Again, When the Church is taken for the persons making profession of the Christian faith, the catholick is often added in opposition to heretics and schismatics, expressing a particular Church continuing in the true faith with the rest of the Church of God,* as the catholick Church in Smyrna, the catholick Church in Alexandria. Now being these particular Churches could not be named catholick as they were particular, in reference to this or that city in which they were congregated, it followeth that they were called catholick by their coherence and conjunction with cording to which notion we read in Leo the Great: Ad venerationem Pentecostes unanimiter incitemur exsultantes in honorem S. Spiritus, per quem omnis ecclesia catholica sanctificatur, omnis anima rationalis imbuitur.' Serm. 1. de Pentec. c. 3. Whence we read in the Synod of Arminum : Εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ πάντες ἐπίσκοποι συνήλθομεν, ἵνα καὶ ἡ πίστις τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκ peareth a manifest distinction of the monastic and the catholic Churches. Hence Alexius, patriarch of Constantinople, complaineth of such as frequented the private Chapels, and avoided the common Churches, describing those persons in this manner: Πατριαρχικοῖς σταυροπηγίοις ἢ καὶ ἐπισκοπικοῖς θαῤῥοῦντες, τὰς καθολικὰς παραιτούμενοι, καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ ταύταις συνάξεων καταφρονοῦντες. 1. iv. Juris Gra-κλησίας γνωρισθῇ, καὶ οἱ τἀναντία φρο corum. * As the Smyrneans spake in Eusebius of Polycarpus: Tevóμevoç iníoкоTO TIL EV Zμúgy ka‡oλuñg ikkλŋoias, l. iv. c. 15. So καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία ἡ ἐν 'Aλežavoρɛía, in Epiphanius, Hær.lxix. §. 1. Thus Gregory Nazianzen begins his own last will: Tonyópios έπioкожоg τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν ΚωνσTAVTÍVOV TóλEL, in which he bequeaths his estate, τῇ ἁγίᾳ καθολικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ iv Nasiavs, and subscribes it after the same manner of words in which he began it, and so the rest of the bishops which subscribed as witnesses, ̓Αμφιλόχιος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Ικονίῳ. Οπτιμος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς κατὰ ̓Αντιόχειαν καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας, Θεοδόσιος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς και θολικῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Ὑδῇ. Θεόδουλος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς ἁγίας καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς κατὰ ̓Απάμειαν. Θεμίστιος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς κατὰ ̓Αδριανούπολιν. In the same manner speak the Latins: Eodem itaque tempore in ecclesia Hipponensi catholica Valerius Sanctus episcopatum gerebat.' Possidius de Vita August. c. 4. Thus any particular true Church is called the catholic Church of the place in which it is; and all Churches which retain the catholic faith, are called catholic Churches. As when the Synod of Antioch concluded their sentence against the Samosatenians thus: kai nãoαι ai kadoλικαὶ ἐκκλησίαι συμφωνοῦσιν ἡμῖν. Ac 6 Ut νοῦντες ἔκδηλοι γένωνται• although in Athanasius, lib. de Synod. Theodoret, Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 15. and Socrates, Hist. Eccl. l. ii. c. 37. it be constantly written, τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας, yet St. Hilary did certainly read it, raïç kaloλikaïç ékkλŋoiais, for it is thus translated in his Fragments: fides claresceret omnibus ecclesiis catholicis, et hæretici noscerentur.'Frag. viii. From whence it came to pass, that in the same city heretics and catholics having their several congregations, each of which was called the Church, the congregation of the catholics was by way of distinction called the Catholic Church. Of which this was the old advice of St. Cyril of Jerusalem:"Αν ποτε ἐπιδημῆς ἐν πόλεσι, μὴ ἁπλῶς ἐξέταζε ποῦ τὸ Κυριακόν ἐστι καὶ γὰρ αἱ λοιπαὶ τῶν ἀσεβῶν αἱρέσεις Κυριακὰ τὰ ἑαυτῶν σπήλαια καλεῖν ἐπιχειροῦσι· μηδὲ ποῦ ἐστὶν ἁπλῶς ἐκκλησία, ἀλλὰ ποῦ ἐστὶν ἡ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία. Catech. xviii. §. 