other means there needed no more to fetch Monsieur Claude from Nismes a Decree of Council was intimated to him by which he was interdicted the exercise of his Ministery throughout the whole extent of the Province of Languedoc He forbore Preaching and went to Court being onely supported by his innocency he there prosecuted his concern for near six months but all in vain for the Resolution was already taken not to revoke the least of any thing that had been done against us and more especially to weary out the Ministers who were not pleasing to the Governours of the Provinces In this Journey did he compose that little Tract which answers that of the perpetuity of the faith of the Catholick Church touching the Eucharist this was his first Piece that was made publick this Tract of his made a noise in the World the Roman Catholicks were at a loss to know the Authour's Name the Jansenists who felt the weight of the blow would needs know the hand from whence it departed but all the pains they took in order to this discovery were for a long while all in vain and we may say that as they have laugh'd at the uneasiness the Jesuits had been under to find out the Authour of the Provincial Letters they in their turns made this occasion their diversion as did many other People who were not sorry to see an Authour stand forth who allarum'd that party by a Work of thirty Pages This little Tract did Monsieur Claude so much honour that it well deserves we enlarge a little upon it and the particular Circumstances that it affords will reward the Reader for the time he may bestow upon what we are going to say of it The Tract of the Perpetuity of the Faith of the Catholick Church touching the Eucharist compos'd by an able Jansenist believed to be Monsieur Arnaud had Monsieur de Turenne in view the Court had the same aim in persuading him to change his Religion and the Jansenists espousing this design hop'd to acquire honour by this Conquest but as he was a Prince who without playing the Divine had a right sense to judge whether the Argument was good or bad it was necessary to chuse a matter that was beyond the common reach of his Lights in Religion and to pass his understanding by drawing him into the vast fields of antiquity as being a region proper to impose upon Strangers and new Commers who do not well know the Map of that Countrey No fitter Subject for a trepan could have been chosen than that pitcht upon by this Authour he pretended to prove that the Doctrine of the Real Presence had been the constant Faith of the Church till the time of the Reformation a great prepossession in France for a heart that wish'd for a Religion that accommodated it self with his fortune the turn which this Writer took was very ingenious how said he a thousand years of a peaceable possession and a profound silence do they not sufficiently justifie the Faith of the Church upon this Article it peaceably enjoy'd its right till Beranger and as soon as this man offer'd to open his mouth to combat this truth all rose up against him and he was condemn'd by the first Council held at Rome by Pope Leo the Ninth in the year 1053. Before him none had combated the Real Presence therefore it was the universal Sentiment of the Church This Authour does still something more for to the proof of the matter he adds that of right that is to say that he means to prove that if the Church had been of the Protestants opinion it would have made so sensible an alteration in Christendom when it chang'd its belief upon this Article and that it fell into the Faith of the Real Presence that there is not an individual but would have sensible of this Innovation seeing the thing could not fail of being so of it self Nevertheless he is persuaded that none ever complain'd of upon this account whence he infers that no change has been made in the Doctrine nay and that this change is not even possible after the manner we conceive it this ingenious method affected Monsieur de Turenne he found in this reasoning an air of truth of too large extent for his knowledge his doubts were known and persons of the first Quality and of an exemplary Piety endeavoured to disperse these elusions they cast their eyes upon Monsieur Claude who was then at Paris he would not oppose what they desir'd of him because he found himself thereunto engag'd by the sense of his Conscience and by the respect he had for the persons who required his assistence thus he writ and this was the true occasion of that Dispute Monsieur Claude understood very well that this was but an ill way to make his Court for his restoration to the Church of Nismes but he did not stand wavering what course to take he saw that he was going to enter the lists with a Writer of mighty name he hop'd that God wou'd give him the grace to maintain his Cause Messieurs Blondel and Aubertine whose Writings were to be defended were Authours consummated in the study of the Fathers they seem'd to have exhausted the matter which Monsieur Claude undertook to treat of if we find that he sometimes walks in their steps we shall also see that he makes new discoveries and his manner of handling this subject is so fine sensible and strong that we may affirm it to be a method wholly new whereof Monsieur Claude