and hindred him from exposing himself to the fury of his Enemies They must then either force him away as a Criminal or Communicate with him as an Innocent Man The whole Church was full of People the Episcopal Chair was filled the Altar was in its place that Altar on which the Pacifick Bishops had offer'd as St. Cyprian Lucianus and others Nevertheless they set up an Altar against this Altar and make an Ordination against all the Laws Majorinus a Domestick of Lucilla who had been Reader when Caecilian was Deacon was Ordain'd by the Bishops of Numidia who had themselves confess'd their Crimes and Pardon'd themselves 'T is plain then that Majorinus withdrew from the Church and that those were the Ring-leaders of the Donatists who separated themselves and deliver'd up the Holy Books After Optatus has thus prov'd that the Donatists were the Authors of the Schism which divided Africk he shows by the Example of Corah Dathan and Abiram that there is no Crime greater or which deserves a more severe Punishment than Schism But not contenting himself with convicting the Donatists he undertakes also to justifie Caecilian and proves that he was Innocent by the Judgment of the Council of Rome which Condemn'd Donatus and declar'd Caecilian Innocent He observes that the Ring-leaders of the Donatists had themselves desir'd Judges of Constantine and that the Emperour had answer'd them in great Passion Do ye desire Judges of me of me who am waiting for the Judgment of Heaven He shows That nevertheless he gave them for Judges Maternus Bishop of Cologne Rheticius Bishop of Autun and Marinus Bishop of Arles which Judges came to Rome and there held a Council with Miltiades and Fifteen Italian Bishops That Donatus was there condemn'd upon the Confession that he made of having re-baptiz'd and re-ordain'd the Bishops which yielded in the time of Persecution That the Witnesses which he had produc'd against Caecilian having declar'd they had nothing to say against him he was sent back acquitted by the Sentence of all the Bishops and of Miltiades who concluded this Judgment That the Donatists having appeal'd to the Emperour he cry'd out aloud O strange Fury They appeal from us as if we had given a Pagan Sentence That the Emperour detain'd Caecilian at Bressia by the Sollicitation of Filuminus a Partisan of Donatus That there were sent into Africk two Bishops Eunomius and Olympus to declare where the Catholick Church was That being come to Carthage they were hindred from doing it by the Seditious Party of Donatus That these two Bishops made Oath in favour of Caecilian That Donatus came first to Carthage and Caecilian follow'd him after he had been declar'd Innocent by many Judgments There remain'd now nothing more for Optatus to do but to Vindicate Felix of Aptungis who ordain'd Caecilian from the Calumny of being a Traditor which he proves by the Information that Elianus the Proconsul had given about this Matter who after a most strict Enquiry into it had declar'd him Innocent of this Crime The Second Book of Optatus is concerning the Church There he supposes as an uncontested Principle That there is but one only Church which Jesus Christ calls his Spouse and his Dove This Principle being suppos'd he proves that the Party of the Donatists were not the Catholick Church because from thence it would follow that the Church had perish'd in all other Parts of the World and was enclosed in a little Corner of Africk which was contrary to the Signification of the Catholick Church that signifies a Society spread over all the Earth He adds for Confirmation of this Truth That those who shut up the Church within such narrow bounds defeated the Promise of Jesus Christ that they straitned the Extent of God's Mercy and gave the Lye to the Holy Spirit who has spoken by the Prophets After he has made use of this general Reason against the Donatists he proves that the Signs of the True Church do not in the least agree to them The First of those Signs is the Chair that is the Succession of Bishops He says to Parmenianus That he cannot be ignorant of this Sign of the True Church For you cannot deny says he but St. Peter the Chief of the Apostles establish'd an Episcopal Chair at Rome This Chair was one that all others might preserve Unity by the Union they had with it So that whosoever set up a Chair against it was a Schismatick and an Offender 'T was then in this one Chair which is the first Sign of the Church that St. Peter first sate to St. Peter succeeded St. Linus and after him others till Damasus who is now our Colleague by whose means all the Churches of the World are United with us in the same Communion keeping Correspondence by Circular Letters As to your Party which would willingly be thought to be the Church enquire after the Original of your Chair You tell us That you are a Part of the Roman Church but this is a branch of your Error which proceeds from the Root of Falshood and not from the Stock of Truth If Macrobius be ask'd in what Chair he Sits can he say That it is in the Chair of St. Peter which perhaps he never saw for certainly he never went to the Sepulchre of the Apostles He is disobedient to the Command of the Apostle who would have us Communicate to the Memory of the Saints and the Relicks of the two Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul are in the Church of Rome Tell me I pray you if ever he could enter there if ever he could offer in the Place where these Relicks are certainly kept Macrobius your Brother must then confess That he sate in the Place where Eucolpius held the See and if we could ask Eucolpius he must say That he succeeded to Boniface of Balli and Boniface to one Victor Garbiensis whom ye sent from Africk This Victor is a Son without a Father a Disciple without a Master a Successor without a Predecessor a Pastor without a Flock a Bishop without a People For we cannot call them a Flock or a People who were so few that they had not one of the Forty Churches at Rome to keep their Assemblies in and who were oblig'd to shut themselves up in a Cave without the City to keep their Conventicle there Optatus does not enlarge so much on the other Signs of the Church that are very obscure but he insists particularly upon its Extent Wherefore says he would you Unchurch an infinite Number of Christians that are in the East and the West You are but a small Number of Rebels who have oppos'd all the Churches of the World with which ye have no Communion You are also convicted of Falshood by the Sacrifices which ye offer for I believe that you do not omit the Solemn Prayer that is made at these Sacrifices I doubt not but you will say That you offer Sacrifice for that Church which is one and scatter'd over
