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.

CHAP. II.

That the temporal State of the Eastern People since the eleventh Cen∣tury, and the Efforts the Latins have ••ade to communicate to them their Religion, do invalidate the Proof which is pretended to be drawn from their Belief. Mr. Arnaud's Artifice discovered.

HERE is then Mr. Arnaud's first Deceit detected, which consists in the concealing from us the real Condition wherein this People have so long layn, as to Religion, to the end the weakness of his Arguments may lye undiscovered.

The second consists in setting before us several impertinent historical Pas∣sages, on purpose to avert his Readers Mind, from a due Consideration of those things which he knows would prove disavantagious to him. It is with∣out doubt a very disingenuous Artifice, thus to change the natural Use and Order of things, and snatch out of mens Sights the true and important Con∣sequences may be drawn thence, by substituting others which are but mere Amusements. And yet this Mr. Arnaud has done: for not being able to de∣ny that the temporal State of the Eastern People, since the eleventh Centu∣ry, hath very much facilitated the Attempts of the Latins, establishing their Doctrines in those Parts; He thereupon supposes I affirm the Greeks never knew the Latins believed Transubstantiation: and under pretence of opposing this Fancy sprung from his own Brain, he retails out the History of the East, to shew that the Greeks could not be ignorant of the Belief of the Latins touching the Eucharist. I will not insist at present on the little reason he had to charge me with this Opinion; I shall make it appear in the following parts of this Discourse, that this is his Chimera and not mine. I shall only represent here the same historical Passages, Mr. Arnaud has pro∣duced, in that manner wherein they ought to be proposed, to make a right Judgment of this Dispute, and not in that false View wherein he has re∣presented them. In a Word, I pretend to manifest by those very things he has offered and Perverted, That if the Greeks and other Eastern Christians doe believe Transubstantiation, as fully as the Church of Rome, yet does it not thence follow that this Doctrine has bin perpetual in that Church:

seeing they might have received it from the Latins.

FIRST then Mr. Arnaud takes a great deal of Pains to prove, there has bin a frequent Commerce between the Greeks and Latins, for he tells us that Pisa, Venice, Rome, and several other Cities of Italy were full of Greeks, That Constantinople was full of Latins, and Latin Churches; that the Armies were usually made up of Greek, Italian, and French Soldiers, which were continually in great Numbers at Jerusalem, where they communicated in the same Churches from the Hands of the Patriarch, and Priests of that City; That so great was the multitude of Pilgrims, that they administred the Sacrament every Day, that Persons of the greatest Quality, namely Kings, Princes, and Prelates, and La∣dies of the highest Rank, undertook these Pilgrimages, and that Jerusalem was then, that is to say in the eleventh Century, a place whereunto all the Nations of the World resorted.

I shall not now enter into a Debate concerning what he tells us touching the Christians receiving the Communion at Jerusalem, from the Pa∣triarch and Priests of that City. He affirms it without proving it, for there is very little likelyhood that ••ersons of different Churches, who were so greatly divided, would receive the Communion together from the same Person. But be it as it will, I am so far from raising a Contest about this frequent Commerce of the Greeks, with the Latins, that I take it for granted, to the end I may thereby demonstrate to Mr. Arnaud the weakness of his Ar∣gument. For when he shall prove, that the Greeks believe the Conver∣sion of Substances, and adore the Sacrament, he may then well con∣clude against me, that I have bin guilty of Rashness in denying it: but he cannot any ways thereby advantage his Cause, seeing it will remain still to be examined, whether these People did not receive these Doctrines from the Latins, by means of their mutual Commerce since Berengarius was last condemned. What I related in the preceeding Chapter touching the Igno∣rance which hath reigned for so long a time in those Countries, and the foo∣lish Superstitions which were introduced, even without our Knowledg of their Original, will ever render this Supposition probable, it being no diffi∣cult matter to conceive that a Doctrine of this Nature might creep in, in the Dark amongst ignorant and superstitious People, who held a perpetual Com∣merce with others, that make open Profession of this Doctrine.

