concerning the Eucharist where they say it is contained They are not then there according to his principle Perhaps he will say that our preoccupation hinders us to perceive what seems to him so clear and natural but besides that we will say the same to him we will oppose to him so many millions of Christians of the East and West who for so many preceeding Ages believe the Real Presence and who never perceived that metaphorical and figurative sence We will oppose to him Luther whom Zuinglius considers as one Eye of the Protestant Church Vnum Corpus sumus Caput Christus est alter oculus Lutherus est Zuing. Tom 2. f. 359. who could not perceive this figurative sence be so much desired to incommodate the Papacy with and who was so far from being preoccupied against this figurative explication that on the contrary he had a violent inclination leading him towards it as he declares himself by these words which he adds in his Letter to those of Strasbourg Prohdolor plus aequo in hanc partem propensus sum Mr. Claud then must avow that his belief concerning the Lords Supper is not in holy Scripture seeing we do not perceive it there and seeing so many millions of Christians never found it there I conclude therefore that he is mistaken with all those who imagines as he does that there is nothing so clear and natural as his figurative sence in the Words of Jesus Christ So horrible a mistake in these Gentlemens measures should indeed convince them that all their Arguments must be false and all their ways deceitful And I see nothing more unreasonable than wilfully to continue to follow Guides who draws them so far away from the nature and true rule of Expressions For seeing that the true meaning of the Words of Jesus Christ is doubtless that which he intended to signifie by these words and that the sence in which they were to be taken was not unknown to him can it be doubted that he had the intention to express the meaning in which these words have been actually taken by all the Christians of the World for so many Ages by-gone rather than that in which they were understood by a small number of Berengarians in the Eleventh Age whose Ring-leader did thrice abjure his Doctrine as an Heresie and by a few Sects of the late Age who mutually condemn one another of Errour and Impiety viz. the Socinians the Anabaptists the Quakers the Independents the Calvinists c. I know well that Mr. Claud pretends that the Believers of the first eight Centuries which he calls the fair days of the Church Answer to the Treatise part 2. chap. 3. p. 295. during which he says errour durst not appear did understand the words of Jesus Christ in the sence those of his Religion understands them But we have now right to suppose the contrary as a matter beyond debate because we have proved it in so convincing a manner in the last two Tomes of the Perpetuity that he has not been able to answer to it and we have so secured the proofs of Catholicks from the Cavils and Subtilties of the Ministers that it is impossible they can obscure them But though we had not shewn as we have done in these Works that the Believers of these first Ages had no other Belief concerning the Eucharist but that which we have at present it is enough to have shewn by unquestionable proofs which are reduced to a compend in this Book the union and agreement of all Christian Societies for so many Ages in the belief of the Real Presence because that union and agreement decides instantly the sence of Tradition in letting us see that seeing this Doctrine could not be established by Innovation it must be the original Doctrine of the Church and consequently that the Believers of the first Ages had the same belief concerning this Mystery as those of the following Ages SECT 9. The Argument of the Perpetuity serves also to decide the Controversie concerning the meaning of the expressions of the holy Fathers in matter of the Eucharist THe Argument which proves the Agreement of all the Eastern Societies with the Roman Church in the Belief of the Real Presence for so many Ages does not only shew us Tradition concerning the literal sence of the words of Jesus Christ It also decides instantly the Controversie we have with the Protestants concerning the meaning of those expressions which are found so frequent in the Books of the holy Fathe 1. Tertul. contra Marc. c. 4. Euseb Caesar in Parall Damasc l. 3. c. 45 Cyrill Hierosol 4. Catech. myst Greg. Nyssâ— de Babâ— Chrâ—sti Aug Serm 87. de divâ—â—sis citat à Beda â—n Epist ad Corinth c. 10.2 Gaud. tract 2. in Exod. 3. Greg. Nâ—ss Orat. Catech. Amb. de init c. 4. Cyrill Catech. 4. myst Euseb emiss Sssrm 5. de Pasch 4. Justin Mart. Apol. 2. Iraen l. 4. c. 4. Theoph. Antioch 6. Chrys Hom. 83. in Matth. 