Questions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the adversaries of the sameQuestions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the aduersaries of the same

The Answer.

The Answere.

WE understand thereby¹ the congregation or company of those which believe in Christ. For the church in the German tong is called Kirch, as though it were derived from the Grecians which call our Lord Jesus Christ [Greek or Hebrew], that is to say, Lord. Wherefore all those which are coupled or knit to Christ, the true head and fruitful vine, as his proper members and branches springing and growing in him, are the true Christian church. And this interpretation of the name of the church we² have also in the Articles of our faith: for to the confession of the catholic church we add, that we believe in the Communion or fellowship of Saints: as though we should say, the church is none other thing but the congregation of Saints. And even in this sort do the blessed Fathers ⟨p. 4⟩interpret these things. The church is called the Communion or fellowship of Saints for these causes. First, because all the faithful there, are partakers of all the gifts and graces which Christ hath purchased: that is to say, chiefly the remission of sins, like as it is said in the Creed next after this Article: I believe the remission of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Secondly, it is called the Communion or fellowship of Saints,³ that is to say of the faithful: (for as appeareth by the Epistles of S. Paul, the Apostles and other blessed Fathers, called the faithful or Christians, Saints.) Because (as I said before) they are sanctified by Christ in his blood through the holy Ghost. But because the church is a congregation or company, peradventure therefore it is called in our mother tong Kuch, by this letter L, and not as some other Germans do sound it by the letter R. For in the Hebrew tongue the people or church of God is called Kha and Keha, whereupon the Germans say Kilcha. But whether