Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church Militant · The Church Spread Throughout the Whole World
Chapter 9: On Great Sinners
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Ecclesia Militante, On the Church Militant (of the controversy On Councils and the Church). The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
Now that in the one true and Catholic Church of Christ there are not only the imperfect, but also grave sinners, and not only hidden but also manifest ones, against the error of the Novatians, Donatists, and Confessionists, is proved. First from the Gospel parables of the floor, of the net, of the marriage feast, of the ten virgins, and of the fold, cited above, by which the Catholics of old so confuted the Donatists that they plainly found no way at all to escape, as Augustine relates in the little summary of the conference, explaining the conference of the third day.
Moreover there are other most open passages. Matthew 18: If thy brother shall offend against thee, go, rebuke him, etc.; if he will not hear them, tell the Church; if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican. Here it cannot be denied that the discourse is of the true Church; for Christ speaks of His Church, and in this Church it is established that sinners are found, and such sinners as often are not amended by fraternal correction, nor even by two witnesses employed: and yet they remain in the Church, until they are cast out by the Church itself by the sentence of the Prelate. Likewise Matthew 23, the Lord commands concerning evil superiors that we do what they say, not what they do; and chapter 24 he describes an evil superior who beats his fellow-servants, eats and drinks with the drunken, etc., and says: The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not, and shall divide him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. Where that superiors of the Church are treated is taught by Hilary, Jerome, Chrysostom, and others on this place. Likewise in the first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 1, Paul says that he writes to the Church of God which is at Corinth; and presently there subjoins: It hath been signified to me that there are contentions among you, etc. And chapter 5: There is heard among you fornication, and such fornication as the like is not among the heathens, that one should have his father's wife. What will they say here? that this is not the true Church? But the Apostle says it is the Church of God. That this man was not a most grave and manifest sinner? But the Apostle says this. That he was not in that Church? But the Apostle commands that they expel him by excommunication: Let him be taken away, he says, from among you.
Moreover, Apocalypse 2 and 3, John writes to the seven Churches of Asia, and reprehends almost each of them for things not light. And Augustine notes, Book 2 against Parmenian, chapter 10, that not only the Churches, but also the superior signified by the Angel of the Church of Sardis, is reprehended: Thou hast the name of living, but thou art dead; be watchful, etc. Add that in the time of the Old Testament there were never lacking most grave sins in the people of God, and yet nowhere do we read that Moses, or Samuel, or the other Prophets who were at diverse times, or Mary, Anna, Elizabeth, Simeon, Zacharias, John the Baptist, and the other just whom the Lord found in the people of the Jews, separated themselves from the rest of the worst men as regards the temple, altar, sacrifices, and the other things which pertain to religion; therefore in the same congregation remained good and bad. Which argument presses strongly, and deservedly, says Saint Augustine in the little summary, conference 3.
It is proved secondly from the testimony of the Catholic Church which was in the time of blessed Augustine. For blessed Augustine, in the little summary of the conferences, relates the most celebrated conference held at Carthage between 306 Catholic bishops, one of whom he himself was, and 296 Donatist bishops. For so many Augustine indicates there were, in the conference of the first day. Then in the conference of the third day he relates that the Donatists were compelled to confess that in the Church are good and bad, that parable of the net gathering good and bad fishes being brought forward by the Catholics: but that the Donatists still said that only hidden evil are in the Church; as in the net, while it is in the sea, the good fishes are not discerned from the bad by the fishermen, but on the shore are discerned and presently separated. To this he says the Catholics answered that therefore the Church has also been compared to a floor, in which the chaff is discerned from the wheat, nay the chaff appears more than the wheat; and also to the ark of Noe, in which even after the going-out of the raven, by which heretics are signified, there still remained openly clean and unclean animals.
Augustine adds also that when the Donatists calumniated that the Catholics made two Churches, one on earth which has good and bad, the other in heaven which has none but the good, the Catholics answered that they did not make two Churches, but distinguished two times of the Church. “They said,” he says, “that the very same one and holy Church is now one way, and then will be another way; now has the evil mingled, then will not have them; just as there are not therefore two Christs, because Christ was at one time mortal, at another immortal.” Which things are to be noted against our Confessionists and Calvinists, who feign two Churches.
It is proved thirdly by the testimonies of the Fathers. Cyprian, Book 3, letter 3, to Maximus: “Our faith or charity ought not to be hindered, so that, because we see there is cockle in the Church, we ourselves should withdraw from the Church.” Gregory Nazianzen, in oration 1 Apologetic, before the middle, compares the Church to a huge beast composed of various beasts, that is, great, small, wild, gentle, etc., to show that the labor of a bishop, who must rule so many kinds of men, perfect and imperfect, good and bad, is very great. Chrysostom says many like things about the sins of those who are ruled by bishops, Book 3 on the priesthood. Likewise on Psalm 39, on that, They are multiplied above the hairs of my head, etc.: “Nor does the whole Church consist of the perfect, but it has also those who give themselves to idleness and sloth, and embrace a soft and dissolute life, and willingly serve pleasures; and since it is one body, as from one person it pronounces this and that.”
Jerome, in the Dialogue against the Luciferians, beyond the middle: “The ark of Noe,” he says, “was a type of the Church; as in it were the kinds of all animals, so in this are men of all nations and of all manners: as there the leopard, the kids, the wolf, and the lambs, so here the just and sinners, that is, vessels of gold and of silver dwell together with vessels of wood and of earth.” Augustine, in treatise 6 on John: “We confess,” he says, “that in the Catholic Church there are both good and bad, but as grains and chaff.” The same he has, Book 2 of the Retractations, chapter 18; book after the conference, chapters 7 and 20; book on the unity of the Church, chapter 13; Book 18 of the City of God, chapter 49; and elsewhere. Fulgentius, book on the faith to Peter, chapter 43: “Hold most firmly, and in no way doubt, that the floor of God is the Catholic Church, and that within it until the end of the world chaff mingled with the wheat is contained, that is, that the bad are mingled with the good by the communion of the Sacraments.” Gregory, homilies 11 and 38 on the Gospels, teaches and proves by many arguments that the evil are in the Church.
It is proved lastly by reason. For if the good alone were in the Church, the Sacrament of penance would be in vain, which is administered only to those who are of the Church. Moreover no one would certainly know who are of the Church. For it is uncertain who are really good, and who not. Likewise, as soon as the prelates fell into any sin, they would no longer be of the Church, nor prelates, and accordingly it would no longer be necessary to obey them. And likewise the subjects, as soon as they sinned, would no longer be of the flock; and accordingly it would be lawful for the pastors not to take care of them; from which the utmost confusion and disturbance would arise.
But they object first the Scripture, Isaiah 52: The uncircumcised and unclean shall no more pass through thee. And in the same place: Depart, depart, go ye out from thence, touch not the unclean thing, go out of the midst of her. Which place the Apostle, expounding, 2 Corinthians 6, adds: And I will receive you, saith the Lord. And so God does not receive into the Church any but those who separate themselves from the unclean and from sinners. And Paul gives the reason in the same place, saying: For what participation hath justice with injustice? or what fellowship hath Christ with Belial? 1 Corinthians 10: We being many are one bread, one body. But bread is not made except from wheat, not from chaff and wheat. Romans 8: He that hath not the Spirit of Christ, is none of His. And 1 Corinthians 12: In one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. Therefore he who has not the Spirit, as all sinners are, is not a member of Christ. If you say he is not a living member, yet he is a member; on the contrary, because a dead member is not a member except equivocally. Therefore he is not a true member, therefore he is not a member simply.