great many very remarkable particulars concerning the History of the Donatists We find in them many Points of Doctrine and we may observe many things which clear up the ancient Discipline He says That all Christians have but one Faith and one Creed He explains the chief Mysteries in a most Orthodox manner He shows That there neither is nor can be any more but one Catholick Church spread over all the Earth that it cannot be shut up in a small Part of the World That this Church is made up of Bishops Priests Deacons Ministers and those that are meerly the Faithful He observes That the Bishops are above the Priests as the Priests are above the Deacons He considers the Church of Rome as the chief Church in the World and as the Centre of Unity because of St. Peter who was the Head of the Apostles He says That Man by Nature is Weak and Imperfect and therefore has need of the Grace of Jesus Christ to make him Perfect That we are all Born in Sin and that Baptism is necessary to obtain Remission of it That when the Sacrament is given in the Name of the Trinity it ought not to be reiterated and yet he seems to think that we ought to re-baptize those who were baptiz'd by Hereticks but he does not make the same determination for those who were baptiz'd by Schismaticks He mentions Exorcism with Commendation as a necessary Ceremony at Baptism He speaks of Chrysm also as a Holy Thing and of the Unction that was us'd at Baptism He expresses himself in so plain terms about the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist and about the Adoration that 's due to this Holy Sacrament that nothing can be desir'd more express He observes many Ceremonies at the Celebration of the Eucharist to which he gives the Name of a Sacrifice and it appears by what he says of it That in his time they offer'd Sacrifice for the whole Catholick Church and then they recited the Lord's Prayer That the Celebration of it was upon an Altar of Wood which was adorn'd and cover'd with a Linen-Cloth for the greater respect That they then used Chalices of Gold and Silver and also had Ornaments He says That the Church has Judges That she punishes Crimes That she exacts Penances of those that confess their Sins or are convicted of them He praises Virginity and yet he says That there is no obligation to it upon those that have not made a Vow He observes That in his time this Vow was made Solemnly by the Virgins who dedicated themselves to God and that they carried a small covering upon their Head which was the Sign of the Vow they had made He testifies sufficiently the respect that was paid in his time for the Relicks of the Saints when he speaks of the Sepulchre of St. Peter and St. Paul and speaking of Lucilla he blames those that honour'd the Relicks of false Martyrs which were not own'd by the Church The only Error that can be observ'd in the Books of Optatus is That he maintains that those who had been baptiz'd with John's Baptism before the Institution of Christ's Baptism were not re-baptiz'd See Acts xix 1-5 We may add to this what he says of reiterating the Baptism of Hereticks and perhaps also what he proposes about the Power of Free Will to which he seems to give the Power of willing and beginning a Good Action and also of advancing in the Way of Salvation without the help of the Grace of Christ but these Errors are light and pardonable One may also reprehend in his Book the Allegorical way in which he explains many Passages of Holy Scripture by giving them a sence very remote from that which they naturally have and by applying them to those things with which they have no affinity This Fault which would be tolerable in a Preacher seems not to be pardonable in an Author who writes a Treatise of Controversy wherein all Proofs should be solid and convincing But Optatus had to do with such Enemies as us'd the same way who perverted Passages of Scripture to calumniate the Church and commend their own Sect. The Text of Optatus is much corrupted in many places It was printed at Mentz in the Year 1549 with many Faults Afterwards Balduinus a Learned Civilian publish'd it at Paris in 1563 revised by a Manuscript which was communicated to him by Espencaeus and corrected in many places He prefixes to it a large Preface against Calvin wherein he refutes the Conclusion that this Heretick had drawn from the History of Optatus That Princes were lawful Judges in Matters of Religion and at the same time he discovers a great many stupid Mistakes and gross Errors that he had propos'd He thought it not proper to prefix this Preface to the Second Edition of Optatus which he caus'd to be printed at Paris in 1569 together with Victor Uticensis after he had revised and corrected it by a Manuscript 'T was by this Edition that Commelinus made his in the Year 1599. The Annotations of this famous Civilian upon Optatus are most learned and curious and they perfectly clear the History of the Donatists but they are so long that they may rather pass for a Commentary than for Notes In 1631. Albaspinaeus caus'd the Books of Optatus to be printed in One Volume in Folio with short Notes and large Observations which he added to the Annotations of Balduinus and some Notes of an unknown Author He added the Records of which we have spoken already together with the History of the Conference of Carthage publish'd by Balduinus and the excellent Observations which he made in French and Latin about the Discipline of the Church In the same Year 1631. Meric Casaubon printed in a little Volume the Text of Optatus at London with most Judicious Critical Notes At last Philippus Priorius took care to make a new Impression of this Author at Paris by the Widow of Dupuis In 1679 they put in this Edition the Prefaces of Balduinus the Notes of Albaspinaeus Casaubon and Barthiâ—s and those of the Unknown Author Priorius also added some which he put before the others though they do not deserve such an honourable place After this follow'd the Commentary of Balduinus and the Observations of Albaspinaeus upon Optatus the Conference of Carthage and the other pieces of which we have spoken The History of the Conference of Carthage written by Balduinus is the last Discourse in this Volume which has some affinity with the Books of Optatus After so many Editions and Commentaries one would think that this Author were become most correct and plain and yet 't is not so for the Text is still very much corrupted there are many places that still want to be clear'd up and restor'd The Notes of Balduinus do indeed enlighten the History but he is mistaken in many passages of it as Valesius has plainly prov'd in his learned Dissertation of the Schism of the
themselves with the Sign of the Cross on their Forehead in Eating and Drinking at their going out and coming in at their lying down c. He calls this Sign the Terror of Devils and the Mark of the Faithful He says That it drives away Devils That it cures Diseases That it defeats Inchantments and that at one day it will appear in the Heavens when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the World He proves in the Fourteenth the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ where he commends the Piety of those Emperours who built the Church of the Resurrection at Jerusalem where he was and adorned it with Gold and Silver The Fifteenth is concerning the Second coming of Jesus Christ of the End of the World and of Anti-Christ who will come says he after the Destruction of the Roman Empire He says many more particulars of him which he endeavours to prove by Prophecies but the explications he gives of them are not very Solid He observes That the Schisms which he then saw in the Church made him fear that the Reign of Anti-christ was not far off After this he Discourses of the last Judgment and of the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ. He refutes the Opinion of Marcellus of Ancyra who had said That the Son should not Reign any more after the Day of Judgment He makes very curious Remarks upon the particle Until and shows that it is not always exclusive as when it is said That Death reigned from Adam until Moses where the meaning is not That it did not Reign after Moses The Sixteenth Lecture is concerning the Holy Spirit He observes That we ought to take good heed lest we say any thing through Ignorance or Error which is contrary to the Belief we ought to have concerning the Holy Spirit because 't is written That