Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church Militant · The Church Spread Throughout the Whole World
Chapter 19: The Opinion of the Heretics Is Refuted
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).
As to the first, Luther, in his book on Councils and the Church, in the last part of the book, proposes these seven marks. First, the true and incorrupt preaching of the Gospel. Second, the legitimate administration of Baptism. Third, the legitimate use of the Eucharist. Fourth, the legitimate use of the keys. Fifth, the legitimate election of ministers who should teach and minister the Sacraments. Sixth, public prayer, and psalmody, and the Catechism, but in a language understood by all. Seventh, the mystery of the cross, that is, tribulations within and without, so that within there be sadness, pusillanimity, terrors; without, poverty, contempt, and to be held by men as heretics, fiends, offscourings.
But it is to be noted that Luther greatly took care not to receive any of the marks which are in the Constantinopolitan Creed, when yet all the ancient Councils wished to be distinguished by those marks, especially by "the Apostolic Church," from all sects. Further, the rest are wont to propose only two, which comprehend the first five marks of Luther, that is, the sincere preaching of the word of God, and the sincere use of the Sacraments; and by these two every sect proves that with itself is the true Church. So teaches the Augsburg Confession, article 7, and in its Apology; likewise Brentius in the Wirtemberg Confession, chapter on the Church, and John Calvin in the Institutes, Book 4, chapter 1, § 9, 10, and 11. The Centuriators, Century 1, Book 1, chapter 4, columns 173 and 174, and Century 1, Book 2, chapter 4, columns 379, 380, and 381, add to these two two others, which can be reduced to Luther's fifth and seventh, that is, constancy in the confession of faith, or perseverance, and obedience toward the ministers of the word, inasmuch as they administer the word itself.
These marks are in no way sufficient. For first they do not declare which is the true Church according to the heretics, except probably; for hence we cannot know who are the elect or the just, and we rather learn where the Church lies hidden than which it is. Moreover, they do not sufficiently declare even this. Which can easily be proved of each.
And first of the first, by three reasons. For first, marks ought to be proper, not common. For if I wish to point out to you a certain man whom you have never seen, so that as soon as you see him you may distinguish him from others, I ought not to say, "he is one who has two eyes, two hands, etc.," for these are common to all. Nor ought I to point him out by marks which, though they be proper to him in reality, are yet not proper in the opinion of others, since many are wont to claim them for themselves. For thus he who is sought would never be found.
Now the sincere preaching of the truth is a mark most common to all sects, at least in their own opinion. For either the preaching must be pure from all error, or only from the essentials and fundamentals. If the first be granted, from this very mark we shall gather that with no Lutherans is the Church; for they confess that their Churches do not lack blemishes. Luther in his book on the Church clearly says that the word of God is a mark, though it be preached in some places more, in others less purely; and Calvin confesses the same, Book 4 of the Institutes, chapter 1, § 12. If the second, then it will be a mark common to many sects. Certainly the Lutherans and Zwinglians do not dissent about the chief foundation of faith, as about the Trinity and the Incarnation. Nay even the Pelagians would have had the true Church, who in the primary articles, before they had brought forth the Nestorians, did not dissent. Whence also Celestius, in Augustine, Book 2 on original sin, chapter 22, tried by this reason to show that he was not outside the Church; and yet the Lutherans and Calvinists execrate none more than the Pelagians, and place us above all others outside the Church, because they think us Pelagians.
Moreover in this second way, even if in fact this mark does not befit some, as the Anabaptists, yet it befits all in their own opinion. For what sect was there ever which did not say that it had the sincere preaching of the truth? Certainly Augustine, book against the letter of the foundation, chapter 4, says that the Catholic Church indeed is easily known by many marks, but that the heretics have nothing but the promise of truth, that is, that with them is the true and sincere preaching.
Secondly, marks ought to be more known than the thing of which they are marks; otherwise they are not marks (notae), but unknowns (ignotae). Now the adversaries will have not only the external preaching of the word to be a mark of the Church, but the preaching and the reception. For they say the true Church is there where the word is preached, heard, and believed. But who can know where the word is truly believed? Moreover, even of the external preaching, without doubt it is more known which is the true Church than which is the true preaching of the word; for this we learn from the Church, as Irenaeus, Tertullian, Augustine, and all the ancients teach.
