A treatise concerning the church Wherin it is shewed, by the signes, offices, and properties therof, that the Church of Rome (and consequently such particuler churches as liue in her communion) is the only true church of Christ. VVritten in Latin, by the Reuerend Father Iames Gordon Huntley of Scotland, Doctour of Diuinity, of the Society of Iesus. And translated into English by I.L. of the same Society. The third part of the second controuersy.

CHAP. III. That the Roman Church only is the true Church of Christ, is proued by the properties of the true Church. (Book 3)

HITHERTO we haue described out of holy Scripture the true Church of Christ, and that by the properties, offices, and pe∣culiar signes thereof. Now it remaineth that we by the same enquire and examine in what parte or place of the world this true Church of Christ may be found, the which will easily be done, if we declare that all these propertyes, offices, and signes must needes agree to some one. We therefore do affirme that all the of∣fices, properties, and signes of the true Church do only agree to the Roman Church.

2. It is heere notwithstanding to be considered, least some perchance by the ambiguity or equiuocation of the word be deceyued, that we doe not vn∣derstand by the Roman Church, that

which is only at Rome, as our Aduer∣saries go about to perswade the ignorant, but plainly euery Church which agreeth in the vnity of the same faith with the Roman, and which obeyeth the Bishop of Rome, whersoeuer that Church be, whether at Rome, or elswhere, yea euen the furtthest part of the Indyes. More∣ouer that this Roman Church thus vn∣derstood is the only true Church of Christ, and consequently that out of her we cannot hope for eternall saluation (seing that out of the true Church as we haue sufficiently declared before,* 1.1 we can∣not be saued) we will euidently demon∣strate by all the properties, offices, and signes before alledged of the true Church. And first we will speake of the proper∣ties, to wit, of those which agree vnto her▪ quarto modo. For all these do very well agree to the Roman Church and to no o∣ther. The which we declare in this manner.

3. First the Roman Church is the espouse of Christ. For that she was betro∣thed and despoused vnto Christ by true faith, those wordes of the holy Scripture do plainly testify: Your faith,* 1.2 saith the Apo∣stle writing to the Romans, is renowned in the whole world. And a little after S. Paul

professeth himselfe to agree in the vnity of faith with the Roman Church, that is to professe the Roman Faith, and not that of VVittemberge, as Lu••her, or that of Geneua, as Caluin ••i••. Whe••••ore with good rigot we professe our selues not only to b•• the children of the Catholike, but also o•• the Catholike Roman Church, and faith, the which S. Paul also manifestly professeth himsel••e to be.

4. But our Aduersaries obiect, that the Church of Rome in the Apostles tyme had the true faith, but a••terward she forsoo••e and lost it. So in tymes past those Heretikes which were called Dona∣••ists, when they were vrged by the argu∣ments of Catholikes, were wont to say, that indeed the Church of Rome was famous ouer all the world in the A∣postles tyme, but in their tyme she peri∣shed in all the other partes of the world and remayned only among the Donatists in Africke,* 1.3 whome S. Augustine refuteth very well, and we imitating him herein will vse this kind of argument: That the faith of the Roman Church was once the true and sincere faith, the holy Scri∣pture doth expresly testify: but that the same Church afterward forsooke or lost her former faith, is no where extant in

holy writ: therefore we must not belieue that which is so expresly against the Scri∣pture.

5. And this argument indeed vrgeth much more our Aduersaries then the Do∣natists, seing that they teach that we must belieue nothing which is not expre∣sly in Scrip••ure, but this is no where to be found expressely therin, to wit, that the Roman Church forsooke or lost her faith which she had receyued from the Apo∣stles. And truly there can be no greater signe of the want of learning and iudge∣ment then to think that, that Church for∣sooke and lost her fayth, whose faith euen the expresse word of God doth so great∣ly commend vnto vs, vnlesse this her forsaking and loosing of her former true faith can be proued out of the same word of God.

6. Our Aduersaries indeed say, that they will proue it in some particuler pointes of faith, but they will neuer be able to performe their promise, as in euery particuler Controuersy will ap∣peare.

7. Moreouer God promiseth to this espouse of Christ, by the Prophet Isay, the which he also confirmed with an Oath, that she should be inuested and adorned

with diuers Nations and people. For so speaketh God to the Church: Lyft vp thy eyes and looke round about thee, and see, all these are gathered togeather,* 1.4 they are come vnto thee. As I liue, saith our Lord, thou shalt be inuested with all these, as with an ornament, & thou shalt cōpasse them about vnto thy selfe as a spouse. So the Ro∣man Church hath alwaies had and still hath many Nations and people subiect vnto her, wherwith she is inuested and adorned, the which euen our Aduersa∣ries cannot deny.

