 Section 14 of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 by John Calvin. Translated by Henry Beverage, Chapter 8. The credibility of Scripture sufficiently proved in so far as natural reason admits. This chapter consists of four parts. The first contains certain general proofs which may be easily gathered out of the writings both of the Old and New Testament. These, the arrangement of the sacred volume, its dignity, truth, simplicity, efficacy and majesty. Section 1 and 2. The second part contains special proofs taken from the Old Testament. These, the antiquity of the books of Moses, their authority, his miracles and prophecies. Section 3 through 7. Also, the predictions of the other prophets and their wondrous harmony. Section 8. There is subjoined a refutation of two objections to the books of Moses and the prophets. Section 9 and 10. The third part exhibits proofs gathered out of the New Testament. Example. The harmony of the evangelists in their account of heavenly mysteries. The majesty of the writings of John, Peter and Paul. The remarkable calling of the apostles and conversion of Paul. Section 11. The last part exhibits the proofs drawn from ecclesiastical history. The perpetual consent of the church in receiving and preserving divine truth. The invincible force of the truth in defending itself. The agreement of the godly, though otherwise differing so much from one another. The pious profession of the same doctrine by many illustrious men. In fine, the more than human constancy of the martyrs. Sections 12 and 13. This is followed by a conclusion of the particular topic discussed. Section 1. Secondary helps to establish the credibility of scripture. 1. The arrangement of the sacred volume. 2. Its dignity. 3. Its truth. 4. Its simplicity. 5. Its efficacy. Section 2. The majesty conspicuous in the writings of the prophets. Section 3. Special proofs from the Old Testament. 1. The antiquity of the books of Moses. Section 4. This antiquity contrasted with the dreams of the Egyptians. 2. The majesty of the books of Moses. Section 5. The miracles and prophecies of Moses. A profane objection refuted. Section 6. Another profane objection refuted. Section 7. The prophecies of Moses as to the scepter not departing from Judah and the calling of the Gentiles. Section 8. The predictions of other prophets. The destruction of Jerusalem and the return from Babylon's captivity. Harmony of the prophets. The celebrated prophecy of Daniel. Section 9. Objection against Moses and the prophets. Answer to it. Section 10. Another objection and answer of the wondrous providence of God in the preservation of the sacred books, the Greek translation, the carefulness of the Jews. Section 11. Special proofs from the New Testament. 1. The harmony of the evangelists and the sublime simplicity of their writings. 2. The majesty of John, Paul, and Peter. 3. The calling of the apostles. 4. The conversion of Paul. Section 12. Proofs from church history. 1. Perpetual consent of the church in receiving and preserving the truth. 2. The invincible power of the truth itself. 3. Agreement among the godly, notwithstanding of their many differences in other respects. Section 13. The constancy of the martyrs. Conclusion. Proofs of this description only of use after the certainty of Scripture has been established in the heart by the Holy Spirit. Section 1. In vain were the authority of Scripture fortified by argument, or supported by the consent of the church, or confirmed by any other helps, if unaccompanied by an assurance higher and stronger than human judgment can give. Until this better foundation has been laid, the authority of Scripture remains in suspense. On the other hand, when recognizing its exemption from the common rule, we receive it reverently, and according to its dignity. Those proofs which were not so strong as to produce and rivet a full conviction in our minds become most appropriate helps. For it is wonderful how much we are confirmed in our belief when we more tentatively consider how admirably the system of divine wisdom contained in it is arranged. How perfectly free the doctrine is from everything that savers of earth, how beautifully it harmonizes in all its parts, and how rich it is in all the other qualities which give an air of majesty to composition. Our hearts are still more firmly assured when we reflect that our admiration is elicited more by the dignity of the matter than by the graces of style. For it was not without an admirable arrangement of providence that the sublime mysteries of the kingdom of heaven have for the greater part been delivered with a contemptible meanness of words. Had they been adorned with a more splendid eloquence, the wicked might have cavilled and alleged that this constituted all their force. But now, when an unpolished simplicity almost bordering on rudeness makes a deeper impression than the loftiest flights of oratory, what does it indicate if not that the holy scriptures are too mighty in the power of truth to need the rhetorical art? Hence, there was good ground for the apostles' declaration that the faith of the Corinthians was founded not on the wisdom of man, but on the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2 verse 5 This speech and preaching among them having been not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and power. 1 Corinthians 2 verse 5 For the truth is of indicated in opposition to every doubt when unsupported by foreign aid. It has its sole sufficiency in itself. How peculiarly this property belongs to scripture appears from this that no human writings, however skillfully composed, are at all capable of affecting us in a similar way. Read Demosthenes or Cicero, read Plato, Aristotle, or any other of their class. You will, I admit, feel wonderfully allured, pleased, moved, enchanted, but turn from them to the reading of the sacred volume, and whether you will or not, it will so affect you, so pierce your heart, so work its way into your very marrow that in comparison of the impression so produced that of orators and philosophers will almost disappear, making it manifest that in the sacred volume there is a truth divine, a something which makes it immeasurably superior to all the gifts and graces attainable by man. 2. I confess, however, that in elegance and beauty, nay, splendor, the style of some of the prophets is not surpassed by the eloquence of heathen writers. 3. By examples of this description, the Holy Spirit was pleased to show that it was not from want of eloquence, he, in other instances, used a rude and homely style. 4. But whether you read David, Isaiah, and others of the same class, whose discourse flows sweet and pleasant, or Amos the Herdsman, Jeremiah, and Zechariah, 5. I offer idiom sabers of rusticity, that majesty of the spirit to which I adverted appears conspicuous in all. 6. I am not unaware that, as Satan often apes God, that he may, by a fallacious resemblance, the better insinuate himself into the minds of the simple. 7. So he craftily disseminated the impious errors with which he deceived miserable men in an uncouth and semi-barberous style, 8. and frequently employed obsolete forms of expression in order to cloak his impostors. 9. None possessed of any moderate share of sense need be told how vain and vile such affectation is. 10. But in regard to the Holy Scriptures, however petulant men may attempt to carp at them, they are replete with sentiments which it is clear that man never could have conceived. 11. Let each of the prophets be examined, and that one will be found who does not rise far higher than human reach. 12. Those who feel their works in siphon must be absolutely devoid of taste. 13. Section 3. As this subject has been treated at large by others, it will be sufficient here merely to touch on its leading points. 14. In addition to the qualities already mentioned, great weight is due to the antiquity of Scripture. 15. Whatever fables Greek writers may retail concerning the Egyptian theology, no monument of any religion exists which is not long posterior to the age of Moses. 16. But Moses does not introduce a new deity. He only sets forth that doctrine concerning the eternal God which the Israelites had received by tradition from their fathers, 17. by whom it had been transmitted as it were from hand to hand during a long series of ages. 18. For what else does he do then lead them back to the covenant which had been made with Abraham? 19. Had he referred to matters of which they had never heard, he never could have succeeded. 20. But their deliverance from the bondage in which they were held must have been a fact of familiar and universal notoriety, 21. The very mention of which must have immediately aroused the attention of all. 22. It is moreover probable that they were intimately acquainted with the whole period of 400 years. 23. Now, if Moses, who is so much earlier than all other writers, traces the tradition of his doctrine from so remote a period, 24. it is obvious how far the Holy Scriptures must in point of antiquity surpass all other writings. 25. Section 4. Some perhaps may choose to credit the Egyptians in carrying back their antiquity to a period of 6000 years before the world was created. 26. But their gerulity, which even some profane authors have held up to derision, it cannot be necessary for me to refute. 27. Josephus, however, in his work against Apion, produces important passages from very ancient writers, implying that the doctrine delivered in the law 28. was celebrated among all nations from the remotest ages, though it was neither read nor accurately known. 29. And then, in order that the malignant might have no ground for suspicion and the ungodly no-handle for caval, 30. God has provided in the most effectual manner against both dangers. 31. When Moses relates the words which Jacob under divine inspiration uttered concerning his posterity almost 300 years before, 32. How does he ennoble his own tribe? He stigmatizes it with eternal infamy in the person of Levi. 33. Simon and Levi says he, our brethren, instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. 34. O my soul, come not thou into their secret. Unto their assembly, my honor, be not thou united. 35. Genesis 49, verse 5 and 6. The stigma he certainly might have passed in silence. 36. Not only that he might spare his own ancestor, but also save both himself and his whole family from a portion of the disgrace. 37. How can any suspicion attach to him, who by voluntary proclaiming that the first founder of his family was declared detestable by a divine oracle, 38. Neither consults for his own private interest, nor declines to incur a blocky among his tribe, who must have been offended by a statement of the fact. 39. Again, when he relates the wicked murmuring of his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam, numbers 12, verse 1, 40. Shall we say that he spoke his own natural feelings, or that he obeyed the command of the Holy Spirit? 41. Moreover, when invested with the supreme authority, why does he not bestow the office of high priest on his sons, 42. Instead of consigning them to the lowest place, I only touch on a few points out of many, 43. But the law itself contains throughout numerous proofs which fully vindicate the credibility of Moses in place at beyond dispute, 44. That he was in truth a messenger sent forth from God. 45. Section 5. The many striking miracles which Moses relates are so many sanctions of the law delivered, 46. And the doctrine propounded by him, his being carried up into the mount in a cloud. 47. His remaining there forty days separated from human society. 48. His countenance glistening during the promulgation of the law, as with meridian effulgence. 