duce authority sufficient to justify this insinuation, he must not be surprised if those whom it so grossly misrepresents should "not hesitate to pronounce" it, as he has done their system, "FALSE AND GROUNDLESS." p. 260. CHAPTER XI. The Nature and Necessity of Good Works. CALVIN. The scripture plan, of which we are now treating, consists chiefly in these two things. The first, that a love of righteousness, to which we have otherwise no natural propensity, be instilled and introduced into our hearts: the second, that a rule be prescribed to us to prevent our taking any devious steps in the race of righteousness. Now in the recommendation of righteousness, it uses a great number of very excellent arguments, many of which we have before noticed on different occasions, and some we shall briefly touch on in this place. With what better foundation can it begin, than when it admonishes us that we ought to be holy, because our God is holy ?* For when we were dispersed like scattered sheep, and lost in the labyrinth of the world, he gathered us together again that he might associate us to himself. When we hear any mention of our union with God, we should remember that holiness must be the bond of it: not that we attain communion with him by the merit of holiness (since it is rather necessary for us in the first place to adhere to him, in order that being endued with his holiness we may follow whither he calls) but because it is a peculiar property of his glory not to have any intercourse with iniquity and uncleanness. Wherefore, also, it CALVIN. teaches that this is the end of our vocation, which it is requisite for us always to keep in view if we desire to obey the divine call. For to what purpose was it that we were delivered from the iniquity and pollution of the world in which we had been immerged, if we permit our selves to wallow in them as long as we live? Besides, it also admonishes us, that to be numbered among the people of God, we must inhabit the holy city Jerusalem ;* which, he having consecrated it to himself, cannot without impiety be profaned by impure inhabitants; whence these expressions, he shall abide in the tabernacle of the Lord, that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness, &c." because it is very unbecoming the sanctuary which he inhabits to be rendered as filthy as a stable. And as a further incitement to us, it shows that as God the Father hath reconciled us to himself in Christ, so he hath impressed in him an image to which it is his will that we should be conformed. Now, let those who are of opinion that the philosophers have the only just and orderly systems of moral philosophy, show me in any of their works a more excellent œconomy than that which I have stated. When they intend to exhort us to the sublimest virtue, they advance no argument but that we ought to live agreeably to nature; but the Scripture deduces its exhortation from the true source, when it not only enjoins us to refer our life to God, the author of it, to whom it belongs; but, after having taught us that we are degenerated from the original state in which we were created, adds, that Christ, by whom we have been reconciled to God, is proposed to us as an example, whose character we should exhibit in our lives. What can be required more efficacious than this one consideration? indeed what can be required besides? For if the Lord has adopted us as his sons on this condition, that we exhibit in our life an imitation of Christ the bond of our adoption; unless we addict and devote ourselves to righteousness, we not only * Is. xxxv. 10. † Ps. xv. 1, 2. xxiv, 3, 4. CALVIN. most perfidiously revolt from our Creator, but also abjure him as our Saviour. The Scripture derives matter of exhortation from all the blessings of God which it celebrates to us, and from all the parts of our salvation. It argues, that since God hath discovered himself as a Father to us, we must be convicted of the basest ingratitude, unless we on our part manifest ourselves to be his children; that since Christ hath purified us in the laver of his blood, and hath communicated this purification by baptism, it does not become us to be defiled with fresh pollution; that since he hath united us to his body, we should, as his members, solicitously beware, lest we defile ourselves with any blemish or disgrace; that since he who is our head, hath ascended to Heaven, we ought to divest ourselves of every terrestrial affection, and aspire thither with all our soul; that since the Holy Spirit hath dedicated us as temples to God, we should use our utmost exertions, that the glory of God may be displayed by us; that we ought not to commit any thing which may profane us with the pollution of sin; that since both our soul and our body are destined to heavenly incorruption and a never fading crown, we ought to exert our most strenuous efforts to preserve them pure and incorrupt, until the day of the Lord. These principles, I say, form the surest foundations for a well regulated life; but nothing resembling them can be found in the writings of the philosophers, who, in the recommendation of virtue, never rise above the natural dignity of man. And this is a proper place to address those who have nothing but the name and symbol of Christ, and yet would be denominated Christians. But with what face do they glory in his sacred name? For none have any ac quaintance with Christ, but those who have obtained the truc knowledge of him from the word of the gospel. Now * Rom. vi. 4. &c. viii. 29. Mal. i. 6. Eph. v. 1. 1 John iii. 1. Eph. v. 26. Heb. x. 10. 1 Cor. vi. 11. 1 Pet. i. 15. 19. 1 Cor. vi. 15. John xv. 3. Eph. v. 23. Col. iii. 1, 2. 1 Cor. iii. 16. vi. 19. 2 Cor. vi. 16. 1 Thess. v. 23. CALVIN. the apostle denies that any have rightly learned Christ," who have not been taught that they must put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and put on Christ."* Their knowledge of Christ then is proved to be a false and injurious pretence, with whatever eloquence and volubility they may talk concerning the gospel. For it is a doctrine, not of the tongue, but of the life; and is not apprehended merely with the understanding and memory, like other sciences, but is then only received when it possesses the whole soul, and finds a seat and residence in the inmost affection of the heart. Let them therefore either cease to insult God by boasting themselves to be what they are not, or show themselves disciples not unworthy of Christ their master. We have allotted the first place to the doctrine which contains our religion; because it is the origin of our salvation; but that it may not be unprofitable to us, it must be transfused into our breast, pervade our manners, and thus transform us into itself. If the philosophers are justly incensed against and banish with disgrace from their society those, who, while they profess an art which ought to be a rule of life, convert it into a sophistical loquacity; with how much better reason may we detest those sophists who are contented to have the gospel on their lips, whilst its efficacy ought to penetrate the inmost affection of the heart, to dwell in the soul, and to affect the whole man with a hundred times more energy than the frigid exhortations of the philosophers! But I do not require that the manners of a Christian should breathe nothing but the perfect gospel; which nevertheless ought to be the object both of desire and of pursuit. But I do not so rigorously require evangelical perfection as not to acknowledge as a Christian one who has not yet attained to it: for thus, all would be excluded from the church: since no man can be found who is not still at a great distance from it; and many have hitherto * Eph. iv. 20, 22. |