have a Rule and a Law which he is to follow in giving Judgement that his Sentence may be just and secure This Rule is the Word of God which rightly applyed renders Judgement highly equitable Now the Synod of Dort acknowledges that an Assembly of lawful Pastors representing the Body of the true Church is this Judge to whom it appertains to judge of the true sence of the Word of God and afterwards to resolve according to this Rule any cause depending 12. I do now earnestly beseech our Brethren of the Reformed Churches to reflect seriously upon these two Propositions I am now about to make The first is That as the Word of God is infallible in it self so certainly the Judgement of him who truely judges according to this Rule is also Infallible and consequently they are obliged to believe that the Church when she Judges according to this Rule or the Word of God does not onely not err but that she also cannot err The second is that they are bound as well as we to believe that the Church of God deciding controversies of Faith does judge according to the true sence of the Word of God because upon the matter it is concerning this very sence that she gives Judgement between the Parties who give it a different sence and who are obligâ— in Conscience to submit to her Judgement under pain of being Schismaticks and Hereticks as their Synod of Dort has positively declared From hence follows by necessary consequence according to their own Principles that they are bound to believe with us that the True Church of Jesus Christ is infallible in the Judgement she judicially pronounces touching matters of Faith 13. I think there can now be no 〈◊〉 but they are obliged according to their own grounds to acknowledge the infallibility of the Church of Christ But I am contented for the present not to press them so far nor to make use of that right which I might justly challange It is sufficient that the Synod which in these Gentlemens opinion represents the True Church is lawful judge in this case as the Synod is self declares obliging them in Confidence to adhere to and obey the Decisions made therein It is not then lawful for them who are of that Church and are at Difference amongst themselves to condeman the Synod of Error then judgement â—s given in order to the clearing Points of Faith confessed among them They have no power to frame a different Judgement from that of the Synod and adhering to it to seporâ—are themselves from communion with the rest They are bound to acknowledge the Authority of the Synod which is lawfull Judge and submit unto it believing that what is there desined 〈◊〉 Truth it self stand this without any necessity of entring upon the question of its Infallibility I demand nothing more for the preseâ—s I will content my 〈◊〉 with what themselves do grant That Church of which the Partins Contesting are members be she fallible or infallible has full Power to Debide differentes and 〈…〉 oblige under the penâ—ry of being Schismaticks And now having as I make my self believe give Monsient Claude all the satisfaction he can in 〈◊〉 require concerning this Point I 〈◊〉 on my course perceably and quietly and make bold to give him notice that 14. Here is that the Prescription that 〈◊〉 Point anâ—â—oisputable Pâ—â—ciple to which a receisary adhfione required when there arise Disputes between Parties for the discovering whether an Opinion be or be not contrary to the true Rule of Faith which is the Word of God and whether we stand bound to believe it as a Point of Faith Were it antecedently distinctly believed as such or no. Disputation will only serve to render the Debate eternal Both Parties will go on challenging the true sence of Scripture and Tradiuon on their sides Books shall be written without number for the asserting of it and that without any hopes or appearance of any end of these learned indeed but redious Contests which prove many times so intricate and confused that every one standing his ground and being strongly and willfully resolved not to yield reproaches his Adversary with affected Obstinacy against known Truth We must then make up to that unquestionable Point in which both Parties meet and which Tertullian so boldly establishes as the principal Rule or Prescription for the ending all differences which may arise about the agreeing or conformity with the Word of God which every one is so ready to challenge to himself This Learned Father having said in his twentieth Chapter A quibus traducem fidei semina doctrinae caeterae deinde Ecclesiae mutuatae sunt quotidie mutuontur ut Ecclesiae fiant Ataque tot ac tantae Ecclesiae una est illa ab Apostolis prima ex qua ommes Quid autem praedicavevint id est quid eis Christus revelaverit hÃc praescriham non alite pâ—obari debere nisi per easdem Ecclesias quas ipsi condiderunt ipsi eis praedicando tam vivâ quâ—d â—iunt voce quà m per epistolas postea de Praes c. 21. that the Apostles who were sent by our Blessed Saviour Founded many Churches in several places and that many others came from these by communication of the same Doctrine and that they all of them together make but one true Catholick and Apostolick Church he adde in the next Chapter that true Prescription is that nothing be received but what he revealed unto his Apostles whom he sent to Preach his Doctrine unto the world But in case there does arise any Contest concerning any particular Point and that we be in some trouble or doubt whether they Preacâ—â—ed it or no and by consequence whether they learned it of their Master or no behold here his solid Rule or Prescription in this great maxime that this is not to be made out or cleared by any other means but by those Churches which they founded either by Preaching or by Writing and which as we lately touched all of them make but one only Church To this Church then it does belong to determine what our Blessed Saviour did reveale in his Holy Word whensoever there is any cause of doubt in such Contests as do arise and what she defines what she declares in the case whatever former times did believe it now to be held as matter of Faith 15. As Protestants do acknowledge this Verity as I have made it appear so do we also most willingly submit unto it and intirely profess that the holy Church is lawful Judge of Controversies and that as Tertullian sayes addresses are to be made to her upon difference of Opinions that we may learn what the Son of God revealed unto his Apostles that is what is the true meaning of Holy Scripture and what Consequences are to be drawn from those Principles We have a very pregnant example of this in that famous Contest which has been for some Ages past between Catholicks concerning the Immaculate Conception
