TRUE CHURCH

INDICATED

A BRIEF

(Second Edition.)

BISHOP OF RICHMOND.

The Church of the Living Gpd, the pillar and ground of truth. I Tim. iii. 15.

And if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the

publican. Matth. xviii. 15.

RICHMOND
RITCHIE & DUNNAVANT, PRINTERS

1862 .

.

. i

t
.





THE

TRUE CHURCH,

INDICATED

TO THE INQUIRER.

A BRIEF

TRACT FOR CIRCULATION.

(Second Edition.)

Bs Rt. fUtJ. 2. ill c®ill,

BISHOP OF JtICHMOND.

The Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of truth. I TIM. iii. 15.

And if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the

publican. Matth. xviii. 15.

RICHMOND:

RITCHIE & DUNNAVANT, PRINTERS

1862 -



Entered, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of

the Confederate States of America for the Eastern District

of Virginia, July 12th, 1862,,

DeaeMitferi



PREFACE

This little tract has been before published,Hmt without a divD

sion into Chapters, as now given. Its present form is preferable.

It has already done some good, and we hope it will do more. The

difficulty of procuring books at present, induces us to reprint it.

We are aware that the subject has been, more fully and forcibly,
set forth in excellent works, which, but for the war, could easily

be procured by such as feel any interest to examine it. But many,

into whose hands the present little tract, by some chance or other,

may fall, would not take pains to procure, and might even be

averse to read, more learned and voluminous treatises. If we can

be the means of awakening in the breast of some of these, a de-

sire more fully to investigate the momentous question of “ The

Church,” and induce them to seek for “ The glorious spouse of

Jesus Christ, which he purchased with his blood,” in order to

entrust to her affectionate charge, their immortal souls, we shall

have completely succeeded in our object. To such solicitous in-

quirers, we would beg leave to recommend, among other works,

the perusal of the following, viz : Milner’s End of Controversy,

Fletcher’s Comparative View, Bossuet’s Variations, The Ami-

cable Discussion, The Faith of Catholics, Dr. Kenrick on the

Primacy, and Poynter’s Evidences of Christianity. An attentive

reading of these works will convince them, that there is no certi-

tude for Faith, no firm anchor for Hope, no security for Charity,

except in submission to that divinely constituted and unerring

authority, which Jesus Christ gave to his Church.

Richmond, July 1862.





THE TRUE CHURCH.

%

CHAPTER I.

Introductory.

Whatever may be said in eulogy of the pretended reformation
of the sixteenth century, and however extravagantly the authors

thereof may be extolled, one fact will ever stand forth in bold re-

lief, like some terrible writing upon the wall, to warn the doubt-

ful and make the guilty tremble
;

it is, that by the reformation,

truth and charity have both suffered more grievously than human
skill can describe. Its friends may regard the cause as glorious,

and lament the evils which it produced as only incidental, just as

the storm, by which the atmosphere is rendered salubrious, may

perchance have left marks of its passage through the scathed

forests, and across affrighted cities. But we regard it, both in

cause and consequences, as disastrous
;
a tornado of human pas-

sions, sweeping along upon the lower strata of air, and involving

in the vortex of its whirl, everything, however valuable and sa-

cred, which lay in its path.

In newspaper essays, in the more pretending columns of pom-

pous periodicals and reviews, in the declamations of schoolboys,

and in the speeches of legislators and statesmen, from whom at
least wiser things might be expected, the present age and the two

preceding, are extravagantly praised, for the rapid strides made

by the mind in its onward march, for the increase of knowledge,

the spread of intelligence, and a thousand important items of so-

cial progress and improvement, so that everything which occurs,

or has occurred, since the beginning of the sixteenth century,

from the opening of a country school to the fabric of a steam en-

gine, is gravely placed to the credit of the great religious revolu-

tion, which, it is pretended, removed all trammel from the wings

of genius, and gave the Bible, to the world at large, as a heritage

of blessings.

It is an easy thing to make pompous boasts and assertions, and

to string out empty nonsense in elegant phrases, like sparkling

gems of paste, set to glitter upon gilded pinchbeck. It is easy



6 THE TRUE CHURCH.

for men who know little to seem wise, and for men who know
something more, like paid advocates, to dress up a had cause un-

til the worse appear the better reason. But as all men are not

ignorant, and as even those who have been deceived, by some

chance or other have their eyes opened at last, to see that “ all

that glitters is not gold,” and all that is said boldly, and repeated

often, is not true , so with regard to the stereotyped eulogies of the

reformation, we discover on inquiry, that there is but little real

ground for them, and that they spring chiefly from a gratuitous

liberality on the part of the admirers and dupes, of this mighty

falsehood in the history of religion.

If we admit that, in all the mere material concerns of human

life, in the sciences and arts, and rather in the industrial and me-

chanical arts, than in those of a more elegant and ornamental

nature, there has been extraordinary progress and advancement

since the period of the reformation, we are far from admitting

that this result is- the legitimate effect of that outrageous revolt

against the Kingdom of Christ; and we think that all the im-

provements in the condition of mankind in a material point of

view, can be sufficiently accounted for, by reference to inventions,

and to the operation of causes, absolutely and entirely indepen-

dent of Luther’s desire for a wife, or the crimes and despotism of

Henry VIII. We admit, however, that, if men are material; if
their destiny, like that of the crawling worm, be limited to the

present theatre
;

if the thinking principle in them perish in the

gloom of the grave with their mouldering remains
;
and if there

be no dawning beyond, of another and endless existence, the re-

formation was a great and glorious epoch in the history of the

world, because its tendency has been to give, to the present ma-

terial interests of men, a superiority over their spiritual and fu-

ture interests. And, supposing the soul immortal, and that there

is a Heaven, we still admit, that, if men will be gathered there
when they die, no matter what they have believed , or how they

have lived here below, the reformation was of great advantage,

inasmuch as it did away with many restraints and difficult ob-
servances, only tolerable, because supposed either necessary or

useful to secure our happiness hereafter. But if men, as the gos-

pel teaches, can only be made free by the truths revealed through
Christ, and can only gain Heaven on conditions expressly stated .

by the Redeemer, then we maintain that the reformation has been
a mighty curse to mankind, because it has covered the truths of

the gospel with darkness and obscurity, and rendered it to many
a hard task to discover what are the conditions upon which Christ
offers us a place in his glorious kingdom.

Men have progressed, if you will, “in the knowledge of this
world

;
they are wiser grown

,
in their own generation ;” have more



THE TRUE CHURCH.

of that “ science which pufFeth up,” since the reformation; and

were this entirely the effect of the reformation, all carnal, worldly,

material men might boast of it as a glorious event. But as to
real knowledge, as to the knowledge of religious truth, as to the

science which avails for the eternal happiness of men, the move-

ment, among all out of the Catholic Church, has been retrograde,
and religious knowledge has at last become so unfixed, uncertain,

obscure, and so loaded with disputation and controversy, as to be,

for all practical purposes, equivalent to mere nescience—to un-
qualified ignorance. All the landmarks of truth have been broken

d(5wn, all the prerogatives of spiritual authority have been op-

posed, all the tenets of faith have been controverted, all the reve-

lations of Christ have been intrinsically examined by the light of

erring reason, and in part or altogether rejected, all sorts and

kinds of religious theories have been devised and preached, all

kinds of sects have appeared and mingled in one common battle

field
;
and we ask in sadness, what one religious truth is now

known by the whole Protestant world? We ask what one truth
is so certainly known as to be received by all the divisions of Pro-

testantism, and denied by none? This confusion, of contradic-

tory opinions and speculations, of itself implies ignorance ; for if

the truths in dispute, were once known
,
there would be an end to

discussion. ' Investigation, inquiry and discussion cease, when

there is precise and positive knowledge. No men dispute on the
questions, whether “two and two make four,” whether “a part

is less than the whole,” whether “ Ceesar, Alexander, Washing-

ton and Napoleon lived,” &c. These things are so well known

and ascertained that dispute is impossible. The truths of revela-

tion are facts to be known, and when known there can be no dis-

pute about them. The disputes, and controversies of the religious

world, therefore, prove a lamentable want of knowledge ; that is,

a very great ignorance of religious truth. And, as far as Protest-

antism has affected the present age, we maintain that it should be

called “the age of religious ignorance,*” or if you prefer, “the

age in which Christians are very wise for this life, and very igno-

rant concerning the next.” As sects have continued to%iultiply

ever since the epoch of the reformation, and daily more and more

of the tenets of faith have been involved in disputation, so has re-

ligious ignorance continued to spread, until Christians are pained

to find the ranks of the unbeliever, on every side, augmented to

a fearful extent. Persons, of good education, are driven by the

disputes of professing Christians and by their uncharitable bicker-

ings, to the very abyss of deism. Such a condition is certainly

not less lamentable, than that of the thousands of poor creatures,

whom bible-loving England keeps toiling in her mines, and whose

ignorance is so great that, though grown to man’s estate, they



THE TRUE CHURCH.8

have heard nothing of Jesus Christ and nothing of the mighty

work of redemption.* Which is worse, a reformation which has

produced infidels by the legitimate operation of its principles, or

a reformation which allows the rich to leave the poor* in the igno-

rance of the heathen ? But it matters not which is worse, the re-

formation of the sixteenth century will have to rest under the

blanie of both these sad results.

We cannot take up space to manifest, that no other result,
should, from the first have been expected from the reformation

but an increase of religious ignorance
;
that the authors of this

revolt, were carnal, worldly, unprincipled men, impelled by their

passions, and regardless of the interests of religion and the glory

of God; that they acted upon false principles for a mere tempo-

rary effect, and, with glaring inconsistency, opposed the very

same principles, when others assumed them, to support opinions

and views contrary to their teaching ; that the princes and poten-

tates, who supported and encouraged “these bold bad men,” were

also actuated by the very worst motives; that the people, who

rallied rpund them, were lured by the liberal privileges and great

immunities offered to their passions, and were not, as some have

falsely pretended, converted to a holier and purer life; these facts

can all lie proved—indeed, they have all beeu substantiated by
irrefragable testimony, in works of every size and fofm, accessi-

ble to such as desire information.

We design to invite attention to a question, which naturally oc-
curs, upon viewing the dissensions and disputes about religious

truth, and the continual injury dime to the very essence of Chris-

tianity, by the destruction of charity among men
;

viz. whether

the Divine Author of religion did not, in some way, provide for

the preservation of religious truth and charity, and establish de-

fences against the possibility of the state of things now existing
among Protestants ?

CHAPTER II.

The Sects are numerous; but all admit that there is a true Church of Christ

—

Assumptions of Protestauts against the Catholic Church.

The numberless and endless controversies, waged with bitter-

ness among those who call themselves Christians, clearly imply

and evidently show, a want of Knowledge of the truths of reli-

See Dublin Review Mo. XXVII. Art. iv



THE TRUE CHURCH. 9

gion. ami we are justified in attributing-, to the pretended right of

private judgment, these hitter disputes and dissensions. If Christ

then made provision against the sad result, lie could not have

authorized the cause, and consequently, in his plan, the unity of

truth and the dominion of charity, must he secured against the

destructive pretensions of private judgment.

All who claim the name of Christian, admit that Jesus Christ
established a Church, since the different denominations are heard

to speak frequently and warmly about the Church of Jesus Christ.

The manifest intention of Christ, in founding this Church, was

to propagate the principles of his religion; that is, to make them

known over the whole world, and to all men, even until the end

of time.

Those who should receive the principles of his religion were, on

certain conditions, to he admitted as members of his Church, and

thus in fellowship with himself, and with the rest of his followers,

to be brought safely through the desert pilgrimage of the present

life, to the eternal kingdom, of whose glory and brightness, of

w hose joys and delights, they should be made partakers after their

departure from this world.

Jesus Christ must have designed that the truths of his religion

should he taught, believed and practised in his Church, precisely

as he taught them himself, without alteration or evasion, and con-

sequently he must have intended that those who should, in the

course of time, be added to the fellowship of his Church, should

believe precisely with the rest, and “in the bonds of Christian

peace preserve the unity of the Christian spirit
”

The religious truths w hich Jesus Christ taught, and a knowledge

of which, by the establishment of his Church, he was desirous to

propagate and spread over the whole world for the benefit of all

men, were well defined and precise dogmas, and well ascertained

moral principles, perfectly harmonizing with each other, and of

their nature incapable of change or improvement.

We need not undertake to prove these positions, because there
is an evidence of their truth in their simple exposition, superior

to the light of the best contrived and most forcible argumentation.

The world w as ignorant of the religion of Christ until he came

and taught it, and men could in his time, only learn it from him-

self; arid since his time, they have been able to come to a know-

ledge of it, only by the aid of the Church, which was established

for the express purpose of teaching what he revealed. Hence,

we find, from ecclesiastical history, that all the nations of the

earth, that have been fortunate enough at any time to pass from

the darkness of Paganism into the admirable light of Christian

know ledge, have done so under the guidance of the Church estab-

lished by Christ, which, like a faithful spouse, has presented

them to her beloved as the children of her affection. Hence,

1
*



10 THE TRUE CHURCH.

also, those nations which have renounced allegiance to this Church

and refused to claim her as mother, have gradually relapsed into

ignorance of Christian Truth, in proportion to the violence and

perseverance of.their rebellion, until some are becoming, with

respect to the moral virtues and the Christian mysteries, but little

superior to the very heathen.

As there are various sects in Christendom now exhibiting claims

to be the Church of Christ, ^e often hear the inquiry, “which is

the true Church?”

—

“which is the Church of Christ?” But we

marvel how any person, who is at all acquainted with the facts of

history, can be the least puzzled to decide this question. Upon

the records of the past may be seen the true titles of each of

these pretenders, and God, in his mercy, has so disposed events,

that to the honest inquirer there is superabundant proof of the

superior claims of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

We easily fix the origin of each of the sects at a period far pos-
terior to the time of Christ, and thereby show, that' if Christ estab-

lished a Church at all, none of these can, by any possibility, be

his Church. We easily prove from the records of history, and
from the progress of religious controversy, nay from the very ad-

missions of the different sects, that the Catholic Church existed

before them all; that these separated from her; that they pro-

tested against her; and thereby we show that if any existing

Church be the one which Christ established, it must Jbe the Catholic

Church. We do more, for we prove the continual existence of
the Catholic Church from the very time of Christ and his Apos-

tles, and thereby show that she is truly his Church.

Yet, it is a general tenet of religious opinion, among Protes-
tants, that the Catholic Church is “ a false, superstitious, and even

idolatrous Church,” and that, for the love of God, all true Chris-

tians should regard her with hatred and aversion.

This tenet of religious opinion, ought to be considered as the

only fundamental and clearly ascertained point of the Protestant

symbol, because it seems to be the only one not in dispute among
Protestants. Let us examine, for a moment, the data upon which

this assumption against the Catholic Church is made.

First : Protestants take for granted that several of the doctrines

and observances of the Catholic Church, are false and supersti-

tious. Assuming the doctrines to be false, they denounce the

Church which teaches them. But, in response, the Catholic

Church proves that these same doctrines have been taught by the
Church, during preceding centuries, from the very time of Christ.

Secondly: Protestants, finding this to be true, assume that the

Church, very soon after the time of Christ, fell into error, super-

stition, and idolatry, in a word, that “it fell into popery.”

Thirdly : When asked, where was the Church of Christ during
the ages when the'Catholic Church was the only visible Christian



THE TRUE CHURCn. 11

Church, they assume that the Church of Christ was, during all

that time, invisible.

Fourthly : They assume that it became again visible in the

person of Luther and his followers, in the sixteenth century,

and is now visible in the heterogeneous sects, who are disturbing

Christendom, with their clamorous disputations and contradic-

tory gospel schemes and theories.

Upon these liberal and perfectly gratuitous assumptions, is

based that harmonious and concordant hostility to the Catholic

Church, which, as we before remarked, is the only point upon

which Protestants present a semblance of agreement.

A proper apprehension of the nature and attributes of the
Church, must, at once, prove how false and absurd it is, to assume

that the Church of Christ could either become invisible, or fall

into error and idolatry. And these assumptions are but the sub-
terfuge of schism and heresy, which have no better plea to shield

themselves from censure and condemnation.

CHAPTER III.

The Church of Christ defined—It is a visible Society—It is a teaching authority
endowed with Infallibility in its teaching.

The Church of Christ is his spiritual kingdom on earth, and

may be defined, to be the society of men united in the profession

of one and the same faith, and in communion of the same sacra-

ments, under the government of legitimate pastors, and especially

of the Roman Pontiff, “who is the Vicar of Jesus Christ.”

As an organized society of men, with a well ascertained govern-

ment, the Church must, of its very nature, be visible, and to as-

sume that it could, at any time, become invisible without ceasing

to exist altogether, is repugnant to the principles of common

sense.

