The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 50
CHAP. 50. How far the Ancient Church was from the belief which is now received in the Roman Church. Obſervations upon the eighteenth Chapter of the Book of Cardinal du Perron.
HIs Majeſty of Great Britain had ſaid, that there is a wide difference between the Roman Church of this time, and that of the time of Saint Auſtin. And truly who ſo will compare the Church from the Apoſtles to Auſtins time with the Roman of our days, will find an extreme difference, and will wonder how the enemy of our ſalvation could work ſo great an alteration.
I. For then the publike ſervice was celebrated at Rome in a known language; as alſo it was in Greek among the Grecians, and is ſtill to this day. In Armenia, the ſervice was in Armenian, in Italy in Latin, becauſe Latin was the vulgar tongue. Neither did they know then what it was to pray to God, and not underſtand ones ſelf.
II. Then(r)Hieron. Prologo Galeato. Et praefatione in lib. Salomonis. Ruffinus in Expoſitione Symboli Concilii Laodicenſis. the books of Judith, Tobit, and Maccabees, were held Apocrypha, not Canonical, as we ſhall prove hereafter.
III. Then(ſ)Aug. l. 2. de doctrina Chriſtiana. Chryſoſt. Hom. in 2 Theſ. 2. & in Pſal. 95. they believed that things neceſſary to ſalvation, were ſufficiently and clearly contained in the holy Scriptures.
IV. Then(t)Chryſoſt. 3. Hom. de Lazaro. Hieron. Ep. ad Laetam. the Paſtors of the Church recommended to the people, Tradeſmen, Huſbandmen, Women, and all, the reading of the holy Scripture.
V. Then(u)Conc. Eliber. Can. 36. Placuit in Eccleſiis picturas eſſe non debere, ne quod adoratur in parietibus pingatur. Auguſt. de conſenſu Evangelico, l. 1. c. 20. Sic omnino errare merentur qui Chriſtum & Apoſtolos ejus non in ſanctis codicibus, ſed in pictis parietibus quaeſierunt. Euſeb. hiſt. l. 7. c. 17. Epiphan. Ep. ad Johannem Ieroſolom. the Councils prohibited to have images in the Church, leaſt that which is adored, ſhould be painted on the Wals. And the Fathers of that time, ſaid, that making images of Jeſus Chriſt was a Pagan Cuſtome; and thoſe deſerve to be ſeduced, that ſeek Jeſus Chriſt in painted wals, inſtead of ſeeking him in the holy Scriptures. So contrary they were to images, that they would tear vails and hangings where there was any image of Chriſt or of ſome Saint. So far were the Chriſtians of the two or three firſt ages from yielding any religious ſervice to images, that the very(x)Clemens Alex. Protreptico. Tertul. in Hermogenem. trade of Painter was held unlawfull and forbidden by God. Tertullian objects it to Hermogenes as a crime and a reproach. How farre were they from making pictures of God and images of the Trinity?
VI. Then in the form of ſervice and publike prayers which were pronounced before the table of the Lord theſe words were ſaid,(y)Ambr. l. 4. Sacram. cap. 5. Fac nobis hanc oblationem aſcriptam rationabilem acceptabilem, quod eſt figura corporis Chriſti. Make that this oblation may be put to our account, reaſonable, acceptable, which is the figure of the body and blood of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Which words have been taken away, and blotted out of the Maſſe to bring in the Tranſubſtantiation.
VII. The Fathers and Councils of that time(z)Tertul. in Marcion. l. 3. c. 19. & l 4 c. 40. Hoc eſt corpus meum, hoc eſt, figura corporis mei. give the interpretation of theſe words, This is my body, that is, This is the figure of my body, and ſay that(a)Auguſt. in Adimantum. c. 12. Non dubitavit dicere Hoc eſt corpus meum, cum daret ſignum corporis …ui. Codex Can. Eccl. Afric. Can. 37. Cypr. Epiſt. in Aquarios. Theod. Dial. 1. & 2. Jeſus Chriſt ſaid, This is my body, when he gave the ſigne of his body; And expound theſe words, the body and the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, by the bread and the wine conſecrated. They ſay that the thing which Jeſus Chriſt called his blood was wine, and that the nature and ſubſtance of bread remains after the conſecration.