To the first blessed Augustine answers, book against the Donatists after the conference, chapters 8 and 20, and in the little summary of the conference of the third day, that what is said, The uncircumcised and unclean shall no more pass through thee, is to be understood of the Church triumphant. And what is added, Depart, go ye out, etc., is to be understood of the separation which ought to be made by mind and morals, but not by a corporal departure from the same temple and Sacraments, etc.
But better Cyril, on this place of Isaiah, from whom Jerome does not seem much to differ, teaches that according to the historical sense it treats of the temporal persecution of the Jews, so that the sense is: when thou shalt have returned from captivity, no infidel persecutor shall any more, that is, for a long time, pass through thy lands laying them waste. But according to the mystical sense it treats of the Church, and Isaiah foretells that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. For the uncircumcised and unclean enemies of the Church are chiefly the demons. By like reason that which follows, Depart, depart, etc., according to the historical sense is understood of the Jews, whom Isaiah exhorts to go out of Babylon when the time of the captivity shall be ended; according to the mystical sense it is understood of the Christians, who ought after Baptism to separate themselves from the assemblies of infidels, their temples, sacrifices, marriages, and the other things which in any way pertain to religion. And in this way blessed Paul understood this place, and cited it, 2 Corinthians 6; for he treats not of commerce with any sinners whatever, but only with infidels: Bear not the yoke, he says, with unbelievers. For what part hath the faithful with the unbeliever? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
To that of the one bread which is made of wheat alone, I answer that likenesses do not agree in all points. But in this consists the likeness of bread and the Church, as Cyprian explains, letter 6, Book 1 to Magnus, and Irenaeus, Book 3, chapter 19, that as from many grains through water is made one bread, so from many men through the water of Baptism, or through the Holy Spirit, who is also called water, Ezekiel 36 and elsewhere, is made one people of God. For there is no one in the Church who is not baptized and does not participate some gift of the Holy Spirit, whether internal or external. Although it is also not true that bread always consists of wheat alone. For sometimes, either from the negligence or the malice of those who make bread, grains of tares too are mingled; as in wine water is often mingled from the malice of those who sell it. Finally the same is shown from the very words of Paul; for he says: We being many are one bread and one body, all that partake of one bread. But of the one partake good and bad, otherwise those would not be reproved by Paul, 1 Corinthians 11, who communicate unworthily.
To the last I say that the evil are not living members of the body of Christ, and that this is signified by those Scriptures. To that which was added, "therefore they are members equivocally, etc.," it is wont to be granted by many that the evil are not true members, nor simply, of the body of the Church, but only in a certain respect and equivocally. So John of Torquemada, Book 1, chapter 57, where he proves it from Alexander of Hales, Hugh, and blessed Thomas. The same too teach Peter of Soto, Melchior Cano, and others, who yet, although they say the evil are not true members, say nevertheless that they are truly in the Church, or in the body of the Church, and are simply faithful, or Christians. For not only members are in the body, but also humors, teeth, hairs, and other things which are not members. Nor are the faithful or Christians so called from charity, but from faith or the profession of faith. But if it is so, it follows that an evil Pontiff is not the head of the Church, and other bishops, if they be evil, are not the heads of their Churches. For the head is not a humor or a hair, but a member, and indeed the chief; but this is against the Council of Constance, in which, session 15, is condemned the 22nd error of John Hus, by which he asserted that an evil pastor is equivocally a pastor, and the 30th error, by which he asserted that an evil prelate is not truly a prelate.
I answer, therefore, that members can be considered in two ways: in one way, as they are certain things in themselves, or according to their essence and substance; in another way, as they are operative instruments. For, for example, the eye of a man and the eye of an ox, as they are certain substances, differ in species, by reason of the diverse soul. But as operative instruments they are of the same species, because they have the same object.
I say, therefore, that an evil Bishop, an evil Presbyter, an evil Doctor, is a dead member, and accordingly not a true member, of the body of Christ, as regards the nature of a member, as it is a certain part of the living body: yet is a most true member in the nature of an instrument, that is, the Pope and the Bishops are true heads, the Doctors true eyes or the true tongue of this body, etc. And the reason is, because members are constituted living by charity, which the impious lack: but operative instruments are constituted by power, whether of order or of jurisdiction, which can be even without grace. For although in the natural body a dead member cannot be a true instrument of operation, yet in the mystical body it can. For in the natural body the operations depend on the goodness of the instrument, because the soul cannot work well except through good instruments, nor exercise the works of life except through living instruments: but in the mystical body the operations do not depend on the goodness or life of the instrument. For the soul of this body, that is, the Holy Spirit, works equally well through instruments good and bad, living and dead, etc.
Second objection. The Church in the Creed is called holy, therefore it consists of none but the holy. Nor does the answer of those suffice, they will say, who say that the Church is called holy because one part is holy. For then it could also be said that the Church is wicked, because one part, nay the greater part, is wicked.
I answer that the Church is called, and truly is, holy, because all the things which pertain to constituting it are holy. Three things are required to constitute the Church. First, Baptism, which no one can deny to be holy. Secondly, the Christian profession, that is, of faith and morals, or of the dogmas and precepts of Christians, which profession that it is holy, and that it alone is holy, is most certain. For the profession of Jews, Turks, heathens, heretics is not holy, but only the profession of Christians. Thirdly, the union of the members among themselves and with the head, at least external, and as regards those things which pertain to religion; which union too is without doubt holy. It is also called holy on account of the holy whom it has, and it ought not therefore to be called also wicked: for the denomination is made from the better; and moreover, because to have holy ones is proper to the Church, since it alone has truly holy ones: but to have the evil is not proper to the Church, for that befits other assemblies also. Finally it can be called holy because it is wholly consecrated to God; and because its head, Christ, is the holy of holies.
Third objection. He does not have God for a Father who does not have the Church for a mother, as Cyprian teaches, book on the unity of the Church; and likewise he does not have the Church for a mother who does not have God for a Father. But no wicked men have God for a Father: for they that are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God, Romans 8. And John 8 it is said to the wicked, You are of your father the Devil. And 1 John 3: In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil: whosoever is not just, is not of God. Therefore only the good have the Church for a mother; therefore only the good are in the Church.
I answer with Augustine, book against Adimantus, chapter 5, that the name of son is taken in three ways in the Scriptures. In one way they are called sons by reason of production, whether that be properly generation, or creation, or regeneration; so the Lord Christ is properly called the Son of God, because generated by God the Father. All men too are called sons by reason of creation, Deuteronomy 32: Is not He thy Father, who made and created thee? And by reason of new regeneration are called sons all the just, and the just alone, as in the noted places, Romans 8 and 1 John 3. Secondly, some are called sons by reason of imitation, in which way, Galatians 4 and Romans 4, the Apostle calls sons of Abraham those who imitate the faith of Abraham, and Matthew 5: Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, that you may be the children of your Father, etc. And in this way the good alone are sons of God, all the evil are sons of the Devil, as is said John 8 and 1 John 3, in the noted places. In the third way they are called sons by reason of doctrine, in which way, 1 Corinthians 4, the Apostle calls the Corinthians sons, because he had taught them the Gospel, and Galatians 4: My little children, of whom I am in labor again, until Christ be formed in you. And in this way all who are in the Church are sons of God and of the Church, who hold the true doctrine of God and of the Church; yet they can be good and bad. Whence Isaiah 1: I have brought up children and exalted them, but they have despised me. And Canticle 2: As the lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters. Where the daughters are called Christian souls, but evil ones.
