Catholic Church -- Controversial literature; Catholic Church -- Doctrines
How do Luther and Calvin, and Zuinglius and Knox, and Henry VIII. compare
with these genuine and saintly reformers, both as to their moral character
and the fruit or their labors? The private lives of these pseudo-reformers
were stained by cruelty, rapine, and licentiousness; and as the result of
their propagandism, history records civil wars, and bloodshed, and bitter
religious strife, and the dismemberment of Christianity into a thousand
sects.
Instead of co-operating with the lawful authorities in extinguishing the
flames which the passions of men had enkindled in the city of God, these
faithless citizens fly from the citadel which they had vowed to defend;
then joining the enemy, they hasten back to fan the conflagration, and to
increase the commotion. And they overturn the very altars before which
they previously sacrificed as consecrated priests.(55) They sanctioned
rebellion by undermining the principle of authority.
What a noble opportunity they lost of earning for themselves immortal
honors from God and man! If, instead of raising the standard of revolt,
they had waged war upon their own passions, and fought with the Catholic
reformers against impiety, they would be hailed as true soldiers of the
cross. They would be welcomed by the Pope, the Bishops and clergy, and by
all good men. They might be honored today on our altars, and might have a
niche in our temples, side by side with those of Charles Borromeo and
Ignatius Loyola; and instead of a divided army of Christians, we should
behold today a united Christendom, spreading itself irresistibly from
nation to nation, and bringing all kingdoms to the knowledge of Jesus
Christ.
Chapter IV.
CATHOLICITY.
That Catholicity is a prominent note of the Church is evident from the
Apostles’ Creed, which says: “I believe in the Holy _Catholic_ Church.”
The word _Catholic_, or Universal, signifies that the true Church is not
circumscribed in its extent, like human empires, nor confined to one race
of people, like the Jewish Church, but that she is diffused over every
nation of the globe, and counts her children among all tribes and peoples
and tongues of the earth.
This glorious Church is foreshadowed by the Psalmist, when he sings: “All
the ends of the earth shall be converted to the Lord, and all the kindreds
of the Gentiles shall adore in His sight; for the kingdom is the Lord’s,
and He shall have dominion over the nations.”(56) The Prophet Malachy saw
in the distant future this world-wide Church, when he wrote: “From the
rising of the sun, to the going down, My name is great among the Gentiles;
and in _every place_ there is sacrifice, and there is offered to My name a
clean oblation; for My name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of
Hosts.”(57)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account