popedome the Fift Fed. Cardinal Caesius Cae. Glorierius The Stationer hath in his hands the Attestation of Messieurs Claude de l'Angle Daillé and Allix shewing that they have seen this Answer and that they have not found any thing in it contrary to their Religion AN ANSVVER UNTO THE BOOK OF MONSIEUR The Bishop of CONDOM Monsieur the Bishop of Condom has too much justice to take ill the answering his Book Design of this Trea tise On the contrary he seemeth rather to invite us to the same in terms sufficiently express Page 187 And besides it is well known that defence is a natural and favourable right especially when it concerns a thing so dear as the interest of truth and Religion ought to be Page 187 He onely desires that in case aâ— one answer his Treatise he would not undertake to refute the Doctrine which 〈◊〉 contains Page 188 nor examin the different way that the Catholick Divines have used 〈◊〉 establish the Doctrine of the Council 〈◊〉 Trent nor the several consequences the particular Doctors have drawn thence Page 3. being things that are not necessarilâ— nor universally received Page 189 but that 〈◊〉 would chiefly hold himself to three things to prove that the Faith of the Churcâ— of Rome is not faithfully laid down iâ— his Book as he believes it is or thaâ— he would shew that this expositioâ— doth Leave all objections in their force and all the difficulties whole and intire or Lastly that it be made precisely appear wherein his Doctrine so explained doth overthrow the foundation of Faith Of these three things we will leave the first to be examined by those of his own communion because that is more properly their business and right than ours It belongs to them principally to consider if they would not be well contented and if it would not be very advantageous to them to reduce their belief in all matters of Controversie unto what is explained in that Treatise and to Lay aside all the consequences which their other Doctors have drawn from the Council of Trent and the means they have made use of to establish them as things that are not necessary and which nevertheless do clog Religion or do at Least in part hinder a matter which is so desireable as the uniformity of Worship and belief amongst Christians should be We will content our selves to observe by the Way several places where the Bishop of Condom uses an Art that is distant not onely from the Common belief of the Doctors of the Church of Rome and of the general practice of all the people of his Communion but also from the terms and the Doctrine it self of the very Council to the end it may be discerned wherein consist the sweetnings that the Bishop
of Condom doth use and in what he comes near us But we will throughout perforâ— the two other principal things whicâ— the Bishop of Condom proposes whicâ— are to shew that in reality his exposition doth Leave all objections 〈◊〉 their force and all important dispute intire and that his Doctrine whaâ—ever Art he uses or whatsoever mâ—tigation he seemeth to use therein doth all along equally overthrow thâ— foundations of true Christianity We will perform both the one anâ— the other of these two things in plain manner according to the Bâ—shop of Condoms desire without it gageing very far in a new dispute anâ— it shall be done not onely with thâ— moderation which he himself give us a commendable example of bâ— with all the respect which we oughâ— to have for a person of so great meâ— as his We will onely reserve the Liberty which the interest of the cause anâ— the right of defence do necessarily require so as to say of a thing that iâ— is not true when it is not or of aâ— argument it is not right or that it iâ— captious when it is such indeed because otherwise it would not be possible to make known the truth without weakening of it We will then here examin with the greatest clearness and brevity that may be and in the same order which the Bishop of Condom would have observed the several Articles of his Treatise whereof he maketh so many Sections and to the end that those who give themselves the trouble of Reading this answer may find where to stop it shall be divided into Six parts though unequal according as matters have more or less extent The First shall treat concerning the design of the Bishop of Condom's Treatise and touching two general propositions and as it were preliminaries which the Bishop of Condom Lays down Page 5 the one that we are agreed that the Church of Rome doth believe Page 12 and imbrace all the fundamental points of the Christian Religion the other that all the Religious Worship which she gives unto Saints Images or Relicks doth terminate in God onely The Second part shall treat of the worship of Saints Images and Relicks The Third of the matter of Justification with all its consequences the merit of works Satisfactions purgatory and Indulgences The Fourth of the Sacraments in general and particularly of the Sacraments of Baptism of Confirmation of Pennance of Sacramental Confession of extream unction of Marriage and of Order The Fifth of the Sacrament of the Eucharist in particular The Sixth and Last of Tradition of the authority of the Church of the authority of the Pope and of Episcopacy The First Part 1. The design of the Bishop of Condom's Treatise Page 1 2 4. and 4. As for the Bishop of Condom's design he declares