The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 21 (Tonneins) · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Expedients for reuniting the Chriſtian Churches, which have ſhook off the Papa Yoak, and for compoſing the differences, which are already riſen, or may hereafter riſe up amongſt them offered and propounded to them.
1. WE muſt lay down this as a foundation-principle, that to endeavour an Union and Agreement between the Churches is a moſt uſeful, pious and neceſſary work, and very feaſible. As to its poſſibility, we ſay, that ſuch an Union cannot be effected without the concurrence, aid, aſſiſtance, and conduct of thoſe Soveraign Princes, who have withdrawn themſelves from the obedience of the Pope: among whom his Majeſty of Great Britain, as being the Chiefeſt, and moſt Potent Monarch, of a moſt clear anti piercing Judgment, and moſt affectionately inclined hereunto, can moſt effectually promote and advance it.
2. This being preſuppoſed, we conceive that ſome certain place ſhould be choſen of ſafe and convenient acceſs, whereunto two Divines ſhall be ſent by his Majeſty, and two from the Churches of France, and two from the Low Countries, two from the Cantons of Switzerland, and one or two from each of the German Princes embracing and profeſſing our Faith.
3. Zealand in our opinion would be the moſt commodious place for ſuch a Treaty, which is as it were the fore-door of England, and eaſily to be aborded by the Meſſengers of the reſpective Princes and Churches.
4. And when they meet at this place, let there be no diſputes about Religion: for when once the Spirits are inflamed, there will be no yielding on any ſide, and all parties will return homeward with the imaginary Triumphs of their own Victories. Wherefore it were better to lay before them on the Table the ſeveral Confeſſions of the Reformed Churches of England, Scotland, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the Palatinate, &c. And that out of all theſe Confeſſions there might be framed one in common to them all, in which divers Points may be omitted, the knowledge whereof is not needful to our everlaſting happineſs. Among which the controverſie moved by Piſcator, and ſeveral ſubtil opinions lately broached by Van-Armin, about free Will, the Saints Perſeverance, and Predeſtination, may be reckoned: It being a moſt certain Truth that all the Errors in Religion have ſprung hence, that men would either know too much, or have too much, that is to ſay, either out of curioſity, or from their avarice and ambition. 'Tis this laſt Sin that hath corrupted and ruined the Church of Rome. But yet Satan doth uſe his utmoſt endeavours by the firſt to corrupt ours. However could we but gain that authority and power over our ſelves ſo as to ignore divers matters, and to reſt contented with points only neceſſary to Salvation, we ſhould have gone a great and good part of the way, and made a conſiderable progreſs in our WORK of UNION.
5. This Confeſſion being once prepared, it muſt be ſubſcribed not only by the Deputies then and there preſent, but alſo by the ſeveral Princes, and by our National Synod. And let this Canon be enacted, that if any controverſie ſhould hereafter be moved either in England, France or Germany, in the Low Countreys or Switzerland, nothing ſhall be concluded or decided, much leſs innovated in or about it, without the general conſent and concurrence of all the Provinces, that have ſigned this Agreement.
6. 'Tis probable that thus far we ſhall meet with little or no oppoſition. The Parties treating being the Reformed Churches, agreeing in the fundamental Articles of Faith, only diſſenting from one another in the quillets of Ceremonies, and Church-Government.
7. Concerning which Ceremonies and Church-Diſcipline a mutual Declaration ſhould be made, and added unto the ſaid Confeſſion, by which the ſaid Deputies, in the names of their Principa's, do declare, that the Churches ſhall not judge nor condemn one another for this difference; it not hindering our mutual Agreement in the ſame true Faith and Doctrine, and that for all this we may cordially embrace each other as true Believers, and Joynt-Members of one and the ſame Body.
8. It were fitting that after this Conference had, as a pledge of their mutual Concord the Lords Supper were celebrated, wherein the Paſtors from England, and the other Nations ſhould all mutually communicate together, and that Sacred Feaſt ſhould commence with a moſt Religious Faſt, not only to be obſerved by thoſe Deputies, but alſo by that particular Church, where this Synod ſhall be aſſembled, that ſo the aſſiſtance and bleſſing of God may be prayed down upon this holy and important work.
9. Let ſuch Deputies be choſen whoſe tempers lead and bend them unto this noble deſign; that is to ſay, let them be ſuch as are peaceable, grave, and men fearing God, prudent, and not contentious; let them come furniſhed with full power, and with ample Letters of Authority to proceed in this great and good work, and let this be couched in the ſame Letters of Commiſſion, that their Principals who ſend them do ſincerely promiſe to receive with all poſſible reſpect the Concluſions of this Aſſembly, and that they will by all juſt and lawful ways ſee them obſerved. And during the Seſſion of this Synod, let there be unanimouſly publiſhed in all the Provinces a General Faſt, in order to the deriving down the bleſſing of God Upon it, und to touch the hearts of the people with reſpect and reverence for it.
