Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)
CHAPTER I.06
The True Church, And The Necessity Of Our Union With Her, Being The Mother Of All The Pious - Reading 06
XII. When we affirm the pure ministry of the word, and
pure order in the celebration of the sacraments, to be a sufficient
pledge and earnest, that we may safely embrace the society
in which both these are found, as a true Church, we carry
the observation to this point, that such a society should never
be rejected as long as it continues in those things, although in
other respects it may be chargeable with many faults. It is
possible, moreover, that some fault may insinuate itself into the
preaching of the doctrine, or the administration of the sacraments,
which ought not to alienate us from its communion.
For all the articles of true doctrine are not of the same description.
Some are so necessary to be known, that they
ought to be universally received as fixed and indubitable principles,
as the peculiar maxims of religion; such as, that there is
one God; that Christ is God and the Son of God; that our
salvation depends on the mercy of God; and the like. There
are others, which are controverted among the churches, yet
without destroying the unity of the faith. For why should
there be a division on this point, if one church be of
opinion, that souls, at their departure from their bodies, are
immediately removed to heaven; and another church venture
to determine nothing respecting their local situation, but be
nevertheless firmly convinced, that they live to the Lord; and
if this diversity of sentiment on both sides be free from all
fondness for contention and obstinacy of assertion? The language
of the apostle is, “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect,
be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded,
God shall reveal even this unto you.” [745] [746]
XIII. But in bearing with imperfections of life, we ought
to carry our indulgence a great deal further. For this is a
point in which we are very liable to err, and here Satan lies in
wait to deceive us with no common devices. For there have
always been persons, who, from a false notion of perfect sanctity,
as if they were already become disembodied spirits, despised
the society of all men in whom they could discover any
remains of human infirmity. Such, in ancient times, were the
Cathari, and also the Donatists, who approached to the same
folly. Such, in the present day, are some of the Anabaptists,
who would be thought to have made advances in piety beyond
all others. There are others who err, more from an inconsiderate
zeal for righteousness, than from this unreasonable
pride. For when they perceive, that among those to whom
the gospel is preached, its doctrine is not followed by correspondent
effects in the life, they immediately pronounce, that
there no church exists. This is, indeed, a very just ground of
offence, and one for which we furnish more than sufficient
occasion in the present unhappy age; nor is it possible to excuse
our abominable inactivity, which the Lord will not suffer
to escape with impunity, and which he has already begun to
chastise with heavy scourges. Woe to us, therefore, who, by
the dissolute licentiousness of our crimes, cause weak consciences
to be wounded on our account! But, on the other
hand, the error of the persons of whom we now speak, consists
in not knowing how to fix any limits to their offence. For
where our Lord requires the exercise of mercy, they entirely
neglect it, and indulge themselves in immoderate severity.
Supposing it impossible for the Church to exist, where there is
not a perfect purity and integrity of life, through a hatred of
crimes they depart from the true Church, while they imagine
themselves to be only withdrawing from the factions of the
wicked. They allege, that the Church of Christ is holy.
But that they may also understand, that it is composed of good
and bad men mingled together, let them hear that parable from
the lips of Christ, where it is compared to a net, in which
fishes of all kinds are collected, and no separation is made till
they are exposed on the shore. [747] [748] [749]
XIV. But they exclaim, that it is an intolerable thing that
the pestilence of crimes so generally prevails. I grant it would
be happy if the fact were otherwise; but in reply, I would
present them with the judgment of the apostle. Among the
Corinthians, more than a few had gone astray, and the infection
had seized almost the whole society; there was not only
one species of sin, but many; and they were not trivial faults,
but dreadful crimes; and there was not only a corruption of
morals, but also of doctrine. In this case, what is the conduct
of the holy apostle, the organ of the heavenly Spirit, by whose
testimony the Church stands or falls? Does he seek to separate
from them? Does he reject them from the kingdom of
Christ? Does he strike them with the thunderbolt of the
severest anathema? He not only does none of these things,
but, on the contrary, acknowledges and speaks of them as a
Church of Christ and a society of saints. If there remained a
church among the Corinthians, where contentions, factions,
and emulations were raging; where cupidity, disputes, and
litigations were prevailing; where a crime held in execration
even among the Gentiles, was publicly sanctioned; where the
name of Paul, whom they ought to have revered as their father,
was insolently defamed; where some ridiculed the doctrine
of the resurrection, with the subversion of which the
whole gospel would be annihilated; where the graces of God
were made subservient to ambition, instead of charity; where
many things were conducted without decency and order; [750] [751]