please to furnish me with and grant me of their own accords 8. And to oblige my self to perform it with as much clarity and brevity withal as may possibly be I will conclude the matter in these three Chapters following In the first I will propose the Maxime or Principle which I intend to make use of and I will establish it by the Doctrine and proceedings of Prorestants themselves In the second I will apply it according to their own Rules unto the Subject of the Holy Eucharist And in the last I will draw those Consequences which their own agreed-upon Principles do afford me This seems to me the way to force our Adversaries but sweetly to return of themselves to that True Faith from which a miserable Schisme has unfortunately separated them by the revolt of their Fore-fathers I am not able to say what success I am like to have in so noble an enterprise My endeavours nevertheless shall not be wanting to effect it upon those terms which I have prefixed unto my self At least I intend to secure this advantage that having no litigious quarrel with these Gentlemen if I prove not so fortunate as to perswade them into and reduce them to the obedience of the Holy Church I will not at least interrupt that civil peace and sociable tranquillity we all enjoy under the Authority of the Lawes of our Gracious King by words and expressions which are apt sometimes to sound too loud and bite too sharply I will not I say have my part in those too bitter and violent expressions which the earnestness of Disputation is naturally apt to lead a man â—â—to unless more than ordinary care be used for the checking them Finally I will avoid the bitterness of those obstinate Contests which are too frequently accompanied with that sharpness and animosity which is not at all beseeming the civil breeding of this Age nor this happy time of Peace when all our worâ—â— ought to carry a certain sweetness with them which may inspire and maintain Union and Charity CHAP. II. The settling of this general Maxime That that Church in which are found the two Parties concern'd has ever had the Power to determine all differences and to declare that as matter of Faith which before there was no obligation to believe And that we are bound to acquiesce unto her decisions under the penalty of being Schismaticks 1. THere is not any one to be sound among those who bear the name of Christians who does not acknowledge that there is in the World a True Church which our Lord Jesus has purchased with the price of his own most pretious Blood All those who have separated themselves from us into so many several Sects declaring that their Congregation is the Company of the Faithful and the Church of God agree at least in this that they hold for certain that there is a True Church of Jesus Christ wheresoever it is to be found It is moreover evident that those who first entred into Dispute concerning matters of Faith were all of the same Church which Church before it did declare for either side of the Dissenters and before one Party made a separation was the onely then in being and consequently the True Church Now of this Church it is I intend to speak and I averr that all generally do agree that She is endowed with Soveraign Authority to define and propose that as matter of Faith which antecedently to her definition no body perchance was obliged to accept under that notion 2. For proof of this Verity which is not well to be denied when understood this reflexion is to be made out of St. Paul to the Romans Chap. 10 That to be bound to believe a thing as a Point of Faith it is not sufficient that it be contained in the Word of God which is the onely motive of divine Faith but it is also necessary that we know it and that we know it as revealed by God For to know it we must hear of it and for this purpose regularly speaking it is necessary that it be proposed by full Authority as the formal words of the blessed Apostle do clearly import How shall they believe him whom they have not heard Quomodo credent in quem non audierunt Quomodo autem audient sine praedicante Quomodo autem praedicabunt nisi mittantur Rom. 10. v. 14 15. Ergo fides ex auditu auditus autem per verbum Christi v. 17. and how shall they hear without a Preacher but how shall they Preach unless they be sent There is then no obligation to believe without a previous instruction concerning an Aâ—â—icle of Faith and this cannot be without the Ministry of those who are appointed by the Church to propose her Doctrine which Doctrine is grounded upon the Word of God In regard of this the Apostle concludes in this manner Faith then is by hearing and hearing is by the Word of Christ Thus for there is no difference betwixt us and Protestants They do own that for this end it is necessary there should be in the Church Ministers of the Word of God for the proposing by her Authority that which is contained in the Divine Word They profess that in order to an obligation of believing any particular point it is necessary that it be distinctly known and that it be proposed by some legal Authority to be believed 3. This notwithstanding there are many things which we are now obliged to believe which were not distinctly known at some other time nor proposed unto the Faithful as Points belonging to Faith and necessarily to be believed by them It is a verity which no Protestant I think will make difficulty in For I will now grant them that all that we are to believe is contained in the Word of God which we have received in the Holy Scriptures and which the blessed Apostles have delivered unto us having first received it of their Divine Master Christ Jesus But I hope also they will not stick to acknowledge that all that is comprehended in Holy Writ whether in the sence of the Letter or in the Consequences which are included in those Divine Principles has not alwayes been clearly and distinctly known by all persons and at all times It is an admirable sure of Tapistry wrought by the hand of God himself and framed with a most rare variety of gracefull figures both for ornament and instruction of his Church but it was not from the beginning exposed all at once to view These rare lineaments did not appear but by degrees as it happened that the pieces were unfolded one after another upon occasions It is a most fertile soil which bears a marvellous variety of sweet flowers of excellent fruit and all sorts of choice grain in its bowells as it were inclosed or shut up in the seeds which are as so many Treasures with which she is inriched but you must expect till the Sun disclose and discover them making them spring and bud
