ŠĻą”±į>ž’ "ÅĒž’’’£¤„¦§Ø©Ŗ«¬­®Æ°±²³“µ¶·ø¹ŗ»¼½¾æĄĮĀĆÄ’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’ģ„Į#` šæé bjbj\.\. 4 >D>Dœ•’’’’’’¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤øœAœAœAœAģˆE¼ øÅm¶POPOPOPOPO+P+P+Ppkrkrkrkrkrkrk${nhćp––k餦S+P+P¦S¦S–k¤¤POPOŪmLTLTLT¦S¤PO¤POpkLT¦SpkLTLT¤¤LTPODO /Ģī)ĒœA¦S¦LTlT•m0ÅmLTyqLTyqLTyq¤LT +P ĖPrLT=Q\™Q +P+P+P–k–kLT+P+P+PÅm¦S¦S¦S¦Søøøä=œAøøøœAøøø¤¤¤¤¤¤’’’’  INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION By JOHN CALVIN Translated by HENRY BEVERIDGE WM. B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY Grand Rapids, Michigan This one-volume edition first published 1989 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 255 Jefferson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Printed in the United States of America Publisher's Note The Henry Beveridge translation of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion was originally published in two volumes. In this single volume edition we have retained the pagination of the original two volumes. Thus, following page 582 in the first half of this volume, the page numbers will resume at page 1. The tables and indexes retain their designation of volumes i and ii, now signifying the first or second half of this volume. Reprinted, January 1994 Introduction By The Rev. John Murray, M.A., Th.M. HE publication in English of another edition of the opus magnum of Christian theology is an event fraught with much encouragement. Notwithstanding the decadence so patent in our present-day world and particularly in the realm of Christian thought and life, the publishers have confidence that there is sufficient interest to warrant such an undertaking. If this faith is justified we have reason for thanksgiving to God. For what would be a better harbinger of another Reformation than widespread recourse to the earnest and sober study of the Word of God which would be evinced by the readiness carefully to peruse The Institutes of the Christian Religion. Dr. B. B. Warfield in his admirable article, "On the Literary History of the Institutes," has condensed for us the appraisal accorded Calvin's work by the critics who have been most competent to judge. Among these tributes none expresses more adequately, and none with comparable terseness, the appraisal which is Calvin's due than that of the learned Joseph Scaliger, "Solus inter theologos Calvinus." It would be a presumptuous undertaking to try to set forth all the reasons why Calvin holds that position of eminence in the history of Christian theology. By the grace and in the overruling providence of God there was the convergence of multiple factors, and all of these it would be impossible to trace in their various interrelations and interactions. One of these, however, calls for special mention. Calvin was an exegete and biblical theologian of the first rank. No other one factor comparably served to equip Calvin for the successful prosecution of his greatest work which in 1559 received its definitive edition. The attitude to Scripture entertained by Calvin and the principles which guided him in its exposition are nowhere stated with more simplicity and fervor than in the Epistle Dedicatory to his first commentary, the commentary on the epistle to the Romans. "Such veneration," he says, "we ought indeed to entertain for the Word of God, that we ought not to pervert it in the least degree by varying expositions; for its majesty is diminished, I know not how much, especially when not expounded with great discretion and with great sobriety. And if it be deemed a great wickedness to contaminate any thing that is dedicated to God, he surely cannot be endured, who, with impure, or even with unprepared hands, will handle that very thing, which of all things is the most sacred on earth. It is therefore an audacity, closely allied to a sacrilege, rashly to turn Scripture in any way we please, and to indulge our fancies as in sport; which has been done by many in former times" (English Translation, Grand Rapids, 1947, p. xxvii). It was Calvin preeminently who set the pattern for the exercise of that sobriety which guards the science of exegesis against those distortions and perversions to which allegorizing methods are ever prone to subject the interpretation and application of Scripture. The debt we owe to Calvin in establishing sound canons of interpretation and in thus directing the future course of exegetical study is incalculable. It is only to be lamented that too frequently the preaching of Protestant and even Reformed communions has not been sufficiently grounded in the herme-neutical principles which Calvin so nobly exemplified. One feature of Calvin's exegetical work is his concern for the analogy of Scripture. He is always careful to take account of the unity and harmony of Scripture teaching. His expositions are not therefore afflicted with the vice of expounding particular passages without respect to the teaching of Scripture elsewhere and without respect to the system of truth set forth in the Word of God. His exegesis, in a word, is theologically oriented. It is this quality that lies close to that which was par excellence his genius. However highly we assess Calvin's exegetical talent and product, his eminence as an exegete must not be allowed to overshadow what was, after all, his greatest gift. He was par excellence a theologian. It was his systematizing genius preeminently that equipped him for the prosecution and completion of his masterpiece. When we say that he was par excellence a theologian we must dissociate from our use of this word every notion that