These things being noted, to the argument it is answered: if it treats of sons of doctrine, the assumption is false; for it is not true that the just alone are sons of God, if the reason of doctrine alone be regarded. But if it treats of sons of God by regeneration or imitation, the last consequence is bad, "therefore the good alone are in the Church." For in the Church are not sons alone, but also servants, although these do not remain in the house forever, but the sons remain forever, John 8; and this is to the mind of blessed Cyprian. For he did not wish to say that there are none in the Church but sons, but that there are no sons outside the Church, just as there are no good outside, though there be some evil within. For he wished to terrify heretics and schismatics, and to warn them not to think that they could be good, or sons, outside the Church.
The fourth argument, from Cyprian, Book 1, letter 6, to Magnus: “In the Church of God,” he says, “none dwell but the concordant and unanimous, the Holy Spirit speaking in the psalms and saying, God, who maketh men of one mind to dwell in a house”: therefore sinners, who move quarrels and contentions with others, are not in the Church.
I answer that Cyprian speaks not of any concord whatever, but of that which is opposed to schism properly so called; for he there treats of the Novatian schismatics. Otherwise, that other dissensions can be in the Church, and in fact are often found, the same Cyprian testifies in his sermon on the lapsed, where among the other sins which were in men in the Church he sets also, to be at variance with one another by pertinacious hatreds.
The fifth argument, from Chrysostom and Theophylact on 2 Timothy 2, where they say that that, In a great house there are vessels of gold, etc., cannot be understood of the Church, but of the world, because in the Church there are no vessels but golden and silver.
I answer: they do not deny that the evil can be in the Church, but say that it is not necessary that they be in the Church. For because the Apostle says, In a great house there are vessels of gold and of silver, of earth and of wood, and it is known that in a great house all these are necessary, lest anyone should think that the Church cannot subsist without the evil, these Fathers say that by the name of house is understood not the Church, but the world; for the Church does not need the evil: nay when it shall be in its best state, that is, in heaven, it will have no evil; but the world is adorned by the evil, not indeed of itself, but by accident, for if there were no evil, in the world the patience of the just would not be exercised, nor the justice of God.
The sixth argument, from Jerome, who in his commentary on Ephesians 5, on that, the Church is subject to Christ: “The Church of Christ is glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; he therefore who is a sinner, or defiled with any filth, cannot be called of the Church of Christ, nor be said subject to Christ.”
I answer: Jerome signifies that the evil cannot be called of that part of the Church which contains the perfect alone; for Jerome, on chapter 1 to the Galatians, expounding that, Paul an Apostle, etc., to the Churches of Galatia, wishing to explain how the words of the Apostle cohere among themselves, who now seems to praise whole Churches, now to blame and reprehend whole ones, says that the Church is taken in two ways, that is, that there are not two Churches, but that the Scriptures speak of one in diverse ways; for sometimes Scripture attributes to the whole Church that which is proper to the perfect, as to lack spot and wrinkle; sometimes that which is proper to the imperfect, as to sin and need correction. When therefore the Church is praised, we must look to that part which contains the perfect; when it is reprehended, to that which contains the imperfect.
The seventh argument: Pacian, letter 3 to Sympronian, says that in the Church there is no spot or wrinkle, because sinners, until they repent of their former life, are not in the Church, but when they repent, they are already healed, etc. I answer: he speaks not of all sinners, but only of sinners who fall into heresy, for he had before said that the Church lacks spot and wrinkle because it lacks heretics.
The eighth argument, from Augustine, who Book 2 against Cresconius, chapter 21: “And through this, even the Church not knowing it, on account of an evil and polluted conscience, those condemned by Christ are now not in the body of Christ, which is the Church, since Christ cannot have condemned members.” He has like things, Book 2 against Petilian, last chapter; Book 4 on Baptism, chapter 3; Book 6, chapter 3; Book 7, chapters 49, 50, and 51; book on the unity of the Church, last chapter; Book 3 of Christian Doctrine, chapter 32; and elsewhere.
I answer that on account of these passages not only Brentius and Calvin, but also some Catholics feign two Churches, but they truly feign; for neither the Scriptures nor Augustine anywhere make mention of two Churches, but of one only. Certainly in the little summary of the conferences, conference 3, when the Donatists calumniated that the Catholics made two Churches, one which contained only the good, another which contained the good with the evil, the Catholics answered that they had never dreamed of two Churches, but only distinguished the parts, or the times, of the Church. The parts indeed, because the good belong to the Church in one way, the evil in another; for the good are the interior part, and as it were the soul of the Church; the evil are the exterior part, and as it were the body; and they gave the example of the interior and exterior man, who are not two men, but two parts of the same man.
But distinguishing the times they said that the Church is now one way, and will be another way after the resurrection; for now it has good and bad, then it will have none but the good; and they set the example of Christ, who, though He is always the same, yet before His resurrection was mortal and passible, afterward immortal and impassible. Which doctrine the same Augustine often confirms elsewhere, and explains by various likenesses. For Book 7 against the Donatists, chapter 51, he says that the good are so in the house of God, which is the Church, that they themselves are the house of God constructed of living stones; that the evil are so in the same house that they themselves are not the house. And book on the unity of the Church, last chapter, he says that the evil are cut off from the Church by mind, but not by body, which is to say, that they belong to the exterior man of the Church, but not to the interior. And Book 3 of Christian Doctrine, chapter 32, explaining that of Canticle 1: I am black, but beautiful, as the tabernacles of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon, he notes that it is not said, "I was black, but I am beautiful," but "I am black and beautiful," because the very same one Church is now black as the tabernacles of Cedar, on account of the sinners which it has in itself, and at the same time is beautiful as the curtains of Solomon, that is, as the tents of the king, on account of the good which it has in itself.
The same Augustine, treatise 3 on the epistle of John, teaches that the evil are indeed in the body of the Church, not as members, but as corrupt humors which remain in the breast, which are really in the body, and yet are also truly separated from the members of the body. From these it is answered that when Augustine says the evil are not in the Church, it must be understood that they are not in it in that way in which the good are, that is, are not as living members of the body.
But you will object, because blessed Augustine, Book 3 on Baptism, chapter 18, and Book 1, chapters 21 and 22, and Book 6, chapter 3, and Book 7, chapter 51, teaches that only the holy are that Church which is founded upon the rock, and to which the keys of the kingdom of heaven are given, and of which it is said, if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican.
I answer that Augustine wished to signify nothing else than that all the privileges which are granted by God to the whole Church are granted on account of the holy alone, that is, for the usefulness and advantage of those who attain eternal salvation. For otherwise the same Augustine most frequently repeats that even evil Christians usefully administer the Sacraments, and accordingly regenerate men, loose, bind, etc. And so in treatise 5 on John he compares evil ministers to a stone channel, through which water passes to the little garden-beds, and, although it acquires no usefulness for itself, yet is the cause that herbs and flowers are born and grow in the beds. Which same he teaches more fully, Book 2 against Parmenian, chapters 10 and 11.