Irenaeus, Book 3, chapter 4: “For what if a dispute had arisen about some small question, ought we not to have recourse to the most ancient Churches, and to take from them, concerning the present question, what is certain and clear?” Tertullian, book on prescription: “What the Apostles preached, what Christ revealed to them, I here lay down ought to be proved in no other way than through the same Churches which the Apostles themselves founded: if these things are so, it is established accordingly that all doctrine which agrees with those Apostolic Churches, the wombs and origins of the faith, must be reckoned to the truth, but all the rest must be prejudged of falsehood.”
The same is shown by reason; for true preaching is the preaching and interpretation of the true divine Scripture; but which is the true Scripture, and what is its true sense, we cannot know except from the testimony of the true Church, as Augustine teaches, book against the letter of the foundation, chapter 5, and book on the usefulness of believing, chapter 14; and even Brentius himself in the Wirtemberg Confession, chapter on Scripture, who confesses that the Church has the right of testifying about the true Scripture, and also of interpreting the true Scripture; and Calvin, Book 4, chapter 1, § 5, will have the Church to be the faithful custodian of the word of God; and Philip in the Loci, chapter on the Church, requires the testimony of the true Church to settle disputes. But the custodian of the Treasure must be known before the Treasure, and the Teacher before the doctrine, since from the Teacher the doctrine is sought, not the contrary. Therefore rather the Church is the mark of the true preaching, than the true preaching is the mark of the true Church.
Thirdly, the true marks are inseparable from the true Church: but the Churches of the Corinthians and Galatians, to which Paul wrote, were true Churches, and yet there was not always there the sincere preaching of the word, as can be known from the Apostle, who says that he writes to the Churches of God which are at Corinth or in Galatia, 1 Corinthians 1 and Galatians 1, and yet 1 Corinthians 15 the Corinthians are reproved for teaching that there would be no resurrection, and the Galatians through almost the whole epistle are reprehended for teaching that the law of Moses is to be kept with the Gospel.
But you will say, how were these true Churches, since they taught heresy? I answer that it is one thing to err and be ready to learn, and, when you have learned, to obey; another to be unwilling to learn, and, when you have heard the truth, to be unwilling to acquiesce. Neither of these can be in the universal Church; but in a particular Church the first can be, in neither the second, but only in the synagogues of Satan and the churches of the malignant. Again, pure doctrine, free from all error, can be in a false Church; for pure schismatics, as once the Luciferians and Donatists, at the beginning have entire doctrine, and yet are outside the Church. If they say they have not entire doctrine, because the true doctrine teaches that one must remain in the unity of the true Church: on the contrary; for schismatics believe and teach that one ought to be in the true Church and obey the true head, though they do not do it; and accordingly they err not in faith, but fail in charity. It is true, however, that schism, if it last long, at last declines into heresy.
But for this mark Brentius, Philip, and Calvin object certain places of Scripture. John 10: My sheep hear my voice: therefore there is the Church where the word of God is heard. Likewise Ephesians 5: Cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life. The Church is cleansed by the word, therefore wherever the cleansing word is, there is the Church. So Philip in the Apology. But Calvin, Book 4, chapter 1, § 9, is content with that of Matthew 18: Where there are two or three, etc.
Brentius, in the Confession, chapter on the Church, brings forward that of John 10: He called them gods, to whom the word of God was made. And that of chapter 15: You are clean by reason of the word which I have spoken to you. For that is the Church which is clean before God. And that of Romans 1: The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. He adds Chrysostom, homily 49 on Matthew: “He therefore who wishes to know which is the true Church of Christ, whence should he know it but only through the Scriptures?” And Augustine, letter 166: “In the Scriptures we have learned Christ, in the Scriptures we have learned the Church, etc.” Likewise book on the unity of the Church, chapter 2: “The question between us is where the Church is; what then shall we do, seek it in our own words, or in the words of its head? I think that we ought rather to seek it in His words, who is the truth, and best knows His own body.” And chapter 3: “Let us not hear, this I say, this thou sayest; but let us hear, this saith the Lord.” And below: “I do not wish the holy Church to be demonstrated by human documents, but by divine oracles.”
I answer. The first place does not teach where the Church is, but teaches who are the elect, namely those who with the heart perseveringly hear and retain the word, as Augustine expounds. But since it cannot be known who hear with the heart, this cannot be a visible mark of the Church, but is a mark for each one, that he may at least conjecturally know his own election.
The second place proves nothing; for that cleansing is invisible, nor does Paul there wish to teach which or where the Church is, but what good God has conferred on the Church.
