Chapter XXV: Of the Church. De Ecclesia.
Of the Church. De Ecclesia.
I. The catholic or universal Church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. [1847] I. Catholica sive Universalis Ecclesia ea quæ est invisibilis constat e toto electorum numero, quotquot fuerunt, sunt, aut erunt unquam in unum collecti, sub Christo ejusdem Capite; estque sponsa, corpus ac plenitudo ejus qui implet omnia in omnibus. [1848] II. The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation as before under the law) consists of all those, throughout the world, that profess the true religion, [1849] and of [1850] their children; [1851] and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, [1852] the house and family of God, [1853] out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation. [1854] II. Ecclesia visibilis (quæ etiam sub Evangelio, Catholica est et universalis, non autem unius gentis finibus, ut pridem sub lege, circumscripta) ex iis omnibus constat, undecunque terrarum sint, qui veram religionem profitentur, [1855] una cum eorundem liberis; [1856] estque Regnum Domini Jesu Christi, [1857] Domus et familla Dei, [1858] extra quam quidem ordinarie fieri nequit ut quivis salutem consequatur. [1859]
III. Unto this catholic visible Church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth by his own presence and Spirit, according to his promise, make them effectual thereunto. [1860] III. Catholicæ huic Ecclesiæ visibili dedit Christus ministrorum ordinem, oracula, ac instituta Dei ad sanctos usque ad finem mundi in hac vita colligendos simul et perficiendos; in quem finem præsentia sua, spirituque secundum ipsius promissionem, eadem reddit efficacia. [1861] IV. This catholic Church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. [1862] And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them. [1863] IV. Ecclesia hæc Catholica extitit quandoque magis quandoque minus visibilis. [1864] Ecclesiæ autem particulares (quæ sunt illius membra) eo magis minusve puræ sunt, qui majori aut minori cum puritate in iis docetur excipiturque Evangelii doctrina, administrantur divina instituta, cultusque publicus celebratur. [1865]
V. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; [1866] and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. [1867] Nevertheless, there shall be always a Church on earth to worship God according to his will. [1868]
V. Purissimæ omnium quæ in terris sunt Ecclesiæ, cum mixturæ tum etiam errori sunt obnoxiæ, [1869] eousque autem nonnullæ degenerarunt, ut ex Ecclesiis Christi factæ demum sint ipsius Satanæ Synagogæ; [1870] nihilominus tamen nunquam deerit in terris Ecclesiæ, quæ Deum colat secundum ipsius voluntatem. [1871] VI. There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ:
[1872] nor can the Pope of Rome, in any VI. Ecclesiæ caput extra unum Dominum Jesum Christum nullum est; [1873] nec ullo sensu caput ejus esse
sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God. [1874] potest Papa Romanus, qui est insignis ille Antichristus, homo ille peccati et perditionis filius; in Ecclesia semet efferens adversus Christum, et supra quicquid dicitur Deus.
[1875]