The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. 5. Reaſons of Cardinal du Perron againſt the Church of the Elect in the ninth Chapter of his Book.
THe ninth Chapter of the Cardinal is employed to fight againſt the Church of the Elect, and to ſhew that there is no ſuch thing: Upon that he bends all his ſinews, and his great wit makes an extraordinary effort: wherefore we alſo muſt ſeriouſly examine it. His firſt Reaſon is this:
I. The word Eccleſia is derived from a Verb which ſignifieth a calling, and not predeſtining. So he will prove that there is no Church of the Elect, becauſe the Etymologie of that word Church doth not ſignifie predeſtining.
A Reaſon founded upon a falſe maxime; viz. that whatſoever is proper to any thing, muſt be expreſt by the Etymologie of the word: As if I ſaid, That the Pope can err in the faith, becauſe the Etymologie of the word Pope ſignifies not certainty or infallibility in the Doctrine; there is none but would charge my reaſoning with inconſequence.
II. His ſecond Reaſon is ſo confuſed, that we cannot anſwer it before we ſet it in order. The Argumentation is ſuch:
Every Society muſt have a communion of parts among themſelves.
The Church is a Society: Ergo,
The Church muſt have a communion of parts among themſelves.
The Argument is true: But upon that Concluſion he builds another Argument, which hath not the like truth:
The Church muſt have communion among her parts.
Now the predeſtinate have no communion among them: Ergo,
The predeſtinate are not the Church.
Of that Argument the minor Propoſition is manifeſtly falſe: The Elect, or predeſtinate have many things common among them; they have all one Father, who hath adopted them; one elder Brother, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; one Spirit, that conducts and ſanctifies them; one and the ſame right in the Kingdom of Heaven.Auguſt. Enchirid. c. 11. Haec ergo quae in ſanctis Angelis & virtutibus Dei eſt Eccleſia. S. Auſtin is far from that opinion; for he ſaith, that even the Angels are part of the Church.
Againſt that the Cardinal ſaith, that Predeſtination, quatenus Predeſtination, puts nothing in the perſons of the predeſtinate.
Indeed that word Predeſtining doth not clearly import that communion; but hence it follows not, that there is no ſuch communion, although the word does not expreſs ſo much: So I might ſay, That the faithful are not happy, becauſe the word Faithful expreſſeth no happineſs. And yet when that word Predeſtinate is once well underſtood, it will be found that it imports that communion, and puts many common things in the predeſtinate: For when we ſay, that there are Elect or predeſtinated men, we underſtand that they are predeſtinated unto ſalvation, and to the means to attain it. Theſe means are the Spirit of Regeneration, Faith and Adoption in Jeſus Chriſt: Since then they are all predeſtinated to that, all have that common among them by Predeſtination.
To defend that Propoſition ſo notoriouſly falſe, he brings another worſe, which depriveth the faithful of their chief comfort. He affirmeth, that when Paul, 2 Tim. 2. ſaith, That God knows them that are his, and hath marked them with his ſeal; it muſt be underſtood, that God hath marked the predeſtinate in himſelf, not in them; as if I ſaid, that a ſhepherd hath marked his ſheep, not in them, but in himſelf; ſo that it is the ſhepherd that is marked, not the ſheep. That Divinity is ſomewhat extravagant.
And it is contrary to Scripture, which teacheth us, that God marketh thoſe that belong to him, in themſelves: For S. Paul tells us, Epheſ. 1.13. that this mark or ſeal is the Spirit of promiſe, which in many other places he calls the Spirit of Adoption: Having believed, you have been ſealed with the Spirit of promiſe: and Epheſ. 4.30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, See 2 Cor. 1.22. & Rom. 8.15.whereby you are ſealed unto the day of Redemption. The Holy Ghoſt then being the ſeal, and the mark wherewith God ſealeth his children, can we ſay that God marketh himſelf by his Spirit? Nay, he puts that Spirit in the hearts of his children; as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, Gal. 4.6. Becauſe you are ſons, he hath ſent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts: Thus Ezek. 9.4. and Rev. 7. God ſealeth his Elect in the forehead: Is not that marking them in themſelves? The ſame Apoſtle ſpeaking of that Spirit of Adoption wherewith God ſealeth his children, Rom. 8.15. ſaith that this Spirit cryeth in their hearts, and beareth witneſs unto their ſpirits, that they are Gods children: That witneſs then is in themſelves, and is not a mental deſignation in God, as the Cardinal ſpeaketh. Yet herein his ingenuity is commendable, for this is a confeſſion that he feeleth not that mark within himſelf, and hath not that inward ſeal of his Election. But he ſhould not have judged of others by himſelf; he ought not to have meaſured by the ill ſtate of his conſcience, the conſcience of the Apoſtle, who ſpeaketh by experience.