10. During the ſitting of this Aſſembly, it were ſit that Meſſengers ſhould go and come from His Majeſty of Great Britain, that ſo nothing might be concluded in it without his Advice and Authority; and that as ſoon as the Conference ſhall be ended, the whole body of this Aſſembly ſhould paſs over into England, to make tender of their Duty to His Majeſty, and to thank him, and receive his ſage Advice about the means of reducing into practice their Synodical and Paciſick Counſels and Concluſions.
11. It will be neceſſary that before the breaking up of this Aſſembly, they would aſſign a certain day within the year, of meeting again at the ſame place, and make report then and there of what has been done it their reſpective Provinces to effect and execute it, and what obſtructions they met with in their proſecution of it. For it will be a moſt difficult matter in one Aſſembly to provide all Expedients for Peace and Union: And there may be thoſe Provinces, who may not approve of every point concerted and agreed on, or they may happen to pitch on ſome better means, than were at firſt ſeen and contrived.
12. In the interval of theſe two Aſſemblies His Majeſty of England, and the Provinces of our Confeſſion may ſo order it, that ſome Paſtors and Doctors of the Lutheran way, may be ſent from the Lutheran Princes and Churches unto this ſecond Aſſembly to travail in this excellent work of Reuniting them with us, and us with them. If this can be obtained, the means of Agreement are likely to be ſuch as theſe following.
13. The Points in difference betwixt us and the Lutheran Churches are of two ſorts. There be ſome wherein our Agreement is very eaſie; of this nature are the Ceremonies of the Lutheran Churches, which may be excuſed and tolerated, becauſe they be matters rather of decency than of neceſſity. As alſo ſome certain Opinions about Predeſtination, concerning which a ſpecial Article may be framed in our common Confeſſion, which all without any difficulty would approve of, provided always that curioſity might be avoided. And this was done in the Confeſſion of Ausburg, which ſpeaks exceeding ſoberly, and expreſly declineth that Queſtion. There is alſo ſome difference betwixt us about the neceſſity of Baptiſm, which in a good ſenſe may be affirmed neceſſary to Salvation; that is to ſay, that Baptiſm ſhould be celebrated in the Chriſtian Church, and neceſſary that it be not deſpiſed, but obſerved by every particular Member, without puſhing on the Queſtion of neceſſity any farther.
14. There is in the next place that Article of the Lord's Supper, wherein we ſhall meet with more difficulty; for it hath two main brandies, 1. That of the Ubiquity of Chriſt's Body; 2. Another about our Receiving of, and Communion with the Body of Chriſt in the Sacrament.
15. As to the firſt of theſe Points, we may well agree in theſe things, 1. That Jeſus Chriſt took in the Womb of the Virgin Mary a true Humane Body like unto ours in all things, ſin only excepted. 2. That his Body hath true fleſh, and its quantity and dimenſions. 3. That when his Body was lodged in the Womb of the bleſſed Virgin, and hung upon the Croſs, and lay buried in the Grave, it was not at that time elſewhere, nor in divers other places at once. 4. That the Eternal Son of God is every where preſent in all places. 5. That he is aſcended up into Heaven, that he fitteth at the right Hand of God; that the Father hath given him all Power in Heaven and in Earth. 6. That Glorification hath removed from him the infirmity, but not aboliſhed the Verity of his Humane Nature. 7. That in the laſt day he ſhall come in that ſelf ſame fleſh, which he took from the Virgin Mary, to judge both the quick and the dead. If beſides theſe, there be ſome differrent Opinions, about which we cannot agree, this muſt be obtained from both Parties, that they do not thereupon condemn and damn each other, and that no more Books about this Controverſie be hereafter written, nor any Invectives thrown out in Sermons from the Pulpit, but that we live in brotherly Love, waiting upon God for more Light, who will not refuſe it unto them, that in Faith beg it of him.