7. Aug. Ep. ad Janua 2. Optat. That the Bread is made the Body of Jesus Christ 2. That of Bread and Wine are made the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ 3. That the Bread and Wine are changed converted and transelemented into the Body and Blood and in to the Substance of the Body of Jesus Christ 4. That they are the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ after the consecration 5. That we are made partakers of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ 6. That we touch and eat the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ himself 7. That the Body of Jesus Christ enters into the mouth of Believers 8. That his Body and Blood dwells upon our Altars That it is the proper Body of Jesus Christ That we receive truly his precious Body That it is truely the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ This Controversie consists to know if these words and innumerable others like them which are found in the Books of these holy Doctors ought to be taken in the proper and literal sence as the Catholicks maintain or if they are to be understood in a figurative and metaphorical sence as the Ministers pretend Now this Question is decided by the Agreement of all Christian Societies in the Article of the Real Presence since the Apostles it being they could not believe that Doctrine unless they had taken these expressions in a proper and literal sence I know that Aubertin strives to elude all these passages of the Fathers which the Catholicks make use of to prove their Doctrine by proposing other passages which seem like to them and which both in Scripture and in Fathers are taken in a metaphorical sence And I must avow that if in this point he shews no great exactness of Judgment at least he lets us see he is a man that has read very much for that collection he makes of Expressions seeming like to those he would explain could not have been done without a great deal of labour And I may say
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
of these Kings of these Princes and Princesses they make no mention of their particular Devotion to the Real Presence nor of the care they had to establish it more and more among the faithful And yet according to Mr. Claud these Princes ought to have had a great hand in that Innovation no less than the Pope and the Bishops seeing that to make it the more credible he supposes Pascasius his Doctrine ought to have been establisht by the help of Violence and Authority But it was found altogether established then when Berengarius proposed his figurative Sence So there must have been before Berengarius either Princes or Popes or Bishops who employed Violence or Authority to set it in that height of credit it was found in before Berengarius appeared How comes it then that in so many Histories Annals and Lives of holy Bishops nothing of all that is to be seen The prodigious silence of so many persons on a matter so important as the universal change of Belief which could no have come to pass without the participation of all these he speaks of will stand for a most evident demonstration to all judicious persons there being no method more convincing to prove Negatives of this kind for it ought not to be pretended that these Authors should have prophesied that there were to come Men so audacious as to assert that the whole Church had changed her Faith during this Age or that they were obliged to belye before-hand so ridiculous an Imagination I pretend then that the Minor is most clearly proved in respect of the first time that is to say the impossibility of a change whereof no trace should have remained which the Calvinists must pretend to have been made in all the Churches of the World from the end of the Ninth to the beginning of the Eleventh Age is most solidly demonstrated There remains then no more but to prove the second part of the Major that is the unanimous agreement of all these Churches at this present time And the second part of the Minor to wit That it 's impossible they should be found at present in this union by an insensible change as to the Faith of the Eucharist which should have hapned in all the Churches of the East in the time that has run since Berengarius till now And this is a thing more easie because the truth of things nearer to us is discovered SECT 6. Proofs of the Major in regard of the present time that is to say that the Eastern Churches especially the Greek Church are of the same Faith that the Roman Church is concerning the Eucharist I Cannot tell if ever there was a matter of fact proved by so many pieces and irrefragable Testimonies as the Agreement of the present Eastern Church with the Roman in the Belief of the Mysterie of the Eucharist that is of the Real Presence Transubstantiation and Adoration They are all to be seen some in the First Tome of the Perpetuity Book 12. others in the first Book of the General Answer and more at length in the Thrid Tome Book 8. Where they are found altogether marked at the end in a Table which here follows For the Greek Church of the Patriarchate of Constantinople A Writing of a Nobleman of Moldavia concerning the Belief of the Greeks entituled Enchiridion sive stella Orientalis Letter of M. Olarius concerning the Belief of the Muscovites and Armenians Extract of a Synod held in the Isle of Cyprus in the year 1668. Attestation of a Priest and Canon of Muscovia and of three other Muscovites in the Ambassadors Train concerning the Belief of their Nation Confession of Faith