the Blasphemies which are spoken against him are unpardonable Therefore he declares That he will say nothing of the Holy Spirit but what is said of him in the Holy Scripture and that he will not enquire by an indecent Curiosity after that which is not written 'T is the Holy Spirit says he who dictated the Holy Scripture he hath said of himself what he would have us to know and what we are capable of knowing about him He begins with giving an Account of the Errors of Hereticks concerning the Holy Spirit and afterwards recites what is said of him in the Holy Scripture he describes his Effects and attributes to him all the good Thoughts and good Actions of the Faithful He continues the same Subject in his 17th Lecture where he produces the Testimonies of our Lord concerning the Holy Spirit He has exactly Collected in these Two Catechetical Lectures all that is said of the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testament He teaches That the Holy Spirit is not a Breath form'd by the Mouth of the Father and the Son but that he is a Person subsistent of the same Nature with the Father and the Son He calls St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the Porter of Heaven He observes That the Determination of the Council of Jerusalem was a General or Oecumenical Law which all the Earth had and did still observe The Last of those Lectures which are address'd to the Enlighten'd is of the Resurrection of the Church and of Eternal Life In the beginning he shows That the hope of the Resurrection is the Foundation of all good Actions because the expectation of this reward excites Men to labour for it 'T was this that made him say that the Faith of the Resurrection is a great encouragement and a very necessary Doctrine He brings for proof of the Resurrection the Justice of God which requires that Sinners which are not punish'd in this World should be punish'd in another and that the Righteous who are miserable here below should be recompenc'd in another Life He says That all Men have naturally some Knowledge of the Resurrection and that upon this Account they have a horror of those who rob the Dead He brings many Illustrations of it taken from the changes in Nature He does not forget the Example of the Phoenix for which he cites St. Clement for his Authority He observes That the Generation of Man is no less wonderful than the Resurrection and that God who could Create the Universe of nothing can easily raise a dead Man After he has employ'd these Reasons against the Pagans he alledges against the Samaritans the wonderful Effects of the Divine Power related in the Old Testament and proves the Resurrection of the Dead by many passages of the Prophets This seems to be a mistake the Sadducees were the only Sect of the Jews that denied a Resurrection In speaking of the dead Man rais'd at the Sepulchre of Elisha he says That by this Example we may know that we ought not only to honour the Souls of the Saints but also to show Reverence to the Relicts of their Bodies since they have such Power and Virtue The Second Part of this Instruction is concerning the Catholick Church He says It is so called because it is spread over all the Earth Because it universally receives all the Articles of Faith Because it generally cures all Sins and Lastly Because it possesses all Graces and all Vertues He says It is called the Church because it is an Assembly of the Faithful That the Hereticks have also their Assemblies of their Churches That to discern the one from the other when you go to any place you must not ask barely where is the Church or the House of the Lord because the Hereticks give this Name to their Temples but you must ask where is the Catholick Church because this is a Name proper to this Holy Mother of all faithful Christians which is the Spouse of Jesus Christ. In short The last part of this Lecture is of Eternal Life 'T is very Remarkable that in the Creed which St. Cyril used there is found Life Everlasting because as we have observed in the First Volume of our Bibliotheca almost all the ancient Creeds end with the Resurrection of the Flesh. St. Cyril adds to it Baptism whereof he had already spoken the Catholick Church and Life Everlasting He says upon the last Article That the Eternal Life of Christians is the Possession of the most Holy Trinity He concludes this Lecture with a Promise to his Auditors that he would explain after Easter the Sacred Mysteries which they were to receive upon the Christian Altar and with an Exhortation to rejoyce because the time of their Redemption Salvation and Regeneration approach'd The Five other Lectures which are call'd Mystagogical are address'd by St. Cyril to the same Persons after they had received the Grace of Baptism The first is about the Vow which is made in Baptism to renounce the Devil his Works and all his Pomps He declares to his Auditors the Importance of performing this Vow He says That the Works of the Devil are Sins and that
said The Catholick Church spread over all the Earth shall observe what has been now ordain'd However the Canons of the Council of Sardica were never received by the Catholick Church as general Laws They were never put into the Code of the Canons of the Universal Church approv'd by the Council of Chalcedon The East never received them neither would the Bishops of Africa own them The Popes only used them and cited them under the Name of the Council of Nice to give them the greater Weight and Authority Of the First COUNCIL of Sirmium THE First Council of Sirmium was made up of Western Bishops it was held in the Year 349 Of the First of Sirmium 349. Two Years after that of Milan Photinus who had been already excommunicated was there condemned but he could not be forced away from his See and therefore the Western Bishops only gave notice to the Eastern of the Judgment they had given against this Heretick This is related in the Fragments of St. Hilary Of the Second COUNCIL of Sirmium THE Second Council of Sirmium was made up of Eastern Bishops assembled by the Emperour Constantius Of the Second of Sirmium 351. in the Year 351. Basil of Ancyra entred the Lists there against Photinus and convicted him of Heresy He was afterwards Deposed by the Bishops and sent into banishment by the Authority of the Emperour In this Council was made the First Creed of Sirmium wherein the Bishops make profession of believing in Jesus Christ the only Son of God born of his Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light by Whom all Things were made There they anathematize those that said He was created of nothing or of another Substance or that he was not of God or that he was made in Time Those that said there are Two Gods or those who on the contrary averr'd That the Father or at least one part of him was born of Mary and also those who made no distinction of the Three Divine Persons or who said That the Divinity was changed into Flesh and that it was subject to Sufferings and Changes This is the Sum of that long Creed quoted in Greek by St. Athanasius and in Latin by St. Hilary who has considered and explained it as a very Orthodox Confession of Faith Of the COUNCIL of Arles COnstantius had a long time desired to get Athanasius condemned by the Western Bishops To Of Arles 353. compass this Design he assembled a Synod in the Year 353 in the City of Arles The Pope sent for Legates Vincentius of Capua and another Bishop of Campania called Marcellus and ordered them to desire the Meeting of a Council in the City of Aquileia These Legates being arrived at the Council of Arles