49. The lightnings which flashed on every side, the voices and thunderings which echoed in the air, the claying of the trumpet blown by no human mouth, his entrance into the tabernacle, while a cloud hid him from the view of the people, the miraculous vindication of his authority by the fearful destruction of Korah, Nathan, and Abram, and all their impious faction. 50. The stream instantly gushing forth from the rock when struck with his rod, the manna which rained from heaven at his prayer, did not God by all these proclaim allowed that he was an undoubted prophet? 51. If any one object that I am taking debatable points for granted, the Caval is easily answered. 52. Moses published all these things in the assembly of the people. 53. How then could he possibly impose on the very eyewitnesses of what was done? 54. Is it conceivable that he would have come forward, and while accusing the people of unbelief, obstinacy, ingratitude, and other crimes, have boasted that his doctrine had been confirmed in their own presence by miracles which they never saw? 6. For it is also worthy of remark that the miracles which he relates are combined with disagreeable circumstances which must have provoked opposition from the whole body of the people if there had been the smallest ground for it. Hence it is obvious that they were induced to scent merely because they had been previously convinced by their own experience. But because the fact was too ascribed them to magic, Exodus 9 verse 11, but with what probability is a charge of magic brought against him who held it in such apporance that he ordered everyone who should consult soothsayers and magicians to be stoned, Leviticus 20 verse 27. Assuredly, no impostor deals in tricks without studying to raise his reputation by amazing the common people. But what does Moses do by crying out that he and Aaron his brother are nothing? Exodus 16 verse 7. That they merely execute what God has commanded, he clears himself from every approach to suspicion. Again, if the facts are considered in themselves, what kind of incantation could cause manna to reign from heaven every day and insufficient quantity to maintain a people, while anyone who gathered more than the appointed measure saw his incredulity divinely punished by its turning to worms? To this we may add that God then suffered his servant to be subjected to so many serious trials that the ungodly cannot now gain anything by their glamour. When as often happened, the people proudly and petulantly rose up against him when individuals conspired and attempted to overthrow him, how could any impostors have enabled clear to leave it free for heathen writers to deny that Moses did perform miracles? The father of lies suggested a column knee and him to elude their rage. The event plainly shows that by these means his doctrine was attested to all succeeding ages. Section 7. Moreover, it is impossible to deny that he was guided by a prophetic spirit in assigning the first place to the tribe of Judah in the person of Jacob, especially if we take into view the fact itself as explained by the event. Suppose that Moses was the inventor of the prophecy, still after he committed it to writing four hundred years pass away during which no mention is made of a sceptre in the tribe of Judah. After Saul is anointed, the kingly office seems fixed in the tribe of Benjamin, when Samuel 11 verse 15, 16 verse 13. When David is anointed by Samuel, what apparent ground is there for the transferents? Who could have looked for a king out of the plebeian family of a herdsman? And out of seven brothers, who could have thought that the honor was destined for the youngest? And then, by what means did he afterwards come within reach of the throne? Who dare say that his anointing was regulated by human art or skill or prudence and was not rather the fulfillment of a divine prophecy? In like manner, do not the predictions, though obscure of the admission of the Gentiles into the divine covenant, seeing they were not fulfilled till almost two thousand years after, make it palpable that Moses spoke under divine inspiration? I admit other predictions would so plainly be token of divine revelation that all men of sound mind must see they were spoken by God. In short, his song itself, Deuteronomy 32, is a bright mirror in which God is manifestly seen. Section 8, in the case of the other prophets, the evidence is even clearer. I will only select a few examples, for it were too tedious to enumerate the whole. Isaiah, in his own day, when the kingdom of Judah was at peace and had even some ground to confide in the protection of the Chaldeans, spoke of the destruction of the city and the captivity of the people. Isaiah 55, verse 1. Supposing it not to be sufficient evidence of divine inspiration to foretell, many years before, events which at the time seemed fabulous, but which ultimately turned out to be true, one shall be said that the prophecies which he uttered concerning their return proceeded if it was not from God. He named Cyrus by whom the Chaldeans were to be subdued and the people restored to freedom after the prophet thus spoke more than a hundred years elapsed before Cyrus was born that being nearly the period which elapsed between the death of the one and the birth of the other, it was impossible at that time to guess that some Cyrus would arise to make war on the Babylonians and after subduing their powerful monarchy put an end to the captivity of the children of Israel. Does not this simple unadorned narrative plainly demonstrate that what Isaiah spoke was not the conjecture of man, but the undoubtable oracle of God? Again, when Jeremiah a considerable time before the people were led away, assigned seventy years as the period of captivity and fixed their liberation and return, must not his tongue have been guided by the Spirit of God? What effrontery were it to deny that by these evidences the authority of the prophets is established, the very thing being fulfilled to which they appeal in support of their credibility? Old, the former things are come to pass and the new things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them, Isaiah 42 verse 9, I say nothing of the agreement between Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who living so far apart and yet prophesying at the same time. Harmonized as completely in all they say as if they had mutually dictated the words to one another, what shall I say of Daniel? Not he'd deliver prophecies embracing a future period of almost six hundred years as if he had been writing of past events generally known, Daniel 9, and etc. If the pious will duly meditate on these things they will be sufficiently instructed to silence the cavals of the ungodly. The demonstration is too clear to be gainsaid. Section 9, I am aware of what is muttered in corners by certain miscreants when they would display their cuteness in the sailing divine truth. They ask, how do we know that Moses and the prophets wrote the books which now bear their names? Nay, they even dared to question whether there ever was a Moses. Were anyone to question whether there ever was a Plato or an Aristotle or a Cicero, would not the rod or the whip be deemed the fit chastisement of such folly? The law of Moses has been wonderfully preserved more by divine providence than by human care and though owing to the negligence of the priest lay for a short time buried. At that time it was found by good King Josiah, 2 Kings 22 verse 8, 2 Chronicles 34 verse 15. It has continued in the hands of man and then transmitted in unbroken succession from generation to generation nor indeed when Josiah brought it forth was it as a book unknown or new but one which had always been a matter of notoriety and was done in full remembrance. The original writing had been deposited in the temple and the copy taken from it had been deposited in the royal archives, Deuteronomy 17 verse 18 and 19. The only thing which had occurred was that the priest had ceased to publish the law itself in due form and the people also had neglected the wanted reading of it. I may add that scarcely an age passed during which its authority was not confirmed and renewed. Were the books of Moses unknown to those who had the Psalms of David in their hands to sum up the whole in one word it is certain beyond dispute that these writings passed down if I may so express it from hand to hand being transmitted in an unbroken series from the fathers who either with their own ears heard them spoken or learned from them from those who had while the remembrance of them was fresh. Section 10. An objection taken from the history of the Maccabees, 1 Maccabees 1 verse 57 and 58 to impugn the credibility of Scripture is on the contrary fitted the best possible to confirm it. First however let us clear away the gloss which is put upon it. Having done so we shall turn the engine which they erect against us upon themselves. As Antiochus ordered all the books of Scripture to be burned it is asked where did the copies we now have come from. I in my turn ask in what workshop could they have been so quickly fabricated. It is certain that they were in existence the moment the persecution ceased and that they were acknowledged without dispute by all the pious who had been educated in their doctrine and were familiarly acquainted with them. Nay, while all the wicked so wantonly insulted the Jews as if they had lead together for the purpose not one ever dared to charge them with having introduced spurious books. Whatever in their opinion the Jewish religion might be they acknowledge that Moses was the founder of it. What then do these babblers but betray the snarling petulance and falsely alleging the spuriousness of books whose sacred antiquity is proved by the consent of all history. But not to spend labor and vain in refuting these vile columnies let us rather attend to the care which the Lord took to preserve his word. When against all hope he rescued it from the truculence of a most cruel tyrant as from the midst of the flames inspiring pious priests and others with such constancy that they hesitated not though it should have been purchased at the expense of their lives to transmit this treasure to posterity and defeating the keenest search of prefects and their satellites. Who does not recognize it as a signal in miraculous work of God that those sacred monuments which they ungodly persuaded themselves had utterly perished immediately returned to resume their former rights and indeed in greater honor. For the Greek translation appeared to disseminate them over the whole world nor does it seem so wonderful that God rescued the tables of his covenant from the sanguinary edicts of Antiochus as that they remained safe and entire amid the manifold disasters by which the Jewish nation was occasionally crushed, devastated and almost exterminated. The Hebrew language was in no estimation and almost unknown and assuredly had not God provided for religion and must have utterly perished. For it is obvious from the prophetical writings of that age how much the Jews after their return from the captivity had lost the genuine use of their neighbor's tongue. It is of importance to attend to this because the comparison more clearly establishes the antiquity of the law and the prophets and whom that God employed to preserve the doctrine of salvation contained in the law and the prophets that Christ might manifest it in its own time. The Jews of the bitterest enemies of Christ and hence Augustine justly calls them the librarians of the Christian church because they supplied us with books of which they themselves had not the use. Section 11. When we proceed to the New Testament how solid are the pillars by which its truth is supported. Three