THE
CATHOLIC CONTROVERSY
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES' DEFENSE OF THE FAITH
By
St. Francis de Sales
1567-1622
BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
Translated by
Rev. Henry Benedict Mackey, O.S.B.
FROM THE AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPTS AT ROME AND AT ANNECY
Under the Direction of the
Right Rev. John Cuthbert Hedley, O.S.B.
BISHOP OF NEWPORT AND MENEVIA

"He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me, despiseth Him that sent Me."----Luke 10:16

Published with the kind permission of TAN BOOKS AND PUBLISHERS



Table of Contents:

Links in bold are online. Notes in [brackets] are short footnotes; notes in parenthesis are original parenthetical notes.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES AND THE ORIGIN OF THE CATHOLIC CONTROVERSY
AUTHOR'S GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Part I
MISSION

I.-The lack of mission in the ministers of the new pretended church leaves both them and their followers without excuse.
II.-That the pretended reformers had no mediate mission either from the people or the Bishops.
III.-The pretended reformers had no immediate or extraordinary mission from God.
IV.-An answer to the two objections which are made by the supporters of the theory of immediate mission.
 V.-That the invisible church from which the innovators pretend to derive their mission is a figment, and that the true Church of Christ is visible.
VI.-Answer to the objections made against the visibility of the Church.
VII.-That in the Church there are good and bad, predestinate and reprobate.
VIII.-Answer to the objections of those who would have the Church to consist of the predestinate alone.
IX.-That the Church cannot perish.
X.-The counter-arguments of our adversaries, and the answers thereto.
 XI.-That the Church has never been dispersed nor hidden.
XII.-The Church cannot err.
XIII.-The ministers have violated the authority of the Church.

Part II
THE RULE OF FAITH

INTRODUCTION

ARTICLE I.
HOLY SCRIPTURE FIRST RULE OF FAITH.-THAT THE PRETENDED REFORMERS HAVE VIOLATED HOLY SCRIPTURE, THE FIRST RULE OF OUR FAITH.

I.-The Scripture is a true rule of Christian faith.
II.-How jealous we should be of its integrity.
III.-What are the sacred books of the Word of God.
IV.-First violation of the Holy Scripture made by the reformers: by cutting off some of its parts.
V.-Second violation of the Scriptures: by the rule which these reformers bring forward to distinguish this rule.
VI.-Answer to an objection.
VII.-How greatly the reformers have violated the integrity of the Scriptures.
VIII.-How the majesty of the Scriptures has been violated in the interpretations and versions of the heretics.
IX.-Of the profanations contained in the versions made into the vulgar tongue.
X.-Of the profanation of the Scriptures through the facility they pretend there is in understanding Scripture.
 XI.-On the profanation of the Scriptures in the versified psalms used by the pretended reformers.
 XII.-Answer to objections, and conclusion of this first article.

ARTICLE II.
THAT THE CHURCH OF THE PRETENDERS HAS VIOLATED THE ApOSTOLIC TRADITIONS, THE SECOND RULE OF OUR FAITH

I.- What is understood by Apostolic traditions.
II.-That there are Apostolic traditions in the Church.

ARTICLE III.
THE CHURCH: THIRD RULE OF FAITH. How THE MINISTE HAVE VIOLATED THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH, TJ THIRD RULE OF OUR FAITH.

I.-That we need some other rule besides the Word of God.
IL-That the Church is an infallible guide for our faith. That the true Church is visible. Definition of the Church.
III.-The Catholic Church is one. Mark the first. It is under one visible head, that of the protestants is not.
IV.-Unity of the Church (continued). Of the unity of the Church in doctrine and belief. The true Church must be one in its doctrine. The Catholic Church is united in belief, the so-called reformed church is not.
V.-Of the sanctity of the Church: second mark.
VI. -Second mark (continued). The true Church ought to be resplendent in miracles.
 VII.-Sanctity of the Church (continued). The Catholic Church is accompanied ,vith miracles, the pretended is not.
VIII.-Sanctity of the Church (continued). The spirit of prophecy ought to be in the true Church. The Catholic Church has the spirit of prophecy, the pretended has it not.
 IX.-Sanctityof the Church (continued). The true Church must practice the perfection of the Christian life.
X.-Sanctityof the Church (continued). The perfection of the evangelic life is practised in our Church; in the pretended it is despised and given up.
XI.-Of the universality or catholicity of the Church: third mark.
XII-Catholicity of the Church (continued). The true Church must be ancient. The Catholic Church is most ancient, the pretended quite new.
XIII.-Catholicity of the Church (continued). The true Church must be perpetual. Ours is perpetual, the pretended is not. XIV.-Catholicity of the Church (continued). The true Church ought to be universal in place and persons. The Catholic Church is thus universal, the pretended is not.
XV.-Catholicity of the Chur(continued). The true Church must be fruitful. The Catholic Church is fruitful, the pretended barren. XVI.-That the Church is Apostolic: fourth mark.

