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The Necessity of Reforming the Church Presented to
the Imperial Diet at Spires, A.D. 1544
In the Name of All Who Wish Christ
to Reign By John Calvin As read by
Samantha Ellosite TAPE 4 Ambrose, in his day,
had a controversy with Auxentius on the primary
article of our faith, that is, the divinity
of Christ.
The Emperor favoured the view of Auxentius.
He does not, however, appeal to a general
council, under the pretext of it being unlawful
that so important a car should be decided
in any other manner.
He only demands that, being a question of
faith, it should be discussed in the church
in presence of the people.
And to what end the provincial synods, which
were once regularly held twice a year, unless
that bishops might consult together on emerging circumstances,
as the Nineteenth Canon of the Council of
Chalcedon explained.
An ancient enactment orders that the bishops of
every province shall convene twice a year.
The Council of Chalcedon gives us the reason
that any errors which may have emerged may
be corrected.
Our opponents, contrary to what all know, deny
the lawfulness of touching a corruption of doctrine
or manners until it has been laid before
a general council.
Nay, the very subterfuge by which the Arians
Palladius and Secundinatius declined the Council of Aquileia
was because it was not full and general,
all the eastern bishops being absent, and few
even of the west making their appearance.
And it is certain that of the Italians
scarcely a half had convened.
The Roman bishop had neither come in person
nor sent any one of his presbyters to
represent him.
To all these objections Ambrose replies that it
was not a thing without example for the
western bishops to hold a synod since the
practice was familiar to those of the east,
that the pious emperors who summoned the council
had acted wisely in leaving all at liberty
to come without compelling any.
And accordingly all who thought proper had come,
none being prohibited.
Though the heretics continued to press their quibbling
objections, the holy fathers did not therefore abandon
their purpose.
Assuredly, after such examples, your imperial majesty is
not to be prohibited from using the means
within your reach of bringing back the body
of the empire to sacred concord.
Though, as has been observed, our enemies who
advise procrastination do it not with the view
of shortly after consulting for the welfare of
the church, but only of gaining time by
delay, knowing that if they can throw us
back to a general council the truce will
be long enough.
Let us, however, assume that there is no
obstacle to a general council being immediately called.
Let us even assume that it has been
summoned in good earnest, that the day of
the meeting is at hand and all things
prepared.
The Roman pontiff will, of course, preside, or
if he declines to come, he will send
one of his cardinals as legate to preside
in his stead, and he will doubtless select
the one who he believes will be most
faithful to his interests.
The rest of the cardinals will take their
seats and next them the bishops and abbots.
The seats beneath will be occupied by ordinary
members who are for the most part selected
for subservience to the views of those above.
It will indeed happen that some few honest
men will have seats among them, but they
will be despised for the smallness of their
number, and, made weak by fear or dispirited
by the hopelessness of doing any good, will
be silent.
Should any one of them perchance attempt to
speak, he will instantly be put down by
noise and clamor, but the great body will
be ready to suffer anything sooner than allow
the church to be restored to a better
condition.
I say nothing of doctrine, would that they
could only come to the cause with an
honest and docile temper.
But it is certain and certainty itself that
the single resolution of all will be not
to listen to anything that is said, or
to the arguments by which it is supported,
be they what they may.
Nay, they will not only stuff their ears
with stubbornness and obstinacy, that they may not
obey the truth, but will also arm themselves
with ferocity to resist it.
And why?
Is it credible that those who do not
admit into their ears any mention of sound
doctrine will spontaneously withdraw their opposition, as soon
as it comes to be a matter of
present practice?
Can we hope that those who are constantly
plotting to prevent the fallen kingdom of Christ
from again rising in the world will give
a helping hand to raise it up and
advance it?
Will those who are now with fire and
sword raging against the truth and doing all
they can to wet and inflame the cruelty
of others show themselves moderate and humane?
