Truth and Falsehood, Book · Chapter 7
That the catholike Church mentioned in the Articles of our beliefe, is not viſible, or to be ſeene. CHAP. 7
THE PROTESTANTS
BEcauſe the Catholike Church mentioned in the Creed, is that heauenly Ieruſalem that is mother of vsus all, Gal. 4.26and comprehendeth (as S. Auguſtine ſaith) not onelyonly that part that wandreth vponupon earth,Enchir. ca. 56. frō the riſing of the Sunne, to the going downe of the ſame, but that alſo that is in heauen: And the company of Chriſtians for the time in earth, is not the vniuerſall Church, but is only a ſmal part therof,In the preface to his booke of Images. (as Sander a papiſt cōfeſſeth:) It followeth that that Church which is ſpoken of in the Creed, is not that ſmall flocke that wādreth here in this world: And ſo conſequently, that that catholike Church, becauſe the farre greateſt part thereof is in heauen (and ſo not to be ſeene) cannot bee ſeene of vsus. And for that cauſe are wee taught, to ſay, I beleeue the holy Catholike Church, but things that are ſeene, are not, nay cannot be beleeued. For, faith is the ground of things that are hoped for, Heb. 11.1and the euidence of things that are not ſeene. Therefore, either muſt we denie I beleeue the holy Catholike Church, to be an Article of our faith, or elſe muſt it bee confeſſed, that the Catholike Church is inuiſible.
THE PAPISTS
BƲt that whoriſh Romiſh Church, which hath nothing to commend hir, but an outward painting, that conſiſteth of worldly glory (wher as the glory of Chriſts true ſpouſe is chiefly inward) and a ſhew of ſucceſsion in the chaire of them that were knowne to be good men,Pſal. 45.5… but not in their faith and godlineſſe: leaſt that men ſhould ſeeke to know the Church by the word, which is that only infallible mark that our ſauior Chriſt giueth,Iohn 10.3, 4 5.27 Ephe. 2.20 De vnitate Eccleſ. cont. Petil. ca. 10 and likewiſe Saint Paule to the Epheſians, and Saint Auguſtine doeth highly commend the ſame, ſo that if hee erre from the true Church, ſeeing Chriſt hath giuen him ſo good a marke of her, he confeſſeth himſelfe to bee too blame for it. Least that (I ſay) men ſhould occupie them ſelues in this word written, ſeeking to finde the Church there, this ſeducing ſinagogue doth beare vsus in hand, that the true Church muſt be glorious to the eye, and eaſie to be ſeene, and that there is no other Catholike Church but ſuch a one. And then they knowe, that there is not in all the worlde ſuch a one, that maketh ſo faire a ſhewe to bee found, but onelyonly that of Rome, which is liuely deſcribed by Saint Iohn, Reuel. 17.in the Apocalips.
And although this is a common principle in the Catholike Church, and in eueryevery bodies mouth, That the Catholike church is viſible, which Campion in his third reaſon, and Turrian againſt Sadeel, Camp. rat. 3.doe manifeſtly affirme. Yet I know not how it commeth to paſſe, that euen the greateſt pillars of poperie, do not ſo much as define the Catholike church, and deale (as I thinke) in this queſtion verie fearefully, as may appeare, not onelyonly by Melchior Canus in his fourth booke,Loc. Theolo. de eccle. milit. … b. 3. cap. 12. but eſpecially by Belarmine, who appointing a whole Chapter for proofe of this point, yet dareth not, in the verie title of the Chapter, ſet downe that is in queſtion, that is to ſay, that the catholike Church is viſible, (for ſo they ſay) but onelyonly this is the title of that chapter, that the Church is viſible. Which if he meane it of particular Churches, we ſay alſo that they may be viſible: If he meane it of the catholike Church, which is the thing in queſtion, why is hee afrayed to ſay ſo? Surely euen his owne conſcience tolde him, that of all the arguments that he hath in that place, there is not one, out of which he may conclude, That the Catholike Church, catholike (I ſay) in that ſenſe that I hauehave proued it to bee taken in the Creede, is, or can bee viſible to vsus in this world. And therefore craftily he leaueth the queſtion, and falleth to other matters. I therefore ſee no cauſe why I may not truely and boldly conclude,Apoc. 21, 2, 9 that that Heauenly Ieruſalem, and bride of the Lambe, that ſpouſe of Chriſt mentioned in the Apocalips, which in deed Saint Iohn ſawe but by viſion onelyonly, is the ſame catholike church that we ſpeake of in the Creede: but whileſt wee wander here wee can not ſee it, but by faith onelyonly. But when Chriſt our head and captaine ſhall hauehave put downe all rule, and all authoritie and power, 1. Cor. 15.24then ſhall the glorie of the Church in deede appeare, then ſhall ſhee be exalted aboue the mountaines,In Apoc. Hom. 18 as Saint Auguſtine confeſſeth. Yea, then ſhall the Church be made perfectly catholike, when no member ſhallbe wanting vntounto it. Then ſhall the godly, not by faith as now, but euen with their renued eyes ſee her, and her beautie.