My Lord, As I have already declar'd what I believe with regard to this
Article, and have nothing to add to it, I proceed to the Reasons that
oblige me to believe in the _Holy Catholic Church_.
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XXV. By the Church I understand with St. _Augustin_ all the Believers in
general that are dispers'd throughout the World. There is only one Church,
but 'tis divided into the Church _Triumphant_ and the Church _Militant_.
The former is compos'd of all the Saints, and all the Blessed that are in
Paradise; and who after having triumph'd over the World, the Flesh and the
Devil, are safe in the Enjoyment of eternal Happiness, and exempt from the
Miseries of this Life. The other Church is the Assembly of all the
Faithful who are still living: This Church is call'd the Church
_Militant_, because of the continual Warfare which the Faithful have to
maintain against their cruel Enemies the World, the Flesh, and the Devil:
There are some, who, to these Two Churches, add a Third, which they call
the _Passive_ Church, because it consists of those who yet languish in the
Pains of Purgatory, and are there to remain till they are thoroughly
purified, that they may then be able to enter into the _Triumphant_
Church, and thereby form one and the same Church.
I exclude out of the Church Infidels, Heretics, Schismatics, and Persons
excommunicate. Infidels are no Part of the Church, because they never
enter'd into it, never understood it, and never partook of any of the
Sacraments. Heretics and Schismatics are excluded from the Church, because
they are separate from it: They are nevertheless under the Power of the
Church, which has a Right to judge, punish, and excommunicate them.
Finally, Excommunicated Persons are excluded from the Church, because the
Church herself has judg'd them, and cut them off from her Body; and she
never more admits them to her Communion without their Conversion.
As to the Marks and Properties of the Church, I believe, that they
consist, in the first Place, in its Unity, _Canticles_ Chap. vi. Ver. 9.
_My Dove, my Undefiled, is but one._ She is conducted and govern'd by an
_Invisible_ Head, and by a _Visible_ Head: The former is Jesus Christ,
whom God the Father has appointed the Head of his whole Church. The
Visible Head is he, who, as lawful Successor of St. _Peter_, possesses the
See of the Church of _Rome_. I believe, that this Head is absolutely
necessary, as having been establish'd by Jesus Christ himself, when he
said to St. _Peter_, _thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my
Church_, Matt. Chap. xvi. Ver. 18. St. _Peter_ was the first to whom the
Episcopal See was given, which he establish'd first at _Antioch_, but
afterwards translated to _Rome_, where he kept his See, as Chief of all
the Apostles; to the end that the Unity of one See might be secur'd to him
by them all, and that the other Apostles might never take it into their
Heads to assume to themselves another. A Man that should offer to erect a
See, in Prejudice of that which Jesus Christ hath established to be the
Centre of Unity, would be deem'd as a Schismatic, and as a Heretic. In
Fact, Jesus Christ, as God, gives Men a Share of his Dignities: He is the
High-priest, and he honours Men with the Dignity of the Priesthood: 'Tis
he that is the true _Peter_, and he communicates this Quality of _Peter_
to another. Thus he makes his Servants Sharers of what is proper and
particular to himself: He establish'd St. _Peter_ to be the Pastor and
Head of all Believers, and was willing that he should have the same Power
as himself, to govern his Church.
The other Property of the Church is its _Holiness_. St. _Peter_ assures us
of this in his first Epistle, Chap. ii. Ver. 9. _But ye are a chosen
Generation, a holy Nation._ 'Tis call'd holy, because 'tis consecrated to
the Service of God: 'Tis a Custom to call every thing that is set apart
for Divine Worship holy: This was a Custom, even under the Old Law, when
the Priests Vestments, the Levites, and the Altars were call'd holy. A
farther Proof of the Church's Holiness is, that the Holy Spirit presides
over it, and that he govern'd it by the Ministry of the Apostles. The
Apostles were the first that receiv'd the Holy Ghost, and since their Time
such has been God's infinite Love to his Church, the Holy Spirit has ever
remain'd with it. Therefore this very Church, which is govern'd by the
Holy Spirit, cannot be mistaken in Matters of Faith, nor even in Point of
Discipline.
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