Sects

By the name of sects Paul means here, not those divisions or contentions which rise sometimes in the government of households or of common weals for worldly and earthly matters: but those which rise in the Church about doctrine, faith and works. Heresies, that is to say, sects have always been in the Church, as we have said before in various places. Notwithstanding, the Pope is an Archheretic and the head of all heretics: for he has filled the world as it were with a huge flood of infinite sects and errors. What concord and unity was there in so great diversity of the Monks and other religious orders? No one sort or sect of them could agree with another: for they measured their holiness by the strictness of their orders. From this it comes that the Carthusian will needs be counted holier than the Franciscan, and so likewise the rest. Therefore there is no unity of spirit, nor concord of minds, but great discord in the papistical church. There is no conformity in their doctrine, faith, religion or serving of God, but all things are clean contrary. Contrariwise, among the Christians the word, faith, religion, sacraments, service, Christ, God, heart, soul, mind and understanding are all one and common to all: and as touching outward conversation the diversity of states, degrees and conditions of life, hinders this spiritual concord and unity nothing at all, as before I have said. And they which have this unity of the spirit, can certainly judge of all sects, which otherwise no man understands: as indeed no divine in that Papacy understood, that Paul in this place condemns all the worships, religions, continence, honest conversation and holy life in outward appearance, of all the Papists, sectaries and schismatics: but they all thought that he speaks of the gross idolatry and heresies of the Gentiles and Turks which manifestly blaspheme the name of Christ.

By 'sects' Paul means here not the divisions and quarrels that arise in households or civil society over worldly and material matters, but those that arise in the church over doctrine, faith, and works. Heresies — that is, sects — have always existed in the church, as we have noted in various places. Yet the Pope is the chief heretic and the leader of all heretics, for he has flooded the world with a vast torrent of endless sects and errors. What harmony and unity was there among such a vast variety of monks and religious orders? Not one kind or group of them could agree with another, for each measured its holiness by how strictly it observed its own rule. This is why the Carthusian insists on being considered holier than the Franciscan, and so on down the line. There is therefore no unity of Spirit or harmony of minds in the papal church — only great discord. There is no agreement in their doctrine, faith, religion, or worship — everything is in conflict and contradiction. Among Christians, by contrast, the word, faith, religion, sacraments, worship, Christ, God, heart, soul, mind, and understanding are all one and shared in common by all. And as for outward life, the diversity of callings, ranks, and conditions does not hinder this spiritual unity in the least, as I have said before. Those who have this unity of the Spirit are able to judge clearly about all sects — something others cannot understand. Indeed, no theologian in the papacy understood that Paul in this passage condemns the worship, religion, celibacy, upright outward conduct, and holy-seeming way of life of all papists, sectarians, and schismatics alike. They all assumed he was speaking only about the gross idolatry and heresies of pagans and Muslims who openly blaspheme the name of Christ.