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
think so I cannot tellâ— but in this I am very well satisfied thaâ— there are many Ministers who have heâ— it and who for all that I know 〈◊〉 at this very day as much in the 〈◊〉 mour to maintain it resolutely and poâ—tively as ever And for this very reason I do declare that as I am resolved to have no deâ—â—ings of this nature neither with his nor them so will I not run riot 〈◊〉 forsake the quiet path I am already 〈◊〉 to engage my self in the way of 〈◊〉 guing and Disputing which I purpoâ—â— to avoide * Liv. 1. c. 13. Cardinal Richelicu has 〈◊〉 ready treated that Controversy with all the vigour imaginable and has demonstrated by most convincing Reafons that the True Church of God being guided by the Spirit of God as we must suppose her to be Vel abjiecere debent omnem Protestationem ad versus Synodum subjicere sua dogmata illius judicio vel certè si manent in Protestatione immoti eo ipso se declarant Unioâ—i Ecclesiarum ReformataruÌ„ renuntiare quod si faciant dispiciat postea summa potestaâ— quid facto sit opus cannot be deceived But that I may not be obliged to fight though with so much advantage under the conduct of so great a Person I am resolved not to enter into the field Let that passe then for the present untouched whether the Church can or cannot be deceived this is not the business now in agitation It is sufficient for what I would be at that our Brethren the Protestants do avert as von have seen in the proceedings of the Council of Dort that those who are of this Church are obliged to hold that she is not deceived that what she defines is the pure Truth according to the true meaning of the Word of God and consequently that they must submit to all her Decisions in matters of Faith under pain of being excommunicated and declared Hereticks and Schismaticks notwithstanding they still Protest as the Arminians and all other Hereticks have ever done that they have the Word of God on their side For of this very poinâ— it was that the Reformed Church gave Judgement in the Synod of Dort In reality as we are agreed on aâ— sides that in all Contests we are 〈◊〉 stick to that which is conformable to thâ— Word of God and that we are to reject what is not so the question is finally reduced to this how that the Word of God is to be understood when it is alledged by both sides for the supporting their Opinions The Disciples of Arminius had their placeâ— of Holy Scripture in defence of theâ— five Articles The Gomarists maintained a Doctrine contrary to those Articles by other passages which they produced out of the same Holy Scripture They were at as great odds concerning the sence or meaning of those Places and Passages each Party challenging the true one on their side It being then avouched that it belongs unto the Synod to end the Debate it does also without all doubt belong to the same Synod to determine in what sence the words cited out of Holy Scripture are to be understood Now I would gladly desire these Gentlemen to tell me whether that Synod which represented as they believe the True Church was infallible oâ— no. If it was infallible then Infallibly the objection they make is of no force since they agree with us that the True Church cannot err But now if it was not infallible they must at least affirm that this did not hinder but they were obliged to submit to the Decisions made therein under the penalty of being Schismaticks the Divines Deputed from their several Churches having solemnly declared that they were to subscribe to the Decrees and reject as Erroneous what should be condemned But that which the Synod of Delpht does clearly and positively declare upon this occasion takes away all force from enervates and quite destroys this objection The Remonstrators at the first would not be brought to submit to the National Synod because said they amongst other reasons which they alledged for their refusal it may erre as all other even Oecumenical Councils may they being not infallible as the Apostles were Christus Dominus qui Apostolis promisit Spiritum Veritatis qui ipsos ducturus esset in omnem veritatatem Ecclesiae quoque suae pollicitus est se cum eâ usque ad finem saeculi mansurum Mart. 28.20 Et ubi duo vel tres c. Matt. 18.10 who were guided immediately by the Holy Ghost The Statesâ— Holland and Westfriesland advised aboâ—â— this with their Synod which was theâ— held at Delpht And it was answered thaâ— that reason did not hinder but that they were obliged to receive the decisions oâ— the Synod and to follow the Judgement thereof when a doctrine is condemned because as Christ our Lord did promise his Spirit unto the Apostles for the instructing them in all Truth he has also promised his Church to be with her to the end of the world and that when two or three of them should be assembled together in his Name he would be in the midst of them The same Synod adds that when * Quando piiac docti Pastores ex diversis Ecclesiis diversisque regionibus orâ—â— Christiani in timore Domini conveniunt ut ex Dei verbo justcent quid in Ecclesiâ Dei doceri aut non deceri conveniat â—â—nino credendum est Christum juxta promissionem suam ejusâ—adi conventui interfuturum at que â—undum sancto suo Spiritâ— illustraturum ac recturum ut nihil in eo quod ad veritatis aâ— regni ejus detrimentum verti possit decernatur Nullus ords nulla pax esse poterit in Eccliâ Dei si eâ—ilibet quidlibet docere permiâ—tatur nec ad rationem doctrinae sat reddendam nec se judicio alicujus Synodici conventus submittendum obligetur juxta praeceptum Apostoli 1 Cor. 14 2. 