VIII. Wherefore alſo in the antient Church they did not adore the Sacrament with cult of Latria; They ſpake not of accidents without ſubject; They beleeved not that the body was whole in every drop of the Chalice; They beleeved not that mice could carry away, or gnaw the true body of the Lord.
IX. Then the people received the Sacrament in their hand, and ſometimes would carry it home. The Prieſt made no elevation of the hoſt, ſhewing it unto the people over his head, turning his back unto them; There was then upon the table not a little round wafer, but a quantity of bread and wine for the whole aſſembly to communicate; The word of tranſubſtantiation was not known, and no more the ſignification now put upon it.
X. Then the conſecration was made, not by theſe words, This is my body, but(b)Origen. l. 5. contra Celſum. Juſtin Mart. Apol. 2. Aug. l. 4. de Trinit. c. 3. Baſil. de Sp. S. c. 27. foreign. by prayer; Not ſpeaking to the bread, but to God.
XI. Then they beleeved that(c)Vigil. l. 4. contra Eutych. Quando in terra fuit, non erat utique in coelo; & nunc quia in coelo eſt, non eſt utique in terra. as the body of Jeſus Chriſt was not in heaven when it was on earth, likewiſe that now that it is in heaven it is no more on earth, and that we apprehend him in beleeving, not in chewing; by faith, not with the teeth or belly.
XII. Then they beleeved(d)Auguſt. in c. 6. Joh. & Tract. 26. in 1 Joh. & libro ſententiarum Proſperi. Qui diſcordat à Chriſto, non manducat carnem ejus. Epiph. haereſi 42. Aug. l. 2. contra Epiſt. Parmeniani. Baſil. Epiſt. ad Amphiloch. that the wicked and unbeleevers do not eat the body of the Lord, although they take the ſigne of it to their condemnation.
XIII. Then the whole faithful people did communicate under both kindes, neither is there ſo much as one example found in all Antiquity of denying the Cup unto the people, or of the holy Sacrament adminiſtred in the Church without giving the Cup to any.
XIV. Then it was not lawfull to women to adminiſter the holy Baptiſm, as it is uſuall now in the Church of Rome.
XV. Then they made no Maſſes without either Communicants or Aſſiſtants, and no Maſſes were ſaid for private men that paid for them.
XVI. For three hundred and fifty years ſince the birth of our Lord, all the Fathers with one conſent will have God alone invocated, and reject the addreſſe of prayers made unto creatures. After that time ſome began to ſpeak of it doubtfully, as Gregory Nazianzen (a)Orat. in Julian. & Orat. de ſorore Gorgon.the firſt Father that ever called upon Saints, and yet he declareth that he doubteth whether the Saints underſtand him.
XVII. Then they beleeved(b)Aug. de Spiritu & anima, & lib. de cura pro mortuis. c. 13 Hier. Epitap. Nepotiani. that the Saints departed know not and underſtand not the things that are done here below.
XVIII. Then(c)Aug. de vanitate ſeculi. tom. 9. c. 1. ſerm. 4. de Conſeſ. mortuorum. ſerm. 18. de verbis Apoſtoli. ſerm. 232. adver. ebrietatem. Lib. de meritis peccat. & de remiſſ. c. 28. Hypognoſt. l. 5. they beleeved that there was but two places for the ſouls after death, paradiſe and hell; and that for him who is not in Chriſt, there is no place left but with the devil.
XIX Then they prayed for the dead that ſleep in peace, that they might riſe to ſalvation, not to fetch ſouls out of Purgatory; The Maſſe it ſelf hath that antient prayer; for there they pray for the dead that ſleep in a peaceable ſleep.
XX. Then they beleeved(d)Tertul. Apol. c. 48. Nyſſe. Orat. 3. de reſur. Chriſti. Chryſoſt. Hom. 39. in 1 ad Cor. that the ſouls ſeparate from the bodies cannot be tormented, and by conſequent they beleeved not the fire of Purgatory.
XXI. Then no Chriſtian what authority ſoever he had in the Church, did boaſt of releaſing ſouls out of Purgatory, and to give Pardons and Indulgences to the dead.
XXII. Then many Prieſts and faithfull Paſtors of the Church were married, and their habitation with their lawful wives was called chaſtity. And ſtill to this day, in the Greek and Eaſtern Churches Prieſts are married.