desired that they would begin with handling the Doctrine and with condemning the Error of Arius before they spoke of the Cause of St. Athanasius But Ursacius and Valens who had no other Design but to procure the Condemnation of St. Athanasius would not admit this Proposition and forc'd the Bishops of the Council and even the Pope's Legates to subscribe the condemnation of this Saint There was none but only Paulinus Bishop of Triers that continued stedfast and for this Reason he was banished immediately Of the COUNCIL of Milan LIberius being informed of the Fall of his Legates sendeth Lucifer Bishop of Calaris to wait upon Of Milan 355. the Emperour and desire of him a new Synod The Emperour granted him one and caus'd it to meet at Milan in the Year 355 But it did not answer the Pope's Expectation The Emperour caus'd the Bishops of the East and the West to be Summoned to it but yet it was compos'd only of the Western Bishops There came almost 300 to it Thither they brought Eusebius of Verceilles and Lucifer of Calaris who was the Pope's Legate together with Pancratius the Priest and Hilary the Deacon These were invited to the Synod and were urged to subscribe the Condemnation of St. Athanasius They answer'd That they must First handle Matters of Faith That they saw in the Assembly some Hereticks or such as were suspected of Heresy That in the First place they must make profession of the Faith contain'd in the Nicene Creed Dionysius of Milan took Pen and Paper to write down and sign the Creed But presently Ursacius and Valens took them by force out of his hands Thereupon there arose a great Tumult the People were put in a Commotion and the Bishops withdrew to the Palace where they were press'd to sign a Letter written in the Emperour's Name against St. Athanasius There were but few Bishops who could resist the Emperour's Sollicitations and those who were so stedfast as to do it viz. Eusebius of Verceilles Dionysius of Milan and some others were sent into banishment Baluzius in his new Collection of Councils has caused the New Acts of this Council to be printed taken out of the Life of Eusebius of Verceilles published by Ughellus in the First Tome of his Italia Sacra but there is no probability that they are Authentical Of the COUNCIL of Biterrae or Beziers THE French Church had not yet been toss'd with the Storms which troubled the Peace of all Of Biterrae or Beziers 356. the Churches in the World Saturninus Bishop of Arles a factious Man was the First who brought thither the fire of Division He assembled in the Year 356 a Council at Beziers and us'd all his Endeavours to make it receive the followers of Arius but St. Hilary oppos'd him stoutly and having desired them to treat of Doctrinal Matters offered to convict Ursacius Valens and Saturninus of Heresy Instead of hearkning to him they wrote to Court against him and he was sent into banishment together with Rhodanius Bishop of Tholouse After he was forced away the Bishops of this Council being devoted to the Interests of Saturninus did whatever he desired but the other Bishops of France would never communicate with him nor with Ursacius and Valens and would not suffer other Bishops to be Ordain'd in the room of those that were banish'd Of the Third COUNCIL of Sirmium THE Second Creed of Sirmium was made in that City in the Year 357 by Potamius Bishop of Lisbon a City of Spain in the Presence of Valens Ursacius Germinius and some other Bishops Of the Third of Sirmium 357. This Creed is Arian In it they reject the Word Consubstantial and they declare That the Father is greater than the Son and that the Son had a beginning Of the COUNCIL of Antioch THE Eastern Arians seeing that those of the West had plainly made Profession of their Error Of Antioch 358. did also publickly declare themselves in a Council assembled at Antioch in the Year 357. Eudoxius Bishop of that City a Patron of Aëtiús Acacius Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestine Uranius Bishop of Tyre and some others did there condemn the Words Consubstantial and like in Substance and wrote to Ursacius Valens
Charles Martel Maire of the Palace or General of France 19. Charles the Bald. Gives up to the Romans the Right of Soveraignty 19. Suffragans how Ordained 129 130. Their Power 249 250. 257. Christian. The Name useless to those who lead a Life unworthy of a Christian 142. Christophorson Judgment upon his Translation of the Ecclesiastical History 4. Church Authority and Mark of the Catholick Church 81 82 111. But one Catholick Church spread over the whole Earth 90 112. Principal Mark of that Church 90 91. Churches of the East Divided upon occasion of that of Antioch 123. 130. 130 137 c. 187 188. Church of Rome It s Authority 90. Churches Principal and their Rights Church of Jerusalem Establishment of their Dignity 107. 252. Churches of Gaul Difference for Primacy 285. Circus Canon against those which run in the Circus 247. Ciriha City of Numidia 〈◊〉 there in 305. The Names of the Bishops that assisted in it 241. Clergy Canons concerning the Qualities Life and Manners of Priests Bishops and other Clerks 141 142 143. 205. 207. 247 248 249 250. 268. 270. 273. 276 277. 280 281. 284 285 c. Not subject to Publick Penance 26. 143. Immunities and Exemptions 15 16. Edicts of Constantine in their favour ibid. Cologne Council of Cologne in 346. against Euphratas 258. Communion How it ought to be Received 114. Of Frequent Communion 137. Confirmation Given by the Bishop with the holy Chrism conferrs the Holy Ghost 85. Constantius Emperour of the East 30. Causes Pope Liberius to be imprisoned 18. Constantinople Council there in 336 against Marcellus of Ancyra 255. Another in 338 against Paul Bishop of that City ibid. Another in 360. by the Acacians 265. Constantine the first Christian Emperour 11. His Parents ibid. Proclaimed Emperour by his Souldiers ibid. Defeats the Tyrant Maxentius ibid. Goes to Milan to Celebrate the Marriage of his Sister with Lioinius 12. Quarrels with him ibid. His care for the Church and what belonged to it ibid. Assembles a Council at Rome ibid. Gives Judgment at Milan in favour of Caecilian against the Donatists ibid. Declares War against Licinius ibid. Makes Laws in favour of the Christians and for the Celebration of the Lord's Day ibid. Abrogates the Edicts of Licinius against the Christians ibid. Labours to appease the Quarrel between Alexander and Arius ibid. Assembles a Council of both the East and West at Nice where he Assists What pass'd there ibid. What he did at Jerusalem 13. His Zeal for the Christian Religion ibid. Unblamable if he had not Favoured the Bishops of Arius's Party against St. Athanasius ibid. He recalls to Tyre the Fathers of the Council of Jerusalem and Why ibid. Banishes St. Athanasius to Triers ibid. His Baptism ibid. In what Place and by whom ibid. His Death and how long he Reigned 14. His Character ibid. Is put among the Saints by the Greeks 14. Account of his Speeches by Eusebius 14 15. Discourse upon the Feast of Easter 15. Letters ibid. and 16. Edicts in Favour of the Christian Religion 16 17. Suppositions donation 17 c. Constantius Chlorus The only Emperour in the Tenth Persecution that did not persecute the Christians 11. and a. Constans Emperour Protector of St. Athanasius Died in 350. 31. Consubstantial When and where that Word was first used 2. Councils History and Abridgment of the Councils held in the Fourth Century 241 c. to the end Councils of Cabarsussa and Bagais in 393 and 394. 277. Councils of Constantinople I. In 381. 271. II. In 382 ibid. III. In 383. 