evangelists give a narrative in a mean and humble style. The proud often eye this simplicity with disdain because they attend not to the principal heads of doctrine. Four from these they might easily infer that these evangelists treat of heavenly mysteries beyond the capacity of man. Those who have the least particle of candor must be ashamed of their fastidiousness when they read the first chapter of Luke even our Savior's discourses of which a summary is given by these three evangelists ought to prevent everyone from treating their writings with contempt. John again fulminating in majesty strikes down more powerfully than any thunderbolt the petulance of those who refuse to submit to the obedience of faith. Let all those acute censors whose highest pleasure it is to banish a reverential regard of scripture from their own and other men's hearts come forward. Let them read the Gospel of John and willing or unwilling they will find a thousand sentences which will at least arouse them from their sloth. Nay which will burn into their consciences as with the hot iron and check their derision. The same thing may be said of Peter and Paul whose writings though the greater part read them blindfold exhibit a heavenly majesty which in a manner binds and rivets every reader but one circumstance sufficient of itself to exalt their doctrine above the world is that Matthew was formally fixed down to his money table Peter and John who were employed with their little boats being all rude and illiterate had never learned in any human school that which they delivered to others. Paul moreover who had not only been an avowed but a cruel and bloody foe being changed into a new man shows by the sudden and unhoped for change that a heavenly power had compelled him to preach the doctrine which once he destroyed let those dogs deny that the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles or if not let them refuse credit to the history still the very circumstances proclaim that the Holy Spirit must have been the creature of those who formerly contemptible among the people all of a sudden began to discourse so magnificently of heavenly mysteries section 12 add moreover that for the best of reasons the consent of the church is not without its weight for it is not to be accounted of no consequence that from the first publication of scripture so many ages have uniformly concurred in yielding obedience to it and that notwithstanding of the many extraordinary attempts which Satan the whole world have made to oppress and overthrow it or completely face it from the memory of man it has flourished like the palm tree and continued invincible though in old times there was scarcely a sophist or orator of any note who did not exert his powers against it their efforts proved unavailing the powers of the earth armed themselves for its destruction but all their times vanished into smoke when thus powerfully assailed on every side how could it have resisted if it had trusted only to human aid nay its divine origin is more completely established by the fact that when all human wishes were against it it advanced by its own energy and that it was not a single city or a single nation that concurred in receiving and embracing it its authority was recognized as far and as wide as the world extends the various nations who had nothing else in common entering for this purpose into a holy league moreover while we ought to attach the greatest weight to the agreement of mind so diversified and in all other things so much adherence with each other an agreement which a divine providence alone could have produced it adds no small weight to the whole when we attend to the piety of those who thus agree not all of them indeed but of those in whom as lights God was pleased that his church should shine section 13 what confidence does it become us to subscribe to a doctrine attested and confirmed by the blood of so many saints they when once they had embraced it hesitated not boldly and intrepidly and even with great alacrity to meet death in its defense being transmitted to us with such an earnest who of us shall not receive it with firm and unshaken conviction it is therefore no small proof of the authority of scripture that it was sealed with the blood of so many witnesses especially when it is considered that in bearing testimony to the faith they met death not with fanatical enthusiasm as erring spirits are sometimes want to do but with a firm and constant yet sober godly zeal there are other reasons neither few nor feeble by which the dignity and majesty of the scriptures may be not only proved to the pious but also completely vindicated against the idols of slanderers these however cannot of themselves produce a firm faith the scripture until our heavenly father manifest his presence in it and thereby secure implicit reverence for it then only therefore the scripture suffice to give a saving knowledge of God when its certainty is founded on the inward persuasion the Holy Spirit still the human testimonies which go to confirm it will not be without effect if they are used in subordination to that chief and highest proof as secondary helps to our weakness but it is foolish to attempt to prove to infidels that the scripture is the word of God this it cannot be known to be except by faith justly therefore does Augustine remind us that every man who would have any understanding in such high matters must previously possess piety and mental peace Section 14 Section 15 of Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 1 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 Sean F. Sawyers Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 1 by John Calvin translated by Henry Chapter 9 all the principles of piety subverted by fanatics who substitute revelations for scripture Sections 1 the temper and error of the Libertines who take to themselves the name of spiritual briefly described the reputation 1 the apostles and all true Christians have embraced the written word this confirmed by a passage in Isaiah also by the example and words of Paul 2 the spirit of Christ seals the doctrine of the written word on the minds of the godly 2 refutation continued 3 the impositions of Satan cannot be detected without the aid of the written word first objection the answer to it 3 second objection from the words of Paul as to the letter and spirit the answer with an explanation of Paul's meaning how the spirit and the written word are indisciably connected 1 those who rejecting scripture imagine that they have some peculiar way of penetrating to God are to be deemed not so much under the influence of error as madness for certain giddy men have lately appeared who while they make a great display of the superiority of the spirit reject all reading of the scriptures themselves and derive the simplicity of those who only delight in what they call the dead and deadly letter but I wish they would tell me what spirit it is whose inspiration raises them to such a sublime height that they dare despise the doctrine of scripture as mean and childish if they answer that it is the spirit of Christ their confidence is exceedingly ridiculous since they will I presume admit that the apostles and other believers in the primitive church were not eliminated by any other spirit none of these thereby learned to despise the word of God but everyone was imbued with greater reverence for it as their writings most clearly testify and indeed it had been so foretold by the mouth of Isaiah for when he says my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed saith the Lord from henceforth and forever he does not tie down the ancient church to external doctrine as he were a mere teacher of elements he rather shows that under the reign of Christ the true and full felicity of the new church will consist in there being ruled not less by the word than by the spirit of God hence we infer that these miscreants are guilty of fearful sacrilege in tearing asunder what the prophet joins in indissoluble union add to this that Paul though carried up even to the third heaven ceased not to profit by the doctrine of the law and the prophets while in like manner he exhorts Timothy a teacher of singular excellence to give attention to reading 1 Timothy 4.13 and the Eulogium which he pronounces on scripture well deserves to be remembered this that it is profitable for doctrine for a proof for correction and for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect 2 Timothy 3.16 what an infatuation of the devil therefore to fancy that scripture which conducts the sons of God to the final goal is of transient and temporary use again I should like those people to tell me whether they have imbibed any other spirit than that which Christ promised to his disciples though their madness is extreme it will scarcely carry them the length of making this their boast but what kind of spirit did our savior promise to send one who should not speak of himself John 16.13 but suggest and instill the truths which he himself had delivered through the word hence the office of the spirit promised to us is not to form new and unheard of revelations or to coin a new form of doctrine by which we may be led away from the received doctrine of the gospel but to seal on our minds the very doctrine which the gospel recommends 2. Hence it is easy to understand that we must give diligent heed both to the reading and hearing of scripture if we would obtain any benefit from the spirit of God just as Peter praises those who attentively study the doctrine of the prophets 2 Peter 1.19 though it might have been thought to be superseded after the gospel light arose and on the contrary that any spirit which passes by the wisdom of God's word and suggests any other doctrine is deservedly suspected of vanity and falsehood since Satan transforms himself into an angel of light what authority can the spirit have with us if he be not ascertained by an infallible mark and assuredly he is pointed out to us with sufficient clearness but these miserable men air as if bent on their own destruction while they seek the spirit from themselves rather than from him but they say that it is insulting to subject the spirit to whom all things are to be subject to the scripture as if it were disgraceful to the Holy Spirit to maintain a perfect resemblance throughout and be in all respects without variation consistent with himself True, if he were subjected to a human an angelical or to any foreign standard it might be thought that he was rendered subordinate or if you will brought into bondage but so long as he is compared with himself and considered in himself how can it be said that he is thereby injured I admit that he is brought to a test but the very test by which it has pleased him that his majesty should be confirmed it ought to be enough for us once we hear his voice but lest Satan should insinuate himself under his name he wishes us to recognize him by the image which he has stamped on the scriptures the author of the scriptures cannot vary and change his likeness such as he there appeared at first such he will perpetually remain there is nothing contumelious to him in this unless we are to think it would be honorable for him to degenerate and revolt against himself 3. Their caval about our cleaving to the dead letters carries with it the punishment which they deserve for despising scripture it is clear that Paul is there arguing against false apostles 2 Corinthians 3-6 who by recommending the law without Christ deprive the people of the benefit of the new covenant by which the Lord engages that he will write his law on the hearts of believers and engrave it on their inward parts the letter therefore is dead and the law of the Lord kills its