Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church Militant · The Church Spread Throughout the Whole World
Chapter 15: The Arguments for an Invisible Church Are Resolved
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).
It remains that we resolve the arguments of the adversaries. And first, they prove that the Church is invisible by these testimonies. Jeremiah 31: I will give my law in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. Where God distinguishes the Church of the New Testament from the Church of the Old Testament, in that the latter was a certain external assembly, and therefore had the law written on tables of stone; but this is a certain interior people, and therefore has the law written in their hearts. The same is had, Luke 17: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you. And John 4: The hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. Therefore the Church of the New Testament does not consist in any external sign, nor is bound to corporal places and ceremonies. And Hebrews 12: For you are not come to a mountain that might be touched and to an accessible fire, but to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, etc. Where he compares the Synagogue to the visible and tangible mount Sinai, but the Church to the spiritual mount Sion. Likewise 1 Peter 2: Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God; but this house is the Church. Finally, that there is a Church is an article of faith, therefore the Church is not seen, but believed.
I answer to the first place that Jeremiah does not compare the Church with the Synagogue, but the New Testament with the Old, as is clear in that place: and although the New Testament is properly charity, which is the law written in the heart, and the Old Testament is properly the exterior doctrine, or the law written on stones, yet it does not follow that the Church of the New Testament is invisible. For as the body of any animal is visible, and yet has many things within which are not seen, as the heart, the liver, the vital spirits, and the like: so the visible Church has many invisible things, Faith, Hope, Charity, etc. And although these invisible gifts are necessary in the Church, and in the Church alone, yet not in all its parts; just as sense is necessarily in an animal, and in an animal alone, and yet is not in all its parts.
To the second I say that by the kingdom of God, Luke 17, is understood either grace, by which God now reigns in the hearts of men, as Theophylact expounds, or Christ Himself, as Bede expounds; for in that place Christ speaks of both His comings. For the Pharisees had asked: When shall the kingdom of God come, that is, the kingdom of the Messiah? But the Lord answers that the Messiah has come, and will again come on the day of judgment. And so of the first coming He says: The kingdom of God shall not come with observation; for lo, the kingdom of God is within you, that is, the Messiah has already come, is already present. Of the second He subjoins: And they shall say to you: Behold here, or behold there; go not out; for as the lightning flasheth from under heaven, etc., so shall the coming of the Son of man be.
To the third I say that in that place it is taught that the chief worship of God in the Church will be internal, but it does not therefore follow that the Church itself is invisible, as we have already said. Nor does it follow that all external worship is to be rejected, and external temples to be destroyed. For the Lord in that place treats not of the place of prayer, but of the manner and rite. For if He had wished to say that the true worshippers of God would no longer adore God in Jerusalem, nor on mount Garizim, He would have said what is false. For it is established that Peter and John, after receiving the Holy Spirit, went up into the temple of Jerusalem at the ninth hour of prayer, as is said in the Acts, chapter 3. It is established too that there were always afterward in Palestine Christians who adored God in Jerusalem, and on mount Garizim, and wherever they happened to be. He speaks, therefore, of the rite of adoring or praying; and the sense is: neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem shall you adore the Father, that is, neither by the rite of the Samaritans, nor by the rite of the Jews, but by the rite of the Christians shall you adore, which rite is to adore in spirit and in truth. Which is expounded in two ways.
Chrysostom, Cyril, and Euthymius on this place oppose that, in spirit, to the ceremonies of the Jews, inasmuch as they were corporal; that, in truth, to the same ceremonies, inasmuch as they were figures and shadows of things to come. Theophylact, blessed Thomas, and Cajetan oppose that, in spirit, to the rite of the Jews, which was chiefly external and corporal; that, in truth, to the rite of the Samaritans, which was false and erroneous; for they worshipped at once the true God and false gods. And so the Lord says that the rite of the Christian people will be chiefly spiritual, and at the same time true and pure from all error; although the spiritual rite does not exclude corporal ceremonies, inasmuch as they conduce to promoting the spiritual worship.
To the fourth I say with Chrysostom, Theophylact, blessed Thomas, and others that the Apostle there, by the spiritual mount Sion and the city of the living God, does not understand the Church militant, but the triumphant, which consists of blessed spirits. For he compares the Synagogue with the Church, and says that the men of the Old Testament came to the corporeal mount Sinai, that in some way through corporeal images they might there see God. But the men of the New Testament have come, not in fact but in hope, to the spiritual mount Sion, that is, to the glory of the blessed, where God is seen face to face. Whence in the same place is added: And to the company of many thousands of Angels, and the spirits of the just and perfect, etc.