is suggestive of the purely speculative. No one has ever fulminated with more passion and eloquence against "vacuous and meteoric speculation" than has Calvin. And no one has ever been more keenly conscious that the theologian's task was the humble and, at the same time, truly noble one of being a disciple of the Scripture. "No man," he declares, "can have the least knowledge of true and sound doctrine, without having been a disciple of the Scripture. Hence originates all true wisdom, when we embrace with reverence the testimony which God hath been pleased therein to deliver concerning himself. For obedience is the source, not only of an absolutely perfect and complete faith, but of all right knowledge of God" (hist. I, vi, 2). In the words of William Cunningham: "In theology there is, of course, no room for originality properly so called, for its whole materials are contained in the actual statements of God's word; and he is the greatest and best theologian who has most accurately apprehended the meaning of the statements of Scripture — who, by comparing and combining them, has most fully and correctly brought out the whole mind of God on all the topics on which the Scriptures give us information — who classifies and digests the truths of Scripture in the way best fitted to commend them to the apprehension and acceptance of men — and who can most clearly and forcibly bring out their scriptural evidence, and most skillfully and effectively defend them against the assaults of adversaries . . . Calvin was far above the weakness of aiming at the invention of novelties in theology, or of wishing to be regarded as the discoverer of new opinions" (The Reformers and the Theology of the Reformation, Edinburgh, 1866, p. 296). As we bring even elementary understanding to bear upon our reading of the Institutes we shall immediately discover the profound sense of the majesty of God, veneration for the Word of God, and the jealous care for faithful exposition and systematization which were marked features of the author. And because of this we shall find the Institutes to be suffused with the warmth of godly fear. The Institutes is not only the classic of Christian theology; it is also a model of Christian devotion. For what Calvin sought to foster was that "pure and genuine religion" which consists in "faith united with the serious fear of God, such fear as may embrace voluntary reverence and draw along with it legitimate worship such as is prescribed in the law" (Inst. I, ii, 2). The present edition is from the translation made by Henry Beveridge in 1845 for the Calvin Translation Society. The reader may be assured that the translation faithfully reflects the teaching of Calvin but must also bear in mind that no translation can perfectly convey the thought of the original. It may also be added that a more adequate translation of Calvin's Institutes into English is a real desideratum. In fulfilling this need the translator or translators would perform the greatest service if the work of translation were supplemented by footnotes in which at crucial points, where translation is difficult or most accurate translation impossible, the Latin text would be reproduced and comment made on its more exact import. Furthermore, footnotes which would supply the reader with references to other places in Calvin's writings where he deals with the same subject would be an invaluable help to students of Calvin and to the cause of truth. Admittedly such work requires linguistic skill of the highest order, thorough knowledge of Calvin's writings, and deep sympathy with his theology. It would also involve prodigious labour. We may hope that the seed being sown by the present venture on the part of the Wm. B. Eerd-mans Publishing Company may bear fruit some day in such a harvest. John Murray, Professor of Systematic Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary. Philadelphia, Penna. CONTENTS PAGE Tables, ...... v. I. Prefatory Address by John Calvin to Francis I., King of France. . . . . . .3 II. The Epistle of Calvin to the Reader, prefixed to the Second Edition, ..... 21 III. Subject of the Present Work, by Calvin, . . 22 IV. Calvin's Epistle to the Reader, prefixed to the last Edition revised by the Author, .... 24 V. Method and Arrangement, or Subject of the whole Work, 27 VI. General Index of the Chapters, . . .31 VII. Book First. Of the Knowledge of God the Creator, 35-205 The Argument, . . . . . .36 VIII. Book Second. Of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as first manifested to the Fathers under the law, and thereafter to us under the gospel, 207-459 The Argument, ..... 208 IX. Book Third. The mode of obtaining the Grace of Christ. The benefits it confers, and the effects resulting from it, .... . 460-582 The Argument, ..... 461 Book Third — Continued. The mode of obtaining the Grace of Christ. The benefits it confers. and the effects resulting from it, . 1-276 * * The Division and Arrangement of the Chapters of The Institutes * will se found under no. vi. The Sections are introduced at the commencement of each Chapter. X. Book Fourth. Of the Holy Catholic Church, . 277-676 The Argument, ..... 278 XI. One Hundred Aphorisms—containing, within a narrow compass, the Substance and Order of the Four Books of the Institutes of the Christian Religion, . . . 677-689 General Index, ..... 