readers when it is the severed from the grace of Christ and only sounds in the ear without touching the heart but if it is effectually impressed on the heart by the spirit if it exhibits Christ it is the word of life converting the soul and making wise the simple nay in the very same passage the apostle calls his own preaching the ministration of the spirit 2 Corinthians 3-8 intimating that the Holy Spirit so cleaves to his own truth as he has expressed it in scripture that he then only exerts and puts forth his strength when the word is received with due honor and respect there is nothing repugnant here to what was lately said chapter 7 that we have no great certainty of the word itself until it be confirmed by the testimony of the spirit for the Lord has so knit together the certainty of his word and his spirit that our minds are duly imbued with reverence for the word when the spirit shining upon it enables us there to behold the face of God and on the other hand we embrace the spirit with no danger of delusion when we recognize him in his image that is in his word thus indeed it is God did not produce his word before men for the sake of sudden display intending to abolish at the moment the spirit should arrive but he employed the same spirit by whose agency he had administered the word to complete his work by the efficacious confirmation of the word in this way Christ explained to the two disciples Luke 24-27 not that they were to reject the scriptures and trust to their own wisdom but that they were to understand the scriptures in like manner when Paul says to the Thessalonians quench not the spirit he does not carry them aloft to empty speculation apart from the word he immediately adds despise not prophesying 1 Thessalonians 5 19 and 20 by this doubtless he intimates that the light of the spirit is quenched the moment prophesying fall into contempt how is this answered by those swelling enthusiasts in whose idea the only true illumination consists in carelessly laying aside and bidding adieu to the word of God while with no less confidence than folly they fasten upon any dreaming notion which may have casually sprung up in their minds surely a very different sobriety becomes a children of God as they feel that without the spirit of God they are utterly devoid of the light of truth so they are not ignorant that the word is the instrument by which the illumination of the spirit is dispensed they know of no other spirit than the one who dwelt and spake in the apostles the spirit by whose oracles they are daily invited to the hearing of the word End of Section 15 Recording by Sean F. Sawyers St. Louis, Missouri Section 16 of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 by John Calvin Translated by Henry Beverage Chapter 10 In Scripture the true God opposed exclusively to all the gods of the heathen Sections 1. Explanation of the knowledge of God resumed God is manifested in Scripture the same as delineated in His works 2. The Attributes of God as described by Moses, David and Jeremiah Explanation of the Attributes Summary Uses of this knowledge 3. Scripture in directing us to the true God excludes the gods of the heathen who, however, in some sense held the unity of God Section 1 We formally observed that the knowledge of God which in other respects is not obscurely exhibited in the frame of the world and in all the creatures is more clearly and familiarly explained by the word to show that in Scripture the Lord represents Himself in the same character in which we have already seen that He is delineated in His works A full discussion of this subject would occupy a large space but it will here be sufficient to furnish a kind of index by attending to which the pious reader may be enabled to understand what knowledge of God he ought chiefly to search for in Scripture as to the mode of conducting the search I am not now adverting to the particular covenant by which God distinguished the race of Abraham from the rest of the nations For when by gratuitous adoption He admitted those who were His enemies to the rank of sons He even then acted in the character of a Redeemer At present, however we are employed in considering that knowledge at the creation of the world without ascending to Christ the mediator but though it will soon be necessary to quote certain passages from the New Testament proofs being there given both to the power of God the Creator and of His providence in the preservation of what He originally created I wish the reader to remember what my present purpose is that He may not wander from the proper subject Briefly then will be sufficient for Him at present to understand how God the Creator of heaven and earth governs the world which was made by Him In every part of Scripture we meet with descriptions of His paternal kindness and readiness to do good and we also meet with examples of severity which show that He is the just punisher of the wicked especially when they continue obstinate not withstanding of all His forbearance Section 2 There are certain passages which contain more vivid descriptions of the divine character setting it before us as if His genuine countenance were visibly portrayed Moses indeed seems to have intended briefly to comprehend whatever may be known of God by man when He said the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation Exodus 34 verses 6 and 7 Here we may observe first that His eternity and self-existence are declared to be at least repeated and secondly that in the enumeration of His perfections He is described not as He is in Himself but in relation to us in order that our acknowledgment of Him may be more a vivid actual impression than empty visionary speculation Moreover the perfections thus enumerated are just those which we saw shining in the heavens and on the earth compassion mercy, justice, judgment and truth for power and energy are comprehended under the name Jehovah similar epithets are employed by the prophets when they would fully declare His sacred name not to collect a great number of passages it may suffice at present to refer to one Psalm 145 in which a summary of the divine perfections is so carefully given that not one seems to have been omitted Still however every perfection there set down may be contemplated in creation and hence such as we feel Him to be when experience is our guide such He declares Himself to be by His word in Jeremiah where God proclaims a character in which He would have us to acknowledge Him though the description is not so full it is substantially the same let Him that Glorious says He in this that He understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth Jeremiah 9 verse 24 assuredly the attributes which it is most necessary for us to know are these three loving kindness on which alone our entire safety depends judgment which is daily exercised on the wicked and awaits them in a severe form even for eternal destruction righteousness by which the faithful are preserved and most bigninely cherished the prophet declares that when you understand these you are amply furnished with the means of glorying in God nor is there here any omission of His truth or power or holiness or goodness for how could this knowledge of His loving kindness judgment and righteousness exist if it were not found on His inviolatable truth how again could it be believed that He governs the earth with judgment and righteousness without presupposing His mighty power whence too His loving kindness but from His goodness in fine if all His ways are loving kindness judgment and righteousness His holiness also is thereby conspicuous moreover the knowledge of God which is set before us in the Scriptures is designed for the same purpose as that which shines in creation fizz that we may thereby learn to worship Him with perfect integrity of heart and unfeigned obedience and also to depend entirely on His goodness section three here it may be proper to give a summary of the general doctrine first then let the reader observe that the Scripture in order to direct us to the true God distinctly excludes and rejects all the gods of the heathen because religion was universally adulterated in almost every age it is true indeed that the name of one God was everywhere known and celebrated for those who worshipped a multitude of gods whenever they spoke the genuine language of nature simply use the name God as if they had thought one God sufficient and this is shrewdly noticed by Justin martyr who to the same effect wrote a treatise entitled on the monarchy of God in which he shows by a great variety of evidence that the unity of God is engraven on the hearts of all Turalyon also proves the same thing from the common forms of speech but as all without exception have in the vanity of their minds rushed or being dragged into lying fictions as to the unity of God whatever they may have naturally been have had no further effect than to render men inexcusable the wisest plainly discover the vague wanderings of their minds when they express a wish for any kind of deity and thus offer up their prayers to unknown gods and then in imagining a manifold nature in God though their ideas concerning Jupiter, Mercury, Venus Minerva and others were not so observed as those of the rude vulgar they were by no means free from the delusions of the devil we have elsewhere observed that however subtle the evasions devised by philosophers they cannot do away with the charge of rebellion in that all of them have corrupted the truth of God for this reason Habakkuk 220 after condemning all idols orders men to seek God in his temple that the faithful may acknowledge none but him who has manifested himself in his word end of section 16 recording by David Lawrence section 17 of institutes of the Christian religion book one 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 Sean F. Sawyers institutes of the Christian religion book one by John Cowell translated by Henry beverage chapter 11 part 1 in piety contributing a visible form to God the setting up of idols a defection from the true God there are three leading divisions in this chapter the first contains a refutation of those who describe a visible form to God section 1 and 2 with an answer to the objection of those who because it is said that God manifested his presence by certain symbols use it as a defense of their error section 3 and 4 various arguments are afterwards adduced disposing of the trite objection from Gregory's expression that images are the books of the unlearned sections 5 through 7 the second division of the chapter relates to the origin of idols or images and the adoration of them is approved by the papists section 8 through 10 their evasion reputed section 11 the third division treats of the use and abuse of images section 12 whether it is expedient to have them in Christian churches section 13 the concluding part contains a reputation of the second council of niece which very absurdly contends for images in opposition to divine truth and even to the disparagement of the Christian name section 1 God as opposed to idols that all may know he is the only fit witness to himself he expressly forbids any attempt to represent him by a bodily shame 2 reasons for this prohibition from Moses Isaiah and Paul the complaint of Ahiba it should put the worshipers of idols to shame 3 consideration of an objection taken from various passages in Moses the cherubim and seraphim show that images are not fit to represent divine mysteries the cherubim belong to the tutelage of the law 4 the materials of which idols are made abundantly refute the fiction of idolaters confirmation from Isaiah and others absurd precaution of the Greeks 5 objection that images are the books of the unlearned objection answered 