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DISPUTATION LIV.

ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH; HER PARTS AND RELATIONS.

I. THE Catholic Church is the company of all believers, called out from every language, tribe, people, nation and calling; who have been, are now, and will be, called by the saving vocation of God from a state of corruption to the dignity of the children of God, through the word [gratuiti] of the covenant of grace, and ingrafted into Christ as living members to their head through true faith, to the praise of the glory of the grace of God. From this it appears, that the Catholic Church differs from particular churches in nothing which appertains to the substance of a church, but solely in her amplitude.

II. But as she is called "the Catholic Church" in reference to her Matter, which embraces all those who have ever been, are now, and will yet be, made partakers of this vocation, and received into the family of God; so likewise is she denominated "the one and holy church," from her Form, which consists in the mutual relation of the church, who by faith embraces Christ as her Head and Spouse, and of Christ, who so closely unites the church to himself, as his body and spouse, by his Spirit, that the church lives by the life of Christ himself, and is made a partaker of him and of all his benefits.

III. The Catholic church is "ONE;" because, under one God and Father, who is above all persons, and through all things, and in all of us, she has been united as one body to one Head, Christ the Lord, through one Spirit; and through one faith placed in the same word, through a similar hope of the same inheritance, and through mutual charity, she has been "fitly framed together and built for an holy temple, and an habitation of God through the Spirit." Wherefore the whole of this unity is spiritual, though those who have been thus united together consist partly of body and partly of spirit.

IV. She is HOLY;" because, [beneficio] by the blessing of the Holy of holies, she has been separated from the unclean world, washed from her sins by his blood, [decorata] beautified with the presence and the gracious indwelling of God, and adorned with true holiness by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.

V. But though this church is one, yet she is distinguished according to the acts of God towards her, so far as [percepit] she has become the recipient either of all of those acts, or of some of them. The church that has received only the act of her creation

and preservation, is said to be in the way, and is called "the church militant," as being she that must yet contend with sin, the flesh, the world, and Satan. The church that, in addition to this, is made partaker of the consummation, is said to be in her native land, and is called "the church triumphant;" for, after having conquered all her enemies, she rests from her labours, and reigns with Christ in heaven. To that part which is still militant on earth, the title of "Catholic" is likewise ascribed, so far as she embraces within her boundaries all particular militant churches.

VI. But the Catholic church is distributed, according to her parts, into many particular churches, since she consists of many congregations far distant from each other, with respect to place, and quite distinct. But as these particular churches have severally the name of "a church," so they have likewise the thing signified by the name and the entire definition, like similar parts which participate in the name and definition of the whole; and the Catholic church differs from each particular one solely in her universality, and in no other thing whatever which belongs to the essence of a church. Hence is easily [intelligitur] learnt in what manner it may be understood, that, as single particular churches may err, yet the church universal cannot err; that is, in this sense, that there will never be a future time in which some believers will not exist who do not err in the foundation of religion. But from this interpretation it is apparent, that it cannot be concluded from the circumstance of the Catholic church being said to be in this sense free from error, that any congregation, how numerous soever it may be, is exempt from error, unless there be in it one person, or more, who are so guided into all truth as to be incapable of erring.

VII. Hence, since the evocation of the church is made inwardly by the Spirit, and outwardly by the word preached; and since they who are called answer inwardly by faith, and outwardly by the profession of faith, as they who are called have the inward and the outward man; therefore, the church, in reference to these called persons, is distinguished into the visible and the invisible church, from the subjoined external accident: Invisible, as she "believes with the heart unto righteousness:" And Visible, as "confession is made with her mouth unto salvation." And this visibility or invisibility belongs neither more nor less to the whole Catholic church, than to each church in particular.

VIII. Then, since the church is collected out of this world, "which lieth in the wicked one," and often by ministers who, beside the word of God, preach another word; and since this

church consists of men liable to be deceived and to fall, nay, of men who have been deceived and are fallen; therefore the church is distinguished, with respect to the doctrine of faith, into an orthodox and heretical church; with respect to divine worship, into an idolatrous church, and into one that is a right worshipper of God and Christ; and with respect to the morals prescribed in the second table of the law, into a purer church or a more impure one: In all these, are also to be observed the degrees according to which one church is more heretical, idolatrous and impure than another; about all these things a correct judgment must be formed according to the Scriptures. Thus, likewise, the word "Catholic" is used concerning those churches that neither labour under any destructive heresy, nor are idolatrous.

DISPUTATION LV.

ON THE POWER OF THE CHURCH IN DELIVERING

DOCTRINES.

I. THE power of the church may be variously considered according to various objects. For it is occupied either about the delivery of doctrines, the enactment of laws, the convening of assemblies, the appointment of ministers, or, lastly, about jurisdiction.