The ninth objection is of the Magdeburgians, Century 1, Book 1, chapter 4, column 171, where from the Scriptures they prove that there are two Churches, one of the good, the other of the evil. For if, Matthew 5, the justice of the disciples is distinguished from the justice of the Pharisees; Matthew 6 the pious are distinguished from the hypocrites; Matthew 7 the assembly of those going by the narrow way is distinguished from the assembly of those going by the broad way; and in the same place the house founded on the rock is distinguished from the house founded on the sand. But it is established that the Church of the evil is not the one holy Church of Christ; therefore the true Church of Christ embraces the good alone.
I answer: in none of these places are two Churches distinguished, but only the diverse qualities of those who are in one and the same Church. For as, Matthew 13, the good fishes are distinguished from the bad, and yet in the same net, which signifies the Church, both these and those were: so also in the same Church, which consists of the profession of the same faith and the communication of the same Sacraments, some are they who walk by the broad way of vices, some by the narrow way of virtues; some are truly pious, some hypocrites; some follow the Pharisaic justice, some the Apostolic. Finally, some are as a house founded on the rock, some as a house founded on the sand. Nor in this place do the two houses signify two Churches, unless we wish to make as many Churches as there are men; for thus the Lord says: Every one therefore that heareth these my words and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock, etc.
The tenth objection. If the body of Christ is the Church, there cannot be parts and members of this body in which Christ works nothing; but He works nothing in the impious and in hypocrites; not therefore can those who are such belong to the Church of Christ. Likewise the kingdom of Christ must altogether be distinguished from the kingdom of the Devil; but all the impious belong to the kingdom of the Devil; therefore only the pious belong to the kingdom of Christ, which is the Church.
I answer: it is not necessary that Christ work something in all His members. For there are certain dead and withered members which only adhere to the rest by an external conjunction. And although the kingdom of Christ is distinct from the kingdom of the Devil, yet the same men can belong to both kingdoms; for those who, endowed with evil morals, persevere in the Catholic faith and in conjunction with the rest of the faithful, belong to the kingdom of Christ as to the profession of faith, and to the kingdom of the Devil as to the perversity of morals. Wherefore Saint Augustine, on Psalm 47, says that impious men who are in the Church are both sons and strangers: sons on account of the form of piety, strangers on account of the loss of the virtues.
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CAPUT IX. De magnis peccatoribus. Jam vero in una vera et Catholica Christi Ecclesia non solum imperfectos , sed etiam graves peccatores esse, et non solum occul¬ tos, sed etiam manifestos , contra errorem Novatianorum , Donatistarum et Confessio- nistarum, probatur Primo ex parabolis Evan- geliorum de area, de reti, de convivo nuptia¬ li, de decem virginibus , et de ovili , supra citatis, quibus Catholici ita confutarunt olim Donatistas, ut plane non invenerint ullo mo¬ do qua exirent, ut Augustinus refert in bre¬ viculo collationis, explicans collationem ter- tise diei. Prseterea sunt alia loca apertissima, Mat. XVIII : Si peccaverit in te frater tuus , vade corripe eum etc. si eos non audierit , dic Eccle¬ siae , si Ecclesiam non audient , sit tibi velut Ethnicus et Publicanus (3). Hic negari non potest, quin sermo sit de vera Ecclesia; Nam Christus loquitur de Ecclesia sua, et in hac Ecclesia constat inveniri peccatores, et tales peccatores , qui saepe non emendantur per correptionem fraternam, nec etiam adhibitis duobus testibus : et tamen in Ecclesia ma¬ nent, donec ab ipsa Ecclesia per sententiam Praelati ejiciantur. Item Matth. XXIII, Do¬ minus praecipit de praepositis malis , ut fa¬ ciamus quod dicunt, non quod faciunt, et c. XXIV. describit praepositum malum , qui percutit conservos, comedit , et bibit cum ebriosis etc. et dicit : Veniet Dominus ejus in (1) Cantic. VI. 7; Eph. V, 27. — (2) Gen. VI. 9; Philip. III, 15: Psal. XVII, 24: CXVIII. 1: Eph. I, 4. — (3) Matth. XVIII, 15 et 17. 332 LIBER III. die, qua non sperat, et dividet eum , partemque ejus cum hypocritis ponet (1). Ubi de praepo¬ sitis Ecclesiae agi docent Hilarius, Hierony¬ mus, Chrysostomus , et alii in hunc locum. Item in epist. I ad Cor. cap. 1. Paulus dicit scribere se Ecclesiae Dei, quae est Corinthi ; et mox ibidem subdit : Significatum est mihi, quod contentiones sunt inter vos etc. Et cap.V: Auditur inter vos fornicatio, et talis fornicatio, qualis nec inter gentes, ita utuxorem patris sui aliquis habeat (2). Quid hic dicent? non esse hanc veram Ecclesiam? At Apostolus dicit esse Ecclesiam Dei. Non fuisse istum peccatorem gravissimum , et manifestum ? At Apostolus hoc dicit. Non fuisse in illa Ec¬ clesia? At Apostolus jubet, ut expellant eum per excommunicationem. Tollatur, inquit, de medio vestri etc. Praeterea Apocal. II et III. scribit Joannes septem Ecclesiis Asiae , et fere singulas re¬ prehendit de rebus non levibus. Et notat Au¬ gustinus lib. II. contra Parmenianum , cap. 10. non solum Ecclesias , sed etiam praepo¬ situm reprehendi significatum per Angelum Sardensis Ecclesiae : Nomen , inquit, habes , quod vivas , sed mortuus es , esto vigilans etc. (3) Adde, quod tempore Testamenti ve¬ teris, numquam defuerunt gravissima pecca- cata in populo Dei, et tamen nusquam legi¬ mus, quod Moses, aut Samuel, aut alii Pro¬ phetae, qui diversis temporibus fuerunt, aut Maria, Anna, Elizabeth, Simeon, Zacharias, Joannes Baptista , et alii justi, quos Domi¬ nus invenit in populo Judaeorum, separave¬ rint se a reliquis pessimis hominibus, quan¬ tum ad templum , altare , sacrificia, et alia, quae religionis sunt, ergo in eadem congre¬ gatione manebant boni et mali. Quod argu¬ mentum valde urget , et merito S. August. in breviculo, collatione tertia. Probatur Secundo ex testimonio Ecclesiae Catholicae, quae erat tempore B. Augustini. Beatus