To the fifth I answer that something is called spiritual in two ways. In one way, according to substance, in which way Ephesians 6 are called the spirits of wickedness in the high places. In another way, according to ordination to the Spirit, because something is ordained to the spirit, or the spirit dominates in it. In which way, 1 Corinthians, a man is called spiritual, and 1 Corinthians 15, a spiritual body, because the spirit dominates in it, and it is moved to the office of the spirit and obeys without any resistance; and 1 Peter 2 all good works are called spiritual hosts, as almsdeeds and fasts, which are ordained to the Spirit. Blessed Peter, therefore, when he says that the Church is a spiritual house, understands this in the second way; for he wishes that the Church be a house built not of wood and stones, but of men consecrated to God.
To the sixth it could be said that in the Creed there is set not merely, "I believe the Church," but, "I believe the holy Church." Further, the holiness of the Church is without doubt invisible. But better I say that in the Church something is seen and something is believed. For we see that assembly of men which is the Church, but that that assembly is the very true Church of Christ, we do not see, but believe. For the true Church is that which professes the faith of Christ. But who evidently knows that our faith is that of Christ? this indeed we believe with a firm and most certain faith: but it is one thing to believe, another to see; nay believing itself is defined by the Apostle as the argument of things not appearing.
That this may be better understood, it is to be noted that every judgment of faith arises either from two propositions of faith, and then the whole conclusion is inevident; or from one of faith and another evident, and then the conclusion is partly evident, partly inevident. Such is this conclusion: These men who now profess the faith under the Roman Pontiff are the Church of Christ; for it arises from this syllogism: The Church of Christ is an assembly of men professing the faith of Christ under the rule of legitimate Pastors; but these who today are under the Roman Pontiff are such an assembly; therefore they are the Church of Christ. In which syllogism the major is of faith, and accordingly inevident. The minor is evident; for we place nothing in the minor which is not perceived by the eyes or ears. Rightly, therefore, is thence inferred a conclusion partly evident and partly inevident.
Finally, that thing, or (to speak logically) that incomplex thing, of which the nature and definition of the Church is predicated, is something visible: but the complex, or the connection of the predicate with the subject, is held by faith alone. Nor are there lacking examples by which this may be illustrated. For that man who is Christ the Son of God the Apostles saw, and yet that He was Christ the Son of God they did not see, but believed. Whence John 20 it was said to Thomas: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed. And in the Creed we say: I believe one Baptism, though we see and perceive Baptism, that is, the sprinkling of water and the utterance of words. For we do not see, but believe, that that sprinkling of water and utterance of words is the Baptism of Christ, that is, a certain Sacrament.
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CAPUT XV. Solvuntur argumenta, quibus adstruitur Eccle¬ sia invisibilis. Superest, ut argumenta adversariorum diluamus. Ac primum, Ecclesiam esse invi¬ sibilem, his testimoniis probant. Hierem. XXXI. Dabo legem meam in cordibus eorum , et ero eis in Deum, et ipsi erunt mihi in popu¬ lum (2). Ubi Deus distinguit Ecclesiam novi Testamenti ab Ecclesia Testamenti veteris, quod illa fuerit coetus quidam externus, et propterea habuerit legem scripturam in tabu¬ lis lapideis ; ista autem sit populus quidam interior, et propterea legem habeat scriptam in cordibus. Idem habetur LucseXVII. Reg¬ num Dei non venit cum observatione. Neque dicent ; Ecce hic , aut ecce