A society-composed of Pastors and the faithful, united in the
exterior profession of the same faith; where the doctrines of

Christ were daily explained
;
where the ordinances or sacraments

of Christ were daily administered
;
where the members were con-

tinually in the custom of assembling together for the public wor-

ship of God, wa3 essentially a visible society.

Of this great visible society, the prophet, Isaiah, foretold;

“ And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of

the house of the Lord shall be established on the top of the moun-

tains. and shall be exalted above the hills
;
and all nations shall



12 THE TRUE CHURCH,

flow unto it.”* Daniel, also, alludes to its visible propagation i

“ And the stone that smote the statue became a great mountain,

and filled the whole earth.”f

In Micheas, it is*said : “ But in the last days it shall come to

pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be estab-

lished on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above

the hills, and the people shall flow unto it “ And many

nations shall come and say : Come let us go up to the mountain

of the Lord, and to. the house of the God of Jacob, and he will

teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths, for the law shall

go forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. ӣ
Th«-se prophesies are understood by all, to have reference to

the reign of Christ, and to describe the extent of his Kingdom.

The house of the Lord, thus lifted up, like a mountain upon the

top of mountains, was to be seen far and wide, since “the nations

of the earth were to flow unto it,” to receive the law and listen to

the word of God. And we find that Christ, who came to be “the

light of the world,” tells us that his chosenjb flowers and apostles

shonld also “be the light of the world,” and his Church be ae
“ a city seated on a mountain” which “ cannot be hid.”§

To suppose that the Church became invisible , is to say that the

light was obscured, that “ the city seated on the top of the moun-

tain” was concealed, which Christ declared impossible.

Of this visible society, we find mention made in the twentieth

chapter of the Acts of the Apostles: “Take heed to yourselves,
and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you

Bishops, to rule the Church of God, which he hath purchased with

his own blood.” It would be superfluous here to undertake to

show that visible men, selected by the Holy Ghost , to rule the

Church of God, could do little good as governors or rulers of an

invisible Church
;
that their office of shepherds would be a perfect

sinecure, if their flocks were invisible. St. Paul exhorts Timothy

to preach, the word, and avers that he himself and his co-laborers,

are “ dispensers of the Mysteries of God,” which functions ne-

cessarily imply the existence of a visible society of men, for whose

benefit, the word is preached and the mysteries are dispensed.

We will now proceed to show that Christ, when he instituted
his Church, created therein a teaching tribunal, for the purpose

of disseminating the truths which he revealed, and, in order that

mankind might learn these truths with certainly , he invested this

tribunal with an infallible authority, and made it a sure and safe
guide in the affairs of religion.

This is the solution of all difficulties upon the momentous con-

cern of salvation. It is hostile to the pretended claim of private

judgment, and obviates the danger of sects, schisms, and heresies.

Chap. ii. v. 3. tChap. ii. v. 35. JChap, iv.l, 2. $ St. Matth. v. 14.



THE TRUE CHURCH. 18

It prevents the sacrifice of truth and charity, by preventing* vexa-

tious and interminable controversies about the revelations of God.

It. is a secure guide to the learned, who are willing* to humble

their pride to the will of God, and to the unlettered, who are dis-

qualified to examine the real merits of controversies. It is the

way spoken of hy the Prophet, in which even “ fools cannot err.”

It is the only provision which Jesus Christ has made “ to preserve

the unity of the S|iirit of faith, in the bonds of divine charity,”

and hence all who have, at any time, by their pride and obstinacy

been willing to make schisms, to broach heresies, and to found

new religions, have been forced, in self defence, to deny, that in

the Church of Christ, such authority exists. And none have de-

nied its existence but those whose interest it was to represent it

as a pretension.

Now, let a person seriously reflect, whether the existence of

such an authority is not essential to the very nature of the Church.

The Church consists of those who teach and those who believe

the doctrines of Christ
;
consequently it .consists of persons united

together by the bonds of the same faith. How, then, can these

remain united by the bonds of the same fajfh, if each one is at

liberty to believe what he pleases ? A unity of faith is in direct ^
contradiction 10 the liberty of private opinion. The one excludes •

the other.

If men become members of a Church, it should be because they

consider it the Church of Christ. If they consider the Church

which they join, to be the Church of Christ, they must believe its

doctrines, or else suppose that the Church of Christ can teach er-

roneous doctrines. They enter the Church of Christ not as supe-

riors but as inferiors, they join in fellowship, not to teach the

Church, but to be taught by the Church. If there be in the Church

an authority to teach, there cannot be in the individual member

a right to constitute himself a superior judge of the doctrines,

and select or reject at his own pleasure. Hence, the vdry nature

of the Church implies the existence of a teaching tribunal, whose

decision is absolute, and hence all sects have, in practice, been

forced to adopt the principle of authority, which they rejected at

first, merely to justify their revolt against the Universal Church.

Luther denied the infallible authority of the Church, and against

the whole world stood up alone, pretending that the Church of the

whole world had fallen into error, while he only , knew, believed,

and professed the true doctrines of Christ. Protestants applaud

Luther for this bold stand against the divinely constituted autho-

rity of the Church; but Luther claimed afterwards for himself

the authority which he denied to the Church, and each reformer,

who imitated Luther in his rebellion, afterwards imitated him in

his pretensions to rule and govern with an authority not to be set



14 THE TRUE CHURCH.

fnfkllib

>

Ie

P0Se<] ’ °r <Jis
l
)utea—that is

- with an authority practically

How revolting is the scene, which Protestants contemplate with
such pleasure, as the glorious origin of their inconsistent sects

'

Heie, on one side, is the whole Church of Christ immersed in

H,r?cZ
erSt

"°“l.
conse<

l
uently in subjection to “ The gates° Htil, eontnuy to the express promise. of her Divine Founder-

whoXehf
0t ‘

f

C

i!\

St

i

aildS

,

DoC -°r Martin Luther, aa apostate friar!

Chris? » T ‘hat hV a °T. is riRht i that true doctrines ofChrist are known only to him; that consequently, he is himself
1^tlouTtruth

'rch

rf
Chnst

:^
emS the only person 'possessed of re-

ofmbtinn
How revolting to good sense to suppose such a

“ctri!
rf .things! As il the Church, which St Paul says

,

i tst purchased with his blood;” and over which lie .placed

» -IdeH

8 *0 " ateh and “ should have become a faithless, de-
’

'"I

lf

;

Dge
/

b"n8lnS forth children unto her beloved,

wh le ot h
man ” f *he d

;;

vl
' ^‘iing men to eternal destruction

while at the same time God can find no better, purer, holier per-

men*to a knovried* ’Vr
I
’reserver of llie doctrines, and to recall .

nahV^lt? r i
dg

,"f
Us

,

fo''S°tten Rospel. What a gross, pal-

noi t of th?i
y

i

‘eS Lere befole us " heu we examine the salient

thTcathnHe Let
“°rT 0ldc/-T;., 1;aised hr Protestants, againstthe Catholic doctrine of an infallible teaching authority. 8

CHAPTER IV.

rarchy constituted by Christ-The Apostles and the

'er
..

or
.

no
J

th
f
Church of Christ has been invested with

p]?rktp!f
lty

-

t0 teaC1 Posltlvely and unerringly the truths of
Chnstiamty, is a question ot fact susceptible of proof, and mime-
rous and conclusive are the arguments drawn from every source,

denc^
10 10 ^ llters

’
t0 8et ^ i8 ^act in ^ie broadest light of evi-

o' rpf|
a
r ,
Ch

V
lsfc established a Church is a point conceded by all.

admitted?*

^ m8tltUted m this Church a teaching tribunal is^ also

oW™?!n
du
^

of tllis
1

t
.

,

’

i

!

)unab was “to teach all nations, to

mitted?

4 1086 thmgS
’ whlch he commaaded,” will.also be ad-



THE TRUE CHURCH* 15

4. That he could make provisions to protect this teaching tri-

bunal from any danger of disseminating error as his doctrine, will

scarcely be denied by such as admit his divinity.

5. That it would have been greatly to the advantage of man-

kind, to have such infallible guide in matters of religion, few can

deny.

But many boldly maintain that Christ has not instituted this

unerring authority in his Church, and has left with men no safer

guide than the scriptures, interpreted by private judgment. It

is the aim of these, to extol the scriptures in the most extrava-

gant manner, as if they only have due admiration and reverence

for God’s revealed word, whereas they are guilty of the sophism,

of making much ado about the material while they sacrifice the

spiritual. They laud the letter of the law, while they do as they

please with the spirit or meaning. They profess much reverence

for God’s word in the abstract, whilst in practice all their reve-

rence is for their own sense. They care more for their own views

about what God said, and for their own ingenuity in the art of

interpretation, than they do about what God in reality has said.

This is but too apparent from their contradictory interpretations,

so tenaciously and bitterly' advocated.

It is the boast of Protestants to admit nothing but what the

scriptures teach, and hence to convict them on the ground they

select themselves, and, as it were, to foil them with the very

weapons in which they confide for victory, Catholic writers are

accustomed to say to them “you admit the scriptures .to be the

word of God
;
we know' that you cannot prove the divine inspira-

tion of these books, because you obtained them from our Church,

and the testimony of our Church is necessary to establish the fact

that they are divinely inspired. But inasmuch as you admit this

fact, we will confute you from the very testimony of these sacred

writings, and prove that the Church of Christ, which you oppose,

received from her Divine Founder a promise of infallibility while

accomplishing the great work which she was appointed and com-

missioned to perform.” “Take care,” cry out our opponents in

alarm, “you are about to be involved in your famous vicious cir-

cle
;
you will prove the Church to be infallible by the scriptures,

and prove the divine inspiration of the scriptures by the testimony

of an infallible Church.”

This specious sophism may be dissolved by the simple state-

ment, that the existence of the Church, its organization, its con-

stitution, and its authoritative and successful operation in fulfill-

ing the work for which it was commissioned by its Divine Founder,

can be proved to him who denies the scriptures to be divinely in-
spired., but who will necessarily admit the historical antiquity

and authenticity of these writings. Like other facts, it can be

proved by historical evidence that an extraordinary personage.



16 THE TRUE CHURCH.

Jpgns Christ, preached Christianity, and founded the Church in
which Christianity has been taught and professed; and that the
writings, preserved by this Church, were written at the time and
by the persons specified, and are truly authentic documents. The
fact of their authenticity is distinct from that of their divine in-
spiration. It is on these grounds that we meet and convince the
infidel. If then this Church, which- has existed perpetually since
the tiriie of its foundation by Christ, teach that the scriptures are
inspired by God, and are testimonials of her attributes, preroga-
tives and doctrines, and contain the history of the works performed
b.v her Divine Founder, as well as of the first events of her own
existence

; where is the vicious circle ? The rational and liberal
of mankind, who look to the evidences of history, and are not
blinded by prejudice, do not hesitate to acknowledge, that upon
the character and testimony of the Catholic Church, as upon the
foundation stone, reposes the character of the Bible and the true
titles of the Christian system. From the Catholic Church, they
admit that the scriptures have been received, and if she be proved
a con apt and incredible witness, there can be no religious certi-
tude. Hence it was with portentous meaning that the Apostle
called the Church “ the pillar and gnflind of truth.” If the pillar
be shattered, or the ground become a treacherous marsh, what will
be the late of truth ? And even if there be between the Church
and the Scriptures, a mutual testimony, and the one uphold the
other, does this constitute a vicious circle? When the Redeemer
referred to the scriptures, saying: “These are they which give
testimony of me,” in order that he might confound the unbelieving
Jews, who admitted the scriptures while they rejected Christ, was
he, too, guilty of arguing in a vicious circle ? But enough con-
cerning this subterfuge of error, which is held up as a blind to
conceal the confusion of defeat.

We mijht retoit upon Prorestants the charge of using a vicious
circle. They are asked to prove the divine inspiration of the
scriptures, and they tell us that the scriptures prove themselves
to be divinely inspired. When this is denied, they endeavour to
make out that the Holy Spirit enlightens men to perceive that the
scriptures are of divine inspiration. They prove the illumination
of The Holy Spirit by the scriptures, and prove the scriptures by
the illumination of the Holy Spirit. They know nothing of the
Holy Spirit except from tin* scriptures, and by the Holy Spirit
they know the scriptures. That is, they take for granted what
they are required to prove. Upon this point Protestantism must
be always at fault.

Availing ourselves therefore, of the admission of Protestants
that the scriptures are divinely inspired, we have the rijir, to
prove to them by the scriptures

,
the infallible authority of the

Church, and when the demonstration is complete aud impreg-



THE TRUE CHURCH. i?

nable, they have no right to evade its force, by ashing ns, how

we show that the scriptures are divinely inspired ? The force of

our demonstration, grows up out of the mutual admission of the

first position, that the scriptures are to be consulted as God's word.

Jn the scriptures, and particularly in the New Testament, we
find proofs direct, clear and conclusive, to establish the fact, that

the Church of Christ was constituted the unerring, infallible guide

of mankind in the concerns of salvation. Jesus Christ selected

from his followers twelve men whom he invested with high powers

and commissioned as his xlpostles. Of these twelve, he appointed

one, St. Peter, as the chief of the rest. When the names of these
twelve are mentioned, St. Matthew emphatically says of the one

appointed as the chief, “The first, Simon, who is called Peter.”*
And we find, from St. John, that Simon was not called Peter,

until he was chosen by Christ to be made an Apostle, and he then

received this name, because he was to be “ the first,” and because

upon him, as upon a rock, Christ declared that he would build his

Church. “ And Jesus .looking upon him, said: thou art Simon

the son of Jona : thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted

Peter.”f “Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my
Church.”f

•

It was then with great significance, that St. Matthew, in naming

the twelve divinely commissioned ministers of Christ, who were

chosen to propagate the faith and plant the Church, states that

Simon, who is called Peter, is the first, for his name was changed^

from Simon to Peter, by Christ, to indicate his supremacy, and to

show the important place which he should occupy in the Church.

Consistently with this view, we find the name of Peter, at all

times brought forward prominently by the sacred writers, when

the other Apostles are merely referred to, in general terms, as

being with Peter. Thus we read “Peter and the eleven,” “Peter

and those with him,” &c. Also, w^hen the Saviour paict tribute,

he did so for himself and Peter.

•No person, w ho has examined the scriptures with attention, can

deny that the Apostle Peter was chosen by Christ, in a particular

manner, to aid him in the great wrork of man’s salvation. A
French writer

§
has taken the pains to collate the passages wherein

the name of Peter is introduced into the New Testament, and has
found this Apostle named in thirty- two passages. He sa) s that
“of these thirty-two passages, there are twenty-seven, where

Peter is named first; three, where he is named last, but where

evidently the last rank is the most worthy; and only two in which

he is nojjbrought forward first.” Of these two, one is the passage

wherein St. John says, that “Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of

*Matt. c x, v. 2. t John, c. i, v. 42. iMatt. c. xvi. v. 18.

§ The Bishop of Bayonne in his demonstration of Catholic truth.



18 the true church.

tad

l

b7en

U

lofeTAposae^ “lhe“ otter
De'ther Dor Pet<*

is not first named/Ts this of St Pan]
P“fK "\ whieh Pete*

2“rt’is
C

lT„
n

Vl
AleSaml ''ia

' th°Ught H ”a“
U

no°t

th

sT Peter?
has been*

8

altered ^and 7„Z*T
“?* “

T

"3uscriPts ' thafc ‘he reading

¥:̂
’ does the same

Peter the *° ‘°

^^^safsaxs-sr«m,s t?eter
sr?ftr,i™a

A
rA

]) nf
•/• Tj . 1

iini, Feed mv sheep, feed my IcLuiIm ”ii

ohtef rule^or^h^ftCTd ^t!he're^w?sre
selecte^M® be

witli hinfin the hi|h and holy duties of^heToT"^
?° c0‘°Pe,

'

ate

§

All this has been made known

J The first Latin v^’siou
1

/ or old Vulcat & l??
8?” 8’ C 2 ‘ v - 9 -

I!
John xxi-15/Z

6 §

itphTii
T
80

eO1, 2 t0m
‘ P ' 191



THE TRUE CHURCH. 19

were listening to the instructions of their
Divine Master. We

discover, on further examination, that these
Apostles selected

subordinate and inferior ministers, to co-operate with
them in the

fulfilment of their mission. St. Paul writes to Titus:
“For this

cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set
in order the things

that are wanting, and shouldst ordain priests in
every city, as I

also appointed thee.”* . ,

In another part of scripture we find them establishing
an order

still inferior to that of the Priesthood, viz :
the order of Deacons.

f

Yet they acted thus, not of their own authority, but,
undoubtedly,

after the express direction of their Divine
Master. For it is said

that Christ “gave some apostles, and some
prophets, and other

some evangelists, and other j?ome pastors and doctors,
for the pei-

fectino- of the Saints, for the" work of the ministry,
for the edifying

of the°body of Christ, until we all meet in the unity of
faith,” &c.J

And to the clergy of Ephesus, it was said by St. Paul,
that

“the Holy Ghost had placed them” in the office which
they filled,

and appointed them “ Bjshops to rule the Church
of God. § Toe

Bishops, Priests, &c. whom they selected, ordained, and
ap-

pointed, to be co-operators with them “in the building
up of tne

Church, the body of Christ,” and in bringing
“all to meet m

unity of faith,” were represented, as “given by
Christ,” and as

“placed in their office by the Holy Ghost.” And here we
behold

the constituents, of the ecclesiastical hierarchy,
instituted by

Christ, for the government of his Church. There is a
head pastor;

there are bishops, priests and subordinate ministers.
There are

different officers of the spiritual government and different
grades;

but all ‘form one body under one head, and all are
designed to

combine their energies to establish one faith and one
Church,

through the whole world, and through all ages.

