 Chapter 13 Two things to be observed in gratuitous justification. The divisions of this chapter are, 1. The glory of God and peace of conscience, both secured by gratuitous justification, and insult to the glory of God to glory in ourselves and seek justification out of Christ, whose righteousness, apprehended by faith, is imputed to all the elect for reconciliation and eternal salvation. 2. Peace of conscience cannot be obtained in any other way than by gratuitous justification. This fully proved sections 3 through 5. Sections 1. The glory of God remains untarnished, when he alone is acknowledged to be just. This proved from Scripture. 2. Those who glory in themselves glory against God. Objection. Answer confirmed by the authority of Paul and Peter. 3. Peace of conscience obtained by free justification only. Testimony of Solomon, of conscience itself, and the apostle Paul, who contends that faith is made vain in righteousness come by the law. 4. The promise confirmed by faith in the mercy of Christ. This is confirmed by Augustine and Bernard, is in accordance with what has been above stated, and is illustrated by clear predictions of the prophets. 5. Farther demonstration by an apostle. Refutation of esophism. 1. Here two ends must be kept specially in view, namely that the glory of God be maintained unimpaired, and that our consciences, in the view of his tribunal, be secured in peaceful rest and calm tranquility. When the question relates to righteousness, we see how often and how anxiously Scripture exhorts us to give the whole praise of it to God. Accordingly, the apostle testifies that the purpose of the Lord in confirming righteousness upon us in Christ was to demonstrate his own righteousness. The nature of this demonstration he immediately subjoins, that is, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3.25. Observe that the righteousness of God is not sufficiently displayed unless he alone is held to be righteous, and freely communicates righteousness to the undeserving. For this reason it is his will that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God, Romans 3.19. For so long as a man has anything, however small, to say in his own defense, so long he deducts somewhat from the glory of God. Thus, we are taught in Ezekiel how much we glorify his name by acknowledging our iniquity. Then shall ye remember your ways and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled, and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed, and ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, Ezekiel 20.43.44. If part of the true knowledge of God consists in being oppressed by a consciousness of our own iniquity, and in recognizing him as doing good to those who are unworthy of it, why do we attempt to our great injury to steal from the Lord even one particle of the praise of unmerited kindness? In like manner, when Jeremiah exclaims, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorious glory in the Lord. Jeremiah 9.23.24. Does he not intimate that the glory of the Lord is infringed when man glories in himself? To this purpose, indeed, Paul accommodates the words when he says, That all the parts of our salvation are treasured up with Christ, that we may glory only in the Lord, 1 Corinthians 1.29. For he intimates that whosoever imagines he has anything of his own rebels against God, and obscures his glory. 2. Thus indeed it is, we never truly glory in him until we have utterly discarded our own glory. It must therefore be regarded as an universal proposition that whoso glories in himself glories against God, Paul indeed considers that the whole world is not made subject to God until every ground of glorying has been withdrawn from men. Romans 3.19. Accordingly, Isaiah, when he declares that, in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, adds, and shall glory, Isaiah 45.25. As if he had said that the elect are justified by the Lord, in order that they may glory in him and in none else. The way in which we are to glory in the Lord, he had explained in the preceding verse, Unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength, even to him shall men come. Observe that the thing required is not simple confession, but confession confirmed by an oath, that it might not be imagined that any kind of fictitious humility might suffice. And let no man here allege that he does not glory when, without arrogance, he recognizes his own righteousness. Such a recognition cannot take place without generating confidence, nor such confidence without begetting boasting. Let us remember, therefore, that in the whole discussion concerning justification, the great thing to be attended to is that God's glory be maintained, entire, and unimpaired. Since as the apostle declares, it was in demonstration of his own righteousness that he shed his favor upon us. It was that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3.26. And in another passage, having said that the Lord conferred salvation upon us, in order that he might show forth the glory of his name, Ephesians 1.6, he afterwards, as if repeating the same thing, adds, by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2.8. And Peter, when he reminds us that we are called to the hope of salvation, that ye should show forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2.9. Doubtless intends thus to proclaim in the ears of believers only the praises of God, that they may bury the in-profound silence all arrogance of the flesh. The sum is that man cannot claim a single particle of righteousness to himself without at the same time detracting from the glory of the divine righteousness. 3. If we now inquire in what way the conscience can be quieted as in the view of God, we shall find that the only way is by having righteousness bestowed upon us freely by the gift of God. Let us always remember the words of Solomon. Who can say I have made my heart clean? I am free from my sin. Proverbs 29. Undoubtedly, there is not one man who is not covered with infinite pollutions. Let the most perfect man descend into his own conscience and bring his actions to account. What will the result be? Will he feel calm and quiescent as if all matters were well arranged between himself and God, or will he not rather be stunned with dire torment when he sees that the ground of condemnation is within him if he be estimated by his works? Conscience when it beholds God must either have sure peace with his justice or be beset by the terrors of hell. We gain nothing, therefore, by discoursing of righteousness unless we hold it to be of righteousness stable enough to support our souls before the tribunal of God. When the soul is able to appear intrepidly in the presence of God and receive his sentence without dismay, then only let us know that we have found a righteousness that is not fictitious. It is not, therefore, without cause that the apostle insists on this matter. I prefer giving it in his words rather than my own. If they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect, Romans 4, 14. He first infers that faith is made void if the promise of righteousness has respect to the merit of our works, or it depends on the observance of the law. Never could anyone rest securely in it, for never could he feel fully assured that he had fully satisfied the law. And it is certain that no man ever fully satisfied it by works. Not to go far for proof of this, everyone who will use his eyes or write may be his own witness. And it appears how deep and dark the abyss is into which hypocrisy plunges the minds of men, when they indulge us securely as, without hesitations to oppose their flattery to the judgment of God, as if they were relieving him from his office as judge. Very different is the anxiety which fills the breasts of believers who sincerely examine themselves. Every mind, therefore, would first begin to hesitate, and at length to despair, while each determined for itself with how great a load of debt it was still oppressed, and how far it was from coming up to the enjoined condition. Thus, then, faith would be oppressed and extinguished, to have faith is not to fluctuate, to vary, to be carried up and down, to hesitate, remain in suspense, vacillate, in fine, to despair. It is to possess sure certainty and complete security of mind, to have a wear on to thrust and fix your foot. 4. Paul, moreover, adds that the promise itself would be rendered null and void. For if its fulfillment depends on our merits when pray, will we be able to come the length of meriting the favor of God? Nay, the second clause is a consequence of the former, since the promise will not be fulfilled unless to those who put faith in it. Faith therefore failing, no power will remain in the promise. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace. To the end the promise might be sure to all the seed. Romans 4, 16. It was abundantly confirmed when made to rest on the mercy of God alone. For mercy and truth are united by an insoluble tie, that is, whatever God has mercifully promised, he faithfully performs. Thus David, before he asks salvation according to the word of God, first places the source of it in his mercy. Let I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Psalms 119, 76. And justly, for nothing but mere mercy induces God to promise. Here then we must place, and as it were, firmly fix our whole hope, paying no respect to our works, and asking no assistance from them. Unless you should suppose that there is anything novel in what I say, Augustine also enjoins us so to act. This God has promised. God has spoken. If this is not enough, God has sworn. Therefore, as the promise stands firm, not in respect of our merits, but in respect of his mercy, no one ought to tremble in announcing that of which he cannot doubt. Thus Bernard also, who can be saved, asked the disciples of Christ, he replies, with men it is impossible, but not with God. This is our whole confidence. This is our only consolation. This the whole ground of our hope, but being assured of the possibility, what are we to say as to his willingness? Who knows whether he is deserving of love or hatred? Ecclesiastes 9.1. Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? 1 Corinthians 2.16. Here it is plain, faith must come to our aid. Here we must have the assistance of truth, in order that the secret purpose of the Father respecting us may be revealed by the Spirit, and the Spirit testifying may persuade our hearts that we are the sons of God. But let him persuade by calling and justifying freely by faith. In these there is a kind of transition from eternal predestination to future glory. Let us thus briefly conclude. Scripture indicates that the promises of God are not sure unless they are apprehended with full assurance of conscience. It declares that wherever there is doubt or uncertainty, the promises are made void. On the other hand, that they can only waver and fluctuate if they depend on our works. Therefore, either our righteousness must perish, or without any consideration of our works, place must be given to faith alone, whose nature it is to prick up the ear and shut the eye. That is, to be intent on the promise only, to give up all idea of any dignity or merit in man. Thus is fulfilled the celebrated prophecy of Zachariah. I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day, sayeth the Lord of Hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine, and under the fig tree. Zachariah 3, 9, and 10. Here the prophet intimates that the only way in which believers can enjoy true peace is by obtaining the remission of their sins. For we must attend to this peculiarity in the prophets, that when they discourse of the kingdom of Christ, they set forth the external mercies of God as types of spiritual blessings. Hence, Christ is called the Prince of Peace and our priest. Isaiah 9, 6, and Ephesians 2, 14. Because he calms all the agitations of conscience. If the method is asked, we must come to the sacrifice by which God was appeased, for no man will ever cease to tremble until he hold that God is propitiated solely by that expiation in which Christ endured his anger. In short, peace must be sought nowhere but in the agonies of Christ our Redeemer. 5. But while employee are more obscure testimony, Paul uniformly declares that the conscience can have no peace or quiet joy until it is held for certain that we are justified by faith, and he at the same time declares whence this certainty is derived, that is, when the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Romans 5, 5. As if he had said that our souls cannot have peace until we are fully assured that we are pleasing to God. Hence he elsewhere exclaims in the person of believers in general, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8, 35. Until we have reached that haven, the slightest breeze will make us tremble, but so long as the Lord is our shepherd, we shall walk without fear in the valley of the shadow of death, Psalms 23. Thus, those who pretend that justification by faith consists in being regenerated and made just, by living spiritually, have never tasted the sweetness of grace in trusting that God will be propitious. Hence also, they know no more of praying aright than do the Turks or any other heathen people. For, as Paul declares, faith is not true unless it suggests and dictate the delightful name of Father. Nay, unless it open our mouths and enable us freely to cry, Abba, Father. This he expresses more clearly in another passage, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Revisions 3, 12. This, certainly, is not obtained by the gift of regeneration, which, as it is always defective in the present state, contains within it many grounds of doubt. Wherefore, we must have recourse to this remedy. We must hold that the only hope which believers have of the heavenly inheritance is that being engrafted into the body of Christ, they are justified freely. For, in regard to justification, faith is merely passive springing nothing of our own to procure the favor of God, but receiving from Christ everything that we want. End of Section 23. Section 24 of Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org recording by Bill Mosley. Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3 by John Calvin Translated by Henry Beverage Chapter 14 Part 1 The Beginning of Justification In What Sense Progressive To illustrate what has been already said and show what kind of righteousness man can have during the whole course of his life, mankind are divided into four classes. 1. First Class Considered Section 1-6 2. Second and Third Classes Considered Together Section 7-8 3. Fourth Class Considered Section 9-to-End Sections 1. Men either idolatrous, profane, hypocritical, or regenerate 1. Idolatrous, void of righteousness Full of unrighteousness and hints in the sight of God altogether wretched and undone 2. Still a great difference in the characters of men This difference manifested 1. In the gifts of God 2. In the distinction between honorable and base 3. In the blessings of the present life 3. All human virtue 4. How praiseworthy soever it may appear is corrupted 1. By impurity of heart 2. By the absence of a proper nature 4. By the want of Christ without whom there is no life 5. Natural Condition of Man as described by Scripture All men dead in sins before regeneration 6. Passages of Scripture to this effect Vulgar error confounding the righteousness of works with the redemption purchased by Christ 7. The second and third classes of men comprehending hypocrites and Christians in name only Every action of theirs deserves condemnation 8. Passage from Haji 9. Objection Answer 8. Other passages Rotations from Augustine and Gregory 9. The fourth class Viz. The Regenerate Though guided by the Spirit