at Constantinople betwixt Cardinal Humbertus one of the most zealous Adversaries of Berengarius whom Leo the IX sent thither to compose matters in Controversie and the Greeks whom Michael had exasperated against the Latins This Cardinal having there on several occasions spoken so clearly of the Eucharist according to the Belief of the Roman Church that it is impossible the Greeks did not understand him or that they would have sufferd him if they had not had the same Faith. And lastly by the Council held at Placentia in Italy in the year 1095 under Victor the II. where the Berengarian Heresie was again condemned and the Catholich Faith declared in these terms That the Bread and Wine being consecrated on the Altar are changed not onely in figure but absolutely and essentially into the Body and Bloud of the Lord. Which cannot be said to have been unknown to the Greeks the Ambassadors of the Emperour Alexius Comnenus having been present at this Council So that if the Greeks had not been of the same Faith with the Latins in that point it 's impossible but so surprizing a decision would have strangely startled them and in this astonishment made them advertise the Emperour and all Greece of the same SECT 4. Proof of the Minor as to the first time that is the Proof of the impossibility of an Innovation whereof no memory remained which the Calvinists must say was made in all the Churches of the World from the end of the Ninth Age to the beginning of the Eleventh First member of this Proof THe Major being proved in regard of the first time that is to say it being to be held for certain that in the time of Berengarius all the Churches of the East especially the Greek Church had the same Faith of the Eucharist which the Roman Church had which the Calvinists does not deny to have at that time believed the Real Presence and Transubstantiation If it was not the ancient Faith of the Church these Churches must have changed their Belief of this Mystery by an Innovation whereof themselves were not sensible nor did perceive and of which no trace nor memory has remained perceivable to us And this is what is said to be impossible in the First Part of the Minor of the famous Argument of the Perpetuity The Calvinists on the contrary pretend that this not only was not impossible but that it had de facto come to pass by a Book of Paschasius a Monk of Corbie made in the beginning of the Ninth Age. They accuse him to have been an Innovator or Broacher of a new Doctrine and to have been the first Author of Transubstantiation they set up incontinently Adversaries against him But they suppose that this Book of Paschasius and his Schollars who defended it did insensibly corrupt the minds of a great many Men and that this made such a progress during the ignorance and darkness of the tenth Age that those of the Eleventh tho' become more â—lear-sighted having suckt in this opinion with their Milk made it pass for truth Hinc contigit says Aubertin pag. 443. â—ut in sequenti saeculo quamvis literatiâ—res facti hac tamen opinione cum lacte â—mbuti illam tanquà m veram confidenter obtruserint This is what the Salvation of Calvinists is grounded upon If this Romance be not true there is no Salvation for them because there is none for those who overturns or destroys in so important a matter the ancient Faith of all the Christians of the World and who have taken the same Faith for the greatest pretext of their schismatical separation from the Church Now we have shewn in several places of the Books of the Perpetuity that never was there a Fable worse contrived though Mr. Claud thinks it the most exact and best invented that could be For what is there says he more reasonable than to say that Paschasius his Opinion adorned with the Colours of Antiquity although in reality it was but a Novelty supported with a little Philosophy extoll'd by these big words which ignorants admire and proposed in Ages like the Ninth and Tenth did find at the beginning some Sectators who induced others to follow them until at last it became the strongest and was established by the assistance of violence and Authority But it s his pleasure to the end he may render this Innovation less absurd never to represent it with those circumstances with which it must of necessity have been accompanied if it had fallen out The first is that about the end of the Ninth Age and the beginning of the Tenth all the Bishops Priests Monks and Laicks having been instructed in the Belief of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist which ought to have been according to the Calvinists the common Belief of the Ninth Age they abandoned without resistance and without debate the Faith of their Forefathers to follow a new Opinion introduced by a Monk of France The second is that this comes to pass without noise or tumult The third is that this change is made at the same time and after the same manner in all the Churches of the World it being as we have already demonstrated that they are all