Mr. Arnaud proceeds farther, and relates the History of the Croisado's to∣wards the end of the eleventh Century, and in the twelfth, for the Conquest of the Holy Land; and this History does well deserve our Notice; For there will result from it these two Truths, the one, that the bad Condition of the Greeks, and other Eastern Christians obliged them, how Proud and Haughty soever they might otherwise be, to a servile Complacency with the Latins, and to an accommodation with their Humours and Interest: And the other that the Latines have not neglected this favourable Occasion, which the Con∣juncture of Affairs then offered them, to establish their Religion in the East.

WE all know in what Condition Palestine, Syria, and Egypt lay, when those of the West went thither. The Saracens had overrun these Coun∣tries from Heraclius his time, that is to say from the seventh Century, and the Power of these Infidels grew formidable to all the World, whilst the Greeks strength continually decayed, whether by the Supinity of their Em∣perours,

or by the horrible Crimes with which the same Emperours disho∣noured their Throne. The Turks, having subdued Persia, overspread the whole East, and possessed themselves of Palestine, Syria, Cilicia, Isauria, Pam∣philia, Lycia, Pisida, Lyconia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Pontus, Bythinia; and moreover of a considerable part of Asia minor, and so greatly terrified the Greeks, as relates Wm. of Tyre, that scarcely did they repute themselves safe within the Walls of Constantinople, altho the Sea was as a Rampire betwixt them. The Christians in the East had already received the Benefit of Char∣lemain's Intercession for them to Aron, under whose Government they then lived. But this lasted not long, for the Miseries into which they fell after∣wards became so intollerable, that towards the end of the eleventh Century, Simeon Patriarch of Jerusalem, according to the Relation of Wm. of Tyre, and James de Vitry, resolved to procure the Assistance of the Latins, and write to Pope Urban the second, and the Western Princes, as well in his own Name, as in that of the whole Church, by means of a French Pilgrim called Peter the Hermit, a Native of the Diocess of Amiens. Wm. of Tyre ob∣serves that in the Conference the Patriarch had with this Hermit, he told him, amongst other things, That they could expect no help from the Greeks, al∣tho of the same Blood with them, and their Neighbours, because they could hard∣ly preserve themselves, having fallen into such a Declension, that within a short time they had lost above half their Empire. In effect, Mr. Arnaud hath him∣self very well observed; that the Emperours of Constantinople finding them∣selves unable to withstand the Turkish Power; implored the Assistance of the Christian Princes in Europe and especially that of the Pope, who at that time was the most Powerful even in Temporals of all Christendom, and that Alexis Com∣nenus sent for that Purpose Embassadors to the Council of Plaisance.

THIS then was the true State of Affairs amongst the Greeks, and other Eastern Christians, which forced them to a great Complyance with the Latins, from whose Assistance they expected their Establishment.

THESE Letters of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the Entreaties of Alexis, together with the Sollicitations of Peter the Hermit, procured the Expedition of the Latins into Syria and Palestine. The Success is known; I shall say no more but that the Christians of that Country, only changed their Masters; for the Lattins setled themselves there, not only as Friends, and Deliverers, but Conquerors, which made all things depend on their Will, for as soon as ever they possessed themselves of Syria and Palestine, they e∣stablished Latin Bishops there, and drove out the Greek Bishops from their Churches that would not yield Obedience to the Roman Church, nor ac∣commodate themselves to its way of Worship. Mr. Arnaud does not wholly accord with me in this. We must imagine, saies he, there was a mil∣lion of Transubstantiators that passed over from Europe into Asia, and made themselves Masters of a great part of these Eastern Provinces. As soon as they took any City, there was established in it a Bishop of the Latin Communion with a sufficient Clergy for the Service of that Church. Sometimes the Christians of the East ranged themselves under his Obedience, and othertimes they were per∣mitted to have a Bishop of their own Choosing. He farther adds, that after the taking of Antioch, there was no other Patriarch established than him that was there before, and that he remained for the space of two Years. That after the taking of Jerusalem and other Cities of Syria and Palestine, there was another Patriarch made, and several Latin Bishops, the Greeks and other Christians of Syria being left at their own Liberty as to their communicating with the Latins.