The third does not demonstrate where the Church is, but where Christ is. For where the true Church is, there is Christ. Moreover, if to be gathered in the name of Christ be a mark of the Church, certainly it will not be to be gathered anyhow in the name of Christ, for thus all heresies and schisms are gathered in the name of Christ; but it will be to be gathered by those who exercise the authority of Christ, such as are Bishops legitimately ordained and succeeding one another up to the Apostles, whom Christ first left in His place. And thus this mark coincides with ours, of which afterward.
The fourth place proves nothing. First, because there only princes are called gods, to whom God committed something; for that is for the word of God to be made to someone. Secondly, because the word of God does not make gods if it be only preached, but if it be received and believed: but this is invisible, as is clear.
The fifth place is like the second, whence the same Brentius says that the Church is clean before God, that is, not before men; and he does not notice that from this mark it follows that it is made manifest to God, not to us.
The sixth place proves nothing; for the effect of the Gospel is invisible.
But Calvin presses: The word of God is fruitful, and wherever it is preached, it fructifies; therefore wherever it is preached, there is some Church. I answer: If this reason proves anything, it only proves that where it is preached there are some good; but we do not know them. But neither does it prove this; for the word of God always fructifies when it is legitimately preached, that is, by preachers sent by the ordinary power: otherwise we see it preached among the heretics of various sects where nothing fructifies but tares. To the place of Chrysostom we have already often answered. To the places of Augustine I answer that from Scripture it is proved where the Church is, not as from a mark of the Church, but because Scripture teaches which are the marks while it teaches what it is, where it began, how it grew.
You will say, at least Scripture is more known than the Church, since from it the Church is proved. I answer. Simply the Church is prior and more known than Scripture. For the Church was before Scripture, and to it Scripture was given by God, and it delivers and explains it to others: yet sometimes hypothetically Scripture is more known, namely when Scripture is received and speaks clearly, and a question arises about the Church itself. As sometimes on the contrary the Church is received and known, and a question arises about Scripture: and thus one is proved from the other. For example, when it was disputed about the Baptism of heretics, because Scripture speaks obscurely, and the Church was known, Augustine proved according to the Scriptures that the Baptism of heretics is valid, because the Church holds it valid. On the contrary, when it was disputed about the Church, whether it was in Africa alone, because the Scriptures were received and clear, Augustine proved from them; and the same we shall do, when we shall deduce the marks of the Church from the Scriptures; but not therefore is Scripture simply more known than the Church.
The second mark is refuted by the same arguments. For first, all claim it for themselves; for besides the Catholics, the Calvinists are separated from the rest of the Lutherans because both think that they alone have the true Sacrament of the Eucharist. But the Anabaptists are separated from both, because they think that they alone have the true use of Baptism. Moreover the Pelagians had all the Sacraments, and likewise all schismatics. Secondly, the legitimate use of the Sacraments is less known than the Church. For that is the legitimate use of the Sacraments which is conformable to Scripture, as they themselves teach; but the Scriptures depend on the Church, not the contrary, as we have often said. Thirdly, the Church of the Corinthians was a true Church, and yet 1 Corinthians 11 the Corinthians are reprehended for not sincerely handling the chief of the Sacraments; and likewise the African Churches which were under Cyprian, and under those 86 Bishops whose opinions he relates in his letter to Quirinus, were true Churches, as blessed Augustine, Book 6, chapter 7 on Baptism, and blessed Jerome against the Luciferians teach; and yet they did not sincerely handle the Sacrament of Baptism, as the same Jerome and Augustine there teach.
The third mark to be refuted is prayer and psalmody, which is Luther's sixth. It is refuted because, if he speaks of the invocation which proceeds from the heart, it is an invisible mark; if of the external invocation and psalmody, it is a most common mark. For at this time all sects, even of the Anabaptists, say the Lord's prayer, and sing Psalms in the vulgar tongue; and the same the Arians of old did, as Socrates relates, Book 6, chapter 8, and Ambrose on the giving up of the basilicas. Nay at this time a mark of the true Church can almost be said to be to sing Psalms in the Latin tongue, because this seems left almost only to the ancient and Catholic Church, which is not changed daily, as the sects of the heretics.
The fourth mark to be refuted is Luther's seventh, namely internal sadness, pusillanimity, external persecutions, and to be called heretics. And of the internal it is a most false mark, for they are obscure if they are internal. Likewise pusillanimity is a vice, and Paul everywhere exhorts to internal joy, and says that the kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Spirit. See Romans 14, Colossians 3, Philippians 4, Ephesians 5. Of the external it is not a perpetual mark; for the Church at the beginning and at the end suffered great straits, but in the middle was most flourishing: and all things were foretold. See Augustine, letter 50.
