menu_book Chapter 14

by kevin kennelly institutes of the christian religion book four by john calvin translated by henry beveridge chapter eight part one of the power of the church in articles of faith the unbridled license of the papal church in destroying purity of doctrine this chapter is divided into two parts one the limits within which the church ought to confine herself in matters of this kind sections one through nine two the roman church convicted of having transgress these limits sections ten through sixteen sections section one the marks and government of the church having been considered in the seven previous chapters the power of the church is now considered under three heads viz doctrine legislation jurisdiction section two the authority and power given to church officers not given to themselves but their office this shown in the case of moses and the levitical priesthood

section three the same thing shown in the case of the prophets section four same thing shown in the case of the apostles and of christ himself section five church is stricted to the written word of god christ the only teacher of the church from his lips ministers must derive what they teach for the salvation of others various modes of divine teaching i personal revelations section six second mode of teaching viz by the law and the prophets the prophets were in regard to doctrine the expounders of the law to these were added historical narratives and the psalms section seven last mode of teaching by our saviour himself manifested in the flesh different names given to this dispensation to show that we are not to dream of anything more perfect than the written word section eight

nothing can be lawfully taught in the church that is not contained in the writings of the prophets and the apostles as dictated by the spirit of christ section nine neither the apostles nor apostolic men nor the whole church allowed to overstep these limits this confirmed by passages of peter and paul argument a fortiori section ten the roman tyrants have taught a different doctrine viz that councils cannot err and therefore may coin new dogmas section eleven answer to the papistical arguments for the authority of the church argument that the church is to be led into all truth answer the promise made not only to the whole church but to every individual believer section twelve answers continued section thirteen answers continued section fourteen argument that the church should supply the deficiency of the written word by traditions answer section fifteen argument founded on matthew chapter eighteen first seventeen answer section sixteen objections founded on infant baptism and the canon of the council of nice as the consubstantiality of the son

answer section one we come now to the third division viz the power of the church as existing either in individual bishops or in councils whether provincial or general i speak only of the spiritual power which is proper to the church and which consists either in doctrine or jurisdiction or in enacting laws in regard to doctrine there are two divisions viz the authority of delivering dogmas and the interpretation of them before we begin to treat of each in particular i wish to remind the pious reader that whatever is taught respecting the power of the church ought to have reference to the end for which paul declares in second corinthians chapter ten verse eight and chapter thirteen verse ten that it was given namely for the edification and not for the destruction those who use it lawfully deeming themselves to be nothing more than servants of christ and at the same time servants of the people in christ moreover the only mode by which ministers can edify the church is by studying to maintain the authority of christ which cannot be unimpaired unless that which he received of the father is left to him

viz to be the only master of the church for it was not said of any other but of himself alone hear him matthew chapter seventeen verse five ecclesiastical power therefore is not to be mischievously adorned but it is to be confined within certain limits so as not to be drawn hither and thither at the caprice of men for this purpose it will be of great use to observe how it is described by prophets and apostles for if we concede unreservedly to men all the power which they think proper to assume it is easy to see how soon it will degenerate into a tyranny which is altogether alien from the church of christ section two therefore it is here necessary to remember that whatever authority and dignity the holy spirit in scripture confers on priests or prophets or apostles or successors of apostles is wholly given not to men themselves but to the ministry to which they are appointed or to speak more plainly to the word to the ministry of which they are appointed

for were we to go over the whole in order we should find that they were not invested with authority to teach or give responses save in the name of the word of the lord for whenever they are called to office they are enjoined not to bring anything of their own but to speak by the mouth of the lord nor does he bring them forward to be heard by the people before he has instructed them what they are to speak lest they should speak anything but his own word moses the prince of all the prophets was to be heard in preference to others exodus chapter three verse four deuteronomy chapter seventeen verse nine but he has previously furnished with his orders that he may not be able to speak at all except from the lord accordingly when the people embraced his doctrine they are said to have believed the lord and his servant moses exodus chapter fourteen verse thirty one it was also provided under the sephiris sanctions that the authority of the priests should not be despised exodus chapter seventeen verse nine