1 scripture declares images to be teachers of vanity and lies 6 answer continued 2 ancient theologians condemn the formation and worship of idols 7 answer continued 3 the use of images condemned by the luxury and meretricious ornaments given to them in popish churches 4 the church must be trained by another method 8 the second division of the chapter origin of idols or images its rise shortly after the flow its continual progress 9 of the worship of images its nature a pretext of idolaters for future pretext of the healing genius of idolaters 10 evasion of the papists their agreement with ancient idolaters 11 reputation of another evasion vis the distinction of dulya and latria 12 third division of the chapter vis the use and abuse of images 13 whether it is expedient to have images in Christian temples 14 absurd defense of the worship of images by the second so called council of niece 15 passages adduced in support of the worship of images 16 the blasphemous expressions of some ancient idolaters of crude are not a few of the more modern both in word and deed 1 as scripture in accommodation to the rude and gross and collective man usually speaks in popular terms so whenever its object is to discriminate between the true god and false deities it opposes him in particular to idols not that it approves of what is taught more elegantly and subtlety by philosophers but that it may the better expose the thought may madness of the world in its environment after god so long as everyone clings to his own speculations this exclusive definition which we uniformly meet with in scripture annihilates every deity which men pray for themselves of their own court god himself being the only fit witness to himself meanwhile seeing that this brutish stupidity has overspread the globe men longing after visible forms of god and so forming deities of wood and stone silver and gold or of any other dead and corruptible matter we must hold it as a first principle as often as any form is assigned to god his glory is corrupted by an impious lie in the law accordingly after god had claimed the glory of divinity for himself alone when he comes to show what kind of worship he approves and rejects he immediately acts thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth Exodus 24 by these words he curbs any licentious attempt we might make to represent him by a visible shape and briefly enumerates all the forms by which superstition had begun even long before to turn his truth into a lie for we know that the sun was worshiped by the person as many stars as the foolish nation saw in the sky many gods they imagined them to be then to the Egyptians every animal was a figure of god the Greeks again plumbed themselves on their superior wisdom in worshiping god under the human rule but god makes no comparison between images as if one were more and another less befitting he rejects without exception all shapes and pictures and other symbols by which the superstitious imagined they can bring him near to them 2 this may easily be inferred from the reasons which he annexes to this prohibition 1st it is said in the books of Moses Deuteronomy 4 15 take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves for ye saw no manner of similitude in the day that the Lord spake unto you in horror out of the midst of the fire lest ye corrupt yourselves and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure et cetera we see how plainly god declares against all figures to make us aware that all longing after such visible shapes is rebellion against them of the prophets it will be sufficient to mention Isaiah who is the most copious on this subjects Isaiah 40 18 41 7 and 29 45 9 46 5 in order to show how the majesty of God is defiled by an absurd and endochlorous fiction when he who is incorporeal is assimilated to corporeal matter he who is invisible to a visible image he who is a spirit to an inanimate object and he who fills all space to a bit of paltry wood or stone or gold Paul too is in the same way for as much then as we are the offspring of God we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone graven by art and man's device Acts 17 29 hence it is manifest that whatever statues are set up or pictures painted to represent God are utterly displeasing to him as a kind of insult to his majesty and is it strange that the Holy Spirit thunders such responses from heaven when he compels even blind and miserable idolaters to make a similar confession on the earth Seneca's complaint as given by Augustine Baykibbit they see him is well known he says the sacred immoral and invisible gods they exhibit in the meanest and most immobile materials the clothing of men and beasts some confound the sexes and form a compound out of different bodies giving the name of deities to objects which if they were met alive would be deemed monsters hence again it is obvious that the defenders of images resort to a paltry quibbling invasion when they pretend that the Jews were forbidden to use them on account of their crumbness to superstition as if a prohibition which the Lord founds on his eternal essences and the uniform course of nature to be restricted to a single nation the signs when Paul refuted the error of giving a bodily shape to God he was addressing not Jews but Athenians 3 it is true that the Lord occasionally manifested his presence by certain signs so that he was said to be seen face to face but all the signs he ever employed were in accordance with the scheme of doctrine and at the same time gave plain intimation of his incomprehensible essence for the cloud and smoke and flame though they were symbols of heavenly glory Deuteronomy 4 and 11 curbed men's minds as with a bridle that they might not attempt to penetrate far therefore even Moses to whom of all men God manifested himself most familiarly was not permitted though he prayed for to behold that face but received for answer that the refulgence was too great for man exodus 33 20 the Holy Spirit appeared under the form of a dove but as it instantly vanished who does not see that in this symbol of a moment the faithful were admonished to regard the spirit as invisible to be contented with this power and grace to call for any external figure God sometimes appeared in the form of a man but this was in anticipation of the future revelation in Christ and therefore did not give the Jews the least pretext for setting up a symbol of deity under the human form the mercy seat also exodus 25 17 18 and 21 where under the law God exhibited the presence of his power was so framed as to intimate that God is best seen when the mind rises in admiration above itself the cherubin with outstretched wings shaded and the veil covered it while the remoteness of the place was in itself a sufficient concealment it is therefore mere infatuation to attempt to defend images of God and the saints by the example of the cherubin for what pray did these figures mean if not that images are unfit to represent the mysteries of God since they were so formed as to cover the mercy seat with their wings thereby concealing the view of God not only from the eye but from every human sense and curbing presumption to this we may add that the prophets depict the syrupy who are exhibited to us in vision as having their faces veil thus intimating that the repulgence of the divine glory is so great that even the angels cannot gaze upon it directly while the minute beams which sparkle in the face of angels are shrouded from our view moreover all men of sound judgment acknowledge that the cherubin in question belongs to the old tutelage of the law it is absurd therefore to bring them forward as an example for our age for that period of pyrility to express it to which such rudiments were adapted has passed away and surely it is disgraceful that he then writers should be more skillful interpreters of scripture than the papists juvenile holds up the Jews to derision for worshiping the thin clouds and foam this he does perversely and impiously still in denying that any visible shape of deity existed among them he speaks more accurately than the papists who prayed about there having been some visible image in the fact that the people every now and then rushed forth with boiling haste in pursuit of idols just like water gushing forth with violence from a copious spring let us learn how prone our nature is to idolatry that we may not by throwing the whole blame of a common vice upon the Jews be led away by vain and sinful enticements to sleep of death 4 to the same effect are the words of the psalmist psalm 115 4 135 15 their idols are silver and gold the works of men's hands from the materials of which they are made he infers that they are not gods taking it or granted that every human device concerning God is a dull fiction he mentions silver and gold rather than clay or stone that neither splendor nor cost may procure reverence to idols he then draws a general conclusion that nothing is more unlikely than that gods should be formed of any kind of inanimate matter man is forged to confess that he is but the creature of a day and yet would have the metal which he has deified to be regarded as God wince had idols their origin but from the will of man there was ground therefore for the sarcasm of the heathen poet I was once the trunk of a fig tree a useless log when the tradesman uncertain whether he should make me a stool etc chose rather that I should be a god in other words an earth born creature who breathes out his life almost every moment is able by his own device to confer the name and honor of Beatty on a lifeless trunk but as that Epicurean poet in indulging his whip had no regard for religion without attending to his jeers or those of his fellows let the rebuke of the prophets sting nay cut us to the heart when he speaks of the extreme infatuation of those who take a piece of wood to kindle a fire to warn themselves make bread roast or boil flesh and out of the residue make a god before which they prostrate themselves as suppliants Isaiah 44-16 hence the same prophet in another place not only charges idolaters as guilty in the eye of the law but upbraids them for not learning from the foundations of the earth nothing being more incongruous than to reduce the immense and incomprehensible Beatty by the nature of a few feet and yet experience shows that this monstrous proceeding though palpably repugnant to the order of nature is natural to man it is moreover to be observed that by the mode of expression which is employed every form of superstition is denounced being works of men they have no authority from God Isaiah 2-8 31-7 14-3 Micah 5-13 and therefore it must be regarded as a fixed principle that all modes of worship devised by man are detestable the infatuation is placed in a still stronger light by the psalms Psalm 115-8 when he shows how aid is implored from dead and senseless objects by being to have been in due with intelligence for the very purpose of enabling them to know that the whole universe is governed by divine energy alone but as the corruption of nature hurries away all mankind collectively and individually into this madness the spirit at length thunders forth a dreadful implication they that make them are like unto them so is everyone that trusted in them and it is to be observed that the thing forbidden is likeness whether sculptured or otherwise this disposes of the frivolous precaution taken by the Greek church they think they do admirably because they have no sculpture shape of deity while none go greater lengths in the licentious use of pictures the Lord however not only forbids any image of himself be erected by a statuary but to be formed by any artist whatever because every such image is simple insulting to