691 * * The Division and Arrangement of the Chapters of The Institutes * will be found under no. vi The Sections are introduced at the commencement of each Chapter. TABLES TO THE INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. TABLE I. OF PASSAGES FROM THE HOLT SCRIPTURES, AND FROM THE APOCRYPHA, WHICH ARE QUOTED, OR INCIDENTALLY ILLUSTRATED, IN THE INSTITUTES. Chap. i.2, i. 8, i. 26, i. 27, i. 81, H.7, ii. 17, ii. 18, ii. 23, iii. 9, iii. 15, iii. 22, iT.4, ir.7, iv. 10, yi. 6, vi. 6, Ti. 18, viu. 21, ix.9, xii. 17, xiv. 18, XT.l, it. 5, it. 17, xrii. 2, xTii. 7, xTii. 10, XTii. 18, XTii. 15, Genesis. Vol. i. 80 i. 116 . i. 134,163 . i. 102, 406 U. 570 .. i. 165, 423 i. 474 ii. 476 i. 407; ii. 648 i. 537 ... i. 154, 412 ii. 499 ii. 79 i. 288 i. 474 i. 244 i. 195 ii. 494 ... i. 246;ii.74 ii. 494 il! 608 ii. 278 ii. 121 ii 605 ii. 494 i. 838, 874 ii. 53( ii. 57* ii. 586 i. 389; Chap. Genesis. iTiii. 23, xx. 8, xx. 8,18, ... xx. 7, xxi. 1, xxi. 10, xxi. 12, xxii 8, xxii. 16.18, ... xxiii. 4, xxiii. 19, xxiT. 7, xx-rii. 88,39, ... xxTiii. 12, xx-riii. 20, xxx. 2, xxxi. 19, xxxii. 10, xxxii.29,80, , xxxiT. 25, xxxt. 22, xxxtu. 18, xii. 28, xxxTii. 88, xxxTiii. 16, .. xxxTiii. 18 ... xliii. 14, xlT. 5, xMi. 9, xlvii. 29, 80,... Vol. ii. 162 i. 196 i. 832 i. 196 ii. 18 ii. 807 ii. 18 i. 175 ii. 121 ii. 271 ii. 271 i. 150 i. 589 i. 150 ii. 476 i. 178 i. 97 ii. 174 i. 118 ii. 800 ii. 800 ii. 800 ii. 800 i. 878 ii. 800 i. 878 i. 270 i. 190 i. 878 i. 87 Chap. Genesis. xlTiii. 14, ... xlTiii. 16, i. 145 xlix. 6, 6, ... xlix. 18, ... . 20. ... . 25, ... Exodus. i. 12, ... iii. 14, ... iii. 21, ... T. 11, ... t. 21, i. 201, 268 iT. 26, ... Ti. 7, ... Tii. 1, ... xi. 8, ... xii. 6, ... xii. 26, ... xii. 43, ... xiii. 12, ... xiT. 81, ... iTi. 7, ... i 6 Vol. ii. 826 ii. 172 i. 77 i- 379 i-190 i- 379 xTii. 15, xriii. 16, xix. 6, xix. 6, xx. 2. 3, xx. 8, ii- 660 i. 132 i-189 i-123 ii. 252 ii. 625 •• 374 i. H7 i- 269 «• 558 U. 660 «• 575 ii. 558 ii. 890 i- 78 ii. 620 i. 117 ii. 445 U. 637 i. 301 i. 8^6 i. 828 TOL. I. •vi TABLES. Chap. xx. 4, xx. 4, 5, xx 5,6, xx. 7, xx. 8,10, xx. 12, xx. 13, xx. 14, xx. 15, xx. 16, xx. 17, xx. 24, xxi. 13, xxii. 11, xxii. 29, xxiii. 1, xxiii. 4, 5, xxiii. 7, xxiii. 12, xxiii. 19, xxiv. 18, xxv. 17, 18, xxr. 21, xxt. 40, xxix. 9, xxx. 30, xxxi. 2, xxxi. 18-17, xxxii. 1, xxxii. 4. xxxii. 26, xxxii. 32, xxxiii. 19, xxxiii. 20, xxxiv. 6, 7, xxxiv. 28, XXXV. 30, Exodjh Vol. i. 9! i. 33C i. 33C i. 338 i. 839 i. 344 i. 821, 328, 846 ... 1,821,848 ... i. 821, 850 i. 862 i. 352 ii. 286 i. 178 i. 186 u. 11 i. 853 i. 859 i. 853 i. 842 ii. 11 ii. 466 i. 92 i. 92 i. 880 ii. 811 ii. 646 i. 236 i. 840 i. 97 i. 16 ii. 660 ii. 184 ... ii. 221, 255 i. 92 i. 88 ii. 466 i. 286 Leviticus. xviii. 6,1.319,457; ii. 82,106 xix. 1, xix. 2, xix. 12, xix. 16, xix. 18, xix. 31, xxvi. 4, xxvi. 11. xxvi. 12, xxvi. 20, xxvi. 23, 24, ... xxvi. 26, xxvi. 36, xxx. 6, ii. 3 i. 827 i. 825 i. 847 i. 859 ii. 285 i. 319 i. 874 i. 874 ii. 192 i. 191 ii. 193 i. 271 i. 78 Chap. xiv. 43, xx. 8, xxi. 9, xxiii. 10, xxiii. 19, Numbers. Deuteronomy. Vol.' Chap. i. 282 i. 7, 8, ii. 620 vii. 19, ii. 620 x. 13, i. 379'xi. 20, i. 195 xxiv. 2, ' xxiv. 3, Joshua. ii. 663, 655, 658 ii. 6421 vi. 34, i. 268 vi. 37, u. 404 viii. 27, ii. 2651 ix. 20, i. 8191 xi. 30, i. i i. 91 ii. 207 i. 342 i.366; ii. 133 ii. 475 ii. 109 i. 827 ii. 207 vi. 18, xi. 18, xi. 31, xi. 38, xii. 1, xiv. 18, Numbers. ii. 642 ii. 200 i. 178 ii. 200 i. 77 i. 3311 i. 16, 17, i. 39, ii. 30, iv.2, iv.7, iv.9, iv. 16, iv. 15, 16, iv. 87, v. 14, vi. 6, vi. 16, vi. 25, vii. 6, vii. 7, 8, vii. 9, vii. 12, 13, viii. 3, ix.6, x. 12, 13, x. 14, 15, i. 396 xi. 13, xi. 26, xii. 28, xii. 82, xiv. 2, xvii. 11, xvii. 16, 20, xvii. 18,19, xviii. 11, xix. 5, xix. 19, xxi. 23, xxiii. 5, iv. 13, :vi. 18, ... ------ xxvii. 26, i. 311; ii. 62,112 xxviii. 1, i. 191, 281, 319 Vol. ii 409 i. 335 i. 173 i.201 i. 97 i. 242 Judges. xiii. 18, xiii. 19, xiii. 22, xiii. 23, xvi. 28, xxi. 25, i. 287 ii. 605 ii. 433 ii. 161 ii. 474 i. 118 ii. 433 i. 39, 118 i. 118 ii. 161 ii. 668 ii. 108 ii. 104 i. 179; ii. 193 ii. 207 i. 356 ii. 20 i. 8& ii. 1G i. 32C ii. 42¬ i. 32' ii. 39C ii. 654 i. & i. 320 i. 20S ii. 66J i. 81 ii. 20' ii. 10J i. 327 xxviii. 65, xxix. 2, 4, i. 270 i. 239 xxix. 29, i. 184; ii. 205 xxx 8, xxx. 6, xxx. 11,12, ... xxx. 12, 12,13, ... xxx. 14, i. 73,284; xxxii. 8, 9, i. 896; xxxii. 15. xxxii. 17, ... xxxii. 22, xxxii. 85, xxxii. 46, 47,... xxxiii. 8, xxxiii. 29, ii. 800 i.285 i. 284 i. 78 i. 184 ii. 242 ii. 207 ii. 19 ii. 486 ii. 61 i. 859 i. 810 i. 376 i. 874 i. 13, ii.6, ii. 9, ii. 10, ii. 25, ii. 85, vi.9, vii. 6, vii. 17, viii. 7, viu. 11-17, x. 6, x.26, xi. 6, xi. 15, xii. 22, xiv. 44, xv. 11, xv. 22, xv: 22, 23, xv. 23, xv. 29, xvi. 13, xvi. 14, xviii. 10, xix. 9, xxiii. 26, 27, xxiv. 6, xxiv. 10, xxvi. 9, 11, xxvi. 23, xxxi. 13, I. Samuel. i. 202; ii. 183 ii. 201 i. 382 i. 294 ii. 253 i. 294 i. 181 ii. 464 ii. 432 ii. 656 ii. 672 i. 237 i. 237 i. 270 i. 78 ii. 208 i. 835 i. 195; ii. 162 ii. 613 ii. 427 ii. 665 i. 195 ... i. 78, 237 ... i. 201, 269 i. 269 i. 269 i. 181 ii. 678 ii. 678 ii. 673 ii. 117 ii. 464 .8, vii. 14, vii. 27, vii. 28, ,12, :i. 4, xi 15, II. Samuel. ii. 651 ii. 564 ii. 169 ii. 160 i. 192 ii. 800 ii. 800 TABLES. Vll. Chap. II. xn. 10, xii. 12, xii. 18, xii. 18, 14, xii. 18, xvi. 10, xvu. 7, xvu. 14, xxii. 20, 21 xxir. 1, xxiT. 10, Samuel. Vol. i. 270 i. 200 i. 543; U 300 i. 562 ii. 565 ... i. 190, 200 i. 190 ... i. 190, 270 ii. 108 i. 154 i. 612 Chap. 4, *.. be. 14, it. 16, i. 304; I. Kings. i. 21, ii. 5, viii. 23, viii. 27, viii. 46, viii. 46. 50, viii. 68, xi 23, xi. 34, xi. 39, xii. 10, xii. 15, xii. 20, xii. 28, xv. 4, xviii. 17, 18, xvai. 42, xix. 8, xix. 14, xix. 18, xxi. 28, 29, xxii. 6, xxii. 11, xxu. 22, ii. 88 ii. 660 ii. 108 ii. 187 ii. 80 ii. 301 i. 258 i. 204 i. 294 i. 294 .. i. 189, 270 .. i. 189, 204 i. 204 ii. 675 i. 294 i. 18 ii. 14 ii. 466 i. 16 ii. 282 i. 63( ii. 406 i. 16 i. 189; ii. 406 21, i. 190. 