272. Another in the Year 394. 285. Cousin President His French Translation of Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History and his Judgment upon that Author 4. Creed Of the Creed of St. Cyril 110. Cross. Sign of the Cross 111. 115. Apparition of a Cross 12 115. Invention of the true Cross 13. St. Cyprian the Martyr His Character by St. Gregory Nazianzen 166. Cyprus Council of Cyprus in the Year 399 where the Books of Origen were Condemned 285. St. Cyril of Jerusalem Life and Ordination 107. Judgments for and against him ibid. 115. His Quarrel with Acacius who Assembled a Council against him in which he is Deposed and upon what Pretence 107. And is so again in the Council of Constantinople ibid. His Successors ibid. Catechetical Lectures justified ibid. d e f. Letters attributed to him 115. Judgment upon his Stile and Doctrine ibid. Different Editions of his Works ibid. D. DAmasus Pope His Ordination disturbed by Ursicinus 120. His Genuine Letters 121. Supposititious Letters 122. Poems and Epigrams ibid. Editions of his Works ibid. Council under Damasus 270. Tome sent to the East by Damasus 271. Deacons Canons concerning them 247. 248. 253. 257. 261. 269. 276. 278. 280. 284. 285. Dead Prayer of the Church for the Dead 8. 237. 238. 289. Dedication Dedication or Consecration of a Church necessary before Celebration in it 39 40. Deposition What is necessary for the Deposition of a Bishop 285. Desiderius King of the Lombards invades the Exarchate of Ravenna 19. Destiny Against Destiny 6. 15. 179. 188. 206. Dianius Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia enemy to St. Athanasius 122. 132. Dictinius Errors and Writings of this Priscillianist 191. Didymus of Alexandria His profound Learning 103. Catalogue of his Works ibid. Abridgment of his Book of the Holy Ghost ibid. c. Excellency of that Book 104. Commentaries upon the Canonical Epistles 105. Treatise against the Manichees ibid. Diodorus of Tarsus His Life 188. His Writings ibid. His Doctrine 125. 189. Dionysius of Alexandria His Opinion upon the Trinity 42. Discipline of the Church Canons concerning the Discipline of the Church 140 141. 195 196 197. 242. c. to 245. 247 248 c. 252 256 c. 260. 267 268. 273. 276 c. 280. 283 c. Abridgment of the Discipline of the Church in the Fourth Century 287 c. to the end Regulation of the Discipline of the Church See the Extract of the Canons of the Councils from p. 241. to the end Diviners Canons against those who pretend to Divination 143. 249. Divine Qualities necessary in a Divine 170. Divinity of the Jews by whom embraced 5. Doctrine Abridgment of the Doctrine of the Church in the Fourth Century 287. Donatists History of them 12 c. 15 c. 241. 246. Refutation of their Error 87 88 c. Convicted of delivering up the Scripture and of making a Schism 89 90. Judgment given against them 90 c. Several Books against them 93 94 95 96. Donatus Bishop of Carthage chief of the Donatists not Bishop of Calama 66. and a. Writ several little Treatises ibid. and b. Duties of Christians and principally the Ecclesiastical 205 c. Drunkenness A Discourse against this Vice 153. E. EGypt Council of the Bishops of Egypt in 363 held at Antioch 266. Elvira Council held in that City in the Year 305. The time of this Council not certainly known nor the Name of the City 242. and a. b. St. Ephrem
which St. Augustin held in the City of Tubursica with some Donatists in the Year 397 or 398. as it is proved in the Preface to the Letters In the first he produces the Judgments that were given against the Donatists He justifies Caecilian's Innocency and shews that those who condemned him were suspected Judges and that the Authors of the Donatist Schism were guilty of the Crime which they charged upon others He adds That it was to no purpose to impute to the Church the pretended Crimes of the dead since the Church may tolerate wicked men without ceasing to be a Church That the Donatists themselves suffer among them very disorderly Persons that Maximianus had caused Primianus to be condemned as Majorinus had formerly procured a Sentence against Caecilian by caballing and Intrigue That the Sect of the Donatists being limited within Africa and having no Communion with the Churches that were dispersed throughout the VVorld cannot be the Catholick Church In this Letter there is that famous Sentence concerning the Authority of Councils Let us suppose that Pope Miltiades and the other Bishops who gave Judgment with him have not judged right then we may have recourse to a Plenary Council of the whole Church in which the cause of the Donatists ought to be debated again with those that judged it and their Sentence reversed if it shall be found that they have given a wrong Judgment The Second Letter contains a particular Conference of St. Augustin with Fortuniusa Donatist Bishop which was spent in Reproaches on both sides for the Villainies that were committed on both sides without medling with the main Question of the Schism St. Augustin requested that the Dispute might be ended in a greater Assembly and in what place they pleased where Christians of all Parties might meet In this Letter there is an Account of a Letter of the false Council of Sardica of Eastern Bishops which Fortunius quoted because it was directed to Donatus St. Augustin not knowing the Story was perplexed but finding that St. Athanasius was condemned in that Letter he did not mind it The Forty fifth Letter is a Note to Paulinus written a Year after the foregoing in 398. The Forty sixth from Publicola to St. Augustin contains several Cases of Conscience which this Lord proposed concerning the Oath whereby they obliged the Barbarians to swear by their Gods That they would preserve the Fruits of the ground faithfully which they would not otherwise have preserv'd had they not been bound by that Oath About the use of Meats and other Things offered to Idols and concerning the killing of one that assaults or robs us In the next St. Augustin endeavours to decide the Qustions proposed by Publicola concerning those Matters Upon the first he saith That that Oath ought not to be required of the Barbarians but that use may be made of them after they have taken it and he that uses their Service hath no share in the Oath that those that swear by false Gods are doubly guilty if they keep not their Oath both of an abominable Oath and of Perjury As to things offered to Idols he answereth Publicola upon several Particulars as that there is no danger in making use of the Meats offered to them when it is not known and it is too nice a scruple to forbear the use of those things which have been applyed to prophane uses if it be not done with respect to that To the Last Query he saith That no man ought to kill any Man upon any Account whatsoever except perhaps says he Soldiers or such as are obliged to it by the Duties of some publick Office But that we are not forbidden to secure our selves against the Violences of others by making use of VValls and That if a Thief be killed or wounded with the VVall falling upon him or he falling from the VVall the thing is not to be imputed to him that built the VVall. This Letter was written before the Temples of Idols were quite demolished in 399. In the Forty eighth Letter to Eudoxius Abbot of a Monastery in the Island of Capraria St. Augustin exhorteth both him and his Monks to make good use of the Quiet they enjoy'd that so they might be ready to leave it whensoever the Church should have need of them This Letter is supposed to have been writ in the Year 398. In the 49th He asketh