THIS pretended Moderation of the Latins is first of all refuted by the same Author whom Mr. Arnaud quoted, who is James de Vitry. James de Vitry, saies he, Testifies that the Christians of Syria, who were of the same Re∣ligion with the Greeks, had Bishops of their own. 'Tis not possible for an Author to be cited with less Sincerity; for these are James de Vitry's Words; The Syrians exactly observe the Customs and Ordinances of the Greeks in the Celebration of Divine Service, and other Spiritual matters, and obey them as their Superiours. But as to the Latin Prelates in whose Diocesses they live, they freely affirm they obey them with their Mouths, but not in their Hearts, super∣ficially, and for fear of their temporal Lords. For they have their own Greek Bishops, and would dread neither the Excommunications nor other Laws of the Latins, did they not fear our Lay-men would break off all Trade and Commerce with them. For they say amongst themselves the Latins are Excommunicated. Now where I pray is Mr. Arnaud's Sincerity in thus alleaging James de Vi∣try's Testimony to prove the Moderation of the Latins, who obliged not the Syrians to communicate with them unless they pleased themselves. These Words of his declare the Syrians did still acknowledg their Greek Bishops: But then again on the other hand, that they were constrained for fear of their temporal Lords to acknowledg the Latin Prelates; and render them an external Obedience: which is expresly contrary to what Mr. Arnaud con∣cludes. And yet he has not contented himself with thus alledging James de Vitry, in a contrary Sence, but has made a Principle of it; From whence he draws this Consequence, concerning the other Christians: We ought, saies he, to conclude the same of the other Sects of Armenians, Jacobites, and Nestorians, with which all Syria was at that time filled. This seems to me, to be a too free disposal of Principles and Conclusions.

IN the second place, this pretended Moderation is refuted even by those very Letters which Pope Paschal the second wrote to the Latins in the East, after the taking of Jerusalem, in which he tells them, he has charged his Le∣gate to endeavour the regulating of the Church, which God has delivered by their Hands, and that which should hereafter be delivered by them, to correct whatso∣ever should be found contrary to sound Doctrine, to Plant and Edify whatsoever he judged fitting, by their Assistance; which plainly shews that the Latins, after they had freed these Eastern Christians from the Tyranny of the Infi∣dels, suffered them not to live according to the form of their own Religion, and that in this respect they subdued them to themselves.

ALLATIUS a Latiniz'd Greek, and keeper of the Popes Library, has bin more ingenuous than Mr. Arnaud, for he freely confesses that the Latins established Prelates of their own in the East, and drove out them of the Greeks, when they could do it with safety, and severely chastized Schisma∣ticks and Obstinate Persons. And as to what Mr. Arnaud alledgeth out of Balsamon, That Antioch only excepted, in all other Cities the Latins permitted the Greek Bishops to exercise their Episcopal Functions, altho they had estab∣lished Bishops in the same Places. I have not met with any such Passage in his Nomocanon of the Parisian Edition printed in 1620. Those that publish∣ed it relate this Passage in a Supplement annexed to the end of the Book, and tell us that these Additions are not to be found in any Greek Copy, but on∣ly in the Latin Version of Gentian Hervetus; so that the Truth of this Te∣stimony is doubtful, and Mr. Arnaud that seems to have taken his Quotati∣on from Baronius, ought to have more certainly informed himself. Howso∣ever

it be, Balsamon lived towards the end of the twelfth Century, about a hundred Years after the entrance of the Latins into the East, in a time where∣in their Affairs were in Disorder; for the Infidels had retaken Jerusalem with a great part of those Places which were held by the Latins: So that we need not wonder if the Latins slackned their Rigour towards the Greeks, and so much the less, because it appears by this same passage of Balsamon, that the Infidels gave the same Liberty to the Greek Bishops, to exercise their episcopal Functions in their Dominions.