31. ut judicetur de his quae Prophetae loquuntur Prophetarum spiritus Prophetis subjecti sint Jud Syn Delph Sess 26. Syn. Derdr many pious and learned Pastours sent from several Churches of Christendome do meet together to determine according to the Word of God what is to be taught or rejected in his Church it is to be believed with all confidence that our Blessed Saviour according to his promise will be present at such an Assembly and will not fail to enlighten and guide them by his Holy Spirit that they may not determine any thing prejudicial to Truth After which towards the end follows that there would be no Order in the Church of God nor ever could be any hopes of Peace if every one were permitted to teach what he pleased and not bound to give any account of his Doctrine nor submit himself to the judgement of a Synod according to the Command of the Apostle who ordains that what is taught by Prophets should be judged of by the Spirit of
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
these dayes ought to stick to the decisions of their Church in matters contested between them and us because they own her for the True Church But I think it is not at all hard to discover a great difference For making up to the head or source of the decision we shall find those who first raised the doubt and brought these Points into debate were of the same Church which was accordingly the True because the onely Church and owned for such by both Parties before she declared her self upon the matter in dispute which without trouble we are agreed upon with Monsieur Claude The case is not here so Because we who are at Dispute with Protestants are not of the same Church with them and so are not within the limits of thy maxime which has with mutual corsent been established and received Again they having taken part with those who at that time revolted from the True Church because they would not obey her Decrees made by Canonical Judgement it is manifest that their Community is but a false and Schismatical Church according to the Principles received from them in the Synod of Dort 3. Secondly the Church before she gives Sentence upon any Point proposed examining it by Scripture and real Tradition and for the better understanding them searching into the Sentences of the Ancient Holy Fathers endeavouring thus to reascend unto the Apostles themselves we are from hence to conclude that she being inspir'd by the Holy Ghost who has promised to teach her all Truths as occasions require what she defines is alwayes conformable both to Scripture and Tradition Thus it is that we are to learn by her definitions what is the true meaning or sence of Scripture when there is place for doubting thereof Before the Council of Nice there were most desperate Disputes concerning certain passages of Scripture which the followers of Arius alledged for the upholding their upstart doctrine As for example about that in the fifth of St. Iohn where our Blessed Saviour says that his Father is greater than he Quia Pater major me est Joh. 5. from whence they inferred that he was not of the same Substance The others on the contrary maintained that this passage was to be understood of the Son of God considered according to Humane nature which places him infinitely below the Father and makes him submit even to the death of the Cross but not according to his Divine nature which renders him equal and makes them both to be of one and the same Substance These two sence were hotly maintained by the two Parries each of them challenging the true sence or meaning of Scripture on their side But when the Council having throughly examined this important question had defined the Consubstantiality of The Word making use of a terme which is not found in Holy Writ for the clearer expressing that Truth which she discovered there then was there no more time nor place to doubt what was the lawful sence thereof and there arose an obligation through this definition of believing that that was the true one which was given by the Divines vvho opposed the faction of the Arians The same is certainly to be said upon this occasion especially our present cause being upon much better termy and more strongly provided for by the evidence of the Texts alledged for it When at first the poposition vvas made concerning the Real Presence in the time of Pascasius as Mr. Claude pretends and presently opposition was made as he is pleased to say for at present we will assume nothing but of his free gift there happened a great Contest which grew yet much greater after some time concerning the true sence of those words This is my Body One side maintaining that they did express a Real Presence and the other pretending that they onely signified that that which our Blessed Saviour gave unto his Apostles represented his Body Both parties as we have often taken notice were of the same Church which they acknowledged and owned to be the True Church This Church having throughly examined the business in her General Councils defines a Real Presence and substantial change even to the making use of the word Transubstantiation which