illic. E cce enim Reg¬ num Dei intra vos est. Et Joan. IV : Venit hora, et nunc est, quando veri adoratores adorabunt Patrem in spiritu et veritate. (3). Ergo Eccle¬ sia novi Testamenti non consistit in aliquo signo exteriore, nec est alligata locis et cae¬ remoniis corporalibus. Et Heb. XII : Non enim accessistis ad tractabilem montem, et acces¬ sibilem ignem , sed ad Sion montem , et civita¬ tem Dei viventis etc. (4). Ubi comparat Syna¬ gogam monti Sinai visibili et tangibili, Ecclesiam autem monti Sion spirituali. Item I. Petri II : Et ipsi tanquam lapides vivi super- adificamini domus spiritualis, sacerdotium sanc¬ tum, offerentes spirituales hostias Deo (5) at hsec domus est Ecclesia. Denique Ecclesiam esse, est articulus fidei, ergo non videtur Ecclesia, sed creditur. Respondeo ad primum locum, Hieremiam non conferre Ecclesiam cum Synagoga, sed Testamentum novum cum veteri, ut eo loco patet : et quamvis Testamentum novum proprie sit charitas, qum est lex in corde scripta, testamentum vetus proprie sit doc¬ trina exterior, sive lex scripta in lapidibus, tamen non sequitur, Ecclesiam novi Testa¬ menti esse invisibilem. Ut enim corpus cujus- libet animalis visibile est, et tamen habet multa intus, quse non videntur, ut cor, he¬ par, spiritus vitales, et similia : ita Ecclesia (1) Luc. X, 16; Matth. XXIII, 3. — (2) Jerem. XXXI, 33. — (3) Luc. XVII, 20; Joan. IV; 23. 14) Hebr. XII. 18 et 22. — (5) I. Petr. II, 5. 352 LIBER III. visibilis habet multa invisibilia, Fidem, Spem, Gharitatem etc. Et quamvis hsec dona invisibilia, sint necessaria in Ecclesia, et in sola Ecclesia, non tamen in omnibus ejus partibus; sicut sensus est necessario in ani¬ mali, et solo animali, et tamen non est in omnibus ejus partibus. Ad secundum dico, per Regnum Dei Lu¬ cae XVII. intelligi vel gratiam, per quam Deus nunc regnat in cordibus hominum, ut exponit Theophylactus, vel ipsum Christum, ut Beda exponit; loquitur enim eo loco Christus de utroque suo adventu. Interroga¬ verant enim Pharisaei : Quando veniet Reg¬ num Dei, id est Regnum Messiae ? Dominus autem respondet, Messiam venisse, et rur¬ sum etiam venturum in die judicii. Itaque de adventu primo ait : Regnum Dei non ve¬ niet cum observatione ; ecce enim Regnum Dei intra vos est, id est, jam advenit Messias, jam praesens est. De secundo subjungit : Et dicent vobis : Ecce hic, aut ecce illic, nolite exire; sicut enim fulgur coruscat de sub coelo etc. ita erit adventus Filii hominis (1). Ad tertium dico, eo loco doceri, praeci¬ puum cultum Dei in Ecclesia internum futu¬ rum, sed non propterea sequitur, Eccle¬ siam ipsam esse invisibilem, ut jam dixi¬ mus. Neque etiam sequitur, omnem cultum externum esse rejiciendum, et externa tem¬ pla esse destruenda. Dominus enim eo loco non agit de loco orationis, sed de modo, et ritu. Si enim dicere voluisset, veros Dei cul¬ tores non amplius adoraturos Deum in Hie¬ rusalem, neque in monte Garizim, falsum dixisset. Constat enim Petrum et Joannem, post acceptum Spiritum sanctum, ascendisse in templum Hierosolymitanum ad horam orationis nonam, ut dicitur in Actis Apos- tol.' III. Constat etiam, semper fuisse postea in Palaestina Christianos, qui Deum adora¬ verunt in Hierusalem, et in monte Garizim, et ubicumque eos esse contingebat. Loqui¬ tur ergo de ritu adorandi, sive orandi ; et sensus est, neque in monte hoc, neque in Hierosolymis adorabitis Patrem, id est, ne¬ que ritu Samaritanorum, neque ritu Judaeo- rum, sed ritu Christianorum adorabitis, qui ritus est adorare in spiritu et veritate. Quod duobus modis exponitur. Chrysostomus, Cyrillus, et Euthymius in hunc locum, opponunt illud : In spiritu , cae¬ remoniis Judaeorum, quatenus corporales erant ; illud : In veritate, iisdem caeremoniis, quatenus figurae et umbrae erant rerum futu¬ rarum. Theophylactus, B. Thomas, et Caje- tanus opponunt illud : ln spiritu, ritui Judaeo¬ rum, qui praecipue externus et corporalis erat; illud : In veritate, ritui Samaritanorum, qui falsus et erroneus erat ; illi enim simul colebant Deum verum, et Deos