required by Methodius from Doctor Cicada Extract of the Book of Agapius Monk of Mount Athos entituled The Salvation of Sinners Attestation of eight Superiors and Monks of Mount Athos Attestation of Methodius Patriarch of Constantinople Attestarion of the Superior of Mount Athos concerning Agapius Attestation of seven Archbishops of the East Attestation of the Church of the Ifland of Anaxia Attestation of the Church of the Isles of Cephalonia Zacynthus and â—â—thaca Attestation of the Isle of Micone Attestation of the Isle of Milo. Attestation of the Church of the Isle of Chios Attestation of a Superiour and the Monks of the Monastery of Mauromale Letter of M. Panjotti Attestation of the Patriarch of Constantinople of three other Patriarchs preceeding him and of the Metropolitans of that Patriarchate Attestation of the Churches of Miâ—grelia Colichis and Georgia Attestation of the Vicar Apostolick â—esident at Constantinople Attestation of M. Casimir Resident â—t Poland Attestation of M. Quirino Refident â—f the Republick of Venice Attestation of M. Fieschi Resident of Genoa Attestation of the Ambassadors of â—he the Republick of Ragusa Attestation of the Community of â—he Perots as well Supetiours as Offiâ—ers Attestation of M. Taisia on the â—eath of his Son communicated by the Greeks Extract of some Decisions of the Church of Constantinople sent to the Russians The Answer of Marcus Donus of â—he Isle of Candia sent to Mr. Claud. Attestation of the Monastery of St. George Extract of the Treatise of Meletius Syrigus against Cyrilius Lucar For the Greek Church of the Patriarchate of Alexandria Extract of a Letter of the Patriarch of Alexandria sent to Constantinople For the Greek Church of the Patriarchate of Antiochia Profession of the Faith of the Greek of the Patriarchate of Antiochia concerning the Eucharist Condemnation of the Calvinists by Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia oâ— the Greek Nation A new Condemnation of the Calvinists by the Grecian Church of the Patriarchate of Antiochia under the Patriarch Neophilus signed by the Patriarch Archbishops Curats Priests Deacons and others Apology of Sotericus Panteugenâ—â— to the Patriarch of Antiochia and to thâ— Council concerning the matters oâ— which he was accused For the Grecian Church of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem Letter of Nectarius Patriarch of Jerusalem to Paysius Patriarch of Alexandria Extract of a Synodical Treatise composed by Docitheus Patriarch of Jerusalem and by a Synod at the Dedication of the Church of Bethlehem signed by sixty two Archbishops Bishops Abbots Curats and other Ecclesiasticks Extract of the Treatise of Elias Patriarch of Jerusalem concerning the Mysteries drawn from an Arabick Manuscript of the Kings Bibliotheck For the four Patriarchs together A Book entituled The Orthodox Confession of the Oriental Church approved by the four Patriarchs Approbation of the second Edition of the same Book For the Maronites Act or Treatise of the Marionites of Antiochia concerning the Faith of their Churches For the Armenian Church Attestation of the Armenian Patriarch who is presently at Rome concerning the of Belief the Armenians in matter of the Eucharist Attestation of Vscanus Bishop of St. Sergius in the Greater Armenia given at Amsterdam Attestation of the Patriarch and of several Priests and Armenian Bishops residing at Alippo Attestation of the Patriarch of Ermeazin concerning the Belief of the Armenians Attestation of
that all of them suffered it without any resistance to be introduced in the whole World. He must also shew it possible that all these Missioners who conversed amongst these People and who knew them to be infected with the Errour of Berengarius who all lookt upon this Errour as a damnable Heresie who instructed them carefully on this point who saw their Doctrine received by some and rejected by others could all without any apparent reason observe a silence on this point so Religious that none of them accused these Nations of the Errour of Berengarius none inserted it into the Catalogue of their Heresies none gave notice thereof to the Popes none of them made any Books for their Conversion none used any rigour against those who refused to believe the Doctrine of the Real Presence how great power soever he had to use it That none in any Book made ostentation of the success of his preaching on this point none is found to admire that astonishing aliance of so extraordinary a docility to receive this Doctrine with so inflexible opiniatorness to reject all other Doctrine inculcated to them and that finally they all conspired to deprive us of the knowledge of so great an event This is what Mr. Claud should have undertaken to perswade possible if he would have destroyed that consequence which he impugns in the Title of that second Book and which he establishes by the whole Book it self But as he durst not so much as attempt it there needs no more to renverse all that Book but to shew him what he had to prove and to make be observed that the mixture of the Missioners and the power of the Latins over the Greeks