it himself in the beginning he did believe he saith that the matters which we made the Subject of our breach being now sufficiently cleared he could do nothing better nor more useful for us than to propose plainly unto us the opinions of the Church of Rome by explaining to us what she hath defined in the Council of Trent hoping that alone would cause sundry contests wholly to vanish and that those which remained would not appear according to our own principles of such weight as we would it should be believed they are and that according to our own principles they contain nothing that doth wound the foundations of Faith We have in the very entrance this advantage that the Bishop of Condom going about to make a plain draught as he speaks of the Catholick Doctrine in opposition unto ours lays hold on for a foundation a Council which is well known not to be acknowledged Catholick or Oecumenical a Council which above all other Councils is such wherein according to their own Catholick Authors there apeared visibly most of intrigue and of human interests a Council of which our France it self doth not receive all the decisions in matters of discipline and Government a Council to conclude whose decrees do to this day want explication In sum if the Bishop of Condom doth desire that men should speak what they think nothing is more frivolous than his design unless it be for those Doctrines and practises that are not very necessary Whereof he seems to desire to discharge his Religion for as to the other Which he calls the principal causes of our breach he saith himself that the matters of controversie are now cleared and it is certain that there is nothing but prejudice the weakness and the variety of the mind of man that doth hinder that all the World doth not so Judge Wherefore then is it that at this time they propose plainly the same things as if men heeded not at all instead of bringing of new Lights to overcome if it might be those human infirmities which do occasion diversity of opinions It is true that the Doctors and Preachers of the one side and the other do sometimes aggravate the things which they treat of Whether it be the things themselves or the consequences they draw from thence yet this doth not hinder but that it is very well known on both sides what is the substance of the belief of the one and the other in the principal points It is properly nothing but these Doctrines and these practises which the Bishop of Condom would have laid aside which are not so well known by all the World For example we do very well know what the Church of Rome doth commonly teach concerning the Sacrament of the Eucharist touching the worshipping of Saints of the Cross of Images and of Relicks the Soveraignty of the Pope and all the other principal points which separate us from her communion we are sufficiently informed of what she doth profess to teach of what She receiveth and practiseth in all places upon these points it is onely the excess and abuse that are greater haply in some parts than in others wherein all the world doth not equally agree We believe we have solidly refuted all these principal Doctrines and all these Worships Universally received it behoved him therefore properly either to submit unto our reasons or to shew better and not put us of onely with a simple exposition It is not here put in question what power the Bishop of Condom hath to explain What the Church of Rome hath defined in the Council of Trent or to reduce the Doctrine unto the point to which he seems to have reduced it For our parts we do not in the least make any doubt but that Pastours may make probable expositions according to the motions of their conscience whether it be for instructing their Flocks or to bring back unto the truth such as have forsaken it for why should they not explain such Writings seeing they do every day explain that which is less clear in the Holy Scripture But as for the Gentlemen of the Church of Rome what will become of the Authentical Bull of
denied that much is lost in the way by the fast hold which the people take upon the creature As to the last sweetning which the Bishop of Condom uses here for that particular worship which is given to Saints when they offer the sacrifice of the Mass that is Jesus Christ sacrificed in their honour he is pleased to say that this is nothing but nameing the Saints as faithful servants of God and praying God that he will become propitious through their intercession the meer expression of offering Jesus Christ sacrificed in honour of the Saints has somewhat in it so strange abhorring from the true Spirit of the Gospel that we cannot imagine how Christian ears could become accustomed to it and less yet how the Council of Trent could prevail with themselves to make a Doctrine or Decree of it We have a little more enlarged upon this point of the Invocation of Saints because it is one of the most essential parts of their Religion one on which the Bishop of Condom himself has most insisted we shall be more brief upon most of the others as being less important In the mean while it seems already apparent by this sole Article that the Bishop of Condom's Exposition hath nothing in it new but neat and delicate artifice and that in conclusion it takes not off any thing from the whole force of our principal objections nor from