199, 202, 266 iv. 17,20, iv. 18, ix. 2, 3, ix. 3, ix. 20, x.15, xii. 18, xiii. 15, xiv. 4, xiv. 6, xiv. 17, xv. 15,16, xvin. 17, xix. 26, 27, xxi. 13, xxvi. 14, xxviii. 21, xxviii. 23, xxviii. 28, xii. 11, II. Kings. v. 17,19, ... vi. 17, vi 81, viii. 19, x.9, x. 10, xvi. 10, xvii. 24, 34, ... xix. 4, xx. 3, xx. 9, xx. 11, xx. 16, xxi. 8, 4, xxi. 16, xxii. 1, xxii. 8, xxii. 20, i. 49? i. 15£ i 83E i. 29E i. 204 i. 204 ii. 43: ii. 43 ii. 16 ii. 8 ii. 50£ ii. 43! ii. ii. 43 i. 8' i. II. Cheonicles. xix. 6, 7, ... ii. 658, 65 xxxiv. 15, ... i. 8( Neeemiah. ESTHEB. Vol. ii. 463 ii. 108 i. 643 i. 339 ii. 463 Chap xviii. 1, 20 Job. u. 61 ii. 112 ii. 62 u. 264 ii. 64 n. 85 u. 672 ... i. 883. 488 i. 215 ... i. 181; u. 64 i. 560 ii. 61 i. 389 i. 383; ii. 264 i. 881 i. 186 i. 186 i. 185 i. 185 a. 76 i. 1, i. 2, ii. 1, 4, ii. 8, ii. 9, ii. 10, ii. 12, iii. 5, iv. 8, v. 3, T.7, vii. 6, vii. 8, viii. 2, viii. 4, ix. 10, x. 11, xii. 2, xii. 6, xiv. 1, xiv. 3, xv. 1, 2, xvi. 2, xvi. 2, 3, xvi. 3, xvi. 6, xvi 6, 6, xvi. 10, xvii. 1, xvu. 15, Psalms. ii. 113 i. 310 i. 428 i. 396 i. 6, 431 ii. 654 i. 294; ii. 654 i. 502 ii. 192 ii. 15 i. 489; ii. 156 ii. 163 ii. 116 Psalms. xviii. 20, 21, xviii. 23, xviu. 27, xviu. 80, xix.l, xix. 1,9, xix. 7, 8, xix. 12, xx. 3, xx.9 xxii. 5, xxiii. 4, xxiii. 6, xxiv. 6, xxv. 1, xxv. 7, xxv. 10, xxv. 10, 11, xxv. 18, xxvi. 1, xxvi. 4, xxvi. 9,10, xxvn. 3, xxvii. 10, xxva. 14, xxviii. 8, xxvin. 9, xxix. 9, xxx. 5, xxx. 6, 7, xxxi. 5, xxxi. 15, xxxi. 22, xxxii. 1, xxxii. 1, 2, xxxii. 5, xxxii. 6, xxxiii. 6, i. 604; Vol. ii. 117 ii. 116 ii. 116 ii. 65 i. 483 i. 51 i. 67 i. 309 548, 550; ii. 105 ii. 166 i. 295 ii. 174 i. 193, 488, 494 i. 263 ii. 248 ii. 149 ii. 163 i. 476 ii. 105 u. 163 ii. 116 ii. 116 ii. 116 i. 193 ii. 186 i. 485 i 295 i. 295 i. 67 i. 382 ii. 17 ii. 175 i. 194 i. 484 ii. 47, 82 ii. 57, 113 i. 642 ii. 174 i. 124,172 xxxiii. 12, i. 374, 494; ii. 208 xxxiii. 13, i 172 xxxiii. 22, xxxiv. 6, xxxiv. 7, xxxiv. 14, 15 11. 11U iiAiV, X-X, i. 62, 174 i xxxiv. 15, ... i. 62,411 i. 495 i. 47 ii. 496 i. 483 i. 47 ii. 74 ii. 3,109, 248 i. 358 ii. 11 i. 102 i. 389 ii. 273 ii. 262 ii. 116 i. 381; ii. 278 xxxiv. 15, 1G, xxxiv. 22, xxxvi. 1, xxxvi. 5, xxxvi. 7, xxxvi. 9, xxxviii, 1, xxxvia. 4, xxxix. 5, xxxix. 6, xxxix. 7, xxxix. 9. xxxix. 12, xxxix. 13, xl. 8, 11.6, i. 172 ii. 157 ii. 174 i. 145 i. 615 ii. 148,188 i. 179 i. 380 i.47 i.475 a. 230 i. 239 i. 663 i. 648 i. 880 i. 380 i. 380 i. 190 i. 880 ii. 163 ii. 177 i. 183 i. 184 Chap. Psalms. Vol xl. 7,8, ... i. 438 xl. 10, 11, ... i. 475 xl. 12, ... i. 68 xli. 4, ... ii. 158 xlii. 4, ... i. 542 xlii. 6, ... i. 484 xliv. 3, ... ii. 208 xliv. 20, 21, ... ii. 175 xlv. 6, ... i,116 xlv. 7, ... i. 429 xlv. 8, ... ii. 636, 660 xlv. 10, ... i. 10 xlvi. 1, 2, ... i. 602 xlvi. 6, ... ii. 283 xlvii. 4, ... ii. 207 xlviii. 10, ... ii. 188 xlix. 6, 7, ... i. 882 xlix. 10, 14, ... i. 882 1.15, ii 158, 176; 595 Ii. 1, ... i. 542 Ii. 4, ... ii. 48, 228 Ii. 5, i. 214; ii. 154,540 Ii. 10, ... i. 258 Ii. 12, ... i. 245 Ii. 15, ... ii. 177 Ii. 17, ... ii. 164 lii. 6, ... ii. 174 Hi. 8, ... i 381 liii. 1, ... i. 47 It. 22, ... i. 189 It. 22, 23, ... i. 881 lvi. 9, ... ii. 157 lix. 10, ... i. 263 lx. 12, ... ii. 197 lxii. 8, ... ii. 149 lxii. 9, ... i. 250 lxiii.3, i.493; ii. 117 Ixt. 1, ... ii. 180 Ixt. 2, ... ii. 159 Ixt. 4, ... ii. 208 lxviii. L'O, ... ii. 264 lxix. 4, ... i. 439 Ixix. 21, ... ii. 569 lxix. 28, i. 382; ii. 249 lxxii. 8, ... i. 389 lxxii. 11, ... ii. 350 Ixxiii. 2, 3, ... i. 381 lxxiii. 3,4, ... ii. 80 Ixxiii. 16, 17, j. 381 lxxiii. 26, ... i. 889 Ixxit. 9, ... i. 426 Ixxv. 6, 7, ... j. 178 1xxtH.9, ... i. 485 lxxvii. 11, ... i. 496 lxxTiii. 8, ... i. 283 lxxTiii, 36, 37, ii. 631 lxxviii. 60, ... i. 295 lxxviii. 67, ... i. 295 lxxviii. 67, 68, ii. 209 lxxviii. 70, 71, i. 295 lxxix. 13, ... ii. 15 lixx. 1, ... ii. 284 TABLES.Chap.Psalms.VolChap.Psalms. Vol.lxxx. 3,...i.493ox. 6.i. 481lxxx. 4,...ii. 164oxi. 10,... i. 253, 492lxxx. 17,i. 295cxii. 1,ii. 113lxxxii. 1,ii. 656cxii. 6,i. 890lxxxii. 3,4, '.'.'.ii. 658oxii. 9, 10,i. 390lxxxii. 6,i.406oxiii. 6, 6,i. 177Ixxxiv. 2i. 389ii. 286cxiii. 7,i. 57lxxxvi. 2, ... ii. 154 lxxxTi. 5, ... i. 495 lxxxTi. 11, ... i. 259 lxxxviii. 7, ... ii. 666 Ixxxix. 3, 4, ... ii. 296 lxxxix. 30,83, i. 564; ii. 302 Ixxxix. 36, 87, i. 427 xc. 4, ... i. 607 xc. 7,9, ... i. 666 xc. 11, ... i. 664 xci. 1, ... i. 189 xci. 2,6, ... i: 193 xci. 11, 12, ... i. 145 xci. 14, ... i. 848 xci. 15, ... ii. 160 xcii. 6, ... i. 881 xcii. 6, ... i. 68 xcii. 12, 14, ... i. 381 xoiii. 5, ... i 67 xciT. 11, ... i. 244- ii. 74 xciv. 12, 13, ... i. 566 xcv. 7, ... i. 473 xcv. 8, ... i. 283 xcvii. 10, 11,... i. 880 xcix. 6, i. 103 ; ii. 286 c. 3, i. 256; ii. 207 ci. 4, 6, ... ii. 659 ci. 8, ... ii. 660 cii. 17, 18, ... ii. 117 cii. 21, ... ii. 117 cii. 25, 28, ... i. 380 ciii. 8, ... i. 495 ciii. 17. ... i. 380 ciii 20, ... ii. 190 civ. 2, ... i. 51 civ. 3, ... i. 61 civ. 3,4, .-.. i. 178 civ. 15, ... ii. 32 civ 27, 30, ... i. 172 ov. 4, ... ii. 285 cv. 6, ... ii. 208 cv. 25, ... i. 201, 268 cvi. 3, ... ii. 118 cvi. 4,6, ... ii. 284 cvi. 30, 31, ... ii. 109 cvi. 37, ... ii. 486 cvi. 46, ... i. 270 cvi. 47, ... ii. 177 cvii. 16, ... i. 442 cvii. 25, ... i. 178 ovii. 29, ... i. 178 cvii. 40, ... i. 238, 268 ex. 1, ... i. 428 x. 4, i. 301, 390, 481; ii. 607, 643 cxv. 3, i. 174, 202; ii. 265 cxv. 4, ... i. 93 cxv. 8, ... i. 94 cxvi. 1, ... ii. 177 cxvi. 7, ... i. 485 cxvi. 12, 13, ... ii. 177 cxvi. 16, i. 379, 382, 573 cxvii. 2, ... i. 476 cxviii. 