IT is certain, this Moderation Mr. Arnaud speaks of, is a meer Chimera of his own. For immediately after the taking of Antioch, there were La∣tin Bishops put into all the neighbouring Cities; the Patriarch for some time kept his Dignity, but at length was forced to withdraw to Constanti∣nople, and a Latin Bishop was substituted in his room. After this Dabert Bishop of Pisa was made Patriarch of Jerusalem; Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Cesarea, William Arch-Bishop of Tyre, Adam Bishop of Paneada, and all o∣ther Diocesses furnished after the same manner, as it appears by Wm. of Tyre's Account.

WE may then I think, without farther Trouble, conclude that the La∣tins did not omit so favourable an Occasion of Introducing their Religion and particular Doctrines in the East. We may moreover consider another historical Passage of which Mr. Arnaud makes use according to his ordina∣ry manner, which is to hinder us from beholding the just Consequences may be drawn thence: This History concerns the subjecting of the Grecian Em∣pire to the Latins.

IN the Year 1204. The Latins took by Assault the City of Constantino∣ple, and seized almost at the same time on the greatest part of the Grecian Empire, which they bestowed on Baldwin Earl of Flanders. They kept it fifty eight Years till Michael Paleologus retook Constantinople, and drove the Latins out of Greece. The Greeks were no more moderately dealt with af∣ter this Conquest, than they were after that of the Holy Land. The Latins, saies Leo Allatius, established in the places they Possessed Priests and Prelates of their own, who ruled the Church after their manner, and drove away the Greeks, whensoever they could do it with safety; and as to the Rebellious and Obstinate Greeks, who would not relent and embrace the Truth, they severely punished them, as they had done heretofore in the East, and especially at Antioch. He after∣wards produces the Testimony of an Anonymous Greek Author, which I shall here set down, and so much the rather, because of the Consequence which may be made of this History. Since the Emperor Porphyrogennetu's time, to that of John Batatza's the Latins did nothing else but Plunder Cities and Islands. They expelled the Orthodox Prelates from their Seats, and substi∣tuted Cardinals in their Places who were of the same Belief with them. And this they did at Constantinople, Cyprus, Antioch, and other Cities, and not content with this, they constrained all the People, not excepting the Priests and Monks, to be of their Opinion, and Communion, and commemorate the Pope. They were Friends to those that obeyed them; but as to them that reprehended them, they treated them as Hereticks, and those that abhorred their Communion, were punished openly, even to the making them suffer Martyrdom; and used in the same manner as the Kings and Tyrants handled the Primitive Christians. Witness the holy Monks of the Isle of Cyprus, whom they kept three Years in Prison, because they would not Communicate with them, Inflicting on them all

manner of Torments, and in fine, not being able to make them acknowledg their Doctrine to be good, being possessed with Rage they fastned them to their Horses Tailes, and drew them over Precipices, causing othres to be burnt alive. John their Abbot having remained some time in the midst of the Flames calling upon God, one of these furious Latins struck him down with his Mace into the Fire. And thus did this Holy Man render his Spirit unto his Creator. He farther adds, that the Pope having sent some Monks as Spyes, under pretence of a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, they saw the Patriarch Germain at Nice, who complaining of these Cruelties, received for Answer, that the Pope was troubled thereat, and if the Greeks would send any to make Peace they would be kindly received, It was only, saies he, to deride and impose on us, that they would have us send first to them, as it were to accuse our selves, and acknowledg our Error, which plain∣ly appeared afterwards by their Letters.

BUT to the end, we may not think Leo Allatius, who relates this Com∣plaint of the Greeks, is suspected by the Latins, under pretence that he himself is a Greek by Birth, it will not be amiss to see the Answer he makes. If this Author, saies he, means the Greeks, who remaining fixt to their Cere∣monies, embraced otherwise the Truth, he is mistaaen; For the Latins have bin so far from driving them away, that they have made use of them, as often as they have Occasion. If he means the Schismaticks, and those that maintain∣ed the Errors of the Greeks, he trifles; for how can he imagine, the Catholicks who are so Zealous for the Roman Church, should suffer in a Country, they had Conquered with the loss of their Blood, the Greeks their Enemies and Adversa∣ries to their Faith, to live unpunished? These erronious People must be redu∣ced, being Rebels to their own Faith, not only by simple Banishments, but by Fire and Sword. And this is Allatius his Moderation, which does not well ac∣cord with that which Mr. Arnaud attributes to the Latines.