Augustinus enim in breviculo colla¬ tionum refert collationem celeberrimam Car¬ thagine habitam inter 306 Episcopos Catho¬ licos, quorum unus ipse erat , et 296 Epis-' ceopos Donatistas. Tot enim fuisse indicat Au¬ gustinus in collatione primae diei. Deinde in collatione tertiae diei refert, Donatistas coa¬ ctos fateri, 'esse in Ecclesia bonos et malos, prolata a Catholicis illa parobala de reti, pis¬ ces bonos et malos congregante : sed dixis¬ se adhuc Donatistas, tantum occultos malos esse in Ecclesia; sicut in reti, dum est in mari, non discernuntur a piscatoribus pisces boni a malis, sed in littore discernuntur, et mox separantur. Ad hoc autem dicit respon¬ disse Catholicos, propterea Ecclesiam com¬ paratam etiam esse areae, in qua discernun¬ tur paleae a frumento , imo magis apparent paleae, quam frumenta : et etiam Arcae Noe, in qua etiam post egressum corvi, quo sig¬ nificantur haeretici, adhuc remanserunt pa¬ lam animalia munda et immunda. Addit etiam Augustinus, quod cum calum¬ niarentur Donatistae, Catholicos duas Eccle¬ sias facere, unam in terris, quae habere bo¬ nos et malos, alteram in cmlis, quae non ha¬ beret , nisi bonos ; responderunt Catholici, se non duas Ecclesias facere, sed distingue- . re duo tempora Ecclesiae. « Eamdem , in¬ quit, ipsam unam, et sanctam Ecclesiam di¬ xerunt nunc esse aliter, tunc aliter futuram, nunc habere malos mixtos, tunc non habitu¬ ram, sicut non ideo duo Christi sunt , quia aliquando mortalis , aliquando immortalis fuerit Christus. » Quae sunt notanda contra nostros Confessionistas et Calvinistas , qui duas Ecclesias fingunt. Probatur Tertio testimoniis Patrum , Cy¬ prianus lib. III, ep. 3. ad Maximum : «Im¬ pediri, inquit, non debet aut fides, aut Cha- ritas nostra, ut quoniam zizania esse in Ec¬ clesia cernimus, ipsi de Ecclesia recedamus.» Gregorius Nazianzenus in orat. 1. Apologe¬ tica, ante medium , comparat Ecclesiam in¬ genti belluae ex variis belluis compositae, id est, magnis, parvis, feris, mitibus etc. ut os¬ tendat maximum esse laborem Episcopi, qui regere debet tot hominum genera, perfectos, et imperfectos, bonos et malos. Chrysosto¬ mus multa similia dicit de 'peccatis eorum, qui ab Episcopis reguntur, lib. III de sacer¬ dotio. Item in Psalm. XXXIX, in illud Multi¬ plicatae sunt super capillos capitis mei etc. « iNec ex perfectis quidem universa constat E,cclesia, sed habet eos etiam, qui otio , et socordiae se dedunt, mollemque, et dissolu¬ tam vitam amplectuntur, et libenter serviunt voluptatibus , et quoniam est unum corpus, tanquam ex una persona haec, et illa pronun¬ tiat. » Hieronymus in Dialogo contra Luciferia- nos ultra medium : « Arca Noe, inquit, Ec¬ clesiae typus fuit; ut in illa omnium anima¬ lium genera, ita et in hac universarum, et (1) Matth. XXIV, 50 et 51. — (2) I. Cor. I, 11 ; V, 1. — (3) Apoc. III, 1. CAPUT IX. 333 gentium, et morum homines sunt : ut ibi, pardus, haedi, lupus, et agni, ita et hic justi et peccatores, id est, vasa aurea , et argen¬ tea cum ligneis, et fictilibus commorantur.» Augustinus in tract. 6. in Joan. : « Nos, in¬ quit, fatemur in Ecclesia Catholica , et bo¬ nos, et malos esse , sed tanquam grana, et paleas. » Idem habet lib. II retractat, c. 18. Libro post collationem cap. 7 et 20. Libro de unitate Ecclesiae c. 13, lib. XVIII de Civit. Dei cap. 49. et alibi. Fulgentius lib. de fide ad Petrum cap. 43 : « Firmissime tene, et nullatenus dubites, aream Dei esse Catholi¬ cam Ecclesiam, et intra eam usque in finem saeculi frumento mixtas paleas contineri, id est, bonis malos Sacramentorum communio¬ ne misceri. » Gregorius hom. 11 et 38. in Evangelia, docet, et probat multis argumen¬ tis, malos esse in Ecclesia. Probatur ultimo ratione. Nam si soli boni essent in Ecclesia , frustra esset Sacramen¬ tum poenitentiae , quod solis iis administra¬ tur , qui sunt de Ecclesia. Praeterea nemo certo sciret, qui sint de Ecclesia. Incertum est enim qui sint revera boni , et qui non. Item mox atque praelati in aliquod peccatum incidissent, non essent amplius de Ecclesia, nec praelati, et proinde non oporteret eis am¬ plius obedire. Et similiter subditi mox atque peccarent, non essent amplius de grege ; et proinde liceret pastoribus curam eorum non agere ; ex quo summa confusio, et pertur¬ batio oriretur. At objiciunt primo Scripturam Isai. LII : Non adjiciet ultra , ut pertranseat per te incir- cumcisus, et immundus. Et ibidem : Recedite , recedite, exite inde , pollutum nolite tangere, exite de medio ejus (1). Quem locum expo¬ nens Apostolus II. Corinth. VI. addit : Et recipiam vos , dicit Dominus. Itaque Deus in Ecclesiam non recipit, nisi eos, qui separant se ab immundis , et peccatoribus. Et ratio¬ nem reddit ibidem Paulus , dicens : Quce enim participatio justifice cum iniquitate ? quce conventio Christi ad Beliadi. Cor. X : Unus panis, et unum corpus multi sumus (2). At pa¬ nis non efficitur nisi ex frumento, non ex pa¬ leis, et frumento Ro. VIII : Qui spiritum Chri¬ sti non habet , hic non est ejus. Et I. Corinth. XII : In uno spiritu omnes nos in unum corpus baptizati sumus (3). Ergo qui non habet spi¬ ritum , ut sunt omnes peccatores , non est membrum Christi. Si dicas , non est mem¬ brum vivum, tamen est membrum. Contra, quia membrum mortuum non est membrum, nisi Ecquivoce. Ergo non est membrum ve¬ rum, igitur non nst membrum simpliciter. Respondet ad primumB. August. lib. cont. Donatistas post collationem cap. 8. et 20. et in breviculo collationis tertiae diei , intelligi de Ecclesia triumphante, quod dicitur : Non adjiciet ultra , ut pertranseat per te incircum- cisus et immundus. Et quod additur : Recedi¬ te, exite etc. Intelligi de separatione , quce debet fieri animo , et moribus , non autem corporali discessione ab eodem templo , et Sacramentis etc. At melius Cyrillus in hunc locum Isaiae, a quo non videtur Hieronymus multum dis¬ crepare, docetsecundum historicum sensum, agi de temporali persecutione Judaeorum, ut sensus sit , cum a captivitate redieris , non adjiciet ultra, id est, in longum tempus, ali¬ quis infidelis persecutor per terras tuas eas vastando, pertransire : Secundum mysticum autem sensum agi de Ecclesia, et praedicere Isaiam, fore, ut portae inferi non praevaleant adversus eam. Incircumcisi enim, et immun¬ di hostes Ecclesiae praecipue sunt daemones. Pari ratione quod sequitur : Recedite , recedi - de etc. secundum historicum sensum intelli- gitur de Judaeis , quos hortatur Isaias , ut exeant de Babylone cum finitum fuerit tem¬ pus captivitatis : Secundum mysticum sen¬ sum intelligitur de Christianis , qui debent post Baptismum separari ab infidelium coe¬ tibus, templis, sacrificiis, conjugiis*, et caete- ris rebus, quae quoquo modo ad religionem pertinent. Et hoc modo intellexit hunc lo¬ cum B. Paulus, et citavit. II. Corinth. VI. non enim de commercio cum quibusvis pec¬ catoribus , sed solum cum infidelibus agit : Nolite jugum, inquit, ducere cum infidelibus , quce pars fideli cum infideli ? Quis autem con¬ sensus templo Dei cum idolis ? (4) Ad illud de uno pane , qui ex solo tritico fit, respondeo, similitudines non in omnibus convenire. In hoc autem consistit similitudo panis, et Ecclesiae, ut Cyprianus explicat ep. 6 , lib. I ad Magnum, et Ircnaeus lib. III, c. 19. quod sicut ex multis granis per aquam fit unus panis , ita ex multis hominibus per aquam Baptismi, vel per Spiritum sanctum, qui etiam dicitur aqua Ezechiel. XXXVI. et (1) Isai. LII, 11. — (2) II. Cor. VI, 18; I. Cor. X, 17. — (3) Rom. VIII, 9; I. Cor. XII, 13. — (4) II. Cor. VI, 14. 334 LIBER III. alibi, lit unus populus Dei. Nemo enim est in Ecclesia, qui non sit baptizatus , et non participet aliquod donum vel internum, vel externum Spiritus sancti. Quanquamnon est etiam verum, panem semper constare ex so¬ lo tritico. Interdum enim vel ex negligentia, vel ex malitia eorum , qui panem faciunt, admiscentur etiam grana lolii; sicut in vino ssepe ex malitia vendentium admiscetur aqua. Denique idem ostenditur ex ipsis ver¬ bis Pauli, nam dicit : Unus panis , et unum corpus sumus , qui de uno pane participamus (1). At de uno participant boni et mali , alioqui non arguerentur a Paulo I. Gorinth. XI. qui indigne communicant. Ad ultimum dico, malos non esse membra viva corporis Christi, et hoc significari illis Scripturis. Ad id quod addebatur, igitur sunt aequivoce membra etc. a multis solet conce¬ di, malos non esse membra vera , nec sim¬ pliciter , corporis Ecclesias, sed tantum se¬ cundum quid, et aequivoce. Ita Joannes de Turrecremata lib. I, cap. 57. ubi id probat ex Alexandro de Ales, Hugone, et B. Tho- ma. Idem etiam docent Petrus a Soto, Mel- chior Canus , et alii , qui tamen etsi dicant malos non esse membra vera, dicunt nihil¬ ominus vere esse in Ecclesia, sive in corpo¬ re Ecclesiae , et esse simpliciter fideles , seu Christianos. Neque enim sola membra sunt in corpore, sed etiam humores, dentes, pili, et alia quae non sunt membra. Neque fideles aut Christiani dicuntur tales a charitate, sed a fide sive a fidei professione. At si ita est, sequitur, Pontificem malum non esse caput Ecclesiae : et alios Episcopos , si mali sint, non esse capita suarum Ecclesiarum. Caput enim non est humor , aut pilus , sed mem¬ brum , et quidem praecipuum : At hoc est contra Concilium Constantiense, in quo sess. .XV. damnatur error 22 Joannis Huss, quo asserebat pastorem malum esse aequivoce pastorem, et error 30. quo asserebat praela¬ tum malum non esse vere praelatum. Respondeo igitur, membra posse conside¬ rari duobus modis : Uno modo, ut sunt res quaedam secundum se , sive secundum es¬ sentiam, ac substantiam suam : alio modo, ut sunt instrumenta operativa. Nam ex. gr. oculus hominis, et oculus bovis, ut sunt sub¬ stantiae quaedam differunt specie, ratione di¬ versae animae. At instrumenta operativa, sunt ejusdem speciei, quia idem habent ob¬ jectura. Dico igitur, Episcopum malum, Presbyte¬ rum malum , Doctorem malum , esse mem¬ bra mortua, et proinde non vera , corporis Christi, quantum attinet ad rationem mem¬ bri, ut est pars quaedam vivi corporis : ta¬ men esse verissima membra in ratione ins¬ trumenti , id est , Papam et Episcopos esse vera capita, Doctores veros oculos, seu ve¬ ram linguam hujus corporis etc. et ratio est, quia membra constituuntur viva per chari- tatem , qua impii carent : At instrumenta operativa constituuntur per potestatem sive ordinis, sive jurisdictionis, quae etiam sine gratia esse potest. Nam etsi in corpore na¬ turali non possit membrum mortuum esse verum instrumentum operationis, tamen in corpore mystico potest. In corpore enim na¬ turali opera pendent ex bonitate instrumenti quia anima non potest bene operari, nisi per bona instrumenta, nec opera vitae exercere, nisi per instrumenta viva : at in corpore mystico opera non pendent ex bonitate, aut vita instrumenti. Anima enim hujus corpo¬ ris, id est, Spiritus sanctus aeque bene ope¬ ratur per instrumenta bona et mala, viva et mortua etc. Objectio secunda. Ecclesia in Symbolo di¬ citur sancta, igitur non constat, nisi ex sanc¬ tis. -Nec sufficit, dicent , responsio eorum, qui dicunt Ecclesiam dici sanctam, quia una pars est sancta. Nam tunc etiam dici posset Ecclesiam scelerata, quia una pars, imo ma¬ jor pars est scelerata. Respondeo , Ecclesiam dici , et vere esse sanctam, quia omnia, quse ad ipsam consti¬ tuendam pertinent, sunt sancta. Tria requi¬ runtur ad Ecclesiam constituendam. Primo, Baptisma, quod sanctum esse nemo negare potest. Secundo, professio Christiana, id est, fidei, et morum, sive dogmatum, et praecep¬ torum Christianorum , quam professionem sanctam esse, et solam ipsam esse sanctam, certissimum est. Nec enim Judaeorum, Tur¬ earum, Ethnicorum, Haereticorum professio sancta est, sed solum professio Christiano¬ rum. Tertio, unio membrorum inter se , et cum capite, saltem externa, etquoad ea, quse ad religionempertinent; quae unio etiam si¬ ne dubio est sancta. Dicitur etiam sancta propter sanctos, quos habet, et non propter- \ (1) L Cor. X, 17. CAPUT IX. 335 ea dici debet etiam scelerata : Nam deno¬ minatio fit a meliori ; et prceterea, quia ha¬ bere sanctos est proprium Ecclesiae , quia ipsa sola habet vere sanctos : At habere ma¬ los non est proprium Ecclesiae, id enim etiam aliis coetibus convenit. Denique sancta dici potest , quia tota est consecrata Deo ; et quia caput ejus Christus, est sanctus sancto¬ rum. Objectio Tertia. Non habet Deum Patrem, qui Ecclesiam non habet matrem, ut Cypria¬ nus docet lib. de unitate Ecclesiae, et simili¬ ter r non habet Ecclesiam matrem, qui Deum non habet patrem. Sed nulli improbi Deum habent patrem : Nam qui spiritu Dei aguntur , hi sunt filii Dei. Rom. VIII. Et Joann. VIII. dicitur improbis. Vos ex patre Diabolo estis. Et I.Joan. III : In hoc sunt manifesti filii Dei, et filii Diaboli, omnis qui non est justus, non est ex Deo (I). Ergo soli boni habent Ecclesiam matrem; ergo, soli boni sunt in Ecclesia. Respondeo cumAugustino lib. contra Adi- mantum cap. 5. nomen filii tribus modis ac¬ cipi in Scripturis. Uno modo dicuntur filii ratione productionis, sive illa sit proprie ge¬ neratio, sive creatio , sive regeneratio ; sic Dominus Christus proprie dicitur Filius Dei, quia a Deo Patre generatus. Dicuntur etiam omnes homines filii ratione creationis Deu- teron. XXXII : Numquid non ipse est pater tuus , qui fecit , et creavit tel (2) Necnon ra¬ tione novee regenerationis dicuntur filii om¬ nes justi, et soli justi, ut in locis notatis Rom. VIII. et 1. 