The fifth mark is of the Centuriators, that that is the true Church in which are found those who persevere in the confession of faith unto death. Which is refuted, first, because the confession of true faith is no more known than the true preaching of Scripture and the legitimate use of the Sacraments.
Secondly, because from this mark it would be gathered that the true Church can in no way be among the Lutherans. For they themselves say that for many ages before the coming of Luther the confession of true faith ceased, and the Church was preserved in hiding-places, and was altogether invisible; therefore the Church of the Lutherans is new, and accordingly false.
Thirdly, because we see this mark in all sects, and in none less than in the assembly of the Lutherans; for first, our Church has innumerable martyrs, who persevered most constantly in the confession of faith; then the Montanists greatly gloried in their martyrs, as is clear both from Eusebius, Book 5 of the History, chapter 18, and from Tertullian in his book on flight in persecution, which he wrote, when he was a Montanist, against the Catholics, objecting to them that they did ill in fleeing. Likewise the Massalians, in Epiphanius, heresy 80, were therefore called also Martyrians, because they gloried greatly in the number of their martyrs. The same is established of the Donatists. Saint Augustine, letter 68: “They lived,” he says, “as robbers, they were honored as Martyrs.” Of the Anabaptists who were in the time of blessed Bernard, he himself writes, sermon 66 on the Canticle: “Some wondered,” he says, “that they were led to death not only patiently, but even gladly.” Of the Adamites Aeneas Sylvius writes, in his book on the history of the Bohemians, chapter 41, that the men with their wives were wont to hasten glad and singing to the fire. But at this our time no one is ignorant that in this obstinacy of dying for perfidy the Anabaptists hold the first place, the Calvinists the second, the mere Lutherans the last and almost none — who yet alone propose this mark of the true Church.
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CAPUT II. Refellitur sententia haereticorum. Quantum ad primum, Lutherus in libro de Conciliis et Ecclesia , in ultima parte libri proponit has septem notas. Primo , veram, et incorruptam praedicationem Evangelii. II. Legitimam administrationem Baptismi. III. Legitimum usum Eucharistiae. IY. Legiti¬ mum usum clavium. V. Legitimam electio¬ nem ministrorum, qui doceant, et Sacramen¬ ta ministrent. YI. Orationem publicam, et Psalmodiam, et Catechismum, sed lingua, quae intelligatur ab omnibus. VII. Myste¬ rium crucis, id est, tribulationes intus et ex¬ tra, ita ut intus sit moestitia, pusillanimitas, terrores ; foris, paupertas, contemptus, et ut habeantur ab hominibus haeretici , cacodae- mones, catharmata. Notandum vero est , Lutherum valde ca¬ visse, ne ullam notam reciperet earum quae sunt in Symbolo Constantinopolitano , cum tamen omnia vetera Concilia per eas notas, maxime per Apostolicam Ecclesiam se dis¬ cerni vellent ab omnibus sectis. Porro cae- teri solent duas tantum proponere, qua’ com¬ plectuntur primas quinque notas Lutheri, id est, praedicationem sinceram verbi Dei , et sincerum usum Sacramentorum ; et ex his 3G2 LIBER IV. duabus quaelibet secta probat apud se esse veram Ecclesiam. Ita docet Confessio Au¬ gustana, art.6. etinApologia ejusdem; item Brentius in Confessione Wirtembergensi ca¬ pite de Ecclesia, et Joannes Calvinus in Insti- tut. lib. IV, cap. 1, §.9, 10 et II. Centuriato- res , Cent. I, lib. I, cap. 4, coi. 173 et 174. et Cent. I, lib. II, cap. 4, colum. 