explication oâ— their Doctrine so fully as it was afterwards thought fitting to do and thâ— they did not judge it necessary to descend to all those particulars which were examined and looked into in afteâ— Ages It was possible also that the would not deduce all those particular sequels which were inclosed or shut up as it were in those Principles which they established as our Blessed Saviour himself had formerly dealt with theâ— It is also very likely that men oâ— of neglect not preserving those Truth in memory as they ought to have done they came insensibly to â—e forgotten or that whilest mens wits were wholly taken up in defending some part oâ— them against Hereticks who opposed them there was not so much heed taken of those others which never came into Controversy However it be this iâ— indubitably certain that a time there was when many things were not clearly and distinctly known nor at such time obligatory as to exercise of faith which the Church has since placed in the number of such things as are belonging to Faith For although all those things were comprehended in Holy Scripture and in the Doctrine of the Apostles and that there alwayes were the same marks to know them by yet they were not alwayes taken notice of with the same reflexion or application But now by occasion of Disputes which have been raised at certain times the Church having set her self to examine them legally and according to form and making reflexions upon Holy Scripture and looking back upon the neighbouring times of the Apostles making up by such means unto the Fountain-head of true Apostolical Tradition she has declared them to be of faith as being exactly conformable to the Rule of Belief 6. I do not say therefore what some haply of our Adversaries who are not so well acquainted with our Tenets may reproach me with that the Church has Authority to frame new Articles of Faith No I do acknowledge together with them that she cannot act but according to Rule which is the holy Scripture and Tradition truely and purely Apostolical from which also we have received the holy Scripture it self She holds forth nothing new but she proposes unto us Antiquity which we knew not before She does not give new birth to Scars which never were before but she makes them appear in that Instre which formerly they had done by removing those clouds which did obscure them She has no new revelations she onely publishes those antient ones of which we had no formeâ— assurance Finally she settles no other Principles but such as she receiveâ— from our Saviour himself out of which by force of her light and certain necessary sequels she makes those Veritieâ— appear which were hidden and as 〈◊〉 were Quid est Depositum Id est quod tibi creditum est non à te inventum quod acceptisti non quod excogitasti 〈◊〉 rem non ingenii sed doctrinae non usurpationiâ— privatae publicae traditionis rem ad te perductam non a te prolatam in quae â—on author debes esse sed custos non instituâ—or sed sectator non ducens sed sequens Comment 1. c. 27. shut up in those Principles This is that which Vincentius Lirineâ— sis expresses most admirably applying unto the Church those words of S. Paâ— to his Disciple Timothy Depositum câ—stodi keep well the Depositum which 〈◊〉 put into your hands What is the meaning of this Depositum saith he speaking of matters of Faith It is that which you are intrusted with and by no means that which your self have invented It is that which you have received and in no wise that which your self have found out it is not the result of your own Wit or understanding but it is what you learn from that Doctrine which has been taught you It is not any thing which you have established in the World by your own private Authority it is a Point of Tradition which you have been trusted with for the publick good It is a Treasure of which there was no Mine in your own Land You are not the Author â—ut the conserver of this Doctrine You are not here the Guide but he that follows the Guide What Guide The Word of God which is this Guide and the true Rule of Holy Church Vald. l. 2. Doct. fid c. 22. Can. l. 2. de Com. 7. à castro de Luâ— go valentia alii Videte quid dicat qui fuerunt non qui sunt ut exceptis Apostolis quodcunque aliud postèa dicetur abscindatur Hier. in Ps 86. All our Divines agree in this Doctrine which they have taken from the Holy Fathers For St. Hierome has it in exâ—ess terms upon the 86. Psalm where he Psalmist sayes that Our Lord will delare in Scriptures of People and of Prinoes and of those that have been in her He makes use sayes St. Hierome of a word signifying time past fuerunt that have been because we are to hold nothing for a Point of Faith in the Church but what we find in the Prophers and in the Apostles who are the Princes of the Church And upon this ground it is that St. Irenaeus and after him S. Augustine saith That the faith of our Ancestors and ours makes but one and the same Faith because we believe nothing at this day which was not contained in the whole Body of their Faith The Church therefore never did make Iren. l. 3. c. 2 lib. 4. c. 13 Aug. Ep. 51 and undoubtedly never will make any new Articles of Faith since it is not in her power to define any thing but according to the Word of God which she is alwayes to consult with as with her Oracle and the Rule she is bound to follow But there is no question also but upon occasion of Differences from time to time in mens judgements and opinions she has often declared for and defined some Points which were antecedently by some questioned and that without offence or at least were not known before unless in general and by a confused kind of knowledge There is nothing more certain nor more common in the History of the Church and Councils where you shall frequently see defined and proposed as a Point or Principle of Faith that which before Conteâ—â—s did arise and before that violent clashing which has been in almost every Age of the Church about some Point or other in Controversy which was neither defined nor so much as thought of For example concerning the authentickness of some Canonical Books concerning the validity of Baptisme conferred by Hereticks concerning one or two Wills and operations in our Blessed Saviour concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost and many such like All which are now no more to be called in question although before the definition of the Church it might have been done without offence For if it be true that it belongs unto her to propose that as matter of Faith which was not before