XXIII. Then they held that S. Peter was the firſt and chief of the Apoſtles, as for honour and precedence;(e)Hieron. lib. 1. in Jo. vinian. Cypr. de unitate Eccleſiae. but that in power and juriſdiction all the Apoſtles were equal.
XXIV. Then they held that the multitude was no mark of the true Church, and that the great number was often on the heretick ſide; And that Hereticks and Seducers are often they that make the greateſt ſhew of miracles, as we have proved before by a multitude of teſtimonies.
XXV.(f)See the Epiſtles of Sidonius Apollinaris to the Biſhops of Gaules. Then the Biſhops that had any authority were called Popes,(g)Irenaeus apud Euſebium Victorem increpat. Epiſt. Synodi Africanae ad Caeleſtinum ſubiecta codici Canonum Eccleſiae Africanae. and writ Remonſtrances to the Biſhop of Rome, and being aſſembled in Council without their leave, writ to him that they did not like that he ſhould ſend them Legats, or take notice of their buſineſſes, or receive any appeal coming from their countreys, and pronounced Excommunication againſt any man who being condemned by the Church of his Countrey, ſhould appeal to Italy. Their election was made by ſuffrages of the people. Cypr. Epiſt. 52. & 68.
XXVI.(h)Formula juramenti Epiſcoporum in Pontificali. Then the Biſhop of Rome exacted not from the Biſhops of Gaules, or Spain, or Greece, or Aſia, an Oath of Allegiance at the time of their reception; They took no letters of inveſtiture from him, They paid no Annats unto the Pope of Rome. They feared not a ſentence of lapſe from Rome upon their Benefices.
XXVII.(i)See the Epiſtles of Leo 1. and other ancient Popes. Then the Biſhop of Rome in his Epiſtles and Decrees took none of thoſe Titles which he aſſumeth now, and called himſelf only Biſhop of the city of Rome.
XXVIII. Then the Patriarchs of Conſtantinople, Alexandria and Antioch, had the care of all the Churches of the Roman Empire, as well as the Biſhop of Rome, and were equally called Heads of the Univerſal Church, and of all the world that is of the Romane Empire.
XXIX(l)Codex Canonum Eccleſ. Africanae cap. 135. Theoph. Paſcha. Epiſtolae. Euſeb. de vita Conſtantini. l. 2. c. 67. Socrat. l. 1. c. 8. Ruff. l. 1. c. 1. Then the Patriarchs of Alexandria ſent to the Biſhop of Rome every year to point unto him Eaſter day; And the Biſhop of Rome accounted it not an injury or a contempt to receive that order from them.
XXX. Then the Univerſal Councils were convocated by the Emperours, who by their imperial Letters called the Biſhop of Rome to the Council.(k)Theodoret de haereſ. c. de Neſtorio. Baſil. ep. 10. Nazian. Orat. de Athanaſ. foreign. We finde not that the firſt Council of Nice was aſſembled by Conſtantine, by the advice of the Biſhop of Rome, or that he conſulted with him about it: It is found alſo, that the ſecond Univerſal Council, which is the firſt of Conſtantinople, was convocated by the Emperour Theodoſius the I. without the advice of Damaſus Biſhop of Rome; And that the ſame Council having met the ſecond year again, Damaſus endeavoured to transferre it to Rome, but could not effect it. In that Council there was not any Legat of the Romane Biſhop, and there without his advice the order of the Patriarks was altered. And ſo for the IV. Council, which was that of Chalcedon, which(m)Leo Epiſt. 23. Omnes manſuetudinem vestram cum genutibus & lacrymis ſupplicant ſacerdotes, generalem Synodum jubeatis intra Italiam celebrari. Can. 28. Concil. Chalced. Leo Biſhop of Rome went about to hinder by humble ſupplications to Theodoſius the II. but he could not obtain it. In that Council, againſt all the efforts of the Legats of Leo there preſent, the Patriarch of Conſtantinople was declared equall unto the Biſhop of Rome in all things; In the ſame manner as the City of Conſtantinople was equall in all things to the city of Rome for the civil. Neither ſhall it be found that before Charlemagne the Popes had Legats in the Councils of Gauls, or that his leave was demanded to convocate them, or that the cauſes of Biſhops were evocated to Rome. That tyranny got footing in France under Carolus Calvus towards the end of the ninth age.