found to have been of the same Faith of the Real Presence in the beginning of the Eleventh Age. The fourth is that no trace of this change remains and the memory of it so abolisht that in the Eleventh Age immediately following that wherein they say that Innovation was made no person had heard tell of it as appears sufficiently in that there being in the year 1003 a Council held at Orleans Spicileg Tom. 11. p. 675. wherein were condemned as Hereticks two Priests for having denied amongst other things that the Bread is changed into the Body of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist But because of these four circumstances the two last are they which shews more palpably the impossibility of this change and are least exposed to be eluded by any wrangling I shall content my self to set down here how these two circumstances are pressed in the Ninth Book of the First Tome of the Perpetuity The first is treated of in the third Chapter which has for Title Examination of Engines of Retrenchment or Means by which Mr. Claud exempts himself from making the Doctrine of the Real Presence preached to the greatest part of Christians And here is what is said of it How happy should Mr. Claud be if the Effects followed his Words as his Words follows his Desires and if to make things true it were enough that he assured them to be so as it is enough for him to desire them for assuring them Then we should easily see come to pass that wonderful change he unundertakes to make in the Tenth Age But the ill is that the things which are without him and those by past Events have an inflexible and unvaâ—iable certainty which suits not at all with his Desires And so it falls out that he reckons
explain what regards the Eucharist QUESTION 106. Which is the third Sacrament IT is the holy Eucharist that is the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearances of Bread and Wine Jesus Christ being therein truly properly and really present Here is enough for any other than Mr. Claud. But that he may not toil his mind to seek here some evasion I beseech him to hear what is read in the following Interogation it concerns the Conditions necessary for the celebration of this Mystery and it has these express terms In the fourth place the Priest must be perswaded that at the time when he consecrates the holy Gifts the substance of the Bread and the substance Wine is changed into the substance of the True Body and of the True Blood of Jesus Christ by the operation of the Holy Ghost who is invocated at that moment Here is already these mysterious words without which Mr. Claud thinks the Real Presence cannot be expressed nor Transubstantiation and with which he must then avow that it is most formally expressed For himself grants that the word Transubstantiation is not necessary when the matter is thus explained But yet if he will require farther that we let him see the Greek Church using and authorizing it he may be satisfied therein by the following words After the words of Inovocation at the same instant Transubstantiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made and the Bread is changed into the True Body of Jesus Christ and the Wine into his True Blood the appearances of the Bread and Wine remaining by a divine Oeconomy First that we may not see the Body of Jesus Christ with our Eyes but by Faith in leaning on those words This is my Body this is my Blood and by so doing that we may prefer his Words and his Power to our own Senses which acquires the beatitude of Faith according to what is said Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed Secondly That because Humane Nature has horrour to eat raw flesh 〈◊〉 that seeing we ought to be united to Jesus Christ by the participation of his Body and Blood that Man might 〈◊〉 have aversion from it God has provided for this Inconvenient in giving to Believers his proper Flesh and and Blood under the vails of Bread and Wine There remains no more to condemn the Calvinists but to determine that this Sacrament ought to be adored with the same Honour that Jesus Christ is worshipped that is to say Latria and that it is a true Sacrifice and these are seen in that Confession in the folding terms The Honour you ought to render to these dreadful Mysteries ought to be the same which you render to Jesus Christ himself So that as St. Peter speaking for all the Apostles said to Jesus Christ Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God so every one of us worshipping with Latria Soveraign Worship these Mysteries ought to say I believe Lord and confess that you are the Christ the Son of the Living God who came to the World to save Sinners of whom I am the chief Moreover this Mystery is offered in Sacrifice for the Orthodox Christians both Living and Dead in hope of the Resurrection to Life eternal And a little after This Mystery is propitiatory before God both for the Living and the Dead The clearness of these Words suppresses all reflections which could do no more but obscure