is not literally found in the Gospel for the expressing more clearly that verity which she discovered therein and for the efficacious obstructing any other sence which might be given to those words This is my Body From that time forward it was no longer lawful to doubt of the sence of them And by this definition men stood obliged to believe that they were to be understood plainly and literally not metaphorically When there is really place of doubt it is not for particular persons who are at strife to determine the sence of the Text in Dispute but this belongs properly to the Church which is Judge in the case For else there could never be any end of Disputes and God should not have furnished us with any certain means for the finding out Truth when doubts do arise concerning Holy Scripture nor consequently for the clearing those debates which may arise in matters of Religion Which certainly would be the same as to say that he had not provided for the Government quiet and peace of his Church Non quia Canon solus non sibi ad universa sufficiat sed quia verba divina pro suo quique arbitratu interpretantes varias opiniones errorèsque concipiant Atque ideo necesse fit ut ad unam Ecclesiastici sensus regulam scriptueae caelestis intelligentiae dirigatur Common 2. c. antep Cap. Penul It is not as Vincentius Lirientius sayes that the Word of God does not contain all the Verities which we believe but because many presuming to interpret the Holy Text according to their fancy mishape their errors accordingly Thus it becomes necessary upon such occurences to regulate the sence we are to give to Holy Scripture by that meaning which the holy Church gives it And from hence it was that he took occasion some three years after the Council of Ephesus to enveigh so sharply against that desperate presumption of wicked Nestorius who had the impudence to maintain that he alone had the gift of Understanding those Texts of Scripture which he alledged for the authorising his impious blasphemies and that the whole Church represented in that Council had erred grosly for want of understanding them Thus when Disputes arise we ought not to judge of the Doctrine of the Church by that sence which our selves give of Holy Scripture but we must iudge of the true sence of Holy Scripture by the Doctrine of the Church The same in proportion is to be said of the passages of Holy Fathers For it being the custome and order of the Church to advise with them concerning the Judgement she is to give regularly speaking we ought to understand them according to her Doctrine whenever these arises a controversy concerning the meaning of their words which do not alwayes
Communities there are alwayes Courts of Justice which have received full Authority to Judge of Causes and Actions between particular persons When there happens a Sure at Law between two be they of what quality and condition they will even members of the Court it self they are no other than Parties Contesting Plaintiff and Defendant They must also have their Solicitors their Attournies and their Counsil to Plead for them but it is the Judge's business to give Sentence And when Sentence is once given if he who was cast should slight the Decree of the Court and be so bold as to say that he owns it not as legal nor the Court as lawful Judges and that it is He and his Solicitors and Council and those who are his Abettors who constitute a true Court and Seat of Justice I think he would be taken for no better than a Rebel and as Out-law or one that were not in his right wits And those who an hundred years after should dare to say that he had reason to do as he did would be thought to have as little judgement and reason as he Now can it be imagined that God would permit such an irregularity such a fearful disorder in the Government of his Church He has been pleased to give Power and Authority to an Assembly of Pastors who are the Representative of his Church to end all Contests in matters of Faith in such manner as we have already seen It is one this or that may be held or denyed before Judgement given as any one with his Party may think fit But when the Decree is once passed and it comes to be defined by this Church or Representative of the Church what is to be believed concerning the Point controverted he who has lost the cause be he who he will having antecedently to such definition owned that Church to be the True one must not nor cannot now say that it is not the Assembly but that it is he himsef his followers and Disciples who do represent and in reality constitute the True Church He who uses this language and those who take part with him in and at what time soever it does happen can be held for no other than true Schismaticks 8. This is clearly to be seen in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Ecclesiastical History and Protestants themselves will without difficulty grant it as they have already acknowledged it and solemnly professed it in the Synod of Dort The Primitive Church was made up of Jews and Gentile who had received the Holy Gospel It happened as it is recounted in the 15. of the Acts that some of those who had been converted from Judaisme coming to Antioch taught this Doctrine That if those who were of Gentils become Christians were not Circumcised according to the Custome of Moses his Law they could not be saved