the number of important controversies and that his doctrine whatsoever artifice he uses in expressions overthrows all along according to us the foundations of the Faith Nay we know not whether there be not cause to fear that if on the one side he had removed some questions as it would seem to be his design by putting out of the way many doctrines practices of the Roman Churâ—â— yet he had not on the other given place to some new difficulties for that ofttimes these kinds of seeming sweetnings which are onely in some terms or in matters of small consequence do not at all satisfie a man and onely raise new doubts in stead of resolving the old The Bishop of Condom passes from the Invocation of Saints V. Of Images and Relicks to the particular Worship of Images and Relicks and as it seems does not approve all that is seen to be practised in this matter In the beginning he would that we judge of what nature the honour is which the Church of Rome outwardly gives unto Saints by the inward intentions she hath for them Page 30. ibid. The outward Worship saith he being established to testifie the inward intention of the souls But is not this in a manner to contradict himself and to overturn or confound the natural order of things for if the Worship be established to testifie the inward sentiments why will they have us to judge of the exteriour by the interiour whereas it is of the interiour that we should judge by the exteriour Or wherefore should it be that the exteriour answers so ill to the interiour and that notwithstandig there is nothing said of amendment But if the Bishop of Condom doth think that what he here declare unto us of the intention of the Româ— Church doth warrant him hencâ— forward to reduce the outward maid of Honour which she gives to Saintâ— unto what sense he thinks fit to giâ— it besides that it is not enough fâ— such a declaration to change thâ— common usage of expressions aâ— the natural meaning of Signs hâ— will they for instance that a Trâ— a Pagan the Americans the ignâ—rant amongst us who are not accâ—stomed unto these refinings of inteâ—tion and who judge of things one by the common use and by the common notions How will they I saâ— that all the World behold all thâ— great pomp of Religious Worshiâ— which is given to Saints to their Images and their Relicks so liâ— the honour that is to be given to Goâ— himself without taking this Worshâ—â— for a true mark of adoration and the Saints themselves for so many Gods The Council doth forbid saith the Bishop of Condom to believe any Divinity or Virtue in Images for which there should be any reverence due to them or for which any honour should be required to them or confidence put in them and will that all refer to the Originals which they represent which doth distinguish the Church of Rome from Idolaters because very far from helieving as they that any Divinity resides in Images she attributes no virtue unto them but that of exciting the remembrance of the Originals Here is it notwithstanding and in what follows that the Bishop of Condom doth sweeten the terms as much as he thinks may be done it is not any longer to worship Images as is the common and ordinary sense of the principal Doctors who have written for this Worship and of the very second Council of Nice it self It is no longer to serve them as yet the very termes of the Council of Trent run but onely to honour them And it is true this is in appearance a step towards a reformation and a sign that men of wisedom and clearness such as the Bishop of Condom is are somewhat ashamed of the height whereunto they have advanced the Doctrine of this Worship But in the conclusion it is still notwithstanding this all one and the same thing because they still continue to give the same religious Service unto Images The Council of Trent doth pronounce Anathema against all those who reject this Worship by this means boldly condemning the ancient Council of Elibery that of Constantinople consisting of 338. Bishops That oâ— Francfort where there were 300 The Emperour Charlemaigne and the Churches of France and of Almaiâ— of that time and of a long time after Concil Trent Sess 25. de Invoc Sanct c. Remissiones Vetustissimum esse in Ecclesia Dei a sanctis Patribas comprobatum usum sanctorum Imaginum earum denique adoratio pluribus testimoniis comprobatur c Tho. p. 3 q. 25. Art 4. Bonav Cajet c. Pon. Ro. p. 3. ord ad vis par pag. 480. Pag. 33. Pag. 32. which all rejected the Worship of Images The Observations that are printed with the Text of the very Council of Trent it self pretend that it is an ancient and approved usage to have Images and to worship them these are the very words and they authorise this practice by the judgment of Thomas Aquinas of Bellarmine of Vasques and of a great number of the chief Doctors of the Roman Church It is also known that many of the same Doctours teach that it is a duty to worship the Cross and the Image of Jesus Christ with the Worship of Latry as they speak which yet is the Divine honour that is given to God himself It is seen with what devotion and zeal the people kneel before the Cross before Images and before Relicks how they greet them how they kiss them how they incense them how they fasten their eyes
