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The Institutes of the Christian Religion
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[575] See Calvin’s Antidote to the Articles of Sorbonne; Letter to Sadolet; Necessity of Reforming the Church; Antidote to the Council of Trent; Remarks on the Paternal Admonition of the Pope.
[576] French , “Si je tien ici la bride roide pour ne lascher rien facilement à nos adversaires, ce n’est pas a dire pourtant que je prise les conciles anciens moins que je ne doy. Car je les honore de bonne affection, et desire que chacun les estime, et les ait en reverence.”–If I here keep the reins tight, and do not easily yield anything to our opponents, it is not because I prize ancient councils less than I ought. For I honour them sincerely and desire that every man esteem them, and hold them in reverence.
[577] French, “Toutesfois je ne veux point que ces propos soyent entendus comme si je vouloye amoindrir l’authorité des pasteurs, et induire le peuple à la mepriser legerement.”–However, I would not have these statements to be understood as if I wished to lessen the authority of pastors, and induce the people lightly to despise it.
[578] French, “entre le siege judicial de Dieu, qui est spirituel, et la justice terrestre des hommes;”–between the judgment-seat of God and the terrestrial justice of men.
[579] French, “Et de fait, tel a eté le sens de cette distinction vulgaire qu’on a tenue par toutes les ecoles; que c’est autre choses des jurisdictions humaines et politiques, que de celles qui touchent à la conscience;”–And in fact, such is the import of the common distinction which has been held by all the schools, that human and civil jurisdictions are quite different from those which touch the conscience.
[580] Calvin on the Necessity of Reforming the Church.
[581] French, “Mais depuis sont survenus d’autres singes, qui ont eu une folle affectation de coudre piece sur piece, et ainsi ont composé tant les accoustremens du prestre, que les paremens de l’autel, et le badinage et jeu de farce que nous voyons à present à la Messe, avec tout le reste du borgage.”–But other apes have since appeared, who have had a foolish affectation of sewing piece to piece, and thus have formed all the furnishings of the priests, as well as altar ornaments, the trifling and farce play which we now see in the Mass, with all the other garniture.
CHAPTER 11. OF THE JURISDICTION OF THE CHURCH, AND THE ABUSES OF IT, AS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE PAPACY.
[582] There is nothing repugnant to this in the statement of Augustine (Ep. 119), that as the teachers of liberal arts and pursuits, so bishops also were often accustomed, in their judicial proceedings, to chastise with the rod.
[583] It is truly unfortunate that these sound sentiments were not heeded by Calvin himself, when, exactly six years before this definitive edition of 1559 was published, he asked the councils of Geneva to arrest the heretic Michael Servetus, brought charges against him, carried on the debate to prove that his heresy was threatening the Church of Christ, and approved of the verdict to put him to death (although he urged beheading instead of burning at the stake). Calvin even wrote a small book defending the death sentence upon Servetus. Today there is a monument on Champel, the hill upon which Servetus perished in the flames. It was erected on the 350th anniversary of the execution, by followers of Calvin. The inscription reads: As reverent and grateful sons of Calvin, our great Reformer, repudiating his mistake, which was the mistake of his age, and according to the true principles of the Reformation and the Gospel, holding fast to freedom of conscience, we erect this monument of reconciliation on this 27th of October 1903.
[584] This is stated by Ambrose, Hom. de Basilic. Tradend. See also August. De Fide et Operibus, cap. 4.
[585] Gregor. Lib. 2 Ep. 5; Lib. 3 Ep. 20; Lib. 2 Ep. 61; Lib. 4 Ep. 31, 34.
[586] Lib. 1 Ep. 43; Lib. 4 Ep. 32, 34; Lib. 7 Ep. 39.
CHAPTER 12. OF THE DISCIPLINE OF THE CHURCH, AND ITS PRINCIPAL USE IN CENSURES AND EXCOMMUNICATION.
[587] French, “J’use de ce mot de Cleres pource qu’il est commun, combien qu’il soit impropre; par lequel j’entens ceux qui ont office et ministere en l’Eglise.”–I use this word Clergy because it is common, though it is improper; by it I mean those who have an office and ministry in the Church.
[588] Vide Cyril in Joann. cap. 50, et Luther, de Commun. Populi, tom. 2
[589] Cyprian, Lib. 1 Ep. 2; Lib. 3 Ep. 14, 26.
[590] Ambros. Lib. 1 Ep. 3; et Oratio habita in Funere Theodosii.
[591] French, “Il y a danger, que de discipline nous ne tombions en une maniere de gehene, et que de correcteurs nous ne devenions bourreaux.”–There is a danger, lest instead of discipline we fall into a kind of gehenna, and instead of correctors become executioners.
[592] See a lengthened refutation in Calv. Instructio adv. Anabap. Art. 2. See also Calv. de Cœna Domini.
[593] See a striking instance in Ezra 8:21, on the appointment of a fast at the river Ahava, on the return of the people from the Babylonish captivity.
[594] French “Quand il advient quelque different en Chretienté, qui tire grande consequence.”–When some difference on a matter of great consequence takes place in Christendom.
[595] 1 Sam. 7:6; 31:13; 2 Kings 1:12; Jonah 3:5.
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