There fell to be a great Contest and a great disturbance in the Church about the matter St. Paul and St. Barnaby strongly opposing that Opinion and others maintaining it with a great deal of earnestness For the composing the business it was thought fit to send these two Saints and some of those of the contrary perswasion to the Apostles and Priests at Hierusalem to propose unto them the difficulty They failed not in the performance of their charge S. Paul and S. Barnabas relating unto them the favours which it had pleased God to shew to the Gentils by help of their Ministery without the assistance of the Law of Moses and those others especially some of the Pharisees who had been Convertedo urging very hotly Surrexerunt quidam de heresi Pharisaeorum qui crediderunt dicentes quia oportet circuncidi eos c. that it was necessary to oblige them to be Circumcised and to observe the Law of Moses in its full 〈◊〉 Upon this the Apostles assembled a Council at which all those of chiefest note were summoned to be present for the serious examination of the business And having weighed the Reasons on both sides at a large Conference Convenerunt Apostoli Seniores c. Cum autem magna conquisitio fieret c. and St. Peter having first declared himself upon the Point and being seconded by St. Iames with the general consent of the Holy Assembly there passed a Decree which was received by the whole Church in which was defined and declared with the assistance of the Holy Ghost who inspired them for the understanding Scripture that Circumcision was not at all necessary for salvation Visum est Spiritui sancto nobis c. as it had formerly been during the Law of Moses which was now to give place to the Law of Jesus Christ The business being thus concluded this Doctrine became a Point of Faith and those of the Pharisees who remained still obstinate in their opinion and those others who took part with them still pressing for a conformity with the Jews were now indeed true Pharisees in Christianity that is to say people cut of from the True Church however they pretended that she was onely in them and their Party 9. The same may be said of other Councils which have been afterwards held according to the example of that one which is the Model of all the rest Before the Heresie of Arius there was no speech of Consubstantiation That wicked Priest having dared to teach that The Blessed Word though Son of God was not of the same substance with the Father but onely like unto him found many passionate followers of his doctrine even among the Bishops who grounded themselves upon some passages of Holy Writ About which there arose a most desperate Dispute in the Church which caused a general disturbance to the peace thereof For the setling whereof and reaniting mens Spirits in one and the same Doctrine the great Council of Nice was called which did define that The Word was Consubstantial with the Father which was also inserted in the Symbol or Creed When this was done notwithstanding that many Bishops even of those who had assisted at the Council remained still of the Opinion of Arius and had made a strong and numerous Party who stiled themselves the True Church and called Councils amongst themselves they are still held and Protestants generally do even at this day hold them for Hereticks and all those who after so many Ages have followed that Sect are treated with the same stile by them The same is to be said of the Macedonians of the Nestorians Syn. Const Syn. Ephes Sy. Chalced. VI. Synod of the Eutychians of the Monothelites and the like who stand condemned in other Councils For although after their condemnations they protested that they were the True Church slighting the Councils which had Condemned their Opinions yet have they alwayes been accounted Hereticks and are so at this time by Protestants themselves And now if after they had rejected and condemned the Articles of the Arminians in their Synod of Dort those condemned persons should
have made a wilful separation from them and declared themselves new Protestants by a new Protestation that according to and in conformity with Holy Scripture which they onely relyed upon their Doctrine was purely Orthodox and that they were the true Church it is certain they would have either heartily contemned their rashness or commiserated their extreme folly And if they had continued refractory and obstinate in their resolution they would have cut them off as corrupt members from the Body of their pretended Reformed Church And this is not to be wondered at because in this they are agreed as well as we That an Assembly of Pastors convocated by Authority represents that Church of which those persons who were at Debate are members and is acknowledged by them to be the True Church because the only Church before Separation and that it belongs to her to end all Differences it not being in the power of the contestors to refuse submission to her Decrees or to fall off from her calling themselves the true Church at a less rate then being esteemed Schismaticks and people that proceed very irrationally This being so solidly grounded and setled by mutual consent it seems to me we are now in a very ready way to end all our quarrells and reunite our understandings by an application of this undubitable maxime unto the matter in hand according to the Principles of