1988 Issue 8 - What is Calvinism?: Dialogue XVIII, Church Government - Counsel of Chalcedon
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Transcript of 1988 Issue 8 - What is Calvinism?: Dialogue XVIII, Church Government - Counsel of Chalcedon
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8/12/2019 1988 Issue 8 - What is Calvinism?: Dialogue XVIII, Church Government - Counsel of Chalcedon
1/2
STUDIES IN BIBLICAL DOCTRINE
What
is
Calvinism
or the Confession of Faith in Harmony
with the Bible
and
Common Sense
n
a series of dialogues between a Presbyterian
minister and a young convert
by William D Smith, D.D.
DIALOGUE
XVITI
Church Government
Convert. As I mentioned to
you
at
our last interview, I have never thought
much on the subject of church govern
ment, and have looked upon it
as
a
matter of expediency merely; supposing
there was no particular form authorized
in the Bible, and consequently, it
was
left for the church to adopt any form of
government, that according to circum
s t a n c e ~
might be deemed the most ex
pedient.
Minister. It
is
inconsistent with the
Saviour's love to the church, and his
care over her,
to
suppose, that in a mat
ter affecting her interests so deeply, he
would leave it entirely to the manage
ment of human wisdom. There are cer
tain grand principles which the Bible
gives for our direction, in ll our duties
toward our fellowmen, and especially as
members
of
the church, in our duties to
Teenage
Promiscuity
(Continued from the previous page)
f we
are going to refute the findings
of
this survey, we must once again use
Biblical language. To remove the
edge of descriptive Biblical Ian
guage is not really loving
our
teens.
To
love them is to tell them
the truth The truth is that sin
has
con
sequences. The epidemic proportions
of
sexual disease along with the threat
of
the new plague AIDS may indeed curb
fornication. But for our covenant chil
dien,' we want their behavior shaped not
just by the fear
of
disease, but more im-
portantly, by the fear of God. 0
the church itself, and to each other in
dividually. And in devising means for
her peace, prosperity, and order, and
labouring for her and our spiritual wel
fare, we surely cannot suppose that we
are left without direction by our great
and glorious Head. For this very pur
pose, we are told, that he instituted cer
tain orders
of
men in the church, with
peculiar offices and duties. Eph. iv.
11,12-- He gave some apostles, and
some prophets, and some evangelists,
and some pastors and teachers, for the
perfecting
of
the saints, for the work
of
the ministry, for the edifying
of
the
body
of
Christ. 1 Cor. xii. 28-- God
hath set some in the church, first apos
tles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teach
ers, after that miracles, then gifts
of
healing, helps, governments.
Con.--But some of these orders and
gifts do not now exist, and may we not
conclude that they were all only de
signed to continue for a time?
Min. The extraordinary offices and
gifts of those times are not now neces
sary, as the canon of revelation is com
plete; but
as
pastors, or teachers,
helps, and governments, are still neces
sary for the church in every age, they
are continued. But I mentioned those
texts to show, that the officers of the
church are of God's appointment. And I
believe all evangelical denominations
of
Christians admit that some officers
of
the church, with peculiar duties, are
divinely appointed, but ll do not agree
as to their number, rank, and duties, and
the manner in which they should be
appointed by the church, acting under
the authority
of
her Head; and the dif
ference
of
practice in these several part:i-
culars, constitutes the different forms of
church government that now exist.
Con. How many different forms of
church government are there now
found?
Min.
They :may all be classed under
four general heads, viz. Popery, Episco
pacy, Independency, and Presbyterian
ism. There are,
it
is true, several varie
ties under each of these general kinds,
but they all partake of the essential
features of one or other, to such a de
gree, that they clearly belong to that
class. For instance, the Episcopal and
Methodist churches, though differing in
some respects, both have all the es
sential features of Episcopacy, and are
in fact Episcopal in their government.
And on the other hand, Presbyterians,
Reformed Presbyterians, Associate Pres
byterians, andAssociate-Reformed-Pres
byterians, with the Dutch and German
Reformed churches, though they differ
in some things as to church polity, all
partake of the essential features of Pres
byterianism, and are in fact Presbyterian
in their government. There are also
different shades oflndependency or Con
gregationalism, some more and some
less purely independent.
Con. What are the grand, distinguish
ing features
of
Presbyterianism?
Min.--Presbyterianism is a spiritual
republicanism--the grand distinctive
feature
of
which is, power and authority
invested in those who are chosen by the
people,
as
their representatives or
agents,
to rule in their name. Thus it
secures all the advantages
of an
aristo
cracy without any of its accompanying
evils, and forms a union of all the dif
ferent branches and sections
of
the gov
ernment, more complete and binding
than can be found in a monarchy, be
cause it is a union by consent of the
people, and ratified by them, in their
capacity of members of the community.
In Independency, there is no union
which binds the different parts together,
with anything like a common feeling
of
interest. Each congregation is entirely
independent of all others, and acting and
living in its separate individual capac
ity, does not feel that
it
is an integral
The Counsel of Cbalcedon, August, 1988
P a ~ 1 9
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8/12/2019 1988 Issue 8 - What is Calvinism?: Dialogue XVIII, Church Government - Counsel of Chalcedon
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part of a common whole, bound by the
same system of laws and regulations.