is the first Authour in short as he had tryed the strength of his Genius he was sensible of an air of confidence which arose from the strength of the truth he was going to defend this was his disposition when he began to write upon this matter His Answer is short but it is the fullest and closest Work that had till then been seen upon this Subject the Authour speaks little but says a great deal in few words and the Hypotheses which he states are so well meditated so just back'd with such good reason that there is no staggering them whatever onset has been made upon them nay and we shall find that all the trains of this great Dispute are so many lines that depart from that center and which after divers illustrations and long evasions return thither as to their true Principle Monsieur Claude undertakes to prove in his Answer that this change termed a chimoera and look'd on as a thing impossible did effectually happen he shews the time manner and principal Authours that favour'd it he makes appear how easie it is to alter a Point of Doctrine when those three things concur together as has been seen in that of the Eucharist first when it is under-hand attacqu'd and by way of explication still retaining the same terms consecrated by a long use to that tenet secondly when this innovation does not alter any thing in the worship and thirdly when the errour finds a
happy age wherein to spread its darkness He proves so well that these three things have concurr'd in the change of belief upon the subject of the Eucharist that all his reasons are as so many demonstrations against which there is no offering any thing that can weaken the proof of them The Authour of the little Tract of the perpetuity of the Faith of the Catholick Church touching the Eucharist hath acted in this Debate as shrewd men do who have nice concerns to defend in the Courts of Justice for though you produce against them a vast number of Witnesses considerable both for their Worth and their Dignity they plainly perceive that the onely way to Ward off the Blow that wou'd otherwise destroy them is to endeavour to invalidate the proof by reproaches good or bad which robs these witnesses of all Credit and thus you have a vast field open to contempt to foul language and imposture Nay and we have seen such as by a cunning slight suggested to them by their danger endeavour to derive advantage from the testimony that has been urg'd against them however opposite it may be to their Justification and this is much the Character of that Authour Monsieur Claude understood his design very well he trac'd him exactly through all his windings and as it highly behov'd him to maintain the Dignity Integrity and Authority of the testimonies which Messieurs Blondel and Aubertine had produc'd we may affirm that he did it with all the evidence and all the strength that can be desir'd in a disputation of that nature which turn'd much more upon matters of fact than upon questions of right Monsieur Claude having not been able to get the Prohibitions taken off that had been exhibited against his officiating his Pastourship in Nismes or in any other Town of Languedoc departed from Paris after six months abode in that Town and repair'd to Montauban certain it is that he had not then any settlement in his mind as seeing no appearance for it yet did he live much at his ease though he was not altogether unconcern'd at the Troubles he was made to suffer he overcame them by submitting himself with an absolute resignation to the Providence of God and this course of submission to the Decrees of Heaven which is ever the best did not fail to prosper with him he had not the trouble of wishing or of being tyr'd with expectation of seeing his desires accomplish'd the Church of Montauban prevented him and gave him not leasure to solace himself after the hardship of a long Journey he arrived there on the Saturday preach'd on the Sunday following being Communion day The Church assembled for his Vocation a Place was offer'd him he accepted it and the Synod authoris'd the choice of the Church He had serv'd eight years the Church of Nismes when he setled in that of Montauban where he staid but four years but with so much delight that I have heard him often say that that time compos'd the sweetest and happiest period of his Life He there liv'd in a perfect Union with his Collegues being cherisht and esteem'd by his Church and being charm'd with the Beauties of that Climate which he look't upon as his second place of Nativity having there perform'd his Studies There did he compose his answer to the second Tract of the perpetuity of the Faith of the Eucharist but did not imagine that the Manuscript he had left at Paris wou'd one day become a subject of Disputation because it was onely made for the instruction of Monsieur de Turenne who declar'd himself to be satisfied with it nevertheless this Work was three years after taken to task and the Authour of the perpetuity of the Faith of the Catholick Church touching the Eucharist made an answer thereunto For a long time not any Book about Religion had been seen in France that made so much noise as this the Authour not onely attackt the ashes of a dead person that are seldom fear'd as he had done in