16. Touching the Sacrament; and our participation of the Body of Chriſt, we may harmoniouſly agree in theſe Points; 1. That the Sacramental Elements are not bare and empty Signs, nor only meer naked Symbols, and ſimple Inſtituted Figures of the Truth. 2. That in the Lord's Supper we do really and in very deed partake of the Body of Chriſt Jeſus. 3. That the Bread is not tranſubſtantiated, nor ceaſeth to be Bread after the Conſecration. Whence it follows, 4. That the Sacrament ought not to be adored, but our hearts muſt be lifted up unto Jeſus Chriſt in Heaven. As for the manner of our participation of the Body of Chriſt in his Holy Supper, we need not be ſcrupulouſly inquiſitive about it, only to joyn Iſſue with the Apoſtle, who ſaith in the 3d to the Epheſians, that Jeſus Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts by Faith; whence it inevitably follows, that he is a meer ſtranger unto the hearts of all Unbelievers. But if any one be otherwiſe perſwaded, let him ſuccour and ſupport his weak Brethren, and not judge and perſecute them with violence and cruelty: Wherefore in thoſe matters wherein we be all agreed, let's walk with one another hand in hand heartily and chearfully towards Heaven.
17. We know there be two ſorts of Errors, ſome in Points of Faith, and others in exterior Actions and Practice. Of this firſt ſort are thoſe Errors about the nature of Jeſus Chriſt, about Predeſtination, and Free will; of the Second are thoſe about Communion in one kind, the Adoration of the conſecrated Hoſt, Prayer in an unknown Tongue by the Petitioner. Errors of this laſt ſort, altho in themſelves leſs, yet do they moſt often occaſion the greateſt diviſions, and do moſt venemouſly exaſperate mens Spirits, and immediately engender Schiſm. For if a man communicate at the Lords Table with an erroneous perſon in the doctrine of Predeſtination, or about the Nature of Jeſus Chriſt, or who believes that the Body of our Lord is every where, in all places at once, altho this Error be very great, yet may it not trouble him who is a Communicant with him: But and if we communicate with one who giveth religious adoration unto the bread, or pretends to ſacrifice the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ſuch an action would ſcandalize us, and muſt needs drive us from that Communion, leſt we ſhould participate with him in his Idolatry, or in a falſe Sacrifice. Now we have this advantage together with the Lutheran Churches, that all our differences are of the firſt kind, and as for thoſe external Ceremonies uſed and practiſed by them, we have no ſuch difference, but what may be eaſily compoſed, yea and that too with a wet Finger.
18. It were fitting to lay before them on the Table the Concordat of the Poloniſh Churches, made at Sendomir, in the year 1570. and ſince revived in the Synod of Ulodiſlan in the year 1581. that ſo we may learn by their example to ſerve our ſelves of all things which may contribute unto this Union, and are worthy of our imitation. And poſſibly there may be found ſome Lutheran Churches who for peace ſake would not inſiſt upon their Ubiquity, but frankly yield it up and part with it.
19. The ſame Order ſhould be obſerved in this ſecond Aſſembly as in the firſt; and the ſame difference paid unto his Majeſty of great Britain, and it ſhould be opened with a faſt, and concluded with the celebration of the Holy Supper of our Lord, at which both the Lutheran Miniſters and ours ſhould communicate together.
20. It is very needful that ſome courſe ſhould be taken to bring the ſeveral Churches and People to embrace and practiſe the Articles of this Union, and that Soveraign Princes and Eſtates do promiſe to exert their Authority about it, and that thoſe words of Lutheran, Calviniſt, and Sacramentarian, Guſtazus Adolphus K. of Swi…dland would have them ſtyled the Evangelical Churches.being wicked badges of diſtinction, were utterly aboliſhed, and that our Churches ſhould ever after be called the Chriſtian Reformed Churches. And all Invectives from the Pulpit, or Preſs, or Writings againſt the Brethren of either ſide ſhall be forbidden under the ſevereſt penalties. And that the Catalogues of Books vended at Frankford maybe no more ſtuft with injurious Titles as formerly. And the German Princes ſhould, at ſome certain days mutually agreed on, ſend their Paſtors unto the principal Churches of their Neighbour Princes, and alſo admit and receive of their Miniſters into theirs, and ſo communicate together on ſome ſet and ſolemn day at the Lords Table.
21. If it ſhould pleaſe God to bleſs this Holy and Laudable Deſign with ſucceſs, which would be a Crown of Eternal Glory unto his Majeſty of Great Britain, and to the Princes joyned with him therein, then would it be a convenient time to ſollicit the Romiſh Church unto a Reconciliation; which whether it may be really effected, or is at all feaſible, ſeems as yet very doubtful: becauſe the Pope will admit of no Council nor Conference, at which he may not preſide. But could this General Union of all Chriſtians be once accompliſhed we ſhould be then more conſiderable, and Miniſters might Preach with more authority, and greater ſucceſs than ever.