Aristocracy and monarchy preserve a
union of the different parts, but they de
prive the people of their inalienable
rights, of choosing their own rulers,
&c. Republicanism, whilst it secures
union, leaves the people in full posses
sion of all their rights and liberties. It
leaves all free, yet brings all under law.
t places none above law, and leaves
none below it.
Con.--But
i
the Presbyterian form of
church government be thus based upon
republican principles, how can it be
said to be taken from the Bible? Repub
licanism is of recent date, as I believe
our own government is the only one
that has ever existed upon pure repub
lican principles.
Min. The close resemblance of our
republican form of government to Pres
byterianism, shows very clearly that
they have the same origin, but it proves
that true republicanism has its origin in
Presbyterianism. Any one who traces
their points of similarity, must be con
vinced that they have the same origin.
Presbyterianism has its several official
departments, legislative, judicial, and ex
ecutive, with this difference from our
civil government, that all these duties
in our church government, belong to
the same set of men. Every church
court
Sits
and acts in these several capac
ities, as circumstances require. And
when any church court is about to sit in
a judicial capacity, it is the duty of the
Moderator, who is the presiding officer,
to remind the body of heir high charac
ter as judges of a court
of
Jesus Christ,
and the solemn duty in which they are
about to act."--General Rules for Judica
tories, 39. These duties, in our civil
government, are vested in different bod
ies, but they all exactly correspond with
our several church courts. Our church
Session,
as
a judicial body, corresponds
with our magistrate's court, the Presby
tery with our County court, the Synod
with our State court, and the General
Assembly with our United States court.
As
a legislative body, the church Ses
sion corresponds with our township of
ficers, called in some States trustees,
and in others by different names. They
meet, consult, devise measures, and
make regulations for the general welfare
of those who have chosen them to their
office. The Presbytery corresponds with
our board of County Commissioners,
the Synod with our State Legislature,
and the General Assembly with the
Congress of the United States. With
each body, also, from the lowest to the
highest, are the several executive of
ficers, with whom the similarity is
equally striking.
Add to this, the grand principle of
delegated power in a representative sys
tem, which forms the basis of both our
civil and church governments, and the
similarity is still more striking. Other
points of similarity might be noticed,
but this is sufficient to show any one,
that one is modeled after the other, pre
serving all the grand features and out
lines entire.
Con. They must have had the same
origin, but how do we know that Pres
byterianism is the original, and repub
licanism the model?
Min.--From simple historical facts.
We know that Presbyterianism existed,
in all its purity, long before our govern
ment was thought of, and even before
America was discovered. We know that
it
was persecution for Presbyterian prin
ciples, that drove our forefathers to this
continent. For asserting their inalien
able rights, and, in some instances, en
deavouring to infuse republican prin
ciples into the governments of Europe,
they were persecuted, and fled to this
country, bringing their principles with
them. They had learned them from the
Bible, and prized them dearer than life.
These principles formed the basis
of
ll
their colonial governments, and when
they were infringed upon by the mother
country, they maintained them with
their blood. The same grand principles
of civil and religious liberty, for which
they were persecuted, and fled to this
country, were those which appeared con
spicuous in the contest, and for which
they contended in the arduous struggle.
When their liberties were achieved, and
the several colonial governments form
ed one grand confederacy, the same prin
ciples were embodied in the federal
constitution. And there they stand, giv-
Page20---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ing
us
more consistent liberty, both
civil and religious, than has ever been
enjoyed by any nation under heaven,
except, perhaps, that found in the theo
cracy of the Jews. The secret of our
success as a republic is, that we have a
government, whose principles are the
republicanism of the Bible, which is
only another name for Presbyterianism.
To Presbyterianism, then, as derived
from the Bible,
we
are indebted for our
excellent form of government. The
sound of liberty--civil and religious
liberty--is delightful; but it is an exotic
in this dark world, and we should never
forget, that those principles, in
the
successful operation of which we
rejoice, are drawn from the treasure of
God's word, which gives to us, under
all circlllrtStances perfect rules
of
life.
Con.--But where do we find in
the
Bible, any set of laws or regulations, de-
signed for civil governments? The
ac-
counts we have
of
civil governments,
are mostly of monarchies; and, in
the
New Testament times, Christians
were
subjects of the despotic governments
then in existence. I was not aware that
republicanism, in
any
shape, was
taught in
the
Bible.
Min.-- know it is too generally
thoughtthat the Bible
is
adverse
to hu-
man liberty. But I think I shall be able
to show you that the governments
established by God, whether of Church
or State, were all founded upon the
same grand principles
of
Republicanism
and Presbyterianism, which characterize
ours. But as this investigation would
require more time than
we
can devote
to
it
at present, we will defer
it
until anoth
er time.
[To be continued.]
The
Counsel of
Chalcedon
Book of the
month# 2
Available free for
$50.00 donation
~ ~ m o t t s on ~ P b ~ s i a t t s
by John Calvin
said of this 700 page
Not the same as tlie
The Counsel
of
Chalcedon, August, 1988