his former Tract which slightly ran over the Book of Monsieur Aubertine he knew he had to doe with another Authour who was not to be slighted which inspir'd him with a design of writing after a more sinewey and more elaborate manner Whether the event prov'd answerable to his good intentions is a point which I leave the Readers to judge of it onely appears as to me that Monsieur Claude was not of that opinion and that if he found more art in the second Tract than in the former more wit and more care to conceal the weakness of the matter which the Authour therein defends yet did he not therein observe the more solidity He saw in it somewhat less sincerity and eruptions of mind against persons of merit and probity to whom the publick has not done the same Justice as this Authour To remain mute when the whole Kingdom speaks such silence seem'd affected to Monsieur Claude the Roman Catholicks said openly that this last Book made their cause triumph and that it would not be answer'd the Protestants did not speak with so much arrogance though they had much greater confidence being necessitated to curb their sentiments when they were treated with ill Language and to make semblance of fearing Books that did not perplex them much at the bottom and this piece was of that rank Monsieur Claude ventur'd the repose of his Life by answering it the event did but too well justifie him he nevertheless determin'd to maintain his first Tract by refuting the Book which made so much noise at that time and this is the piece bearing the Title of an answer to the second Tract of the perpetuity of the Faith of the Eucharist this work is of a much larger bulk than the former though it turns much upon the same principles it was necessary to be more particular in Citations in the choice of proofs in the order and light wherein they were to be set and the consequences that are to be thence derived and this course is perhaps what is most difficult in a disputation of the nature of this under our consideration Monsieur Claude knew it very well and on that account did he contrive a method painfull for himself but easie and usefull for his Readers he onely took what was most essential in the passages of the Fathers and which was serviceable to his Subject he says not too much for fear of wearying out attention he says sufficient to illustrate his matter the Arguments he brings upon these testimonies are short but persuasive whether that he backs his own cause or attacks that of the Church of Rome and because it is a subject containing ungratefull matter by reason of the same expressions of the Ancients which are often reiterated in this kind of conflict Monsieur Claude thought fitting to enliven his matter with a gayety of discourse yet without deviating from the Character of a wise and Majestick Writer The Authour of the Treatise
insisted a pretty while upon this point his grief and zeal excited likewise the grief and zeal of the Congregation which dissolv'd into tears At nine a Clock Monsieur Du Vivie came to see him as soon as he drew near his Bed Monsieur Claude gave him his blessing you have prevented my wishes said Monsieur Du Vivie to him I had a design to ask you your blessing God confirm it to you Monsieur Claude made him answer Some time after Monsieur Du Vivie told him that it became him to think of a perfect Justice that may serve before the Tribunal of God where he was going to appear and that he knew very well that this Justice was onely to be found in our Lord Jesus Christ who was made to us by God Wisedom Justice Sanctification and Redemption that 's all my hopes answered Monsieur Claude he added this passage at length I know in whom I have believed c. After which Monsieur Du Vivie said Prayers which the sick-man lissen'd to with great attention Half an hour after Monsieur Du Vivie askt him whether he did not find that his Condition had some affinity with the 73 Psalm My flesh faileth and mine heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my Portion for ever Monsieur Claude rais'd up his Voice and said twice Amen Amen he gave his blessing to some persons of his acquaintance that askt it of him there was especially a deserving young Lady who askt him whether he would impart his blessing to her as well as to the rest why should I not give it you he answered her I have seen evident instances of your discretion and piety I pray God to bless you Monsieur Claude falling into a Slumber his Son wakt him from time to time to give him Consolation 't was done in few words he being too weak to prosecute a long discourse he askt him if he did not place all his confidence in the death of his Saviour yes Son replied he our Lord Jesus Christ is my onely Justice I need no other he is all-sufficient I askt him whether he was not much pleas'd in being thus comforted by his Son I am very well satisfied he replied let him continue I said Prayers and staid with him till eleven a Clock On Monday the 13th of January a sad day for us I was call'd up at five a Clock in the Morning to go see Monsieur Claude who was become extraordinary weak I spoke to him but little he being in great Agonies occasion'd by pains in his Stomach At ten a Clock I drew near his Bed and seeing him in a quieter