means of Salvation or a sign and sacred Ceremony as the Bishop of Condom terms it but a true Sacrament properly so called as are Baptism and the Eucharist though it is plain that there is nothing properly here whereby the blessing of the Word might be joyned unto some visible sign which serves as matter according to the Doctrine of St. Austin 2. Is it not also an odd thing that the Council doth make articles of Faith of all these distinctions of Attrition Contrition and several others which at least ought to be left to the Schools and that because a certain Father speaking of Repentance after sin * St. Jerom compares it unto a Plank by which a man saves himself when the Vessel is cast away Sess 14. de Sacram Paenit Can. 2. the Council applying this comparison unto the Sacrament of Pennance and of Confession which nevertheless is quite another thing as hath been shewed thunders out an Anathema against all such who do not agree that Pennance is rightly called a second Plank after Shipwrack as it were canonising a Figure of Rhetorick Perhaps it may be said that the Council intended onely to define the thing it self but let them say herein what they will it doth not at all suit with the simplicity and gravity of the Subject nor with the honour and gravity of the Council it self and it cannot be but that this easiness in making articles of Faith of all things throwing out Anathema's on all hands must create offence in some and contempt in others To conclude if it be true as the Council it self hath once defined it touching all the Sacraments in general and here in particular touching this of Pennance that when the Priest hath no real intention to absolve the sinner or when he doth not make use of this Form of Absolution Ego te absolvo c. I absolve thee c which is the essential and necessary Form of this Sacrament in which principally consists all its virtue according to the same Council or where the Priest hath not power to absolve as in cases reserved unto the Bishop or unto the Pope himself in all these cases Confession is without any effect and the sinner without pardon of what nature then is this Doctrine or Religion which runs all along upon so uncertain principles which makes the grace of God and the salvation of men to depend still upon the villany giddiness errour or want of power of one man The Bishop of Condom hath almost throughout used an easie expedient to disentangle himself for either he saith nothing of all these Doctrines of the Council or he doth not engage himself to prove any thing of what he himself speaks to them if it be not sometimes when he thinks that the matter is favourable for him or that he may inlarge himself without the least danger Here he wraps himself up in two opinions which are little to the purpose keeping a profound silence upon all the rest The First is that the terms of the Commission which is given to the Ministers of the Church to remit sins are so general that they cannot without temerity be restrained unto publick sins c. This is a little obscure the Bishop of Condom seems to intimate that amongst us we do believe that the Ministers of the Church cannot give absolution but onely of publick sins because that amongst us there is none but sinners who have committed notorious sins that make a publick acknowledgment in the presence of the Assembly unto whom in this case the Ministers announce the pardon of their sins with the circumstances and coâ—tidions which according to custome relate thereto But yet for all that it is not true that we limit the power of announcing pardon of sins unto publick sins and because we have no better mean whether it be to refute the Doctrines of those of the Roman Church or to make them in love with our Doctrine than to make them rightly understand it it shall be explained here in a few words what is the practice of our Churches touching confession and remission of sins There are several occasions upon which we do confess our sins whether it be in publick or private and wherein our Pastours doe announce unto us forgiveness First in the publick Assemblies in our entrance upon our ordinary exercises we make unto God a general confession of our sins Every one makes a particular reflexion upon his own sins and upon them whereunto he finds himself most subject 2. In the Sermon we are again exhorted to confess our sins heartily to repent of them to be a better people on which condition God pardons us it is the main subject and perpetual conclusion of all our Sermons 3. In our Houses in our Closets we do again more particularly confess our sins in the presence of God and both on the one and the other of these occasions we believe that if we are truly penitent with a true and lively confidence in the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and a stedfast resolution to live better for the time to come God vouchsafes us the grace of pardon and regeneration 4. Upon the particular occasions of communion in the Sacraments of Baptism and of the Eucharist in afflictions and upon the solemn occasions of Fasting we do make a more express and as we may so speak aggravated confession of our sins whether it be in publick prayers or in our own private reflexions and on these occasions again the Ministers in the name and in the authority of Jesus Christ in the very Quality of Ministers declare on the one hand the Judgments of God upon the impenitent and on the other supposing the Faith