of Honoratus a Donatist Bishop a Reason Why the Catholick Church which ought to be Universal over the whole Earth came to be limited to Africa and was no where to be found but among the Donatists The time of this Letter is not very certain The â—0th Letter to the Principal Persons of the Colony of Suffectum is a Complaint upon the account of a Murder of 60 Christians whom they Massacred because their Hercules was taken away He jests upon them promising to have another made for them But he concludes with these upbraiding words But do you also restore to us that great number of our Brethren whose Lives you have taken away for if we restore to you your Hercules it is reasonable you should restore theâ— to us Baronius thinketh that this Massacre happened upon occasion of an Edict made against Idolatry in 399. But the Translator of St. Augustin's Letters affirms That this is none of his for two Reasons First Because he thinks it is Impertinent Secondly Because it is not written in St. Augustin's Stile I am much of his mind as to the Second Point but I cannot allow the First for though this Letter does not seem to be grave enough for such a Subject yet the Rallery is sharp which sometimes is more effectual than a Pathetical Discourse However it is ancient and of St. Augustin's time In the 51st Letter St. Augustin objects to Crispinus a Donatist Bishop at Calama the Dissention between the Primianists and the Maximianists as an Answer to what the Donatists urged against the Church It was written after the Death of Optatus Gildonianus in 399 and before that of Praetextatus who died in 400 when St. Augustin wrote his Books against Parmenianus In the 52d He exhorts Severinus his Kinsman to forsake the Donatists and to come into the Catholick Church It may be of the same time with the foregoing The 53d is written in St. Augustin's Name and of two of his Collegues Fortunatus and Alypius to Generosus a Catholick of Constantina and contains an Answer to a Letter written by a Donatist Priest to this Man to seduce him wherein he pretends to have received an Order by an Angel from Heaven to oblige him to embrace the Donatist's Party St. Augustin proves in that Letter That the Donatist's Party cannot be the true Church 1. Because they have no Succession of Bishops from the Apostles To prove this he produces the Succession of the Bishops of Rome from St. Peter to Anastasius 2. He quoteth the Acts of Minutius Felix which shew That Silvianus the Predecessor of a Donatist Bishop
Churches in the World which held Communion with the Churches of Caecilian's Party having been defiled ceased to be Parts of the true Church of Jesus Christ that was then reduced to the small number of those who would not partake with Prevaricators but kept themselves in the Primitive Purity Besides this They charged the Church with another great Crime as they esteemed it which was That they made Application to the Emperor's Authority to Persecute their Party and that they caused several Violences to be exercised against them Now they persisting in the Opinion of St. Cyprian and of the ancient Bishops of Africa who held That Baptism by Hereticks and Schismaticks was invalid and ought to be renew'd a necessary Consequence of their Principles was the Rebaptizing of the Catholicks that came over to their Party These are the Grounds on which the Schism of the Donatists stood There were two ways to deal with them either by denying the Matter of Fact or by opposing the Matter of Right Those who first writ against the Donatists insisted most upon the Matter of Fact that is The Justification of Caecilian Felix of Aptungis and the rest Neither doth St. Augustin omit this for he often proves Caecilian's Innocency by the Judgments given in his behalf First At Rome by Pope Miltiades and other Bishops Secondly In the Council of Arles and at last By the Judgment of Constantine He adds as an absolute Justification the consent of all the Churches in the World which had approved and followed the Judgment of those Councils He likewise produces the Acts that were made to justifie Felix of Aptungis He defends Miltiades and Hosius against the Calumnies laid upon them And shews at last That the Donatists had no Proofs of what they alledged against the Catholick Bishops But he doth not think this to be the main Point and therefore he passes to the Matter of Right and maintains That though Caecilian and the rest of his Brethren had been guilty of the Crimes laid to their Charge yet that was not a sufficient Ground for a Separation from the Church and that the Church did not cease to be the Church because it Communicated with wicked Men since either she did not know them or else she bore with them to preserve Peace which brings him to that great Question Whether the Church here below is made up only of Saints and Righteous Men or composed of Good and Bad. St. Augustin affirms That there was always in the Church Chaff and Corn that is both good and wicked Men and that such will be to the Day of Judgment which shall divide the good from the bad That sometimes the number of the latter exceeds that of the former That many cannot be driven out of the Church because they are not known and because it is convenient to tolerate some for quietness sake to prevent a Schism which might be occasioned by cutting off from the Communion those Persons who might draw along with them several of the Faithful That it is great rashness to condemn all the Churches in the World for the Crime of one or two That the Catholick Church ought to be diffused over the whole Earth and not confined to a small part of the World as in a Corner of Africa Here St. Augustin triumphs over his Adversaries proving by Prophecies and other Passages both of the Old and New Testament That the Catholick Church was to have a considerable Extent These are properly the main Points in Controversie betwixt the Church and the Donatists but there are other Secundary Questions The First is concerning the Persecutions which the Donatists imputed to the Church as a Crime St. Augustin defends the Church very Modestly either by disapproving such Violences or by shewing that it was lawful to make use of the Imperial Laws and of some sort of Severity to bring the Donatists back to the bosom of the Church He chargeth them likewise with the same things objecting the Cruelties Violencies Sacrileges and Murders committed by those of their Party called Circumcellians and authorized thereunto by Optatus Gildonianus The other accessary Question which St. Augustin looks upon as a principal one is about the Validity of the Baptism of Hereticks St. Augustin needed only to prove that his Party was the true Church and so Condemn by a necessary Consequence the Donatists for Rebaptizing those that had been baptized before by Catholicks since it was agreed on both sides that the Baptism of the true Church was valid But St. Augustin undertook besides to prove the validity of the Baptism of Hereticks and Schismaticks And that though his Party were not the Church yet the Donatists were not to baptize them a second time He confesses That St. Cyprian and most of the African Bishops in his time were of a contrary opinion That Agrippinus his Predecessor had appointed Hereticks to be Rebaptized That St. Cyprian and the Councils held in Africa at that time confirmed Agrippinus's Decree That this Question remained long undecided or rather variously decided in divers places But that at last the thing was decided in a Plenary Council of the whole Church in all likelihood he means that of Arles and