379, 380 et 381. his duabus addunt alias duas, quae pos¬ sunt reduci ad quintam, et septimam Luthe- ri , id est, constantiam in confessione fidei, sive perseverentiam ; et obedientiam erga ministros verbi, quatenus verbum ipsum ad¬ ministrant. Hae notae non sunt ullo modo sufficientes. Nam in primis non declarant , quae sit vera Ecclesia secundum haereticos , nisi probabi¬ liter ; non enim hinc scire possumus , qui sint electi, vel justi, et potius discimus, ubi lateat Ecclesia, quam quae sit. Praeterea, ne¬ que hoc sufficienter declarat. Id quod de sin¬ gulis facile probari potest. Ac primum de prima , tribus rationibus. Primum enim , notae debent esse propriae, non communes. Si enim velim designare ti¬ bi certum hominem, quem num quam vidis¬ ti, ut mox atque eum videris , discernas ab aliis, non debeo dicere , est quidam qui ha¬ bet duos oculos, duas manus etc. nam haec sunt communia omnibus. Neque etiam de¬ beo eum designare per notas, quae licet sint ei propriae secundum rem , tamen non sunt propriae opinione aliorum, cum multi sibi il¬ las vendicare soleant. Sic enim numquam ille, qui quaeritur, inveniretur. Jam vero sincera praedicatio veritatis est nota communissima omnibus sectis , saltem opinione ipsarum. Nam vel debet esse prae¬ dicatio pura ab omni errore , vel solum ab essentialibus, et fundamentalibus; Si detur primum, ex hac ipsa nota colligemus , apud nullos Lutheranorum esse Ecclesiom ; nam ipsi fatentur suas Ecclesias non carere nae¬ vis. Lutherus libro de Ecclesia clare dicit, verbum Dei esse notam , licet alias magis, alias minus pure praedicetur; et Calvinus idem fatetur, lib. IV Inst. cap. I , §. 12. Si secundum , jam erit nota communis multis sectis. Certe Lutherani , et Zwingliani non dissentiunt de fundamento praecipuo fidei, ut de Trinitate, et Incarnatione. Imo etiam Pelagiani veram Ecclesiam habuissent, qui in primariis articulis, antequam Nestorianos peperissent, non dissentiebant. Unde etiam Ccelestinus apud Augustinum lib. II de pec¬ cato originali cap. 22. hac ratione conaba¬ tur ostendere se non esse extra Ecclesiam ; et tamen Lutherani , etCalvinistse nullos ma¬ gis execrantur, quamPelagianos ; et nos imo potissimum ponunt extra Ecclesiam , quia Pelagianos putant. Praeterea hoc secundo modo , etiamsi re- ipsa aliquibus non conveniat hsec nota , ut Anabaptistis, tamen omnibus convenit opi¬ nione sua. Quae enim secta unquam fuit, quae non diceret se habere sinceram praedi¬ cationem veritatis? Certe Augustinus lib. contra epistolam fundamenti cap. 4. dicit, Catholicam quidem Ecclesiam multis notis facile cognosci , sed haereticos nihil habere nisi veritatis pollicitationem, id est , quod apud se sit vera, et sincera praedicatio. Secundo, Notae debent esse notiores ea re, cujus sunt notae, alioqui enim non sunt notae, sed ignotae. Jam adversarii non volunt solum externam praedicationem verbi esse notam Ecclesiae, sed praedicationem, et re¬ ceptionem. Ibi enim dicunt esse veram Ec- .clesiam, ubi praedicatur, auditur, et creditur verbum. At quis nosse potest, ubi vere cre¬ datur verbum ? Praeterea etiam de externa praedicatione. Sine dubio notius est, quae sit vera Ecclesia, quam quae sit vera praedica¬ tio verbi ; nam id ab Ecclesia discimus, ut Irenaeus, Tertullianus, Augustinus, et omnes veteres docent. Irenaeus lib. III, cap. 4 : « Quid enim, in¬ quit, et si de aliqua modica quaestione disceptatio orta fuisset, nonne oporteret in antiquissimas recurrere Ecclesias, et ab eis sumere de praesenti quaestione, quod cer¬ tum et re liquidum est? » Tertullianus libro de praescript. : « Quid, inquit, praedicave¬ rint Apostoli, quid illis Christus revelaverit, et hic perscribam non aliter probari debere, nisi per easdem Ecclesias, quas ipsi Apostoli condiderunt : si haec ita sunt, constat proinde omnem doctrinam, quae cum illis Ecclesiis Apostolieis, ct matricibus, et originalibus fidei conspiret, veritati deputandam, reli¬ quam vero omnem de mendacio praejudican¬ dam. » Idem ratione ostenditur; nam vera prae¬ dicatio, est praedicatio, et interpretatio verae Scripturae divinae ; Quae sit autem vera Scrip¬ tura, et quis ejus verus sensus, non possu¬ mus scire, nisi ex testimonio verae Ecclesiae, ut Augustinus docet, lib. contra epist. fun¬ damenti, cap. 5. et lib. de utilitate credendi, c. 14. et ipse quoque Brentius in Confessione CAPUT II. 363 Wirtembergensi, cap. de Scriptura, qui con¬ fitetur Ecclesiam habere jus testificandi de vera Scriptura, et etiam interpretandi ve¬ ram Scripturam; et Calvinus, lib.1V, cap.I. §. 