Johannes Maccovius, Theological Distinctions XVI.
James Dodson
Chapter XVI
Of the Church
I. The Church is visible and invisible.
This distinction is not of a genus into species, but of the word. For the Church, insofar as it has marks by which it is known, is called visible; but insofar as in that Church there are the invisible elect, known to God alone, it is invisible.
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II. One Church is triumphant, another militant.
This distinction has its foundation in Scripture. For some are already saved, and these are called the Church triumphant; but others still on earth fight against the devil, the flesh, and the world, and these are called the Church militant.
III. One Church is universal, another particular.
The universal Church is that which is dispersed throughout the whole world. The particular is that which is in some one place.
IV. The internal government of the Church is monarchical; the external is democratic-aristocratic.
The internal recognizes Christ alone as Head. In the external, the power belongs to the Church, but the exercise belongs to the doctors.
V. Excommunication is one kind greater, another lesser.
The greater is what is properly called excommunication. The lesser is suspension from the use of the Supper for a time, on account of some fault committed.
VI. Ecclesiastical government differs from political government.
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It differs first in object, because a man can be a good political member who is not a member of the Church. Second, because the magistrate punishes the guilty whether they repent or not; but the ecclesiastical magistrate does not punish those who repent.
VII. A whole particular Church can fail, but the catholic Church cannot.
This is clear from those apocalyptic churches. It fails in two ways: both because believers are called away by death, and because they migrate elsewhere.
VIII. The Church can fail both with respect to faith and with respect to morals.
Concerning morals there is no doubt; concerning faith it is certain. For the apostles erred in the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ and of the kingdom of Christ, which are articles of faith.
IX. The Church can even err in the foundation, but not stubbornly nor finally.
This is clear in the apostles, who erred in the fundamental head of doctrine concerning the resurrection.
X. The Church is the pillar of truth politically, not architectonically.
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XI. The Church acts from private authority by office.
Therefore he sins more grievously who does not hear the Church than one who does not hear some private man; for a private man acts only by office.
XII. The Church is not to be believed unless it speaks from Scripture.
This is clear from Genesis 17: “if he shall speak according to the prescription of the law”; Matthew 28: “Go and teach,” etc., “whatsoever I have commanded you.”
XIII. He does not have God for Father in heaven who does not have the Church for mother on earth.
This is not the sense of the rule: that it is necessary to salvation to be in some particular Church; for some may be solitary captives, to whom the opportunity is not given of joining themselves to a Church. Rather, this is the sense: that whoever wishes to be saved must be a member of the catholic Church. And the reason is that he must be a member of Christ, which is the Church.
XIV. The Church is visible or invisible.
Invisible with respect to form, that is, faith; visible with respect to matter, that is, men.
XV. For the sake of the Church, God tolerates the world.
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This is clear from Isaiah 1: “Unless God had left to us a blessed seed, we would all have become like Sodom and Gomorrah.”