that after such Determination it was not permitted to doubt because the Provincial or National Councils must give place to the Authority of Plenary Councils That St. Cyprian was to be excused for not taking the right side of so hard a Question which was not yet cleared or decided and so much the rather because he defended his own Opinion without making a Schism and with the Spirit of Peace and Unity However That the Letters and Writings of the Saints were not to be rely'd upon as the Apostles Epistles and the other Books of the Holy Scripture Now to explain St. Augustin's Opinion touching Baptism more particularly we are to observe as he doth That Baptism may be said to be of two sorts The one administred in the Name of the Trinity that is by invoking of the Trinity and the other performed without naming the Three Divine Persons The latter St. Augustin confesses to be null but affirms the other to be valid whosoever he be that administers it So that it matters not who baptizeth provided that Baptism be in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Two things are likewise to be distinguished in Baptism the Sacrament and the Effect of the Sacrament The Sacrament is found in those that are baptized by Hereticks but because they have not Faith they are deprived of the Effect For that Baptism may be complete both as a Sacrament and as to its Effect the Sacrament must be intire that is the Person must be baptized outwardly in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and he that receives must believe and be converted The Sacrament is often found without Faith and Faith without the Sacrament Children have the Sacrament without Faith The good Thief
Easter of the Year past if that of the present is not exactly known Two Councils of Carthage in the Year 408. THE former of these Councils is of the 14th of June 408. All that is said of it in the Two Councils of Carthage ccccviij African Code is That Fortunatianus was made Deputy against the Heathens and the Hereticks The latter is of the 12th of October There they deputed the Bishops Restitutus and Florentius to Court to ask for Succor against the Heathens and Hereticks at the same time that Severus and Macarius were Executed and Theasius Evodius and Victor were Murthered upon their Account The Council of Carthage in the Year 409. THIS Council assembled upon the 13th of June is not a general Council but Council of Carthage ccccix a particular one There it was declared That one Bishop alone could not give Judgment The Council of Carthage in the Year 410. UPON the Twelfth of June 410. a Council assembled at Carthage deputed Five Council of Carthage ccccx Bishops to the Emperor upon occasion of a Law of Valentinian which granted Liberty of Conscience that it might not prejudice the Laws made against the Hereticks of Africa The Council of Ptolemais ANDRONICUS Governour of Pentapolis guilty of great Oppression and Injustice Council of Ptolemais in ccccxi which he exercised in that Province was Excommunicated by a Synod of Bishops held at Ptolemais There Synesius made a Speech against him But this Governour having ask'd Pardon and promised to behave himself otherwise the publishing of the Sentence of the Synod was suspended There is an Account of this Matter in the Abridgment of the 57th 58th and 72d Letters of Synesius Mention is made also of Assemblies of some Bishops in the 67th Letter of the same Author The Conference at Carthage THE Catholick Bishops had often demanded ever since the Year 403. a Conference with Conference of Carthage in ccccxi the Donatist Bishops to examine the Reasons which these pretended for their Separation from the Church in an amicable manner The Donatist Bishops had constantly refused it till the Year 406. and then consented to have one They caused this Design to be authorized by an Order of the Emperor Honorius dispatched at Ravenna the 14th of October 410. Count Marcellinus was nominated President and for the Execution of that Order Two Rules wer made the one to appoint the Day of the Conference and the other to fix the manner of Proceedings and to oblige the Bishops of both sides to declare whether they accepted of it The Conference began at Carthage upon the First Day of June 411. The Donatist Bishops met there to the Number of 278. and the Catholicks were 286. Marcellinus ordered That Seven Bishops of each Party should be chosen to speak of whom the chiefest of the Catholicks were St. Augustin and Alypius and that besides these Seven should be named to assist as Councellors and Four to over-look that the Notaries should faithfully set down what should be said He commanded also That every one should set his Hand to what he asserted and that whatsoever was done should be communicated to the People He ordered That the Thirty Six deputed Bishops should be admitted into the Place of the Conference But the Donatists would be all there and the Catholicks were contented that their Eighteen Deputies only should be present The First Day was spent in personal Contests concerning the Bishop's Qualifications Marcellinus confessed at First That it was above his capacity to be a judge of that Cause and that it should rather be decided by those of whose Disputes he undertook to judge He caused the Emperor's Letter to be read whereby he was appointed to be Judge He promises them not to judge of any thing that should not be clearly proved by either Party He gave the Donatists leave to chuse one to be judge with him of that Cause Nothing Remarkable was done in the Second Meeting on the 3d. of June The Donatists having desired time to examine the Acts of the First Marcellinus granted it to them and adjourned the Conference to the Eighth Day of that Month. An Accident happened about the manner of their Session Marcellinus having desired the Bishops to sit down the Donatists pretended That it was forbiden by Scripture The Catholick Bishops would not keep their Seats while the Donatist Bishops were standing Marcellinus out of Respect to the Bishops caused his Seat to be taken away In the Eighth Day of the Third Session the Donatists disputed long about the Qualities of Opposers and Defenders But at last St. Augustin obliged them to come to the main Question which was Where was the Catholick Church The Donatists confessed That that was it which was spread throughout the whole Earth and so they had only now to examine Which Party was united with the Churches of other Parts of the World And in this Point the Catholicks had the upper hand To divert the Question the Donatists desired That the Acts which they had in their Hands might be read And so they entered upon the Examination of Caecilian's case They presented a Memorial wherein they affirmed That the Fâ—ults of every particular Member infected a whole Community and consequently that Caecilian being guilty the Catholicks were in the wrong for keeping with him and that they had a sufficient Reason to divide from him This was the Point in Question St. Augustin answered it fully proving out of Holy Scripture that the Church upon Earth will always consist of good and evil Members He confirmed that Proposition by St. Cyprian's Authority and urged the Donatists Example against themselves alledging their Behaviour towards the Maximianists After this St. Augustin concludes That though Caecilian had been guilty yet that argued nothing against the Cause of the Church Yet Marcellinus would have it examined Whether he was really Guilty His Innocence was proved as well as that of Felix of Aptungis who ordained him by Acts of the Judgments given in their behalf whereby they had been pronounced guiltless of the Crimes lay'd to their Charge The Fourth Conference being ended and the Bishops of both sides withdrawn Marcellinus gave Judgment for the Catholicks whom he declared Conquerors and the Bishops being called in he read it to them The Council of Cirta or Zerta THIS Council was assembled at Cirta or rather Zerta in June 412. The Council writ a Council of Cirta in ccccxâ—j Synodical Letter to refute the false Rumours which the Donatists had spread abroad concerning the Conference at Carthage This Letter is the 141st amongst St. Augustin's Letters The First Council of Carthage against Coelestius COELESTIUS came from Rome to Carthage with a Design to be there ordained Council I. of Carthage against Coelestius in ccccxj Priest in the Year 411. But his Error being discovered by Paulinus the Deacon who formerly had been a Reader in the Church of Milan he was put off to a Council of