and repentance of the Sinners they announce unto us the remission of our sins 5. In our sicknesses and especially in those that are most dangerous we likewise more particularly confess our sins whether it be before our Pastours and Guides or before our Friends making also acknowledgment sometimes more particularly and freely of the infirmities and sins whereunto we are most subject Our Friends and our Pastours exhort us unto a lively sorrow for our faults and unto an intire trust in our Saviour and our Pastours in particular do exhort and comfort us If they see us in too great security or too little touched with the sense of our sins they declare unto us the severity of Gods Judgments against impenitent Sinners as on the contrary if they behold in us true motions of sorrow and repentance and a lively hope in the death of our Saviour they assure us that God will shew grace and mercy to us If we have any quarrel or animosities whether it be in sickness or health they say to us as St. James Confess your faults one to another for this is the true meaning of that passage and not the Sacramental confession as the sincere * Cardinal Aureolus in Compen elucid 5. upon this passage of Saint James
the Prayer being ended the Minister doth read unto us publickly with a loud voice the Liturgy of the Lords Supper which contains principally the manner wherein St. Paul relates that our Saviour did institute it with another exhortation well to prepare our hearts Lastly the Minister taking the bread and the wine saith with a loud voice The bread which we break is the body of Jesus Christ or the communion of the body of Jesus Christ The Cup which we bless is the bloud of Jesus Christ which was poured out for your sins Or the Cup which we bless is the communion of the bloud of Jesus Christ for either one or the other of these expressions are indifferently used the grace of God according to us not being tyed unto the words After which in distributing the Bread to the communicants the Minister saith again unto them to raise and awaken their zeal and their faith This is the body of Jesus Christ which was broken for you and in giving the Cup This is the bloud of Jesus Christ which was shed for your sins or some words to this sense And last of all when every one hath done communicating we conclude with thanksgiving in singing the song of Simeon and with the Blessing wherewith the Minister dismisseth the Assembly This particular account is onely for them who are misinformed of our practice We appeal here to the conscience of all sincere persons in the first place if it be not true that this manner of celebrating and of giving and receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist be not most conform unto what we see in the institution of our Lord and unto the practice of the Apostles and of the first and purest Ages of Christianity and without comparison more conform than that of the Church of Rome And in the second place which of these two manners of communicating is the most proper to excite and nourish true piety according to knowledge and a sincere remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ There remaines no more as to this point but to touch the Bishop of Condom's last consideration in which he saith That we do not deny the real communication of the substance of the Son of God in the Lords Supper so that there is a necessity that we should agree that the remembrance doth not exclude all manner of presence but only that which doth strike our senses We do not indeed say that remembrance excludes all manner of presence for on the contrary it is said of remembrance as it is of Faith that it makes things to be present that are at the greatest distance There is a moral presence and a mystical presence a presence of object of virtue as they speak which are not incompatible with remembrance For example the Heavens the Stars though almost at an infinite distance are in some sort present with us not onely because we see them but by the influences which they cast upon us We onely say that remembrance excludes a presence real personal and as it were physical local and immediate under the colours and exteriour appearances of Bread and Wine such as the Church of Rome teacheth of the Body of Jesus Christ in the hands of a Priest or in the mouth or stomach of the Communicants But because both here and elsewhere the Bishop of Condom grounds himself upon what he saith that at the same time that we deny this real presence of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament we teach a real participation of his Body and that upon this occasion the Bishop of Condom here makes an express Article of the Exposition of our Belief upon the reality what we will say of our Doctrine upon this point shall serve for an answer unto all the consequences which he draws both here or elsewhere To remove at once XII An examination of the exposition which the Bishop of Condom makes of our Doctrine of the Reality saith the Bishop of Condom the equivocations which the Calvinists use upon this matter and to make appear at the same time how near they are come unto us though I have undertaken onely to explain the Doctrine of the Church It will be expedient here to add the exposition of their Judgement Let us be permitted before we enter upon this Article to complain that the