corruption adheres to all they do especially when brought to the bar of God 10. One fault sufficient to efface all former righteousness Hence they cannot possibly be justified by works 11. In addition to the two former arguments a third adduced against the selfists to show that whatever be the works of the regenerate they are justified solely by faith and the free imputation of Christ's righteousness 12. Sophism of the schoolmen in opposition to the above doctrine Answer 13. Answer explained Refutation of the fiction of partial righteousness and compensation by works of super-erogation 14. This fiction necessarily falls with that of satisfaction 14. Statement of our Savior Viz that after we have done all we are still unprofitable servants 15. Objection founded on Paul's posting Answer showing the apostles meaning Other answers stating the general doctrine out of Chrysostom Third answer showing that super-erogation is the merest vanity 16. Fourth answer showing how Scripture dissuades us from all competence in works Fifth answer showing that we have no ground of boasting 17. Sixth answer showing in regard to four different classes that works have no part in procuring our salvation 1. The efficient cause is the free love of the Father 2. The material cause is Christ acquiring righteousness for us 3. The instrumental cause is faith 4. The final cause 5. The display of the divine justice and praise of the divine goodness 18. A second objection founded on the glorying of saints An answer explaining these modes of expression How the saints feel in regard to the certainty of salvation The opinion they have of their own works as in the sight of God 19. Another answer is that the elect by this kind of glorying refer only to their adoption by the Father as proved by the fruits of their calling The order of this glorying its foundation structure and parts 20. Conclusion The saints neither attribute anything to the merits of works nor derogate in any degree from the righteousness which they obtain in Christ Confirmation from a passage of Augustine in which he gives two reasons why no believer will presume to boast before God of his works 21. A third objection vis that the good works of believers are the causes of divine blessings 22. Answer There are inferior causes but these depend on free justification which is the only true cause why God blesses us These modes of expression designate the order of sequence rather than the cause 1. In further illustration of the subject let us consider what kind of righteousness man can have during the whole course of his life and for this purpose let us make a fourfold division 2. Mankind, either endued with no knowledge of God are sunk in idolatry or initiated in the sacraments but by the impurity of their lives denying him whom they confess with their mouths are Christians in name only or they are hypocrites who with empty glosses hide the iniquity of the heart or they are regenerated by the spirit of God and aspire to true holiness In the first place when men are judged by their natural endowments not an iota of good will be found from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot unless we are to charge scripture with falsehood when it describes all the sons of Adam by such terms as these the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth the Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity in quote quote they are all gone aside they are all together become filthy there is none that does good no not one in quote in short that they are flesh under which name are comprehended all those works which are enumerated by Paul adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envoys murders drunkenness revelings and all kinds of pollution and abomination which it is possible to imagine such then is the worth on which men are to clean themselves but if any among them possess an integrity of manners which presents some semblance of sanctity among men yet because we know that God regards not the outward appearance we must penetrate to the very source of action if we would see how far works avail for righteousness we must I say look within and see from what affection of the heart these works proceed this is a very wide field of discussion but as the matter may be explained in few words I will use as much brevity as I can two first then I deny not that whatever excellent endowments appear in unbelievers are divine gifts nor do I set myself so much in opposition to common sense as to contend that there was no difference between the justice moderation and equity of Titus and Trajan and the rage and temperance and cruelty of Caligula Nero and Domitian between the continents of Vespasian and the obscene lusts of Tiberius and not to dwell on single virtues and vices between the observance of law and justice and the contempt of them so great is the difference between justice and injustice that it may be seen even where the former is only a lifeless image for what order would remain in the world if we were to confound them hence this distinction between honorable and base actions God has not only engraven on the minds of each but also often confirms in the administration of his providence for we see how he visits those who cultivate virtue with many temporal blessings not that that external image of virtue in the least degree merits his favor but he is pleased thus to show how much he delights in true righteousness since he does not leave even the outward semblance of it to go unrewarded hence it follows as we lately observed that those virtues or rather images of virtues of whatever kind are divine gifts since there is nothing in any degree praiseworthy which proceeds not from him three still the observation of augustine is true that all who are strangers to the true God however excellent they may be deemed on account of their virtues are more deserving of punishment than of reward because by the pollution of their heart they contaminate the pure gifts of God for though they are instruments of God to preserve human society by justice continents friendship temperance fortitude and prudence yet they execute these good works of God in the worst manner because they are kept from acting ill not by a sincere love of goodness but merely by ambition or self-love or some other sinister affection seeing then that these actions are polluted as in their very source by impurity of heart they have no better title to be classed among virtues than vices which impose upon us by their affinity or resemblance to virtue in short when we remember that the object at which righteousness always aims is the service of God whatever is of a different tendency deservedly forfeits the name hence as they have no regard to the end which the divine wisdom prescribes although from the performance the act seems good yet from the perverse motive it is sin augustine therefore concludes that all the fubriciouses the scipios and katoes in their illustrious deeds sinned in this that wanting the light of faith they did not refer them to the proper end and that therefore there was no true righteousness in them because duties are estimated not by acts but by motives for besides if it is true as john says that there is no life without the son of god first john five twelve those who have no part in christ whoever they be whatever they do or devise are hastening on during their whole career to destruction and the judgment of eternal death for this reason augustine says quote our religion distinguishes the righteous from the wicked by the law not of works but of faith without which works which seem good are converted into sins end quote he finally expresses the same idea in another passage where he compares the zeal of such men to those who in a race mistake the course he who is off the course the more swiftly he runs is the more distant from the goal and therefore the more unhappy it is better to limp in