in one Church and one visible assembly of men. There would be too
great clearness, if there were only one opinion in this Church. But in order
to recognise what is true, one has only to look at what has always existed;
for it is certain that truth has always existed, and that nothing false has
always existed.

858. The history of the Church ought properly to be called the history of
truth.

859. There is a pleasure in being in a ship beaten about by a storm, when we
are sure that it will not founder. The persecutions which harass the Church
are of this nature.

860. In addition to so many other signs of piety, they are also persecuted,
which is the best sign of piety.

861. The Church is in an excellent state when it is sustained by God only.

862. The Church has always been attacked by opposite errors, but perhaps
never at the same time, as now. And if she suffer more because of the
multiplicity of errors, she derives this advantage from it, that they
destroy each other.

She complains of both, but far more of the Calvinists, because of the
schism.

It is certain that many of the two opposite sects are deceived. They must be
disillusioned.

Faith embraces many truths which seem to contradict each other. There is a
time to laugh, and time to weep, etc. Responde. Ne respondeas,215 etc.

The source of this is the union of the two natures in Jesus Christ; and also
the two worlds (the creation of a new heaven and a new earth; a new life and
a new death; all things double, and the same names remaining); and finally
the two natures that are in the righteous (for they are the two worlds, and
a member and image of Jesus Christ. And thus all the names suit them:
righteous, yet sinners; dead, yet living; living, yet dead; elect, yet
outcast, etc.).

There are then a great number of truths, both of faith and of morality,
which seem contradictory and which all hold good together in a wonderful
system. The

Archived from group: rec>skydiving