d of those led
astray by him, I must first of all explain what is meant by these
things--the Church,[23] and the One Head of the Church.[23] I
must talk bluntly, however, and use the same words which they
have so barbarously perverted.

[Sidenote: What is the Church?]

[Sidenote: The Communion of Saints]

[Sidenote: The Unity of the Church Not External]

The Scriptures speak of the Church[23] quite simply, and use the
term in only one sense; these men have added and brought into
general use two more. The first use, according to the Scriptures,
is this, that the Church[23] is called the assembly of all the
believers in Christ upon earth, just as we pray in the Creed: "I
believe in the Holy Ghost, a communion of saints." This community
or assembly consists of all those who live in true faith, hope
and love; so that the essence, life and nature of the Church[23]
is not a bodily assembly, but an assembly of hearts in one faith,
as St. Paul says, Ephesians iv, "One baptism, one faith, one
Lord." [Eph. 4:5] Thus, though they be a thousand miles apart in
body, yet they are called an assembly in spirit because each one
preaches, believes, hopes, loves, and lives like the other. So we
sing of the Holy Ghost: "Thou, who through divers tongues
gatherest together the nations in the unity of the faith."[24]
That means in reality a spiritual unity, because of which men are
called a communion of saints. And this unity is of itself
sufficient to make a Church,[23] and without it no unity, be it
of place, of time, of person, of work, or of whatever else, makes
a Church.[23] On this point we must hear the word of Christ, Who,
when Pilate asked Him concerning His kingdom, answered: "My
kingdom is not of this world." [John 18:36] This is indeed a dear
passage, in which the Church[23] is made separate from all
temporal communities, as not being anything external. And this
blind Romanist makes of it an external community, like any other.
Christ says even more clearly, Luke xvii, "The kingdom of God
cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here, or
lo, there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." [Luke
17:20, 21]

I am astounded, that such strong, clear words of Christ are
treated as a farce by these Romanists. For by these words it is
clear to every one that the kingdom of God (for so He calls His
Church[25]) is not at Rome, nor is it bound to Rome or any other
place, but it is where there is faith in the he