The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Footnotes

^[530] French, “Secondement, qu’encore il y ait quelques petites fautes, ou en la doctrine ou aux sacremens qu’icelui no laisse point d’avoir sa vigeur.”–Secondly, that though there may be some little faults either in doctrine or in the sacraments, the Church ceases not to be in vigour.

^[531] Calvin here answers the question, “How far into error can the (visible) Church go before it ceases to deserve the name?” Minor defects or trivial errors, whether in doctrine or in conduct, do not bring the Church to that point. But if the fundamental articles of religion are injured or suppressed, and the essential elements of the sacraments are destroyed, then the Church dies, and ceases to exist.

^[532] See chap. 1 sec. 10; 2 sec. 10; 8 sec. 12.

^[533] French, “Je say bien que les flatteurs du Pape magnifient grandement leur Eglise.” –I know that the flatterers of the Pope greatly extol their Church.

^[534] French, “Or tent s’en faut que cela ait lieu, que mesmes aux gouvernemens terrestres il ne seroit point supportable. Comme il n’y a nul propos de dire que la tyrannie de Caligula, Neron, Heliogabale, et leurs semblables soit le vrai etat de la cité de Rome, pourcequ’ils ont succedé aux bons governeurs qui etoient establis par la peuple.”–Now, so far is this from being the case, that even in earthly governments it would not be supportable. As there is no ground for saying that the tyranny of Caligula, Nero, Heliogabalus, and the like, is the true state of the city of Rome, because they succeeded the good governors who were established by the people.

^[535] French, “Ils savoient que les pretres Levitiques, combien qu’ils fussent indignes d’un tel office, neantmoins pourcequ’ils avoient eté ordonnez de Dieu, et n’etoient point encore deposés, devoient etre recognus pour ministres legitimes, ayant le degré de pretrise.”–They knew that the Levitical priests, although they were unworthy of such an office, nevertheless, because they had been ordained of God, and were not yet deposed, were to be recognised as lawful ministers, having the rank of priesthood.

^[536] French, “Mais nous contendons seulement du vrai etat de l’Eglise, qui emporte communion, tant en doctrine, qu’en tout qui appartient à la profession de notre Chretienté;”–but we contend only for the true state of the Church, implying communion, as well as everything which pertains to the profession of our Christianity.

^[537] The French adds, “pour le moins en l’Eglise Occidentale;”–at least in the Western Church.

CHAPTER 3. OF THE TEACHERS AND MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH. THEIR ELECTION AND OFFICE.

^[538] Latin, “quasi vicariam operam.”–French, “les faisans comme ses lieutenans;”–making them as it were his substitutes.

^[539] See on this subject August. de Doctrina Christiana, Lib. 1

^[540] Latin, “senatum.”–French, “conseil ou consistoire;”–council or consistory.

^[541] Luke 21:15; 24:49; Mark 6:15; Acts 1 8; 1 Tim. 5:22.

^[542] See chap. 4 sec. 10, 11; chap. 5 sec. 2, 3. Also Calv. in Acts 6:3, and Luther, tom. 2 p 374.

CHAPTER 4. OF THE STATE OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH, AND THE MODE OF GOVERNMENT IN USE BEFORE THE PAPACY.

^[543] “Pourtant Sainct Hierome apres avoir divisé l’Eglise en cinq ordres, nomme les Eveques, secondement, les Pretres, tiercement, les Diacres, puis les fideles en commun, finalement, ceux qui n’etoient pas baptisés encore, mais qui s’etoient presentés pour etre instruits en la foy Chretienne; et puis recevoient le baptéme. Ainsi il n’attribue point de certain lieu au reste du Clergé ni aux Moines.”–However, St Jerome, after dividing the Church into five orders, names the Bishops, secondly, the Priests, thirdly the Deacons, then the faithful in common, lastly, those who were not yet baptised but had presented themselves to be instructed in the Christian faith, and thereafter received baptism. Thus he attributes no certain place to the remainder of the Clergy or to the Monks.

^[544] French, “La cognoissance venoit aux patriarches, qui assemblerent le concile do tous les eveques respondant a leur primauté;”–the cognisance fell to the patriarchs, who assembled a council of all the bishops corresponding to their precedence.

^[545] Hieronymus, Epist. ad Nepotianum. It is mentioned also by Chrysostom, Epist. ad Innocent.

^[546] In the Amsterdam edition the words are only “quartam vero advenis pauperibus.” The Geneva edition of 1559, the last published under Calvin’s own eye, has “quartam vero tam advenis quam indigenis pauperibus.” With this Tholuck agrees.

^[547] The French adds, “Afin qu’il n’all’ nulle part sans compagnie et sans temoin;”– in order that he might not go anywhere without company and without witness.

^[548] French, “On leur ordonnoit de faire la lecture des Pseaumes au pulpitre;”–they ordered them to read the Psalms in the desk.

^[549] The French adds, “Comme de Lecteurs et Acolytes;”–as Readers and Acolytes.

^[550] The whole narrative in Theodoret is most deserving of notice. Theodoret. Lib. 4 cap. 20.

CHAPTER 5. THE ANCIENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT UTTERLY CORRUPTED BY THE TYRANNY OF THE PAPACY.

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