But were there nothing else, I leave it
to your prudence, most invincible emperor, and yours,
most illustrious princes, to consider whether or not
it is for the private interest of the
Roman pontiff and his whole faction that the
church should be restored to true order and
its most corrupt condition reformed, according to the
strict standard of the gospel?
How much it is their want to forget
their own advantage and in disregard of it
to engage with heart and soul in promoting
the common welfare you have learned by a
sure experience.
Sire, will you leave the church to them
that they may decide concerning its reformation at
their own will or rather their own caprice?
Will you remain waiting for their nod, resolved
never to consult for the church till they
consent?
If they know this to be your intention,
they will disentangle themselves by an easy process.
They will decide that things must remain as
they are.
But let us suppose that they will be
so overcome either by a sense of shame
or by the authority of your majesty and
the other princes as to put on some
appearance of moderation and part with some small
portion of their power.
Will they, even of their own accord, condescend
so far as to allow themselves to be
reduced into order that the kingdom of Christ
may be upraised?
But if they will not, to what end
is the care of reforming the church committed
to them unless it be to expose the
sheep to the wolves?
Is there no other alternative?
If there is no other alternative, it were
better that the church should be given up
as desperate than that she should fall into
the hands of such physicians.
It had indeed become those who have the
name and hold the office of pastors to
be the first of all to fly to
her assistance.
It had, I admit, become them to come
forward as leaders and unite the princes with
them as associates and co-adjutors in this
holy work.
But what if they decline to do it
themselves?
What if they are unwilling it should be
done by others?
What if they leave not a stone unturned
in order to prevent it?
Are we then still to have regard to
them?
Must no man move till they give the
signal?
Must we still listen to that solemn song
of theirs?
Nothing must be attempted till the pope has
approved?
Let your majesty then be assured and do
you, also most illustrious princes and distinguished personages,
lay it to heart as a certain fact
that the church not only betrayed, deserted and
left destitute by her pastors but vexed, overwhelmed
with calamity and doomed to destruction, throws herself
on your protection.
Nay, rather view it in this way.
God has now furnished you with the means
of giving a sure and striking proof of
your fidelity towards him.
There is nothing in which all men ought
to feel a deeper interest nothing in which
God wishes us to exhibit a more intense
zeal than in endeavoring that the glory of
his name may remain unimpaired his kingdom be
advanced and the pure doctrine which alone can
guide us to true worship flourish in full
vigor.
How much more, therefore, does it become princes
to make these things their care to design,
commence and prosecute them to a close seeing
God has honored them with a communication of
his name that they may be on earth
the guardians and vindicators of his glory.
Be unwilling, I beseech you, to lend an
ear to ungodly men who either cajole you
with false show of counsel in order that
the church may receive no alleviation at your
hand or disparage the cause, though it is
the greatest of all causes that you may
be more remiss in undertaking it or urge
you to violent methods of proceeding in it.
Hitherto most invincible emperor in endeavoring to inflame
you with rage and in a manner close
you in armor they have lost their labor
and you will certainly transmit to posterity the
distinguished praise both of mildness and prudence in
not having suffered yourself to be once moved
from moderation by the turbulent counsel which have
been so often and so strongly pressed upon
you.
Be it at all times your care that
this praise be not wrested from you by
the importunity of our enemy.
Augustine acknowledges the discipline to be had which
terrifies heretics but does not teach them.
If heretics who by their intemperance and without
any just cause disturb the church are to
be treated with a mildness ensuring that instruction
shall always precede chastisement how much more becoming
is it to use humanity in this cause
in which we call God and men to
witness that we seek nothing but a sincere
consent on both sides to the pure doctrine
of God.
That the Roman pontiff and his followers breathe
nothing but blood and slaughter you yourself sire
are the best witness.
Had you yielded to their fury Germany had
long ago been deluged with her own blood.
You too most illustrious princes well know the
fact.
Can it be that it is the spirit
of God which drives them on headlong to
such cruelty?
But thus it is.
