BY M. D. TALBOT.
LETTER I. TO THE LORD BISHOP OF EXETER. cont
But 1st. Since Berengaiius, according to Dr. Cosin, had so many great nations on his side, how did it happen that there never was any one single Council which decreed in his favour ? Permit me to ask, were there then no Bishops in Italy, France, or in England ? How came both himself and his doctrine to have been condemned by four or five Councils in Italy; by as many in France; by one or two in Normandy; and some years after his death his heresy was condemned by a numerous Council held at Plaisance, its decision was as follows: "That Bread and Wine, when they are consecrated upon the altar, are truly and essentially changed into the Body and Blood of our Lord, and not in figure only."
2nd. If Berengarius asserted the ancient doctrine, and had so many famous nations on his side, why did not the Greek schismatical Church espouse his doctrine ? It was, in the eleventh century, most active in opposing the Catholic Church, even for permitting her clergy to shave their beards; but never did it express one word against the Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation. Why did none of the other Oriental sects, such as the Nestorians, Eutychians, &c., oppose her belief on this great point? Is not this a clear demonstration that the Catholic Church in communion with the See of Rome,¹ and the Greek schismatical Church, and all the ancient sects in Christendom agreed in this mystery.
3rd. Hugh, Bishop of Langres in France, writing to Berengarius, says, " That he had scandalized the whole Church." Durandus, Abbot of Troarn in Normandy, told him, " That he had impugned the doctrine of the whole Catholic Church." Guitmundus, Archbishop of Anvers, accused him of being the founder of his sect, "That he contradicted all the world; that there was not any little town or village that had received his doctrine."— (Lib. 3.) ²
¹ St. Jerome, who was called Magister Mundi, declares that it is absolutely necessary, in order to be a Catholic, to profess the Roman faith. Hear and believe. " If you profess the Roman faith," says St. Jerome, " you are Catholics; if you do not profess it, you are not in the communion of the Catholic Church."— (St. Jerome in Apolog. 1 adv. Ruffin.)
² See Algerus on the same subject.