but the lord at the same time shows in what terms they were to be heard when he says that he made his covenant with levi that the law of truth might be in his mouth malachi chapter two verses four through six a little after he adds the priest's lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts therefore if the priest would be heard let him show himself to be the messenger of god that is let him faithfully deliver the commands which he has received from his maker when the mode of hearing then is treated of it is expressly said according to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee deuteronomy chapter seventeen verse eleven section three the nature of the power conferred upon the prophets in general is elegantly described by ezekiel son of man i have made thee a watchman unto the house of israel

therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me ezekiel chapter three verse seventeen is not he who is ordered to hear at the mouth of the lord prohibited from devising anything of himself And what is meant by giving a warning from the Lord, but just to speak so as to be able to confidently declare that the word which he delivers is not his own, but the Lord's? The same thing is expressed by Jeremiah in different terms. Quote, The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream, and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. End quote. Jeremiah chapter 23,

verse twenty eight surely god here declares the law to all and it is a law which does not allow any one to teach more than he has been ordered he afterwards gives the name of chap to whatever has not proceeded from himself alone accordingly none of the prophets opened his mouth unless preceded by the word of the lord hence we so often meet with the expressions the word of the lord the burden of the lord thus saith the lord the mouth of the lord hath spoken it and justly for isaiah exclaims that his lips are unclean isaiah chapter six verse five and jeremiah confesses that he knows not how to speak because he is a child jeremiah chapter one verse six could anything proceed from the unclean lips of the one and the childish lips of the other if they spoke their own language but what was unclean or childish but their lips were holy and pure when they began to be organs of the holy spirit the prophets after being thus strictly bound not to deliver anything but what they receive are invested with the great power in illustrious titles

for when the lord declares see i have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant he at the same time gives the reason behold i have put my words in thy mouth jeremiah chapter one first nine and ten section four now if you look to the apostles they are commended by many distinguished titles as the light of the world and the salt of the earth to be heard in christ's stead whatever they bound or loosed on earth be bound or loosed in heaven matthew chapter five verses thirteen and fourteen luke chapter ten verse sixteen john chapter twenty verse twenty three but they declare in their own name what the authority was which their office conferred on them viz if they are apostles they must not speak their own pleasure but faithfully deliver the commands of him by whom they are sent

the words in which christ defined their embassy are sufficiently clear go ye therefore and teach all nations teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you matthew chapter twenty eight verses nineteen and twenty nay that none might be permitted to decline this law he received it and imposed it on himself my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me john chapter seven verse sixteen he who always was the only and eternal counsellor of the father by the father was constituted lord and master of all yet because he performed the ministry of teaching prescribed to all ministers by his example the rule which they ought to follow in teaching the power of the church therefore is not infinite but is subject to the word of the lord and as it were included section five but though the rule which always existed in the church from the beginning and ought to exist in the present day is that the servants of god are only to teach what they have learned from himself yet according to the variety of times they have had different methods of learning

the mode which now exists differs very much from that of former times first if it is true as christ says neither knoweth any man the father save the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him matthew chapter eleven verse twenty seven and those who wished to attain the knowledge of god behoved always to be directed by that internal wisdom for how could they have comprehended the mysteries of god in their mind or declared them to others unless by the teaching of him to whom alone the secrets of the father are known the only way therefore by which in ancient times holy men knew god was by beholding him in the sun as in a mirror when i say this i mean that god never manifested himself to men by any other means than by the sun that is his own only wisdom light and truth from this fountain adam noah abraham isaac jacob and others drew all the heavenly doctrine which they possessed from the same fountain all the prophets also drew all the heavenly oracles which they published for this wisdom did not always display itself in one manner with the patriarchs he employed secret revelations but at the same time in order to confirm these had recourse to signs so as to make it impossible for them to doubt that it was god that spoke to them

what the patriarchs received they handed down to posterity for god had in depositing it with them bound them thus to propagate it while their children and descendants knew by the inward teaching of god that what they had heard was of heaven and not of earth section six but when god determined to give a more illustrious form to the church he was pleased to commit and consign his word to writing that the priests might there seek what they were to teach the people and every doctrine delivered be brought up to it as a test malachi chapter two verse seven accordingly after the promulgation of the law when the priests are enjoined to teach from the mouth of the lord the meaning is that they are not to teach anything extraneous or alien to that kind of doctrine which god had summed up in the law while it is unlawful for them to add to it or take from it next followed the prophets by whom god published the new oracles which were added to the law not so new however but that they flowed from the law and had respect to it for in so far as regards doctrine they were only interpreters of the law adding nothing to it but predictions of future events with this exception all that they delivered was pure exposition of the law but as the lord was pleased that doctrine should exist in a clearer and more ample form the better to satisfy weak consciences he commanded the prophecies also be committed to writing and to be held part of his word

