The Fifth Decade of Sermons, Written by Henry Bullinger. Of the Holy Catholic Church; What It Is, How Far It Extendeth, by What Marks It Is Known, from Whence It Springeth, How It Is Maintained and Preserved, Whe-ther It May Err. Also of the Power and Studies of the Church. The First Sermon
THE order and course of things! so leading us, next after God, the workman and author of ali things, we come to speak of his most excellent work, to wit, the church. For so great is the goodness of our good God and most loving Father, that not he himself is desirous to live happily and blessedly alone, but moreover to bestow and pour upon us men, his beloved creatures, all kind of blessedness?; and that we should enjoy his goods by all means possible. And for that intent he chooseth men to himself who live in this world, that he may once? translate unto himself: in whom also (even while they live here) he may dwell, whom he may enrich with all his goods, in whom he may reign; and that they should be called by his name, to wit, a people, a house, a kingdom, an inheritance, a flock, a congregation or church, of the living God. Of which church I will speak (being aided with your prayers) such things as the Lord of the church shall grant unto me to utter.
This word Ecclesia, which signifieth a church or congregation?, is a Greek word, used and received among the [! rerum cohzerentium, Lat.: of things mutually related to each other.]
[2 et bona sua omnia, Lat. omitted: and all his good things.]
[3 aliquando, Lat. ] [6 which—congregation: not in Lat.]
Latins, signifying, as I said, a congregation, communion, or assembly (in the Dutch tongue, Fin Gemeind), or a people called together to hear of matters of the commonwealth: for so it is found that St Luke used this word in the nineteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. But it was translated to an holy use, and began to be called a congregation, assembly, or company of the faithful, calling upon the name of the Lord. St Paul saith that he persecuted the congregation or church of God: who in another place saith, “I received authority from the high priests to bind all those that call upon the name of Christ’;” for now doth he term them such as call upon the name of Christ, or Christians, whom before he named the church. Or else this word Zeclesia, the church or congregation, is so called of calling forth together: for in the Greek tongue ἐκκαλέω signifieth to call forth. For God calleth forth from all parts of the wide world, and from the whole congregation of men, all believers together with their seed? that they may be his peculiar people, and he again may be their God; that is to say, that they may be the church of the living God. In times past the congregation or assembly of the Jewish people, being God his flock, was called a synagogue; for this word synagogue signifieth as much as Feclesia, the congregation. But because of the stubbornness of the Jews, and the unappeasable hatred which they bear towards christian religion, this word synagogue is not esteemed, but is almost quite grown out of use. But we will not dispute by due and right order of the churches either of the Jews or the Turks, or of other strange churches of the Gentiles3, whereof we know there are many sorts and kinds. We will speak of the christian church and congregation of the faithful: which the Germans do call Die Lirch, alluding peradventure to the Greek word κυριακή. For they call κυριακὴν anything belonging to the Lord, to wit, a house or a people; as the Germans do call Die kirchen both the people of God themselves, and also the place wherein they assemble together to worship
[1 Ananias says this of Saul. Acts ix. 14.] [2 ex hoc mundo, Lat. omitted: out of this world.] [3 vel aliarum exterarum gentium, Lat.: or (of the churches) of]
[pther nations that are without. ]]
God. But first of all we will describe a little plainliert what the church or congregation is.
The church is the whole company and multitude of the faithful, partly being now in heaven, and partly remaining yet here upon earth: where it doth agree plainly in unity of faith or true doctrine, and in the lawful partaking of the sacraments: neither is it divided, but joined and united together as it were in one house and fellowship.
This church was usually called catholic, that is to say, universal. For she bringeth forth her branches in all places of the wide world, in all times of all ages; and generally doth comprehend all the faithful of the whole world. For the church of God is not tied to any one region, nation, or kindred; to condition, age, sex or kind: all the faithful generally and each one specially, wherever they or he be, are citizens and members of this church. St Paul the Apostle saith: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bondman nor free, neither man or woman; for ye be all one in Christ Jesu.”
The church is distinguished into the triumphant and the militant. The triumphant is that great company of holy spirits in heaven, triumphing? for the victory gotten against the world, sin, and the devil, still enjoying the sight of God, wherein consisteth all fulness of all kind of joy and pleasure: whereupon they set forth God’s glory, and praise his goodness for ever. This church doth St John the Apostle set forth very notably? in his Revelation!?, saying: “After this I saw, and, behold, a great company which no man was able to number, of all nations, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and in the sight of the Lamb, clothed in white raiments!!, and palms in their hands: and they cried out with a loud voice, saying: Salvation belongeth to him that sitteth on the throne of our God’2, and to the Lamb.” And a little after he saith: “And one of the elders answered
[4 paulo rudius, Lat.] [5 solet, Lat.: is usually.] [6 profert, Lat.: sendeth forth into.] [7 modo, Lat. omitted: now.] [8 still, not in Lat. ] [9 graphice, Lat.] [10 Revelations, ed. 1577.] [11 So also ed. 1584: but ed. 1577, white garments.) [12 So Erasmus: and Bibl. Lat.: Tigur. 1544; and Tyndale, 1534;]
[and Cranmer, 1539.]]
and said unto me: These which are clothed in white garments, who are they? or from whence come they? And I said unto him, Thou knowest, Lord. And he said unto me, These