the way than run out of the way lastly as there is no sanctification without union with christ is evident that they are bad trees which are beautiful and fair to look upon and may even produce fruit sweet to the taste but are still very far from good hence we easily perceive that everything which man thinks designs and performs and performs before he is reconciled to god by faith is cursed and not only of no avail for justification but merits certain damnation and why do we talk of this as if it were doubtful when it has already been proved by the testimony of an apostle that quote without faith it is impossible to please god and quote hebrews 11 6 5 but the proof will be still clearer if divine grace is set in opposition to the natural condition of man for scripture everywhere proclaims that god finds nothing in man to induce him to show kindness but that he prevents him by free the morality what can a dead man do to obtain life but when he enlightens us with the knowledge of himself he is said to raise us from the dead and make us new creatures john 5 25 on this ground we see that the kindness of god toward us is often commended especially by the apostle quote god says he who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins has quickened us together with christ end quote Ephesians 2 4 in another passage when treating of the general call of believers under the type of Abraham he says quote god quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were end quote romans 4 17 if we are nothing what pray can we do wherefore in the book of Job the lord sternly represses all arrogance in these words quote who has prevented me that I should repay him whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine end quote Job 41 11 Paul explaining this sentence applies it in this way let us not imagine that we bring to the lord anything but the mere disgrace of want and destitution romans 11 35 wherefore in the passage above quoted to prove that we attain to the hope of salvation not by works but only by grace he affirms that quote we are his workmanship created in christ jesus unto good works which god has before ordained that we should walk in them in quote Ephesians 2 10 as if he had said who of us can boast of having challenged god by his righteousness seeing our first power to act a right is derived from regeneration for as we are formed by nature sooner shall oil be extracted from stone than good works from us it is truly strange how man convicted of such ignominy dares still to claim anything as his own let us acknowledge therefore with that chosen vessel that god quote has called us with unholy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace in quote and quote that the kindness and love of god our savior toward men appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us in quote that being justified by his grace we might become the heirs of everlasting life 2nd Timothy 1 9 Titus 3 4 5 by this confession we strip man of every particle of righteousness until by mere mercy he is regenerated unto the hope of eternal life since it is not true to say we're justified by grace if works contribute in any degree to our justification the apostle undoubtedly had not forgotten himself in declaring that justification is gratuitous seeing he argues in another place that if works or of any avail quote grace is no more grace in quote Romans 11 6 and what else is our lord mean when he declares quote I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance in quote Matthew 9 13 if sinners alone are admitted why do we seek admission by means of fictitious righteousness 6 the thought is ever and a non recurring to me that I am in danger of insulting the mercy of God by laboring with so much anxiety to maintain it as if it were doubtful or obscure such however is our malignity in refusing to concede to God what belongs to him until most strongly urged that I am obliged to insist at greater length but as scripture is clear enough on this subject I shall contend in its words rather than my own Isaiah after describing the universal destruction of the human race finally subjoins the method of restitution quote the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgment and he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor therefore his arm brought salvation unto him and his righteousness it sustained him in quote Isaiah 59 verses 15 and 16 where is our righteousness if the prophet says truly that no man in recovering salvation gives any assistance to the Lord thus another prophet introducing the Lord as treating concerning the reconciliation of sinners says quote I will betroth the unto me forever yay I will betroth the unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in mercies and quote quote I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy in quote Hosea to 19 and 23 if a covenant of this kind evidently forming our first union with God depends on mercy there is no foundation left for our righteousness and indeed I would faint no from those who pretend that man meets God with some righteousness of works whether they imagine there is any kind of righteousness save that which is acceptable to him if it were insane to think so can anything agreeable to God proceed from his enemies whom he abominates with all their deeds truth declares that we are all the avowed and inveterate enemies of God until we are justified and admitted to his friendship Romans 5 6 Colossians 1 21 if justification is the beginning of love how can the righteousness of works preceded hence John to put down the arrogant idea carefully reminds us that God first loved us first John 4 10 the Lord had formerly taught the same thing by his prophet quote I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him in quote Hosea 14 for assuredly he is not influenced by works if his love turns to us spontaneously but the rude and vulgar idea entertained is that we did not merit the interposition of Christ for our redemption but that we are aided by our works in obtaining possession of it on the contrary though we may be redeemed by Christ still until we are engrafted into union with him by the calling of the father we are darkness the heirs of death and the enemies of God for Paul declares that we are not purged and washed from our impurities by the blood of Christ until the spirit accomplishes that cleansing in us 1 Corinthians 6 11 Peter intending to say the same thing declares that the sanctification of the spirit avails quote unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ in quote first Peter 1 2 if the sprinkling of the blood of Christ by the spirit gives us purification let us not think that previous to this sprinkling we are anything but sinners without Christ let us therefore hold it as certain that the beginning of our salvation is as it were a resurrection from death unto life because when it is given us on behalf of Christ to believe on him Philippians 1 29 then only do we begin to pass from death unto life 7 under this head the second and third class of men noted in the above division is comprehended impurity of conscience proves that as yet neither of these classes is regenerated by the spirit of God and again they're not being regenerated proves their want of faith whence it is clear that they are not yet reconciled not yet justified since it is only by faith that these blessings are obtained what can sinners alienated from God produce save that which is abominable in his sight such however is the stupid confidence entertained by all the wicked and especially by hypocrites that however conscious that their whole heart teams with impurity they yet deem any spurious works which they may perform as worthy of the approbation of God hence the pernicious consequence that though convicted of a wicked and impious minds they cannot be induced to confess that they are devoid of righteousness even acknowledging