Bishop of Condom doth at the very first here begin to treat us in termes prohibited by the Edicts of our Kings at the same time also charging us with affected equivocations which in no wise agree with the simplicity of our Doctrine we are apt to think that it is the heat of dispute which hath here insensibly transported him beyond his natural equity and we would not at all concern our selves to take notice of these sorts of expressions especially in a time wherein we are accustomed unto more strict dealings if the least thing of this nature proceeding from a person of his dignity and for whom we have a great esteem were not more remarkable and of worse example than all the bitterest things that might be said by other persons This Article of the Bishop of Condom's Treatise though more copious is for all that obscure and intangled full of repetitions of digressions and of comparisons odious and besides his business which he makes of us to Socinians Arrians Nestorians Pelagians insulting over us upon words contrary to what appears manifestly to be our sense But we will leave the words and apply our selves to the things In the first place instead of giving a plain and intire Exposition of our Belief and afterwards drawing the consequences which he had a mind of he onely gives it by shreds and so perplext that it cannot be understood He onely reports here and there some of our Expressions separate from each other endeavouring therein to find some obscurity and afterwards he grounds upon this obscurity which himself hath made the equivocations and contradictions which he imputes unto us We need onely take notice what course he takes in the very entrance to make a judgment that he speaks after his own manner and not after ours Their Doctrine saith he hath two parts the one speaks onely of the figure of the body and bloud the other speaks onely of the reality of the body and bloud Divisions are wont to give order and to give light unto discourses but this on the contrary doth at first sight so little set forth our Doctrine that our people would not understand it The explication which follows is neither juster nor more natural Instead of laying down what we believe affirmatively he layes down indeed but onely the negative part of our Belief Wherefore we shall do better to explain our own Doctrine our selves in a few words with relation unto what the Bishop of Condom sayes hereof This shall be that plain Form of Doctrine which he saith we have not and shall serve for a general refutation of all that he hath produced We will not forbear answering afterwards
body of the Lord and the fruit of his death So all this consequence hath no foundation In summe wherefore will the Bishop of Condom have two different acts of Faith for uniting us to the body of Jesus Christ and having part in the fruit of his death when it is evident that all is done or might be done by one and the same act of Faith Or wherefore may we not even assert two divers acts of Faith if they be conceived severally by one of which we unite our selves to Jesus Christ himself and by the other unto the fruit of his death without any need to imagine for all this two different communions one spiritual by Faith and the other with the mouth of the body or real as the Bishop of Condom speaks Lord draw us after thee lift up our hearts unto thee come dwell in our hearts by the operation of thy Spirit Behold here an act of Faith which unites us to Jesus Christ if the Faith be such as it ought to be and this union of its self suffices to effect that we should also have part in the fruit of his death by this one act of Faith Lord impute to us thy righteousness and grant that being united unto thee by a true and lively Faith we may have a share in all thy benefits and in particular in the fruit of thy death Behold here nevertheless a second act of Faith which regards directly the part that we have in the fruit of his death The difference of these two acts of Faith properly will be onely in the distinction of the objects which Faith doth propose unto it self in the one it proposes the body of the Lord and in the other the fruit of his death and in one and the other there is a real communion with our Saviour but spiritually and by Faith But no man adds the Bishop of Condom 〈◊〉 112. can conceive what difference there is betwixt participating by Faith of the body of our Saviour and to participate by Faith of the fruit of his death This is now the second or third time that the Bishop of Condom will conceive all Let us see if he will be of the same mind upon the Article of Transubstantiation which follows immediately after this But after all how can he say that no man can conceive any difference betwixt participating by Faith of the body of the Lord and participating by Faith of the fruit of his death for the body of the Lord and the fruit of his death are evidently two different things and there is no one who cannot easily conceive that there is great difference betwixt partaking of the one and partaking of the other whether it be that it is done by one act of Faith or by two though besides the manner of partaking of one and the other be always the same to wit spiritually and by Faith Nevertheless it is here that the Bishop of Condom cryes out again in finishing this Article Who can but admire the force of truth