Gaspar Olevian Comments on Calvin's Institutes

Method and Arrangement, or Subject of the Whole Work

[From an Epitome of the Institutions, by Gaspar Olevian.]

IV. Since the Holy Spirit does not ingraft all men into Christ, or endue them with faith, and those whom he does so endue he does not ordinarily endue without means, but uses for that purpose the preaching of the Gospel and the dispensation of the Sacraments, together with the administration of all kinds of discipline, the Creed contains the following article, "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church", namely, that Church which, when lying in eternal death, the Father, by gratuitous election, freely reconciled to himself in Christ, and endued with the Holy Spirit, that, being ingrafted into Christ, it might have communion with him as its proper head; whence flow perpetual remission of sins, and full restoration to eternal life.

In other words, Christ saves the elect through the preaching of the Gospel and through the right administration of the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper.  We ought to remember that being members of a local congregation is essential to spiritual well being.  These days finding a church committed to Scripture and the Reformation is hard to do.