themselves to be unrighteous because they cannot deny it they yet arrogate to themselves some degree of righteousness this vanity the Lord admirably refutes by the prophet quote ask now the priests concerning the law saying if one bear holy flesh on the skirt of his garment and with his skirt do touch bread or potage or wine or oil or any meat shall it be holy and the priest answered and said no then said hajai if one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these shall it be unclean and the priest answered and said it shall be unclean then answered hajai and said so is this people and so is this nation before me set the Lord and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer there is unclean end quote hajai 2 verses 11 through 14 i wish these sentiments could obtain full credit with us and be deeply fixed on our memories for there is no man however flagitus the whole tenor of his life may be who will allow himself to be convinced of what the Lord here so clearly declares as soon as any person even the most wicked has performed some one duty of the law he hesitates not to impute it to himself for righteousness but the Lord declares that no degree of holiness is thereby acquired unless the heart has previously been made pure and not contended with this he declares that all the works performed by sinners are contaminated by impurity of heart let us cease them to give the name of righteousness to works which the mouth of God condemns as polluted how well is this shown by that elegant similitude it might it might be objected that what the Lord has commanded is inviably holy but he on the contrary replies that it is not strange that those things which are sanctified in the law are contaminated by the impurity of the wicked the unclean hand profaning that which is sacred by handling it eight the same argument is admirably followed out by isiah quote bring no more vain oblations incense is an abomination unto me the new moons and Sabbath the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn meeting your new moons and your appointed feast my foul haters there are a trouble unto me I am weary to bear them and when you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yay when you make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes and quote isiah 1 13 through 16 compared with chapter 58 what is meant by the Lord thus nauseating the observance of his law nay and deep he does not repudiate anything relating to the genuine observance of the law the beginning of which is as he uniformly declares the sincere fear of his name when this is wanting all the services which are offered to him are not only negatory but vile and abominable let hypocrites now go and while keeping the poverty wrapped up in their hearts study to lay God under obligation by their works in this way they will only offend him more and more quote the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight in quote Proverbs 15 8 we hold it therefore as indubitable indeed it should be notorious to all tolerably verdant with scriptures that the most splendid works performed by men who are not yet truly sanctified are so far from being righteousness in the sight of the Lord that he regards them as sins and therefore it is taught with perfect truth that no man procures favor with God by means of works but that on the contrary works are not pleasing to God unless the person has previously found favor in his sight here we should carefully observe the order which scripture says before us Moses says that quote the Lord had respect and do able and to his offering in quote Genesis 4 4 observe how he says that the Lord was propitious had respect to able before he had respect to his works therefore purification of heart ought to precede in order that the works performed by us may be graciously accepted by God for the saying of Jeremiah is always true quote oh Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth in quote Jeremiah 5 3 moreover the Holy Spirit declared by the mouth of Peter that it is by faith alone the heart is purified acts 15 9 hence it is evident that the primary foundation is in true and living faith 9 let us now see what kind of righteousness belongs to those persons whom we have placed in the fourth class we admit that when God reconciles us to himself by the intervention of the righteousness of Christ and bestowing upon us the free pardon of sins regards us as righteous his goodness is at the same time conjoined with mercy so that he dwells in us by means of his Holy Spirit by whose agency the lusts of our flesh are every day more and more mortified while that we ourselves are sanctified that is consecrated to the Lord for true purity of life our hearts being trained to the obedience of the law it thus becomes our leading desire to obey his will and in all things advance his glory only still however while we walk in the ways of the Lord under the guidance of the Holy Spirit lest we should become unduly elated and forget ourselves we have still remains of imperfection which serve to keep us humble quote there is no man that Senneth not in quote said scripture first Kings 846 what righteousness then can men obtain by their works first I say that the best thing which can be produced by them is always tainted and corrupted by the impurity of the flesh and has as it were some mixture of drose in it let the holy servant of God I say select from the whole course of his life the action which he deems most excellent and let him ponder it in all its parts he will doubtless find in it something that savers of the rottenness of the flesh since our alacrity and well-doing is never what it ought to be but our course is always retarded by much weakness although we see that the stains by which the works of the righteous are blemished are by no means unapparent still granting that they are the minutest possible will they give no offense to the eye of God before which even the stars are not clean we thus see that even saints cannot perform one work which if judged on its own merits is not deserving of condemnation 10 even were it possible for us to perform works absolutely pure yet one sin is sufficient to efface and extinguish all remembrance of former righteousness as the prophet says Ezekiel 18 24 with this James agrees quote whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all in quote James 2 10 and since this mortal life is never entirely free from the taint of sin whatever righteousness we could acquire would ever in a non be corrupted overwhelmed and destroyed by subsequent sins so that it could not stand the scrutiny of God or be imputed to us for righteousness in short whenever we treat of the righteousness of works we must look not to the legal work but to the command therefore when righteousness is sought by the law it is in vain to produce one or two single works we must show an uninterrupted obedience God does not as many foolishly imagine impute that forgiveness of sins once for all as righteousness so that having obtained the pardon of our past life we may afterwards seek righteousness in the law this were only to mock and dilute us by the entertainment of false hopes for since perfection is altogether unattainable by us so long as we are clothed with flesh and the law denounces death and judgment against all who have not yielded a perfect righteousness there will always be ground to accuse and convict us unless the mercy of God it repose and ever and a non absolve us by the constant remission of sins wherefore the statement which we set out is always true if we are estimated by our own worthiness in everything that we think or devise with all our studies and endeavors we deserve death and destruction end of section 24 recording by bill moseley crawlsburg texas us a section 25 of institutes of the christian religion book three this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox dot org