c. And afterwards How ingenuously do the Calvinists confess unto us the truth they would have been strongly disposed to acknowledge the body of Christ to be in the Sacrament in figure onely and the participation of his Spirit onely in effect laying aside these great words of Participation of proper substance and many others which express a real presence and which onely cause perplexities c. Let the Bishop of Condom also in his turn ingenuously confess the truth he has been very strongly disposed and many other intelligent persons in the Church of Rome it may be will be so with him to confess that there is onely in the Eucharist a true and real communion of the body of Jesus Christ as we do acknowledge that that which we there have spiritual is very real laying aside that great word of Transubstantiation as he had laid it aside in the first Edition of his Treatise that of concomitance by virtue whereof the Cup was cut off from the communion and many others which imply manifest contradiction and which cause much more perplexity That which is truly admirable in this place is that the Church of Rome teacheth as we do a spiritual communion of the body of Jesus Christ and the Bishop of Condom himself said the very same but now in express terms that in the Lords Supper there is a communion pa. 112. by the which we partake spiritually of the body of our Saviour and of his spirit altogether in receiving the fruit of his death which is properly the result of our Doctrine and these words of participation and of substance with which the Bishop of Condom pleaseth himself and which he useth for all that himself signifie nothing more The onely difference that there is betwixt him and us is that we stop here and that he besides this spiritual communion of the body of our Lord supposes another real communion as he speaks that is with the mouth of the body which we cannot allow of Here in another prospect he insults over us as if there could not be any other communion of the body of our Lord but that onely which is had by the mouth of the body and that without admitting of that there can nothing be acknowledged in the Lords Supper but the figure of his body and a participation of the Spirit excluding thus this other spiritual communion of the very body of Jesus Christ which he but now confessed Let it be judged by this and by all the rest which hath been said as well of our opinions as of his way of arguing who it is that creates perplexities or that contradicts themselves whether it is the Bishop of Condom or us that use equivocations about words And Lastly if he hath so much subject of Triumph upon this Article as he seemed to imagine to himself XIII Of Tran. substantiation of Adoration and in what sense the Bishop of Condom saith that the Sacrament is a sign The Bishop of Condom will slide along more sweetly upon the Doctrine of Transubstantiation and upon the Adoration of the Host than he did in opposing our Doctrine There he attacqued and attacqued Adversaries as he calls them to whom they hardly give the liberty to defend themselves We may say any thing against them they will answer but by halfs Here he must defend himself and he hath against him Scripture reason evidence of the senses and the common notions of Christianity imprinted in conscience which are other kind of Adversaries more terrible speaking malgre opposition each in his order and speaking so loud as they put the ablest to silence The Bishop of Condom when he speaks of our Belief though all things be very simple in it is not satisfied if he cannot conceive even the very manner whereby the Holy Ghost doth really unite us unto Jesus Christ notwithstanding the great distance which there is betwixt us and him which nevertheless the Roman Church doth perpetually teach
disputes It will easily appear whether the Church of Rome hath hath kept her self within the bounds which it is said that she hath prescribed her self if she hath always exactly followed the steps of those which went before her and if in fine what is here said of her temper and moderation be not onely rather the ordinary stile of those who make profession of submitting themselves unto Laws even when they openly trample them under foot The third proposition particularly regards the authority and infallibility of Synods or Councils The Bishop of Condom saith that it is the part of Pastours assembled to decide controversies and the Faithful to receive their decisions without examining them we all agree to the former part of this proposition and we believe also that the way of Synodal Assemblies is the most universal outward means and the most effectual that God makes use of to keep mens minds united in one onely Belief But as we cannot agree to the infallibility which the Church of Rome attributes unto them so neither can we accord that the Faithful are obliged blindly to receive their decisions without examining them John 5.39 Mat. 7.15 Acts 20.29 1 Thes 5.21 Act. 17.11 The Apostles themselves did not demand so blind a submission to their own Doctrine on the contrary they advised that men would compare it with the Scripture that they would distinguish the Wolf from the Shepherd that they would examine all and retain that which was good and those of Berea were commended for that after having heard the Apostles they compared their Sermons