The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Footnotes

^[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.

^[596] August de Morib. Manich. Lib. 2 c. 13; et cont. Faustum, Lib. 30

^[597] See Chrysostom. Homil. sub. initium Quadragesimæ, where he terms fasting a cure of souls and ablution for sins.

^[598] Bernard in Serm. 1 in die Paschæ, censures, among others, princes also, for longing, during the season of Lent, for the approaching festival of our Lord’s resurrection, that they might indulge more freely.

^[599] Bernard censures, among others, princes also, for longing, during the season of Lent, for the approaching festival of our Lord’s resurrection, that they might indulge more freely.

CHAPTER 13. OF VOWS. THE MISERABLE ENTANGLEMENTS CAUSED BY VOWING RASHLY.

^[600] See Ps. 119:106. “I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.” Calvin observes on these words, that the vow and oath to keep the law cannot be charged with rashness, because it trusted to the promises of God concerning the forgiveness of sins, and to the spirit of regeneration.

^[601] On the vow of celibacy. see Calv. de Fugiend. Micit. sacris, Adv. Theolog. Paris. De Necessit. Reform. Eccl.; Præfat. Antidoti ad Concil. Trident.; Vera Eccles. Reform. Ratio; De Scandalis.

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