An answer to the Bishop of Condom (now of Meaux) his Exposition of the Catholick faith, &c. wherein the doctrine of the Church of Rome is detected, and that of the Church of England expressed from the publick acts of both churches : to which are added reflections on his pastoral letter.

THE ADVERTISEMENT TO THE Bishop of Condom's Book Considered.

THE Advertisement begins with a Supposition, which it thinks we must necessarily allow; That M. Condom has faithfully expounded the Doctrine of the Church of Rome in this Treatise, from his beng a Bishop in the Church; whose Understanding there∣fore and Sincerity ought not to be suspected; and after∣wards, from his being called to be Praeceptor to the Dauphin, Son to so great a King, and Defender of the Catholick Re∣ligion. But yet he tells us, Though the sincerer part of the Reformed acknowledged it would take away great Diffi∣culties if approved and owned for their Doctrine; yet they would never believe it such, or that it would be approved at Rome, being prepossessed with Prejudice and false Opinion.

But without reflecting either upon the Bishop's Understand∣ing or Sincerity, we have a great deal of reason to expect he shew us an Authority that warrants him to give us this Exposi∣tion, and declare it to us as the faithful and true Sense, and only Doctrine of the Church; since the Pope hath peremptorily for∣bidden * 1.1 all Prelates of whatever Order, Condition or Degree, to set forth any Exposition of the Doctrine of the Trent-Coun∣cil, reserving it to the Apostolical See: Setting then his Authority as questionable for the present, aside, I am no more convinced by the Nature of the Exposition, that it is the genuine Sense of the Church of Rome, in all points, than those who first saw the Book: Whether it be Prejudice or Prepossession, that blinds my Understanding, will not appear till after the Discussion of Particulars.

Pag. 2. He tells us of two Answers to this Treatise, and that both of them agreed in questioning M. Condom's Autho∣rity to expound the Council, and that his Exposition agrees not with the Decisions of the Council, nor with their Pro∣fession of Faith. Concerning these things I shall determine

nothing till I come to the Particulars.

But whereas he saies, Pag. 3.

That one of them has drawn a wrong Conclusion from those Softnings of M. Condom, to confirm themselves in a better Opinion of the Reformation. I

do not think the Inference altogether so absure as the Advertizer pretends it; for do not they in a great measure justifie the Re∣formed, who call for the Reformation of those Abuses which the Church of Rome herself pretends to condemn, but will not, or has not rectified?

The next Thing it endeavors is to prove, p 4.

That this Ex∣position of M. Condom's is the true Sense of the Church; which is grounded, first, upon the general Approbation his Book re∣ceived throughout the whole Church, testified by Lerters from all sorts of People, not in France only, but at Rome, espe∣cially in Eight Letters concerning it from Cardinals, and others of great Merit.

But, taking it for granted, without any further Examination, That all these Men, by their Approbations of this Book, do consent that this Exposition is the true Sense of the Church, (which is more than need be granted, since some only say it is a Method very ingenious and good to force the Calvinists to con∣fess the (atholick Faith) yet this will not suffice, where there are so many Writers of as great Authority and Eminence in the Church, as any of these, that have, though not perhaps un∣dertook to expound the Council, as this Author; yet to declare and defend a Doctrine much different from this, from the same Council, and in behalf of the same Church: And suppose the Number that approved it, great, yet Cardinal Bona's Letter informs us, that some found fault with it; and those he must mean, of their own Church, when he gives this Reason that he does not wonder at it; Because all Works great, and above the common Level, find Persons still to contradict them. And be the Number what it will, I suppose he will not, as it is not rea∣sonable, seek for the Churches Doctrine by counting Noses.

Then for the Letter of Cardinal Sigismond, which says

the Advertizer, shews how ill grounded that Scruple is against this Exposition from the Pope's Prohibition to explicate the Council.

To me it rather shews how well it is grounded; for his Words are,

Certainly it was never his intention to give the interpretation of the Tenets of the Council, but only to de∣liver them in his Book rightly explicated, in such sort that Hereticks may be convinced; and especially in those things which the holy Church obliges them to believe. Which, if

it signifie any thing, must be, That his Exposition is not an in∣terpretation of the Council, obliging any to believe it as Mat∣ter of Faith, but a Design of explicating it in such sort as he judged useful for convincing Hereticks.

But if this will not content, we have an Approbation from the Pope himself; after which, 'twas needless to mention others, says the Advertizer; and let me add, without which his others signifie little to his Point. The Gentleman calls it

a Breve, wherein the Pope gives his Approbation, and that so express, as to leave no further doubt, and in the most authentick man∣ner that could be expected.