8. Secondly the Church is the visi∣ble and mysticall body of Christ, but in the Roman Church there hath alwaies byn, and now also there is the visible bo∣dy of Christ consisting of diuers mem∣bers and states: as also of Doctours and Pastors, wherof S. Paul speaketh writing to the Ephesians and Corinthians,

9. Thirdly the Church is the King∣dome of Christ, but in the Romane Church there hath alwayes & now also there is the visible Kingdome of Christ,* 1.5 & that such an one as the Prophet Isay de∣scribeth when he sayth, that Kings and Queenes shalbe thy nourses. For there hath euer beene since the conuersion of Na∣tions,* 1.6 many Kinges and Monarkes who haue agreed in vnity of fayth, with the

Romane Church, and haue acknow∣ledged alwayes the Bishop of Rome to be the chiefe head and Pastor of all the whole militant Church,* 1.7 as may appeare by that which Coccius hath set downe in his Ca∣talogue to this purpose.

10. Furthermore the Prophet Ieremy thus describeth the future Kingdome of Christ. This sayth our Lord,* 1.8 If my couenant can be broken and made voide with the day, and my couenant with the night, soe that there be ney∣ther day nor night in their due tymes; then my couenant can be broken with my seruant Dauid that there shall not be a sonne of his raigning in his throne, and the Leuits and Priests my ministers: as the starres of the heauens cannot be numbred, nor the sands of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seede of my seruant Dauid, and the Leuits my Mi∣nisters. Thus sayth God by his Prophet of the Kingdome of Christ his sonne, and of the Leuits, and Priests ministring vnto our Lord, and of the infinit number of them, which is manifest to haue byne fullfilled hitherto in the Roman Church.

11. Fourthly, the Church is the In∣heritance of Christ,* 1.9 to wit that which accor∣ding to the oracles of the Prophets exten∣deth herself to the very boūds and limits of the whole earth, which is in the eyes of all Nations,* 1.10 the which all the corners of the earth shall see, &

lastly which is extēded from the east to the west. But in the Roman Church there hath al∣wayes byn such an inheritaunce of Christ.* 1.11

12. Hereupon are those famous words of S. Leo to the Citty of Rome: These are they who haue exalted thee to this glory, that being a holy Nation,* 1.12 a chosen people, a priestly & and princely Citty, by the holy seate of S. Peter made the heade of the world, should haue a more large command by the meanes of diuine Religion, then euer thou hadst by forraine domination. For albeit thou being ••amous, renowned for many vi∣ctories hast extended the limits of thy Empyre both by sea and land, yet notwith••tanding it is lesse which thy warlike labour hath subdued, then that which the R••ligion of Christ hath made subiect vnto thee. Hitherto S. Leo.

13. Moreou••r S. Prosper the great glory of Aquitania, and dearly beloued friend of S. Augustine, and who defended egregiously his doctrine against the Pela∣gians, in a certayne booke written in verse ag••inst the same Pelagians, speaking of their heresies writeth thus:

VVhen this infectious pestilence arose, Rome Peters seate first gaue it deadly blowes, * 1.13VVhich made the heade os pastorall dignity, VVhereto the whole world should obedient be▪ Houlde more, now subiect by Religions law, then her fierce armies erst could keep in awe.

Thus wrote he a 1200. yeares agoe.

14. But in this our age the fayth of the Romane Church is prop••gated, and preached in the most remote countries of the East and VVest. Yea euen vnto the furthest parts of the world, in so much that the children of the Church of Rome come often tymes from the East to the VVest, ac∣cording to that of the Prophet Malachy: to wit, srō the East Indies to the VVest, and they cōpas the whole globe of the earth to the end they may preach the fayth of the Ro∣man Church euery where.* 1.14 Wherefore the fayth of the Roman Church is preached & receiued in this our age in many & more remote places of the world, thē euer it was in the Apostles tyme, the which is most assuredly testifyed by the letters and bookes euen of them, who write what themselues haue seene.

15. Fiftly, the Church is the Citty of Christ placed vpon a mountaine which cannot be hidden;* 1.15 so the Church of Rome hath alwayes byne visible euer since the Apostles tyme: neither can it euer be hidden. By these it appeareth that all the true properties of the Church of Christ agree to the Church of Rome.

16. But that they cannot agree with any other it appeareth sufficiētly by

that our Aduersaries can no church assigne which can haue these properties. Wher∣fore it is necessary that they confesse the Church of Rome to be the true Church of Christ, or truly, which is most absurd, that Christ hath wanted and beene depriued of his spouse now for the space of a thou∣sand yeares and more, as also to haue wan∣ted his body, Citty, Kingdome, and Inheri∣tance.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 1. huius Con∣trouers.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 1. v. 8.
• * 1.3

  S. Aug. Tom. 7. d•• vnitate Ecc••esi••e cap. 12.
• * 1.4

  Isaiae 49. v. 18.
• * 1.5

  Ephes. 4. v. 11. & 12. 1. Cor. 12. v. 12.
• * 1.6

  Isaiae 49. v. 23.
• * 1.7

  Coccius Tom. 1. l. 7. Art. 8.
• * 1.8

  Ierem. 33. v. 20.21. & 22.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 2. v. •• Psal. 71 v. 8.
• * 1.10

  Isaiae 51. v. 10.
• * 1.11

  Macab. 1. v. 12.
• * 1.12

  S. Leo Serm 1. in natal. Apost. Petri & Pauli.
• * 1.13

  S. Prosper in libro de Ingratis contra Pe∣lagian. c. 2.
• * 1.14

  Malac. 1. v. 12.
• * 1.15

  Matt. 5. ••▪ 14.