Chapter 13: OF THE OFFICE, DIGNITY AND POWER OF MINISTERS IN THE CHURCH

OF THE OFFICE, DIGNITY AND POWER OF MINISTERS IN THE CHURCH

Concerning the ministry and the dignity of the ecclesiastical order we teach: first, that there is no power in the Church except for edification. Secondly, that we must not think otherwise of any man in this estate than Paul wished himself, Peter, Apollos and others to be esteemed - viz. as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, in whom it is chiefly required that each one be found faithful. These have the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the power to bind and to loose, to remit and to retain sins, yet in such a manner that they be nothing else than ministers of Christ, whose right and prerogative alone this is. For as he is the only one who can renew souls, so he it is alone who by his power opens heaven to men and frees them from sins. Both of these come to us only when it is given us to be renewed in mind and to have our citizenship in heaven. It is the part of ministers to plant and to water, neither of which are efficacious of themselves, for it is God who giveth the increase. For no one is sufficient of himself to think anything as of himself, but his sufficiency is of God, who also hath made whom he wishes ministers of the New Testament, to render men properly convinced concerning Christ truly partakers of him; not to minister the dead letter - i.e., doctrine that sounds forth only externally, without changing the heart - but that which quickens the spirit and renews the heart. Thus they are at length coworkers with God, and truly open heaven and remit sins. Hence it is that in delivering this power to the apostles Christ breathed upon them and said: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost "; and then added: "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them." Therefore, what constitutes fit and properly consecrated ministers of the Church, bishops, teachers and pastors, is that they have been divinely sent (" for how will they preach unless they be sent? ") - i.e., that they have received the power and mind to preach the Gospel and to feed the flock of Christ, and also the Holy Ghost who cooperates - i.e., persuades hearts. Other virtues wherewith men of this order should be furnished St. Paul recounts. Those, therefore, who are sent, anointed, and furnished in this sort have an earnest care for the Lord's flock, and labor faithfully in feeding it; and we acknowledge them in the number of bishops, elders and pastors, and as worthy of double honor, and every Christian ought with the greatest promptness obey their commands. But those who devote themselves to different things put themselves in a different place and are distinguished by a different name. Yet the life of no one should give such offence as that Christians should hesitate to embrace whatever he may declare, either from Moses or the chair of Christ; that is, either from the Law or the Gospel. But Christ's sheep are not to hear the voice of such as introduce strange things. Moreover, they who in secular things have received power as it has been ordained of God have it in such a way that he resists an ordinance of God who is unwilling to obey their direction in matters that do not conflict with God's commands. Therefore the charge against us by some is a calumny -viz. that our preachers undermine the jurisdiction of ecclesiastics. The temporal jurisdiction which they have has never been interfered with by our preachers. And the spiritual jurisdiction, whereby they ought by the Word of God to free consciences and to faithfully feed them on Christ's Gospel. They have often invoked; so far are they from ever resisting it. But the reason why we did not endure the doctrine of certain ecclesiastics, and, according to our necessity, substituted others in their place, or, as is manifest, have retained those who have been discharged by the episcopal authorities, is that the latter clearly proclaimed the voice of our Shepherd, while the former declared that of strangers. For when the question is concerning the interests of the Gospel and sound doctrine, those who truly believe in Christ must turn themselves entirely to the Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ, and in no way admit the voice of strangers. In this, injury can be inflicted on no one, since the words of Paul are true: "For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." Certainly, if Peter and Paul, with the entire world, are hitherto ours, and we in no way theirs, but Christ's, and that just as he is his Father's - viz. that in all things that we are we live to him alone, for this end using all things as ours - no one of the ecclesiastics can justly complain of us that we are not sufficiently obedient to them, while it has been manifest that we were following the will of God. These things are taught among us concerning the office, dignity and authority of ministers of the Church, and the passages of Scripture which we have cited and others like them have influenced us to give our faith thereto.