Licentiousness which has long stalked abroad without hindrance
no sooner feels the curb than it breaks
out into madness.
If there are any besides those who desire
to see us crushed by violence in arms
either enkindled by the breath of others or
instigated from within by an inconsiderate zeal they
hate a cause which they know not.
For the very same thing of which Tertullian
complains in his apology as having happened to
the church when she first arose is also
experienced by us in the present day.
We are condemned merely from prejudice against our
name without any investigation of our cause.
And what do we contend for now save
that our cause after due cognizance has once
been taken of it may at length be
decided according to truth and equity and not
according to any falsely preconceived opinion?
Sire, it is indeed a noble proof both
of humanity and of singular wisdom that you
have hitherto resisted the urgency which our enemies
have endeavored to hurry you into an unjust
severity.
The next best thing is not to yield
to the pernicious counsel of those who under
specious pretexts for delay have for a long
time hindered this holy work I mean the
reformation of the church.
And what is worse, our endeavoring to prevent
it altogether.
There is perhaps one remaining difficulty which prevents
you from commencing the work.
Very many, not otherwise indisposed are deterring from
engaging in this holy undertaking merely because antecedently
to the attempt they despair of its success.
But here two things ought to be considered.
The one, that the difficulty is not so
great as it appears to be and the
other, that however great it be there is
nothing in it which ought to dispirit you
when you reflect that it is the cause
of God and that He overruling it both
our hopes may be surpassed and our impressions
prove erroneous.
The former of these it is no part
of my present design to explain.
A fitter opportunity will be found when once
the matter comes to be taken into serious
consideration.
This only I will say, that the execution
will be more expeditious and of less difficulty
than is commonly supposed provided there is courage
enough in attempting it.
However, considering according to the well-known sentiment
of an old proverb that there is nothing
illustrious which is not also difficult and arduous
can we wonder that in the greatest and
most excellent of all causes we must fight
our way through many difficulties?
I have already observed that if we would
not give deep offense to God our minds
must take a loftier view for it is
just to measure the power of God by
the extent of our own powers if we
hope no more of the restoration of the
church than the present state of affairs seems
to promise.
How slender soever the hope of success God
visits to be of good courage and put
far away everything like fear that we may
with alacrity begur to ourselves for the work.
Thus far at least let us do him
honor confiding in his almighty power let us
not decline to try what the success is
which he may be pleased to give.
In the present condition of the empire your
imperial majesty and you most illustrious princes necessarily
involved in various cares and distracted by a
multiplicity of business are agitated and in a
manner tempest-tossed but be always assured that
of all works this one is undoubtedly entitled
to take precedence.
I feel what nerve, what earnestness, what urgency,
what ardor the treatment of this subject requires
and I am well aware that persons will
not be wanting to express their surprise that
on a subject so noble and splendid I
should be so cold.
But what could I do?
I bend under its weight and magnitude and
therefore see not how I can do better
than set the matter before you simply without
any embellishment of words that you may afterwards
ponder and scrutinize it.
First, call to mind the fearful calamities of
the church which might move to pity even
mines of iron nay, set before your eyes
her squalid and unsightly form and the sad
devastation which is everywhere beheld.
How long, pray, will you allow the spouse
of Christ, the mother of you all to
lie thus prostrated and afflicted thus too when
she is imploring your protection and when the
means of relief are in your hand?
Next, consider how much worse calamities impend Final
destruction cannot be far off unless you interpose
with the utmost speed.
Christ will indeed, in the way which to
him seems good preserve his church miraculously and
beyond human expectation.
But this I say, that the consequence of
a little longer delay on your part will
be that in Germany we shall not have
even the form of a church.
Look round and see how many indications threaten
that ruin which it is your duty to
prevent and announce that it is actually at
hand.
These things speak loud enough, though I were
silent.
Such indications, however, ought not only to move
us by their actual aspect they ought also
to remind us of coming vengeance.
