to the acts of God towards her, so far as she perceives all or some of them. (1.) She that has a perception only of the act of Creation and Preservation, is said to be in the way or course; and is called militant, because she must still contend with sin, the flesh, the world and Satan. (Eph. vi, 11, 12; Heb. xii, 1—4.)— (2.) But she that is made partaker besides of the consummation, is said to be in her own land, and is called triumphant: After conquering her enemies she rests from her labours, and reigns with Christ in Heaven. (Rev. iii, 21; xiv, 13.) To that part of the church which is militant on earth, the title of Catholic or Universal is likewise ascribed, as embracing within her [ambitu] pale every particular combatant or soldier. We place neither any church, nor any thing belonging to her, in Purgatory: For that is a real Utopia,* and of great notoriety among all men.

XV. Hence since the calling forth of the church is made inwardly by the Spirit and outwardly by the word preached, (Acts xvi, 14,)—and since those who are called answer inwardly by faith, and outwardly by the profession of their faith, as they who are called have an inward man and an outward; (2 Cor. iv, 16;)-therefore, in reference to those who are called, the church is distinguished into the Visible and the Invisible from an external adjunct and accident. She is Invisible, as "believing with the heart unto righteousness;" and she is Visible, as "making confession with the mouth unto salvation." (Rom. x, 9, 10.) This Visibility and Invisibility belong neither less nor more to the whole Catholic Church, than to each particular church: For that which is called "the Catholic Invisible Church" does not appertain to this subject, because it cannot come together into one place and thus be exposed to view. But as more persons called," than "are chosen" or elected; (Matt. xx, 16;) and as many of the called profess with their mouths" that they know God, while in works they deny Him;" (Titus i, 16;) and since of the hearts of these men God is the sole Judge, who alone "knoweth them that are his;" (2 Tim. ii, 19;) therefore such persons are judged, on account of the promise, to belong to the visible church, although equivocally, since they do not belong to the invisible church, and have none of that inward communion with the Head which is the Form of the church.

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XVI. Then, since the church is collected out of "the world that lieth wholly in wickedness," (John xv, 19; Matt. xv, 9;)

Sir Thomas More's book under this title was, as a work of imagination, a great favourite among the learned of that age. It is found in the very scarce Catalogue of our Author's private library.

and as this office is frequently performed by ministers who preach another doctrine than that which the word of God contains; (2 Cor. xi, 15; Gal. iii, 1-3;) and since the church is composed of men who are exposed to deception and to falling, nay of such as are actually deceived and fallen; on this account the church is distinguished, with respect to the doctrine of faith, into "the Orthodox" and "the Heretical;" with respect to Divine worship, into "the Idolatrous," and "that which retains the right worship of God and of Christ ;" and with respect to the moral virtues prescribed in the Second Table of the Law, into "a purer church," or into "one that is more impure." In all these respects, degrees are also to be observed, according to which one church is more heretical, idolatrous and impure, than another: But concerning all these things a right judgment must be formed according to the Scriptures. In this relation, too, the word "Catholic" is used respecting those churches which are neither oppressed with destructive heresy nor are idolatrous.

XVII. Wherefore that question is confused and preposterous which asks, "Can the Catholic church err?" when the enquiry ought rather to be, "Can the assembly that errs be the church ?" For as faith is prior to the church, and as the church obtains this appellation on account of her believing, so the name of "the Church" is taken away from any church so far as she errs from the faith. Yet if this question be pressed by any one, we say that by it nothing more is asked than this, "Can it happen that at any one time there can be no assemblage or congregation of men in the whole world who have not a right faith in Christ and God?" To which an answer is readily made by a negation; because the church on earth will never totally fail, but must continue to be collected together without interruption to the end of the world, although not always from the same places and nations: (Matt. xxviii, 20; Rev. ii, 5:) Otherwise Christ will not have any kingdom on earth, and will not rule in the midst of his enemies until they be made his footstool. (Psalm cx, 1, 2.)

We have hitherto treated of the church herself, let us now briefly consider her Head.

XVIII. The conditions of the Head of the church are, that it should contain within itself, in a manner the most perfect, all things necessary to the life and salvation of the church, that it should have a due [symmetriam] proportion to the church, should be fitly united to her and placed in order with her, and that by its own virtue it may supply to her life, sensation and motion. But these conditions agree with Christ alone: For "in

Him all fulness dwells;" (Col. i, 19;)" and of his fulness have all we received." (John i, 16.) Him hath the Father constituted "the Head over all things to the church;" and he bestows salvation on his body, which is the church. (Ephes. i, 22; v, 25.) By His Spirit the Church is animated, perceives and moves. (Rom. viii, 9-12.) Nor is this to be understood only about internal communication, but likewise concerning external administration: For it is He who sends forth his Word and his Spirit, (Matt. xxviii, 19; Acts ii, 33.) who institutes a ministry in the church, who appoints, as presidents over this ministry, apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers. (Ephes. iv, 11, 12.) On this account He is called "the Chief Pastor or Shepherd," (1 Pet. v, 4,) who assists and "works with" his ministers, "both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost;" (Mark xvi, 20; Acts iv, 30;) and who defends his church against her enemies, and procures likewise her temporal good, so far as He considers it to be requisite for her inward and eternal benefit.