recording by bill moseley institutes of the christian religion book three by john calvin translated by henry beverage chapter 14 part two 11 we must strongly insist on these two things that no believer ever performed one work which if tested by the strict judgment of god could escape condemnation and moreover that were this granted to be possible though it is not yet the act being vitiated and polluted by the sins of which it is certain that the author of it is guilty it is deprived of its merit this is the cardinal point of the present discussion there is no controversy between us and the sounder schoolmen as to the beginning of justification they admit that the sinner freely delivered from condemnation obtains justification and that by forgiveness of sins but under the term justification they comprehend the renovation by which the spirit forms us anew to the obedience of the law and in describing the righteousness of the regenerate man maintain that being once reconciled to god by means of christ he is afterwards deemed righteous by his good works and is accepted in consideration of them the lord on the contrary declares that he imputed abraham's faith for righteousness roman's four three not at the time when he was still a worshiper of idols but after he had been many years distinguished for holiness abraham had long served god with a pure heart and performed that obedience of the law which a mortal man is able to perform yet his righteousness still consisted in faith hence we infer according to the reasoning of paul that it was not of works in like manners when the prophet says the just shall live by his faith habakkuk 2 4 he is not speaking of the wicked and profane whom the lord justifies by converting them to the faith his discourse is directed to believers and life is promised to them by faith paul also removes every doubt when in confirmation of this sentiment he quotes the words of david blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered psalm 32 verse 1 it is certain that david is not speaking of the ungodly but of believers such as he himself was because he was giving utterance to the feelings of his own mind therefore we must have this blessedness not once only but must hold it fast during our whole lives moreover the message of free reconciliation with god is not promulgated for one or two days but is declared to be perpetual in the church 2nd Corinthians 5 verses 18 and 19 hence believers have not even to the end of life any other righteousness than that which is there described christ ever remains a mediator to reconcile the father to us and there is a perpetual efficacy in his death this ablution satisfaction expiation in short perfect obedience by which all our inequities are covered in the epistle to the Ephesians paul says not that the beginning of salvation is of grace but by grace are ye saved not of works lest any man should boast Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 12 the subterfuges by which the schoolmen here endeavor to escape will not disentangle them they say that good works are not of such intrinsic worth as to be sufficient to procure justification but it is owing to accepting grace that they have this effect then because they are forced to confess that here the righteousness of works is always imperfect they grant that so long as we are in this life we stand in need of the forgiveness of sin in order to supply the deficiency of works but that the faults which are committed are compensated by works of supererogation i answer that the grace which they call accepting is nothing else than the free goodness with which the father embraces us in christ when he clothes us with the innocence of christ and accepts it as ours so that in consideration of it he regards us as holy pure and innocent for the righteousness of christ as it alone is perfect so it alone can stand the scrutiny of god must be assisted for us and as a surety represent us judicially provided with this righteousness we constantly obtain the remission of sins through faith our imperfection and impurity covered with this purity are not imputed but are as it were buried so as not to come under judgment until the hour arrive when the old man being destroyed and plainly extinguished in us the divine goodness shall receive us into beatific peace with the new atom there to await the day of the lord on which being clothed with incorruptible bodies we shall be translated to the glory of the heavenly kingdom 13 if these things are so it is certain that our works cannot in themselves make us agreeable and acceptable to god and even cannot please god except in so far as being covered with the righteousness of christ we thereby please him and obtain forgiveness of sins god is not promised life as the reward of certain works but only declares quote which if a man do he shall live in them leviticus 18 verse 5 denouncing the well-known curse against all who do not continue in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them in this way is completely refuted the fiction of a partial righteousness the only righteousness acknowledged in heaven being the perfect observance of the law there is nothing more solid in their dogma of compensation by means of works of super irrigation for must they not always return to the proposition which has already been disproved this that he who observes the law in part is so far justified by works this which no man of sound judgment will concede to them they are not ashamed to take for granted the lord having so often declared that he recognizes no justification by works unless they be works by which the law is perfectly fulfilled how perverse is it while we are devoid of such works to endeavor to secure some ground of glorifying to ourselves that is not to yield it entirely to god by boasting of some kind of fragments of works and trying to supply the deficiency by other satisfactions satisfactions have already been so completely disposed of that we ought never again even to dream of them here all i say is that those who thus trifle with sin do not at all consider how execrable it is in the sight of god if they did they would assuredly understand that all the righteousness of men collected into one heap would be inadequate to compensate for a single sin for we see that by one sin man was so cast off and forsaken by god that he at the same time lost all power of recovering salvation he was therefore deprived of the power of giving satisfaction those who flatter themselves with this idea will never satisfy god who cannot possibly accept or be pleased with anything that proceeds from his enemies but all to whom he imputes sin are enemies and therefore our sins must be covered and forgiven before the lord has respect to any of our works from this it follows that the forgiveness of sins is gratuitous and this forgiveness is wickedly insulted by those who introduce the idea of idea of satisfaction let us therefore after the example of the apostle for getting those things which are behind and reaching forth into those things which are before press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of god in jesus christ Philippians 3 verses 13 and 14 14 how can boasting in works of super irrigation agree with the command given to us when ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Luke 17 verse 10 to say or speak in the presence of god is not to feign or lie but to declare what we hold as certain our lord therefore enjoins us sincerely to feel and consider with ourselves that we do not perform gratuitous duties but pay him service which is due and truly for the obligations of service under which we lie are so numerous that we cannot discharge them though all our thoughts and members were devoted to the observance of the wall and therefore when he says when ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you it is just as if he had said that all the