condition I askt him whether he knew me yes said he to me with a voice pretty strong you are my Pastour my whole recourse is to the mercy of God I expect a better life than this help me to fortifie me in the exercise of meditation and Prayer Notwithstanding his pains finding him constant in his pious inclinations I took upon me the right of his Pastour that he had conferr'd upon me I spoke to him of the sinfulness of mankind and of the riches of the grace of God that have appear'd in the Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ and I exhorted him to place his whole confidence in the Death of that good Saviour These few words excited his piety he gave us most sensible testimonies of his Repentance and of the stedfast Faith he had in our Saviour Jesus Christ and in this happy moment did I also apply that so precious Balm which our Saviour Jesus Christ has put into our hands for the consolation of repenting Sinners Be assur'd said I to him Brother that your Sins are forgiven you through the mercy of God I declare it to you in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ who has given us a Commission for so doing and I beseech him that he wou'd ratifie it to you by the sentiment of your own Conscience this Declaration which he lissen'd to attentively afforded him mighty Joy I am persuaded said he to me that God will hear the sighs of my Soul and your discourses let us beseech him so to doe by the Prayers I beg you would make in my behalf accordingly we fell upon our knees and I pray'd God for him At two a Clock in the Afternoon there was no longer any connexion in Monsieur Claude's discourse nay and we avoided engaging him to speak for fear of augmenting his Delirium We pray'd often for him in that interval At five a Clock he had somewhat a violent Potion given him for to rouse his Spirits but all ineffectually At seven a Clock he became still much weaker yet did he still hear but was become speechless I bid him give me a sign whether he understood me and that he should give me his hand accordingly he reach't it to me I took his hand and said these words of the 31. Psalm to him Into thine hand I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth at these words he prest my hand and strugl'd to raise his head I continued to exhort him and said Prayers Monsieur Arbusse came to see him and pray'd by him for he was so weak and his senses so spent that Prayer was the onely assistance he could receive from us This exercise lasted till half an hour past Eleven at Night On the 13th of January 1687 Monsieur Menard and I did not stir from his Bed-side till his last gasp when we saw him calmly expire at that time and restored his Soul into the hands of God. Thus Lived and thus Died John Claude in his 68 year after having so worthily perform'd his Office for the space of forty two years or there abouts he was by nature quick and lively but submissive to reason and faith he was Civil Modest Illuminated wise in his Councells a true Friend officious without being troublesome charitable but with choice and much concern'd for the evils the Church labour'd under He understood the World shrifted into intreagues and improv'd all these lights to the repose of the Flocks of the Lord. He had a sagacious Wit a vast Imagination a nice Judgment a just Choice his expression was clear sprightly and strong his knowledge had past the test of Meditation he had fram'd an easie platform of all matters of his Profession each object came in its due place as soon as he spoke or writ and all this was maintain'd with an exact method and mighty beauty of Language He was a learned Divine a great Preacher an able and zealous defender of the Reformation a rigid observer of our confession of Faith an enemy of all such sentiments as might have disturb'd the peace of the Church and the purity of Religion and to the regulations of our Discipline He was of easie access of frank and fluent Conversation and all these great qualities were season'd with such profound humility that when he spoke he seem'd to forget what he was to fit
we must renew in this place There was no regular exercise for preaching in the Walloon Church at the Hague he nevertheless Preach't there now and then with so much edification that in ending his Sermon he excited in the minds of his Auditours a passionate longing to hear him again and it was to gratifie that desire that he resolv'd to Preach on Christmas day the 25th of December 1686. His Son was gone abroad that day he supplied his place the circumstance of the season determin'd him upon the choice of the matter 't was requisite to speak of the Saviour of the Worlds Nativity for that purpose did he chuse these words of the Gospel according to St. Luke Chapter the 1. verse the 30 31 c. And the Angel said unto her fear not Mary for thou hast found favour with God and behold thou shalt conceive in thy Womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great he shall be call'd the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his Father David and he shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end This Sermon was very Learned passages it had of extraordinary perfection his fancy ever fruitfull and happy appear'd as much in this occasion as in