§ 102. CALVIN'S CHURCH POLITY. 467
body, while the doctrine which regulates the worship of God, and points out the way of salvation, is the soul which animates the body and renders it lively and active.^
The Calvinistic system of church polity is based upon the following principles, which have exerted great influence in the development of Protestantism : —
1: The autonomy of the Church, or its right of selfgovernment under the sole headship of Christ.
The Roman Catholic Church likewise claims autonomy, but in a hierarchical sense, and under the supreme control of the pope, who, as the visible vicar of Christ, demands passive obedience from priests and people. Calvin vests the self-government in the Christian congregation, and regards all tlie ministers of the gospel, in their official character, as ambassadors and representatives of Christ. " Christ alone," he says, "■ ought to rule and reign in the Church, and to have all preeminence in it, and this government ought to be exercised and administered solely by his word ; yet as he dwells not among us by a visible presence, so as to make an audible declaration of his will to us, he uses for this purpose the ministry of men whom he employs as his delegates, not to transfer his right and honor to them, but only that he may himself do his work by their lips ; just as an artificer makes use of an instrument in the performance of his work." ^
In practice, however, the autonomy both of the Roman Catholic hierarchy and of the Protestant Churches is more or less curtailed and checked by the civil government wherever Church and State are united, and where the State supports the Church. For self-government requires self-support. Calvin intended to institute synods, and to make the clergy
1 " De necessitate reformanche Ecdesia " (^Opera, VI. 459 sq.) : "Regimen in ecclesia, inunus pastorale, et reliquus ordo, una cum sacrainentis, instar corporis sunt ; doctrina autem ilia, quae rite colendi Dei regulani prcescribit, et ubi salutis Jiduciam debeant hominum conscientice ostendit, anima est, quoe corpus ipsum inspirat, vividum et actuosum reddit ; facit denique, ne sit mortuum et inutile cadaver."
2 Inst. IV. ch. III. § 1.
468 THE REFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
independent of State patronage, but in this he did not succeed.
The Lutheran Reformers subjected the Church to the secular rulers, and made her an obedient handmaid of the State ; but they complained bitterly of the selfish and arbitrary misgovernment of the princes. The congregations in most Lutheran countries of Europe have no voice in the election of their own pastors. The Reformers of German Switzerland conceded more power to the people in a democratic republic, and introduced synods, but they likewise put the supreme power into the hands of the civil government of the several cantons. In monarchical England the governorship of the Church was usurped and exercised by Henry VIII. and, in a milder form, by Queen Elizabeth and her successors, and acquiesced in by the bishops. The churches under Calvin's influence always maintained, at least in theory, the independence of the Church in all spiritual affairs, and the right of individual congregations in the election of their own pastors. Calvin derives this right from the Greek verb used in the passage which says that Paul and Barnabas ordained presbyters by the suffrages or votes of the people.^ " Those two apostles," he says, " ordained the presbyters ; but the whole multitude, according to the custom observed among the Greeks, declared by the elevation of their hands who was the object of their choice. ... It is not credible that Paul granted to Timothy and Titus more power (1 Tim. 5:22; Tit. 1 : 5) than he assumed to himself." After quoting with approval two passages from Cyprian, he concludes that the apostolic and best mode of electing pastors is by the consent of the whole people ; yet other pastors ought to preside over the election, " to guard the multitude from falling into improprieties through inconstancy, intrigue, and confusion." ^
^ Acts 14:23, x^'poTov^trai'Tes, voting by uplifting the liand. 2 Inst. IV. ch. III. § 15; comp. ch. IV. § 11 sqq., where he quotes the old rule: "Let liim who is to preside over all, be chosen by all."