12. Ego forte ingressus populosam urbem hodie, cum Marcionitas, cum Apollinaricos, Cataphrygas, Novatianos, et cæteros ejusmodi comperissem, qui se Christianos vocarent, quo cognomine congregationem meæ plebis agnoscerem, nisi catholica diceretur?' Pacian, ad Symp. Ep. 1. "Tenet postremo ipsum catholicæ nomen, quod non sine causa ista ecclesia sola obtinuit, ut cum omnes hæretici se catholicos dici velint, quærenti tamen peregrino alicui, that Church, which was properly and originally called so ;* which is the Church taken in that acceptation, which we have already delivered. That Church which was built upon the apostles as upon the foundation, congregated by their preaching and by their baptizing, received continued accession, and disseminated in several parts of the earth, containing within it numerous congregations, all which were truly called Churches, as members of the same Church; that Church, I say, was after some time called the catholick Church, that is to say, the name catholick was used by the Greeks to signify the whole. For being every particular congregation professing the name of Christ, was from the beginning called a Church; being likewise all such congregations considered together were originally comprehended under the name of the Church; being these two notions of the word were different, it came to pass that for distinction-sake at first they called the Church, taken in the large and comprehensive sense, by as large and comprehensive a name, the catholick Church.+ Although this seem the first intention of those which gave the name catholick to the Church, to signify thereby nothing else but the whole or universal Church; yet those which followed, did signify by the same that affection of the Church, which floweth from the nature of it, and may be expressed by that word. At first they called the whole Church catholick, meaning no more than the universal Church; but having used that term some space of time, they considered how the nature of the Church was to be universal, and in what that universality did consist. As far then as the ancient fathers have expressed themselves, and as far as their expressions are agreeable with the descripubi ad catholicam conveniatur, nullus φαμεν τὴν ἀρχαίαν καὶ καθολικὴν ἐκhæreticorum vel Basilicam suam vel domum audeat ostendere.' S. August. cont. Epist. Fundamenti, c. 4. * Nonne appellatione propria decuit caput principale signari? Pacianus, ad Symp. Ep. 1. + I conceive at frst there was no other meaning in the word καθολικὴ than what the Greek language did signify thereby, that is, tota or universa; as St. Augustin: Cum dixisset desuper contexta, addidit per totum. Quod si referamus ad id quod significat, nemo ejus est expers qui pertinere invenitur ad totum: a quo toto, sicut Græca indicat lingua, catholica vocatur ecclesia.' Tract. in Ioan. 118. §. 4. The most ancient author that I find it in (except Ignatius: Ὅπου ἂν φανῇ ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, ἐκεῖ τὸ πλῆθος ἔστω, ὥσπερ ὅπου ἂν ᾖ Χριστὸς Ἰησοὺς, ἐκεῖ ἡ καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία. Ep. ad Smyrnaos, §. 8.) is Clemens Alexandrinus : Móvŋv elvai kλŋoiav. Strom. 1. vii. c. 17. But the passion of Polycarpus, written in the name of the Church of Smyrna, may be much ancienter, in which the original notion seemeth most clear: 'H ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ παροικοῦσα Σμύρ ναν τῇ παροικούσῃ ἐν Φιλομιλίῳ, καὶ πάσαις ταῖς κατὰ πάντα τόπον τῆς ἁγίας καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας παροικίαις, i. e. omnibus totius ecclesiæ paræciis. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 15. It was otherwise called in the same notion kaóλov. As Apollinarius bishop of Hierapolis: Τὴν δὲ καθόλου καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐκκλησίαν βλασφημεῖν διδάσκον TOS τοῦ ἀπηυθαδισμένου πνεύματος. Apud Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 16. And Eusebius: Пpoýεɩ dè eis avžŋow καὶ μέγεθος, ἀεὶ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ ὡσαύ τως ἔχουσα ἡ τῆς καθόλου καὶ μόνης ἀλη θοῦς ἐκκλησίας λαμπρότης. Hist. l. iv. c. 7. Καθολικὴ then and ἡ καθόλου is the same, the whole, general, or universal. tions of the Church delivered in the Scriptures, so far, I conceive, we may safely conclude that the Church of Christ is truly catholick, and that the truly catholick Church is the true Church of Christ, which must necessarily be sufficient for the explication of this affection, which we acknowledge when we say, we believe the catholick Church. The most obvious and most general notion of this catholicism consisteth in the diffusiveness of the Church, grounded upon the commission given to the builders of it, "Go teach all nations," whereby they and their successors were authorized and empowered to gather congregations of believers, and so to extend the borders of the Church unto the utmost parts of the earth. The synagogue of the Jews especially consisted of one nation, and the public worship of God was confined to one country, "In Judah was God known, and his name was great in Israel; in Salem was his tabernacle, and his dwelling-place in Sion." (Psal. lxxvi. 