of our Blessed Lady It is certain that in former times men did not set themselves to search into that particular subject because they did not so much as reflect upon it There was onely a confused kind of knowledge and a general Idâ—â— of the priviledges and Prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin above the rest of Mankind without descending to particulars People were wholly taken up with opposing those Hereticks who drew up against the Honour of the Blessed Virgin who would have deprived her of the glory of her admirable and perpetual Virginity even after Child-bearing and above all those who so violently pleaded against thâ— glorious title of Mother of God which is the ground of all her other Priviledges They were satisfied to ascertain that true source or fountain of all her greatness fortifying it by Scripture and Apostolick Tradition without regarding to penetrate further into that suite or train of other priviledges which did accompany that one great prerogative or examining particularly whether it were to be concluded by a legall ensequence flowing from that Principle that she was preserved at the first instant of her being from Original sin It was not at that time positively believed that she was exempt from that stain neither was the contrary in their Creed And this because it was not so much as thought upon At another time it has been thought good to employ many serious-thoughts upon this subject and to search more narrowly into the business Great Contests have risen about it Whole Volames have been written by Learned men who have produced strong and clear testimonies out of the Holy Scriprures for it and have endeavoured to derive it from the very Fountain of Apostolical Doctrine by the way of Tradition Whole Universities and especially that of Sorbon have spoken loud in favour of that Opinion and engaged themselves by solemn Oath to maintain it And yet notwithstanding the Church has not thought fit absolutely to determine any thing concerning this matter of so great importance But leaves us at liberty to believe what we please concerning it She has not proceeded in the same manner concerning her exemption from all guilt even of venial sin For this she has decided and resolved upon as a matter of Faith not that she had any new revelation thereof since the time of the Apostles but that before the proposing this verity to the world 〈◊〉 be believed she consulted with the holy Scriptures Apostolical Tradition and the opinions of holy Fathers coâ—cerning the preeminence and qualition of the Mother of God for the finding out the whole extent of them An having discovered by this means thâ— her being exempted from venial sin wâ— comprehended in that Supreme Dignty as a necessary consequence is â—â—cluded in its Principle she has defined as a Point of faith revealed in the We of God in which it is contained Thâ— is the reflexion of the most eminent as Learned Cardinal de Lugo in his excâ—lent Treatise of Faith Disp 3. Sect. 5. n. 7. Let us now imagine the Churd should do the same concerning the 〈◊〉 emption of the Blessed Virgin from Original sin Let us suppose that she hâ—ving examined the passages of Host Writ and the Testimonies of Tradâ—â— on which are alledged upon this subject should find this also included as in necestary consequence as she did the other as it is not unlikely she would If she should think fit to proceed to a further examin of the business then all we who are Catholicks and agreed in this that the Church is Judge of Controversies and that we are bound to submit to her Decrees should quickly lay aside all difference of opinions â—â—d although we had not hitherto held seas matter of Faith should then believe it to be so not because there had been any new Revelation concerning it â—â—t because the Church should have declared it to have been alwayes revealed although there was not a general Agreement concerning that Revelation 16. Behold then us and Protestants agreed as I take it upon this Principle that the true Church of Christ has power to decide and propose that as an Article of Faith which antecedently to that decision and proposal was not of obligation to be believed From whence is easily concluded that for the franing an exact rational discourse in matters of Faith it is necessary to avoid these two extremes which a loose kind of reasoning is apt enough to fall into The first is That this has not alwayes been believed therefore it is not now to be believed The second This is 〈◊〉 believed ergo it has alwayes and in aâ— Ages of the Church been distinctly believed It is evident by our Principleâ— that this way of reasoning is very salk and erroneous Here then is the reason why when there happens a Contest between two Parties of the same Church supposed alwayes the true Church as we shall by and by shew it is not alwayes necessary that we search narrowly into the doctrine of Antiquity for the discovering what was held in those dayes concerning the matter in Dispute It suffices for ending all debates that we know what the Church having taken full cognisance of the matter shall have determined by a solemn judgement and Sentence according to the usuall form and method What she resolves in such occurrences according to the Word of God the true meaning whereof she faithfully gives us is to be received as matter of Faith whether it were beforehand known or not known to be so And the contrary is an Error which we are obliged with her to condemn and anathematise unless we intend to become Infidel and Schismaticks Here is the Principle we are agreed upon on all sides as I have made appear both by the Doctrine and proceedings of our Adversanes themselves It imports now very much to apply this to the particular subject we have in hand and it shall be my endeavour to effect it CHAP. III. The applying this agreed-on Principle to the Subject of the Holy Eucharist TO make a due Application of this general Principle to the subject of the Holy Eucharist with the same peaceableness and quiet we have hither to endeavoured to maintain and together with the consent of Parties we must needs step a little aside but still in such order and measure that we may go friendly on in the same path hand in hand together without justling one another still laying all Disputes aside The first step therefore that I make of this kind is to produce what is agreed upon on all sides to have been in all Ages believed concerning the Holy Eucharist to wit that it is a Sacrament which is a Memorial of the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ who is there present and wherein his blessed Body and precious Blood are truely received by the Faithful according to the express words of the Son of God himself who says Take and eat this is my Body do this in memory of me This is what