6, ... i. 193 cxviii. 18, ... i. 563 oxviii. 25, 26, i. 295 cxix. 10, i. 244 ; ii. 496 cxix. 18, ... i. 241 cxix. 34, ... i. 244 cxix. 36, ... i. 269 cxix. 41, ... i. 495 cxix. 71, ... i. 563 cxix. 76, ... ii. 70, 130 cxix. 105, ... i. 309 cxix. 112, ... i. 283 cxix. 133, ... j. 260 exxi. 4, ... ii. 148 exxx 3, ... ii. 61, 117 exxx. 4, i. 510; ii. 101 exxxi. 1, 2, ... ii. 14 exxxii. 7, ... ii. 286 exxxii. 11, ... i. 412 exxxii. 13, 14, ii. 284, 296 exxxiii. 3, ... i. 389 exxxv. 15, ... i. 93 exxxvi. 25, ... i. 179 exxxviii. 2, ... i. 475 cxl. 13, ... i. 380 Cxii. 2, ... ii. 161, 618 cxlii. 5, ... i. 389 cxlii. 7, ... ii. 174 cxliii. 2, i. 304; ii. 62, 85, 117, 153 cxliii. 5, ... i. 496 exliv. 15, ... i. 374 cxlv. 3,7, ... i. 58 cxlv. 8, 9, ... i. 495 cxlv. 9, ... i. 66 cxlv. 18, ... ii. 148, 160 cxlv. 19, ... ii. 159 cxlvi. 9, ... i. 177 cxlvii. 10, 11, i. 231 cxlvii. 20, ... ii. 209 Proverbs. iii. 11, 12, ... ii. 20 viii. 15, 16, ... ii. 653 viii. 22, ... i. 423 ix. 10, ... i. 492 c 7, ... i. 882 TABLES. Chap. Proverbs. Vol. x. 12,... i. 562, 567xii. 14,ii. 120xii. 28.ii. 118xiii. 13,ii. 120xiv. 21,ii. 113xiv. 26,ii. 87XT. 8,ii. 79xvi. 1,i. 177XTi. 2,ii. 64xti. 4,ii. 231xvi. 6,... i. 562, 568xvi. 9,i. 186XTi. 12,ii. 660xvi. 14,ii. 675xvi. 33,i. 178XTii. 14,ii. 660XTii. 15,ii. ,660xTiii. 10,i. 121; ii. 159xix. 17,ii. 125xx. 7,i. 333 ; ii. 117xx. 9,ii. 70xx. 12,i. 270xx. 24,i. 177xx. 26,ii. 660xx. 28,ii. 661xxi. 1,i. 270xxi. 2,ii. 64xxii. 28,i. 10xxiT. 21,ii. 668xxiY. 24,ii. 660xxt. 2,ii. 205xxt. 4, 5,ii. 660XXT. 21,i. 359xxt. 27,ii. 204xxTi. 10,ii. 229xxviii. 2,ii. 672xxTiii. 14,i. 489xix. 13,i. 178xxix. 18,i. 5xxx. 4,i. 422xxx 5,i. 483xxx. 6,ii. 426EOOLESIASTES.iii. 19,ii. 602Tii. 29,i. 217ix. 1,i. 502; ii. 72ix. 4,ii. 265ix. 5, 6,ii. 172xii. 7,i. 160Songor Solomon.t. 3,ii. 102Isaiah.i. 8,i. 8i. 5, f,ii. 5651.10,ii. 296i. 12,ii. 84i. 13,16,ii. 79i. 14,ii. 312i. 15,ii. 152i. 16, 17,i. 515Chap. i. 18, i. 19,20, iii. 1, iT. 1, T.8, v. 10, v. 26, vi. 4, vi. 5, vi. 9, vi. 9,10, vii. 4, Tii. 14, viii. 12, viii. 14, viii 16, viii. 17, ix.6, Isaiah. Vol. i. 560 i. 281 i. 179 ii. 172 ii. 1S6 ii. 136 i. 268 i. 119 ii. 391 ii. 236 ii. 252 i. 194, 485 i. 296 i. 14 i. 119 ii. 222 Chap. xlii. 8. xlii. 9, xliii. 10, xliii. 11, xliii. 25, xliT. 3, xliT. 6, xliT. 16, xlT. 1, xIt. 7, xlT. 23, xIt. 23, 24, xiv, 25. xlTiii. 10, xlix. 15, xlix. 23, x. 6, xi. 2, xi. 4, xi. 9, xi. 10, xii. 1, xiT. 1, xiT. 27, xix. 18, xxiT. 23, xxv. 1, XXT. 8, XXT. 9, xxvi. 1, xxTi. 19, xxti. 19, 21, xxTi. 21, xxvii. 13, xxTiii. 16, xxix. 13, xxix. 13, 14, xxx. 1, xxx. 15, xxx. 33, xxxi. 1, xxxiii, 14, 15, i. 506 ] Ii. 6, i. 117, 426, 458 Iii. 1, ii. 64, 72 Ui. 7, i. 201 liii, 1, ... i. 253, 429 liii. 4, i. 6 liii. 4, 5, ... ____ ii. 659 liii. 5, i. 301, 438, 456, 557, i. 121 560 i. 563 liii. 6, i. 439,557; ii. 64,250 ii, 208! liii. 7, ... i. 438 i. 197 liii. 8, ... i..428, 456 IX. Isaiah. Vol. i. 117 i. 79 i. 73 i. 547 ... i. 120, 547 i. 232. 465, 603 ... i. 131, 133 i. 94 i. 79 .. i. 191, 202 .. i. 119, 131 ii. 69 ii. 69, 85 ii. 564 i. 189; ii. 185 ii. 664 i. 380 ii. 350 ii. 317 ii. 222 ii. 570 i. 403 i. 334 i. 39 ii. 244 ii. 30 . i. 119,133 i. 189 ii. 264 i. 384 ii. 271 i.102 i. 121 ii. 152 i. 431; ii. 181 ii. 176 i. 502 ii. 275 ii. 176 ii. 61, 109 xxxiii. 22, i. 374,431; ii. 418 xxxiii. 24, ... ii. 297 xxxt. 8, ... ii. 295 xxx"!. 32, ... ii. 283 xxxvii. 35, ... i. 458 xxxTiii. 3, ... ii. 155 xxttTiii. 5, ... i. 196 xxxTiii. 7, ... ii. 605 xxxTiii. 20, ... ii. 177 xxxix. 7, ... i. 332 xl. 2, ... i. 666 xl. 3, ... i. 510 xl. 11, ... ii. 647 xl. 13, ... ii. 620, 624 xl. 21, ... i. 141 xl. 29, 31, ... i. 232 xii. 9, ... ii. 208 liii. 10, liii. 11, liii. 12, Ht. 7, Ht. 13, It. 1, It. 2, It. 3, It. 3, 4, It. 4, It. 6, 7, lTi. 1, lTi. 7, M. 10, 11, Itu. 15, lviii. 5, lviii. 6, lTiii. 7, lviii. 13, 14, lix. 1, 2, lix. 15, 16, lix. 17, lix. 20, lix. 21, Ix. 2, Ix. 6, 7, Ix, 19, lxi. 1, 2, 1, 3, lxi, 3, lxiii. 10, lxiii. 16, lxiii. 17, lxiv. 5. 9, lxiv. 6, i. 439 i. 44 i. 438 i. 240 ... i. 73, 473 i. 232, 465 ; ii. 93 ... ii. 84, 424 i. 473 i. 296 i. 426 i. 626 i. 626 ii. 179 ii. 404 ii. 64 ii. 465 i. 514 ii. 12 i. 341 ii. 57 ii. 77 ii. 50 i. 526 i. 72, 84; ii. 284 i. 250 ii. 350 i. 232 ... i 427, 537 ii. 66 ii. 85 i. 123 ii. 173 i. 268 ii. 163 i 491 TABLES. Chap. IXT.1, lxv. 2, lxv. 16, lxv. 24, lxv. 25, lXTi. 1, lxri. 2, lxvi. 22, 24, lxvi. 23, lxvi. 24, Isaiah. Vol. i. 241 ii. 257 i. 335 ii. 160 ii. 659 ii. 187 ii. 65, 180 i. 884 i. 840 ii. 276 i. 6, i. 9, 10, i. 10, ii. 13, ii. 28, iii. 1, iii. 12, iv. 1, iv. 1,4, iv. 4, iv. 9, v.3, v. 7, vi. 13, vii. 4, vii. 5, 7, vii. 13, 14, vii. 22, 23, vii. 27, ix. 23, 24, ix. 24, x. 2, x. 8, x. 11, x. 23, x. 24, 25, xi.7, xi. 11, xi. 13, xii. 16, xiv. 7, xiv. 14, xv. 1, xvii; 1, xvii. 5, xvii. 9, xviii. 8, xviii. 18, xxii. 3, xxiii. 5, 6, xxiii. 6, xxiii. 16, xxiii. 28, xxiv. 7, xxv. 29, xxvii. 5, 8, xxix. 7, xxxi. 11, xxxi. 18, xxxi. 18, 19, Jeremiah. i. 6: ii. 391 ii. 391 ii. 252 ii. 159 ii. 169 ii. 800 ii. 300 ... i. 281, 518 i. 518 i. 514; ii. 542 ... i. 16;ii.4O6 ... i. 567; ii. 79 i. 335 ii. 404 ii. 306 ii. 104 i. 282 ... ii. 424, 426 i. 283 ii. 69 ... i. 88, 122 i. 175 i. 94 i. 131 i. 177 i. 563 ii. 426 ii. 152 ii. 169 i. 835 ii. 153 ii. 404 ii. 171 i. 560 i. 231 ... i.250;ii.74 i. 195 i. 16 ... ii. 658, 659 i. 296 ... i. 117; ii.44 ii. 409 ii. 391 i. 289 i. 565 ii. 672 ii. 672 i. 253 i. 258 i. 279; ii. 266 Chap. Jeremiah, xxxi. 81, xxxi. 31, 34, . . xxxi. 32, xxxi. 38, xxxi. 84, xxxi. 35, 36, xxxii. 16, xxxii. 18, xxxii. 23, xxxii. 89,40, xxxiii. 8, xxxiii. 