ARTICLE IV.
THAT THE MINISTERS HAVE VIOLATED THE AUTHORITY COUNCILS, THE FOURTH RULE OF OUR FAITH.

I.-Of the qualities of a true CounciL
1I.-How holy and sacred is the authority of universal Councils.
iII.-How the ministers have despised and violated the authority of Councils.

ARTICLE V.
THAT THE MINISTERS HAVE VIOLATED THE AUTHORITY THE ANCIENT FATHERS OF THE CHURCH, FIFTH RULE OUR FAITH.

I-The authority of the ancient Fathers is venerable.

 ARTICLE VI.
THE AUTHORITY OF THE POPE, THE SIXTH RULE OF FAITH.

I-First and second proofs. Of the first promise made to S. Peter: Upon this rock I will build my Church.
II-Resolution of a difficulty.
III.- Third proof. Of the second promise made to S. Peter: And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
IV.-Fourth proof. Of the third promise made to S. Peter: I have prayed for thee, Etc.
V.-Fifth proof. The fillfilment of these promises: Feed my sheep.
VI-Sixth proof. From the order in which the Evangelists name the Apostles. 
VII.-Seventh proof. Of some other marks which are scattered throughout the Scriptures of the primacy of S. Peter. VIII.-Testimonies of the Church to this fact.
IX-That S. Peter has had successors in the vicar-generalship of Our Lord. The conditions required for succeeding him.
X.-That the Bishop of Rome is true successor of S. Peter and head of the militant Church.
XI.-Short description of the life of S. Peter, and of the institution of his first successors.
XII.-Confirmation of all the above by the titles which antiquity has given to the Pope.
XIlI.-In how great esteem the authority of the Pope ought to be held.
XIV.-How the ministers have violated this authority.


ARTICLE VII.
MIRACLES: THE SEVENTH RULE OF FAITH.

I.-How important miracles are for confirnrlng our faith.
II.-How greatly the ministers have violated the faith due to the testimony of miracles.

ARTICLE VIII.
HARMONY OF FAITH AND REASON: EIGHTH RULE OF FAITH.

I.-That the teaching of the pretended reformers contradicts reason.
 II.-That the analogy of the faith cannot serve as a rule to the ministers to establish their doctrine.
 III.-Conclusion of the whole of this second part by a short enumeration of many excellences which are in the Catholic doctrine as compared with the opinion of the heretics of our age.

PART III
CHURCH DOCTRINES AND INSTITUTIONS

INTRODUCTION

ARTICLE I.
OF THE SACRAMENTS.

I.-Of the name of Sacrament.
II.-Of the form of the Sacraments.
III.-Of the intention required in the administration of the Sacraments.

ARTICLE II.
PURGATORY.

INTRODUCTION

I.-Of the name of Purgatory.
II.-Of those who have denied Purgatory, and of the means of proving it.
III.-Of some passages of the Scripture in which mention is made of a purgation after this life, and of a time and a place for it.
IV.-Of another passage out of the New Testament to this effect.
V.-Of some other passages by which prayer, alms-deeds, and holy actions for the departed are authorised.
VI.-Of certain other places of Scripture by which we prove that some sins can be pardoned in the other world.
VII.-Of some other places from which, by various consequences, is deduced the truth of Purgatory.
VIII.-Of the Councils which have received Purgatory as an article of faith.
IX-Of the testimony of the ancient Fathers to the truth of Purgatory.
X.-Of two principal reasons, and of the testimonies of outsiders in favour of Purgatory.



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