XXXI. Then the Biſhops of Rome were ſubject to the Emperours who have often puniſht, expelled and depoſed them, and often alſo have granted them graces, immunities and priviledges, and have impoſed upon them certain ſums of money for their entry into the Biſhoprick. It was then very farre from the Biſhop of Rome to think of degrading Emperours, and taking crowns from the heads of Kings.
XXXII. Then the Univerſal Church of all the world was not called Romane, and the Chriſtians of Syria or Egypt were not called Roman Catholicks, but onelyonly when by the word Roman the ſubjects of the Roman Empire were underſtood, or the favourers of that Religion which was profeſſed in the Roman Empire.
XXXIII. About the year of the Lord 300 began the profeſſion of Hermites who called themſelves Monachi or Monks, living not in Cities but in Deſerts, and getting their living with the labour of their hands, without any neceſſity of vow. The following ages have added to that profeſſion the vow and the works of ſupererogation, and the counſels of perfection, and divers ſorts of Monaſticall Rules.
XXXIV. In the antient Church they knew not what belonged to Papal Indulgences, They knew nothing of the great Pardons of Rome, nor of the Jubilee, nor of the treaſure of the Church compoſed with the overplus of the ſatisfactions of Jeſus Chriſt and the Saints, nor of the Pardons of ſix hundred thouſand years, nor of the Popes power to draw ſouls out of Purgatory, and to put an interdict upon a kingdom, and diſpenſe from Vows and Oaths, and change that which God hath commanded in his word; Nor of Cardinals, nor of the Court of Rome. For then the Biſhop of Rome was not a Prince, and wore not a Triple Crown glittering with diamonds. He gave not his feet to Kings and Emperours to kiſſe; He boaſted not that he could not erre in the faith. He did not canonize the Saints, and cauſed not himſelf to be adored.
XXXV. Then there was no mention of Gods Feaſt, nor of the Maſſe of ſuch and ſuch a Saint, as now there is the Maſſe of St. Rock and of St. Genoveſa, and of St. Anthony, and of the holy Ghoſt. For of late they have judged it reaſonable that the holy Ghoſt ſhould alſo have his Feaſt. Then the Altars were not conſecrated to ſuch and ſuch a Saint, whoſe Reliques are hid under the Altar.
XXXVI. Then it was an impious language to call the Virgin Mary the Queen of Heaven. They beleeved not her bodily aſſumption into heaven; They did not deferre unto her the cult of Hyperdulia. And the Church of that time gave no charges unto Saints over a Trade, or a Town, or a ſickneſſe,
XXXVII. Then the Roman Indulgences were not in uſe, as Gabriel Biel acknowledgeth(n)Dicendum quod ante tempora beati Gregorii modicus vel nullus uſus fuit indulgentiarum. Nunc autem crebreſcit earum uſus. in the 57. leſſon upon the Canon of the Maſſe, and the Cardinal Cajetan in the Book of Indulgences to Julius de medicis.
XXXVIII. In that time the publike Service war pronounced aloud, and the people anſwered Amen, becauſe they underſtood that which was ſaid. That part of the Maſſe which is called Secreta, was a thing unknown to Antiquity.
XXXIX. The antient Church carefully concealed the matter and the myſtery of the Sacrament, and would not celebrate it in preſence of thoſe that were under penance, or of the Catechumenes. Now Jews and Turks, and Pagans may ſee what is done in the Maſſe, and the Sacrament which they call the Hoſt, is carried in proceſſion through the ſtreets in open view.
XL. Then the Baptiſme was not ordinarily conferred but at Eaſter and Pentecoſt; and the moſt part to avoid the rigour of the penitential Canons, would defer the Baptiſme till they were at mans eſtate, and many even to the hour of death.
XLI. We ſhall ſee hereafter that the whole doctrine, and the whole form of Penitence, and all the Penitentiall Canons of the antient Church are aboliſht in the Church of Rome.
In a word it is now quite another face of the Church, and another Religion. If any of the Chriſtians of the firſt ages did return into the world, he would ſeek the Roman Church in the Roman Church, and ſhould have much adoe to obſerve in it the Relicks of Chriſtianity.