CHAPTER V.

The promises made by Jesus Christ to the Hierarchy-Four
important truths to be

considered—Christ’s Prediction and its fulfillment—The Spirit
of Truth given to

the Church.

We will now turn to contemplate the promises, which Jesus

Christ made to this Sacred Hierarchy, to insure its
success in the

accomplishment of the important object for- which
it was insti-

tuted. Peter, the first of Ae Apostles, on occasion of his
direct

*Ep. to Titus, i. 5. t Acts vi. 3. JEph. iv. 11,
&c. § Acts, xx. 28.



20 THE TRUE CHURCH.

profession of faith, that his master “was Christ, the son of the
nvwg God,” was called “ blessed,” because this foundation truth
of Christian faith, had been revealed to him by “the Father who
is in Heaven.” The fact that it was thus revealed, was declared
to Peter, bv Christ himself, in the presence of the rest of the
Apostles, and combines, with much other testimony, to show the
superior part assigned to Peter. After this testimony to Peter,
Christ proceeds to speak concerning the establishment of his
Church; “And 1 say to thee: tiiat thou art Peter; and uoon this
rock 1 will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not pre-
vail against it.”*

1

The enemies of the Church, have endeavored to explain awav
the force ot these terms

;
they have tortured language, and done

violence to the most palpable suggestion of common sense, in
order to invalidate this most clear and direct testimony of scrip

-

ture. Although the name Peter was given by Christ to this
Apostle, precisely with a view to indicate the important place he
should hold in the Church, and although the Saviour, in. speaking
ot the establishment of this Church, addressed Peter by name, and
even mentioned the name of his father, saving in express terms,
that he designed, upon “him to build his Church,” as upon a
rock, which was signified by his very name; in the face of these
tacts, an attempt is made, by torturing plain language, to prove
that the Church was not built upon Peter

, the rock , but upon
Christ himself, the rock.

Will any one, who impartially considers what the words of
scripture in this place naturally signify, ever for a moment im-
agine that, after giving to this Apostle a name to signifv a rock

,

and alter bearing such a solemn testimony, that the Father had
made to him a particular revelation concerning his own divine
character, as the eternal Son of the living God, Christ would sav,“
thouart Pfter. that is, a rock ; and upon this rock, that is, upon

win build my Church?” If Christ did not iitend to
build his Church upon the rock, Peter, why would he here make
a refeience to this Apostle by name, and in a manner so pointed ?
Surely, we have a right to assume, as self-evident, that if the
scriptures, as is pretended by Protest ants, are designed to teach

*

us the will ot God, and the means which he has prepared for our
salvation, the language is not itself a snare to entrap us, and the
truth is not designedly buried beneath false and unnatural con-
structions, but rises up to view, according to the plain import of
t ie words. 1 he violence, therefore, which is done to this texr, by
those who protest against the Pope’s supremacy, only proves, that
the plainest passages of scripture are not sufficiently plain to con-
touiid the ingenious subtilty of private interpretation, and have

*Matth. xvi. v. 18.



THE TRUE CHURCH. 21

uo voice, eitfcept from the Church of Christ, to complain of the

manner in which they are abused. However pregnant the scrip-

tures are with a living spirit and meaning, yet as writings they

are inert and passive in the hands of men, and allow themselves

to be properly used, or grossly abused, as may happen, neither

smiling approbation nor uttering groans of complaint. Had they

a voice of their own- how often would they rebuke the rash specu*

lator and presumptuous theorist, who forces them to give unwil-

ling testimony to his crude, inconsistent, and even blasphemous

conceits and opinions!

The passage of scripture here under consideration, literally and

naturally refers to Peter in Ins relation to the Church, and in it

we behold 4bur important truths:

1
. The choice made of Peter, as the 'first, visible head of the

Church of Christ.

2. The stability of the Church of Christ, because it is a house

built upon a rock, upon which the rains will fall, and around

which the storms and waves will rage in vain. “ It will stand,

because built upon a rock.”

3. We behold a clear prediction, here made by Christ, of the
fact that “ the gates of Hell,” that is, the powers of Hell, will

try to prevail against this Church. The prince of the lower world

will come up from the bottomless pit, and with all his forces; with

seductions of error : with schism, heresy, and persecution
;
strug-

gle to subvert this Church.

4. We have also a clear, express, unambiguous promise, that
the fury of the powers of Hell shall never be able to subvert this

divinely founded Church; “ The gates of Hell shall not prevail

against it,” &c.

The progressive history of ages, which have elapsed since the

prediction and promise were made by the Saviour, as stated in

this passage by the Evangelist, shows how perfectly they have

been verified. The Church has stood permanently upon its solid

foundation, in defiance of the storms and tempests of passing cen-

turies. Persecutions raged
;

the children of the Church, flying

before the kindled wrath and unsheathed swords of pagan princes

and governors, were driven into the catacombs, into deserts, into

hiding places of every sort. They were seized, tortured, and put

to death by tens, hundreds, and even thousands, in every part of

the world
;
and still the Church stood, prospered, and was ex-

tended. Centuries rolled on, and with occasional intermissions,

the storms of persecution continued to rage. Hell groaned to see

its idols broken
;

its oracles silenced
;
the monuments of its power

destroyed, and more fiercely waged its war against the Church,

but still in vain. The citadel of faith was impregnable, the

armies of Christ, the soldiers of the Cross, were multiplied on

every side.



n THE TRUE CHURCH,
The storms of persecution ceased, and then arose the storms of

heresy and schism which raged with the same fury, and the same
want of success. The rock stood; the Church which had been
built upon it stood; and Hell could not

, and did not prevail
Ccd' (It/LoL Cv»

u-wvf
1

!

aa fo
^

s

t
en ‘he

.

wI
;

ole of these trials through
which his Chinch would be destined to pass in the progress of
time

;
he had a clear view of the efforts which Hell would make

i

S
..
^ :

,

Promised that it should not onlv
stand, but stand as his Church”—and that “ the gales of Hell •”
viz. error, superstition, idolatry, wickedness, and whatever else is
contrary to God, and to his law, “ should not prevail

.'''1

Keeping in mind this consoling assurance of the -Redeemer,
Concerning the invincible character of the Church in its contests
with the enemies of truth and righteousness, let us consider some
further promises, exhibiting the means of victory, always with the
Church, however terrible may be the assaults and attacks of her
adversaries.

“ T
,

WlU ask
uK

e Fa
.

tker an
<J

he sha]1
Sive you another Paraclete,

that lie ma}^ abide with you forever.”
“

Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive.”*
^P^mise, the Church is assured by her Divine Founder,

that the Spirit of Truth” will come “and abide with her.”
Foi what purpose should this Divine Spirit abide with the Church ?
.

e learn, in another chapter of the same evangelist, that it wa«
in order to “ to teach her all truth .”

all tmth ”f

eD 1165 the Sphit °f Trutl1 is comc
’
ke sliaI1 teach you

TWb Spurit of Truth, the Paraclete
, or Comforter, was pro-

?'Zt
t0

,

al

/

’!
cle -th th « Clnirch of Christ forever, in order to teach

-‘V,
a
f

tru!h
-

,

How, then, will error, falsehood, superstition, and
idolatry be able, at any tune, to triumph over the jChurch ? How
can the Church fall away from Christ, while the Spirit of Truth
from the express proimse of her Divine Fouuder, shall always be
with her . If she will always continue to have this supernatural
aid, (and who can doubt this after a promise so express !) she will
always teach truth, with unerring authority. To say that she
can teach error, is, either to suppose, that she can be deserted by
the Divine Spirit which was promised to her as her animating-
and directing sinnt, or to suppose, that she can teach contrary to
what the Spirit which abides with her will suggest but neither of
th^e hypotheses can, for a moment, be entertained.

I he Church, then, solidly founded upon the rock, will have
W
l
tk ier of Truth

’
t0 teach her all truth, in or-

dei that she may fulfil the commission which Christ gave her just

5t. John, r. xiv. v. 16, 17. U. John, c. xvi. v 1,1.



THE TRUE CHURCH. 23

before his ascent into Heaven, when he said: “Going, therefore,

teach }^e all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe

all things, whatsoever I have commanded you
;
and behold I am

with you all days, eveu to the consummation of the world.”*

Let the reader duly weigh these words, and, by the light of

reason, consider their natural import, and in them he will find

express confirmation of facts to which we have already invited

his attention, We here perceive that Christ establishes, in his
Church, a teaching tribunal , and invests it with authority to teach

his doctrines; “Going, therefore, teach ye all nations”—“Teach
all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

We further notice that this teaching tribunal will unerringly
and infallibly teach the doctrines of Christ, because Christ pro-

mises to be with it while discharging this sacred and important

duty. “Behold I am with you all days, even to the consumma-
tion of the world.”

Moreover, we perceive, what Christ expects of those who shall

be taught by this tribunal. He expects them to observe those
things which they are taught. “Teaching them to observe all

things, whatsoever I have commanded you.” What can be more
clear and express than this ? Suppose even we had no scripture

proof, except this passage, would it not suffice to confound our

adversaries, when they rise up against the authority of the Church

which has a divine commission from Christ himself?

What would have been the utility of instituting a Chair of doc-
trine, or of giving a Commission to the Church to teach, if for the

want of due attributes, it would be incompetent to attain the great

end of its institution, which assuredly was, the dissemination of

the true doctrines of Christ ? If fallible, and liable to teach er-

rors as the true doctrines of Christ, it would certainly be in na-

tura rei, in the very nature of things, inadequate to accomplish

the end for which it was instituted and commissioned. And pre-
cisely to make it competent, as well as to certify to the world that

mankind might securely listen to its voice, Christ promised, not

only to remain with it himself, all days , even to the end of the

world, but also, that the Divine Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete,

should abide with it forever.

Did these promises of Christ mean nothing? Did they give no

pledge to those who carried the sealed commission to preach the

gospel and plant the Church? Did they not rather furnish a

glorious and consoling assurance of what had been said before

;

that the Church of Christ would obtain a certain triumph over all

the powers of Hell ?

' Math, xxviii, v. 19 and 20,



24 THE TRUE CHURCH.

CHAPTER VI.

Further proofs from Scripture of the unerring authority of the Church—The Ados-

“t w°”u b*

Bat we can still marshal further scripture proof, against those
who deny the tenet that the. Church of Christ infallibly teaches
the doctiines of Christ. The Saviour has so closelj* and intimately
uleutmed himself with his Church, that lie says, “He who hears
you hears me; he who despises you despises me.”*

In another place, where indicating* the necessity of recurriufr to
the authority of his Church, he declares, that those who refuse to
hear and obey her authoritative decisions, are worthy to be ranked
with the outcast and infidel.

“ If lie will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as a heathen
and a publican. ”f
Would the Redeemer of the world have thus subjected man-

kind to the authority ot his Church, and required their obedience
to its decisions under so grievous a penalty, if there were the least
danger that her authoritative teaching should lead them into error
and “damnable idolatry ?” Would he leave, in his own place, a
guide inadequate to conduct mankind safely and securely, and at
the same time require that her voice should be obeyed? Would
he declare that lie remains with the Church all days, even to the
consummation of the world, and that the Divine Spirit of truth
abuleth with her forever, if she could teach, as his doctrines, false
conceits, human devices, and soul-destroying superstitions? The
idea is preposterous in the extreme. It involves absurdities and

wirj^
0114 n

!\™
bei

\
and ^tally frustrates the grand and noble

woik of the world s salvation, by means of the purifying and re-
generating truths of the gospel of Christ. It places mankind in
the absolute necessity oi yielding obedience to an authority which2mteSfhin8' d«ctrmes<lirectly repugnant to those doctrineswinch Cln ^t requires all to believe who would be saved. “ With-
out faith it is impossible to please God,” says the Apostle. And
Fault, considered in its object, is certainly a belief of the true
doctrines of Christ.

‘‘Without obedience to the Church,” says Jesus Christ, “you
shah be as the heathen and publican, and, consequently, an out-
cast. • but if you obey the Churclv it is certain,” says the Pro-
testant, “ that you may be led to believe falsehood

, error, and
damnable idolatry ” instead of the true doctrines of Christ, for
the Church is an erring and fallible guide.

' Luke, x. 16 Math xvlii 17



THE TRUE CHURCH. 25

What a sad condition is this for men to he placed in, where
without a belief of the true doctrines of Christ they cannot be

saved, arid without yielding obedience to a Church, which may be
teaching any and every thing, except the true doctrines of Christ,

they still cannot be saved! Yet in this sad and hopeless condi-

tion do Protestants place mankind, by their pretended reforma-

tion of the institutions of Christ.

Nor let any one object, that these glorious promises and as-

surances were only given to the Apostles, and to the Church of

the Apostolic times. The fact of the perpetuation of the Apos-

tolic ministry, shows that Christ did not look to the interests only

of those who lived in the times of the Apostles. He wished his
religion to be preached to all nations of all times, and, certainly,

if those who had lived and conversed with him during his mortal

life, needed the promise and pledge of his aid, and the assistance

of another Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, to enable them faith-

fully and successfully to combat the powers of Hell, and to de-

fend and advocate the truth, so did their successors in the work of

the ministry. The same object was still to be accomplished, the

same difficulties, trials, and perik opposed the progress of Christ’s

kingdom—and the same Diviner aid was necessary to insure suc-
cess. Indeed the promise of assistance embraced all ages, even

to the consummation of the world. If you rob the Church of her

claim to these divine assurances, you must also admit that there

exists no Church of Christ, no Christian ministry, and that the

means of salvation, provided by Christ, concerned those only who

lived in the Apostolic times. For all, whose misfortune it has

been to come into existence posterior to those times of blessed-

ness, there are no divinely commissioned teachers, and, of conse-

quence, there exists no obligation to hear and believe. There are

no dispensers of the Mysteries of God , as the Apostles were

;

none to appoint and ordain priests as the Apostles did ; none to

govern and rule the Church of God as was done by those, whom
the Holy Ghost placed over the flock of the great Shepherd of

souls: in a word, there is no flock and no salvation.

It is the very extreme of absurdity to imagine and say that

Christ cared only for the salvation of those who could be benefited

by the ministry of his Apostles. His purpose of divine charity

was of a more generous and sublime character. It contemplated

the happiness of all men of every generation. It looked abroad

through the length and breadth of the whole earth, and through

all the periods of revolving time, until the close and consumma-

tion. It pervaded space and time like the light of his own Divine

Presence, and left neither height nor depth, unwarmed or unillu-

mined by its gladdening rays. If any soul should perish, it would

not perish without the opportunity of redemption, for “Christ

died for all men,” and wished that all should know the truth, that



26 THE TRUE CHURCH.

the truth might make them free. When he made provision to
have his saving doctrines taught it was for the benefit of all na-
tions of all ages. “Going, therefore, teach ye all nations.”
“Preach the Gospel to every creature.” * “He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved.” “ Teaeh all nations

;
baptiz-

ing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost.” “And behold I am with you all days, even to
the consummation of the world.”

Behold here how the purpose of the Saviour’s charity, embraces
all nations of the earth, till the consummation of time ! Consider
the objects to be accomplished :

1st. The doctrines of Christ are to be taught to all nations.
2dly. The regeneration by baptism; the Christian birth, by

water and the Holy Ghost, whose necessity was declared on an-
other occasion, is to be conferred upon the individuals of all na-
tions, till the consummation of the world.

3dly. Those who are commissioned to perform this duty of
teaching the doctrines of Christ, and of conferring the sacred* rite
of baptism, are assured that they will have the assistance of
Christ, “all days,” that is, at all times, while discharging this im-
portant duty.

4thly. Tne Apostles, are the persons who first received the
commission here given, with the promise of Christ’s co-operation
and aid.