with the Scriptures If it be said that this might take place as to the Doctrine of each Apostle in particular and not as to what had been decided by all the Apostles as that which the Bishop of Condom alledgeth out of the 15th of the Acts when the Apostles being assembled upon the controversie which was raised touching the ceremonies of the Law they pronounced these remarkable works It seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and to us c. And that afterwards St. Paul and Silas went through the Cities teaching believers to keep the Ordinances of the Apostles In the first place the Bishop of Condom would do well to put some difference betwixt those holy men which had received the Holy Ghost immediately in form of fiery tongues and the Fathers of the latter Councils of Constance and of Trent of whom the very Romish Catholick Authours observe the passion the motives and the humane interest that inspirited them 2. We see that though the Apostles were fully perswaded of their authority as St. Paul speaks particularly of himself yet they are very far from thundring out Anathema's for the least matters as the Council hath done at every word against all those that will not admit even of meer School-distinctions and Figures of Rhetorick We see the Apostles found their judgment upon the Holy Scriptures and having concluded upon it they onely say with the greatest sweetness in the World If you do these things you will do well 3. Nor were they at all concerned even in this dispute about essential points of Faith but onely about ceremonies of the Law which were already silently abrogated by the Gospel which the Apostles would maintain but for a time to give the Synagogue an honourable burial and to maintain union betwixt the Jewes and the other people which had newly embraced the Doctrine of the Gospel In summe very soon after St. Paul himself preached that people might eat indifferently of all sorts of meat and it is known that in process of time the usage established by this Ordinance of the Apostles was insensibly abolished 4. It doth not appear that the Apostles did publish their decision with an absolute injunction to obey it but they sent Paul Barnabas and Silas to instruct the Faithful to keep this Ordinance that is to say in all likelihood to shew them the motives and grounds thereof which doth not import that it was forbid them to examine it Lastly we may retort against the Gentlemen of the Roman Church what the Bishop of Condom afterwards objects against us which is that their practice agrees not at all with their Maxims for it is not true that they believe the Councils to be infallible in all things nor that they alwayes receive all their decisions either with examining them or without examining them For example they have not held to those of the Councils whereof we have spoken which forbad the worshipping of Images and the decisions of those Councils have not hindred but that other Councils have ordained the contrary It is known that the Gallican Church hath not yet to this day received all the decisions of the Council of Trent as to points that regard Ecclesiastical Order and discipline which notwithstanding are much more of humane Jurisdiction than the very matters of Faith The fourth and last proposition of the Bishop of Condom's touching the authority of the Church is that wherein he objects against us that this authority is so necessary that after having decried it we have been obliged to establish it in the very matters of Faith it self This proposition contains two accusations which destroy each the other that which makes them the less credible The one is that we have decryed the authority of the Church the other that we have established it without any bounds In summe nothing is worse grounded than the first of these accusations for it is not true that we ever denyed that Order should be observed in the Church nor that we have ever written or spoken against the just authority of those whom God calls to be Pastours and Governours of the Faithful Our confession of Faith our discipline the Acts of our Synods in a word all that the Bishop of Condom himself â—eports which is what is most ancient and most authentick amongst â—s since the Reformation manifestly destroyes this accusation and the Bishop of Condom doth not alledge any thing which shews the contrary Our Doctours have preached and written against the excessive authority of the Court of Rome against the Soveraignty which we believe the Popes have generally usurped over Bishops which yet have the same â—haracter and the same dignity as â—hey have over all the Clergy over the people over the Councils and â—ver Princes themselves under preâ—ence of the spiritual Sword We â—ould have spoken against the absolute power that Popes attribute to themselves of assembling or not assembling Councils because that Ecclesiastical History gives us assurance that in the first and best Ages of Christianity it was the Emperours that assembled them In fine we could have again exclaimed against the abuse of Indulgences and in a word against all those points whereby the manner of the Government of the Church is become so widely different from that wherein it was governed by the Apostles and St. Peter himself of whom the Popes style themselves successours but in all these very things those