The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Footnotes

^[506] French, “nous recevions un povre salaire de nostre lascheté et paresse;”–we receive a poor salary for our carelessness and sloth.

^[507] Calvin translates. “Quis scit an hominis anima ascendit sursum?”–Who knows whether the soul of man goes upward? &c.

^[508] Chiliasm (from a Greek word meaning “a thousand”) arose very early in the history of theology. Some of the early Church Fathers distinguished between a first and a second resurrection, and held that there would be an intervening millennial kingdom in which Christ would reign with His saints upon the earth. This view may be found in Papias, Irenaeus, Barnabas, Hermas, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian (all from the second century). But by the time of Luther and Calvin, the leading theologians (both Roman Catholic and Protestant) had rejected the doctrine of an earthly millennium. Calvin calls it a “fiction,” and says that it is “too puerile to need or to deserve refutation.”

^[509] Calvin’s chief objection to “Chiliasm” appears to be alleged limitation, to a period of one thousand years, of the reign of Christ with His saints. A secondary objection arises out of his interpretation of Revelation 20:2-7 (in which the term “thousand years” appears six times) as referring to the Church militant in this world. These objections against “Chiliasm” would today apply only to that view of the last things called Premillennialism. However, if a person held (1) that Christ’s kingdom is spiritually present, as He rules in the hearts of His elect; (2) that Christ’s kingdom shall have a future, earthly manifestation, when He shall reign with His saints upon the earth; and (3) that Christ’s kingdom will not cease at the close of the thousand years, but will merge into eternity; then it would appear that Calvin’s chief objection to this view would be removed. Of course, his secondary objection would remain as a difference of hermeneutical (interpretive) approach and method.

^[510] French, “La question quant au lieu est bien frivole et sotte: veu que nous savons que l’ame n’a pas ses mesures de long et de large, comme le corps;”–the question as to place is very frivolous and foolish, seeing we know that the sould has no measures of length and breadth like the body.

^[511] Latin, “ut vivificas esse doceat”–French, “pour monstrer quells nous meinent à vie;”–to show that they conduct us to life.

^[512] French, “Et encore quand nous aurons bien profité en cette meditation, se nous faut il entendre que nous sommes encore tout au bas et à la premiere entree, et que jamais nous n’approcherons durant cette vie à la hautesse de ce mystere.”–And still, when we shall have profited much by thus meditating, we must understand that we are still far beneath it, and at the very threshold, and that never during this life shall we approach the height of this mystery.

CHAPTER 1. OF THE TRUE CHURCH. DUTY OF CULTIVATING UNITY WITH HER, AS THE MOTHER OF ALL THE GODLY.

^[513] Here Calvin provides a basis for the concept, “the invisible Church.” The term “invisible” refers to the fact that a knowledge of those who are truly members of Christ’s body is known to God alone and cannot with certainty be ascertained by men (except for themselves, through their effectual calling). (see also section 7)

^[514] Here Calvin employs the term, “the visible Church.” (He also calls it “the external Church” in the first sentence of section 3). The expression, “visible Church” refers to the Church as it is seen by the eyes of fallible men. From this standpoint, since only the Lord “knows them that are His,” it is possible to have (and sometimes discover) deceived persons and hypocrites in the church–those who are not truly members of Christ’s body. This mixed state of affairs forms part of the warrant for Church discipline. (see also section 7)

^[515] In this section (7), Calvin specifically distinguishes between the invisible and the visible Church (note first line for term “visible”). The invisible Church is the Church as it really is before God; the visible Church is the Church as it appears to man.

^[516] Here Calvin enumerates the criteria by which we are to judge who are to be acknowledged as members of the visible Church. The presence of these criteria does not, of course, give us full certainty as to who are members of Christ’s body, the invisible church (such certainty rests with God alone); but the absence of them leaves us with no bases upon which to judge who are to be regarded as members of the visible Church.

^[517] Here Calvin distinguishes between the Church universal (the visible church throughout the world), and local churches and individuals (the visible Church manifested in particular places).

^[518] French, “Pour donner exemple, s’il advenoit qu’une Eglise tint que les ames etant separées des corps fussent transferés au ciel incontinent: une autre, sans oser determiner du lieu pens’t semplement qu’elles vivent en Dieu: et que telle diversité fut sans contention et sans opiniatreté pourquoy se diviseroient elles d’ensemble?”–To give an example, should one church happen to hold that the soul when separated from the body is forthwith transported to heaven, and should another, without venturing to determine the place, simply think that it lives in God, and should such diversity be without contention and obstinacy, why should they be divided?

^[519] French, “La doctrine principale de nostre salut;”–the fundamental doctrine of our salvation.

^[520] French, “Et aussi que demeurant en icelle nous ne troublions point la police ni la discipline;”–and also that, remaining in it, we disturb not its order and discipline.

^[521] French. “Comme s’ils eussent ete quelques anges de Paradis;”–as if they had bean some angels of Paradise.

^[522] l Cor. 1:11; 3:3; 5:l; 6:7; 9:l; 15:12.

^[523] French, “Toutesfois Sainct Paul recognoissoit entre eux quelque Eglise;”–yet St Paul recognised some church among them.

^[524] See Calvin, Lib. de Cœna Domini; item, Instructio adv. Anabapt.

^[525] Calvin here asserts that, in all ages, there has been a Church, and that this Church will continue until the final consummation of all things. This emphasis, of course, does not agree with the view that God dealt with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, but now deals with the Church; nor does it comport with the view that Old Testament believers cannot be said to have been in the Church, since the Church began at Pentecost. Calvin views believers of all ages and dispensations as members of Christ’s Church.

^[526] Latin, “Jactant.”–French, “Ces grands correcteurs leur reprochent;”–those great reformers upbraid them.

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