Book 4 of 4 - External Means by which God Invites Us into the Society of Christ and Holds Us Therein
Chapter 9 - Councils and Their Authority
1-2 - Their authority
1. Calvin honors the councils, and isn't afraid of them, just because he gives them less credit than his opponents.
2. To have authority a council must be gatered in Christ's name - Matt 18:20. This can't be the case where they "concoct some novelty out of their own heads." Deut 12:32; Prov 30:6; Mal 2:7.
3-7 - Councils fallible due to defective pastors
3. The church remained during the prophets' time, while God railed against her unfaithful prophets and priests - Isa 56:10-11; Jer 6:13; 14:14; 23; 40; Ezek 22:25-26; Isa 9:14; 28:7; 29:10; Jer 2:8, 26; 5:13, 31; 6:13; 8:10; 13:13; 14:14; 23:1; 27:9.
4. This isn't confined to the OT. The NT warns of error from pastors, too - 2 Pet 2:1; Matt 24:11, 24; Acts 20:29-30; 1 Tim 4:1; 2 Tim 3:1; 4:3; 2 Thess 2:4.
5. This isn't to degrade the authority of pastors, though. "But the pope" thinks he can say and do anything, because he has the name of pastor. The prophets faced evil men "singing the same song," fighting God's Word with the name of "pastor." Zech 11:17; Jer 18:18.
6. They say priests can err, but not councils. But Scripture shows plenty of erring councils. Jer 4:9; Ezek 7:26; Micah 3:6; 1 Kings 22:6, 22, 26-27; Jer 20:2; 32:2; 37:15; Matt 21:35; 23:29.
7. It was a church council that condemned Christ - John 11:47. So we can't say "the church consists in the assembly of the pastors."
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