any other of his Life It afforded that turn so fine and so natural which he knew how to give to the matters he explain'd flashes there were that did in no wise betray the driness and heaviness of old Age and we may say in short that there was throughout observ'd that grandeur of Spirit which influences all his works that so lively penetration that so wise so judicious a choice which made the ruling Character of that incomparable Genius He utter'd this Sermon with great eagerness was heated and inflamed and in all probability this was the first point of that fatal sickness which bereft the World of him His whole Auditory was charm'd with his action Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange who is no less Illustrious for the vast extent of her understanding and a solid piety and without pomp than through the bloud of so many Kings whence she derives her extraction lissen'd to this Preacher with a most steady application of mind and was extreamly well satisfied with this his performance It were to be wisht that this Sermon was Publish'd Monsieur Claude told us he had writ the greatest part of it I am persuaded his Son wou'd oblige many people if he caused it to be Printed as it is being a fragment that wou'd doe much honour to his Father's memory Monsieur Claude was no sooner at home but that he found himself extraordinary weary he was seiz'd that Evening with a most violent Rhume spent the Night with some uneasiness and on the Morrow would have gone and heard the Sermon whatever endeavours were used by his Family to hinder him from stirring abroad in that condition That Night he had a Fever with pains throughout his whole Body his Distemper was thought to be a Rhumatism upon this principle did they prescribe for his Recovery but the humours were in so very great a ferment that there was no moderating the course of them by any Remedy On the 6th of January he was prest by most sensible pains he was sensible of the decay of his Senses and as if he had had a full knowledge that he shou'd not ever have the liberty of expressing his thoughts he told his Son that he desir'd to speak with me I repair'd immediately to his House and in the presence of his Family he told me his mind in these terms I was desirous said he to me to see you and make my Declaration before you I am added he a miserable sinner before God I most heartily beseech him to shew me mercy for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and I hope he will hear my Prayer being the promise he made to repenting Sinners I have reason to praise him for the blessing he has laid upon my Ministry which has not been fruitless in his Church which is an effect of his grace for which I adore his Providence He took a little breath and it was to tell us that he had with great application examin'd all Religions but had found none worthy of the Wisedom of God and capable to lead a man to true happiness save the Christian Religion He then added that among the divers sentiments which divide Christians upon the Subject of Religion which he had carefully Studied he had found that the Reformed Religion was the onely good Religion which was to be followed that it was entirely found in the word of God that this was the Fountain from whence it was to be deriv'd and that this Religion was as it were the Trunk and Body of the Tree to which it became us to keep steady without ever forsaking it This is my opinion said he to me and I was willing to declare it to you I wou'd have told him that I was not surpriz'd to hear him discourse in these terms towards the end of his days after what he had taught the publick by his Books which had been of so great an Edification to the Church Let us break off there said he to me and let us not speak of praises at a time when moments are so precious and when they ought to be employed to a better use Here we let fall the Conversation for that I perceiv'd his pains prest him and that he askt to be put to Bed. A very worthy person and one of his intimate and ancient Friends wou'd needs pass that Night being Monday the 6th of January in his Chamber that he might do him some small Services His pains were most advantageously rewarded he had the opportunity of hearing him discourse of the happiness of those that had left France for Religion He made the application of it to him he besought him he exhorted him as a Pastour and as a Friend to enjoy that Privilege as a blessing which cannot be sufficiently valued The following days nature seem'd to make an utmost effort to bring him off He complain'd of a great pain in the Arm that was free 't was thought to be a spice of the Gout he was a pretty while in this pain and we in hopes through this new Distemper which in all likelyhood wou'd save his Life But his Strength decaying through the raging of the Fever and the length of the Disease did not help nature in that indication it shew'd us I often saw him and began to despair of his recovery on Friday because I perceiv'd he was threatned with a Delirium which was a thing we most dreaded His Wife askt him if he was not sorry to leave her no answered he because I am going to my God and I leave you in his hands in a free Countrey what can I desire more either for you or for my self On