A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all…A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all…

But (though it concern not our main question) I shall tell them further, that the Matter of the Roman Church must be distinguished from its New Political Form. For the Matter, ⟨p. 106⟩so many of its members as are true Christians, are part of the Catholic Church of Christ, though not the whole: And for the form, 1. There is the form of its several parts, and the form of the whole. The form of any parts of the Roman Church that are Congregations or particular Churches of true Christiant, may make those parts true Churches: that is, there may be many a true Parish Church that yet live under the Papal Yoke. But as to the Political form of their Roman Catholic Church, as it is a Body Headed by one claiming an Universal Monarchy, so the form is false and Antichristian, and therefore the Church as Papal, must be denominated from this form; and can be no better.

But (though it concern not our main question) I shall tell them further, that the Matter of the Roman Church must be distinguished from its New Political Form. For the Matter, ⟨p. 106⟩so many of its members as are true Christians, are part of the Catholick Church of Christ, though not the whole: And for the form, 1. There is the form of its severall parts, and the form of the whole. The form of any parts of the Roman Church that are Congregations or particular Churches of true Christiant, may make those parts true Churches: that is, there may be many a true Parish Church that yet live under the Papall Yoak. But as to the Politicall form of their Roman Catholick Church, as it is a Body Headed by one claiming an Universall Monarchy, so the form is false and Antichristian, and therefore the Church as Papall, must be denominated from this form; and can be no better.

And this is our true answer to the question, whether the Church of Rome be a true Church? There are I doubt not among them many a thousand true members of the Catholic Church, and there may be true particular Churches among them, having true Pastors and Christian people joined for Gods worship (though I doubt there is but few of them but do fearfully pollute it: and I am confident that salvation is much more rare and difficult with them, then it is with the Reformed Catholics; yet that many among them are true Christians and saved, I am fully persuaded, especially when I have read such writings as Gersons, Guil. Parisiensis, Ferus, Kempis, &c.) And I think the better of Bellarmine himself for saying of Kempis de imitatione Christi [Ego certe ab adolescentia & usque in senectam hoc opusculum saepissime volvi, & revolvi, & semper mihi novum apparuit, & nunc etiam mirifice cordi meo sapit. Bellarm. de Scripter. Eccl. pag. 298.]