'Joan. III ; Secundo dicuntur filii aliqui ratione imitationis, quomodo Gal. IV. et Rom. IV. vocat Apostolus filios Abrahae eos, qui fidem Abrahee imitantur, et Matth. V : Diligite inimicos vestros, benefacite his , qui vos oderunt , ut sitis filii patris vestri etc (3). Et hoc modo soli boni sunt filii Dei , mali omnes sunt filii Diaboli, ut diciturJoan. VIII. et I. Joan. III. locis notatis. Tertio modo di¬ cuntur filii ratione doctrina?, quomodoI.Cor. IV, Apostolus vocat Corinthios filios , quia eos docuerat Evangelium, et Galat. IV ; Fi¬ lioli mei, inquit , quos iterum parturio, donec formetur Christus in vobis (4). Et hoc modo omnes qui sunt in Ecclesia, sunt filii Dei, et Ecclesiae , qui tenent veram doctrinam Dei, et Ecclesiae; tamen possunt esse boni et mali. Unde Isai. I : Filios enutrivi , et exal¬ tavi , ipsi autem spreverunt me. Et Cant. II : Sicut lilium inter spina, sic amica meti inter fi¬ lias (5). Ubi filiae dicuntur animae Christia¬ nae, sed malae. His notatis, ad argumentum respondetur, si de filiis doctrinae agatur , falsam esse as¬ sumptionem; non enim est verum solos jus¬ tos esse filios Dei, si soJius doctrinae ratio habeatur. Sivero agatur de filiis Dei per re¬ generationem, aut imitationem, malam esse postremam illam consecutionem , ergo soli boni sunt in Ecclesia. In Ecclesia enim non sunt soli filii, sed etiam servi, quamquam isti non manent in domo in aeternum , filii ma¬ nent in aiternum Joannis VIII, et hoc est ad mentem R. Cypriani. Is enim non voluit di¬ cere, non esse in Ecclesia nisi filios, sed non esse ullos filios extra Ecclesiam , sicut non sunt ulli boni extra, licet sint aliqui mali in¬ tus. Volebat enim terrere haereticos et schis¬ maticos, ac monere eos, ne putarent, se pos¬ se esse bonos, aut filios extra Ecclesiam. Argumentum quartum ex Cypriano lib. I, epist. 6. ad Magnum : « In Ecclesia Dei, in¬ quit, non nisi concordes atque unanimes ha¬ bitant, loquente in psalmis Spiritu sancto, et dicente, Deus, qui inhabitare facit unanimes in domo » : Ergo peccatores, qui cum aliis rixas, et contentiones movent , non sunt in Ecclesia. Respondeo, loqui Cyprianum non de qua¬ cumque concordia, sed de illa, quee opponi¬ tur schismati proprie dicto ; agit enim ibi de Novatianis schismaticis. Alioqui dissensiones alias in Ecclesia esse posse, et re ipsa ssepe inveniri, testatur idem Cyprianus in sermo¬ ne de lapsis , ubi inter alia peccata , quse erant in hominibus in Ecclesia, ponit etiam, odiis pertinacibus invicem dissidere. Argumentum quintum ex Chrysostomo et Theophylacto in II. Timotli. II , ubi dicunt, illud : In magna domo sunt vasa aurea etc. (6) non posse intelligi de Ecclesia, sed de mun¬ do, quia in Ecclesia, non sunt vasa, nisi au¬ rea et argentea. Respondeo, non negant, malos esse posse in Ecclesia, sed dicunt non esse necessarium, ut sint in Ecclesia. Quia enim Apostolus di¬ cit : in magna domo sunt vasa aurea et ar¬ gentea, fictilia et lignea , et notum est , in magna domo lieec omnia esse necessaria, ne quis putaret Ecclesiam non posse consistere sine malis, dicunt hi Patres : nomine domus (1) Rom. VIII. 14; Joan. VIII, 44; I. Joan. III, 10. — (2) Deut. XXXII, 6. — (3) Matth. V, 44; — (4) Galat; IV, 19. — (5) Isai. I, 2; Cantic. II, 2. — (6) II. Timoth. II, 20. 336 LIBER III. non intelligi Ecclesiam , sed mundum, nam Ecclesia non indiget malis : Imo quando erit in optimo statu suo, id est, in coelo , nullos habebjt malos ; At mundus ornatur ex malis, non quidem perse, sed per accidens, si enim non essent mali, in mundo non exerceretur justorum patientia, nec Dei justitia. Argumentum sextum ex Hieronymo , qui in Commentar, ad Ephes. V. in illud; Ec¬ clesia subjecta est Christo : « Ecclesia, in¬ quit, Christi gloriosa est, non habens macu¬ lam, neque rugam, neque aliquid hujusmo¬ di, qui ergo peccator est , aut aliqua sorde maculatus , de Ecclesia Christi non potest appellari, nec Christo subjectus dici. » Respondeo , significat Hieronymus non posse malos de ea parte Ecclesise appellari, quae solos perfectos continet ; nam Hiero¬ nymus in cap. I. ad Galat. exponens illud : Paulus Apostolus etc. Ecclesiis Galatiae. Volens explicare, quomodo cohaereant inter se ver¬ ba Apostoli, qui nunc totas Ecclesias vide¬ tur laudare, nunc totas vituperare , ac re¬ prehendere, dicit Ecclesiam dupliciter acci¬ pi, id est , non duas esse Ecclesias , sed de una diversimode Scripturas loqui; interdum enim tribuit Scriptura toti Ecclesiae, id quod est proprium perfectorum , ut carere macu¬ la, et ruga , interdum id quod est proprium imperfectorum, ut peccare, et correptione indigere. Cum ergo laudatur Ecclesia, res¬ piciendum est ad eam partem, quae perfec¬ tos continet; cum reprehenditur, ad eam quae continet imperfectos. Argumentum septimum, Paeianus epist. 3. ad Sympronianum dicit, in Ecclesia non esse maculam, aut rugam, quia peccatores, donec non pcenitet eos vitae prioris, non sunt in Ecclesia, cum aiutem poenitet, jam sani sunt etc. Respondeo, non loquitur de omnibus peccatoribus, sed solum peccatori¬ bus, qui in haeresim labuntur, nam antea dixerat, Ecclesiam carere macula, et rugis, quia caret haereticis. Argumentum octavum ex Augustino, qui lib. II cont. Cresconium, cap. 21. : «Ac per hoc, inquit, etiam nesciente Ecclesia, propter malam, pollutamque conscientiam damnati a Christo jam in corpore Christi non sunt, quod est Ecclesia, quoniam non potest Christus habere membra damnata. » Similia habet lib. II contra Petilianum, cap. ult. lib. IV de Baptismo, cap. 3. lib. VI, cap. 3. lib. VII, cap. 49, 50 et 51. lib. de unit. Ecclesiae, cap. ult. lib. III doctrinae Chris¬ tianae, cap. 32. et alibi. Respondeo, propter haec loca non solum Brentius et Calvinus, sed etiam aliqui Ca¬ tholici tingunt duas Ecclesias, sed*vere fin¬ gunt : nam nec Scripturae, nec Augustinus usquam meminerunt duarum Ecclesiarum, sed unius tantum. Certe in breviculo colla¬ tionum, collat. 