But will the Apostles be able, in their own persons, to accom-
plish the whole purpose of the Redeemer, and preach the Gospel
to all nations, and baptize them during all days, till the consum-
mation of the world ? They assuredly will not, unless their na-
tural lives be miraculously prolonged for this great work. Did
Christ intend to prolong their days beyond the ordinary term ?
Time has shown that he entertained no* such intention. *Was he
ignorant of the fact that they were mortal men, and would, in a
few years, depart from life to receive the crowns of glory, and
claim the thrones which he promised them ? It were impious to
imagine this. Who then should preach the Gospel, and adminis-
ter baptism after they were dead ? Who should carry the tidings
of salvation, and “the laver of regeneration” to nations, not evan-
gelized and baptized by them ? Certainly, as the work for which
they were commissioned and sent forth would only be in part per-
formed by themselves, and much would stil} remain to be done, it
was necessary that there should be laborers to accomplish it.
Nations of future ages would need to be instructed in the doc-
trines of Christ, and to receive baptism, that having believed and
been baptized, they might also be saved. Aud when, in their des-
titution, these should cry for the bread of life, who would break
it to them ? When they should groan in their bondage, and being
“ children of wrath,” stand in need of a second birth to become



TIIE TRUE CHURCH. 27

the children of God, and heirs of Heaven, who would dispense to

them the regenerating- mystery# Christ must necessarily have

designed that the Apostles should have successors in the work of

the ministry, for otherwise his purpose and intention could not be

accomplished beyond the term of their lives. If they were to

have successors, then, to the Apostles and to their successors, the

promise of divine aid and co-operation was given, as well as the

commission to teach all nations and to baptize them. The duty

of teaching and baptizing was not destined to terminate with the

lives of the Apostles, and therefore neither was the consoling as-

surance of divine assistance limited to them, but given as a per-

petual prerogative to the Church. When Christ said, “behold I
am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world,”
he addressed the Apostolic body, the teaching tribunal in his

Church, whose ministry was designed for the conversion, instruc-

tion and salvation of all men of every generation and age.

Nay, we find that the Apostles knew that their body was des-

tined to receive accessions, and to be not only increased, but per-

petuated. After the ascension of their Divine Master, they soon

selected another member to supply the place of the fallen Judas,

and no one will pretend that Matthias had not a part in the Di-

vine assurances which had been given to the others. Paul, Timo-

thy and Titus were soon found engaged in the same ministry.

When the Apostles gave testimony to the doctrines of Christ by
their martyrdom, they left others after them to supply their place.

The Gospel was still preached, and the ordinances of Christ were

still administered. Those who discharged the pastoral office, still

needed the assistance of Jesus Christ, and amid persecutions and

tribulations of every kind, amid the difficulties and obstacles which

they encountered, amid dangers from false brethren and the se-

ductions of error, and the assaults of the gates of Hell, they have

sustained their courage by looking ever to that divine promise,

“ Behold I am with you all days, till the consummation of the

world.”

In conjunction with the scripture proofs, which we have already

considered, we should also reflect upon the declaration of the

Apostle, that those only had a right to preach who were sent,

“ how can they preach unless they be sent?”* and that no person

had a right to exercise the functions of the Apostolic ministry,

“unless called to this by God, as Aaron was,”f and invested with

the character of minister, or ambassador of God, by “ the impo-

sition of hands,” as was done by the Apostles, when they wished

to set aside worthy men for the work of the ministry .

%

In thus, by solemn ceremonies and sacramental ordination, in-

troducing others into the sacred hierarchy, which Christ had es-

* Rom. x. 15. tHeb. v. 4. :Act9. xlii. 3



28 THE TRUE CHURCH.

tablished for the building up of his mystic body, the Church,”

?,

h

^^ f°
St eS

V
n
.K

Wei
^
c^l'ing with the commands and

injunctions of their Divine Master. And this fact clearly mani-
fests, that among the Christian people, there was always to exist
a

J*J

dy men H1
J
eSted

n

,th a sacred character, and possessing
spmtual prerogatives and powers delegated by Christ, to which
no man could pretend who had not “entered by the door,” and
been properly ordained.

tnwi
16 perpet“a

f

1(

2

n of tbe ministry, by means of a divinely insti-

5 PhST—?
ial °r confe

r
rin^ th<? 8acred character of minister

111 lts various grades, is called Apostolical succession
, and

is justly regarded as one of the marks of the Church of Christ,

f nnitJnL
min,str

‘y really perpetuated, and perpetuated bv

tu?es b..rilf
rera0nia

i-

aS appears in the sacred scrip-
tures, fi„m the proceedings of the Apostles themselves, when as-
sociating others with them, to aid “in feeding the flock and inlulmg the Church of God,” there must have been a gradual for-
mation of a chain of succession

, as time marched onward in itsSe couWd8av°8- Wh° ^ giVen ep°ch ’ he,d the erid thiscou
.

ldsay
» “we are the ministers of Christ, and the law-

un feZS P
d

h
•

d%TnS?* °A h ' 8, mysteriesS behold, we are
San mi2t^ -- y U"br0ker‘ chain of succe8sion iu
With this ministry Christ left extraordinary powers, such as

ne\er before had been given to men, and the possession of whichno man had ever before claimed.

T° £f
ter

’ tk
,

e firs
,

t °.f tbe Apostles, and whose name signified a
rock, he gave the plenitude of pastoral power: “And I will eive

^ °f the, ki,^dom of Heaven: and whfithou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in Heaven • and
Heaven?’^

^^ Up0Q earth
’

ifc shal1 be loosed also in

these words, in their natural import, prove that an extraordi-nary power was conferred upon Peter. The terra,C indSl
and aut

[

lority
’
and it is so explained bv Christ himself:

katsoever (without any restriction as regards the kingdom ofHcaien,) whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound alson Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed

nZheAT6"’ P? ke*VS are tllft Vmbol of power. foS
meMtaVo?Th7f,

fim

r
Pf-

Rge in point to ex ,lain t( ‘ theme.ming of the keys. God is represented by the nronlmt •>*
speaking to Sobna, and threatening to deprive him of power andto substitute El acini, who is understood to be a figured Cf’nltI will clothe him with thy robe, and I will strengthen him with% girdle, and I will give thy power into his hand : a d he ska

* Matth. xvi. 19 .



THE TRUE CHURCH. 29

be as a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house

of Juda.”

“ And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoul-
der : and he shall open and none shall shut : and he shall shut,

and none shall open.”*

The key was to be laid on the shoulder of Christ, to whom all
power belonged of right, as second person of the mysterious

Trinity, but to whom as God made man
,
“all power was given in

Heaven and on earth” by “the Father.” And here Christ
gives the keys to Peter, as his first Apostle, and chief representa-

tive on earth
;
as his first ruler in “the kingdom of Heaven,” es-

tablished indeed in the world, but not of the world. What Peter
binds, shall be bound

;
what Peter looses, shall be loosed

;
for

Christ has promised this, and Heaven and earth shall pass awfty,

but every “tittle of the word of Christ shall be fulfilled.”

No where in the scriptures, has Christ recalled the promise here
made to the Apostle Peter. But the power “to bind and to

loose” as here, in its plenitude
,
given to Peter by name, was

given to the Apostolic associates of St. Peter, as we find recorded

by St. Matthew: “Amen, I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind

upon earth, shall be bound also in Heaven : and whatsoever you

shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in Heaven.”f And it
is not a little worthy of remark, that Christ said this to the Apos-

tles, in conjunction with the express command of yielding submis-

sion to “the Church,” which he declared he would found upon

Peter, the rock , to whom he gave the keys. He changed the name
of Simon to Peter. He prayed that the faith of Peter should not
fail, and gave him the command “to confirm his brethren,” even

the very pillars of his sanctuary. He gave him care of the whole
flock, of “the sheep and the lambs.” He gave him. the keys of
the kingdom of Heaven

;
he gave him brethren to co-operate with

him in the work of the ministry
;
and these, with Peter, were to

build up the mystic body of Christ, the Church, and to bring “ all

to meet in the unity of faith.” And thus united, as the teaching
and ruling Church of Christ, they were to have power to speak

and decide with authority. “He that will not hear the Church,
let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican.” “Amen, I

say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound

also in Heaven : and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall

be loosed also in Heaven.” The associates of him, who held “the

keys of the kingdom” and who had been invested with plenary,

unrestricted pow
r

er, w7ere indeed empowered by Christ “ to bind

and loose,” but not as against Peter, but with him, and subject to

him. For the plenary power was given to Peter singly, and with-

out partition, but with the rest, as being man}7
,
it was more re-

* Isaias, xxii. 21 and 22. t Matth. xvili. 18.



30 THE TRUE CHURCH.

stricted, and of course it was given to them, subject to the un-
limited and specific commission, which had been given by Christ
to Peter, to take charge of his whole flock, and to carry the keys
of his kingdom.

J

We are forced, by the dictates of correct reason, to admit that
Christ gave these powers, not as mere personal honors, to his
Apostles, but to them as his ministers

,
and consequently to the

Christian ministry, to be perpetuated for the preservation aud
propagation of his doctrines, and the due administration of those
sacred institutions, called sacraments, designed to convey grace
to the souls of believers.

The scriptures show us these Apostles exercising the powers
which they have received, and administering the sacraments to
tin* faithful.

They teach and baptize;
They confirm those who have been baptized, and impart the

gift of the Holy Ghost, by “the imposition of hands;”
They discharge the duty of “the ministry of reconciliation,”

according to the power they have received “ to forgive or retain
sin

;” °

1 hey bless the bread and chalice, and distribute the same as
“the communion of the body and blood of the Lord, ’ “Showing
forth his death,” as they had been commanded, and giving to men
an opportunity “to eat his flesh and drink his blood” that they
may have life

;

J

They are ready “to anoint the sick aud infirm with oil,” and
to say “the prayer of faith.”*

They “separate and set apart” holy men for the work of the
ministry, and by the imposition of hands ordain them.
They take measures and give instructions to secure the purity

of the married state, made a sacrament by Christ.
They “rule and govern” the Church of God as they were com-

manded.

And in the performance of all these sacred duties, they always
have due regard to the authority of Peter, who carries the keys
of spiritual power; they act in conjunction with him, and labour,
not to divide the fold

;
not to subvert the authority of others, and

enhance their own
;
but to consolidate the kingdom of Christ in

its integrity, preserving its unity while extending its limits.

* St. James, v. 14.



THE TRUE CHURCH. 31

CHAPTER VII.

The powers to be exercised and the Sacraments to be administered were
for the

benefit of the people, hence the Ministry must be perpetuated—The true doc-

trines of Christ mu«t be taught, and the teaching body must teach them
truly,

that is infallibly—This further proved from the necessary unity of the
Church—

Protestants believe that the authority which Christ gave to his Church
was a

fallible authority—Have they any Scriptnre to prove this belief?—Some parts of

Scripture they only use to refute them : can they prove nothing in their own fa-

vour from them ?—To protest or destroy is easy.

Do not these facts prove conclusively that Christ intended to

establish a body of men distinct from the mass of the people who

should embrace his doctrines; a body, which through all time,

should continue distinct; the members of which, should be in-

vested with a sacred character, and possess certain spiritual pow-

ers, derived, not from the followers of Christ, not from the body

of believers, but from Christ himself, and therefore not to be frus-

trated, despised, or made of no effect, at the caprice or fancy of

the people.

When he instituted this ministry, and invested it with such

high spiritual powers, the Saviour expected that all who should

enter his Church, would respect the character and authority, and,

with thankfulness, avail themselves of the ministry, of those who

were duly authorized to dispense the sacred mysteries of faith.

The commission to teach and preach implied the obligation to

learn and to be taught ; and it was also said,
“ He who hears you,

hears me
;
he who despises you, despises me.”

The commission to “rule and govern” the Church of God, im-

plied an obligation on the members of the Church, to be ruled

and governed

;

moreover, it was said, “Obey your Prelates, and

be subject to them. For they watch as being to render an account

of your souls.”* _ . .
The institution of Sacraments, or sacred channels ot Divine

grace, implied the utility or necessity of using them. And, of
the

first. Baptism, the necessity was even indicated as indispensable.

“Unless a man (in the Greek unless any one) b.e born again of

water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of

God.”f
*

- A
Men can do as they please, as mere free agents , willing to abide

the ultimate consequences of their acts; as such they
may claim

a right to refuse the gospel of Christ altogether ;
but as Christians

they have no right to expect Heaven on any conditions, but
those

laid down by the Saviour, and as such they have no right to refuse

submission to the authority and powers which he gave to his

ministers. He gave these powers to ensure the perpetual preeer-

-'Heb. xiii. IT. l John Ui. 5.



32 THE TRUE CHURCH.

°f his re]W°$' and the triumph of his ChurchHe gave these powers to guarantee, unitv of faith • .1
administration of the Sacraments, and unity of sniritn *d Lr

&

SJ,
e8t his kiDSdom - division, shoS be .‘Cghi t^Zo-

ZZ h?f,U?h these l,?"'cr3 be fielded by men, they are notWielded by them as men
, but as ministers of Christ It is not th«power of men, but the power of Christ.

J DOt the

D-ivl^t

powe
.

r,’^aicl the Redeemer to his Apostles, “All power isgi\en to me m Heaven and on earth.”* *
61 18

“As the Father sent me, so also I send you

appMnted you.”t‘

Ch°Sen bUt 1 ba'4 chosen you, and have

,

The ^P08^08 felt that they were really in possession of theseextraordinary powers and used them.§ When t fey acted with

SHsssiasii
were recognized as his lawful^ deputed Ministers

’

1 he tact, that these extraordinary powers were left bv Tpq„ n

”'T"“
* h¥ S's

e

a

lmu
eVer8

’ kcePinS

of b(W
d,,Ce

f
8

i

a n
-

,1

,

te
u
b
°u
7’ ai,d refjuired to obey under pena ty

if their high and extraordinary powers, and their authority



THE TRUE CHURCH. 33

to guide and govern, be protected by the
abiding presence and

effective co-operation of Christ himself, in
obeying them, we obey

him , and we cannot be led astray,
unless Christ himself can con»

duct us to perdition.

And why would the Redeemer give sucli powers, make
such

promises, and then require obedience, if he
foresaw into what

condition Christendom would be brought by
yielding obedience to

those who should claim to be his ministers,- a
condition, as Pro-

testants pretend, of universal popery; that is,
the whole Christian

world, for centuries together, recognizing
the supremacy of the

Pope, the unerring authority of the Church,
and all the piesenfc

doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church? Protestants
admit

that Christians believed and practiced as Catholics
do at present,

from a •very remote antiquity, indeed almost from
the fiist ages of

the Church. Christ must have foreseen that
this would be the

case, and why did he devise no measures to prevent
this sudden

pretended ruin, and continued perversion, of the
pure principles

of iiis Gospel? On the contrary, why does the very first
consti-

tution of the Church, iri its primary elements,
show a character

and authority in the ministry, requiring respect
and obedience

from the faithful; an authority, not to be
contemned without de-

spising Christ, and an obedience, not to be refused
by those who

would not be classed with the heathen and
unbeliever

?
yv e have

a right to conclude that the Christian Church was
oiganized and

perpetuated precisely as its Divine Founder desired and
intended;

that the laws by which it has been governed for
ages, were en-

acted with heaven-directed prudence and wisdom;
that its deci-

sions, on matters of faith, were always in
accordance with the

doctrines first revealed and delivered to the body
of witnesses,

teachers and ministers, by the great “Author
and finisher of

faith:” that “the gates of Kell” have never
prevailed against the

Church, according to his promises ; and that
Christians at any-

given period of time since the first establishment
of the Church,

were always safe, and only safe, when submitting to
its guidance.

These things must he admitted true, by those who admit,
tnat the

ancient prophecies, which foretold the establishment
and extended

and persevering triumph and glory of Christ’s
kingdom, ha,ve been

verified, and that the labours and revelations of
the Saviour, for

the redemption and regeneration of the human race,
have been

made effectual. For, otherwise, it must be maintained
that faith

perished, and the Church became, the synagogue
of Satan, soon

after the death of Christ and his Apostles.

The great powers left with his ministry, as proven
from scrip-

ture- show therefore, that Christ designed to
confer the attribute

of infallibility, which the Church has always
claimed, as the con-

sequence of his direct and unqualified promise to
be with her, till

the consummation of time.

2*



/

34 Wife TRUE CHURCH*

Other arguments might be erected on those texts of scHpfcufe.
Which set forth the unity which the Saviour designed to exist=g, h,,8fb ,°r ,iS : ^(>Id Was t0 be one * hi » kii.ffdom tostand undivided

;
his disciples were to love one another, to avoid

divisions, dissentions, heresies and schisms: for this he prayed to
his father; to this he referred as a characteristic mark, to eon-

W0rld0f
u
H,s dmne missi°n- Unity in the Church can

only be secured by submission to authority. If Christ desired
unity, he also desired this submission to authority, for he who
wishes the end must also wish the means. The authority would
be incompetent without his divine aid and co-operation to render
it a true and safe guide in the concerns of Faith, by the assist-
ance of Christ, it is then an unerring infallible authority.

