第 51 节
作者:乐乐陶陶      更新:2021-02-24 23:08      字数:9321
  should have a double call;both an inward call and an outward
  one;or an election by the people in union with the clergy。  Paul
  and Barnabas set forth elders; but the people indicated their
  approval by lifting up their hands。  In the Presbyterianism which
  Calvin instituted he maintained that the Church is represented by
  the laity as well as by the clergy。  He therefore gave the right of
  excommunication to the congregation in conjunction with the clergy。
  In the Lutheran Church; as in the Catholic; the right of
  excommunication was vested in the clergy alone。  But Calvin gave to
  the clergy alone the right to administer the sacraments; nor would
  he give to the Church any other power of punishment than exclusion
  from the Lord's Supper; and excommunication。  His organization of
  the Church was aristocratic; placing the power in the hands of a
  few men of approved wisdom and piety。  He had no sympathy with
  democracy; either civil or religious; and he formed a close union
  between Church and State;giving to the council the right to
  choose elders and to confirm the election of ministers。  As already
  stated; he did not attempt to shield the clergy from the civil
  tribunals。  The consistory; which assembled once a week; was formed
  of elders and preachers; and a messenger of the civil court
  summoned before it the persons whose presence was required。  No
  such power as this would be tolerated in these times。  But the
  consistory could not itself inflict punishment; that was the
  province of the civil government。  The elders and clergy inflicted
  no civil penalties; but simply determined what should be heard
  before the spiritual and what before the civil tribunal。  A syndic
  presided in the spiritual assembly at first; but only as a church
  elder。  The elders were chosen from the council; and the election
  was confirmed by the great council; the people; and preachers; so
  that the Church was really in the hands of the State; which
  appointed the clergy。  It would thus seem that Church and State
  were very much mixed up together by Calvin; who legislated in view
  of the circumstances which surrounded him; and not for other times
  or nations。  This subordination of the Church to the State; which
  was maintained by all the reformers; was established in opposition
  to the custom of the Catholic Church; which sought to make the
  State subservient to the Church。  And the lay government of the
  Church; which entered into the system of Calvin; was owing to the
  fear that the clergy; when able to stand alone; might become proud
  and ambitious; a fear which was grounded on the whole history of
  the Church。
  Although Calvin had an exalted idea of the spiritual dignity of the
  Church; he allowed a very dangerous interference of the State in
  ecclesiastical affairs; even while he would separate the functions
  of the clergy from those of the magistrates。  He allowed the State
  to pronounce the final sentence on dogmatic questions; and hence
  the power of the synod failed in Geneva。  Moreover; the payment of
  ministers by the State rather than by the people; as in this
  country; was against the old Jewish custom; which Calvin so often
  borrowed;for the priests among the Jews were independent of the
  kings。  But Calvin wished to destroy caste among the clergy; and
  consequently spiritual tyranny。  In his legislation we see an
  intense hostility to the Roman Catholic Church;one of the
  animating principles of the Reformers; and hence the Reformers; in
  their hostility to Rome; went from Sylla into Charybdis。  Calvin;
  like all churchmen; exalted naturally the theocratic idea of the
  old Jewish and Mediaeval Church; and yet practically put the Church
  into the hands of laymen。  In one sense he was a spiritual
  dictator; and like Luther a sort of Protestant pope; and yet he
  built up a system which was fatal to spiritual power such as had
  existed among the Catholic priesthood。  For their sacerdotal
  spiritual power he would substitute a moral power; the result of
  personal bearing and sanctity。  It is amusing to hear some people
  speak of Calvin as a ghostly spiritual father; but no man ever
  fought sacerdotalism more earnestly than he。  The logical sequence
  of his ecclesiastical reforms was not the aristocratic and Erastian
  Church of Scotland; but the Puritans in New England; who were
  Independents and not Presbyterians。
  Yet there is an inconsistency even in Calvin's regime; for he had
  the zeal of the old Catholic Church in giving over to the civil
  power those he wished to punish; as in the case of Servetus。  He
  even intruded into the circle of social life; and established a
  temporal rather than a spiritual theocracy; and while he overthrew
  the episcopal element; he made a distinction; not recognized in the
  primitive church; between clergy and laity。  As for religious
  toleration; it did not exist in any country or in any church; there
  was no such thing as true evangelical freedom。  All the Reformers
  attempted; as well as the Catholics; a compulsory unity of faith;
  and this is an impossibility。  The Reformers adopted a catechism;
  or a theological system; which all communicants were required to
  learn and accept。  This is substantially the acceptance of what the
  Church ordains。  Creeds are perhaps a necessity in well…organized
  ecclesiastical bodies; and are not unreasonable; but it should not
  be forgotten that they are formulated doctrines made by men; on
  what is supposed to be the meaning of the Scriptures; and are not
  consistent with the right of private judgment when pushed out to
  its ultimate logical consequence。  When we remember how few men are
  capable of interpreting Scripture for themselves; and how few are
  disposed to exercise this right; we can see why the formulated
  catechism proved useful in securing unity of belief; but when
  Protestant divines insisted on the acceptance of the articles of
  faith which they deduced from the Scriptures; they did not differ
  materially from the Catholic clergy in persisting on the acceptance
  of the authority of the Church as to matters of doctrine。  Probably
  a church organization is impossible without a formulated creed。
  Such a creed has existed from the time of the Council of Nice; and
  is not likely ever to be abandoned by any Christian Church in any
  future age; although it may be modified and softened with the
  advance of knowledge。  However; it is difficult to conceive of the
  unity of the Church as to faith; without a creed made obligatory on
  all the members of a communion to accept; and it always has been
  regarded as a useful and even necessary form of Christian
  instruction for the people。  Calvin himself attached great
  importance to catechisms; and prepared one even for children。
  He also put a great value on preaching; instead of the complicated
  and imposing ritual of the Catholic service; and in most Protestant
  churches from his day to ours preaching; or religious instruction;
  has occupied the most prominent part of the church service; and it
  must be conceded that while the Catholic service has often
  degenerated into mere rites and ceremonies to aid a devotional
  spirit; so the Protestant service has often become cold and
  rationalistic;and it is not easy to say which extreme is the
  worse。
  Thus far we have viewed Calvin in the light of a reformer and
  legislator; but his influence as a theologian is more remarkable。
  It is for his theology that he stands out as a prominent figure in
  the history of the Church。  As such he showed greater genius; as
  such he is the most eminent of all the reformers; as such he
  impressed his mind on the thinking of his own age and of succeeding
  ages;an original and immortal man。  His system of divinity
  embodied in his 〃Institutes〃 is remarkable for the radiation of the
  general doctrines of the Church around one central principle; which
  he defended with marvellous logical power。  He was not a fencer
  like Abelard; displaying wonderful dexterity in the use of
  sophistries; overwhelming adversaries by wit and sarcasm; arrogant
  and self…sufficient; and destroying rather than building up。  He
  did not deify the reason; like Erigina; nor throw himself on
  authority like Bernard。  He was not comprehensive like Augustine;
  nor mystical like Bonaventura。  He had the spiritual insight of
  Anselm; and the dialectical acumen of Thomas Aquinas; acknowledging
  no master but Christ; and implicitly receiving whatever the
  Scriptures declared; he takes his original position neither from
  natural reason nor from the authority of the church; but from the
  word of God; and from declarations of Scripture; as he interprets
  them; he draws sequences and conclusions with irresistible logic。
  In an important sense he is one…sided; since he does not take
  cognizance of other truths equally important。  He is perfectly
  fearless in pushing out to its most logical consequences whatever
  truth he seizes upon; and hence he appears to many gifted and
  learned critics to