Chapter XIV

CATHOLICITY OF THE CHUECH (continued). THE TRUE CHURCH OUGHT TO BE UNIVERSAL IN PLACES AND PERSONS.* THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS THUS UNIVERSAL, THE PRETENDED IS NOT.

The universality of the Church does not require that all provinces or missions receive the Gospel at once, it is enough that they do so one after another; in such sort, however, that the Church is always seen, and is always known as that which has existed throughout the whole world or the greater part thereof; so that one may be able to say: Come let tos go up into the mountain of the Lord (Is. ii. 3). For the Church shall be as the sun, says the Psalm, and the sun is not always shining equally in all countries: enough if by the end of the year there is no one who can hide from its heat (Ps. xviii.) So will it suffice that by the end of the world Our Lord's prediction be fulfilled, that it behoves that penance and remission of sins should he preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke ult.).

Now the Church in the time of the Apostles everywhere spread forth its branches, covered with the fruits of the Gospel, as S. Paul testifies (Eom. i.) S. Irenseus says the same of his time,t speaking of the Eoman or papal Church, to which he will have all the rest of the Church subject on account of its superior authority.

Prosper speaks of our Church, not of yours, when

• This passage on the universality of the Church is the same aa Part I. c. xi.; see previous note. [Tr.] + iii. 3.

ART. III. c. XIV.] The Rule of Faith. 2 1 1 he says: * " In the pastoral honour, Eome, see of S. Peter, is head of the universe, which she has not reduced to her dominion by war and arms, but has acquired by religion." You see clearly that he speaks of the Church, that he acknowledged the Pope of Eome as its head. In the time of S. Gregory there were Catholics everywhere, as may be seen by the Epistles which he wrote to bishops of almost all nations. In the time of Gratian, Valentinian and Justinian, there were everywhere Roman Catholics, as may be seen by their laws. S. Bernard says the same of his time; and you know well that it was so in the time of Godfrey de Bouillon. Since then, the same Church has come to our age, ever Pioman and papal. So that even if our Church now were much less than it is, it would not cease to be most Catholic, because it is the same Roman Church which has been, and which has possessed all the provinces of the nations, and peoples without number: — but, it is still now extended over the whole world; in Transylvania, Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, and throughout all Ger-many; in France, in Italy, in Sclavonia, in Candia, in Spain, Portugal, Sicily, j\Ialta, Corsica, in Greece, in Armenia, in Syria, and everywhere.

Shall I add to the list the Eastern and Western Indies? He who would have a compendium of these must attend a general Chapter or assembly of the Religious of S. Francis, called Observantines. He would see Religious arrive from every quarter of the world. Old and New, under the obedience of a simple, lowly, insigniticant man: so that these alone would seem enough for the Church to fulfil that part of the

• De Jngratis. 40.

prophecy of Malachy (i.): In every 'place there is sacrifice... to my name.

On the contrary, gentlemen, the pretenders pass not the Alps on our side, nor the Pyrenees on the side of Spain; Greece knows you not; the other three parts of the world do not know who you are, and have never heard of Christians without sacrifice, without altar, without head, without cross, as you are; in Germany your comrades the Lutherans, Brentians, Anabaptists, Trinitarians, eat into your portion; in England the Puritans, in France the Libertines; — how then can you be so obstinate, and continue thus apart from the rest of the world, as did the Luciferians and Donatists? I will say to you, as S. Augustine said to one of your fellows: * "Be good enough, I beseech you, to enlighten us on this point; — how it can be that Our Lord has lost his Church throughout the world, and has began to have none save in you alone." Surely you reduce Our Lord to too great a poverty, says S. Jerome.t But if you say your church was already Catholic, in the time of the Apostle, show us that it existed at that time, for all the sects will say the same. How will you graft this little scion of pretended religion on that holy and ancient stock? Make your church touch by a perpetual continuation the primitive Church, for if they touch not, how can the one draw sap from the other. But this you will never do, unless you submit to the obedience of the Catholic [Church], you will never be, I say, with those who shall sing (Apoc. v. 9): Thou hast redeemed us in thy Hood, from every tribe and tongue, and people and nation^ and hast made us a kingdom to our God. * Contra Don. + Contra Lucif.

ART. III. 0. XV.] The Rule of Faith. 213