Submission to authority thus divinely supported by Christ him-
self, will effectually secure the unity which he recommended, and
for which lie so earnestly prayed. Without this submission there
can be no unity o. faith, no unity with regard to the sacred rites
ceremonies, and worship of Christiana; no unity of ecclesiastical

maroh
£<‘v™iment. Heresy, schism, and innovation would

march abroad among Christians, introducing division and confu-
sion into their ranks. Truth and. Charity would both be saeri-

Syst(Mn att«r system, scheme after scheme, sect after sect,
would appear and disappear. And amid the universal confusion

l m hS
1

"' f Ti
tr,,V ',r

S
e
*;

tbe GoeM of Christ would become
wicked

^ C
’ 01 the scoff of tbe 1Ilh(J el, aud contempt of the

If therefore Christianity be a divine and harmonious system, if
the plain teaching of scripture be entitled to credit, unity among
Cln s lans is indispensably necessary. If unity be necessary,

authority?

8* 'aV° ,nveBted llls Church with atl unerring, infallible

Are we correct in referring to these scripture proofs, as conclu-
de to demonstrate that the Redeemer invested his Church with
Zr?r

r

!

g authon*y ,n the c°ncems of divine faith ? Protes-

Chureh

h

p«tnir°i’ i f
K
7i

P
-

r0U
i

8t a&ain8fc the doctrine that the

Ss of\Tth
h b

,
v Christ, has an unerring authority in mat-

ters of faith. 1 hey do not believe it. This is one of the nc«a~

°/
tlei

I f
aith * But t0 n88ert a negative and seek to

establish it by a false interpretation of the texts of scripture

rm^nia?t; nter -
e

’ ***** * "«*"*“>> «*

"ialte tllis article of their faith positive, and in place

,
-

,>'»*. 1 Cen
J'

rtiat Christ left an unerring authorin' uith
his Church,” let them affirm this: -I believe, as an article of

3,

*&.” J°bn *• 16 ‘ *yU - *> A,s» *<>«• «.*l 1 Cor. 1. 10; »„d Kiilie.. iv.



THE TRUE CHURCH. S5

\

faith, that Christ established a Chnreh and invested it with an

erring, fallible authority, to which, however, he enjoined
sub-

mission.”

And. as they onlv believe what the scriptures plainly teach, let

them show one plain text of scripture which sustains this article

of their faith. We defy them to do so. And yet it is an article

of their faith that fallibility is an attribute of the
Church of

Christ. They shelter the glaring absurdity of their positive doc-

trines behind sophisms, and come forth with negations to wrestle

a°ninst the positive faith of Catholics. Let their negations be

made affirmations, and then let them prove them by scripture.

Let them prove that Christ intended his Church to lead
men into

error, superstition and damnable idolatry; that he established a

fallible Church: that he wished heresies and schisms: that he

desired his kingdom to be divided, his followers to be disunited

aud in continual controversies ; that he was willing that any and

every man who chose, might usurp the office of preacher, instruc-

tor. guide and minister, without any regard to ordination
or mis-

sion." And let them show plain scripture in support of these

affirmations. They cannot do so : and they never undertake it,

notwithstanding all their boasts about believing only what scrip-

ture teaches.

• It is something not a little remarkable, that Protestants can

make no use whatever of all those plain, strong passages of scrip-

ture which are brought forward to prove the controverted points

of Catholic doctrine. They can do nothing with .all these to

show, any of the truths which they profess to discover in the

word of God, or anv of the attributes, or prerogatives, of their

own sectarian Churches. If they quote them at all, it is that

they may. by ingenious, strained and tar-sought interpretation,

deprive the Catholic Church of the testimony which they furnish

her, and if thev succeed, by explanation, construction,
and false

logic, to set aside the point of their testimony,
they are perfectly

satisfied, and seem to take for granted that their own heteroge-

neous assertions arc consequently confirmed. But why do they

not bring forward these same plain texts, to show some positi\e

doetrine^of their own creeds, to set forth some attribute of their

own Churches? Why can their Bible-religion make no direct,

positive and affirmative use of these passages of the written
word

of God ? Can thev, from the text, -Thou art Peter: and upon

this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell sfcpll uot

prevail against it.” show that some promise is here made to their

Church, and what this promise is, and what is the result
thereof

in the historv of their Church ? Can they, from the text,
“Whose

sius you shall forgive, they are forgiven : whose sms you
shall

retain, they are retained:” and from this other,
“Whatsoever yen

shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in Heaven ; whatsoever



36 THE TRUE CHURCH.

you shall loose upon earth shall be loosed also in Heaven,” prove
that Christ left with their ministry some extraordinary powers 7
Can they, from the text, “If he will not hear the Church let him
be to thee as a heathen and a publican,” show the obligation to
submit to their Church ? And from the text, “ This is my body,
this is my blood;” “ Do this in commemoration of me,” can they
show the right to give “the flesh and blood” of Christ to be the
hie of their members, and say, as the Apostle did, “ The Chalice
ot Benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the
blood or Christ ? And the bread which we break, is it not the
partaking of the body of the Lord ?”*

Can they show their compliance with the injunction of St.
James “to anoint the sick with oil?” Can they use these and
other plain texts of scripture to set forth their own positive doc-
tnnes, in place of trying their ingenuity in controversy against
the Catholic Church ? They protest, they deny, they oppose

—

the) face these texts as antagonists; they regard them as so many
witnesses arrayed to condemn them, and like parties to a process,
their chief aim and desire is to invalidate the testimony, to find
in it some weak point, some flaw, some ground on which to im-
peach it and set it aside. But as far as it is direct and positive,
they can do nothing with it, and really these texts seem to make
no part of those scriptures, upon which they profess to ground,
their faith. Why, like Luther, do they not expunge them, and
prouounce them papistical interpolations? Luther found his
novelty, about “faith alone,” condemned by the epistle of St.
James, and he soon set the testimony aside by expelling this epis-
tle from the canon of scripture; pronouncing it “an epistle of
straw. Luther has shown Protestants an easy wav to silence
the witnesses which come forward to condemn their principles,
lliey treat the texts which positively coudemu them, with silence
and neglect in all cases, where they are not engaged in protesting
against the ancient Church, and undermining her authority and
doctrines. J

It is quite an easy matter to protest, or pull down and destroy,
and for this work a strong combination of hostile and discordant
foices may be made. Whatever may be the principles of the
parties, and however discordant, it is enough, to insure their union
for the work of destruction, that they all feel opposed to the ex-
istence of that which they desire to subvert. But after the work
ot rum , s complete, these forces, which for a time were united,
againdissolve into their original elements, and they cannot unite
to build up again in any shape or form, the scattered materials of
the subverted edifice. The sects can all unite to subvert the
Catholic Church, but they cannot unite to furnish a substitute.

*1 Cor. x. 16.



THE TRUE CHURCH. 37

They all adopt principles, which, did not Christ protect his Church

as lie promised, would really bring her to ruin and desolation, but

they cannot agree upon any substitute, in case the ruin which

they desire, were in fact accomplished. See their sects, their

churches, their doctrines, arrayed against each other in open an-

tagonism—a war of (^lurches and creeds, a war of systems and
principles; and no combination, no agreement, as to what are the

doctrines of Christ, or which is the Church of Christ.

CHAPTER VIII.
•

A further proof Is derived from the conduct and practice of the Church—The
Pastors always taught With an authority which implied Infallibility—The Coun-
cils—Vain effort of Protestants to evade this argument.

In order to prove still more conclusively that the texts of scrip-

ture, which we have placed under the view of the reader, do re-

alty establish the tenet, that the Church possesses an unerring,

infallible authority , in matters of faith, we have only to consider

the conduct of the Christian Church from its first establishment to

the present time, as manifest in the decrees of Councils, and in .

the testimonies of the Fathers and doctors of the different ages of

Christianity.

The conduct of the Church, unvaried from the beginning, is a

practical exposition of the meaning of these texts of scripture, far

more enlightened and correct, far more worthy of attention and

reverence, than all the ingenious criticisms of modern Bible read-

ers. The clear, explicit and harmonious traditionary testimony
,

furnished by Christendom throughout its whole extent, and by

each successive age, is a commentary upon the revelations of God,

and the sense and import thereof, of a credibility, weight, and

importance, such as cannot be counterbalanced by any earthly

testimony which can possibly be arrayed. The opinions, theories,

views and speculations of the reformers, were they even harmo-

nious, instead of discordant, could not weigh as a feather in the

balance against this venerable testimony, consisting as it does of

the combined voices of the Christian people and teachers, of

every part of the world and of every age. And even the present
Catholic Church, with its unanimous faith on this point of the un-

erring authority of the Church, present* to the world mord; than one

hundred and eighty millions of Christians, who .give the same in-

terpretation to these texts of scripture, against those who claim

the privilege to think more highly of their private understanding



THE TRUE CHURCH.38

and wisdom, thau of the combined learning and wisdom of all na-
tions and ages.

That in the Church of Christ the pastors have always taught
with authority; when disputes and contests arose among the
Christian people of any particular congregation, city, or province,
that the pastors decided the questions in dispute, with a positive
authority

, even saying Anathema to those who refused to submit
to their decision

;
that the majority of Christians, always-bowed

re\ erently to these authoritative decisions
; and that the rebellious

were forthwith cut off from Christian communion; are fads
which, no person, ever so little acquainted with ecclesiastical his-
tory, will pretend to deny.

The Church, in all ages, from the meeting of the Apostles in
the Council of Jerusalem to decide the dispute about the neces-
sity of circumcision, to the time, when Protestants were con-
demned by the Council of Trent, has always exercised a supreme
authority in proposing and explaining the doctrines of Faith.
I he proofs which establish this position, are numerous, solemn,
and certain. Plain historical evidences, confirmed by political
and ecclesiastical institutions, and bearing the seal of public au-
1 101-ity. throng forward to place this fact beyond dispute. From
the assembling ot Bishops in the first general Council of Nice,' in
the commencement ot the fourth century, to that of Trent in the
sixteenth, not only the chief pastors, the Bishops, but other
learned doctors, and even Emperors and Princes personally, or
by their representatives, attended these grand and imposing as-
semblies, where the authority of the chair of Peter presided, and
the more essential points of Catholic Faith were set forth in pre-
cise terms, such as they had been first taught by the Apostles,
am delivered from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart, and by
daily practice exemplified, among the faithful of every country
and dime, and ot every generation. The decisions of these
Councils are matters of historical record. They were hailed
throughout Christendom as conclusive upon the points implicated.
They w ere received with submission by the faithful in all parts of
the world. 1

The custom of assembling the Bishops, as far as persecution
allowed it to be practicable, existed long before the first general

£?
UUCl1 0 in 325 for the condemnation of Arius.

1 hus we read of a Council held by Pope Victor at Rome in 196,
to settle the dispute about the time of celebrating the festival of
Easter; and ot others held in Palestine, and in different parts of
the Western Church. A Council was held at Rome in 251 to
condemn the heresy of Novation. A great Council at Antioch,m -oJ, deposed Paul ot Samosata, who denied the divinity of the
baviour. Another in Mesopotamia in 277, condemned the Mani-
chean hefesy.*

*For these facts *ee Flenry and Berault Bercastel.



THE TRUE CHURCH. *39

When ffccasion required, and circumstances permitted, General
Councils were held. The holding of Councils implied the exis-

tence of authority, and when this authority represented, or re-

ceived, the suffrages of the Universal Church, all regarded it as

conclusive and infallible.

In exercising this authority, the Church relied confidently upon

the promises of Christ to be with her, and that “the Spirit of

Truth should abide with her, to guide her unerringly.” She had

either received from her Divine Founder the right thus to govern

the Church with supreme authority ; or else, in the days of her very

first existence, when her confessors wrere languishing amid chains,

and her martyrs bleeding for her doctrines, she had already

usurped a supreme authority; changed the fundamental princi-

ples of her constitution as settled by her Founder : altered the

rule Faith
;
annihilated the supreme authority of God’s writ-

ten word, and “ the glorious gospel privileges of private interpre-

tation effectually overturned the whole work of Christ; and

substituted a system which, in its operation, soon brought “all

Christendom into a state of error, superstition, and damnable

idolatry,” in which it remained till the sixteenth century, “ totally

buried,” and in which; even since Luther’s reformation, the ma-

jority of Christians have remained, still continue, and no doubt

will, in spite of the sects of the reformation, and liberal distribu-

tion of Bibles, persevere to the end of time itself. Can we for a

moment imagine, that, so soon after the time of Christ, and while

some of the very disciples of his Apostles, still lived, and occu-

pied the Episcopal Chairs which had been founded and occupied

by the Apostles, the Church could have thus fallen away from

Christ and become unfit to preserve and propagate the doctrines

of Faith# This is absolutely incredible.

The Pastors of the Church exercised the authority which the

Apostles, their predecessors, had exercised in their assembly at

Jerusalem. It was Christ who delegated this authority. It was

the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, who spoke by the voice of

this authority. When the Church was disturbed by the winds of
heretical doctrine, when she was agitated by the waves of con-

troversy and disputation
;
when the storm raged and the sea

swelled and heaved, and disaster seemed inevitable; lo ! was

always heard amid the din of the tempest and the cries of alarm,

the voice of Christ himself, saying: “ Peace, be still !” and the

w inds subsided, the waters fell, the danger disappeared, and calm

was restored to the Christian people.

It is an historical fact that the Church of Christendom was ac-

customed to hold Councils for deciding what was the Catholic

faith handed down from Apostolic times through descending gene-

rations, and in passing their decrees, these Councils virtually tes-

tified to the whole world that ike authority, to decide disputed



40 THE TKUE CRttttca*

points with unerring certainty, had been vested in them by theDivine Founder of the Church. This unerring- authority was in-
dispensable to justify their positive decisions. For without anunerring authority those positive decisions, enforced as they
weie by solemn ecclesiastical censures, and spiritual anathemas
and excommunications, would have been most'bold and di
tive usurpations such as the Church of Christ could not, so soon

Iwn fi
er foundat

.

,on
’ have possibly made. For this would havebeen the accomplished triumph of the “Gates of Hell” over theChurch which Christ founded, inasmuch as the continued exercise

ot such usurped authority, submitted to as it was by all Chris-
l,p0n Catho!ic

:

um-rad Slf human
falsehoods, heresies, superstitions, and various principlesand tenets, rumens to the souls of those who believed tliem Bv

tins, the whole Church, both teachers and believers, wonltf havebeen forcibly rooted out ot Christ, and made fondlv and blindly
to follow Satan, as his trophies of victory over Christ himself

'

Each succeeding General Council virtually claimed the attri-
bute ot the same unerring authority, and each succeeding Gene-
lal Council respected and confirmed the determinations which hadbeen made by those which preceded.

noted ovk! ,
the " h

r
le °°“rsC f ruvolvin!f centuries, tile undis-

„

eJ
:

lstence a»<l exercise ot an authority considered infallible

Wh, Tl d’wf
See

i

ni
e

t le lll 8tory of the progress of the Church,

pi ned
1011 d

t

t lU c “e
f

l
,ast

?
rs und inshops of the Church hold

ri t Ti rT/:
™1

!

11 decisions if they had not this autho-

J- , .
hy should the bishops ol each succeeding period of

I mn'd ’t
for

.

General Councils this same authority ? Why

wl eiu

e

nd !

8UC ' C
',

m,
!

cl1 Ptefeejidly respect the determinations

,1,0 ? ,
n,

1

a<Jt! those which had preceded, and consider
the pomts involved as finally decided / Why should the Chris-
tian people, every where dispersed, most reverently receive these
detei mutations and decisions ol Councils ?* Why were those who

h/thfhl and

m
»r

l0n
’

“‘"T ,
c

,

ut off hem the communion of the

eo/e
/“

’ wl
al

r-
V8

,r
*a,Cle(1

,

the f,lithful ns tcallv eecommuni.

d?ffn t .)

V
-

f°®?
'he present Catholic Church, with its millions

diffused through the whole earth, still revcrentlv respect the nu-

tenei-nhl

' 6 <ie

^

,

f
,ons ot these grand, imposing assemblies of tile

n k,
’

‘i

P ' atCS °f >’*st tu 'le?’ iu which tin-: various dioceses ofaii stendom were represented by their chief pastors and rulers 1\\h) can the sects ot Protestants show no General Council, no
assembly of ancient prelates and bishops, with which they can
e mm religions sympathy and Christian Communion ? Why do
nl the ancient Councils belong to Catholics, and their acts and
decisions all uphold the authority of the present Catholic Church

»

W e are aware that Protestants strive to evade the force of
those arguments, which, on this ground, ar* brought forward to



41

«

THE TRUE CHURCH.

ehow that they are in a state of rebellion against a just
and di-

vinely constituted authority, by resting their defence upon
the

written word of God, understood in the sense, and only in
the

sense, which they are pleased to put upon it by their own inge-

nious interpretation. But an impartial inquirer, not interested

to deceive himself, will view things by the light of
evidence. ro

such we say, that having admitted that Christ established
a

Church and left with it hi£ revelations, certainly not by him
writ-

ten, and not written before his death, we have a right to look
to

the public teaching and practical operations of
that divinely

founded Church, for evidence of the revelations and
authority

which she received from Christ. The traditionary history of the

Church, while propounding the revelations of Christ,
and admin-

istering the spiritual government instituted for the
presei\ation

and propagation of the Christian religion in its purity,
must fur-

nish the very highest order of evidence to show the
faith and

principles, with which men became Christians and continued

Christians. To appeal to the mere written word of God, without

any standard to settle its meaning, may allow the appellant an

open field for endless disputation, and an escape, amid
the mazes

of arbitrary interpretation, for his fondly conceived
and novel

theories, but it will not suffice, to indicate or confound
heresy , to

prevent or heal the wounds ot schism, or to settle doubts
and

controversies about what men shall believe and do, in order to be

savedi .