II. In the institution of doctrines, or in the first delivery of them, the power of the church is a mere nullity, whether she be considered generally or according to her parts. For she is the spouse of Christ, and therefore is bound to hear the voice of her husband: She cannot prescribe to herself the rule of willing, believing, doing, and hoping.

III. But the whole of her power concerning doctrines lies in the dispensation and administration of those which have been delivered by God and Christ: Necessarily previous to which is the humble and pious acceptance of the divine doctrines, the consequence of which is, that she justly preserves the name that has once been received.

IV. As the acceptance and [custodia] the preservation of doctrines may be considered either according to the words, or according to the right sense; so likewise [traditio] the delivery of the doctrines received and preserved must be distinguished either with respect to the words, or with respect to their correct meaning.

V. The delivery or tradition of doctrines according to the words, is, when the church declares or publishes the very words which she has received, (after they have been delivered to her by God

either in writing or orally,) without any addition, diminution, change or transposition, whether from [archivis] the repositories in which she had concealed the divine writings, or from her own memory in which she had carefully and faithfully preserved those things which had been orally delivered: At the same time she solemnly testifies, that those very things which she has received from above are [when transmitted through her] pure and [sincera] unadulterated, (and is prepared even by death itself to confirm this her testimony,) as far as [varietas] the variations of copies in the original languages permit a translator into other languages [thus to testify]: Yet they do not concern the foundation so much, as to be able to produce doubts concerning it on account of these variations.

VI. The delivery or tradition according to the meaning, is the more ample explanation and application of the doctrines propounded and comprehended in the divine words: In which explanation, the church ought to contain herself within the terms of the very word which has been delivered, publishing no particular interpretation of a doctrine or of a passage which does not rest on the entire foundation, and which cannot be fully proved from other passages. This she will most sedulously avoid if she adhere as much as possible [vocibus] to the expressions of the word delivered, and if she abstain, as far as she is capable, from the use of foreign words or phrases.

VII. To this power is annexed the right of examining and forming a judgment upon doctrines, as to the kind of Spirit by which they have been proposed: In this also she will employ the rule of the word which [certò constat] bears assured evidences that it is divine, and has been received as such; and indeed they will employ the rule of this word alone, if she be desirous to institute a proper examination, and to form a correct judgment. But if she employ any human writings whatsoever for a rule or guide, the morning light will not shine on her, and therefore she will grope about in darkness.

VIII. But the church ought to be guarded against three things; (1.) To hide from no one the words which have been divinely delivered to her, or to interdict any man from reading them or meditating upon them. (2.) When for certain reasons she declares divine doctrines with her own words, not to compel any one to receive or to approve them except on this condition,so far as they are consentaneous with the meaning comprehended in the divine words. (3.) And not to prohibit any man who is desirous of examining, in a legitimate manner, the doctrines proposed in the words of the church. Whichsoever of these things

she does, she cannot in that case evade the criminal charge of having arrogated a power to herself, and of abusing it beyond all law, right and equity.

COROLLARY.

It is one of the fabulous stories of the Papists, that the Holy Spirit assists the church in such a manner, in forming her judgment on the authentic Scriptures and in the right interpretation of the divine meanings, that she cannot err.

DISPUTATION LVI.

ON THE POWER OF THE CHURCH IN ENACTING LAWS.

I. THE laws which may be prescribed to the church, or which may be considered as having been prescribed, are of two kinds, distinguished from each other by a remarkable difference and by a notable doctrine, according to the matter, that is, the acts which are prescribed, according to the end for the sake of which they are prescribed,—and, lastly, according to the force and necessity of obligation.

II. (1.) For some laws concern the very essence of ordering the life according to godliness and Christianity, and the necessary acts of faith, hope and charity: And these may be called the necessary and primary or principal laws, and are as the fundamental laws of the kingdom of God itself. (2.) But others of them have respect to certain secondary and substituted acts, and the circumstances of the principal acts; all of which conduce to the more commodious and easy observance of those first acts: On this account they deserve to be called positive and [inservientes]

attendant laws.

III. 1. The church neither has a right, nor is she bound by any necessity, to enact necessary laws, and those which essentially concern the acts of faith itself, of hope and of charity. For this [prerogative] belongs most properly to God and Christ; and it has been so [prolixè] fully exercised by Christ, that nothing can essentially belong to the acts of faith, hope and charity, which has not been prescribed by Him in a manner the most copious.

IV. 2. The entire power therefore of the church is placed in enacting laws of the second kind; about the making and observance of which we must now make some observations.

V. In prescribing laws of this kind, the church ought to turn her eyes, and to keep them fixed, on the following particulars:

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