16, xlii. 2, 1.20, i. 826; ii. 193 ii. 569 i. 559 ii. 21, i. 893 ii. 84, i. 280 ii. 87, 88, Daniel. ii.44, iv. 17, iii. 8, iii. 88, iv. 20, Lamentations. ii. 296 iv. 26, ii. 162 iv. 27, i. 83 Iv. 18, 19, i. 282 vi. 22, i. 268 vii. 10, ii. 298 vii. 25, ii. 44 ix. 6, ii. 161 ix. 18, 20. i. 660 ix. 24, xii. 1, 2, xii. 2, ii. 164 xii. 8, i. 190 i. 295 Ezekiel. ii. 13, ii. 3, 6, iii. 17, iii. 18, vii. 26, x.4, xi. 19, xi. 19, 20, xii. 2, xiii. 9, xiv. 9, xiv. 14. xvi. 20, xviii. 4, xviii. 9, ii. 252 ii. 252 •• 9a ii. 391 1U 2-3> ii. 320 i. 268; ii. 406 ii. 306 ... j. 258, 260 i. 276 ii. 252 ,.. ii. 249, 284 i. 201 xviii. 20, i. 319, 381,332,362 659 xviii. 21, ... i. 530, 560 xviii. 23, ... ii. 264 xviii. 24, i. 660; ii. 80 xviii. 27, ... i. 660 xviii. 31, ... i. 613 xviii. 82, ... ii. 300 xx. 10, ... ii. 106 xx. 43, 44, ... ii. 69 xxii. 25, 26, ... ii. 404 xxiii. 37, ... ii. 646 xxviii. 10, ... i. 882 xxix. 4, ... i. 194 xxxi. 18, ... i. 882 xxxiv. 4, ... ii. 450 xxxiv. 23, 25, i. 296 xxxvi. 22, i. 660; ii. 68, 92 xxxvi. 26, xxxvi. 26, .. xxxvi. 26, 27, xxxvi. 27, .. xxxvii. 24, xxxvii. 26, .. xlviii. 21, .. xlviii. 86, i. 465 ji. 255 i. 265 i. 260 i. 296 i. 296 ii. 632 iii. 4, 1117105 iii. 5, v. 11, v. 16, vi. 1, Su.ii, xiv. 4, ii. 12, ii. 13, ii. 15, ii. 28, ii. 82, iii. 6, iv.7, iv. 9, v. 14, vi. 6, viii. 11, ill 17, ii. 671 i. 6 ii. 671 i. 427 ii. 671 ii. 671 i. 662, W ii. 671 ii. 676 i. 145, 505 ii. 384 i. 542 ii. 163 i. 426, 432 i. 385 ii. 269 ii. 274 HOSEA. i. 561 i. 296 ii. 298 ii. 77 ii. 77 i. 296, 490 ii. 675 i. 285 i. 611 i. 567 i. 204 ii. 404 i. 118 i. 204 i. 560 ii. 177 ii. 618 ii. 77 Joel. i. 523 i. 522; ii. 464 ii. 463 ... i. 427, 464 ... i. 121, 128 ii. 169, 283 u. 295 Amos. i. 391, 202 ii. 222 i. 178 i. 281 ii. 136 ii. 222 i. 296 Obadiah. Jonah. ii. 283 i. 195 ii. 461 TABLES. XI. Chap. ii. IB, iii. 6, v.2, vii. 9, Micah. Vol. i. 296 ii. 406 i.421 Habaeeue. i. 12, ... i. 374 a. 3, ... i. 506 ii. 4, ... ii. 64, 81 ii. 18, ... i. 61,94 ii. 20, ... i. 61,89 iii. 2, ... i. 563 iii. 13, ... i. 295 Zephaniab. i. 4, 5, iii. 11,12, ... i 336 ii. 65 Chap. v. 19, t.22, v. 28, 24, v. 25, 26, v.84, v.37, v. 39, 40, t. 44, 45, v. 45, v. 46, vi.2, vi. 6, Yi.7, vi.9, vi. 10, Yi. 11, ii. 11, 14, Haqqai. ii. 78 Zecbaeiah.i.3,i. 280; ii. 256ii. 8,i. 189iii. 9, 10,ii. 72vii 13,i. 530ix. 9,... i. 297, 458ix. 11,i. 442xii. 4,ii. 405xiii. 9,ii. 169Malachi. i. 2,3, ... ii. 209 i. 6, ... i. 327, 492 i. 11, ... ii. 610, 618 ii. 4, ... ii. 307, 890 ii. 7, ii. 390, 392, 404 ii. 8,9, ... ii. 387 iii. 1, ... i. 119,149 iii. 17, ... ii. 133 iv. 2, ... i. 868 iY. 4, ... ii. 393 iY. 5, ... i. 367 iY. 6, ... ii. 287 Matthew. i. 5, ... i. 413 i. 16, ... i. 415 i. 21, ... i. 434 iii. 2, ... i. 510, 525 iii. 11, ... ii. 517, 546 iii. 17, ... ii. 244 iY. 4. ... ii. 193 iY. 10, ... i. 106 iY. 17, ... i. 510 iY. 19, ... ii. 651 iY. 23, ... i. 865 y. 4, ... ii. 22 y. 10, ... ii. 20 Y. 12, ... ii. 120 y. 13, 14, ... ii. 818, 391 y. 17, ... i. 311 Matthew. Vol. i. 362 ... i. 321, 346 i. 645 i. 677 i. 336 i. 336 ii. 667 i. 860 ii. 257 i. 860 ii. 8 ii. 179 ii. 178 ... ii. 184, 187 ... ii. 188, 190 ii. 191 Yi. 12, i. 569; ii. 193,299 Yi. 13, ... ii. 197 Yi. 21, ... ii. 124, 260 Yi. 23, ... i. 491 vii. 7, ... ii. 159 rii. 11, ... ii. 185 Yii. 12, ... i. 358 vii. 15, ... ii. 409 viii. 4, ... i. 537 viii. 10, ... i. 481 viii. 11, i. 385; ii. 637 viii. 12, ... ii. 275 viii. 26, ... i. 487 viii. 29, ... i. 155 ix. 2, i. 481, 546, 567 ix. 12, ... i. 403 ix. 13, ... ii. 66, 77 ix. 15, i. 623; ii. 464 ix. 29, ... i. 507, 554 ix. 35, ... i. 365 x. 5, 6, ... i. 397 x. 18, ... i. 588 x. 20, ... ii. 629 x. 28, ... ii. 269 x. 29, ... i. 177 ,x. 30, ... i. 173 xi. 10, ... i. 625 xi. 11, ... i. 867 xi. 13, ... i. 392, 895 xi. 21, ... i. 624 xi. 25, ... i. 499 xi. 27, ... ii. 392 xi. 28, ... ii. 66 xi. 28, 29, ... ii. 128 xii. 24, ... i. 629 xii. 28, ... i. 367 xii. 31, ... i. 528 xii. 32, ... i. 528 xii. 41, ... ii. 254 xii. 48, ... i. 156 xiii. 4, ... ii. 498 xiii. 7, ... ii. 690 xiii. 9, ... ii. 236 xiii. 11, ... u. 252 xiii. 16, 17, ... i. 364 xiii, 17, ... i. 892 Chap. Matthew. Vol. xiii. 28, ... i. 152 xiii. 29, ... ii. 460 xiii. 31, ... ii. 647 xiii. 33, ... ii. 647 xiii. 47, ... ii. 551 xv. 3, ... ii. 420 xv. 4, ... i. 345 xv. 9, ... ii. 424. 431 xv. 13 i. 259; ii. 226, 246 xv. 14, ... ii. 138, 409 xv. 24, ... i. 397 xvi. 6, ... ii. 433 xvi. 16, ... ii. 357 xvi. 17, i. 239, 466, 499 xvi. 18, ... ii. 355, 356 xvi. 19, i. 544 ;ii. 298,856,439 xvi. 23, ... ii. 386 xvi. 24, ... ii. 8, 16 xvii. 5, ii. 198, 390, 393 xviii. 11, ... i. 403 xviii. 15, ... ii. 454 xviii. 17, ... ii, 400, 454 xviii. 17, 18, ... ii. 441 xviii. 18, i. 544, 547, 651 ii. 298, 459 xviii. 20, ... ii. 180, 289 xviii. 22, ... ii. 300 xix. 11, ... ii. 486 xix. 12, ... i. 349 xix. 13, ... ii. 633 xix. 14, ... ii. 647 xix. 15, ... ii. 326 xix. 16, ... i. 357 xix. 16, 17, ... ii. 127 xix. 17, ... i. 133 xix. 18, 19, ... i. 357 xix. 19, ... i. 326 xix. 21, ... ii. 482 xix. 25,26, ... i. 304 xix. 28, i. 451; ii. 274 xix. 29, ... ii. 274 xx. 25, 26, ... ii. 445 xx. 28, ... i. 437 xxi. 9, ... i. 297 xxi. 22, ... ii. 156 xxi. 25, ... ii. 626 xxi. 31, ... ii 8 xxii. 12, ... ii. 601 xxii. 13, ... ii. 274 xxii. 14, ... ii. 246, 247 xxii. 23, ... i. 375 xxii. 80, i. 164; ii. 283 xxii. 32, i. 327; ii. 630 xxii. 87, ... i. 324 xxiii. 8, ... ii. 433 xxiii. 4, .... ii. 414 xxiii. 8, 10, ... ii. 894 ixiii. 9, ... ii. 186 xxiii. 23, ... i. 867 xxiii. 37, ... ii. 256 xxiv. 14, ... i. 538 xxiY. 24, ... i. 9 xu. TABLES. Chap. Matthew. Vol. xxiv. 45, ... ii. 552 xxv. 21, ... i. 26] ; ii. 93 xxv. 28, ... i. 261 xxv. 29, ... i. 261; ii. 93 xxv. 32, ... ii. 272 xxv. 34, ... u. 121, 257 xxv. 34, 35, . . ii. 120 xxv. 40, ... ii. 125 xxv. 41, ... i. 151, 155 xxvi. 11, ... ii. 579 xxvi. 26, ii. 411, 557, 572 xxvi. 28, ... i. 456 xxvi. 38, ... ii. 22 xxvi. 89, ... i. 445 xxvii. 