BUT we need not oppose Allatius against him, we need but hear him∣self, to know whether the Latins did not use all manner of Violences, to settle their Religion amongst the Greeks. After the taking of Constantino∣ple, saies he, the Latins possessed themselves of all the Churches; they establish∣ed a Latine Patriarch, they filled Constantinople with Latin Priests, they cre∣ated a Latin Emperor, who was Baldwin Earl of Flanders, and prosecuting their Conquest in Greece, they brought under their Obedience almost whatsoever apper∣tained in Europe to the Emperours of Constantinople. The Grecian Emperour fled into Asia, having but three or four Cities left him, which were all that for a long time remained under the Obedience of the Greeks. Behold here then all Greece subdued not only to the Temporal Authority of the Latins, but likewise to the Spiritual Authority of the Popes. He adds a little after, that the Popes Legats used such hard and rigorous Courses to constrain the Greeks to Communicate with the Pope, that at length the Emperour Henry, Baldwin's Suc∣cessor was forced to take them off mauger the Legat Pelagus. He tells us like∣wise in another place, that Greece was at that time filled with Dominicans, and Fryar Minorites, that is to say, Inquisitors as he himself calls them, who had often performed this Office in France, and Germany, and signalized themselves by punishing an infinite number of Hereticks, who made it the greatest part of their Skill to discover them, and a great part of their Piety to have them se∣verely Punished, that these Inquisitors were in several places Masters of the Greeks, and were ordered by the Pope to Confer with them, and examine their Doctrine.

WERE not them of the Church of Rome fully perswaded of Mr. Ar∣naud's good Intentions towards them; these historical Passages he has of∣fered, were enough to make him suspected. For this deplorable Conditi∣on of Greece and all the East, and the violent Means the Latins here used to plant their Religion, for several Years together, that is to say, for near two hundred Years in the East, and fifty eight in Greece, might well introduce amongst these People, the Belief of a substantial Conversion, and there is methinks, more reason to admire, if this has not hapned, than if it hath.

WE are not yet gotten to the end of Mr. Arnaud's Histories. He tells us three things worth our Observation. The first is, that altho Constantino∣ple was retaken from the Latins by Michael Paleologus, yet they kept still seve∣ral places in Greece, and even whole Provinces, as Achaia. Secondly, that the Latines were still Masters of divers great Islands, as Cyprus, Crete, Eu∣beé Rhodes, and divers other Places. Thirdly, that the Necessity the Emperours of Constantinople lay under of obtaining the Assistance of the Western Princes, caused them to keep a continual Correspondency with several of them, and to be in sundry particulars subservient to the Latins which remained at Constantinople, so that there was always a great number there, who made Profession of the Romish Religion. Here is then the Latins again not only mixt with the Greeks in their ordinary Commerce; but in several places their Lords and Masters, and in a fit Capacity to make them receive their Religion.

LEO Allatius, tells us likewise that, when the King of England had Pos∣sessed himself of Cyprus, and given it to the King of Jerusalem, that he might return home, the whole Country was immediately filled with Priests and Latin Bishops, to bring over the People to Piety and Orthodoxy.

WHEREUNTO Mr. Arnaud Consents, and saies, That they were more rigorously handled for their Religion in Cyprus, than in Greece, that se∣veral Greek Authors have grievously complained of these Cruelties; and that Germain the Patriarch of Constantinople, residing in Asia, most pathetically laid open their Sufferings to Pope Gregory the ninth.