This appeal is made with as much confidence by Anans, feoci-

nians, Universalists, Millerites, and Deists, as by those
Protes-

tant sects which pretend to be more orthodox. The impartial

inquirer for truth, mufet therefore perceive the
necessity of some

sufficient means to settle and determine the true
intention of

Christ, and the import of his divine revelations; and
without a

direct individual revelation from God himself, which he cannot
be

foolish enough to expect, he can find no evidence so
rational, re-

spectable and conclusive, as the solemn authoritative
acts ot the

Church, and the catholic faith and practice of its
membt is, m

each successive generation and age, and in every country
ot the

world, from the period of its foundation to the
present time.

When questions arise among the citizens, of different States,

whether United or Confederate, with regard to the
fixed funda-

mental principles of their constitution, it is rational
to try them

by the writings and comments ot those great men who
fust ad-

ministered the government; and we consider the practical
opera-

tion of the government in the past, as a safe
commentary on the

principles of the constitution. Besides, w
r

e have a supreme tri-

bunal. for settling disputed questions of
constitutional law; and

the decisions of this tribunal are respected,
throughout the whole

republic, as final and conclusive. Why, then, shall not the
piacti-



42 THE TRUE CHURCH.

cal operation of the Church of Christ, and the writing of the
eminent doctors and fathers of the early ages, be held as rational
and convincing evidence, of the nature of the principles and
truths of that sublime constitution, which has been left by the
ltedeemer and his Apostles, to secure the valuable and imperish-
able blessings of religion ? And why shall the decisions of that
tribunal, which Christ instituted and commanded us to respect
and obey, not be considered final and*conclusive, with regard to
any questions which may arise ? The man who would pretend to
understand the constitution of the United States, or of the Con-
federate States, in a sense adverse to the continued practice of
the government, and to the unanimous testimony, furnished by
the writings and commentaries of the most profound statesmen
and lawyers of the country in times past, should be looked upon
as eminently presumptuous, if not as entirely insane. And why
shall modern reformers, with novel theories and views about the
Clnistian Jaw and faith, be more esteemed, when found opposed
to the continued practice of the Church, and to the unanimous
testimony of the eminent writers and fathers, whose genius,
talents, and very names, have been in veneration for ages ?
We cannot undertake to array all these testimonies, since to do

so, volumes would be necessary. Some of the early fathers have
written volumes in vindication of this single point concerning1 the
authority of the Church. Among these, are: Tertullian, St.
Cyprian, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Vincent of Lerins, &c.
But we may, m the next chapter, set down a few of these testi-
monies, which are direct and conclusive. %

CHAPTER IX.

A fcsr testimonies from the Fathers—The testimony of tradition—Three con side,
ration* CRpecially worthy of attention—The statement of Dean Paulin de Creasy
of the^G^ eek^^s^mentf

eClarUt ^°n re*P<3Cting the Nations in the manuscript

St. Ireneus, a Greek by birth, but ranked with the Latin Fa-
thers, and who, through St. Polycarp, his preceptor, was con-
nected with the Apostolic times, said :
“Where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God, and where

the Spmt of God is, there is the Church and all grace.”*
“ We must ohe}J the priests that are in the Church: those ^ho

*Ironen8, Book iii



THE TRUE CHURCH. 43

have succession from the Apostles, who, together with
the episco-

pal power, have, according to the good pleasure of
the Father,

received the certain gift of truth. But as to those who
depait

from the original succession, wheresoever they be
assembled, they

should be suspected, either as heretics, schismatics,
or as hypo-

crites.”* “What if the Apostles had not left Scriptures,

ought we not to have followed the order ot Tradition which
they

delivered to those to whom they committed the Churches ?
To

which order many nations yield assent, who believe in
Christ,

having salvation written in their hearts by the
Spirit of God,

without letters or ink, and diligently keeping
ancient tradition.

It is easy to receive the truth from God’s Church,
seeing the Apos-

tles have most fully deposited in her, as in a rich
store-house, all

things belonging to truth: For what! if there
should arise any

contention of some small question, ought we not to have
recourse

to the most ancient Churches, and from them to
receive what is

certain and clear concerning the present question.’ f

The same father, also, in his fifth boojt against heresies,
says

:

“The teaching of the Church is true and stable, showing
to all

men the same one path of salvation;” and further,
“Everywhere

the Church proclaims the truth
.”

St. Clement of Alexandria, a great father of
the same age, de-

clares that the “right doctrine is to be found only
in the truth (or

the true) and ancient Church;” and he maintains
that “there is

only one true Church , that Church wfflch is in
reality the old

one.”% _ ___ ,

Tertullian, in his Prescriptions, maintains that “We are not to

appeal to scriptures, neither is the controversy to be
settled upon

them, in the which there will either be no victory
at all, or one

very uncertain.” But, .

‘‘Wheresoever it shall appear that the truth of the
Christian

discipline or faith is, there will also be found the truth
of scrip-

tures, and expositions, and all Christian traditions.”

And further, he maintains that, .
“To know what the Apostles taught, that is, what Christ

re-

vealed to them, recourse must be had to the Churches
which they

founded , and which they instructed by word
of mouth, and by

their epistles.”
7

He contended that these “ Mother Churches
” taught the truth,

and that all other opinions “must be novel and false
.Ӥ

Origen. who lived in the last of the second, and died in
the be-

ginning of the third century, and is numbered among the Greek

Fathers, says: ,

“Since there are many who think they believe the things which

* Ireneus, Book iv. t Id. B. v. J Strom, lib.
vii.

§
See Prescriptions of Tertullian, passim.



44 THE TRUE CHURCH.

are of Christ, and are of different opinions from those who went
before them, let the doctrine of the Church be kept, which is de-
livered from the Apostles by order of succession, and remains in
the Church to this very day. That alone is to be believed for
truth, which in nothing disagrees from the tradition of the Church.”
Ana this father plainly says, that we are, “ To draw intelligence

from the scripture, according to the sense which has been delivered
by the Apostles and that we are “ not to believe otherwise than
as the Church of God hath by succession delivered to us ”*

St. Cyprian, a Latin father of this age, after maintaining the
unwavering fidelity of the pure spouse of Christ, and the impossi-
bility of her ever being defiled by adultery, says :

“ Whosoever divideth front the Church, and cleaveth to the
Adultress, he is separated from the promises of the Church : He
cannot have God for his father who hath not the Church for his
mother.”

And he asks

:

“He that doth not hold the unity of the Church, can he think
that he holds the unity of the faith ?”

f
And Lactantius, who from the eloquence of his style, deserved

to )e called “the Christian Cicero” and who is classed with the
Latin bathers of the fourth century, savs :

“ It is only the Catholic Church that ‘hath the true worship and
service of God: this is the source of truth; this the dwelling
place of faith; this the Temple of God: into which who entereth
not, and from which, whoever departeth is without all hope of life,
and of eternal salvation.

Kuffinus, in his ecclesiastical history says that the great St.
Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen, “took the interpretation of
scripture not from their own sense, but from the tradition of the
1 atliers.’

§

St. Cyril, of Jerusalem, of the same fourth age, testifies that
the Church is called Catholic

, “because she teacheth Calkolicly
,

and without omission
,
all doctrines, which men should know, con-

cerning things visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly.
”||

I lie same Father in his fifth catechesis, sa}T s,
“ Guard the Faith, and that Faith alone

, which is now de-
livered to thee by the Church

, confirmed as it is by all the scrin-
tures.”

1

St. Ambrose represents men as walking in the darkness of
night, and says to them individually,

“ Let the Church point out the way to thee

on*L?vOirus
Preface to his Periarchon, his Tract on Matthew, and Homily VII.

St. Cyprian de Unitate Eccleeioc. * Inst. lib. iv.
§ Rnf. Hist. Eoci. lib. 2.

|| Catechis. xviii. Iu pa. xxxv.



THE TRUE CHURCH. 45

• Also this Father declares

“ Faith is the foundation of the Church : for it was not spoken

of the flesh of Peter, but of his faith, that the gates of Hell should

not prevail : His confession overcame Hell : and this confession

excludes many heresies : for seeing the Church, like a good ship,
is beat upon by many waves, the foundation of the Church must
prevail against all heresies.”*

St. Augustine, whose works contain a great, deal on this sub-

ject, among other things, maintains that,

“In the Church the truth resides, whosoever is separated from

it, it is necessary that he should speak false things.”f

He also says, in his fourth book against the Donatists

:

“ That which the Universal Church holds, and is not ordained

by Councils, but hath been always retained and observed, is most

justly believed to have been delivered no other way than by

Apostolic traditions, &c We must observe in these things
that which the Church of God observes : The question, therefore,

between you and ourselves is, which of the two, yours or ours, is

the Church of God ?”

This Father considered the authority of the Church the true

guide of men in points of faith, and looked upon her decisions as

conclusive.

He thus eloquently sets forth the authority of the Catholic
Church :

“There arc other things which most justly keep me in her
bosom : The consent of peoples and nations keeps me there

:

The authority begun by miracles, nourished by hope, augmented

by charity, confirmed by antiquity, keeps me there : The succes-
sion of prelates ever since the see of Peter, to whom our Lord,
after his resurrection, committed the feeding of his sheep, to this

present Episcopate, keeps me there: and finally the very name

of Catholic, keeps me there
;
the which name this Church alone,

not without cause, hath retained among so many and great here-

sies, insomuch that when any stranger demands where the assem-

bly is wherein a man may communicate with the Catholic Church,

there is not any heretic has the boldness to show him his temple

or house, &o These many, and so strong ties, retain a
believer in the Catholic Church.”

He also declares emphatically :
“I myself would not believe the gospel were it not that the

authoiity of the Catholic Church moves me.”t

He further demonstrates, that the same Church which teaches

him to believe the gospel, also teaches him not to believe those

heretics (the Manicheans) against whom he wrote, and argues,

*De Incor. Domini. t St. Aug. on pa. 57.
Nial mo Catholics* Eeelesii® cozumoveret autboritas. St. Aug. Con. Fund.



46 THE TRUE CHURCH.

that, since these heretics admit that we must receive the gospel
from the Church, it is madness in them to pretend to teach the
sense of the gospel against that which the Church teaches.

“ What madness is this ? Believe them (Catholics) that we
ought to believe Christ ; but learn of us (Manicheans) what Christ
said.”*

And writing against Cresconius, he argues that we believe the
scnptuies, by believing the Church, since the scriptures commend
the authority of the Church to us

:

“ Whosoever feareth to be deceived with the obscurity of this
question, let him require the Church, which the holy scriptures,
without any ambiguity, doth demonstrate.”

St. Vincent of Lerins, after naming several of the heresies
which had arisen, says :

“For this reason, to avoid the labyrinth of so many contrary
errors, it is very necessary that the line of Prophetical *and Apos-
tolical conceptions should be drawn according to the rule of eccle-
siastical and catholic sense, or understanding.” #

St. Leo, writing concerning penitential fasts, says

:

“It is not to be doubted that all Christain observance is of
divine instruction, and that whatsoever is received by the Church
into the custom of devotion doth come from Apostolical tradition,
and from the doctrine of the Holy Ghost.”
We find also among the testimonies of antiquity many express

commendations of the authority of Councils to determine contro-
versies. The ancient canons, termed Apostolical

, and, though
admitted not to have b«en drawn up by the Apostles themselves,
yet certainly a work of the first ages, by some even attributed to
St. Clement. These canons specify,

k That Bishops should twice a year hold Councils, and among
themselves examine the decrees of religion, and settle such eccle-
siastical controxernes as should arise.”

Here is proof of an authority to compose ecclesiastical disputes
at least.

1

St. Ignatius testifies,

“ That it was the order in his time, that svnods and assemblies
of Bishops were frequently celebrated.”

Tertullian witnesseth the same concerning Councils held in
Greece. And the historian, Socrates, records this memorable
saying of the Emperor Constantine:

“Whatsoever, is decreed in the Holy Council of Bishops, that
is universally to be ascribed to the Divine Will”]

St. Ambrose terms the decrees of the Council of Nice,
“ Hceredilaria signacula

, hereditary seals
, not to be violated by

the rash boldness of any man.”

f

* Lib. de utilitate cred?odi. t Soe. hint. eecles. lib. 1.
: St. Amb. de Fide. lib. 3.



THE TRUE CHURCH. 47

These proofs, from antiquity, multiply before the inquirer, in

proportion as his investigation brings him down from century to

century. He discovers first, that the Bishop, in his diocese, was
the ruler

;

that he possessed the spiritual authority and power,

necessary for administering the affairs of that part of the fold, of

which he had immediate charge. St. Ignatius is found thus ex-

horting :

“ Do you all follow your Bishop as Christ did his Father.
Without the Bishop let no man presume to do any of those things

which belong to the Church.”*

He discovers, secondly , that provincial and national synods had
still more authority than single Bishops, but not an unerring au-

thority. Their decrees must still be subject to the approbation or

rejection of the Universal Church, united under its head. If the

decrees of particular synods, accorded with what had been “every

where delivered and believed,” they might stand, but not other-

wise. Hence Pope Stephen caused the Bishops of an African

council to reverse one of their decrees on the subject of rebaptiza-

tion. The letter of the Pope set forth that this decree opposed

the traditionary faith and practice of the Universal Church, and

declared that u no innovation should be admitted, but what was

handed down should be retained.”

But he observes, thirdly, that it is a well ascertained and settled

point, that a plenary, (Ecumenical council of the whole Church,

over which the incumbent of Peter’s see presided, had supreme

authority to decree what had been the doctrine always taught and

believed ; and such decisions werp, every where and by all Catho-

lics, received with reverence and submission, and regarded as

final and conclusive. These decisions “could not be violated by

the rash boldness of any man,” who cared for the sacred unity of

faith, and respected the authority which Christ vested with his

Church.

This current of traditionary testimony shows that all Christians,

from the earliest ages, held to the tenet of religious faith main-

tained by Catholics at present, “ that there exists in the Church

of Christ a supreme , unerring authority and proves conclusively ,

that any Christian society pretending to be Christ’s Church, and

not having, or even professing to have, such authority, is, by this

fact alone, manifested to be something else, than the Church of

Christ.

The present Catholic Church is the only Christian society which

claims now, as she has always claimed, this supreme unerring au-

thority, and, therefore, she must be the Church of the fathers, the

Church of primitive Christians, the Church which Christ founded

on the rock Peter, the Church which, in the words of St. Cyprian,

* lg. Ep. ad. Siuvrs.



48 THE TRUE CHURCH.

all must “have as Mother who will have God for Father;” in a

word, she must be the true Church of Christ.

The force of the testimony, furnished by the unanimous consent

of the fathers and doctors of past ages, to convince us of this funda-

mental doctrine, of the unerring authority of the Church , is shown

by the following considerations, among others which might be

presented.

1st. The doctrines of Christ were orally delivered to the

Apostles, and orally delivered by them to the Christians, who first

formed the Apostolic Churches. By the way of oral tradition

,

therefore, Christianity was established and spread over the world.

2ndly. This way is no where set aside in scripture, but on the

contrary, it is especially commended.

3rdly. It is the most sure and safe way for preserving the true

doctrines of Christ.

We will, in brief, show that these three considerations are well
grounded.

And first, We find from the scriptures, that the Apostles were
taught by Christ, from his own lips, and sent by Clmst to preach

the gospel to every creature. Christ wrote no scriptures himself,

and there is no evidence that he commanded his Apostles to write.

It seems to have been his purpose, not to write his law, upon

tablets of stone or upon paper, but in the hearts of believers. He

wished his Apostles to preach, and the people to obtain faith by

hearing the word of God. “Faith cometh by hearing,” says St.

Paul. There is no evidence that all the Apostles wrote scriptuic,

or that those, who wrote, did so, as a duty, commanded, or deemed

absolutely indispensable. There is no evidence that the sum of

these writings, admitted to be inspired, or any one of them, was

designed to be the sole guide in matters of Faith, independent of

the Church, which Christ instituted and commissioned to teach

his doctrines. Evidently, with the Apostolic body was invested

the authority to teach by oral tradition, aud no where in scripture

do we find that this way was at any period to be changed for

another.