1, 2.) "He shewed his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel; he hath not dealt so with any nation." (Psal. cxlvii. 19.) The temple was the only place in which the sacrifices could be offered, in which the priests could perform their offices of ministration; and so under the Law there was an enclosure divided from all the world besides. But God said unto his Son, "I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession." (Psal. ii. 8.) And Christ commanded the apostles, saying, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature :" (Mark xvi. 15.) "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke xxiv. 47.) Thus the Church of Christ, in its primary institution, was made to be of a diffusive nature, to spread and extend itself from the city of Jerusalem, where it first began, to all the parts and corners of the earth. From whence we find them in the revelation crying to the Lamb, "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." (Rev. v. 9.) This reason did the ancient fathers render why the Church was called catholick;* and the nature of the Church is so described in the Scriptures. 66 * We have before observed of Arius and Euzoius, that naming the catholic Church in their Creed, they gave withal the interpretation of it: Eis μίαν καθολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὴν àñò teρáτwv čws repάrwv. St. Cyril of Jerusalem gives this as the first importance of the word: Kaloλin μèv ovv καλεῖται διὰ τὸ κατὰ πάσης εἶναι τῆς oiKovμÉvηg åπò περάTwv yns εws TεpάTwv. Catech. xviii. §. 11. Ubi ergo erit proprietas catholici nominis, cum inde dicta sit catholica, quod sit ratio nabilis et ubique diffusa?' Optatus, l. ii. c. 1. Ipsa est enim ecclesia catholica: unde ka≈oλin Græce appellatur, quod per totum orbem diffunditur.' S. August. Epist. 170. al. 52. §.1. Ecclesia illa est,quam modo dixi unicam suam: hæc est unica catholica, quæ toto orbe copiose diffunditur, quæ usque ad ultimas gentes crescendo porrigitur.' Idem, Epist. 120. al. 140. §. 43. Si autem dubitas quod ecclesiam, quæ per omnes gentes numerositate copiosa dilatatur, S. Scriptura Secondly,They call the Church of Christ the catholick Church, because it teacheth all things which are necessary for a Christian to know, whether they be things in heaven or things in earth, whether they concern the condition of man in this life, or in the life to come. As the Holy Ghost did lead the apostles "into all truth," (John xvi. 13.) so did the apostles leave all truth unto the Church, which teaching all the same, may be well called catholick, from the universality of necessary and saving truths retained in it." Thirdly, The Church hath been thought fit to be called catholick in reference to the universal obedience which it prescribeth; both in respect of the persons, obliging men of all conditions ; and in relation to the precepts, requiring the performance of all the evangelical commands. Fourthly, The Church hath been yet farther called or reputed catholick,§ by reason all graces are given in it, wherecommendat, multis et manifestissimis testimoniis ex eadem auctoritate prolatis onerabo.' Idem, contra Crescon. 1. i. c. 33. Sancta ecclesia ideo dicitur catholica, pro eo quod universaliter per omnem mundum sit diffusa.' Isidorus Hispal. de Eccles. et Hares. 1. i. Sentent. c. 19. · Epist. 1. ad Sympron. Acutum aliquid videris dicere, cum catholicæ nomen non ex totius orbis communione interpretaris, sed ex observatione præceptorum omnium divinorum atque omnium sacramentorum: quasi nos etiam, si forte hinc sit appellata catholica, quod totum veraciter teneat, This is the second interpretation cujus veritatis nonnullæ particulæ etdelivered by St. Cyril: Kai dia rò di- iam in diversis inveniuntur hæresibus, δάσκειν καθολικῶς καὶ ἀνελλειπῶς ἅπαν- hujus nominis testimonio nitamur ad τα τὰ εἰς γνῶσιν ἀνθρώπων ἐλθεῖν ὀφεί- demonstrandam ecclesiam in omnibus λοντα δόγματα περί τε ὁρατῶν καὶ ἀορά- gentibus, et non promissis Dei et tam των πραγμάτων ἐπουρανίων τε καὶ ἐπι- multis tamque manifestis oraculis ipysiwv. Catech. xviii. §. 11. Ecclesia sius veritatis. Sed nempe hoc est toGræcum nomen est, quod in Latinum tum, quod nobis persuadere conaris, vertitur convocatio, propterea quod ad solos remansisse Rogatistas, qui cathose omnes vocet. Catholica (id est, lici recte appellandi sunt ex observauniversalis) ideo dicitur, quia per uni- tione præceptorum omnium divínoversum mundum est constituta, vel rum atque omnium sacramentorum.' quoniam catholica, hoc est, generalis S. August. Vincentio, Epist. 48. al. 93. in eadem doctrina est ad instructio- §. 