5. vult Ecclesiam esse fidelem custodem verbi Dei, et Philippus in Locis, capite de Ecclesia, requirit testimonium verse Ecele- sise ad dirimendas lites. At prius debet esse notus custos Thesauri, quam Thesaurus ; et Doctor, quam doctrina, cum a Doctore peta¬ tur doctrina, non contra. Ergo potius Eccle- •sia est nota verse prsedicationis, quam vera praedicatio sit nota verae Ecclesiae. Tertio, verae Notae sunt inseparabiles a vera Ecclesia : sed Ecclesiae Corinthiorum et Galatarum, ad quas scribebat Paulus, verae Ecclesiae erant, et tamen ibi non erat aliquando sincera praedicatio verbi, ut ex Apostolo cognosci potest, qui dicit se scri¬ bere Ecclesiis Dei, quae sunt Corinthi, vel in Galatia, I. Corinlh. I. et Galat. I. et tamen I. Corinth. XV. arguuntur Corinthii, quod docerent non esse futuram resurrectionem, et Galatae per totam fere epistolam reprehen¬ duntur, quod docerent, servandam esse le¬ gem Mosis cum Evangelio. Sed Dices, quomodo erant istae verae Ec¬ clesiae, cum haeresim docerent? Respondeo, aliud esse errare, et paratum esse ad discen¬ dum, et cum didiceris, ad obediendum ; aliud nolle discere, et cum audieris verita¬ tem, nolle acquiescere. Neutrum horum esse potest in Ecclesia universali ; in Ecclesia au¬ tem particulari esse potest illud primum, in neutra autem illud secundum, sed solum in Synagogis Satanae, et Ecclesiis malignan¬ tium. Rursum, esse potest pura doctrina ab omni errore in falsa Ecclesia; nam schisma¬ tici puri ut quondam Luciferiani et Donatis- tse, initio integram habent doctrinam, et tamen snnt extra Ecclesiam. Si dicant non habere integram doctrinam, quia doctrina vera docet manendum in verae Ecclesiae uni¬ tate : contra ; Nam schismatici credunt et docent oportere esse in vera Ecclesia, et obe- dire vero capiti, licet non faciant ; et proinde non errant in fide, sed deficiunt in charitate. Verum est tamen schisma, si diu duret, tan¬ dem in haeresim declinare. At Objiciunt pro hac nota Brentius, Phi¬ lippus, et Calvinus quaedam loca Scripturae. Joan. X : Oves meae vocem meam audient (I) : Ergo ibi est Ecclesia, ubi auditur verbum Dei. Item ad Ephes. V : Mundans eam lava¬ cro aquae in verbo vitee (2). Ecclesia mundatur verbo, ergo ubicumque est verbum mundans, ibi est Ecclesia. Ita Philippus in Apologia. At Calvinus lib. IV, cap. 1, §.9. contentus est illo Matth. XVIII : Ubi sunt duo, vel tres, etc. Brentius in confessione capite de Ecclesia, profert illud Joan. X : Illos dixit Deos, ad quos sermo Dei factus est. Et illud XV. cap. : Vos mundi estis propter sermonem , quem locu¬ tus sum vobis. Illa enim est Ecclesia, quae est munda coram Deo. Et illud Rom. I : Euan¬ gelium virtus Dei est in salutem omni cre¬ denti (3). Addit Chrysostomum hom. 49. in Matth. : « Qui ergo vult cognoscere, quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi, unde cognoscat, nisi tantummodo per Scripturas?» Et Augusti¬ num epist. 166 : « In Scripturis didicimus Christum, in Scripturis didicimus Ecclesiam etc. » Item lib. de unitate Ecclesiae, cap. 2 : « Quaestio inter nos versatur, ubi sit Eccle¬ sia; quid ergo facturi sumus in verbis nostris eam quaesituri, an in verbis capitis sui? puto quod potius in illius verbis eam quaerere de¬ beamus, qui veritas est, et optime novit cor¬ pus suum. » Et cap. 3 : «Non audiamus, haec dico, haec dicis ; sed audiamus, haec dicit Dominus. » Et infra : « Nolo hominis documentis, sed divinis oraculis sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari. » Respondeo. Primus locus non docet ubi sit Ecclesia, sed docet, qui