But secondly, this way is expressly commended and approved

in scripture. “ There are some that trouble you, and would per-

vert the gospel of Christ.” (Query : Did these persons wish to

change the written word?)—“As we said before, so say I now
again, if any one preach to you a gospel besides that which you

have received
,
let him be anathema.”*

The Gallatians had received, the gospel, but certainly not a

written one, otherwise, here was a fit and convenient place for

the apostle to say, “ see what is written in the gospel which you

have received, and judging for yourselves believe as you please.”

•Gal. 1. 7,



THE TRUE CHURCH. 49

They received thj gospel from his preaching, and by what they
had received

, they were to test the preaching of these persons

who came to disturb them.

Again, St. Paul writes to the Phillippians : “ The things which
you have both learned and received, and heard and seen in me,

do ye.”*

The Apostle wished them to practice those things which by
word and example they had learned from him. Their faith, thus

reduced to daily practice, would be preserved precisely as it had

been delivered and received.

To the Thessalonians he said emphatically, “ Therefore, bre-
thren, stand firm ; and hold the traditions which you have learned,

whether by word, or by our epistle. ”f
And to Timothy he said: “Hold the form of sound words,

which thou hast heard from me in faith, and in the love which is in
Christ Jesus.”

“ Keep the good deposited in trust to thee by the Holy Ghost

which dwelleth in us.”t

Aud to the same he said, “ And the things which thou hast
heard from me, before many witnesses, tl# same commend to
faithful men, who shall be fit to teach others also.Ӥ

Again he declared to him : “ The Church is the pillar and

ground of Truth.”
||

There is, in these passages, an express approbation of the wTay

of tradition for ensuring the preservation and propagation of

Christian doctrines' and practices. The Greek word, paradoseis y
used by the Apostle, is rendered literally by the word traditions.

A deposit of these was made with Timothy, to be, by him, deli-
vered to “faithful men,” to be by them, delivered to others.

And, no where do we find that this way -was, at any time, to be-

come inadequate, or to be displaced by another.

We have said thirdly, that this way of securing the transmis-
sion of the doctrines of religion, is the best and most secure.

For the doctrines of Christ were so interwoven with daily prac-

tice and observance, that change was not possible, unless first the

authority of tradition was itself despised. As long as Christians

believed and practiced as they had learned and received, as long

as they taught to their posterity to believe and practice as they

did themselves, change and innovation were impossible. They

daily reduced their faith to practice ; they daily instructed their

children to believe and observe as they did themselves. And in

every part of the Christian fold, the same things were believed

and observed, and the same things taught and delivered, so that

novelty was recognized as false, by the very sign, that it was

novely and hitherto unheard of, and unobserved.

4
Phil. iv. 9. 12 Thes. xi. 14. J2 Tim. i. 13. §2 Tim. xi. 2. || 1 Tim. iii. 15*

3



50 THE TEUE CHUECH.

No writings or books could possibly be so well preserved as tra-

ditionary doctrines , cherished in the minds and hearts of Chris-

tians every where dispersed. Mere abstract and speculative pro-

positions, not often thought of by the people, and having no direct

relation to the every day conduct of life, might indeed soon be

changed or forgotten, but doctrines of Divine faith, identified

with daily observance by all Christians, could not be in the same

danger. And certainly, these would be less exposed to altera-

tions, than writings accessible only to a few, and perhaps read

and studied by fewer still.

Besides, we are not left to mere surmise on this point. It can

be proved satisfactorily, that the writings and books of scripture,

owing to circumstances, Jiave not always been preserved precisely

as they were written. A multitude of transcribers and copyists,
not necessarily protected from error in their labours, have passed

the scriptures through their hands, and hence are found various

readings of the same passages. Even in the original languages,

these varieties are found, and perhaps no other volume presents

the same difficulty on this point. It is said on the authority of

Dean Paulin de Cre*Li/, once a church of England minister, and

afterwards a convert 10 the Catholic faith, that the learned Pro-

testant Archbishop Usher declared, “that whereas lie had of

many years before a design to publish the New Testament in
Greek , with various readings and annotations, and for that pur-

pose, had spent much money, to furnish himself with manuscripts

and memoircs from several learned men abroad*, yet in conclusion

he was forced to desist utterly from that undertaking, lest if he

should ingenuously have noted all the several differences of read-

ings which he himself had collected, the incredible multitude of

them in almost evefy verse, should rather have made men atheis-

tically to doubt of the truth of the whole book, than satisfy them

of the true reading of any particular passage.”*

If such were the fact, notwithstanding the reverence which the

Catholic Church has always had for the scriptures, and the care

she has taken to collect and preserve them through all the vicissi-

tudes of time, what would have been the case, had the Protestant

doctrine, of “ scripture alone the rule of faith, with the right of

private judgment,” prevailed through all those centuries, and

every copyist and transcriber of scripture, with his own self-se-

lected faith, had striven to set it forth in the written word of God

in still clearer terms, as has since been done in modern Protestant

versions.

It is said by the learned, that some of the sacred writings have

been lost to the world, and among these are specified, an “epistle

of St. Paul to the Laodiceans,” and a “gospel in Hebrew, ac-

cording to the Nazarmi,”
(
secundum Nazaraos.) This fact proves

*Exomologe6ig, p. 178, Ed. 1647. FhiIb.



51THE TRUE CHURCH.
0

that writings and books, though sacred, were not sure to survive

the destructive revolutions of time, and if these writings alone

were designed, in their collection, to serve as the only rule of

faith and judge of controversy, Protestants can have no perfect

rule, because they cannot have an entire collection. But if, after

the perishing of some of these books, there was still left with

Christians a means of obtaining faith, and of knowing the doc-

trines of Christ, it is evident that there existed another and safer

way, which was no other than the traditionary teaching and prac-

tical observance of the Church. And that this was the way relied
upon and used, must even be inferred from the very loss of these

sacred writings. Because, had the sacred writings collected to-

gether, been the only way for leading persons to faith in Christ,

and to a knowledge of his doctrines, copies thereof, would not only

have been carefully multiplied by the Apostles themselves, and

left by them in the principal Churches which they founded, but

even would have been procured and studied by heads of families

and individuals, so that, being so widety and numerously diffused,

and retained so carefully by so many Churches, congregations,

and individuals, no book or leaf of theim could have perished

altogether.

But there are still further reasons to show that the sacred wri-

tings were never, either in the time of Christ or of his Apostles,

designed as the only means of leading men to a knowledge of the
doctrines of Faith. Several years after the death of Jesus Christ

passed away, before any scripture of the New Testament was
written, and many years passed, before all the hooks, that we

now have, were written. During all this time, the way of oral

tradition was used, and used successfully. This way lost none of

its efficacy by the appearance of the first written book of scrip-

ture, nor was it weakened, but rather confirmed as others of these

sacred writings were produced, since some of them expressly com-

mended tradition. Besides, it was many years before any one

local congregation had all these books together, and still many

more years, before all the congregations of Christendom had a

perfect and entire collection. Centuries had passed before a deci-

sion was made concerning the canonicity of the several books, by

a Council of the Universal Church, and in settling this canon,

many writings, pretending to the rank of inspired scriptures, had

to.be excluded by the judgment of the Church. During these

centuries, the w ay of tradition for the preservation and propaga-

tion of faith, continued to be relied on, as it had been by the

Apostles themselves. The mere ascertaining and declaring the

canonicity of the several books of scripture, which was done by

the authority of the Church under the direction of the Holy Spirit,

and by the evidence which tradition itself furnished, could not set

aside "the authority of tradition, which had hitherto been so salu-

tary and successful



52 THE TRUE CHURCH.
%

We have still further proofs, from facts, the most invincible of
all arguments, to set forth the safety of this way, for securing the

integrity, purity, and entire preservation of religious doctrines.

It is a fact that the way of tradition was used successfully,

among the favoured people of God, until the time of Moses. It is

a fact, that the Catholic Church has used this way successfully

from the revolt of Luther in 1517 to the present year, 1862.

It is a fact, that the present doctrines of the Catholic Church,

have in this way been preserved unchanged , by the admission of

Protestants, through all those ages, prior to Luther’s revolt against

the Church, and which are technically termed the dark ages, em-

bracing ten or eleven centuries. Protestants very clearly see in

those ages all the present doctrines of the Catholic Church, which

they are pleased to condemn under the general head, Popery.

It is then a fact, that the way of tradition has operated, securely

and certainly, from the present year 1862 back through past cen-

turies, up to (We are at a loss to ascertain the period, which Pro-

testants fix upon as the precise time, when the Church of Christ

fell into Popery, but we will say) the fourth century. During

fourteen centuries, therefore, the way of tradition, as contended

ft>r by the Catholic Church, has secured her faith, one and un-

changed, through every part of the wnrld. And those who sepa-
rated from that faith, during these fourteen centuries, have been

compelled to spurn, contemn, and decry the conservative autho-

rity of tradition, upheld as it now is, and has been, by the supreme

authority of the Church.

To this add, what we have hitherto demonstrated, that Chris-
tianity was established by oral tradition

;
that for the first four

centuries, from the time of the Apostles to the authoritative de-

cision of the Church in settling the canon of scripture, the way of

tradition remained in full authority and exercise
;
that finally, this

way was commended by scripture; and you have the whole eigh-

teen centuries of the Christian era, by means of tradition and the

authority of the Church, safely preserved in the knowledge and

practice of Christian doctrine, as first delivered by Christ and his

Apostles.

This way of tradition, lyiking as it does generation with gene-

ration, and causing those who depart from the theatre of present

things to leave the deposite of faith as they had received it, to

those who succeed and take their places, could never lead to false-

hood in faith, and superstition in practice, unless, as some writer

quaintly remarks, “ all Christians should retire at night to sleep,

and forget the faith they believed and the things they practiced,

and all wake up next morning, with a new faith and novel ob-
servances.”

The three considerations, which we have proposed, and which

we think have been sufficiently proved, give great force to that



THE TIM E CHURCH. 53

venerable testimony, furnished by the unanimous consent of the

great fathers and doctors of past ages, Who, from their works, still

tell us the faith believed in their own times, and in the times

which preceded them. They convince us that, the Christians of

primitive times, believed that the Church of Christ was invested

with a supreme
, unerring authority to propound faith, to deter-

mine disputes, and to govern and guide the faithful.

CHAPTER X.

The Infallibility of the Church is secured by Divine promise and protection—But
the principle, upon which it is exercised, of handing down nothing but what has
been delivered, would insure a sort of human infallibility—A Divine revelation
needs an Infallible teacher—Individual inspiration was not promised, nor has it
been given—The Bible, with private judgment, has engendered all kinds of here-
sies and sects—All points are debated—The Catholic doctrine confirmed by the
principles and avowals of the first reformers—Summary and Conclusion.

The true Church, as we have shown, is demonstrated by the

tradition of ages. And the same tradition declares the existence
of a supreme, infallible authority in the Church. By the way of
authority, Christians of all times have been able to distinguish

Apostolical doctrines from human opinions. At all times, it was

to the divinely constituted tribunal of the Church that questions

concerning faith were brought. By this tribunal such questions

were judged and decided. Thus fell Sabellianisnj, Donatism,

Arianism, Nestorianism, Eutychianism, Pelagianism, Semipela-

gianism, Monothelytism, Iconoclastism, Berengarianism, Lollard-

ism, and all heresies. By the same authority, Protestantism has
been condemned.

Moreover, we maintain that if this authority were not by God

protected from error and made infallible, it would still, of its na-

ture, be most venerable and respectable. It would possess a kind

of human infallibility, so that men would be more certain of being

right and of believing truth, while submitting to its teaching and

guidance, than they could possibly be, in obeying any other au-

thority on earth, even that of their own, presumed infallible, pri-

vate judgment.

When the Apostles constituted pastors to teach what they had
themselves learned from their master, they must have instructed

these pastors well and thoroughly. These pastors taught others

as they had been taught themselves, and again the others taught

their successors. Each class could not possibly forget, or cease

to know, what they had learned from their predecessors. They



54 THE TRUE CHURCH.

had received a deposite of doctrines identified with observances,

which it was their duty t(? transmit to faithful men. The Apostles

had, in different countries, adopted the same means for transmit-

ting this deposite. In these different countries, there were pas-

tors and Christian people, associated together for the preservation

of the same holy and cherished deposite. These countries were

separated by distance, by manners and customs, by local preju-

dices and interests, by difference of political government, but all

conscientiously recognized the same sacred duty to preserve and

transmit, in its purity and integrity, the holy deposite of faith.

Could all the pastors at once forget the doctrines of faith ? Could

all be guilty at one time of an attempt to corrupt them ? Could

all unanimously conspire to deceive the faithful, and to impose

doctrines not transmitted by those who had preceded them ?

Could the faithful, every where dispersed, and so separated by

distance, difference of language, and other circumstances, forget

what had been delivered and believed, previously to such pre-

sumed conspiracy? And could all this have taken place without

any protest from any part of Christendom, and without any evi-

dence of such a revolution being found in the pages of history ?

There was an impossibility of such an event in the very nature of

things; and this impossibility has been the same in every age,

from the times of the Apostles down to our own. For at any

given epoch of times past, the Church, both the teachers and

believers, must have known the doctrines then believed, and the

doctrines believed by their immediate predecessors.

The moral impossibility, of a unanimous conspiracy to corrupt

faith, is apparent to every reflecting mind. And even were all

the pastors .able to conceive a design to commit so heinous a

crime, there was a practical impossibility to destroy, from among

the Christian people every where dispersed, the then prevailing

faith, revered, because held by their forefathers, and even because

professed by themselves up to the very period when this supposed

attempt was made to induce them to believe something never

before known. A unanimous conspiracy to change the doctrines
of faith was then morally and practically impossible, and history

attests
#
that whenever partial attempts were made to effect such

innovations, an alarm was immediately sounded
;
on every side

the faithful denounced the novelty; and the Church, when she

could not by gentle measures apply a remedy, and win back the

innovators to the true faith, fearlessly and firmly used the sword

of excommunication, and cut them off as rotten branches.

Error, then, could not reach the whole body of pastors, receiv-

ing and transmitting the doctrines of faith as a traditionary depo-

site. And, therefore, there was in the nature of things, an au-

thority infallible, or not subject to error, in the Universal Church,

because of her universal and firm adherence to the traditionary



THE TRUE CHURCH. 55

doctrines of faith. The way of tradition assured her the greatest
possible degree of historical certitude, which, though it still be
termed human

, was nevertheless in its result infallible. A pro-
per appreciation of this argument will cause us more willingly to
admit the claim of the Church to that Divine prerogative of.in-
fallibility which is grounded on the express incontestible promises
made to her by Jesus Christ, as recorded in the scriptures.

Another strong proof, that Jesus Christ designed the authority

of his Church, thus secured by his promises against the danger of
error, to be the means of preserving the unity of faith and Chris-
tian communion, is also deduced from the insufficiency of any

other means known to mankind.

For, first, the way of individual inspiration by the Holy Ghost,
to which some sectaries have impiously pretended, never was

promised by Almighty God. And that it never was given, as a*
general means for securing the unity of faith and Christian com-
munion, is sufficiently evident from the varying and contradictory

sentiments, opinions, and views of those who pretended to have
received the benefit of such divine illumination.

Secondly
,
That the scriptures, as mere writings, left to indi-

vidual judgment, cannot secure the unity of faith and Christian

communion, is more than evident from the thousand contradic-

tory sects, churches, and creeds, which divide Protestants, who

all alike profess to be guided and instructed by the written word.

All sects, and even individual Protestants, understand the scrip-

tures in their own sense. Their interpretations are various and

contradictory. And amid the noise and fury of disputation, the
scriptures themselves are unable to interpose, and say “ I will

decide these controversies.” They are dumb and silent, till each

speaker lends them his own voice, and then they are forced to

speak his sentiments, and not their own. “ The Lutherans ad-

mitted one only person in Christ, Calvin and Beza admitted two

persons, with Nestorius. Luther and his followers maintained

that the divine nature suffered and died
;
Beza pronounced this

a blasphemy. Calvin advanced the impiety that God is the au-

thor of sin
;
the Lutherans pronounced this an abominable error.

