Calvinism a life-system - pagina 81

CALVINISM AND RELIGION.

'JJ

This at the same time determines the form of go-

vernment of

church

like the

He most of the

Holy

of

among

rank

His members.

government;

of

there are only

believers;

and regulate; a thoroughly

serve, lead

form

Presbyterian ,

in

being equal under Him, there can be no

who

ministers,

governs His church by means

rules,

by whom He works

Spirit,

all

distinctions

originates in Heaven, in Christ.

itself,

effectually

Therefore,

This government^

church on earth.

this

the Church

power

descending directly from Christ Himself, into the con-

from the congregation

gregation,

concentrated

ministers,

and by them

being

in

the

administered unto the

So the sovereignty of Christ remains absolutely monarchical, but the government of the Church on earth becomes democratic to its bones and marrow; brethren.

a system leading logically to this other sequence, that

and

believers

all

another,

and

all

but that

all

manifestations

as

congregations

being of an equal

Church may exercise any dominion over

standing, no

local churches are of equal rank,

of one and the same. body, can

only be united synodically, {.Q.^hy wdiy oi confederation.

Now

let

me draw your

important consequence of

to another

attention this

same

most

principle, vis.,

to

the multiformity of denominations as the necessary result of the differentiation of the churches, according to the different

degrees

of their

considered to be an the

believers,

purity.

institute

the

If

church

is

of grace, independent of

or an institute in which

a hierarchical

priesthood distributes the treasury of grace entrusted .to

it,

the

result

extends through

must be that

all

nations,

this

hierarchy

itself

and imparts the same stamp

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