Project Chytraeus, Part One: Excerpt from David Chytraeus' Catechesis, De Ecclesia

The lack of time and the lack on awesome Latin skills prevents me from producing lengthy translations.  In order to keep this blog going, I have decided to work on a translation of certain parts of David Chytraeus' Catechism.  If there are any Latin nerds out there who want to correct parts of my translation, please do so.  Chytraeus' Catechism can be found here.  So for the first part of this project, here is something on the Church.

The Church, or People of God, are men beloved by God, and rightly know and worship God, and they are heirs of eternal life for Christ's sake. 

The holy catholic church is the communion of Saints, of the universal multitude of all the pious men, living in all times and places who gather around the Gospel of Christ, and they believe in Christ, also on account of Him they are pleasing to God, and through the Holy Spirit are reborn and sanctified to eternal life. Of this the true members of the Church are wholly pious and holy, not hypocrites, or persecutors, who bear the name of the Church before them. 

Since moreover in this life there are always mixed in the true Church others who are not holy, it bequeaths this common definition of the visible Church in this life. 

The visible Church is the assembly of men gathering around the Gospel of Christ, and the right use of the Sacraments, in which assembly there are always some who truly believe, and by the Holy Spirit are reborn, and are heirs of eternal life. At the same time wholly in the external joining together there are admixed many hypocrites who do not wholly attack the true doctrine of the Gospel, nor do they defend idols, as Matt 22 [say]:...

Of this visible church there are living members, to whom the Holy Spirit through the Gospel kindles true knowledge of God, true faith, life, love, and charitble virtues, which, greater in some and lesser in others, are stimulated and eager.