I have considered it, and yet my Doubt is not vanished; and when the least that could have been expected in reason, on Ac∣count of the difficulty of believing it, express'd by the Re∣formed five or six years before the Date of this Breve from the Pope; as also from the Nature of the thing, which being an exposition of Faith, ought to be so received by all, that not one man hold Tenets different from it; as also from the former Pope's Prohibition of all Explication of this Council, is that the Pope should have declared, that this Exposition did perfectly contain the true and whole Faith of the Church in the Points expounded, and that it should be lookt upon as authentick as if made by the Apostolick See it self: We may have that Charity for the Advertizer, as to think its his good desire to have it made authentick, that makes him look upon it as such, and suppresses all his Doubts: But we who desire no less than he, that it were so, have yet some peculiar Reasons to see to our selves that we are not imposed on, and therefore to examine what Authority this Approbation gives it.

All which the Pope here saies to approve it, is no more than this;

That it contains such Doctrine, and is composed in such a Method, and with so much Prudence, that it is thereby ren∣dred proper to instruct, and to extort even from the unwil∣ling, a Confession of the Catholick Faith; but he does not in

all this say, that it is the true and only Sense of the Council. And further,

That for these Reasons he does not only think it worthy his Commendation, but to be read and esteemed by

all. He does not say nor mean esteemed for the only Sense of

the Council; as is plain by the Latine Copy. And further,

We hope this Work by the Grace of God will bring forth much Fruit, and will not a little help to propagate the Or∣thodox Faith.

In all which, he neither declares it for the Sense of the Coun∣cil, nor confirms it as such, nor does any thing to make it au∣thentick; if that be to authorize it as a Truth, throughout the whole Church; which yet is the least that could be lookt for in this Case, for the Reasons given. The utmost therefore that can be made of it, is only, that it has the commendation of his private Judgment for a prudent, useful, good Book, likely to work no small Effects for the propagation of the Catholick Faith: So that this will be no great prejudice to any Proofs that shall be made against M. Condom, where I may attempt, in opposition to him, to shew, that he has not fully given the Do∣ctrine of his Church.

But the Advertizer raising himself on this Foundation, that

this Exposition is as true and as authentick as he pretends it, and laying on this Presumption further, that it has most effe∣ctually served the Ends it aims at; insults over the Reformed

as if the Day was clearly gained; boasting the pretended Victo∣ry not over the Answerers only, but all Reformers.

What particular Advantages he pretends over the Answerers, I meddle not with (wanting both opportunity to procure, and capacity to understand their Books, if French) nor will I be ob∣liged to concern my self with any pretended to be gotten over any Numbers of the Reformed, either for their false Opinions, Doctrines or Concessions, in any Cases, but where the like may seem pretended from like Doctrines or Concessions of the Church of England.

Whether he has such real Cause to Boast, will not appear till the End: But what of his is added to back M. Condom, shall be considered under their particular Heads in the Exposition.

Pag. 18. He goes on to vindicate M. Condom. First, That

he has done well to propose the true Tenets of the Council, and their Church, and distinguish them from those that are falsly imputed to her.

No body will blame his Aim in this; God forbid that any should refuse to hear what may inform them, and remove their Prejudices.

Secondly,

That he has done but just in taking the Doctrine of the Church from the Council of Trent. Nor will any

blame him for this, or require him to justifie the Council from the great suspitions that are justly had of it, for be the Council what it will, it's sufficient for the Exposition, that the Doctrine of it is universally received throughout their Church. Nor shall Father Pont's History, because he here is said to be a profess'd enemy to the Council of Trent, either prejudice me against its Doctrines, or make me call its Decisions ambiguous, without apparent grounds for it.

Thirdly,

That his choice was not amiss in pitching upon those Points from which the subject of the Reformation was taken. But however, if new Matters have been added by

themselves since, which make the distance wider, those may well be added as Obstacles to a present Union: and without re∣flecting on the Bishops sincerity, or accusing him to have on pur∣pose left out the greatest difficulties, it may be allowed me to pro∣duce others so far as they are material to shew that some great Objections are yet in force, and many great Disputes untouched. But whether he has been so faithful to his promise, as to affirm no∣thing to make the Council better understood, which is not ap∣proved of in the Church, and manifestly conformable to it, will appear when the particulars are examined.

There is one thing more that will greatly affect me as well as the other Answers, against whom it's urged, p. 23.

That it's to no purpose to object against this Exposition, the Bull of Pius the Fourth, for that the design of this Book (says the Advertiser) has nothing of those Glosses and Commentaries, which with great reason that Pope condemned; some of which usually fill'd the Margins with their own Imaginations, and gave them for the Text it self, and such, for the conservation of Unity, the Pope was obliged not to permit, nothing of which nature is in this Exposition. But he need not have taken all this pains, if

himself durst have relied on his former proof of its authentick∣ness: yet to make this of any strength, to back what he had said before, he should have told us by what authority he declares what sort of Comments and Glosses the Pope forbids in that Bull, or the Reasons upon which he did it: Let this be one reason; yet what shall hinder but Father Paul's may be another, that it was to withstand the checks which the Council might be said to give to the Papal power, and disable all from using it to the prejudice of the Court of Rome? To believe which we have greater grounds than Father Paul's bare assertion: but much less to believe the Advertiser, since the Bull in express words forbids, not only such

Interpretations, as Comments and Glosses, but all Annotations,

Scholia's, and every kind of interpretation whatsoever: de∣creeing likewise all such as any should attempt to make witting∣ly or ignorantly with or by whatsoever authority void and null.