3. cum Donatistae calumnia¬ rentur, Catholicos duas Ecclesias facere, unam, quae solos bonos, aliam, quae bonos cum malis contineret : responderunt Catho¬ lici, se nunquam duas Ecclesias somniasse, sed tantum distinguere partes, vel tempora Ecclesiae; partes quidem, quia aliter boni, aliter «mali ad Ecclesiam pertinent, boni enim sunt pars interior, et quasi anima Ec¬ clesiae ; mali sunt pars exterior et quasi cor¬ pus, et dabant exemplum de homine inte¬ riore, et exteriore, qui non sunt duo homi¬ nes, sed duae partes ejusdem hominis. Tempora autem distinguentes dicebant, Ecclesiam aliter esse nunc, aliter futuram post resurrectionem, nunc enim habet bonos et malos, tunc non habebit, nisi bonos; ct ponebant exemplum de Christo, qui cum semper sit idem, tamen ante resurrectionem suam fuit mortalis et passibilis, postea im¬ mortalis et impassibilis; quam doctrinam idem Augustinus alibi sa3pe confirmat, et va¬ riis similitudinibus explicat. Nam lib. YII cont. Donatist. cap. 51. dicit bonos sic esse in domo Dei, quae est Ecclesia, ut ipsi sint domus Dei constructa ex vivis lapidibus, ma¬ los sic esse in eadem domo, ut ipsi tamen non sint domus. Et lib. de unitate Ecclesiae, cap. ult. dicit malos esse praecisos ab Eccle¬ sia animo, non tamen corpore, quod est di¬ cere, pertinere ad hominem exteriorem Ec¬ clesiae, non tamen ad interiorem. Et lib. III doctrinae Christianae, cap. 32. explicans il¬ lud Cantic. I : Nigra sum , sed formosa , sicut tabernacula Cedar , sicut pelles Salomonis (1); notat non esse dictum, nigra fui, sed for¬ mosa sum, sed, nigra sum et formosa, quia ipsa una et eadem Ecclesia nunc est nigra sicut tabernacula Cedar, propter peccatores, quos in se habet, et simul est formosa sicut pelles Salomonis, id est, sicut tentoria regis, propter bonos, quos in se habet. Idem Augustin. tract. 3. in Joann. epist. docet, malos esse quidem in Ecclesiee cor¬ ti) Cantic. I, 4. CAPUT IX. 337 1 : i pore, non ut membra, sed ut humores cor¬ ruptos, qui manent in pectore, qui revera sunt in corpore, et tamen sunt etiam vere separati a membris corporis. Ex his respon¬ detur, quando Augustinus dicit, malos non esse in Ecclesia, debere intelligi non esse eo modo quo sunt boni, id est, non esse ut membra corporis viva. Sed objicies, quia B. Augustinus lib. III de Baptismo, cap. 18. et lib.I, cap. 21 et22. et lib. VI, cap. 3. et lib. VII, cap. 51. do¬ cet, solos sanctos esse illam Ecclesiam, quee est fundata super petram, et cui datae sunt claves regni coelorum, et de qua dicitur, si Ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut Ethni¬ cus et Publicanus. Respondeo: Augustinum nihil aliud signi¬ ficare voluisse, quam omnia privilegia, quae sunt a Deo concessa Ecclesiae universae, propter solos sanctos concessa esse, id est, in utilitatem et commodum eorum, qui salutem aeternam consequuntur. Nam alioqui idem Augustinus frequentissime repetit , malos etiam Christianos utiliter Sacramenta admi¬ nistrare, ac proinde regenerare homines, solvere, ligare etc. Itaque in tract. 5. in Jo. confert malos ministros canali lapideo, per quem transit aqua ad areolas, et cum nihil ipse utilitatis acquirat, tamen causa est, ut herbse, et flores in areolis nascantur, et crescant. Quod idem fusius docet lib. II cont. Parmenianum cap. 10 et 11. Objectio nona estMagdeburgensiumCent. I, lib. I, cap. 4. coi. 171. ubi ex Scripturis probant duas esse Ecclesias, unam bonorum, aliam malorum. Si enim distinguitur Matth. V justitia discipulorum a justitia Pharisseo- rum ; Matth. VI distinguuntur pii ab hypo¬ critis; Matth. VII distinguitur coetus eun¬ tium per viam angustam, a coetu euntium per viam latam ; et ibidem distinguitur do¬ mus fundata super petram, a domo fundata super arenam. Constat autem Ecclesiam ma¬ lorum non esse unam sanctam Christi Ec¬ clesiam ; igitur vera Christi Ecclesia solos bonos amplectitur. Respondeo : in nullo liorum locorum dis¬ tingui duas Ecclesias, sed solum diversas qualitates eorum, qui in una atque eadem Ecclesia sunt, quemadmodum enim Matth. XIII distinguuntur boni pisces a malis ; et tamen in eodem reti, quod Ecclesiam signi¬ ficat, tam isti, quam illi erant : ita quoque in eadem Ecclesia, quae constat professione ejusdem fidei, et communicatione eorumdem Sacramentorum, quidam sunt qui ambulant per viam latam vitiorum, quidam per viam angustam virtutum, quidam sunt vere pii, quidam hypocritae, quidam justitiam Phari- saicam , quidam Apostolicam sequuntur. Denique, quidam sunt veluti domus fundata super petram, quidam autem velut domus fundata super arenam. Nec enim hoc loco duae domus duas Ecclesias significant, nisi velimus tot Ecclesias facere, quot sunt ho¬ mines, sic enim Dominus ait : Omnis ergo , qui audit verba mea hcec , et facit ea, assimila- bitur viro sapienti , qui aedificavit domum suam supra petram etc. (1) Objectio decima. Si Christi corpus Ec¬ clesia est, non possunt esse partes ac mem¬ bra hujus corporis, in quibus Christus nihil operatur ; nihil autem operatur in impiis et hypocritis ; non igitur qui ejusmodi sunt, ad Christi Ecclesiam pertinere possunt. Item oportet omnino distinguere Christi regnum a regno Diaboli, sed omnes impii ad regnum Diaboli pertinent; soli igitur pii pertinent ad regnum Christi, quod est Ecclesia. Respondeo : non esse necesse, ut Christus in omnibus suis membris aliquid operetur. Sunt enim quaedam membra mortua et ari¬ da, quae solum adhaerent reliquis externa conjunctione. Et si autem Christi regnum distinctum sit a regno Diaboli, possunt ta¬ men iidem homines ad utrumque regnum pertinere; qui enim malis moribus praediti, in fide Catholica, et conjunctione cum cae- teris fidelibus perseverant, ad regnum Christi pertinent, quantum ad fidei professionem; ad regnum autem Diaboli, quantum ad mo¬ rum perversitatem. Quare S. Augustinus in Psal. XLVII homines impios, qui sunt in Ec¬ clesia, dicit esse filios et alienos; filios prop¬ ter formam pietatis, alienos propter amissio¬ nem virtutum. (1) Matth. VII, 24. Tom. II. 22 338 LIBER III.