23. Indeed this notion of the Cathonem.' In Decret. Ivo. par. iii. de Eccles. c. 3. This is the third interpretation of St. Cyril: Kai'dià rò ñãv Ÿévoç åv póπων εἰς εὐσέβειαν ὑποτάσσειν, ἀρχόντων τε καὶ ἀρχομένων, λογίων τε καὶ ἰδιωτῶν. Catech. xviii. §. 11. Si reddenda catholici vocabuli ratio est, et exprimenda de Græco interpretatione Latina, catholicus ubique unum, vel (ut doctiores putant) obedientia omnium nuncupatur, mandatorum scilicet Dei. Unde Apostolus, Si in omnibus obedientes estis; et iterum, Sicut enim per inobedientiam unius peccatores constituti sunt multi, sic per dicto-audientiam unius justi constituentur multi. Ergo qui catholieus, idem justi obediens. Pacianus lic Church was urged by the Donatists as the only notion of it in opposition to the universality of place and communion. For when the Catholics answered for themselves : Quia ecclesiæ toto orbe diffusae, cui testimonium perhibet Scriptura divina, ipsi, non Donatista, communicant, unde Catholici merito et sunt et vocantur: Donatistæ autem responderunt, Non Catholicum nomen ex universitate gentium, sed ex plenitudine sacramentorum institutum.' Idem, Brevicul. collat. tertii diei, c. 3. § This is the fourth and last explication given by St. Cyril: Atà rò kaθολικῶς ἰατρεύειν μὲν καὶ θεραπεύειν ἅπαν τὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν εἶδος, τῶν διὰ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος ἐπιτελουμένων, κεκτῆ by all diseases of the soul are healed, and spiritual virtues are disseminated, all the works and words and thoughts of men are regulated, till we become perfect men in Christ Jesus. In all these four acceptations did some of the ancient fathers understand the Church of Christ to be catholick, and every one of them doth certainly belong unto it. Wherefore I conclude that this catholicism, or second affection, of the Church, consisteth generally in universality, as embracing all sorts of persons, as to be disseminated through all nations, as comprehending all ages, as containing all necessary and saving truths, as obliging all conditions of men to all kinds of obedience, as curing all diseases, and planting all graces in the souls of men. The necessity of believing the holy catholick Church, appeareth first in this, that Christ hath appointed it as the only way unto eternal life. We read at the first, that "the Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved;" (Acts ii. 47.) and what was then daily done, hath been done since continually. Christ never appointed two ways to heaven; nor did he build a Church to save some, and make another institution for other men's salvation. "There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus;" (Acts iv. 12.)* and that name is no otherwise given under heaven than in the Church. As none were saved from the deluge but such as were within the ark of Noah, framed for their reception by the command of God; as none of the first-born of Egypt lived, but such as were within those habitations, whose door-posts were sprinkled with blood by the appointment of God for their preservation; as none of the inhabitants of Jericho could escape the fire or sword, but such as were within the house of Rahab, for whose protection a covenant was made: so none shall ever escape the eternal wrath of God, which belong not to the Church of God. This is the congregation of those persons here on earth, which shall hereafter meet in heaven. These are the vessels of the tabernacle carried up and down, at last to be translated into, and fixed in, the temple. Secondly, It is necessary to believe the Church of Christ, which is but one, that being in it we may take care never to cast ourselves, or be ejected, out of it. There is a power within the Church to cast those out which do belong to it; σθαι δὲ ἐν αὐτῇ πᾶσαν ἰδέαν ὀνομαζομένης ἀρετῆς, ἐν ἔργοις τε καὶ λόγοις καὶ πνευματικοῖς παντοίοις χαρίσμασι. Catech. xviii. §. 11. * Καθάπερ ἐν θαλάσσῃ νῆσοί εἰσιν αἱ μὲν οἰκηταὶ καὶ εὔυδροὶ καὶ καρποφόροι, ἔχουσαι ὅρμους καὶ λιμένας πρὸς τὸ τοὺς χειμαζομένους ἔχειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς καταφυγάς· οὕτω δέδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ κόσμῳ κυμαινομένῳ καὶ χειμαζομένῳ ὑπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὰς συναγωγὰς λεγομένας ἐκκλησίας, ἐν αἷς, καθάπερ λιμέσιν εὐόρ μοις ἐν νήσοις, αἱ διδασκαλίαι τῆς ἀλη θείας εἰσὶ, πρὸς ἃς καταφεύγουσιν οἱ θέ NOTES OWLεoda!. S. Theophil. Antioch. Autol. 1. 2. p. 93. Μιᾷ δὲ προσήκειν ἐκκλησίᾳ τὴν σωτηρίαν ταύτην ἐπιστάμεθα, καὶ μηδένα τῆς καθολικῆς ἔξωθεν ἐκκλησίας καὶ πίστεως μετέχειν Χριστοῦ δυνάμενον μηδὲ σώζεσθαι. S. Chrysost. in Pascha, Hom. 1. |