Читать книгу History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin (Vol. 1-8) - J. H. Merle D'Aubigné - Страница 87

'The kingdom of Christ ought not to be without a government. In no place ought order to be stricter, obedience more complete, and power more respected.'

Francis I. and his councillors heard these declarations with pleasure. They had been told that the pretended Church of the protestants was composed of atoms that had no cohesion with each other. Others affirmed that the only superior power recognised in it was that of certain theocratic prophets, like Thomas Munzer and others. Francis, therefore, was satisfied to learn that while they acknowledged a universal priesthood, by virtue of which every believer approached God in prayer, protestantism maintained a special evangelical ministry. But what was this ministry, this government? This the king and his advisers desired to know. Here, in our opinion, the mediating divines went wrong: the king's wishes were to be almost satisfied.