I have been large upon this matter, to be even with Card. du Perron, who in the 18. ch. of his firſt Book quoteth many teſtimonies of the Fathers in the margin, whereby he pretends to prove the conformity of the Roman Church of this time with the Antient. All that to no purpoſe; for who knows whether theſe paſſages be faithfully quoted? or whether the ſame Fathers ſpeak alwaies the ſame language? or whether the words of theſe paſſages be not uſed in a ſenſe contrary to the Authors minde? or whether the ſignification of the words be not changed? (As in effect the words of Pope, Merit, Sacrifice, Indulgence, Maſſe, Conſecration, Prayer for the dead, Satisfaction, &c. have loſt their antient ſignification) Or whether the alledged Books be not ſuppoſititious? Or whether the ſeverall ages have been uniform, and have altered nothing in theſe matters? And after all, they are but men that ſpeak, ſuch men as the Roman Church condemneth in many things, and that will not be beleeved without the Word of God.
In effect, whoſo will examine the authorities quoted in the Cardinals margin, and conſult the authours themſelves, ſhall finde that of thoſe paſſages ſome are taken in a wrong ſenſe, ſome are of ſuſpected Authors, ſome are out of purpoſe, and touch not the queſtion, or they are about trifles and petty ceremonies not worth the ſtaying upon, or that a Father having ſpoken thus hath ſpoken otherwiſe afterwards, and hath retracted his doctrine.
For example, he goeth about to prove by the Fathers, that in the antient Church they adored the Euchariſt, not only with words and inward devotions, but even with geſtures and outward adoration: Upon that he quoteth in the margin Cyrillus of Jeruſalem in the fifth myſtagogicall Catecheſis, which is a ſuſpected book, whoſe ſtyle is different, and more conciſe then the other precedent Catecheſes of Cyrillus, of which we ſhall ſay more in another place. He quotes alſo Chryſoſtome upon the 1. Ep. to the Corinthians, hom. 24. Auſtin upon Pſ. 98. Theodoret dialogo 2. All Texts that ſay not, that the Euchariſt was adored with adoration of Latria. The paſſage of Theodoret is this, The myſticall ſignes do not change nature after the Conſecration, for they remain in their firſt ſubſtance, figure and form, and are viſible and to be handled as before: But they are underſtood to be the things which were made, and they are beleeved and adored as made that which they are beleeved to be.
Theodoret ſaith. That(o)foreign. the myſticall ſignes are adored; He ſpeaks not then of the adoration of Latria due unto God alone; for the ſignes muſt not be thus adored. Beſides, the word foreign which Theodoret uſeth, doth many times ſimply ſignifie to venerate and make obeyſance or a congy. The teſtimony of Auſtin upon Pſa. 98. is this, That none eat this fleſh unleſſe he hath firſt adored it; Where Auſtin ſpeaking of manducation by faith, will have the fleſh of Chriſt adored in the celebration of the Euchariſt, but he ſaith not, Let the Euchariſt be adored. It is one thing to worſhip Chriſt in the Lotds Supper, and another to worſhip the Lords Supper, or to adore the Sacrament which is ſet upon the table; The Father alſo is adored in the Euchariſt, although he be not incloſed under the accidents of bread. Chryſoſtome ſaith the ſame in the alledged place, and will have all thoſe that partake of the Sacrament to worſhip Chriſt, which we acknowledge to be neceſſary. But he ſpeaks not of the adoration of the Sacrament.
In the ſame Chapter alſo to defend the Communion under one kinde, he quoteth in the margin ſuch paſſages as ſay, that in old time they carried the bread home, that it was brought to the ſick, carried upon the ſea, and ſent to remote Countreys. Who ſeeth not that this doth not touch the queſtion? The queſtion is, Whether in the antient Church the Euchariſt was celebrated in the Temple without giving the cup to any of the Aſſiſtants; or whether the cup was ever denied to any of the people that required it, or whether it was interdicted to the Laity, as it is now in the Roman Church.
Alſo for the invocation of Saints, he quoteth in the Margin the book of Ambroſe concerning Widows. But he ſaith not, that the ſame Father retracted his opinion; and that in the oration upon the death of Theodoſius written many years after, he ſaid, that God alone muſt be prayed to, and invocated.
But of all theſe Texts we ſhall ſpeak in their proper place, for the Cardinal brings forth the ſame Texts, and many more in the Chapter, when he ſpeaks of every queſtion by it ſelf.