Monsieur Claude himself For he will needs have it as we have already taken notice and in this very knack it is that consists the great Secret of the change he so strongly fancies that there was a time when the True Church had but a confused knowledge of this Mysterie without so much as dreaming of a Real Presence or Real Absence Those who first took upon them as he sayes to maintain a Real Presence were of that Church and those who opposed it were also of the same Church because before Sentence given in the case the Church which was fallen into that confused knowledg had not yet resolved which distinctly and positively Presence or Absence was of obligation to be believed and consequently of what belief soever any one for his particular was there was no separation from her made or intended Afterwards Debates and Disputes increased confiderably and broke out at length into very great heats and violence which forced the said Church to call an Assembly of her Pastors who were her Representatives for the clearing and deciding a Point of so great importance Behold us now in the very same conjuncture of things and upon the self-same terms with the Synod of Dort And it is very certain that that Church in which the followers of Pascasius were and those who according to Monsieur Claude opposed his Doctrine held no Council in the ninth or tenth Age wherein this difference was decided in favour of a Real Absence There is not any one of our adversaries who so much as pretends to this advantage against us I am also satisfied that there was none during that time which did conclude the business by setling the Doctrine of Real Presence We can onely infer from hence that the Church having not as yet declared for either side was in the same state and condition she then was in when both Parties acknowledged her for the True Church And even this gives us sufficiently to understand that those disputes if there were any concerning the Doctrine of Pascasius were not then come to any great height or heat since the Church in which the Parties were did not as yet take any notice of them And certainly it is no easie matter to make it out that there was any considerable Contest concerning this subject during the time of the tenth Age. But when in the eleventh Age those who appeared in opposition to this Doctrine made so much stir and noise as to oblige the Church to prevent the mischief by a seasonable and solemn Judgement then was it that this same Church which before she declared her self was owned for and in reality was lawful Judge in the case did not omit to call a Canonical Council for deciding the matter And which is very remarkable never did hold a more solemn one nor ever did she expresse her self more clearly and more effectually concerning any subject For when Berringarius Arch-Deacon of Angiers who had also wrought upon and gained Bruno Bishop of the same Church unto his Party began to take up and engage for the Doctrine of Iohn Scotus or Bertram which at the first had made no great noise and to maintain it with a great deal of vapouring and busle against the Real Presence two Councils were held in one year Anno 1050. the one at Rome and the other at Vercelles where the Opinion of Berengarius was declared heretical as being contrary to the Word of God and the Book of Iohn Scotus from whence he had taken it raising it a strain higher against the Real Presence was also condemned About some five years after another Council was held at Tours where berengarius himself appeared to give an account of his Doctrine which was examined in his presence and condemned by a Decree made against it to which he subscribed with his own hand abjuring his Error and promising under oath never to defend it more But he breaking his oath and falling again to broach his old Principles another Council of an hundred and thirteen Bishops was solemnly held at Rome where this Arch-deacon was again heard speak for himself also and his Doctrine again condemned not onely by the Council but by himself who publickly renounced and anathematised it according to that famous Formula Ego Berengarius c. de consecr dist 2. which was composed and approved by the whole Council himself having desired it should so be done after he had burnt the Books of Iohn Scotus in full and open Council But he being of a most unsetled spirit and finding much difficulty to quit the honour of being Head of a Party which was highly agreeable to his ambitious humour quickly began again to instruct his Schollers in the old way and that he might make them the more sure to him had the boldness to write against that very Formula which himself had signed with his own hand This was the cause that twenty years after another Council was called at Rome where this poor Relapsed creature being now about fourscore years old did again ask pardon for that miserable relapse he had made into that Error which he now the third time retracted and abjur'd signing a new Formula which did contain in more clear and express terms the Real Presence and the changing of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord. And he signed it purposely in that manner because his Disciples following his example had perverted the words of the other Formula into quite another sence This last time he shewed himself by his constancy to be more man than formerly For he