46, ... i. 446 xxviii. 6, ... ii. 584 xxviii. 18, ... ii. 94 xxviii. 19, ... i. 124 ii. 515, 526, 644 xxviii. 19, 20, ii. 891 xxviii. 20, ... i. 14, 449 ii. 394, 896, 530 i. 4, i. 14, i-15, vi. 13, viii. 38, ix. 24, ix. 43, x. 9, x. 30, xi. 24, xii. 18, xiv. 22, xv. 28, xv. 34, xvi. 15, xvi. 16, xvi. 19, xvi. 20, i.6, i. 15, i. 32, i. 33, i. 34, i. 35, i.43, i. 55, i. 72, i. 74, 75, i. 77, i. 79, ii. 37, iii. 3, iii. 14, iii. 16, ui. 38, Mark. i. 625 ii 635 i.365 i. 525 ii. 636 il. 301 ii. 496 ii. 274 ii. 281 ii. 122 ii. 156 ii. 265 ii. 572 i. 438 i. 444 ii. 318, 644 ii. 613, 648 i. 449 i. 9 Luke. ii. 110 ii. 541 ... i. 419, 421 i. 427 ii. 679 i. 419 i. 419 i. 371 ... i. 371, 404 ii. 99 ii. 57 i. 404 ii. 463 ii. 516, 635 ii. 662 • i. 465; ii. 516 i. 406 Chap. iv. 18, v. 17, v. 34, vi. 13, vi. 24, vii. 29, vii. 35, vii. 36, 50 vii. 47, viii. 16, ix. 23, ix. 55, X.13, x. 16, x. 18, x. 20, x. 21, x. 22, x.23, x.25, x. 27, x. 32, xi. 21, 22, xi. 33, xi. 46, xii. 10, xii. 14, xv. 7, xv. 20, xvi. 9, xvi. 15, xvi. 16, xvii. 5, xvii. 9, xvii. 10, xvii. 21, xvii. 22, xviii. 13, xviii. 14, xviii. 19, xix. 26, xx. 27, xx. 82, xxi. 28, xxii. 17, xxii. 19, Luke. Vo i. 637 i. 638 ii. 464 ii. 319 ii. 136 ii. 38 ii. 38 i 667 i. 662 ii. 498 ii. 96 ii. 162 ii. 319 i. 624 ... ii. 318, 391 i. 154 ii. 249 i. 103 i. 470; ii. 620 i. 861 ii. 483 .. i. 324, 856 i. 290 i. 164 i. 102 ii. 414 i. 528 ii. 446 i. 146 ii. 185 ii. 124 ii. 88, 62 i. 312 ii. 496 ii. 8 ii.83,92 i. 429 i. 429 i. 549 ; ii. 66 i. 567; ii. 39 i. 13 i. 261 ii. 265 i. 375 ii. 29 ii. 699 ii. 320 Chap. i. 1, i. 4, i. 4, 5, i. 5, i. 12, i. 12, 13, i. 13. i. 14, i. 16, i. 17, i. 18, i. 23, John. Vol. ... i. 116, 130 ... i. 165, 298 i. 238 i. 238 ... ii. 185, 222 i. 465 i. 239 ... i. 119, 424 ... i. 410, 430 i. 812 i. 364; ii. 586 i. 367 i. 525 xxii. 20 i. 466 ; ii. 561, 67 xxii. 26. 26, ... ii. 446, 65' xxii. 82, ... ii. 246, 385 xxii. 44, .. ii. 22 xxii. 61, ... i. 567 xxiii. 42, ... ii. 250 xxiii. 43, ... a. 267 xxiv. 6, ... ii. 263 xxiv. 26, i. 459 ; ii. 687 xxiv. 27, ... i. 86, 500 xxiv. 81, ... ii. 586 xxiv. 39, ... ii. 583 xxiv. 44, ... i. 678 xxiv. 45, ... i. 500 xxiv. 46, 47, ... i. 403, 525 i. 29,' i. 367, 438, 456, 667 ii. 516 i. 40, ... ii. 357 i. 42, ... ii. 357 i. 61, ... i. 160, 365 ii. 19, i. 419 ;ii. 269 ii. 24,25, ... i. 480 iii. 3, ... ii. 641 iii. 6, ... ii. 646 iii. 6, ... i. 216, 249 iii. 13, i. 417; ii. 586 iii. 14, ... i. 404 iii. 16, i. 403, 436, 454; ii. 85, 245 iii. 27, ... i. 289 iii. 33, ... i. 476 iii. 34, ... i. 429 iii. 36, ... ii. 651 iv. 22, i. 61, 67, 293 iv.23, ... ii. 180,423 iv. 24, ... i. 184 iv. 25, i. 426; ii. 394 iv. 35, ... ii. 562 iv. 42, ... j. 473 iv. 53, ... i. 472 v. 8, ... ii. 644 v. 17, i. 115, 120,176 v. 18, ... i. 120 v. 22, ... i. 451 v. 23, ... i. 294 v. 24, • ii. 95, 245, 260, 547 v. 25, i. 291, 404; ii. 76 v. 26, ... ii. 662 v. 28,29, ... ii. 264, 269 v. 29. ... ii. 120 v. 32, ... i. 125 v. 85, ... i. 367 v. 46, ... i. 364 vi. 27, ... ii. 120 vi. 29, ... ii. 128 vi. 35, ... ii. 245 vi. 37, ... ii. 219, 246 vi. 37, 39, ... ii. 245 vi. 89, ii. 219, 247, 271 i. 89, 40, ... ii. 228 vi. 44, i. 239, 261, 500, 501; ii 240 d. 44, 45, i. 277; ii. 219  %i. 45, i. 267, 260; ii. 258 ri. 45, 46, i. 600; ii. 219 TABLES. XIII. Chap. vi. 46, vi. 48, vi. 49, John. Vol. ii. 223, 240 ii. 662 i. 872 vi. 61, i. 372; ii. 657, 559, 662 ii. 590 i. 457; ii. 45 ... ii. 689, 591 i. 458 ii. 236 ... ii. 219, 248 i. 336 ; ii. 391 i. 9 i. 448, 464; ii. 627 i. 448 ; ii. 675 i. 470 vi. 54, vi. b5, vi 56, vi. 67, vi. 65, vi. 70, vii. 16, vii. 18, vii. 37, vii. 39, viii. 12, viii. 16, viii. Zlv 32, viii. 34, viii. 44, xiii. 47, viii. 60, viii. 66, ix. 3, ix.6, ii. 31, x.3, x.4, x. 4, 5, x. 14, x. 15, x.16, x.17, x.18, x. 27, x. 27, 28, x. 28, x. 29, x. 30, x. 34, 85, x. 35, xi. 25. xi. 43, xi. 44, xi. 47, Chap. xiv. 28, xiv. 30, xv. 1, xv. 4, xv 5, xv. 16, xv. 19, xvi. 2, xvi. 7, xxi. 12, xvi. 13, xvi. 17, xvi. 20, xvi. 24, xvi. 26, xvii. 3. ii. 309 i. 9 ... i. 364, 371 i. 183 ii. 636 ii. 156 ii. 246 ii. 223 ii. 308 ... ii. 808, 647 ii. 438 ... ii. 223, 245 i. 404 i. 336, 403, 438 ii. 308 i. 125 xvii. 6, i. 480 xvii. 6, i. 246 ] xvii. 9, i. 152! xvii. 12 xvii. 15, xvii. 19, xviii. 36, xviii. 37, xix. 30, xix. 33, xix. 84, xix. 36, XX". 17, xx. 19, xx. 22, xx. 23, i. 646 xx. 28, xx. 31, xxi. 15, ii. 246______ ii. 203, 220 j xxi. 18, ii. 223 i. John. Vol. i. 135 ; ii. 579 i. 154 i. 259; ii. 647 i. 259 i. 230, 276; ii. 687 ii. 215, 220, 287 ii. 219 ii. 310 i. 135, 448 ; ii. 263 ... ii. 204, 399 i: 85; ii. 394, 399 ii. 576 ii. 22 ii. 165 ii. 166 i. 7, 135, 293, 471 .. i. 116, 130 ... ii. 240, 245 ii. 219 ii. 220, 245, 248 i. 284 ii. 410, 482, 458 ii. 428 ii. 308 ii. 609 i. 181 ii. 607 i. 181 ii. 684 ii. 584 ii. 627, 644 ii. 856, 391, 489 i.120 i. 473 ii. 866, 644 ii.22 i. 401; ii. 653 ii, 653 ii. 404, 272 ii.644 i. 538 ii. 406 xii. 27, 28, ... i. 405, 446, xii. 37, 38, xii.41, xii. 48, xii. 60, xiii. 18, xiv. 1, xiv. 2, xiv. 5, xiv. 6, xiv. 8, xiv. 10, xiv. 13, xiv. 16, xiv. 16, 17, xiv. 17, 05, 446, ... ii. 258 ... i. 119,131 ... ii. 45 ... ii. 399 ... ii. 219, 248 ... i. 121, 297 ... ii. 679 ... a. 576 ... ii. 470 ... ii. 576 i. 126; ii. 399 ... Ii. 165 ... i. 126 ... ii. 396 i. 465, 504 i. 23, ii.4, ii. 21, ii. 23, ii. 24, ii. 87, ii. 37, 88, Acts. ii. 89, ii. 41, ii.42, iii. 6, iii. 15, iii. 18, iii. 19, iii. 21, iii. 25, iv. 12, iv. 28, iv. 32, v. 29, v. 31, v.41, xiv. 17, ... . 