righteousness of men would not amount to one of these things seeing then that everyone is very far distant from that goal how can we presume to boast of having accumulated more than is due it cannot be objected that a person though failing in some measure in what is necessary may yet in intention go beyond what is necessary for it must ever be held that in whatever pertains to the worship of god or to charity nothing can ever be thought of that is not comprehended under the law but if it is part of the law let us not boast of voluntary liberality and matters of necessary obligation 15 on this subject they ceaselessly alleged the boast of paul that among the Corinthians he spontaneously renounced a right which if he had otherwise chosen he might have exercised verse Corinthians 9 verse 15 thus not only paying what he owed them in duty but gratuitously bestowing upon them more than duty required they ought to have attended to the reason they're expressed that his object was to avoid giving offense to the weak for wicked and deceitful workmen employed this pretense of kindness that they might procure favor to their pernicious dogmas and excite hatred against the gospel so that it was necessary for paul either to peril the doctrine of christ or to thwart their schemes now if it is a matter of indifference to a christian man whether or not he caused a scandal when it is in his power to avoid it then i admit that the apostle performed a work of supererogation to his master but if the thing which he did was justly required and a prudent minister of the gospel then i say he did what he was bound to do in short even when no such reason appears yet the saying of chris ostum is always true that everything which we have is held on the same condition as the private property of slaves it is always due to our master christ does not disguise this in the parable for he asks in regard to the master who on return from his labor requires his servant to gird himself and serve him does he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded him i throw not luke 17 verse 9 but possibly the servant was more industrious than the master would have ventured to exact be it so still he did nothing to which his condition as a servant did not bind him because his utmost ability is his masters i say nothing as to the kind of supererogations on which these men would plume themselves before god they are frivolities which he never commanded which he approves not and will not accept when they come to give in their account the only sense in which we admit works of supererogation is that expressed by the prophet when he says who has required this at your hand isaia 1 verse 12 but let them remember what is elsewhere said of them wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which satisfyeth not isaia 55 verse 2 it is indeed an easy matter for these indolent rabbis to carry on such discussions sitting in their soft chairs under the shade but when the supreme judge shall sit on his tribunal all these blustering dogmas will behave to disappear this this i say was the true question not what we can fable and talk in schools and corners but what ground of defense we can produce at his judgment seat 16 in this matter the minds of men must be specially guarded against two pastiferous dogmas vis against putting any confidence in the righteousness of works or ascribing any glory to them from all such confidence the scriptures uniformly dissuade us when they declare that our righteousness is offensive in the sight of god unless it derives a sweet odor from the purity of christ that it can have no other effect than to excite the divine vengeance unless sustained by his indulgent mercy accordingly the only thing they leave to us is to deprecate our judge with that confession of david internaught into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no living be justified psalm 143 verse 2 and when job says if i be wicked woe unto me and if i be righteous yet will i not lift up my head job 10 verse 15 although he refers to that spotless righteousness of god before which even angels are not clean he however shows that when brought to the bar of gods all that mortals can do is to stand dumb he does not merely mean that he chooses rather to give way spontaneously than to risk a contest with the divine severity but that he was not conscious of possessing any righteousness that would not fall the very first moment it was brought into the presence of god confidence being banished all glorying must necessarily cease for who can attribute any merit of righteousness to works which instead of giving confidence only make us tremble in the presence of god we must therefore come to what isaia invites us in the lord shall all the lord shall all the seed of israel be justified and shall glory isaia 45 verse 25 for it is most true as he elsewhere says that we are the planting of the lord that he might be glorified glorified isaia 61 verse 3 our soul therefore will not be duly purified until it ceases to have any confidence or feel any exultation in works foolish men are puffed up to this false and lying confidence by the erroneous idea that the cause of their salvation is in works 17 but if we attend to the four kinds of causes which philosophers bring under our view in regard to effects we shall find that not one of them is applicable to works as a cause of salvation the efficient cause of our eternal salvation the scripture uniformly proclaims to be the mercy and free love of the heavenly father towards us the material cause to be christ with the obedience by which he purchase righteousness for us and what can the formal or instrumental cause be but faith john includes the three in one sentence when he says God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life john three verse 16 the apostle more over declares that the final cause is the demonstration of the divine righteousness and the praise of his goodness there also he distinctly mentions the other three causes for he thus speaks to the romans all have sin and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace romans three verses 23 through 24 you have here the head and primary source God has embraced us with free mercy the next words are through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus this is as it were the material cause by which righteousness is procured for us whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith faith is thus the instrumental cause by which righteousness is applied to us he lastly subjoins the final cause when he says to declare at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus and to show by the way that this righteousness consists in reconciliation he says that Christ was set forth to be a propitiation thus also in the epistle to the Ephesians he tells us that we are received into the favor of God by mere mercy that this is done by the intervention of Christ that it is apprehended by faith the end of all being that the glory of the divine goodness may be fully displayed when we see that all the parts of our salvation thus exist without us what ground can we have for glorying or confiding in our works neither as to the efficient nor the final cause can the most sworn enemies of divine grace raise any controversy with us unless they would abjure the whole of scripture in regard to the material or formal cause they make a gloss as if they held that our works divide the merit with faith and the righteousness of Christ but here also scripture reclaims simply affirming that Christ is both righteousness and life and that the blessing of justification is possessed by faith alone eighteen when the saints repeatedly confirm and console themselves with the remembrance of their innocence and integrity and sometimes even abstain not from proclaiming them it is done in two ways either because by comparing their good cause with the bad cause of the