it Hitherto is what was said in the year 1671. But whereas it was thought then by the Characters that this Book had been printed in Holland it was afterwards known to be certain and we have learned the History of it from M◠Nointel Ambassadour of France at the Port who writ to Paris in these terms the year 1672 as is to be seen in the Third Tome of the Perpetuity Book 8. Chap 14. The 15th of February one of my Friends has told me that having dined with M. the Resident of Holland and the Discourse falling upon the Religion of the Greeks mention was made of the Book entituled The Orthodox Confession of the Catholick and Apostolick Church of the East as justifying her Belief of the Real Presence and of Transubstantiation M. the Resident Discoursed of the origine of the printing of this Book for he told him that M Panajotti having sent the Copy into Holland to be printed there on his expences the States would not let his Money be taken but to gain his favour had caused most carefully to print it on their own Charges and had entrusted several Boxes of the Impression to their Resident to be made a present to M. Panajotti The fourth of March I ordered Fontain to go to M. the Resident of Holland to thank him for what he had sent me by his Secretaty before his Voyage to Smyrna and to offer him his Services at the Port whither I was dispatching him He entreated him that he would do me the favour to give me one of these Books entituled The Orthodox Confession of the Catholick and Apostolick Church of the East And to let me know how it was printed and by what means some of the Copies thereof had come to his hands The Resident having testified how sensibly he was obliged by my civility assured Fontain that he and all that was in his House was at my service and he gave him two of the Books which I desired telling him they were the only two that remained and that as to their printing Desbrosses who was here Secretary in the year ....... there being then no Resident was desired by Mr Panajotti to cause print in Holland a form of Catechism which he gave him in a Manuscript declaring that he would make the expences that this Secretary having informed the States they caused print it on their Charges that it cost them four thousand pounds to fill the Boxes in which were many Copies M. the Resident added That being at that time named to come and reside for the States at Constantinople he was appointed by them to take the charge of these Boxes and to make a Present of them to M. Panajotti And that there were a dozen and half of Copies Bound after the Holland manner whereof he presented him twelve and as to the other six there were no more undisposed of save onely these two which he had given me Finally That which should compleat the Conviction of the most incredulous if any could be after what is said is what is set down concerning the same Book of the Orthodox Confession in the said Tome of the Perpetuity Book 8. Chap. 15. In the mean time that these Acts and Attestations of the Greek Church were at the Press the Secretary of the Ambassadour arrived at Paris from Constantinople to bring to his Majesty the Ratification of the Treaty concluded with the Port and brought with him the Originals of several Authentick Attestations which the Patriarchs of the East had entreated the Ambassador to cause present to the
together as like And there needs no more to overturn all what is considerable in Aubertins Book consequently the noble Victory which Mr. Claud sayes * Answ to the 2. Treatise ch 1. p. 50. that Book has obtained over the Roman School is no more but a meer illusion of this Minister Mr. Claud in his third Answer Book 5. Chap. 10. allows of this manner of discerning expressions and even things themselves by the impression and sentiment which they form no less than by an exact observation of the differences which distinguishes them But he would have us to let him see that in the first six Ages the expressions of the Fathers were taken in a Sence of reality and the others which the Ministers propose as like in a Metaphorical Sence and not to seek that difference of impression in the following Ages supposing that the Doctrine was changed in them He ought then to be content seeing we have satisfied his demaund how unreasonable soever it be for we have proved to him in the second Tome of the Perpetuity to which he could not answer that difference of expression of the Fathers as like to those which we produce and we have confirmed this Proof in the third Tome and in the general Answer in such a manner as he is beaten down under it in letting him see that all he could say to perswade the change he supposes in the Doctrine of the Eucharist is the most manifest Proof of his want of sincerity To this comes all he has written to maintain as he has done with an inflexible opiniatorness that fable on which he has employed all his Eloquence and his big Words There needs no more for his silence shews sufficiently that he is convinced SECT X. The