III. The third Reaſon of the Cardinal, is much intangled and darkned with perplexed words. It comes to this:
The Church is the body of Chriſt, by analogy to an organical body.
Now it is the eſſence of an organical body to have divers organs and offices:
Thoſe offices and organs are in the Church, not by Predeſtination, but by the outward and viſible calling.
Out of theſe three Propoſitions he draws no Concluſion, as it is impoſſible to draw any; for they have neither order nor dependance. I ſuppoſe that he intended to frame ſuch an Argumentation:
All bodies have organs, and ſeveral offices.
Now among the Elect there is no ſuch organs and offices: Ergo,
The Elect do not make a body in the Church.
The firſt Propoſition is not univerſally true; for there are many bodies without organs, as the Heavens, the Moon, the Earth, and the Sea. That maxime may be good for a natural animated body, or for a civil body, as a Commonwealth; but when it is in queſtion of a Spiritual Society, that Maxime is not neceſſary.
The ſecond Propoſition is alſo falſe, by the judgement of the Roman Church, which puts different offices among the Saints, beſtowing upon the Virgin Mary the Office of Queen of Heaven, ſetting one Saint over a Countrey, another over the Cattel, another over women in childbed, and calling them Advocates and Mediators of Interceſſion.
And as for the Elect that are on earth, the Apoſtles were elected when they were in the world, and yet were organs to bring men to ſalvation, to which themſelves were predeſtinated. True it is, that the charge of Apoſtle or Paſtor comes not from their Predeſtination unto ſalvation, but from the outward calling. But is it any whit unreaſonable, that God ſhould uſe the outward calling, for the execution of his counſel concerning the Eternal Election? It matters not whence it comes that the Apoſtles are organs ſerving for the ſpiritual body of the Elect, ſo that it be certain that they are ſo.
IV. He addeth a fourth Reaſon:
S. Paul ſaith, that God hath tempered the honour of the members, that there be no ſchiſm in the body.
Now the predeſtinate are not ſuſceptible of ſchiſm, as predeſtinate, but as called: Ergo,
It is not Predeſtination, but Vocation, that conſtitutes the body of the Church.
A monſter of Syllogiſm, which hath neither head nor tail, and hath no coherence, and where one may number as many terms as words.
Here is the like again, built upon the model of the other:
S. Paul ſaith, that every man is a lyar.
Now the predeſtinate are not ſuſceptible of a lye, as predeſtinate, but as men: Ergo,
It is not Predestination, but Humanity, that Conſtitutes the Body of Man.
In that there is not one crum of reaſon, nor the ſhadow of any, neither doth the Concluſion do any thing againſt us, ſo it be underſtood of the viſible Church, which alſo is alone capable of ſchiſm.
V. The fifth Reaſon is no better:
The Church is our Mother, Gal. 4.26.
Now the Church doth not beget us by Predeſtination, but by Vocation. Ergo,
It is Vocation, not Predeſtination, which conſtitutes the Church, in the ſtate of a Church, and Mother of the faithful.
Theſe are indeed woful Syllogiſms, where there is neither form nor common ſenſe. Though the laſt of them were in good form, the Concluſion makes nothing againſt us; for we know, it is neceſſary that a viſible Orthodox Church, in which the Goſpel is purely announced, beget us unto God, and be our Mother. And we grant, that the Apoſtle in that text of Gal. 4. ſpeaks not of the Elect, but of a Church viſibly erected by the preaching of the Goſpel, and freed from the Ceremonies of the Law.