persevered in repentance untill his death which happened ten years after upon the Feast of the Epiphany of our Lord when as is related by William of Malmsbury he said On this day it is that we Celebrate the Feast of the Apparition of our blessed Saviour and on this day it is that h◠will appear to me either to receive me into his glory as I have some hopes he will in regard of that Pennance I have done or which I have too much reason to fear to punish me for having seduced so many poor souls The truth is he left many disciples after him who proved more obstinate in Error than himself had been and who from time to time had the luck to make such Proselites as our Protestants perchance would make some difficulty to admit into their Communion For this cause six years after his decease his Error was condemned afresh in the Council of Plaisance where they were forced to meet in the open fields by reason of the prodigious multitude of Prelates and Divines who came thither from Italy France Germany and other parts of Europe even from the Empire of Constantinople with the Embassadors of Alexis who there demanded succour against the Infidels The Historian who was contemporary with this Council Berthol Constantiens and gives us an Abridgement of it having been himself there present in the company of nigh four thousand Ecclesiastical persons and above thirty thousand of the Laity who were as Spectators of it has these very words Moreover the Heresy of Berengarius which long ago had been anathematis'd was here again Condemned and the contrary Catholick Doctrine confirmed to wit that the Bread and Wine when they are Consecrated at the Altar are truely and essentially not figuratively onely changed into the Body and Blood of o◠Lord. After this Item haeresis Berengariana jam ab antiquo saepissimè anathematifata iterum damnata est sententia Catholicae Fides contra candem firmata videlicet quod panis vinum cum in Altari consecrantur non solùm figuratè sed verè essentialiter in Corpus Sanguinem Domini convertuntur 1215. some time passed in the Church without hearing any more of this business But the Albigenses undertaking it again about the twelfth Age the fourth Council of Lateran renewed the condemnation of it about the beginning of the thirteenth There was also to be seen one of the goodliest and most numerous Assamblies of the Clergy that ever had been known For it consisted of four hundred and twelve Bishops Greek and Latin of above eight hundred other Prelates and Doctors from all parts of the Christian world with the Embassadors of both the Emperours and of all the Kings There was solemnly confirmed the Doctrine of the Real Presence and the substantial change made in the Holy Eucharist And as in the great Council of Nice they made use of the word Consubstantiality for expressing what the Word of God teaches concerning the Divinity of the word Eternal So in that of Lateran they applyed the word Transubstantiation for the expressing that admirable change which the Church Transubstantiatis pane vino in Corpus c. t. 4. Conc. Extrav de sum Trin. 〈◊〉 firmiter by a necessary sequel has deduced out of the words of Christ himself 11. Our Brethren of the Reformed Church will here peradventure tell me that they do by no means acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the True Church as Berengarius did and that they have no intention to follow him in obeying her Decrees as that Arch-deacon did I did foresee well enough that this might be objected by them to give me occasion to fall into Dispute But this snare is easily avoided by telling them that this is not our business for the present It is not now our question whether the Church of Rome have yet at this day all the Marks of the True Church whether she be the Holy City of God or become a Babylon being fallen into an horrid confusion and corruption of Doctrine They may if they please find wherewithal to satisfie themselves in this Point in those Doctors who have treated of Controversies and particularly in that great Work of the great Cardinal Richelieu who has scarce omitted any thing which might be said upon this Subject And consequently I think it were not hard by very good reasons and motives to shew these Gentlemen that they have done themselves no great right in separating themselves from her But this being a Point which may afford matter of Dispute for all such as are in the humour to quarrel with any thing which is not according their fancy I have taken special care to avoid it and to say nothing of the Church of Rome We speak here onely of that Church of which those who first began the debate were members before she had determined any thing on either side Whether this Church were the Church of Rome of not the Church of Rome concerns us not at all so we be agreed in this that it was the True Church at that time I have need of no more I will have nothing at present but what Monsieur Claude pleases to afford me I will enter with him upon the ninth Age when the True Church after her good dayes which lasted eight hundred years found her self I know not how in a confusion of knowledge After which some there were who montioned a Real Presence others opposed it still remaining joyntly together in the same Church before they separated by a refusal of obedience to her Decrees Hereupon the Dispute growing hotter and hotter the Church gives Sentence That Church I mean whereof the two Parties contesting are members which Church is the True one because the onely one before separation made for the constituting another Church apart and which Church also has full power to end all Differences so as to oblige to a submission to her Decrees Behold here what is precisely required for the concluding all I pretend to which I shall now endeavour to make out 12. Let us then now come to reunite all the parts of this Discourse that we may make it up with the consent and agreement of Monsieur Claude Behold here people who are of the same Church with us which Church even according to himself is the true Church there being but one in the world for them and us too at such time as all according to him were yet in that confusion of knowledge Some as he tells us think good to propose a Real Presence Others oppose it and stand for an Absence Here you have the Parties contesting When the Dispute grows hot and makes too much noise a general Council is held which represents this Church and which upon the emergency of concestors as we are agreed has power to determine what is to be believed as matter of Faith even although there was a general ignorance of it before When the Decree is passed those who are cast and