his majesty but I am not ignorant indeed of the assertion which is now more than threadbare that images are the books of the unlearned so said Gregory but the Holy Spirit goes a very different decision had Gregory got his lesson in this matter in the spirit school he never would have spoken as he did for when Jeremiah declares that the stock is a doctrine of vanities and abacus that the molten image is a teacher of lies the general doctrine to be inferred certainly is that everything respecting God which is learned from images is futile and false if it is to be objected that the center of the prophets is directed against those who perverted images to purposes of empire superstition I admit it to be so but I add what must be obvious to all that the prophets really condemn what the papists told to be an undoubted accident this that images are substitutes for books for they contrast images with the true God as if the two were of an opposite nature and never could be made to agree in the passages which I lately quoted the conclusion drawn is that seeing there is one true God whom the Jews worship visible shapes made for the purpose of representing him are false and wicked fictions and all therefore who have recourse to them for knowledge are miserably deceived in short were it not true that all such knowledge is volatious and spurious the prophets would not condemn it in such general terms this at least I maintain that when we teach that all human attempts to give a visible shape to God are vanity and lies we do nothing more than state what the prophets taught moreover let lack tantias and Eusebius be read on this subject these writers assume it as an indisputable fact that all the beings whose images were erected were originally men in like manner Augustine distinctly declares that it is unlawful not only to worship images but to dedicate them and in this he says no more had been long before decreed by the libertine council the 36th canon of which is there must be no pictures used in churches let nothing which is adored or worship be painted on walls but the most memorable passage of all is that which Augustine quotes in another place from Varra and in which he expressly concurs those who first introduced images of the gods both took away fear and brought error were this merely the saying of Varra it might perhaps be of little weight though it might well make us ashamed that a heathen groping as it were in darkness should have attained to such a degree of light as to see that corporeal images are unworthy of the majesty of God and that because they diminish reverential fear and encourage error the sentiment itself bears witness that it was uttered with no less truth than shrewness but Augustine while he borrows it from Varra adduces it as conveying his own opinion at the outset indeed he declares that the first errors into which men fell concerning God did not originate with images but increased with them as it knew fuel had been added afterwards he explains how the fear of God was thereby extinguished or impaired his presence being brought into content by foolish and childish representations the truth of this latter remark I wish we did not so thoroughly experience whosoever therefore is desirous of being instructed in the true knowledge of God must apply to some other teacher than images seven let papists then if they have any sense of shame henceforth desist from the futile plea that images are the books of the unmarked a plea so plainly refuted by innumerable passages of scripture and yet were I to admit the plea it would not be a valid defense of their peculiar items it is well known what kind of monsters they have trued upon us as divine for what are the pictures or statues to which they have pinned the names of saints the exhibition of the most shameless luxury or obscenity for anyone to dress himself after their model he would deserve the pillar indeed brothels exhibit their inmates more chastely and modestly dressed than churches do images intended to represent virgins the dress of the martyrs is in no respect more becoming let papists then have some little regard to decency in decking their idols if they would give the least plausibility to the false allegation that they are books of some kind of sanctity but even then we shall answer that this is not the method in which the Christian people should be taught in sacred places very different from these follies is the doctrine in which God would have them to be their instructor his injunction is that the doctrine common to all should be set forth by the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments a doctrine to which little heed can be given by those whose eyes are carried to and fro by the gazing at idols and who are the unlearned whose rudeness admits of being taught by images only just those whom the Lord acknowledges for his disciples those whom he honors with a revelation of the celestial philosophy and desires to be trained in the saving mysteries of his kingdom I confess indeed as matters now are there are not a few in the present day who cannot want such books but I ask this stupidity but just because they are defrauded of the only doctrine which was fit to instruct them the simple reason by those who had the charge of churches resigned the office of teaching to idols was because they themselves were dumb Paul declares that by the true preaching of the gospel Christ is portrayed in a manner crucified before our eyes relations three one of what use then in churches of so many crosses of wood and stone silver and gold if this doctrine were faithfully and honestly preached this Christ died that he might bear our curse upon the tree that he might expiate our sins or the sacrifice of his body wash them in his blood and in short reconcile us to God the Father from this one doctrine the people would learn more than from a thousand crosses of wood and stone as for crosses of gold and silver it may be true that the avaricious give their eyes and minds to them more eagerly than do any heavenly instruct end of section 17 recording by Sean F. Sawyers St. Louis, Missouri section 18 of institutes of the Christian religion book one 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 M. White institutes of the Christian religion book one by John Calvin translated by Henry beverage chapter 11 part 2 8 in regard to the origin of vitals the statement contained in the book of wisdom has been received with almost universal consent that is to say that they originated with those who bestowed this honor on the dead from a superstitious regard to their memory I admit that this perverse practice is of very high antiquity and I deny not that it has a kind of torch by which the infatuated proneness of mankind to idolatry was kindled into a greater blaze I do not however admit that it was the first origin of the practice that idols were in use before the prevalence of that ambitious consecration of the images of the dead frequently adverted to by profane writers is evident from the words of Moses in Genesis 31 19 when he relates that Rachel stole her father's images he speaks of the use of idols as a common vice hence we may infer that the human mind is, so to speak a perpetual forge of idols there was a kind of renewal of the world at the deluge but before many years elaps men are forging gods at will there is reason to believe that in the holy patriarch's lifetime his grandchildren were given to idolatry so that he must with his own eyes not without the deepest grief have seen the earth polluted with idols that earth whose iniquities God had lately purged was so fearful a judgment for Joshua testifies in Joshua 24 too that Torah and Nekor even before the birth of Abraham were the worshipers of false gods the progeny of Shem having so speedily revolted what are we to think of the posterity of Ham who had been cursed long before in their father thus indeed it is the human mind stuffed as it is with presumptuous raftiness dares to imagine a god suited to its own capacity as it labors under dullness nay is sunk in the grossest ignorance it substitutes vanity and an empty phantom in the place of God to those evils another is added the God whom man has thus conceived inwardly the attempts to embody outwardly the mind in this way conceives the idol and the hand gives it birth that idolatry has its origin in the idea which men have that God is not present with us unless his presence is currently exhibited appears from the examples of the Israelites up said they make us gods which shall be before us for as for this Moses the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt we what not what is become of him exodus twenty two one they knew indeed that there was a God whose mighty power they had experienced in so many miracles but they had no confidence of his being near to them if they did not with their eyes behold a corporeal symbol of his presence as an attestation to his actual government they desired therefore to be assured by the image which went before them that they were journeying under divine guidance and daily experience shows that the flesh is always restless until it has obtained some figment like itself with which it may vainly solace itself as a representation of God in consequence of this blind passion men have almost in all ages since the world began set up signs on which they imagined that God was visibly depicted to their eyes nine after such a figment is formed adoration forthwith ensues for when once men imagined that they beheld God in images they also worshiped him as being there at length their eyes and mind becoming holy and grossed by them they began to grow more and more brutish gazing and wondering as if some divinity were actually before them it hence appears that men do not fall away to the worship of images until they have imbibed some idea of a grosser description not that they actually believe them to be gods but that the power of divinity somehow or other resides in them therefore whether it be God or a creature that is imaged the moment you fall prostrate before it in veneration you are so far fascinated by superstition for this reason the Lord not only forbade the erection of statues to himself but also the consecration of titles and stones which might be set up for adoration for the same reason also the second commandment has an additional part concerning adoration for as soon as a visible form is given to God his power also is supposed to be annexed to it so stupid our men that whenever they figure God there they fix him and by necessary consequence proceed to adore him it makes no difference whether they worship the idol simply or God in the idol it is always idolatry when divine honors are paid to an idol be the color what it may and because God wills not to be worshiped superstitiously whatever is bestowed upon idols is so much robbed from him let those attend to this who set about hunting for miserable pretexts in defense of the idolatry in which for many past ages true religion has been buried and sunk it is said that the images are not accounted gods nor were the Jews so utterly thoughtless as not to remember that there was a God whose hand led them out of Egypt before they made the calf indeed Aaron saying that these were the gods which had brought them out of Egypt they intimated in no ambiguous terms that they wish to retain God the deliverer provided they saw him going before them in the calf nor are the heathen to be deemed to have been so stupid as not to understand that God was something else than would in stone for they changed the images at pleasure but always retain the same gods in their minds besides they daily consecrated new images without thinking they were making new gods read the excuses