Chapter 15: OF THE CHURCH

OF THE CHURCH

We must set forth now what we think concerning the Church and the sacraments. The Church of Christ, therefore, which is frequently called the kingdom of heaven, is the fellowship of those who have enlisted under Christ and committed themselves entirely to his faith; with whom, nevertheless, until the end of the world, those are mingled who feign faith in Christ, but do not truly have it. This the Lord has taught sufficiently by the parable of the tares; also by the net cast into the sea, which brought bad fish in with the good; then, too, by the parable of the king who commanded all to be invited to the marriage of his son, and afterwards the one without the wedding garment to be cast out. Moreover, when the Church is proclaimed the bride of Christ, for whom he gave himself that she might be sanctified; also when it is called the house of God, the pillar and ground of the truth, Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, the Church of the firstborn who are written in heaven, - these encomiums pertain only to those who have truly obtained a place among the children of God because they firmly believe in Christ. Since in these the Saviour truly reigns, they are properly called this Church and the communion - i.e. society - of saints, as the term "Church" is explained in the Apostles' Creed. This the Holy Ghost rules, from this Christ is never absent, but he sanctifies it to present it at length to himself blameless, not having spot or wrinkle. This, finally, he that will not hear is to be regarded a heathen and a publican. Although that whereby it is entitled to be called the Church of Christ - namely, faith in Christ - cannot be seen, yet it can be seen and plainly known from its fruits. Of these fruits the chief are a courageous confession of the truth, a true love tendered to all, and a brave contempt of all things for Christ. These undoubtedly cannot be absent where the Gospel and its sacraments are purely administered. Besides, since it is the Church and kingdom of God, and for this reason all things must be done in the best order, it has various offices of ministers. For it is a body compacted of various members, whereof each has his own work. While they perform in good faith their ministry, laboring earnestly in word and doctrine, they truly represent the Church, so that he who hears them is correctly said to hear the Church. But with what spirit they should be moved and with what authority endowed we have declared above and given account when we explained our faith concerning the ministry of the Church. For they who teach what conflicts with Christ's commands cannot represent the Church of Christ; nevertheless, it may occur, and actually does occur frequently, that the wicked both prophesy in Christ's name and pass judgment in the Church. But those who propose what differs from Christ's doctrines, even though they be within the Church, nevertheless, because preoccupied with error, they do not proclaim the voice of the Shepherd, undoubtedly cannot represent the Church, the bride of Christ. Therefore they are not to be heard in his name, since Christ's sheep follow not the voice of a stranger. These things our theologians teach of the Church, derived from the passages cited and similar passages.