falsos. Itaque Dominus dicit, ritum populi Christiani fore praecipue spiritualem, et simul verum ac purum ab omni errore, licet spiritualis ritus non excludat corporales caeremonias, quate¬ nus prosunt ad spiritualem cultum promo¬ vendum. Ad quartum dico cum Chrysostomo, Theo- phylacto, B. Thoma, et aliis, Apostolum ibi per montem Sion spiritualem, et civitatem Dei viventis, non intelligere Ecclesiam mili¬ tantem, sed triumphantem, quae ex beatis spiritibus constat. Confert enim Synagogam cum Ecclesia, ac dicit, homines Testamenti veteris accessisse ad montem Sina corpo¬ reum, ut aliquo modo per corporeas imagi¬ nes ibi Deum viderent. At homines novi Testamenti accessisse non re, sed spe, ad montem Sion, spiritualem, id est, ad glo¬ riam beatorum, ubi Deus videtur facie ad faciem. Unde ibidem subditur : Et multorum millium Angelorum frequentiam , et spiritus justorum et perfectorum etc. (2). Ad quintum respondeo, duobus modis di¬ ci aliquid spirituale. Uno modo, secundum substantiam, quomodo Ephes. VI dicuntur spiritualia nequitiae in coelestibus. Altero mo¬ do, secundum ordinationem ad Spiritum, quia ordinatur aliquid ad spiritum, vel spi¬ ritus in eo dominatur. Quomodo I. Corinth. dicitur homo spiritualis, et I. Corinth. XV corpus spirituale, quia spiritus in eo domi¬ natur, et ipsum ad munus spiritus movetur, et obedit sine ulla resistentia, et I. Petr. II vocantur hostiae spirituales omnia bona ope¬ ra, ut Eleemosyna, et Jejunia quae ad Spiri¬ tum ordinantur. B. Petrus ergo cum dicit, Ecclesiam esse domum spiritualem, intelli- git hoc secundo modo ; vult enim, Ecclesiam non esse domum ex lignis et lapidibus, sed ex hominibus Deo consecratis aedificatam. Ad sextum posset dici, in Symbolo non poni tantum, Credo Ecclesiam, sed, Credo sanctam Ecclesiam. Porro sanctitatem Eccle¬ siae sine dubio invisibilem esse. Sed melius dico, in Ecclesia aliquid videri, et aliquid # (1) Luc. XVII, 21. — (2) Hebr. XII, 22, CAPUT XVI. credi. Videmus enim eum coetum hominum, qui est Ecclesia, sed quod ille coetus sit ipsa vera Christi Ecclesia, non videmus, sed cre¬ dimus. Vera enim Ecclesia est, quse profite¬ tur Christi fidem. Quis autem evidenter scit, nostram fidem esse Christi ? id quidem firma ac certissima fide credimus : sed aliud est credere, aliud videre : imo ipsum credere definitur ab Apostolo, argumentum non ap¬ parentium. Quod nt melius intelligatur, notandum est, omnem sententiam de fide, nasci, vel ex duabus propositionibus de fide, et tunc to¬ tam conclusionem inevidentem esse ; vel ex una de fide, altera evidenti; et tunc conclu¬ sionem partim esse evidentem, partim ine¬ videntem. Talis est ista conclusio : Isti ho¬ mines, qui nunc profitentur fidem sub Ro¬ mano Pontifice, sunt Ecclesia Christi ; nam oritur ex hoc syllogismo : Ecclesia Christi est coetus hominum profitentium Christi fi¬ dem, sub regimine legitimorum Pastorum : sed isti qui subsunt hodie Romano Pontifici, sunt talis coetus ; igitur sunt Ecclesia Chris¬ ti. In quo syllogismo major est de fide, et proinde inevidens. Minor est evidens; nam nihil ponimus in minore, quod non oculis, aut auribus percipiatur. Recte ergo inde in¬ fertur conclusio partim evidens, et partim inevidens. Denique, res illa, seu (ut logice loquamur) incomplexum illud, de quo praedicatur Ec¬ clesiae ratio ac definitio, visibile quiddam est : at complexum, seu connexio praedicati cum subjecto, sola fide tenetur. Nec desunt exem¬ pla, quibus hoc illustretur. Siquidem homi¬ nem iHum, qui est Christus Dei Filius, Apos¬ toli videbant, et tamen illum esse Christum Dei 'Filium, non videbant, sed credebant. Unde Joan. XX dictum est Thomae : Quia vidisti me , Thoma , credidisti. Et in Symbolo dicimus : Credo unum Baptisma (1), licet vi¬ deamus, et sentiamus Baptisma, id est, aquae aspersionem, et verborum prolationem. Non enim videmus, sed credimus illam aquae as¬ persionem, et verborum prolationem esse Baptisma Christi, id est, Sacramentum quod¬ dam. (1). Joan. XX, 29. — (2) Exod. XXXII, 4. II, 26 et 27 ; II. Paralip. XV, 3. Tom. II. 353