Whereas in the conclusion, p. 24. he says,

That suppose we call for the Reformation of Abuses, it is one way of sup∣pressing them to shew the Truth in purity, not excluding other means. I shall here take occasion to remember out of

M. Verone, in his Epitome of his Methods, (part of whose me∣thod M. Condom exactly follows) how little we can propose to our selves from these fair pretences of representing the truth in purity towards this effect: which will also shew in part upon what grounds this Doctrine of the Exposition may find that approba∣tion which it has amongst them, and yet be far from being so truly and universally received, as is pretended. This M. Ver∣none is most eminent for the use of this Method, to separate the Decrees of the Council from the Opinions of all particular per∣sons whatsoever, and the Doctrine he would perswade as the Churches sense seems in all things as moderate as this of M. Con∣dom. He says, they do no further honor Images than as they use outward respect to the Bible and other sacred Utensils, and speaks of Transubstantiation, Merits, &c. much after the same moderation, and will not have the Infallibility of the Pope to be matter of the Catholick Faith. And yet this Person, though he * 1.2 declares the Doctrine of their Church in a way fair to appea∣rance, tells us nevertheless, that what other Doctors have said of the Popes Infallibility, and his being the only Judge of Con∣troversies, is true, p. 410. and that himself does hold them as truths, de Fide, p. 425. He tells us likewise in the Chapter en∣tituled, Calumniae ••lutae, That some, not of the unlearned only, but learned too, had clancularly aspersed him, as if he had said it was not matter of Faith, That the Church could not err; That she was not the supream and only Judge; That the Pope was not Head of the Church; That he sought the union of Religion by remitting part of the Faith. The cry of this was so great, that he tells us he set forth a publick Programma in his own vindica∣tion, wherein he declares his assent to those things which he was supposed to have denied, and says they are Veritates Fidei, Truths belonging to the Faith, though not defined by the Council Ipsis∣simis terminis: and that he did not intend by any of his Explica∣tions any such diminution of their Faith, as his accusers mistook him to intend, but only used this as a necessary method to reduce such as were gon astray. He often taxes them to shew wherein he had expresly impugned those Truths which they thought him

to have betray'd, and tells them their oversight lay in this, that when he said such and such Truths were not de fide Catholica, they mistook him, as though he had denied them to be necessary Truths, which he denies himself to have the least implied, and declares his own belief of the Popes Infallibility; adding withal, that the Explication which he had given of himself, in this in∣stance, he would have understood with respect to all the Mat∣ters he had handled, as Transubstantiation, Merits, Images, Adoration of the Eucharist, &c. This he look'd upon, he tells us, p. 315. as the most expedient Method to propose only those Doctrines which the Council expresly commanded to be held, and pass the rest in silence, when they expect to win Runnagates to the Faith, whom if they can bring first to the admission of this, there will be opportunity gained to prevail with them in the rest.

I will not take the advantage given me by this mans fraud, to accuse M. Condom of the like; but only infer in part from hence, that the Doctrine of this Exposition, which differs not from Ve∣rone's, has been look'd on with a jealous eye among themselves, whatever approbation it may have now; and again, that the Gentlemen have no reason to be angry, since themselves have made the detection, if we fear to swallow abait that may conceal a hook.

What was done to remedy those Abuses, which were in vain complained of, will be better justifiable, after examination of the particulars, when we shall be capable to consider on whom the Schism and the miseries consequent upon it may be most justly charged.

I thank the Advertiser, that he forbears reproaches, though he says he could find ground enough for them in abuses that are among us; for which, although I hope he could find but few, yet I shall hold my self indebted to him the forbearance of all In∣vectives, and the silence of those Abuses which shall any way ap∣pear to be disallowed by their Church.

I likewise beg of God that they may read without bitterness, and may that God from whom alone is all success, who knows the progress of Error, and its increase, through mens making his Religion subservient to their own ambition, intrests, and hy∣pocrisies, so effectually touch the hearts of all, that all parties may act and with their utmost strength endeavour all which true sincere Piety and a zeal for God and his glory, free from all other ends and intrests, does oblige them to for healing the Wounds of his afflicted Church.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bulla Pii quarti super Confirm. Concil. Trid.
• * 1.2

  Verone's Epit. 〈…〉〈…〉 Convin. •…•…et.