who before their condemnation were of the same Church must not say that she is unchurched and that it is they themselves who now make up the Church under pain of being held not onely Schismaticks but also very extravagant fantastical persons And those who follow them after this and declare for them at what time soever it be become fully as criminal as those who first separated themselves from the Church in so unreasonable and so unjustifiable a manner This Assembly or Representative having examined the proofs and reasons on both sides and consulted with the Holy Scriptures which are the Rule of Faith has often declared that the Rea Presence and a substantial Change are to be believed and has condemned as an Heresie that opinion which stands for Real Absence Of all that I have now said I cannot imagin any one Point which can be call'd in question as I have stated the business And I think I have made it appear by the very words and Principles of Monsieur Claude himself that he is bound to agree with me in every particular since by following his own conduct we find our selves exactly and precisely in the state and condition of the Synod of Dort In the mean time those who first stood for a Real Absence against those who proposed a Real Presence when they saw themselves condemned by that Church of which they were and which before their condemnation was to all intents and purposes the real True Church as we are agreed undertake to say that she is not so and that they onely who maintain what she condemns do constitute the True Church Now according to the Principles a greed upon I cannot discover how they can avoid being held Schismaticks And by unavoidable consequence all those who have taken part with them these five hundred years must needs be subject to the same censure It being certain that they joyn with those who separated themselves from the True Church of Christ for no other reason but because they found themselves condemned by her It is true that that Church which is acknowledged to have been at that time the True Church was indeed the Church of Rome or Roman Church But what follows from thence according to the Principles agreed upon but that we must conclude for Her all that has been said in behalf of the True Church even by the consent of our adversaries themselves And that those who were of that Church before they withdrew themselves upon that Judgement she gave against them could not in reason and suffice say that she did now cease to be the True Church and that she misunderstood the meaning of Holy Scripture For she being the True Church as themselves grant before this happened 't was she that was Judge thereof according to the Decree of the Synod of Dort and not they who according to the same Synod were bound to submit to her Judgement and to hold that for the true sence of Scripture which she followed in her decisions All this is so clearly proved without mixture of any proofs by way of Disputation that I think I shall do well to stop here without pretending any further that I may peaceably draw those consequences which this great Principle affords us CHAP. IV. The Consequences which naturally flow from this Principle by a due application thereof 1. IN the second Chapter you may have seen how the True Church when contests do arise has power to decide them according to the Word of God and to propose that unto Christians as matter of Faith which antecedently to such decision they were not obliged to believe because it was not clearly and distinctly known but remained as yet involved in a general and confused knowledge In the third Chapter we did apply that uncontroulable Principle unto the subject of the Holy Eucharist and have clearly shewed that the Church of which the first contestors then were and which being the onely Church before separation made by one of the Parties was also the True Church did decide this matter according to method and Rule in favour of the Real Presence From these two Verities thus established even without Dispute and by-wayes we were all the way agreed upon taking along with us the thoughts of Monsieur Claude and allowing him whatsoever he was pleased to ask it will not be hard in this Chapter to to draw some consequences which offer themselves unto us and which it is impossible not to discover how little soever we desire to reflect upon what we have fairly and candidly acknowledged to be true 2. For first who does not see that it is necessarily inferred from thence that although the Real Presence had not been believed before the tenth Age which notwithstanding is a great mistake yet we are now obliged to believe it Because the True Church of which the first Contesting Parties were members and before their being condemned acknowledged her for such has put an end to the quarrel giving Sentence for and proposing as matter of Faith the said Real Presence Moreover that those first Abettors of a Real Absence by refusing to submit to her Judgement became Schismaticks and that all those who declared afterwards for that Faction are as faulty and in the same crime with them I do absolutely believe with the Authour of The Perpetuity c. that considering some circumstances and certain matters of fact which cannot be denied it was morally impossible that such an insensible change should have been made by passing imperceptibly from a belief which is pretended to have been of a Real Absence to that which we now have of a Real Presence But in case such a change was made not by way of negation but of Addition passing from an obscure confused kind of knowledge to a distinct positive Belief of the Real Presence proposed for the lucidation or clearing this great Mysterie in such manner as Monsieur Claude is pleased subtily enough to imagin yet the obligation of believing it would still subsist and stand in force Because the same Church of which the Parties who were first in Dispute about this matter were lawful subjects having heard and examined their Reasons did judge according to Rule that it was of Faith It is not therefore now lawful to follow those who revolted against their Mother Church for the same cause that Monsieur Claude will without question freely grant that it was not lawful in Conscience to side and take part with the Monothelites who would by no means receive the Decree and decision of the Church they lived in touching two wills and operations in Christ On the contrary I am sure he does reteive and reverence that Doctrine as an apputtenance of faith although here was also a change in the same manner by way of Addition in the belief of the Church and that this distinction of wills and operations was not before clearly and distinctly known Some body perchance may here tell me that for this very reason the Protestants of