XIX. This name therefore, "the Head of the church," cannot be adapted, according to any consideration, either to the apostle Peter or to the Roman Pontiff. The Papists themselves grant, that it cannot be according to internal communication; and we prove that it cannot be according to external administration, in the following manner: (1.) St. Peter was himself constituted an apostle by Christ, after the same constitution as that by which Christ is said to have appointed Apostles. (Ephes. iv, 7, 11; 1 Pet. i, 1.) Therefore the rest of the apostles were not constituted by St. Peter; which appointment St. Paul expressly denies respecting himself when he says, that he obtained his apostleship" neither of men nor by man :" (Gal. i, 1.)-(2.) St. Peter is [sym-presbyter] a fellow-elder: Therefore he is not the Chief of the Elders. (1 Pet. v, 1.)-(3.) To St. Peter "was committed the Gospel of the circumcision," as that of the uncircumcision was by equal right and authority committed to St. Paul: Therefore "they gave to each other the right hand of fellowship." (Gal. ii, 7—9)—(4.) St. Peter was reprehended by St. Paul, "because he did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel :" Therefore he was not a suitable person to receive in charge the administration of the whole church.―(5.) St. James, Cephas and John, are all placed by the apostle Paul as equal in degree; nay, and as being accounted columns by the churches, with no difference among them.-(6.) On the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem are inscribed

"the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb," each name on each foundation without the pre-eminence of any single one apart.-(7.) St. Paul says, that "in nothing was he behind the very chief apostles:" (2 Cor. xii, 11:) Therefore he was not inferior to St. Peter who was one of them.-(8.) St. Paul says, that he "laboured more abundantly than all the rest:" (1 Cor. xv, 10:) But he could not have spoken this with truth, if the care of managing the whole church lay upon St. Peter, and if he administered its concerns through St. Paul and other persons. The objections which the Papists urge in favour of [Primatu] the primacy or pre-eminence of St. Peter, will be examined in the Disputation itself.

XX. Hence it follows, that neither does this title of "the Head of the church" belong to the Roman Pontiff: For whatever portion of right and dignity belongs to him, the Papists say, it is derived from St. Peter, because he has succeeded to the chair and to the functions of that apostle. But let it be allowed for the sake of argument, though by no means conceded, that the Primacy of administration over the whole church was granted to Peter; yet it does not follow from this, that the same right has devolved on the Roman Pontiff: For before this inference can be deduced from such a supposition, the following propositions must be previously proved: (1.) That this right was not personal but successive. (2.) That this succession was inseparably connected with a certain Chair; that he who succeeded to it enjoyed this right; and that he had in fact, by some means or other, irrefragably gained possession of this Chair. (3.) That St. Peter was Bishop of Rome, and that he died in Rome while discharging the duties of that Bishopric. (4.) That, from the period of St. Peter's death in the discharge of his Episcopal functions at Rome, this Primacy has been inseparably connected with the Papal Chair. *-All these things, therefore, they must prove by undoubted arguments, since they teach it to be of the necessity of salvation that every man be subject to the Roman Pontiff.

To that God in whom, by whom, and for whom all things subsist, be praise and glory for ever and ever!

* Extravag. de Major. et Obed.

DISPUTATION XIX.

ON THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN BEFORE GOD.

Respondent, ALARD DE VRIES.

As frequent mention is made in Scripture of JUSTIFICATION, and since this doctrine is of great importance to salvation, and is in these days not a little controverted; it seems that we shall not be acting unprofitably if we institute a disquisition on this subject from the Scriptures.

I. SINCE the word "Justification" is deduced from Justice, from this notion its signification will be appropriately derived. Justice or Righteousness, when properly considered, signifies Rectitude, or an agreement with right reason. (Psalm xi, 7; Ephes. vi, 14; Phil. i, 11; 1 John iii, 7.) And it is contemplated either as a Quality or as an Act,—a quality inhering in a subject, an Act produced by an efficient cause. The word "Justification" denotes an Act that is occupied either in infusing the Quality of righteousness into some person or in acquiring it for him, or in forming a judgment on a person and his acts and in pronouncing sentence on them.

II. If therefore according to its Quality, Justification be the acquisition of righteousness, it is the Act of one who by repeated acts acquires a habit of righteousness,—that is, the act of a rational creature. (Ephes. iv, 24.) If it be the infusion of righteousness, it is the act of Him who infuses the habit of righteousness into a rational creature,—that is, the act of God either as Creator or Regenerator. (Isai. v, 23.) The Justification which is occupied about a person and his acts, is the act of a Judge making an estimate in his own mind of the deed and of the author of it, and according to that estimate forming a judgment and pronouncing sentence, that is, the act of a man justifying the wisdom and the justice of God, (Matt. xi, 19; Psalm lxxxi,) of a Prince justifying the cause of his subject, of a Pharisee justifying himself, (Luke xvi, 15,) of God justifying the deed of Phinehas, (Psalm cvi, 31,) and our Lord's justification of the conduct of the Publican. (Luke xviii, 14.)

III. From this necessary distinction of the words it appears, that Bellarmine both admits an equivocation, and feigns an adversary for himself that is not adverse to him, when he proposes the state of the controversy which exists between him and