Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)
CHAPTER IX.
COUNCILS; THEIR AUTHORITY.
Though I should concede to our adversaries all the claims
which they set up on behalf of the Church, yet this would
effect but little towards the attainment of their object. For
whatever is said respecting the Church, they immediately
transfer to the councils, which they consider as representing
the Church; and it may further be affirmed, that their violent
contentions for the power of the Church, are with no other view
than to ascribe all that they can extort, to the Roman pontiff
and his satellites. Before I enter on the discussion of this question,
it is necessary for me to premise two brief observations.
First, if in this chapter I am rather severe on our opponents, it
is not that I would show the ancient councils less honour than
they deserve. I venerate them from my heart, and wish them
to receive from all men the honour to which they are entitled;
but here some limits must be observed, that we may derogate
nothing from Christ. Now, it is the prerogative of Christ to
preside over all councils, and to have no mortal man associated
with him in that dignity. But I maintain, that he really presides
only where he governs the whole assembly by his word
and Spirit. Secondly, when I attribute to the councils less
than our adversaries require, I am not induced to do this from
any fear that the councils would favour their cause and oppose
ours. For as we are sufficiently armed by the word of the
Lord, and need not seek any further assistance for the complete
establishment of our doctrine, and the total subversion of Popery,
so, on the other hand, if it were necessary, the ancient
councils would furnish us in a great measure with sufficient
arguments for both these objects.
II. Let us now come to the subject itself. If it be inquired
what is the authority of councils according to the Scriptures,
there is no promise more ample or explicit than this declaration
of Christ: “Where two or three are gathered together in my
name, there am I in the midst of them.”[944]
But this belongs
no less to every particular congregation than to a general council.
The main stress of the question, however, does not lie
in this, but in the annexed condition,—that Christ will be in the
midst of a council, then, and then only, when it is assembled in
his name. Wherefore, though our adversaries mention councils
of bishops a thousand times, they will gain but little ground;
nor will they prevail upon us to believe what they pretend,—that
such councils are directed by the Holy Spirit,—till it shall
have been proved, that they are assembled in the name of
Christ. For it is equally as possible for impious and unfaithful
bishops to conspire against Christ, as for pious and upright
bishops to assemble together in his name. Of this we have
ample proof in numerous decrees which have been issued by
such councils; as will be seen in the course of this discussion.
At present I only reply in one word, that the promise of Christ
is exclusively restricted to those who “are gathered together
in his name.” Let us, therefore, define wherein this consists.
I deny that they are assembled in the name of Christ, who,
rejecting the command of God, which prohibits any diminution
of his word, or the smallest addition to it,[945]
determine every
thing according to their own pleasure; who, not content with
the oracles of the Scripture, which constitute the only rule of
perfect wisdom, invent something new out of their own heads.
Since Christ has not promised to be present in all councils, but
has added a particular mark to discriminate true and legitimate
councils from others, it certainly behoves us by no means to
neglect this distinction. This was the covenant which God
anciently made with the Levitical priests, that they should teach
their people from his mouth;[946]
he always required the same
of the prophets; and we see that a similar law was imposed
upon the apostles. Those who violate this covenant, God
neither dignifies with the honour of the priesthood, nor invests
with any authority. Let our adversaries solve this difficulty,
if they wish me to submit my faith to the decrees of men, independently
of the word of God.
III. For their supposition, that no truth remains in the
Church, unless it be found among the pastors, and that the
Church itself stands, no longer than it appears in general councils,
is very far from having been always correct, if the prophets
have left us any authentic records of their times. In the
days of Isaiah, there was a Church at Jerusalem, which God
had not yet forsaken: nevertheless he speaks of the priests in
the following manner: “His watchmen are blind; they are
all ignorant; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping,
lying down, loving to slumber: they are shepherds that
cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for
his gain, from his quarter.”[947]
—Hosea speaks in a similar
manner: “The watchman of Ephraim was with my God; but
the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred
in the house of his God.”[948]
By thus ironically connecting
them with God, he shows that their priesthood was a vain pretence.
The Church continued also to the time of Jeremiah.
Let us hear what he says of the pastors. “From the prophet
even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely.”[949]
Again:
“the prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not,
neither have I commanded them.”[950]
And to avoid too much
prolixity in reciting his words, I would recommend my readers
to peruse the whole of the twenty-third and fortieth chapters.
Nor were the same persons treated with less severity by Ezekiel:
“There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof,
like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured
souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they
have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests
have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things;
they have put no difference between the holy and profane.
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing
vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the
Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken.”[951]
Similar complaints
abound in all the prophets, so that there is nothing of
more frequent recurrence.
IV. But it will be said, though such may have been the
case among the Jews, our age is exempt from so great a calamity.
I sincerely wish that it were so; but the Holy Spirit
has denounced that the event would be very different. The
language of Peter is clear: “There were false prophets also
among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies.”[952]
Observe
how he declares that danger will arise, not from the common
people, but from those who will assume to themselves the
name of pastors and teachers. Besides, how often is it predicted
by Christ and his apostles, that the greatest dangers
would be brought upon the Church by its pastors![953]
Paul
expressly denounces that Antichrist will “sit in the temple of
God;”[954]
by which he signifies, that the dreadful calamity
of which he speaks, will arise from the very persons who
will sit as pastors in the Church. And in another place, he
shows that the commencement of the mischief was then near
at hand. For addressing the bishops of the Church of Ephesus,
he says, “I know this, that after my departing shall grievous
wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock; also of
your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to
draw away disciples after them.”[955]
If the pastors could so
degenerate in a very short space of time, what enormous corruption
might be introduced among them in a long series of
years! And not to occupy much room with an enumeration,
we are taught by the examples of almost all ages, that neither
is the truth always maintained in the bosom of the pastors,
nor the safety of the Church dependent on their stability.
They ought, indeed, to be the guardians and defenders of the
peace and safety of the Church, for the preservation of which
they are appointed; but it is one thing to perform a duty which
we owe, and another, to owe a duty which we do not perform.