VI. He addes another Reaſon of the like weight:
One knows his Mother, before he knows his Father.
Now our certainty of being children of the Church, cannot be a means to make us know that we are Gods children: Ergo,
The definition of the Church muſt conſiſt in the Vocation, not in the Predeſtination.
Never any man did Syllogize in ſuch an extravagant way. By ſuch Arguments one might as well prove, that twice two make ſeven: And with all that arguing, he fights againſt his own ſhadow, making us ſay, that in the Predeſtination, the definition of the Church conſiſteth, which we do not. For as for the viſible Church, we know that Predeſtination enters not into her definition; and as for the inviſible Church, which is compoſed only of the true, faithful, and children of God, this is her definition, It is the Aſſembly of the faithful, whom God hath adopted in Jeſus Chriſt, to ſave them. Of that Church, Predeſtination is neither the matter nor the form, but the efficient cauſe, why theſe, rather then thoſe, belong unto this Church.
VII. His ſeventh Reaſon is, that neither Chriſt, who hath been the Godfather of that Society, nor his Apoſtles, have ever imployed that name of Church, but to deſign a viſible Society.
That we deny, and have proved the contrary in Chap. 3. when our adverſaries by the Church, underſtand the Pope alone (as we have ſhewed) they do not take the word Church for a viſible Society.
The firſt text that the Cardinal alledgeth, is againſt himſelf: For when Chriſt ſaith, Ʋpon this ſtone I will build my Church, it is certain, that he ſpeaks of the Church of the Elect, as Pope Gregory the I. told us before: The following words ſhew it evidently, And the gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt it; which ſhould be falſe, if he ſpake of a Church, a great part of which goeth into Hell. And truly, from the Apoſtles times unto this, the gates of Hell, that is, the power of the Devil, hath often prevailed, and ſtill prevaileth over the viſible Church; having often aboliſht many Churches, by the violence of perſecutions, and corrupted many parts of the Church by Hereſies, Idolatry, and Vices. For although Satan never utterly aboliſht the viſible Church, yet it is prevailing againſt a State, when one robs it of great part of its Countrey; it is prevailing againſt a man to put him out of his houſe, to maim part of his body, and infect many of his members with the plague: It was given unto the Beaſt to make war with the Saints, and to overcome them, Rev. 13.7. To overcome one, is prevailing againſt him: But as for the Church of the Elect, not one of that Church can periſh; none ſhall pluck them out of the hands of the Son of God.
In vain the Cardinal makes a flouriſh with the word Building. I will build (ſaith he) ſhews that he ſpeaks of a conſtituted Church, not by Predeſtination, which is eſtabliſht of all Eternity, but by outward, earthly, and temporal calling.
I anſwer, that although the Predeſtination of the Elect be Eternal, yet God calls them in time, and ſucceſſively one after another; yea, ſome predeſtinate perſons are not yet born. So that it is with good reaſon, that Chriſt uſeth the future, I will build. Predeſtination is eſtabliſht of all Eternity, but not the pedeſtinate.
He addeth, that this word Keys, ſignifieth the Authority of the Miniſtry, which is true; but God uſeth that Miniſtry, to aſſemble his Elect: That Reaſon then is to no purpoſe.
Next, he alledgeth many texts that ſpeak of the viſible Church, which no body denies: If I ſay, that Scripture ſpeaks of beaſts, doth it follow that there is no men? If Scripture ſpeak of a viſible Church, doth it follow that there is no inviſible Church? In vain then doth he fill well nigh two pages with ſuch texts.
The laſt of them is Heb. 12.23. where the Apoſtle ſpeaks thus, You are come to the General Aſſembly, and Church of the firſt-born, which are written in Heaven. What can that Church be, but that of the Elect and predeſtinate, of whom Scripture ſaith ſo often, that their names are written in Heaven, and that they are written in the Book of Life? as, Luke 10.20. Rejoyce, becauſe your names are written in Heaven; and, Rev. 20.15. Whoſoever was not found written in the Book of Life, was caſt into the Lake of fire.
