Second, the ministerial and inferior judge is the Church.
Second, the ministerial and inferior judge is the Church.
§ 455. We demonstrate the second part with these arguments: (1) If the Church is “the foundation and pillar of the truth” and if we are commanded to “listen” to her, then some judgment in controversies of faith surely belongs to her. But the former is true (1 Tim. 3:[15]; Matt. 18:17). Therefore the latter is also true.
(2) No one can doubt that that is lawful and pious which Christ and the apostles not only permit but also require and praise with examples as the proper office of sheep and which the very need of sheep demands. But Christ and the apostles do not only permit their hearers to pass judgment on doctrine but also demand and praise it with examples as the proper office of sheep, and the very need of sheep requires it. Therefore. We prove the minor premise from the following statements of Scripture: “Beware of false prophets” (Matt. 7:15). “You will know them by their fruits” (v. 16). Here listeners are explicitly commanded to distinguish the true prophets from the false, and hence also the truth of doctrine from heretical corruptions. This cannot take place without some judgment regarding controversies of faith. John 10:27: “My sheep hear My voice.” Verse 5: “A stranger they will not follow.” If it belongs to Christ’s sheep to hear the voice of their shepherd and to discern it from others, then surely some judgment concerning doctrine belongs to them also, because such discernment cannot occur without some judgment. In Acts 17:11 the Bereans are praised for judging the teaching of the apostles “according to the Scriptures.” In Rom. 16:17 the apostle commands the Romans “to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties.” 1 Cor. 10:15: “I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.” 1 Cor. 11:13: “Judge for yourselves whether it is proper for a woman to pray in public assemblies with her head uncovered.” Gal. 1:8: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.” 1 Thess. 5:21: “Test everything; hold fast to that which is good.” 1 John 4:1: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God.” If listeners should test the spirits—that is, teachers who boast of the revelation of the Spirit—surely that very necessity requires that they pass judgment on the doctrine of those teachers on the basis of the Scriptures.
Bellarmine makes the exception: “Paul and John do not want all people from the Church to do this, but only those to whom this belongs.” We respond. On the contrary, this belongs to everyone. Therefore it should be undertaken by everyone. The circumstances of the text show that those commands belong also to the laity (as they call them) and, thus, to all Christians.
Therefore he makes the exception elsewhere: “They are speaking about doctrine that is still doubtful.” We respond. Fine! However, whatever is set forth outside of Scripture is not of infallible and indubitable truth. Therefore all of that must be examined according to the norm of Scripture.
(3) Whatever is proper to a spiritual man belongs to all the sons and members of the Church. The logic is that “spiritual men” does not mean merely the clergy (as the nomenclature of the Papists has it), but all the sons of the Church, who are ruled by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:14). But now, it is proper to a spiritual man to judge all things (1 Cor. 2:15). Therefore.
Bellarmine makes the exception: “A spiritual person judges all things, that is, earthly and heavenly. Nevertheless it does not follow that he can judge all heavenly things, because many fathers stumbled.” We respond. It is sufficient for us that judgment concerning spiritual matters is attributed to spiritual men. The norm of that judgment is Scripture. If private persons or the fathers or the pope depart from it, they are carried off into errors.