A COMPARISON OF THE FALSE AND THE TRUE CHURCH
3. THE FALSE CHURCH, DESPITE ITS HIGH PRETENSIONS, SHOWS THAT IT DOES NOT HEAR GOD’S WORD
The Romanists, therefore, today make no other pretension than what the Jews once apparently claimed when they were reproved for blindness, ungodliness, and idolatry by the Lord’s prophets. For like the Romanists, they boasted gloriously of Temple, ceremonies, and priestly functions, and measured the church very convincingly, as it seemed to them, by these. So in place of the church the Romanists display certain outward appearances which are often far removed from the church and without which the church can very well stand. Accordingly, we are to refute them by the very argument with which Jeremiah combatted the stupid
confidence of the Jews. That is, “Let them not boast in lying words, saying, ‘This is the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord’” [<240704>Jeremiah 7:4]. For the Lord nowhere recognizes any temple as his save where his Word is heard and
scrupulously observed. So, although the glory of God sat between the cherubim in the sanctuary [<261004>
Ezekiel 10:4], and he promised his people that this would be his abiding seat; when the priests corrupt his
worship with wicked superstitions, he moves elsewhere and strips the place of holiness. If that Temple, which seemed consecrated as God’s everlasting abode, could be abandoned by God and become profane, there is no reason why these men should pretend to us that God is so bound to persons and places, and attached to external observances, that he has to remain among those who have only the title and appearance of the church [<450906>Romans 9:6].
And this is Paul’s contention in chapters 9 to 12F43 of the letter to the Romans [Romans chapters 9 to 11]. For this fact sorely troubled weak consciences, that, while the Jews seemed to be God’s people, they not only rejected the teaching of the gospel but also persecuted it.
Accordingly, after Paul has expounded the doctrine, he disposes of this difficulty, denying those Jews (as enemies of truth) to be the church, even though they lacked nothing which could otherwise be desired for the outward form of the church. He denies it, then, because they would not embrace Christ. He speaks somewhat more explicitly in the letter to the Galatians, where, in comparing Ishmael with Isaac, he states that many have a place in the church to whom the inheritance does not apply, for they are not the offspring of a free mother [<480422>Galatians 4:22 ff.].
From this, Paul goes on to the comparison of the two Jerusalems. For just as the law was given on Matthew Sinai, so the gospel came forth from Jerusalem. Thus, many born and brought up as slaves boast without hesitation that they are children of God and of the church. Indeed, they haughtily despise God’s real children, even though they themselves are bastards. We also, on the contrary, while we once heard it declared from heaven, “Cast out this slave woman with her son” [<012110>
Genesis 21:10], rely on this inviolable decree and stoutly reject their insipid boastings. For if they boast of outward profession, Ishmael also was circumcised; if they contend for antiquity, he was the first-born: yet we see him repudiated. If a reason be sought, Paul points out that only those born of the pure and lawful seed of doctrine are accounted God’s children [<450906>Romans 9:6- 9].
According to this reasoning, God denies that he is bound to wicked priests by the fact that he covenanted with their father Levi to be His angel or interpreter. Indeed, he turns back upon them that false glorying with which they habitually rose up against the prophets—that the dignity of
the priesthood was to be held in peculiar esteem. God willingly admits this and disputes with them on the ground that he is ready to keep the
covenant, but that when they do not reciprocate, they deserve to be repudiated. See what value this succession has, unless it also include a true and uninterrupted emulation on the part of the successors! For they, as soon as they are convicted of degenerating from their origin, are deprived of all honor [<390201>Malachi 2:1-9]. Unless, perhaps, because Caiaphas succeeded many devout priests (indeed, from Aaron to him there was an unbroken succession), that wicked assembly deserved the name “church”!
Yet not even in earthly dominions was it tolerable that the tyranny of Caligula, Nero, Heliogabalus, or the like should be considered a true state of the commonwealth just because they succeeded a Brutus, a Scipio, or a Camillus.F44 But especially in the organization of the church nothing is more absurd than to lodge the succession in persons alone to the exclusion of teaching.
Nothing was farther from the minds of the holy doctors (whom they falsely thrust upon us) than to prove absolutely, as if by right of
inheritance, that the church exists wherever bishops succeed one another.
But while it was uncontroverted that no change in doctrine had occurred from the beginning down to that age, they adopted this principle as sufficient to guard against all new errors; that is, they opposed them with the teaching firmly and with unanimous agreement maintained since the time of the apostles. Accordingly, there is no reason why men should any longer endeavor to deceive in the name of the church, which we reverently honor as we ought. But when they come to the definition of it, not only does water (as the saying goes) cleave to them,F45 but they are stuck in their mire, for they put a foul harlot in place of Christ’s sacred bride. That this substitution may not deceive us, let this admonition of Augustine’s (besides others) come to mind. Speaking of the church, he says, “She herself is sometimes obscured, as if beclouded by a multitude of scandals;
sometimes appears quiet and free in a time of tranquillity; sometimes is covered and tossed by waves of tribulations and temptations.” He brings forward examples to show that often the strongest pillars valiantly suffered exile for the faith, or lay in hiding throughout the world.F46
4. THE CHURCH IS FOUNDED UPON GOD’S WORD