Divine worship being vitiated by so many false
opinions and perverted by so many impious and
foul superstitions the sacred majesty of God is
insulted with atrocious contumely his holy name profaned,
his glory only not trampled underfoot.
Nay, while the whole Christian world is openly
polluted with idolatry men adore, instead of him,
their own fictions.
A thousand superstitions reign superstitions which are just
so many open insults to him.
The power of Christ is almost obliterated from
the minds of men the hope of salvation
is transferred from him to empty frivolous and
nugatory ceremonies while there is a pollution of
the sacraments not less to be execrated.
Baptism is deformed by numerous additions the holy
supper is prostituted to all kinds of ignominy
religion throughout has degenerated into an entirely different
form.
If we are negligent in remedying these evils
God assuredly will not forget himself.
How could he who declares that he will
not allow his honor to be in any
way impaired fail to interpose when it is
cast down and destroyed?
How could he who threatens with destruction all
the nations among whom prophecy shall have failed
permit our open and contumacious contempt of the
prophecies to go unpunished?
How could he who punished a slight stain
on his supper so severely in the Corinthians
spare us in presuming to pollute it with
so many unutterable blasphemies?
How could he who by the mouths of
all his prophets testifies and proclaims that he
is armed with vengeance against idolatry leave untouched
in us so many monstrous idolatries?
Assuredly he does not so leave them for
we see how, sword in hand, he urges
and pursues us.
The Turkish war now occupies the minds of
all and fills them with alarm, it well
may.
Consultations are held to prepare the means of
resistance.
This too is prudently and necessarily done.
All exclaim that there is a need of
no ordinary dispatch.
I admit that there cannot be too much
dispatch provided in the meantime the consultation which
ought to be first the consultation how to
restore the church to its proper state is
neither neglected nor retarded.
Already delays more than enough have been interposed.
The fuel of the Turkish war is within
shut up in our bowels and must first
be removed if we would successfully drive back
the war itself.
In future therefore as often as you shall
hear the croaking note the business of reforming
the church must be delayed for the present
there will be time enough to accomplish it
after other matters are transacted.
Remember, most invincible emperor and most illustrious princes
that the matter on which you are to
deliberate is whether you are to leave to
your posterity some empire or none.
Yet why do I speak of posterity?
Even now while your own eyes behold it
is half bent and totters to its final
ruin.
In regard to ourselves whatever be the event
we will always be supported in the sight
of God by the consciousness that we have
desired both to promote His glory and do
good to His church.
That we have labored faithfully for that end.
That in short we have done all what
we could.
Our conscience tells us that in all our
wishes and all our endeavors we have had
no other aim.
And we have estayed by clear proof to
testify the fact.
And certainly while we feel assured that we
both care for and do the work of
the Lord we are also confident that He
will by no means be wanting either to
Himself or to it.
But be the issue what it may we
will never repent of having begun and having
proceeded thus far.
The Holy Spirit is faithful and unerring witness
to our doctrine.
We know I say that it is the
eternal truth of God that we preach.
We are indeed desirous as we ought to
be that our ministry may prove salutary to
the world.
But to give it this effect belongs to
God not to us.
If to punish partly the ingratitude and partly
the stubbornness of those to whom we desire
to do good success must prove desperate and
all things go to worse I will say
what it befits a Christian man to say
and what all who are true to this
holy profession will subscribe.
We will die but in death even be
conquerors not only because through it we shall
have a sure passage to a better life
but because we know that our blood will
be a seed to propagate the divine truth
which men now despise.
This Reformation audio resource is a production of
Stillwater's Revival Books.
There is no copyright on this material and
we encourage you to reproduce it and pass
it on to your friends.
Many free resources as well as our complete
mail order catalog containing classic and contemporary Puritan
and Reformed books at great discount is on
the web at www.swrb.com We can
also be reached by email at swrb at
swrb.com by phone at 780-450
-3730 by fax at 780-468-1096
or by mail at 4710-37A Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada T6L3T5 If you do not have a
web connection, please request a free printed catalog.