Protestantism in France From Death of Henry IV to the Revolution - James Aitken Wylie

the French Protestants drawn more strongly the line
which separated their action as citizens from their
action as church members – in other words, given
more prominence to their church organization. The
theory which they had received from Calvin, and
on which they professed to act, was that while
society is one, it is divided into the two great
spheres of Church and State; that as members of
the first – that is, of the Church – they formed an
organization distinct from that of the State; that this
organization was constituted upon a distinct basis,
that of Revelation; that it was placed under a
distinct Head, namely, Christ; that it had distinct
rights and laws given it by God; and that in the
exercise of these rights and laws, for its own proper
ends, it was not dependence upon, or accountable
to, the State. This view of the Church's origin and
constitution makes her claims and jurisdiction
perfectly intelligible; and gives, as the French style
it, her raison d'etre. It may not be assented to by all,
but even where it is not admitted it can be
understood, and the independent jurisdiction of the
Church, whether right or wrong in fact, on which
we are here pronouncing no opinion, will be seen
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