figurative Explication which the Calvinists give to these words This is my Body renders them altogether incapable to prove their Belief concerning the Eucharist to those who deny it THere is no Errour which the Calvinists have taken more pains to vindicate themselves of than that of admitting no more but simple Signs and without efficacy For as the suspicion people had that they taught this Heresie confirmed by the reproach made them ordinarily by the Lutherians and even by some Catholicks rendered them very odious they used all their endeavours to take it away and shew it was a Calumny All their Writings all their Declarations all their Confessions of Faith are full of formal Condemnations and Anathema 's against that Errour that the Eucharist conrains no more but simple Figures * Apud Hospini hist Sacrament 2. part fol. 124 128 135 147. Afrer these express Condemnations they cannot refuse to avow that if this Errour they so earnestly condemn and which they charge upon the Socinians and Anabaptists be a necessary consequence of the Figurative Sence they give to the Words of Jesus Christ and if this Sence puts them into an absolute inability to prove their Belief concerning the Supper it follows necessarly according to their Principle that this sence is false and that their explication is erroneous Now there is nothing more easie to prove than this their inability to justify themselves of this Errour which they condemn and to prove their Belief to the Socinians and Anabaptists and all who will deny it for there needs no more but to propose what they teach in their Confession of Faith in their Catechisms and the Books of those who are Authors of them and then to require the Proof thereof from the Scripture which according to them is alone sufficient to ground their Faith. They say in their Catechism Sonday 51 where they speak of the Supper that Jesus Christ represents to them by the Bread his Body and by the Wine his Blood. And in the 37 Article of their Confession of Faith That in the Supper God gives them really and in effect that which he figurates therein In their 53 Sonday That Jesus Christ with whom their Souls are inwardly nowrished is in this Sacrament and that they are made participant of his proper Substance or as they speak in their own Confession of Faith That they are therein nourished and quickned by the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ. It 's according to this Perswasion and Belief that Calvin who is the Author of this Catechism says in the 4 Book of his Institutions Chap. 17 n. 11. That in the Supper Jesus Christ is really given us under the Signs of Bread and Wine yea his Body and his Blood by which he has purchased Salvation to us and thereby we are made participant of his Substance And his is conform to what Beza says in the conference of Poissy as he relates him self in his Ecclesiastical History Tom. 1. p. 496. That the thing signified in this Sacrament is offered and given us of the Lord as truly as the Signs of it that the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ which are truly communicated to us are truly present in the use of the Supper although they are neither under nor beside nor in the Bread and Wine nor in any other place but in Heaven And in the pag 515 that we are made participant only of the fruit of Christs death This is the Calvinists Doctrine concerning their Cene or Supper and for which we maintain they cannot give Proofs from the Scripture alone unless they renounce the figurative sence they give to the Words of Jesus Christ The question is nor here of the manner according to which they say they receive all these things whether it be by Faith or otherwise but of what they receive nor is the question here of Mr. Clauds analogical and metaphysical Arguments but of clear and precise Proofs from Scripture seeing they are solemnly bound to shew there all their points of Faith. If they alledge these words Take eat this is my Body a Socinian will answer them that they should not pretend to receive any other thing than what Jesus Christ has commanded to be taken but according to them he intended only to say Take eat this is the Figure of my Body therefore they receive only the Figure and not the Body If they reply that these Words contain a Promise and that Jesus Christ promised to give them his Body in giving them a Figure of it The Socinian will answer he sees not that Promise in the Words of Jesus Christ and he will oppose to them what Zuinglius says Tom. 2. f. 371. That these words of Jesus Christ contain no promiss at all Nihil in his nobis promissum est and on the margent Christi verba hoc est Corpus meum promissionem nullam continent And what Calvin says in his manner of reforming the Church pag. 122. second of his Opusc that he who seeks in the Sacrament more than the promises contain the Devil has bewitched him And he will conclude from the Principles of these two Reformers that one ought to seek no more in this Sacrament but a Figure unless he be