A Peaceable METHOD FOR THE RE-UNITING Protestants AND Catholicks In matters of Faith Principally in the Subject of the Holy EUCHARIST Proceeding upon Principles Agreed on and waving Points in Dispute Upon occasion of the late Contest concerning the Perpetuity of Faith touching that great Mystery Written in French by LEWIS MAIMBOURG S.J. Printed at Paris 1671. To the Honourable WILLIAM PETRE OF STANFORD 〈◊〉 ESSEX Esq Honoured Sir HAving no better means to express it I do ambitiously lay hold of this to declare in the face of the World the great respect I bear you both in regard of your own worth and my particular obligations Your worth 〈◊〉 asure by those talents 〈◊〉 The Gives of all 〈◊〉 has been pleas'd to bestow upon you in more than an ordinary proportion The improving of them is perchance no lets to be admired in a person of your ranck and quality You have given the world a great proof of it by the constant labour great charge you have put your self to for instructing men the best way by laying examples before them how to become Saints And as you have in this shewed first the great esteem your self have of sanctity so have you also by communicating your labours to others given them who participaâ—e oâ— them an excellent lesson to learn by how to be good to themselves and others also If moved by this example of yours I have endeavourâ—d somthing for the publick good I hope you will allow me the freedom to present these my first labours to you by whose conversation in my first beginnings I must own as part of my obligation to you that I learned a good share both of mine own language and of that of my Authour of which as well as of the Spanish you have shewed your self to have more than an ordinary compâ—ehension As for the Work it self I hope of will not be unwelcome to you as being sorfull the little part I have in it emboldens me to say so both of reason and civility as will render it much suiting with your humour who are particularly remarkable for them both The latter at least I hope will incline you to give it a favourable entertainment and to accept of this small expression of the respects of Honoured Sir Your much obliged and very humble Servant T.W. The Translatours Preface to the Reader I Suppose it will be no hard matter for you to discover from what Soil this plant originally comes It was indeed wholly French within these few weeks and there were not many months since it appeared in France I will not say that it may possbly find a more favourable reception as coming from that place from whence we so frequently receive those new Modes we so highly value and admire But yet I may perchance with some reason hope that it may not be unwelcome to some who may take notice of the newness of the Method wholly suited to that civility and Peaceable way of proceeding which I have heard the best bred and most moderate persons require in things of this nature The chief intended Design of this small Treatise is in order to a clearing the Point of the Real Presence in the most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist the principal subject of Contests now at present in those parts Though as the Authour in his last Chapter makes evidently appear mutatis mutandis it is equally appliable to any other matter whatsoever I pray be not offended if I say that it has often been reflected upon by very sober men that those of the adverse Party deal not fairly with us scarce ever allowing us to enter into Dispute with them upon equal terms For we being tyed up and inclosed as it were within certain limits which keep our understandings as well as material inclosures are not to restrain our bodies within a certain compasse of reasoning and opining it is very easie at any time and upon any subject belonging to Faith to know where to find us I mean to be at a certainty of what we are obliged to maintain and where we may be set upon It would have saved us some labour if we could alwayes have been sure to have had the same advantage and that there were not those alterations and that variety of Opinions in the Times Places and Persons of the Reformed Churches which very frequently put us upon a hazard of coming unprepared of suitable Arms offensive or defensive as not being able to have sufficient intelligence beforehand of the nature of our enemy or of his manner of fight In the Subject matter of Dispute concerning the Blessed Sacrament I know there are some who will not stick to say roundly that it is nothing but Bread and Wine which is contained and Received in the Lords Supper And these I think speak the best English that is express most plainly and sincerely in their words what they do believe in their judgements Others think this too rough and harsh as clashing too openly with Holy Scripture the Rule of Belief and the general Sentiment and Language of Antiquity And these will tell you though something faintly that Christ is truly present that he is really present that he is there the Food of the Soul and the Bread of Angels In a word they will expresse themselves in such terms with so much respect and reverence of that Holy Sacrament that you shall have much adoe to distinguish them from true and hearty Catholicks But yet if you presse them to speak intelligibly and to declare candidly what they mean by Truely and Really you shall find that though they are loath to speak out they mean nothing lesse then what those words in their natural use seem to import For Truely and Really must come to signifie onely figuratively and Commemoratively or some such like And whereas by the expressions they are pleased to make use of you might in reason expect something of Real Substance distinct from the 〈◊〉 Elements of Bread and Wine you are to understand that besides some forced Texts of Scripture you shall have divers pregnant Proofs and Reâ—sons fetched as far as Sense and Natural Philosophy can reach to oblige you to believe that in this great supernatural Work of the Hand of the Omnipotent in which he undertook to act the Wonder of Wonders the whole Change is made by and consists in Faith onely Nay their Real Faith is that there is â—â—â—her Substantial Mutation in the matter or subject of this great Sacrament but what is made in the fancy by them called Faith I know there are near as many several Opinions concerning the content of this Holy Sacrament as there are explications of those words which make the Dispute This is my Body which have been calculated by some curious in this kind to a very incredible Product And now it being left to every one to take up what and which he pleases in this great variety of Opinions I think we have reason to say we have a hard