The Cardinal anſwers, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Triumphant Church: Of which I deſire the Reader to take notice; for he hath told us before, that the word Church ſignifieth a viſible body, called by an outward calling; and now he acknowledgeth, that the Apoſtle is ſpeaking of a Triumphant Church, which is inviſible. Alſo he hath told us, that the Church is an organical body: But now forgetting what he ſaid, he acknowledgeth a glorious Church, where thoſe organs are not. So he undoeth all that he hath done.
Nevertheleſs, let us ſee whether the Apoſtle ſpeaks here of the Triumphant Church. That I affirm to be impoſſible: For the Apoſtle ſaith to the Hebrews, that they were come to the Church of the firſt-born, which are written in Heaven: Now they were not yet come to the Triumphant Church, ſince they were yet upon earth.
And if by thoſe that are written in Heaven, we muſt only underſtand the glorified Saints, it will follow, that Chriſt ſpake againſt the truth, when he ſaid to his Apoſtles, Luke 10. That their names were written in Heaven; for they were not yet glorified.
This is not contradicted by the Apoſtle, when he ſaith in the ſame place, You are come to the Heavenly Jeruſalem: For the Heavenly Jeruſalem comprehends the whole Society of the Elect, to which whoſoever is joyned, is no leſs joyned to thoſe that are in Heaven, then to thoſe that are on Earth.
CHAP. 6. Whether the Societies of Hereticks, and Schiſmaticks, or Idolatrous Chriſtians, muſt be called Churches. Anſwer to the Cardinal.
THe Queſtion is, Whether the Societies of Idolatrous, or Heretick, or Schiſmatical Chriſtians, ought to be called Churches? and, Whether when by Hereſies or Schiſms the Church is torn in pieces, every piece can, or ought to keep the name of Church? About that, the 57. Chapter of the Cardinals firſt Book is ſpent. For my part, I hold that Queſtion to be uſeleſs, becauſe it is but a diſpute abou… a word: We have true Controverſies enough, without forging imaginary Controverſies. To take the word in the ſenſe that our adverſaries take it, for the whole Society of the truly faithful, it is certain, that the Societies of Hereticks, ſeparated from that body, are not the Church. But if by the Church, we underſtand the whole body of thoſe that profeſs Chriſtianity, there is no doubt but that the Societies of Hereticks are Churches, and parts of that Univerſal Church. It appeareth to me, that our adverſaries admitting the Baptiſm of thoſe whom they call Hereticks, acknowledge them to be Chriſtian Churches; for the Sacraments of the Chriſtian Church, are not to be found out of the Chriſtian Church. So the ten Tribes of Iſrael are often called by the Prophets,Hoſ. 4.6. the people of God, becauſe they kept the Circumciſion, and were of Jacobs poſterity. M. du Perron, chap. 61. ſpeaks of Chriſtian Hereticks: Now there are no Chriſtians out of the Chriſtian Church. The Apoſtle writing to the Galatians, calls them the Church, in the beginning of his Epiſtle, although they erred in an important point of the faith, retaining the Circumciſion, and putting a neceſſity upon the obſervation of the Ceremonies of the Law: For that it was a vice of the body of the Church, not of ſome particular perſons, it appears, in that the Apoſtle ſpeaks to the body of the Church without diſtinction, chap. 1. 6. & 3. 1. & 5. 7. & 9. Cardinal du Perron, although he denies that it was the opinion of the whole Church, yet acknowledgeth that S. Paul confuteth that doctrine, as if all the Galatians had embraced it. Thus the Spirit of God writes to the Church of Laodicea, Rev. 3. which nevertheleſs he cals poor, blind and naked. A man ſick of the plague, is nevertheleſs a true man: As health is not the form or the eſſence of a man, ſo purity in the faith is not the eſſence of the univerſal viſible Church. Her eſſence or eſſential form conſiſteth in the collection in one body under the profeſſion of Chriſtianity.