which Augustine tells us were employed by the idolaters at the time the vulgar when accused replied that they did not worship the visible object but the deity which dwelt in it invisibly those again who had what he calls a more refined religion said that they neither worship the image nor any inhabiting deity but by means of the corporeal image beheld a symbol of that which it was their duty to worship what then all idolaters whether Jewish or Gentile were actuated in the very way which has been described not contented with spiritual understanding they thought that images would give them a sureer and nearer impression when once this posturist representation of God was adopted there was no limit until deluded every now and then by new imposters they came to think that God exerted his power in images still the Jews were persuaded that under such images they worshiped the eternal God the one true lord of heaven and earth and the Gentiles also in worshiping their own false gods supposed them to dwell in heaven 10 it is an impudent falsehood to deny that the thing which was thus anciently done is also done in our day for why do men prostrate themselves before images why, when in the act of praying they turn towards them as to the ears of God it is indeed true as Augustine says in Psalm 113 that no person thus prays or worships looking at an image without being impressed with the idea that he is heard by it or without hoping that what he wishes will be performed by it why are such distinctions made between different images of the same God that while one is passed by or receives only common honor by assolmenties why do they fatigue themselves with votive pilgrimages to images while they have many similar ones at home why at the present time do they fight for them to blood and slaughter as for their altars and hearts showing more willingness to part with the one God than with their idols and yet I am not now detailing the gross errors of the vulgar errors almost infinite in number and in possession of almost all hearts referring to what those profess who are most desirous to clear themselves of idolatry they say, we do not call them our gods nor did either the Jews or Gentiles of old so call them and yet the prophets never cease to charge them with their idolatries with wood and stone for the very acts which are daily done by those who would be deemed Christians, namely for worshiping God carnally in wood and stone 11 I am not ignorant however and I have no wish to disguise the fact that they endeavor to evade the charge by means of a more subtle distinction which shall afterwards be fully considered the worship which they pay to their images they cloak with the name idolatria and deny to be idolatria so they speaks holding that the worship which they call dulia may without insult to God be paid to statues and pictures hence they think themselves blameless if they are only the servants and not the worshippers of idols as if it were not a lighter matter to worship than to serve and yet while they take refuge in a Greek term they very childishly contradict themselves for the Greek word latruane having no other meaning than to worship what they say is just the same as if they were to confess that they worshiped their images without worshiping them they cannot object that I am quibbling upon words the fact is that they only betray their ignorance while they attempt to throw dust in the eyes of the simple but how eloquent so ever they may be they will never prove by their eloquence that one and the same thing makes two let them show how the things differ if they would be thought different from ancient idolaters for as a murderer or an adulterer will not escape conviction by giving some adventitious name to his crime so it is absurd for them to expect that the subtle device of a name will exculpate them if they in fact differ in nothing from idolaters whom they themselves are forced to condemn but so far are they from proving that their case is different that the source of the whole evil consists in a preposterous worship with them while they with their minds devise and with their hands execute symbolical shapes of God twelve I am not however so superstitious as to think that all visible representations of every kind are unlawful but as sculpture and painting are gifts of God what I insist for is that both shall be used purely and lawfully that gifts which the Lord has bestowed upon us for his glory and our good shall not be preposterously abused nay shall not be perverted to our destruction we think it unlawful to give a visible shape to God because God himself has forbidden it and because it cannot be done without in some degree tarnishing his glory unless any should think that we are singular in this opinion those acquainted with the productions of sound vines will find that they have always disapproved of it if it be unlawful to make any corporeal representation of God still more unlawful must be to worship such a representation instead of God or to worship God in it the only things therefore which ought to be painted or sculptured are things which can be presented to the eye the majesty of God which is far beyond the reach of any eye must not be dishonored by unbecoming representations visible representations are of two classes that is to say historical which give a representation of events and pictorial which merely exhibit bodily shapes and figures the former are of some use for instruction or admonition the later so far as I can see are only fitted for amusement and yet it is certain that the later are almost the only kind which have hitherto been exhibited in churches hence we may infer that the exhibition was not the result of judicious selection but of a foolish and inconsiderate longing I say nothing as to the improper and unbecoming form in which they are presented or the wanton license in which sculptors and painters have here indulge a point to which I alluded a little ago super section 7 I only say that though they were otherwise faultless they could not be of any utility in teaching 13 but without reference to the above distinction let us here consider whether it is expedient that churches should contain representations of any kind whether of events or human forms first then if we attach any weight to the authority of the ancient church let us remember that for 500 years during which religion was in a more prosperous condition and a pure doctrine flourished Christian churches were completely free from visible representations hence their first admission as an ornament to churches took place after the purity of the ministry had somewhat degenerated I will not dispute as to the rationality of the grounds on which the first introduction of them proceeded but if you compare the two periods you will find that the latter had greatly declined from the purity of the times when images were unknown what then are we to suppose that these holy fathers if they had judged the thing to be useful and salutary would have allowed the church to be so long without it undoubtedly because they saw very little or no advantage and the greatest danger in it they rather rejected it intentionally and on rational grounds then admitted it through ignorance or carelessness this is clearly attested by Augustine in these words when images are thus placed aloft in seats of honor to be beheld by those who are praying or sacrificing though they have neither sense nor life yet from appearing as if they had both they affect weak minds just as if they lived and breathed and again in another passage in Psalm 112 he says the effect produced and in a manner exhorted by the bodily shape is that the mind being itself in a body imagined that a body which is so like its own must be similarly affected a little farther on he says images are more capable of giving a wrong bent to an unhappy soul from having mouth eyes, ears and feet then of correcting it as they neither speak nor see nor hear nor walk this undoubtedly is the reason why John in 1st John 521 enjoins us to beware not only of the worship of idols but also of idols themselves and from the fearful infatuation under which the world has hitherto labored almost to the entire destruction of piety we know too well from experience that the moment images appear in churches idolatry has as it were raised its banner because the folly of manhood cannot moderate itself but forthwith falls away to superstitious worship and danger less imminent still when I consider the proper end for which churches are erected it appears to me more unbecoming their sacredness than I well can tell to admit any other images than those living symbols which the Lord has consecrated by his own word I mean baptism and the Lord's supper with the other ceremonies by these our eyes ought to be more steadily fixed and more vividly impressed which would require the aid of any images which the wit of man may devise such then is the incomparable blessings of images a blessing the want of which if we believe the papus cannot possibly be compensated 14 enough I believe would have been said on this subject Ryan not in a manner arrested by the council of nicy not the celebrated council which Constantine the Great assembled but one which was held 800 years ago by the orders and under the uspses of the Empress Irene this council decreed not only that images were to be used in churches but also that they were to be worshipped everything therefore that I have said is in danger of suffering great prejudice from the authority of this sonnad to confess the truth however I am not so much moved by this consideration as by a wish to make my readers aware of the lengths to which the infatuation has been carried by those who had a greater fondness for images than became Christians but let us first dispose of this matter those who defend the use of images appeal to that sonnad for support but there is a refutation extent which bears the name of Charlemagne and which is proved by its style to be a production of that period it gives the opinions delivered by the bishops who were present and the arguments by which they supported them John deputy of the eastern churches said God created man in his own image and then sinferred that images ought to be used he also thought there was a recommendation of images in the following passage show me thy face for it is beautiful another in order to prove that images ought to be placed on altars quoted the passage no man when he has lighted a candle puteth it under a bushel another to show the utility of looking images quoted a verse of the Psalms the light of thy countenance O Lord has shown upon us another laid hold of this similitude as the patriarchs use the sacrifices of the Gentiles so ought Christians to use the images of saints instead of the idols of the Gentiles they also twisted to the same effect the words Lord I have loved the beauty of thy house but the most ingenious interpretation was the following as we have heard so also have we seen therefore God is known not merely by the hearing of the word but also by the seeing of images Bishop Theodore was equally acute God says he is to be admired in his saints and it is elsewhere said to the saints who are on earth therefore this must refer to images in short their absurdities are so extreme that it is difficult even to quote them 15 when they treat of adoration great stress is laid on the worship of Pharaoh the staff of Joseph and the inscription which Jacob set up in this last case they not only pervert the meaning of scripture but quote what is nowhere to be found then the passages worship at his footstool worship in his holy mountain the rulers of the people will worship before thy face seem to them very solid and opposite proofs were one with