and other Oriental Christians proves very ill that they could make them receive the Doctrine of the Reaâ— Presence with these circumstances but proves perfectly that it is impossible on one hand they should not have discovered that Errour in the Greeks and other Eastern Christians if it had been amongst them and yet less possible on the other hand that they should not have upbraided it to them and endeavoured to root it out if they had discovered it Whence it follows that never having done it by Mr. Claud's own confession they must have been altogether free of it It 's the only rational conclusion can be drawn from the matter of fact alledged by Mr. Claud in his second Book and it were to lose time to refute it after another manner There needs no proof to establish a matter which Reason perceives with so great evidence SECT VIII Some Consequences which may yet bâ— drawn from this Argument and which necessarily follows from the agreement of all Christian Societies in the belief of the Real Presence and Transubstantiation which iâ— proved in this Book AS the Scope of this Book was only to illustrate more the Prooâ— of the Perpetuity of the Faith of thâ— Church concerning the Eucharist 〈◊〉 think it fit to set down here some Consequences which springs from it and somâ— clearing which may be drawn from it tâ— overturn the Arguments of the Calvinists and to fortifie the Proof of the Catholicks The first of these Consequences iâ— so much the more considerable that iâ— ruines instantly the chief Objections oâ— Protestants and cuts off innumerable important Contestations which overcharging the Understanding makes it â—ose the sight of Truth These who are acquaint with the manner how the Protestants impugns the Doctrine of the Church concerning this Mystery knows their strongest endeavours are employed to turn to their own sence the Words by which Jesus Christ did institute it and to this they strive to reduce the Question They make long Treaties composed of many Metaphysical Arguments to find their own Opinion in these Words This is my Body they employ long Discourses to explain every Term The Word This the Word Is the Word Body and all that aims to perswade that these Terms are not to be taken in a proper and literal sence but ought to be understood in a Figurative and Metaphorical sence by supposing that Jesus Christ intended only to teach us by them that he made the Bread the Figure of his Body As there is nothing less certain than these Arguments which have no other but obscure Principles so they agreed not among themselves but only in the design of impugning the Doctrine of the Church And when the Question was to explain the meaning of these Words they fell into the confusion of innumerable different Explications which Luther reduces to seven and compares to the seven Heads of the Beast in the Apocalypse * Habet sacramentaria secta jam ni fallor sex capita uno anno nata mirus spiritus qui sic dissentiat sibi Carolstadii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuit una quae cecidit Zuinglii est altera quae cadit oecolampa dii figuratum Silesia quae cadit Cecedit quarta Carolstadii qui sic verba disposuit quod pro vobis traditur est corpus meum Quinta surgit jam stat in Silesia Hi omnes spiritus invicem diversi argutis dimicant diversis omnes jactant revelationes precibus lacrimis impetratas Luth. Ep. ad Spalatinum clasis 2. locor comm cap. 15. pag. 48. some have placed the Figure in the Word Is others in the word Body some have put one kind of Figure in them some another kind and by the different Shuffling together of the Explications they have given to every one of the Terms they have produced an extream great variety of different meanings Carolstadius will have the word This to relate to the Body of Jesus Christ which sate at the Table Zuinglius rejects this Explication and will have Jesus Christ to have given no more but a simple Figure of his Body Calvin rejects Zuinglius his sence no less than Luther's and maintains they are both in the wrong Treatise of the Supper at the end Socinus rejects Calvin's sence and the Quakers rejects them all These differences and variety of Opinions are inevitable as often as men will regulate by Philosophical Reflections and Arguments these matters whereof they should judge by simple impression and good sence One is dazled and loses himself in these Metaphysical Cogitations and ceases to understand what he understood before and that which breeds no difficulty to those who play not the Philosopher and follows simply Nature and common Sence in the signification of the Terms becomes obscure and inexplicable when it 's made the object of these kind of speculations Many Examples of this might be given but for brevities sake they are omitted Certain it is when Jesus Christ pronounced these Words This is my Body he spake not to be understood only by Philosophers and Metaphysicians one the contrary they are the last to whom he would allow the understanding of these Divine Vereties because their ways are most opposite to the ways of Faith. He designed that his Religion should be followed by multitudes