faith in regard to that most hidden article, the flesh—that is, the wisdom of the world—does not reveal; nor does blood reveal it, that is, pure philosophical science—but alone God, the Father. And because the confession was so clear and positive, the Rock—Petra—said to Peter—the rock: "And I say unto thee that thou art Peter," that is, the confessor of the true Rock—Petra—who is Christ, and "on this Rock," which thou hast confessed—that is, upon me—"I will build" by strong faith and perfecting grace "my church"—that is, the company of the predestinate who, the probation being over, are appointed to glory. Wherefore, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Up to this point it has been deduced from the Saviour's words that there is (1) one church—namely, from the very word "church"; (2) that it is Christ's church—from the word "my"; (3) that it is holy—from the words, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The conclusion, therefore, is that there is one holy church of Christ, which in Greek is katholike and in Latin universalis. She is also called apostolic, apostolike, because she was established by the words and deeds of the apostles and founded upon the Rock, Christ, as Jerome says in the Prologue to his Commentary on the Apocalypse.[1]
Hence I lay it down that it is to be called the holy Roman church, for the Decretum, Dist. 21 [Friedberg, 1: 70], says that "although there is only one bridal couch[2] of the universal catholic church of Christ[3] throughout the world, never-
- ↑ Jerome referred the rock now to Christ, Com. on Amos, 6: 12, now to Peter, now to Peter and his confession. The notable passages in which he makes Peter the rock are his letter to Marcella, and especially his letter to Damasus, bishop of Rome, Nic. Fathers, 6: 18, 55. In commenting on Matt. 16:16, Jerome combined the interpretations Christ and Peter. He can, therefore, be cited for both interpretations.
- ↑ The word transl. couch—thalamus—is used in the Vulgate, Deut. 33:12: "He will abide the whole day on his couch," where the proper transl. of the Hebrew is: "He covereth him all the day long." Gilbert of Hoiland, Sermon on the Cant., Migne 184: 64, says: "There is a couch on the breast of Jesus, yea and also a treasure," in pectore Jesu thalamus, etc.
- ↑ I have substituted for Huss's text, Christus, the text of the Decretum, Christi.