FRYAR Stephen, a Portugais, in his History of the Kingdom of Cyprus, Relates that altho Guy de Lusignan, was King of Jerusalem, yet was he forc'd to be contented with being King of Cyprus. He brought along with him seve∣ral Greeks, Armenians, Coptites, Maronites, Jacobites, Indians, Nestorians, Iberians, and Georgians, who would not acknowledg the Romane Prelacy, each of these having their own Patriarch. 'Tis true, saies he, that the Kings of Lusignan would not permit their Bishops to exercise any Jurisdiction over them, but ordered they should only administer to them the Sacraments, leaving the Over∣plus to the Jurisdiction of the Latine Arch-Bishop, to whom these Nations in this respect were Subject. He likewise Relates, that about the same time, there was published the Revelation of Jesus Christ to St. Bridget, in which our Saviour himself exhorted the Greeks to submit to the Roman Church. Let the Greeks know, (these are the Words,) that their Empire, Kingdoms, and Lordships, will never be in Peace and Security, but always subject to their Ene∣mies, from whom they will continually receive exceeding great Dammages, and perpetual Miseries, till such time as they submit themselves to the Church of Rome with a true Humility and Charity, obeying its Holy Constitutions, and

Ceremonies, and wholly conform themselves to her Faith. And after this manner did they make Heaven and Earth meet, to cause these People to change their Religion.

WE may then I think plainly enough see, that it has not bin the Latins Fault, if the Greeks have not received their Doctrines, from whence it fol∣lows that if it dos appear they have from that time Believed Transub∣stantiation, and it not appearing they held it before, we may then rea∣sonably conclude, they received it from the Latins. This is a Consequence which follows naturally of it self. The Testimony of the Greeks cannot be any longer produced as that of the pure Greeks, after so many endeavours to make them embrace the Doctrine of the Church of Rome, and the more Mr. Arnaud strives to prove the Entercourse of these two Nations, the greater hold he gives us to contest with him the Advantage he pretends to have obtained from hence. But he uses an admirable Expedient, to hinder us from minding this Consequence. For having seen on one hand, that these Histories were too well known, to be passed over wholly in Silence; and on the other, that if he should sincerely produce them as they are in them∣selves, they would certainly make for our Advantage, as it hath bin already observed; he has thereupon bethought himself, and presented them in ano∣ther kind of Dress, whereby he may insensibly turn aside his Readers Minds, and amuse them by an agreeable Diversion. And to this end has thought good to suppose, I denyed the Greeks knew what was the Belief of the La∣tins, and to employ all these historical Passages in opposing this Phantastical Supposition, that is to say, in manifesting the Greeks could not be ignorant of the Belief of the Latins touching the Eucharist, I shall make appear in its proper place, that this is but a vain Pretence, and a meer quibling on Words, which he has designedly taken in a Sence contrary to my meaning. Where∣fore I here declare it never entred into my Thoughts to deny, what he makes me deny. For this is an Invention he has used on purpose to conceal his in∣direct dealing.

Notes

• L. 2. C. 8. P. 172.
• L. 2. C. 10.
• Guilliel. Tyr. Bell. Sacri. Lib. 1. C. 1.
• Idem L. 5. C. 9.
• Idem. L. 1. C. 2.
• Gill. Tyr. L 6. C. 11. Jacob. de V••••r. Hist. Orient. C. 16.
• P. 192.
• L. 2. C. 10. P. 193.
• Ibid.
• Hist. Orient. C 75.
• Ibid. P. 194.
• Baron. ad ann. 1100.
• De Eccl. Oc∣cid. & Orient. Perp. Consens L 2, C. 13.
• Ibid. P. 194.
• Guilliel. Tyr. L. 6. C. 23. & L. 7. C. 8. & L. 9. C. 15. & L. 10. C. 16. & L. 11. C. 12. & L. 1. C. 2••. & L. 15. C. 11.
• De Eccl. Occ. & Orient. Perp. Consens L. 2. C. 13.
• Ibid.
• Ibid.
• L. 3. C. 1.
• L. 3. C. 7.
• L. 3. C. 7.
• De Perp. Con∣sens. L. 2. C. 15.
• L. 3. C. 1. P. 256.
• General Hist. of the Isle and Kingdom of Cyprus. Fol. 71.
• Ibid.
• Ibid.