the view of turning the defenders of images into ridicule to put words into their mouths could they be made to utter greater and grosser absurdities but to put an end to all doubt on the subject of images Theodosius Bishop of Myra infirms the priority of worshipping them by the dreams of his archdeacon which he adduces with as much gravity as if he were in possession of a response from heaven let the patrons of images now go and urges with the decree of this sign on as if the venerable fathers did not bring themselves into utter discredit by handling scripture so childishly or resting it so shamefully and profanely 16 I come now to monstrous impiety which it is strange they ventured to utter and twice strange that all men did not protest against with the utmost detestation it is right to expose this frantic and flegitious extravagance and thereby deprive the worship of images of that gloss of antiquity in which papus seek to deck it Theodosius Bishop of Amora fires off an anathema at all who object to the worship of images another attributes all the calamities of Greece and the east to the crime of not having worshiped them of what punishment then are the prophets apostles and martyrs worthy in whose day no images existed they afterwards add that if the statue of the emperor is met with odors and incense much more are the images of saints entitled to the honor Constantius Bishop of Constantia in Cyprus professes to embrace images with reverence and declares that he will see them the respect which is due to the ever-blessed trinity every person refusing to do the same thing he anathematizes and classes with Martianites and Maniches lest you should think this the private opinion of an individual they all assent nay John the eastern legion carried still farther by his zeal declares it would be better to allow a city to be filled with brothels then be denied the worship of images at last it is resolved with one consent that the Samaritans are the worst of all heretics and that the enemies of images are worse than the Samaritans but that the play may not pass off without the accustomed plaudite the whole thus concludes rejoice and exult ye who having the image of Christ offers sacrifice to it where is now the distinction of man and doulia with which they would throw dust in all eyes human and divine the council unreservedly relies as much on images as on the living God end of section 18 recording by M. White section 19 of institutes of the Christian religion book one this is a LibriVox recording a LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Gregory Wagenfuhr institutes of the Christian religion book one by John Calvin translated by Henry Beverage chapter 12 God distinguished from idols that he may be the exclusive object of worship sections one scripture in teaching that there is but one God does not make it dispute about words but attributes all honor and religious worship to him alone this proved first by the etymology of the term second by the testimony of God himself when he declares that he is a jealous God and will not allow himself to be confounded with any fictitious deity two the papus in opposing this pure doctrine gain nothing by their distinction of doulia and Latria three passages of scripture subversive of the papistical distinction and proving that religious worship is due to God alone perversions of divine worship one we said of the commencement of our work that the knowledge of God consists not in frigid speculation but carries worship along with it and we touched by the way on what will be more copiously treated in other places is how God is duly worshiped now I only briefly repeat that whenever scripture asserts the unity of God it does not contend for a mere name but also enjoins that nothing which belongs to divinity be applied to any other thus making it obvious in what respect pure religion differs from superstition the Greek word eusebia means right worship for the Greeks though groping in darkness were always aware that a certain rule was to be observed in order that God might not be worshipped absurdly Cicero truly and shrewdly derives the name religion from relego and yet the reason which he assigns is forced and far-fetched is that honest worshippers read and read again and ponder what is true I rather think the name is used in opposition to the greater part of mankind rashly taking up whatever first comes in their way whereas piety that it may stand with a firm step confines itself within due bounds in the same way superstition seems to take its name from its not being contented with the measure which reason prescribes but accumulating a superfluous mass of vanities but to say nothing more hence it has been universally admitted in all ages that religion is vitiated and perverted whenever false opinions are introduced into it and hence it is inferred that whatever is allowed to be done from inconsiderate zeal cannot be defended by any pretext with which the superstitious may choose to cloak it but although this confession is in every man's mouth a shameful stupidity is forthwith manifested in as much as men neither cleave to the one God nor use any selection in their worship as we have already observed but God in vindicating his own right first proclaims that he is a jealous God and will be a stern avenger if he is confounded with any false God and thereafter defines what due worship is in order that the human race may be kept in obedience both of these he embraces in his law and defines the faithful in allegiance to him as their only law giver and then prescribes a rule for worshiping him in accordance with his will the law with its manifold uses and objects I will consider in its own place at present I only avert to this one that it is designed as a bridal to curb men and prevent them from turning into the observation with which I set out vis that unless everything peculiar to divinity is confined to God alone he is robbed of his honor and his worship is violated it may be proper here more particularly to attend to the subtleties which superstition employs in revolting to strange Gods it avoids the appearance of abandoning the supreme God or reducing him in the same rank with others it gives him the highest place but at the same time surrounds him with a tribe of minor deities among whom it portions out his peculiar offices in this way though in a dissembling and crafty manner the glory of the Godhead is dissected and not allowed to remain entire in the same way the people of old both Jews and Gentiles placed an immense crowd of coordination to the father and ruler of the Gods and gave them, according to their rank to share with the supreme God in the government of heaven and earth in the same way to for some ages past departed saints have been exalted to partnership with God to be worshiped, invoked and lauded in his stead and yet we do not even think that the majesty of God is obscured by this abomination great measure suppressed and extinguished all that we retain being a frigid opinion of his supreme power at the same time being deluded by these entanglements we go astray after diverse Gods 2 the distinction of what is called dulya and latrya was invented for the very purpose of permitting divine honors to be paid to angels and dead men with apparent impunity explaining that the worship which papists pay to saints differs in no respect from the worship of God for this worship is paid without distinction only when they are pressed they have recourse to the evasion that what belongs to God is kept unimpaired because they leave him latrya but since the question relates not to the word but the thing how can they be allowed to sport at will with a matter of time but not to insist on this the utmost they will obtain by their distinction is that they give worship to God and service to the others for latrya in greek has the same meaning as worship in latin whereas dulya properly means service though the words are sometimes used in scripture indiscriminately but granting that the distinction the thing to be inquired into is the meaning of each dulya unquestionably means service and latrya worship but no man doubts that to serve is something higher than to worship for it were often a hard thing to serve him whom you would not refuse to reverence it is therefore an unjust division to assign the greater to the saints and leave the less to God but several of the ancient fathers observed this distinction what if they did when all men see that it is not only improper but utterly frivolous three laying aside subtleties let us examine the thing when paul reminds the galatians of what they were before they came to the knowledge of God he says that they quote did service unto them which was called the gods and quote because he does not say latrya was their superstition excusable his superstition to which he gives the name dulya he condemns as much as if he had given it the name latrya when christ repelled satans insulting proposal with the words quote it is written thou shalt worship the lord thy god and him only will serve and quote matthew 410 there was no question of latrya for all that satan asked was proscunesis parentheses obeisance and parentheses in like manners when john is rebuked by the angel for falling on his knees before him revelation 1910 228 and 9 we ought not to suppose that so far forgotten himself as to have intended to transfer the honor due god alone to an angel but because it was impossible that a worship connected with religion should not save somewhat of divine worship he could not proscunate parentheses do obeisance to and parentheses the angel without derogating from the glory of god true we often read that men were worshiped that was if i may so speak civil honor the case is different with religious honor which the moment it is conjoined with worship carries profanation of the divine honor along with it the same thing may be seen in the case of cornelius acts 1025 he had not made so little progress in piety as not to confine supreme worship to god alone therefore when he prostrates himself before peter he certainly does it not with the intention of adoring him instead of god hit peter sternly forbids him and why but just because men never distinguish so accurately between the worship of god and the creatures as not to transfer promiscuously to the creature that which belongs only to god therefore if we would have one god let us remember that we can never have the minutest portion of his glory without retaining what is his do accordingly when zechariah discourses concerning the repairing of the church he distinctly says not only that there would be one god but also that he would have only one name the reason being that he might have nothing in common with idols the nature of the worship which god requires will be seen in its own place book 2 chapter 7 he has been pleased to prescribe in his law what is lawful and right and thus restrict men to a certain rule lest any should allow themselves to devise a worship of their own but as it is inexpedient to burden the reader by mixing up a variety of topics I do not now dwell on this one let it suffice to remember that whatever offices of piety are bestowed anywhere else but none god alone are of the nature of sacrilege first superstition attached divine honors to the sun and stars or to idols afterwards ambition followed ambition which decking man in the spoils of god dared to profane all that was sacred and though the principle of worshiping as supreme deity continued to be held still the practice was to sacrifice promiscuously genie and minor gods or departed heroes so prone is the descent to this vice of communicating to a crowd that which god strictly claims as his own peculiar right end of section 19