ungodly they then feel secure of victory not so much from commendation of their own righteousness as from the just and merited condemnation of their adversaries or because reviewing themselves before God even without any comparison with others the purity of their conscience gives them some comfort and security the former reason will afterwards be considered let us now briefly show in regard to the latter how it accords with what we have above said that we can have no confidence in works before the bar of God that we cannot glory in any opinion of their worth the accordance lies here that when the point considered is the constitution and foundation of salvation believers without paying any respect to works direct their eyes to the goodness of God alone nor do they turn to it only in the first instance as to the commencement of blessedness but rest in it as the completion conscience being thus founded built up and established is farther established by the consideration of works in as much as they are proofs of God dwelling and reigning in us since then this confidence in works has no place unless you have previously fixed your whole confidence on the mercy of God it should not seem contrary to that on which it depends therefore when we exclude confidence in works we merely mean that the Christian mind must not turn back to the merit of works as an aid to salvation but must dwell entirely on the free promise of justification but we forbid no believer to confirm and support this faith by the signs of the divine favor towards him for if when we call to mind the gifts which God has bestowed upon us they are like rays of the divine countenance by which we aren't able to behold the highest light of his goodness much more is this the case with the gift of good works which shows that we have received the spirit of adoption 19 when believers therefore feel their faith strengthened by consciousness of integrity and entertain sentiments of exultation it is just because the fruits of their calling convince them that the Lord has admitted them to a place among his children according to when Solomon says in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence Proverbs 14 verse 26 and when the saints sometimes beseech the Lord to hear them because they walked before his face in simplicity and integrity 14 Genesis 24 verse 10 2nd Kings 20 verse 3 these expressions apply not to laying the foundation of a firm conscience but are of force only when taken a posteriori for there is nowhere such a fear of God as can give full security and the saints are always conscious that any integrity which they may possess is mingled with many remains of the flesh but as the fruits of regeneration furnish them with a proof of the Holy Spirit dwelling in them experiencing God to be a father in a matter of so much moment they are strengthened in no slight degree to wait for his assistance in all their necessities even this they could not do had they not previously perceived that the goodness of God is sealed to them by nothing but the certainty of the promise should they begin to estimate it by their good works nothing will be weaker or more uncertain works when estimated by themselves no less proving the divine displeasure by their imperfection than his good will by their incipient purity in short while proclaiming the mercies of the Lord they never lose sight of his free favor with all its breath and length and depth and height testified by Paul Ephesians 3 verse 18 as if he had said whether so ever the believer turns however loftily he climbs however far and wide his thoughts extend he must not go farther than the love of Christ but must be wholly occupied in meditating upon it as including in itself all dimensions accordingly he declares that it passive knowledge that to know the love of Christ is to be filled with all the fullness of God Ephesians 3 19 in another passage where he glories that believers are victorious in every contest he adds the reason through him that loved us Romans 8 37 20 we now see that believers have no such confidence in works as to attribute any merit to them since they regard them only as divine gifts in which they recognize his goodness and signs of calling in which they discern their election nor such confidence as to derogate in any respect from the free righteousness of Christ since on this it depends and without this cannot subsist the same thing is briefly but elegantly expressed by Augustine when he says I do not say to the Lord despise not the works of my hands I have sought the Lord with my hands and have not been deceived but I commend not the works of my hands for I fear that when thou examine as them thou will find more faults than merits this only I say this asks this desire despise not the works of thy hands see in me thy work not mine if thou sees mine thou condemnest if thou sees thine own thou crownest whatever good works I have are of thee he gives two reasons for not venturing to boast of his works before God first that if he has any good works he does not see in them anything of his own and secondly that these works are overwhelmed by a multitude of sins whence it is that the conscience derives from them more fear and alarm than security therefore the only way in which he desires God to look at any work which he may have done a right is that he may there in see the grace of his calling and perfect the work which he has begun 21 moreover when scripture intimates that the good works of believers are causes why the Lord does them good we must still understand the meaning so as to hold unshaken what has previously been said this that the efficient cause of our salvation is placed in the love of God the father the material cause in the obedience of the son the instrumental cause in the illumination of the spirits that is in faith and the final cause in the praise of the divine goodness in this however there is nothing to prevent the Lord from embracing works as inferior causes but how so in this way those whom in mercy he has destined for the inheritance of eternal life he in his ordinary administration introduces to the possession of it by means of good works what precedes in the order of administration is called the cause of what follows for this reason he sometimes makes eternal life a consequent of works not because it is to be ascribed to them but because those whom he has elected he justifies that he may at length glorify Romans 8 30 he makes the prior grace to be a kind of cause because it is a kind of step to that which follows but whenever the true cause is to be assigned he enjoins us not to take refuge in works but to keep our thoughts entirely fixed on the mercy of God the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life Romans 6 23 why as he contrasts life with death does he not also contrast righteousness with sin why when setting down sin as the cause of death does he not also set down righteousness as the cause of life the antithesis which would otherwise be complete is somewhat marred by this variation but the apostle employed the comparison to express the fact that death is due to the deserts of men but that life was treasured up solely in the mercy of God in short by these expressions the order rather than the cause is noted the Lord adding grace to grace takes occasion from a former to add a subsequent so that he may omit no means of enriching his servants still in following out this liberality he would have us always look to free election as its source and beginning for although he loves the gifts which he daily bestows upon us and as much as they proceed from that fountain still our duty is to hold fast by that gratuitous acceptance which alone can support our souls and so to connect the gifts of the spirit which he afterwards bestows with their primary cause as in no degree to detract from it end of section 25 recording by Bill Moseley Pralsberg, Texas U.S.A