to these at the same time were added historical details which are also the composition of prophets but dictated by the holy spirit i include the psalms among the prophecies the quality which we attribute to the latter belonging also to the former the whole body therefore composed of the law the prophets the psalms and histories formed the word of the lord to his ancient people and by it as a standard priests and teachers before the advent of christ were bound to test their doctrine nor was it lawful for them to turn aside either to the right hand or the left because their whole office was confined to this to give responses to the people from the mouth of god this is gathered from a celebrated passage of malachi in which it is enjoined to remember the law and give heed to it until the preaching of the gospel malachi chapter four verse four for he thus restrains men from all adventitious doctrines and does not allow them to deviate in the least from the path which moses had faithfully pointed out

and the reason why david so magnificently extols the law and pronounces so many encomiums on it psalms chapter nineteen verse one nineteen was that the jews might long after any extraneous aid all perfection be included in it section seven but when at length the wisdom of god was manifested in the flesh he fully unfolded to us all that the human mind can comprehend or ought to think of the heavenly father now therefore since christ the son of righteousness has arisen we have the perfect refulgence of divine truth like the brightness of noonday whereas the light was previously dim it was no ordinary blessing which the apostle intended to publish what he wrote god who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son and quote hebrews chapter one verses one and two for he intimates nay openly declares that god will not henceforth as formerly speak by this one and by that one

that he will not add prophecy to prophecy or revelation to revelation but has so completed all the parts of the teaching in the son that it is to be regarded as his last and eternal testimony for which reason the whole period of new dispensation from the time when Christ appeared to us with the preaching of his gospel, until the day of judgment, is designated by the last hour, the last times, the last days, that, contented with the perfection of Christ's doctrine,

we may learn to frame no new doctrine for ourselves, or to admit any one devised by others. With good cause, therefore, the Father appointed the Son our teacher, with special prerogative, commanding that he and no human being should be heard when he said quote hear him and quote matthew chapter seventeen verse five he commended his office to us in few words indeed but words of more weight and energy than is commonly supposed

for it is just as if he had withdrawn us from all doctrines of man and confined us to him alone ordering us to seek the whole doctrine of salvation from him alone to depend on him alone and cleave to him alone in short as the words express to listen only to his voice and indeed what can now be expected or desired from man when the very word of life has appeared before us and familiarly explained himself nay every mouth should be stopped when once he has spoken in whom according to the pleasure of our heavenly father are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and quote chapter two verse three and spoken as became the wisdom of god which is in no part defective and the messiah from whom the revelation of all things was expected john chapter four verse twenty five in other words has so spoken as to leave nothing to be spoken by others after him section eight let this then be a sure axiom that there is no word of god to which place should be given in the church save that which is contained first in the law and the prophets

and secondly in the writings of the apostles and that the only due method of teaching in the church is according to the prescription and rule of his word hence also we infer that nothing else was permitted to the apostles than was formerly permitted to the prophets namely to expound the ancient scriptures and show that the things there delivered are fulfilled in christ this however they could not do unless from the lord that is unless the spirit of christ went before and in a manner dictated words to them for christ thus defined the terms of their embassy when he commanded them to go and teach not what they themselves had at random fabricated but whatsoever he had commanded matthew chapter twenty eight first twenty and nothing can be plainer than his words in another passage be not ye called rabbi for one is your master even christ matthew chapter twenty three verses eight through ten to impress this more deeply in their minds he in the same place repeats it twice and because from ignorance they were unable to comprehend the things which they had heard and learned from the lips of their master the spirit of truth is promised to guide them unto all truth

john chapter fourteen verse twenty six and chapter sixteen verse thirteen the restriction should be carefully attended to the office which he assigns to the holy spirit is to bring to remembrance what his own lips had previously taught end of section fourteen recording by kevin kenley el desembocque sonora mexico