sint electi, nimi¬ rum qui corde perseveranter audiunt, et re¬ tinent verbum, ut exponit Augustinus , Cum autem non possit sciri, qui corde audiant, non potest haec esse visibilis nota Ecclesiae, sed est nota unicuique ut saltem conjectu¬ raliter cognoscat suam electionem. Secundus locus nihil probat; nam illa mundatio est invisibilis, nec Paulus ibi vult docere, quae sit, vel ubi sit Ecclesia, sed quid boni Deus contulerit Ecclesiae. Tertius, non demonstrat ubi sit Ecclesia sed ubi sit Christus. Ubi enim est vera Ec¬ clesia, ibi est Christus : Praeterea si congre¬ gari in nomine Christi sit nota Ecclesiae, certe non erit congregari quomodocumque in nomine Christi, sic enim omnes haereses, et schismata congregantur in nomine Christi : sed erit congregari ab illis, qui funguntur Christi auctoritate, quales sunt Episcopi legi- tirqe ordinati, et succedentes aliis et aliis (1) Joan. X, 16. — (2) Eph. V, 26. — (3) Joan. X, 35; XV, 3; Rom. I, 16. 364 LIBER IV. usque ad Apostolos, quos Christus primo reliquit loco suo. Et sic ista nota coincidit cum nostris, de quibus postea. Quartus locus nihil probat. Primo, quia ibi dicuntur Dii soli Principes, quibus Deus aliquid commisit; id enim est fieri ad ali¬ quem verbum Dei. Secundo, quia verbum Dei non facit Deos, si tantum praedicetur, sed si recipiatur, et credatur : At hoc invisi¬ bile est, ut patet. Quintus locus est similis secundo, unde idem Brentius dicit, Ecclesiam esse mundam coram Deo, id est, non coram hominibus ; et non advertit ex hac nota sequi, illam fieri Deo manifestam, non nobis. Sextus locus nihil probat; nam effectus Evangelii est invisibilis. Sed instat Calvinus. Yerbum Dei est ferax, et ubicumque praedicatur, fructificat, ergo ubicumque praedicatur, ibi est aliqua Eccle¬ sia. Respondeo. Si quid probat haec ratio, tan¬ tum probat, ubi praedicatur, ibi esse aliquos bonos ; sed nos illos non novimus. Sed ne¬ que hoc probat; nam verbum Dei semper fructificat, cum legitime praedicatur, id est, a praedicatoribus missis ab ordinaria potes¬ tate : Alioqui videmus praedicari inter haere¬ ticos variarum sectarum ubi non fructificat nisi lolium. Ad locum Chrysostomi jam saepe respondimus. Ad loca Augustini respondeo, ex Scriptura probari, ubi sit Ecclesia, non tamquam ex nota Ecclesiae, sed quia Scrip¬ tura docet, quae sint notae dum docet, qualis illa sit, ubi coeperit, quomodo creverit. Dices, saltem scriptura est notior, quam Ecclesia, quandoquidem inde, probatur Ec¬ clesia. Respondeo. Simpliciter Ecclesiam esse priorem, et notiorem, quam sit Scriptura. Nam Ecclesia fuit ante Scripturam, et ipsi data est Scriptura a Deo, et ipsa eam aliis tradit, et explicat : tamen aliquando ex hypo- thesi Scripturam esse notiorem, quando vi¬ delicet Scriptura est recepta, et clare loqui¬ tur, et oritur quaestio de ipsa Ecclesia. Sicut interdum e contrario Ecclesia est recepta, et nota, et quaestio oritur de Scriptura : et sic unum probatur ex altero : verbi gratia quando disputabatur de Baptismo haeretico¬ rum, quia Scriptura obscure loquitur, et Ec¬ clesia nota erat, Augustinus probabat secun¬ dum Scripturas ratum esse Baptismum hae¬ reticorum, quia Ecclesia illum habet pro rato. Contra, cum disputabatur de Ecclesia, an esset in sola Africa, quia Scripturae recep¬ tae et clarae erant, inde Augustinus probabat et idem nos faciemus, cum deducemus notas Ecclesiae ex Scripturis, sed non propterea Scriptura est simpliciter notior, quam Ec¬ clesia. Secunda nota iisdem argumentis refutatur Nam Primo eam sibi omnes vendicant : nam praeter Catholicos, Calvinistae ideo separati sunt a Lutheranis caeteris, quod utrique pu¬ tant, se solos habere verum Sacramentum Eucharistiae. Anabaptistae autem separati sunt ab utrisque, quia se solos putant habere verum usum Baptismi. Praeterea Pelagiani habebant omnia Sacramenta, et similiter omnes schismatici. Secundo, legitimus usus Sacramentorum minus notus