The Catholick doctrine of the Eucharist in all ages in answer to what H. Arnaud, Doctor of the Sorbon alledges, touching the belief of the Greek, Moscovite, Armenian, Jacobite, Nestorian, Coptic, Maronite, and other eastern churches : whereunto is added an account of the Book of the body and blood of our Lord published under the name of Bertram : in six books.

Second Consequence.

Mr. ARNAƲD's second Consequence is, That the consent of all the * 1.1 Churches in the Doctrine of the Real Presence during the eleven last Ages be∣ing proved, determines the sense of the words of the Fathers of the six first Ages. His Arguments are the same which the Author of the perpetuity already offer'd. That 'Tis against nature, sense, and reason to suppose the same expressions were used for six hundred years space in a certain sense by all the Christian Churches, and that in all the other ensuing Centuries, they have been used in another sense, without any bodies perceiving this equivo∣cation. That 'tis contrary to nature to suppose all the masters of one opi∣nion, and all the Disciples to be of another, and yet still to suppose they followed the sentiments of their Masters.

The first Reflection.

THE Author of the Perpetuity will have the state of the Latin Church in the 11th. Century (when the contests of Berengarius hapned) to deter∣mine that of the whole Church since the Apostles time. Here Mr. Arnaud pretends that the Churches consent since the 7th. Century determines the sense of the Fathers of the six first. We have likewise seen in the 7th. Cha∣pter of his Book that he asserts that to judg rightly of the expressions of the Fathers of the 7th. and 8th. Centuries, we must suppose they constantly and universally believed Transubstantiation and the Real Presence, and that this supposition must determine the sense of their words. What can we think of all these circuits, but that they are illusions, which plainly enough shew that these Gentlemen find but small satisfaction in their inquiries into the first six ages. Were Transubstantiation and the Real Presence apparently taught in them, what occasion would they have of making them enter by machins, and mount up to them from the later Ages. It is then certain that these ways of reasoning, these suppositions and arguments from the bottom

to the top, are so far from persuading us what Mr. Arnaud desires, that on the contrary they do but more confirm us in our opinion, which is, that these Doctrines were unknown to the ancient Church.

The second Reflection.

'TIS consonant to reason to imagin, that in the last Ages the question whether the Eucharist be the substance it self of our Saviour's Body, or not, having been agitated with great heat, those who held the affirmative have abused the general expressions of the ancient Fathers, and endeavoured to turn them to their sense. This is a thing that happens every day in the smallest contests, in which every one desires to set off his sentiments and con∣firm them by passages taken out of the Fathers to shelter himself thereby from the reproach of innovation. It is likewise easie to imagine that those who but slightly apply themselves to the study of Theological Points are soon cheated by false appearances. We see but too many examples of this. It is in short easie to conceive that Disciples may deviate from the Doctrine and sense of their Masters under divers pretences. The Divisions of Chri∣stians in points of Religion have almost all of 'em hapned in this manner, the Disciples were not content to keep pace with their Masters but have went beyond 'em, and often overrhrown their real sentiments under pretence of explaining and illustrating what they said with less perspicuity. When Scholars are become Masters, they no longer look upon themselves as Scho∣lars, but Doctors, and in this quality 'tis no hard matter to comprehend they may have new notions, which they endeavour to establish on the te∣stimony of those that preeeded them; and for this effect take their words in a contrary sense: The people easily receive what their Doctors teach 'em; and as to the Doctors, there needs no great number of them in an ignorant age to introduce a novelty. One single person may sometimes impose on a whole assembly, and engage them into his opinions, which afterwards shall pass for the true Doctrine of the Church.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Book 10. Ch. 2.