Paschasius Cent. 9th p. 77. to whom may be added Theodolphus Bishop of Orleans Walafridus Strabo Abbot of Richenou Ahyto Bishop of Basil and Rabanus Mâ—â—rus Archbishop of Mayence who did also oppose the Doctrin of Paschasius in the same Century and particularly Râ—banus in his Penitential which was written in the Life-time of Paschasius censures his Doctrin about the Eucharist as a Novel Error as is prov'd in a Dissertation about Bertram's Book of the Body and Blood of Christ annexed to the Translation of it and printed at London in 1686. I shall only add that the Doctrin of Bertram's Book against Paschasius about the Eucharist appears plainly to have been generally receiv'd by the Church of England in the 10th Century from the Paschal Homily which Elfric Archbishop of Canterbury translated into the Saxon Tongueabout the Year 970. which is published at London in 1566. and attested to be a true Copy by the hands of fifteen Prelats and several Noblemen for this Book was commanded by a Canon to be read publickly to the People as is observed by Dr. Cave Hist. Lit. p. 589. and contains the same Aguments and for the most part the same Expressions which were us'd by Bertram against Transubstantiation as is prov'd by A. B. Usher in his Answer to the Jesuites Challenge c. 3. And that Bertram's Book was directly levell'd against Transubstantiation as it is now defin'd by the Council of Trent will plainly appear by citing a few passages out of many that are in that little Book to this purpose For first he says expresly that the Eucharist is the Body of Christ not Corporally but Spiritually and then he proves That what is Orally receiv'd in the Sacrament is not Christ's natural Body because it is incorruptible whereas that which we receive in the Eucharist is corruptible and visible And again Christ's natural Body had all the Organical parts of a humane Body and was quickened with a human Soul whereas his body in the Sacrament hath neither he proves that the Words of the Institution are figurative because the Symbols have the Name of the thing signified by them 2. He says expresly That as to the Substance of the Creatures what they were before Consecration they remain after it Bread and Wine they were before Consecration and after it we see they continue Beings of the same kind and nature He denies any natural Change and affirms it to be only spiritual and invisible such as was made of the Manna and Water in the Wilderness into the Body and Blood of Christ. These things are so plainly and frequently asserted in this Book that I must Transcribe the greatest part of it if I would produce all the Passages which are to this Purpose and therefore I cannot but wonder to find Du Pin so far mistake the Questions which are handled by Bertram as he does in the Hist. of the 9th Century where he makes the sense of the first Question to be this Whether the Body and Blood of Christ be in the Eucharist without a Veil so as to appear to our outward Eyes and the meaning of the 2d to be no more than this Whether the Body of Christ be in the same manner in the Eucharist as it was on Earth and is in Heaven and Whether it be there in as visible and palpable a manner for it cannot be supposs'd that ever any Man in his Wits should maintain that the Body of Christ in the Eucharist is visible to our Eyes with all its Lineaments and distinction of Parts and that the Flesh and Bones there are palpable to our hands or that the Body of Christ in the Eucharist is both Earthly and Corruptible as it was upon Earth and Spiritual and Incorruptible as it is now in Heaven These are such wild Imaginations as could never enter into the Mind of any Man of sound Senses and therefore Bertram cannot be suppos'd such a Fool as to confute them seriously with many Arguments and that in a Letter to the Emperor which were no less Ridiculous than if a Man should write a Book on purpose to prove that a Man does not appear visibly in the shape and figure of a Horse or a Mouse like an Elephant The main Question of Bertram's Book then is not as Du Piu puts it Whether the Body of Christ be in the Eucharist in as visible and palpable a manner as when he liv'd upon Earth which I believe was never affirm'd by any either in that Age or any other But Whether in the Sacrament we receive the same Body of Christ which was Born of the Virgin Crucified and Rose again supposing what is agreed on all hands that it is not visibly there and this he flatly denies and plainly disproves in direct opposition to Paschasius and the Doctrin of the present Roman Church He says indeed the Elements are truly Christ's Body and Blood but then he explains himself they are not so as to their sible Nature but by the Power of the Divine Word and then he adds the visible Creature feeds the Body but the Virtue and Efficacy of the Divine Word feeds and sanctifies the Souls of the Faithful From which and many other such like Expressions it plainly appears that he did not believe the Sacrament to be a meer Sign and Figure of Christ's Body and Blood but thought they were Really present not in a Carnal but Spiritual Sense 1 In regard of the Spiritual Virtue and Efficacy of them which by the Divine Blessing is communicated to the Faithful in which sense only they can be profitable to the Soul for the Flesh profits it nothing and if Du Pin contends for the Real Presence only in this sense the Church of England will readily grant it which has taught her Catechumens to say that the Body and Blood of Christ are verily and indeed taken and receiv'd by the Faithful in the Lord's-Supper But if he contends for a Corporal Presence of Christ's Natural Flesh and Blood the Doctrin of Bertram is no less expresly against it than that of the Church of England and the latter may as easily be reconcil'd to Transubstantiation as the former And this I have the longer insisted upon both because most of the Writers of that Age whom we have alledg'd against Transubstantiation follow the Principles and make use of the Arguments and Expressions in Bertram's Book and chiefly because this Book seems to have been the Model by which the first Reformers fram'd this Article of the Eucharist for so Bishâ—p Ridley who had a great hand in Compiling this Article intimates as we find in the Preface of a Book De Coena Domini Printed at Geneva in 1556. where he says That it was this Book which first put him upon Examining the Old Opinion about the Presence of Christ's very Flesh and Blood by Scripture and Fathers and Converted him from the Errors of the Church of Rome in this Point which is also affirm'd by Dr. Burnet's History of