distinctly known or taken under that notion as we have now made out it must needs be our duty and obligation to receive it as such and consequently to believe it if we intend not to make our selves guilty of infidelity in receiving what appertains to Faith 7. In this we and the Protestants are well enough agreed For the force and strength of Mr. Claudes laborious piece lyes chiefly in that ground-work which he has laid with a great deal of Art and skill where he treats of the change he pretends has been made in our Belief concerning the most Blessed Sacrament And this he endeavours to settle upon that distinct and confused knowledge which he will have to have been concerning this Mystery in several and distinct times He affirms that the whole Body of the Church did insensibly fall from a distinct knowledge of this Verity into another confused one and that there was a time when there was no positive belief either of Real Presence or Real Absence because no body so much as thought of it and that there was in the faithful only a general confused Idaea of the Body of our Lord in the Sacrament it self and in the receiving of it without troubling themselves to reflect much less to examine by what kind of presence or in what manner he was there There was then no obligation in his opinion to adhere to one side and reject the other because neither the one nor the other was then distinctly known nor clearly proposed But when afterwards some-penetrating further into this matter had given occasion to those hot Disputes and lasting Contests which divided mens wits into several opposite judgements in the case it was necessary that the true Church on which side soever she was having brought the matter to the test of Scripture and Apostolical Doctrine should declare for one side And then was there an obligation to adhere unto and distinctly to believe that which was confusedly or not certainly known before the decision of the matter in contest This has happened in our dayes more than once even in their own Church but particularly in the subject of that famous Controversy between the Arminians and the Gomarists which made so much noise in Holland the particular flory whereof I think fit to set dowâ— that you may discover this verity bâ— the confession even of those who were in greatest esteem amongst our adversaries themselves 8. Acta Synodi Dordt typ Isaaci Ioannidis Canininii Dordt 1620. Mercur. Franc. to 4. to 5. Arminius Minister of Amsterdam and afterwards Professor of Divinity at Leyden held forth a doctrine which did not at all agree with that of Calvin Beza Zanchius and Peter Martyr particularly in the matters of Predessination of Grace and of Free-will This Arminius having a very good Wit and being of great esteem amongâ— them did soon gain a great Party iâ— the University and his Scholers whâ— were zealous for their Masters Opinion being now become Ministers did not fail to set them out in many Towns of Holland The more antient Ministers and serior-Professors opposed him with all their power Gomarus that famous Doctor and Professor of Grouning hen appeared in the head of them The waâ— grew hot on all fides The Alarâ—â—â— was given to all the Churches and by their Deputies they demanded of the States of Holland and West-Friesland that a Provincial Synod should be called to judge of the business But Arminius having found Powerful Protectors among the States dealt his business so that instead of a Synod which was not all for his purpose he proposed and made them yield to admit of Disputations and Conferences wherein he had his end because nothing was concluded therein 14 May. He and Gomarus Disputed the businesse before the Council which was appointed for that purpose 13 Oct. They were heard one after another in a full Assembly of the States They had a solemn Conference each of them being accompanied by four Ministers whom they had made choyce of for their assistance But all those debates served for nothing else but to raise new difficulties and to bring poor Arminius the sooner to his end who so over-heated himself in those Conferences 5 Oct. that he died soon after But his Abettors dyed not with him but on the contrary after the death of their Chief rallyed all their forces together All the Ministers and Divines who were of his perswasion especially those of Holland dtrecht and Overislâ— presented a Petition and offered unâ—â— the States a Remonstrance in which they did declare and justify their Doctrine which they had now reduced to five Articles all which they were ready to make good by the pure Word oâ— God And to guard and secure themselves from the sentence of a Synod which they much apprehended they addeâ— further in that their Remonstrance treading still in the footsteps of their Master that it did belong properly to the particular States of every Province to judge of differences in matters of Religion especially in this case where there was nothing in agitation which could disturb the peace nor break that union they now enjoyed And that for their parts they desired nothing but a Toleration and liberty to follow their own Opinion providing for and preserving alwayes the peace and union of the Reformed Church Being earnest in this manner to have the business ended by thâ— civil Magistrate it was easie for them to prerend that whatsoever was thus ordained should pass for a meer direction by way of Policy which could not any wayes reach unto the grounds of their Doctrine The Gomarists against this Remonstrance set out a large Treatise in which they remonstrated also on their part that the five Articles of the Arminians concerning Predestination and Grace were contrary to the received Doctrine of their Church ever since the Reformation that their Divines had never held any thing concerning those matters but what had been taught by Calvin Merc. frauc To. 5.1617 pag. 32. except some few who for that very cause had been excommunicated and also banished And that consequently such novelties as these were not to be tolerated until by a National Synod to which according to the example of the Apostles the business ought to be referred it were otherwise ordained All this writing on both sides did but increase the fend and cause the several parties to be called by the new names of Remonstâ—ators and Anti-Remonstrators In the interim these first having gotten more credit with the States of Holland and West-Friesland by the means and Protection of Barnevelt Advocat General of those States 1614. 25. July obtained of them that Toleration which they so much defired and by the cuning insinuation of Utengobardus whâ— had been one of Arminius's chief Collegues and the most zealous of the Party got their Doctrine to be received as current in many Towns of Holland The others made what opposition they could and protested highly against it and particularly