Luther pretended that the humanity of Christ is ubiquitous , or in

all places
;
this was denied by Zuinglius. Calvin maintained that

the children of the Saints are saved even without Baptism, Lu-

ther contended for the contrary. Luther discovered in the scrip-

tures three sacraments, viz : Baptism, the Eucharist and Pen-

ance
;
Calvin admitted the first two, rejected the last, and disco-

vered in the scriptures another : viz, orders , which last Luther re-

jected. Zuinglius denied that orders and penance are sacra-

ments, but admitted Baptism and the Eucharist. Luther main-

tained that in the Eucharist, Jesust Christ is to be adored as

really and truly present, at the moment of communion; and



#

56 THE TRUE CHURCH.

Calvin loudly contended that this is idolatry. Melancthon, who wag
afterwards an associate of Luther, said that good works are neces-

sary for eternal salvation
;
the followers of Calvin strenuously op-

posed this doctrine.”*

Some Protestant sects maintain the necessity of baptism, others
say it is only a ceremony, useful but not necessary. Some say that
grace is really conferred by the sacraments, others that the sacra-
ments are not channels of divine grace. The Quakers will use
no water in baptism

;
other denominations of Protestants rely

greatly upon water, and insist on immersion. Some Protestants
teach the divinity of Christ, others teach that Christ is not God.
Some inculcate the advantage of confession

;
others ridicule it.

Some advocate Apostolical succession
;
others laugh at this, and

maintain that the people can choose, appoint and empower their

„ own ministers. Some speak of the necessity of Christian unity
in doctrine and discipline

;
others look upon this as altogether un-

necessary, and think it unimportant w ith which class of Christians
a person communes, provided he is not a member of the Catholic
Church. But all of these speak of the doctrines of Christ; of
the truths of the gospel

;
of Faith

;
of the ordinances of Christ

;

of salvation
;
of the Church

;
of damnation

;
of the day of judg-

ment; of the good and the bad; of the different destinies to
which saints and sinners are reserved; and all affectionately,
boldly, and eloquently appeal to the written word of God. And
still the written word ofGod is not able to silence their disputations,
or reconcile their contradictions. Why so ? For the simple and
apparent reason, that Christ did not select “ the scriptures alone

f

as the means of making known to mankind his revelations. Had
he selected this way he would, in his infinite power, have made it
adequate to the task. The diversity of sects, all appealing to
scripture to authorize their contradictory doctrines, proves that

scripture alone is not able to induce men to embrace the same
doctrines of faith, and to practice the same religious observances,
and, therefore, manifests that Christ could not have intended, and
did not intend, this as “the only rule of Faith and judge of con-
troversies.”

But if he did not intend, either the wray of individual illumina-
tion, and divine inspiration to each believer, or the way of scrip-
tures interpreted by private judgment

,
he must have designed

that way, contended for by Catholics, viz: The unerring teaching
authority of the Church, expounding the written and unwritten
revelations of God. For it is plain, that these three, are the only
means, known to men, which he could have selected, and if he
did not select either of the first two, he must have chosen the last,
or none at all.

* These(facts are set forth in the work of Cardinal Cotti, sur La Vraie Eglise,
eited by Delauro-Lubez, in his address of The Convened Atheist.



THE TRUE CIIURCH. 57

We might further confirm the Catholic tenet on this subject, bv
an exposition of the principles and express avowals, of the first

reformers. We have not space, however, in a brief tract, for a
detailed exposition, and can only direct the reader’s attention to

some, of the many, proofs of the Catholic doctrine, which might

be gathered from the admissions express, forced, or unguarded,

which may be seen in Protestant writers.
The early reformers maintained that the essential form of the

true Church, consists in a pure preaching of the true doctrines,

and a right administration of the sacraments of Christ, and con-

sequently, error must destroy the Church, by destroying its essen-

tial form. Hence Whittaker represents Luther, as giving seven

marks of the true Church, of which the first is “ the sincere and

pure preaching of the gospel.” This only, of all the seven, Lu-

ther made essential.”*

But if the pure sincere preaching of the gospel was to be a

mark of the Church, of course then Christ designed the Church

always to preach the gospel purely and sincerely. To do this she

must have the attribute of infallibility, contended for by Catholics.

Calvin said in his epistle to Francis 1st

:

“We assert that the form of the Church is contained in the
pure preaching of the word of God, and in the legitimate admin-

istration of the sacraments.”

Du Moulin, in his first book against Cardinal Perron, said

—

“ Since the true Church is opposed to schismatics and heretics,

it is certain that, as heretical Churches have no other mark by

which they may be discerned but false doctrine
;
so the true Church

is discerned by true doctrine.”

The same writer said :
“ That is the true Church which is held together by the profes-

sion of the true Faith, and communion of the sacraments.”

Again :

“ True faith and doctrine enter into the definition of the Church,

and make part of its definition.”

Duplessis, in his treatise of the Church, chapter fourth, says,

“To administer the word and sacraments purely, are essential
marks of the Church.”

Although these reformers pretended that the preaching of true

doctrines, and the right administration of the sacraments, were

the marks of the Church, in order that they might evade those

arguments advanced by Catholics to show that they were cut off

from the Church, because, having no claim to Unity, Catholicity,

Sanctity, and Apostolicity, the real marks of the Church, yet, in-

asmuch as they made the form of the Church to consist in the

true faith and right administration of the sacraments, we avail

Whittaker, Cont. 2 qu. 5. Cap. 17.



5S THE TRUE CHURCH.

ourselves of their avowal to show that the Church enjoys the pre-

rogative of infallibility. For, if true doctrine and true faith be

the essential form of the Church, the Church must be infallible

as long as she exists. Because by the loss of true doctrine, she

perishes in her very essence. Either then she always possesses

and teaches true doctrine, or perishes totally, as soon as she adopts

and inculcates error.

If then the Church, which Christ established, has persevered

down to our times, she has also continued to possess and preach

the truth infallibly. But if, at any time, she adopted and taught

error, she essentially perished, and now Christ has no Church

upon earth. Luther made a Church, and so did Calvin, and so

did the King of England, and so did John Wesley, and so did

Mr. Campbell, and many others have undertaken the same great

work. Yet certainly none of these was the Church w hich Christ

founded. We know positively who made them, and when, and
where, they were first established. We know their history, and
are fully acquainted with their various vicissitudes, and contra-

dictory proceedings. We have no evidence in scripture that men
should hear and obey the Church founded by Luther or Calvin, or

by the King of England, or by John Wesley, or by any modern

founder of Churches.

If the Church which wras founded by Jesus Christ, could adopt

and teach error, and thereby essentially perish, by a stronger rea-

son, the Churches which men have founded can teach errors. If

the Church which Jesus Christ founded has thus perished, no true

Church now exists, and we are neither wise nor secure, in yielding

obedience to any of these Churches, which men have established

to suit their own peculiar fancies.

So that, if Christ founded a Church and wished it to persevere

and be perpetuated till the end of time, and if its essential form

consist, as the first reformers maintained, in the pure preaching of

true doctrines, and the right administration of the sacraments,

then the Church is essentially infallible. The perpetual preser-

vation of true doctrine, and perpetual preaching of the same, is

infallibility.

Why did Luther say : “ Hereticus ero, si postquam ecclesia de-
terminaverit, non tenuero,”—“ I will be a heretic, if after the
Church shall have determined something, I will not hold it”*

—

unless he admitted the unerring authority of the Church?

And further, he admitted that the Cardinal of Cambray, had
“ very learnedly proved that the Universal Church cannot err.”

Calvin said,

“ When we are in the bosom of the Church wre are secure of

having the truth with us.”f

Luth. in Reap. ad. Diolag. Sylv. tlnst. 4. Cap. 1.



THE TRUE CHURCH. 59

The same author declared, that “ The highest reverence is due
to the Church.” Summa Ecclesice reverenlia debetur. And he
confesses that “ together with the genuine doctrine of the law and

gospel, is so to be joined the sense of the Church, that she may
deservedly be called the keeper and interpreter of that faith.”*

Calvin must have believed that the Church could not err, when
he made these avowals.

Beza, in his book on the marks of the Church, says that “the

Church of Christ is a school, in which the word of the Lord is to

be learned that it may be rightly understood,” and this avowal
supposes the Church to teach with unerring authority.

Du Moulin, in his work already referred to, against Cardinal
Perron, says:

“ Whosoever is assured that he is in the true Church, is assured

that he has the true faith and doctrine.”

How can he, who is in the true Church, be assured of true doc-
trine, unless the true Church infallibly teaches true doctrine ?

It seems to have been the intention of God to make the reform-
ers condemn their own rash work, and to say to them individually,

ex ore tuo, te judico, serve nequam—“ out of thy own mouth I
judge thee, wicked servant.”

Hear Luther, in his contest with Zuinglius and Ocolampadius

:

“ If the world is to subsist much longer, I declare, with all these

different interpretations which they give us upon the scriptures,

that there femains no other way for us to preserve the unity of

faith, but to receive the decrees of Councils, and to take refuge

under their authority.”

Hear Calvin, in his epistle to Melancthon :

“It is important that no suspicion, of the divisions that are

amongst us, should pass to future ages. For it is ridiculous be-

yond what can be imagined, that after having made rupture with

the whole world, we agree so little among ourselves in the very

commencement of our reform.”

Listen to Duditius exclaiming

:

“How are ours, dispersed, agitated by every wind of doctrine,
driven hither and thither on every side. What their religious
sentiments are to-day, you may perhaps learn

;
what they will be

to-morrow, it is impossible to divine. In what, if you please, do

all those agree, who make war against the Roman Pontiff ? From

first to last, run through their articles, you will see nothing ad-

vanced by one of their doctors, that immediately is not by another

denounced as impiety. They make a new symbol every month,

menstniarn jidem habent .”

Hear Melancthon saying that

:

“ The Elbe could not furnish him with water enough to weep

over the misfortunes of a divided reformation.”

* Calvin, de. *cand. p. 102.



60 THE TRUE CHURCH.

The Calvinists were also forced to recognize and admit the ne-

cessity of a definite authority. In their discipline , they required

all to submit to the decision of a national synod, and settled,

“ that if any one refused to acquiesce in this decision in all points,

publicly abjuring his errors, he should be cut off from the Church.”

Men, who left the Catholic Church, where the authority is Divine,

were compelled to submit to authority professedly human and 'fal-

lible.

And in point of fact, all those who belong to any of the sects, and
submit to be taught and governed by the Confessions of Faith and

standards of those Churches, do really yield obedience to autho-

rity. We cannot see what such have gained in throwing off the
authority of the Catholic Church. It is certainly no consolation

to know that the authority, to which they now willingly submit,

is, by its own admission, a human, fallible, erring authority. It

is no consolation to know, that in believing its doctrines, they may

believe errors, and in submitting to its guidance, they may be con-

ducted “into the ditch.” All Protestants who submit to any

Church, not the Catholic Church, by that very fact condemn them-

selves. Because their ancestors first became Protestants, in con-

tempt of the authority of the Catholic Church, and assumed to

judge for themselves
;
but by submitting to any other Qhurch,

they no longer judge for themselves, but let such Church judge

for them. They condemn themselves, because by submitting to

any Church, they show that they cannot judge for themselves as

they had undertaken to do, when they threw off the authority of

the Catholic Church. In yielding obedience to* a Church, they

show the necessity of submission to authority, and consequently

show, that they should not have revolted against the authority of

the Catholic Church. For if the authority of any Church should

be respected, it is evidently the authority of that Church only,

against which Protestants revolted in the beginning.

How can we sufficiently admire the wisdom and goodness of the
Divine Saviour, in having, amid the mighty ocean of human

thought, theory, and opinion, placed that immovable rock upon

which his Church stands, whose base rests solidly as the earth’s

foundations, and whose top rises among the clouds of the upper

Heavens

!

How can we admire sufficiently that astonishing knowledge of
the human heart, that perfect acquaintance with the passions, the

weaknesses and wants of man, displayed by the Redeemer, in

thus entrusting him to the care of his Church ! Well did he un-

derstand that love of variety and change, that desire for a name

and reputation, which urge men forth upon the world to achieve

new, unheard of deeds, to erect or subvert, to stir and agitate, to

theorize and execute, to do something, good or bad, that may dis-

tinguish them from the common mass, and raise the bubble of



THE TRUE CHUKCII* 61

their personal glory upon the elastic breath of popular applause.

He would not trust his divine religion to the corrupt influence of
human passions anil desires, but while these might sport as they
please with human institutions .and theories, he placed religion
under the protection of an authority, which was always to receive

his support. This is the eternal “pillar of truth” which amid the

desert of present things, rises more firmly and solidly than ever-

lasting pyramids, whose strength can be shivered by the light-

nings of no tempest, whose base can be upheaved by no earth-

quake, and against which the corroding tooth of time will be

powerless. For eighteen centuries and more this pillar has stood

firm and solid, amid the hearings of change and revolution. Dy-
nasties and empires have arisen and fallen—nations have been
born and perished—crowns and sceptres have, through long lines

of races now extinct, passed from prince to prince—nations have
become Christian and again relapsed—new countries have been

discovered—change has passed over the face of the physical, po-
litical and social world—all has been in commotion. And still
the Catholic Church, “the pillar and ground of truth,” with her

unerring authority, has continued to stand, and prosper.

This miracle is of itself enough to point the inquirer to the

True Church. It is a thing evident—a light which cannot be
•hid—a city on the top of mountains, to which nations have con-
tinued to flow, demanding to have their names inscribed on the

book of life.

We will briefly resume, and conclude :
1 . Christ established his Church to teach his religion.

2. He intended this Church to exist visibly and perpetually.
3. It could not exist visibly and perpetually as his Church,

without perpetually teaching his true doctrines.

4. It could not perpetually teach his true doctrines without

being infallible.

5. We have proved, from plain texts of scripture, that the
Church founded by Christ was invested with the attribute of in-

fallibility.

6. We have shown from the uninterrupted practice of the
Church, that she always considered herself in possession of this

attribute.

7. We have shown that the fathers, and eminent writers of
the first ages, recognized infallibility as the undisputed attribute

of the Church of Christ.

8. The Catholic Church only, claims the possession of this at-

tribute, while others admit that they are without it.

9. The present Catholic Church shows an uninterrupted exist-

ence, from the present period, back to the times of Christ and his

Apostles.

10. Protestant Churches have all been founded since the period



62 THE TRUE CHURCH.

of Luther’s revolt against the Catholic Church. They have all

been cut off from her, because they refused submission to her au-

thority.

11. Protestants were forced to deny the existence of an uner-

ring authority, in order to justify their schism from the Catholic

Church. But the reformers, in some avowals of their writings,

and all Protestants who submit to any Church authority, have vir-

tually condemned themselves, and shown that they should have

submitted to the just, the divinely constituted, and time-conse-

crated authority of the Catholic Church.

Therefore:

If there be upon earth, a Church founded by Christ, as all

Christians admi.t there is, it must be the present Catholic Church*

She, and no other, is the True ChUrch.



CONTENTS

CHAPTER I,

Introductory, - - - - 5

CHAPTER II.

The Sects are numerous
; but all admit that there is a true Church

of Christ—Assumptions of Protestants against the Catholic
Church, -8

CHAPTER III.

The Church of Christ defined—It is a visible Society—It is a
teaching authority endowed with Infallibility in its teaching, 1

1

CHAPTER IT.

The Infallibility of the Church is a question of fact—Did Christ
authorize his Church to teach unerringly the truths of Chris-

tianity ? The Protestant sophism of a “vicious circle”—The
real “ vicious circle” of Protestants—A sacred Hierarchy con-
stituted by Christ—The Apostles and the Primacy of St.
Peter, - - '14

CHAPTER V.

The promises made by Jesus Christ to the Hierarchy—Four im-
portant truths to be considered—Christ’s Prediction and its
fulfillment—The Spirit of Truth given to the Church, - 19

CHAPTER YI.

Further proofs from Scripture of the unerring authority of the

Church—The Apostles were to have successors—Christ’s
Ministry would be always needed, and therefore would be

always perpetuated, .... 24



64 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII.

The powers to be exercised and the Sacraments to be adminis-

tered were for the benefit of the people, hence the Ministry

must be perpetuated—The true doctrines of Christ must be
taught, and the teaching body must teach them truly, that is

infallibly—This farther proved from the necessary unity of
the Church—Protestants believe that the authority which
Christ gave to his Church was a fallible authority—Have
they any Scripture to prove this belief?—Some parts of Scrip-
ture they only use to refute them : can they prove nothing in

their own favour from them?—To protest or destroy is easy,

CHAPTER VIII.

A further proof is derived from the conduct and practice of the

Church—The Pastors always taught with an authority which
implied Infallibility—The Councils—Vain eftbrt of Protes-
tants to evade this argument,

CHAPTER IX.

A few testimonies from the Fathers—The testimony of tradi-
tion—Throe considerations especially worthy of attention

—

The statement of Deau Paulin de Cressy as to Archbishop

Usher's declaration respecting the variations in the manu

scripts of the Greek Testament, -

CHAPTER X.

The Infallibility of the Church is secured by Divine promise and

protection—But the principle, upon which it is exercised, of
handing down nothing but what has been delivered, would

insure a sort of human infallibility—A Divine revelation needs
an Infallible teacher—Individual inspiration was not promised,
nor has it been given—The Bible, with private judgment, has
engendered all kinds of heresies and sects—All points are
debated—The Catholic doctrine confirmed by the principles
and avowals of the first reformers—Summary and Conclusion,