est, quam sit Ecclesia. Nam ille est legitimus Sacramen¬ torum usus, qui est conformis Scripturae, ut ipsi docent : Scripturae autem pendent ab Ecclesia, non contra, ut saepe diximus. Ter¬ tio, Ecclesia Corinthiorum erat vera Eccle¬ sia, et tamen I. Corinth. XI. reprehenduntur Corinthii, quod non sincere tractarent prae¬ cipuum Sacramentorum, et similiter Ecclesiae Africanae, quae erant sub Cypriano, et sub illis 86 Episcopis, quorum sententias ipse refert in epistola ad Quirinum, verae Eccle¬ siae erant, ut beatus Augustinus lib. YI, cap. 7. de Baptismo, et beatus Hieronymus contra Luciferianos docent; et tamen non sincere tractabant Sacramentum Baptismi, ut iidem Hieronymus et Augustinus ibidem docent. Tertia nota refutanda, est oratio et psal¬ modia quae est sexta Lutherana. Refellitur autem, quia si loquatur de invocatione, quae ex corde procedit, invisibilis nota est, si de externa tamen invocatione et psalmodia, est nota communissima. Nam hoc tempore om¬ nes sectae, etiam Anabaptistarum, dicunt orationem Dominicam, et canunt Psalmos lingua vulgari, et idem olim faciebant Aria- ni, ut refert Socrates lib. YI, c. 8. et Am¬ brosius de tradendis basilicis. Imo hoc tempore nota verae Ecclesiae fere dici potest, canere Psalmos lingua Latina, quia hoc relic¬ tum videtur ferme soli antiquae, et Catholi¬ cae Ecclesiae, quae non mutatur quotidie, ut sectae haereticorum. Quarta nota refellenda, est septima Luthe¬ rana, nimirum interna moestitia, pusillani¬ mitas, externae persecutiones, et vocari hae¬ retici. Ac de internis falsissima nota est, nam obscurae sunt, si internae sunt. Item CAPUT III. 365 pusillanimitas est vitium, et Paulus ubique hortatur ad internam laetitiam, et dicit reg¬ num Dei esse gaudium, in Spiritu sancto. Yide Rom. XIY, Coloss. III, Philipp. IV, Ephes. V. De externis non est nota perpetua; nam Ecclesia in principio et in fine passa est magnas angustias : at in medio floren- tissima fuit : et omnia praedicta sunt. Yide Augustinum epist. 50. Quinta nota est Centuriatorum, quod ea sit vera Ecclesia, in qua inveniuntur qui per¬ severant in confessione fidei usque ad mor¬ tem. Quae refelletur Primo, quia non magis nota est confessio verae fidei, quam vera Scripturae praedicatio, et legitimus Sacra- y mentorum usus. Secundo, quia ex hac nota colligeretur veram Ecclesiam non posse esse ullo modo apud Lutheranos. Ipsi enim dicunt, per mul¬ ta secula ante Lutheri adventum cessasse confessionem verae fidei, et Ecclesiam con¬ servatam in latebris, et fuisse prorsus invisi¬ bilem, ergo Ecclesia Lutheranorum est nova, et proinde falsa. Tertio, quia hanc notam videmus in omni¬ bus sectis, et in nulla minus, quam in ccetu Lutheranorum; nam in primis Ecclesia nos¬ tra habet innumerabiles martyres, qui per¬ severarunt constantissime in confessione fidei; deinde Montanistae valde gloriabantur de suis martyribus, ut patet tum ex Eusebio lib. V, hist. cap. 18. tum ex Tertulliano in lib. de fuga in persecutione, quem scripsit, cum Montanista esset, contra Catholicos, objiciens eis quod male facerent fugiendo. Item Massaliani apud Epiphanium haeres. 80. ideo dicti sunt etiam Martyriani, quia gloriabantur valde de numero martyrum suorum. Idem de Donatistis constat. S. Au¬ gustinus epist. 68 : « Vivebant, inquit, ut latrones, honorabantur ut Martyres. » De Anabaptistis, qui erant tempore B. Bernar- di, scribit ipseserm. 66. in Cantica : « Mira¬ bantur, inquit, aliqui quod non modo patien¬ ter, sed etiam laeti ducerentur ad mortem. » De Adamitis scribit ^Erieas Sylvius lib. de hist. Bohemorum, cap. 41. viros cum foemi- nis conjugibus suis laetos, atque canentes properare solitos ad ignem. Hoc vero tem¬ pore nostro nemo ignoratinhac obstinatione moriendi pro perfidia, primum locum tenere Anabaptistas, secundum Calvinistas, extre¬ mum ac pene nullum meros Lutheranos, qui (1) Psal. XCII, 5. tamen hanc notam verae Ecclesiae soli propo¬ nunt.