JOHN CALVIN’S TREATMENT ON THE VISIBLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND ITS RELATION TO THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

An examination and comparison of Calvin’s treatment on the visible Christian church and its relation to the Roman Catholic Church in his Institutes with the Westminster Standards’ treatment make it evident that the latter adopted the views of the former. It therefore behooves the student of the Westminster Confession carefully to study John Calvin’s treatment in his Institutes.

Here are some of Dr. Calvin’s main propositions on the topic:

1. The visible church is distinct from the invisible church.

Book Fourth, 1, 7. “…The judgment which ought to be formed concerning the visible Church which comes under our observation…it is necessary to believe the invisible Church,⁵¹⁹ which is manifest to the eye of God only, so we are also enjoined to regard this Church which is so called with reference to man, and to cultivate its communion.”

2. The visible church professes the true religion.

Book Fourth, 1, 9. “…The Church universal is the multitude collected out of all nations, who, though dispersed and far distant from each other, agree in one truth of divine doctrine, and are bound together by the tie of a common religion…”

3. The visible church comprehends both true and lawfully constituted churches and those that are not true and lawfully constituted churches. The Roman Catholic Church fits in the latter category.

Book Fourth, 2, 12. “Therefore, while we are unwilling simply to concede the name of Church to the Papists, we do not deny that there are churches among them. The question we raise only relates to the true and legitimate constitution of the Church, implying communion in sacred rites, which are the signs of profession, and especially in doctrine… it is obvious that we do not at all deny that churches remain under his tyranny; churches, however, which by sacrilegious impiety he has profaned, by cruel domination has oppressed, by evil and deadly doctrines like poisoned potions has corrupted and almost slain; churches where Christ lies half-buried, the gospel is suppressed, piety is put to flight, and the worship of God almost abolished; where, in short, all things are in such disorder as to present the appearance of Babylon rather than the holy city of God. In one word, I call them churches, inasmuch as the Lord there wondrously preserves some remains of his people, though miserably torn and scattered, and inasmuch as some symbols of the Church still remain—symbols especially whose efficacy neither the craft of the devil nor human depravity can destroy. But as, on the other hand, those marks to which we ought especially to have respect in this discussion are effaced, I say that the whole body, as well as every single assembly, want the form of a legitimate Church.”

4. The Roman Catholic Church is part of the visible church (albeit not part of those visible churches which are true and lawfully constituted) because the foundations of the Christian religion remain, albeit not the edifice. Those foundations include Trinitarian baptism.

Book Fourth, 2, 11. “ So having deposited his covenant in Gaul, Italy, Germany, Spain, and England, when these countries were oppressed by the tyranny of Antichrist, He, in order that his covenant might remain inviolable, first preserved baptism there as an evidence of the covenant;—baptism, which, consecrated by his lips, retains its power in spite of human depravity; secondly, He provided by his providence that there should be other remains also to prevent the Church from utterly perishing. But as in pulling down buildings the foundations and ruins are often permitted to remain, so he did not suffer Antichrist either to subvert his Church from its foundation, or to level it with the ground (though, to punish the ingratitude of men who had despised his word, he allowed a fearful shaking and dismembering to take place), but was pleased that amid the devastation the edifice should remain, though half in ruins.”

5. We can know the Roman Catholic Church is part of the visible church but is not a true and lawfully constituted church from certain passages in Daniel and II Thessalonians.

Book Fourth, 2, 12. “Daniel and Paul foretold that Antichrist would sit in the temple of God (Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:4); we regard the Roman Pontiff as the leader and standard-bearer of that wicked and abominable kingdom.⁵⁴¹ By placing his seat in the temple of God, it is intimated that his kingdom would not be such as to destroy the name either of Christ or of his Church. Hence, then, it is obvious that we do not at all deny that churches remain under his tyranny; churches, however, which by sacrilegious impiety he has profaned, by cruel domination has oppressed, by evil and deadly doctrines like poisoned potions has corrupted and almost slain; churches where Christ lies half-buried, the gospel is suppressed, piety is put to flight, and the worship of God almost abolished; where, in short, all things are in such disorder as to present the appearance of Babylon rather than the holy city of God. In one word, I call them churches, inasmuch as the Lord there wondrously preserves some remains of his people, though miserably torn and scattered, and inasmuch as some symbols of the Church still remain—symbols especially whose efficacy neither the craft of the devil nor human depravity can destroy.”

6. The Roman Catholic Church is a New Testament equivalent to the Northern Kingdom of ancient Israel, albeit possibly even worse than the Northern Kingdom in certain respects.

Book Fourth, 2, 8-9. “…Jeroboam, when he fabricated the calves against the express prohibition of God, and dedicated an unlawful place for worship, corrupted religion entirely… Now then let the Papists, in order to extenuate their vices as much as possible, deny, if they can, that the state of religion is as much vitiated and corrupted with them as it was in the kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam. They have a grosser idolatry, and in doctrine are not one whit more pure; rather, perhaps, they are even still more impure...”

Just as the initiatory covenant rite of the Northern Kingdom was accepted as valid, so Roman Catholic baptism should be accepted as valid.