46, 504 xiv. 26, i. 241; ii. 394,399 vi. 2, ii. 324 ii. 629 i. 128 i. 199; ii. 218 ... i. 443,446 i. 612 ii. 645 ii, 639 ii. 561 ... u.693,'601 i. 121 i. 463 i. 199 i. 626 ii. 683 i 885 i. 484 ,.. i. 199, 202 iL282 ii. 676 i. 625 ii. 20 ii. 325 Acts. Vol. ii. 322 ii. 326 ii'. 403 ... ii. 180, 286 i. 449 i. 121,- ii. 267 i. 477 ii. 358 ii. 627 ... ii. 515, 629 ii. 326, 616, 627 ii. 301 i. 498 ii. 496 i. 122 ... ii. 318, 630 ii.624 i. 473 ii. 249 ii. 318 ii. 107 i 106 i. 498 ii. 234 ii. 107 i. 451 ... i. 556, 573 ii. 358 i. 626 ii. 824 ... ii. 326, 463 ii. 171 Chap. vi.8, vi.6, vi. 10, vii. 48, vii. 66, vii. 59, viii. 13,18, viii. 14, viii. 16, viii. 16, viii. 17, viii. 22, viii. 31, viii. 37, ix. 13,14, ix. 17, ix. 20, ix. 36, x. 2, x.3, x.4, x. 25, x.31, x.34, x. 34, 35, x.42, x.43, xi.3, xi. 18, xiii. 2, xiii. 3, xiii. 36, ... xiii. 38, 39, i. 457; ii. 39, 68 xiii. 43, ... i. 280 xiii.48, ... ii. 242, 251 xiv. 3, ... i. 9 xiv. 16,17, ... i. 62 xiv. 22, ... ii. 17, 270 xiv. 23, ii. 321, 323, 325, 261 ii. 367 i. 385 ii. 80, 493 i. 575 ii. 425, 429 ii. 426 ii. 138 ii. 222 ii. 252 ii. 534 ii. 534 ii. 666 xv. 7, xv. 8, xv. 9, xv. 11, xv. 20, xv. 29, xvi. 3, xvi. 6, xvi. 14, xvi. 15, xvi. 32, xvi. 87, xvii. 27, ii. 666 i, 52, 68, 62 xvii. 28, i. 62, 166,172,176 xvii. 29, xvii. 30, 31, xvii. 32, xviii. 18, xix. 3, xix. 3, 5, xix. 4, xix. 5, i. 93 i. 614 ii. 269 ii. 641 ii. 522 ii. 517 ii. 516 ii. 516, 522 XIV. TABLES. Chap. Acts.Vol.xix. 6,ii.326, 628xix. 13,ii. 640xx. 17,ii. 321xx. 20,ii. 454xx. 20, 21, ...ii.299, 820xx. 21,i.470, 612xx. 26,ii. 829xx. 26, 27, ...ii. 454xx. 28, i. 4.6,578; ii. 821,844xx. 29,80, ...ii. 406xx. 31,ii. 820xx. 36,ii. 624xxii. 16,ii. 520xxii. 25,ii. 666xxiii. 8,i. 148xxiii. 12,ii. 474xxiv. 15,ii. 273xxiv. 16,ii.142, 416xxv. 10,ii. 666xxvi. 17, 18, ...i. 470xxviii. 25, 26,i. 123Romans. i. 1, 4, ... i. 421 i. 2, ... i. 370 i. 3, ... i. 409 i. 4, ... i. 447 i. 6, ii. 474,476,494 i. 16, ... i. 366 i. 16,17, ... i. 494 i. 17, ... ii. 55 i. 19, ... i. 62 i. 19,20, ... i. 61 i. 21, ... i. 61 i. 22, ... i. 46 i. 28, ... i. 201 ii. 6, 7, ... ii. 120 ii. 9, ... ii. 120 ii. 13, ... ii. 113 ii. 14, 15, ... i. 241 ji. 15, ... ii. 141, 416 iii. 3,4, ... ii. 522 jii. 10, 18, ... i. 250 iii. 19, i. 306, 540; ii. 68 iii. 20, i. 278, 305; ii. 56 iii. 21, i. 366, 370; ii. 64 iii. 23, 26, ... ii. 85 iii. 24, ... ii 40,65,95 iii. 24, 25, ... i. 437, 467 iii. 25, ... ii. 614 iii. 26, ... ii. 89, 69 iii. 27, ... ii. 61 iii. 28, ... ii. 65 iv. 2, ... ii. 61 iv. 2,4, ... ii. 55 iv. 3, ... ii. 81, 111 iv. 6. ... i. 457 iv. 6, 6, ... ii. 56 iv. 6, ... ii. 67 iv. 6,7, ... ii. 47 iv. 6,8, .. ii. 40 Chap. Romans. Vol. iv. 7, ... ii. 113 iv. 9, 12, ... ii. 637 iv. 11, ii. 494, 506, 642 iv. 12, ... ii. 637 iv. 14, ... ii. 70 iv. 16, ... i. 305; ii. 55 iv. 16, ... ii. 64,71 iv. 17, ... ii. 76 iv. 21, ... i. 495 iv. 25, i. 8, 437, 447, 458 v. 1, ... i. 483 v. 5, i. 404, 480; ii. 72 v. 6, ... ii. 77 v. 8, ... i. 436, 458 v. 8, 10, ... ii. 67 v. 9, ... i. 437 v. 10, ... i. 435, 436 v. 11, ... i. 465 v. 12, i. 215, 217, 414 v. 16, ... i. 675 v. 18, ... i. 414 v. 19, i. 215, 437,465; ii. 61, 69, 607 v. 20, ... 278,805 v. 21, ... i. 215 vi. 1, ... i. 18 vi. 8,4, ... ii. 515 vi. 4, i. 341. 447; ii. 540,543 vi. 6, ... ii. 441 vi. 6,6, ... ii. 515 vi. 6, ... i. 617, 628 vi. 12, ... i. 619 vi. 13, ... ii. 270 vi. 14, ... ii. 134 vi. 15, ... i. 18 vi. 18, ... ii. 100 vi. 19, 21, ... ii. 250 vi. 28, i. 861, 559; ii. 88 vii. 6, ... ii. 617, 620 vii. 7, ... i. 278. 806 vii. 14, ... i. 821 vii. 15, ... i. 246 vii. 17, ... i. 246 vii. 18, ... i. 246 vii. 22, 23, ... i. 246 vii. 24, ... ii. 28, 619 viii. 1, ... ii. 619 viii. 8, i. 403, 410, 439, 557 viii. 8, 4, i. 414; ii. 68 viii 7, i. 219, 249, 515 viii. 8, ... i. 249 viii. 9, i. 464, 608; ii. 665 viii. 10, i. 215, 466, 491 viii. 11, i. 464, 603; ii. 262, 270 viii. 14, ... i. 503 viii. 16, i. 894,420, 464 viii. 16, ... j. 503 viii. 17, ... i. 401 viii. 19, ... ii 29 viii. 20, ... i. 214 viii. 22, L214; ii. 261,275 Chap. Romans. Vol. viii. 28, ... ii. 122 viii. 24, i. 865, 605, 506 viii. 26, ... ii. 146,150 viii. 29, i. 412; ii. 97 viii. 29, 30, ... ii. 240 viii. 80, i. 274; ii. 88 viii. 32, i. 7, 421; ii. 166 viii. 33, ... ii. 46 viii. 33, 84, ... ii. 39 viii. 34, ... i. 447, 451 viii. 85, ... ii. 48, 72 viii. 36, ... ii. 30 viii. 87, ... ii. 87 viii. 88,89, i. 484,504; ii. 97, 246 ix. 3, ... ii. 184 ix. 5, i. 409, 412, 421 ix. 6, ... ii. 215, 307 ix. 7, ... ii. 538 ix. 11, ... i. 491 ix. 11-13, ... ii. 216 ix. 13, ... ii. 210, 223 ix. 15, i. 289; ii. 217 ix. 16, i. 276, 289; ii. 241 ix. 17, ... ii. 253 ix. 18, ... ii. 224 ix. 20, i. 277; ii. 258 ix. 20, 21, ... ii. 229 ix. 22, 23, ... ii. 226 ix. 33, ... i. 119, 131 x 3, ... ii. 51 x. 4, i. 66, 297, 302, 473 x. 5,6, ... ii. 58 x. 5,9, ... ii. 52 x. 8, i. 284, 494; ii. 493 x. 9, ... . ii. 63 x. 10, ... i. 471, 476 x. 11, ... i. 121 x. 14, ... ii. 146, 156 x. 17, ii. 166, 284, 395 xi. 2, ... ii. 18 xi. 5, ... ii. 210 xi. 6,6, ... ii. 203 xi. 6, ... ii. 77 xi. 20, i. 489; ii. 247 xi. 20, 21, ... ii. 246 xi. 29, ... ii. 538 xi. 32, i. 306; ii. 235,265,257 xi. 33, 34, ... i. 185 xi.84, i. 499; ii. 620,624 xi. 35, ... ii. 215, 235 xi. 36, ... i. 326 xii. 1, ... ii. 100, 618 xii. 1,2, ... ii. 7 xii. 2, ... i. 218 xii. 3, ... ii. 474 xii. 6, ... i. 6; ii. 531 xii. 7, ... ii. 321 xii. 8, ... ii. 321, 439 xii. 10, ... ii. 9 xii. 19, ... ii. 666 xii. 20, 21, ... ii. 667 Chap. Romans. Vol. xai. 1, a. 141, 417, 654 xui. 1,2, ... ii. 669 xiii. 3, ... ii. 654 xui. 4, ... a. 660, 665 xai 6, u. 141, 415, 669 xui. 6, ... a. 662 xui. 8, ... i. 358 xiii. 9, ... i. 860 xiu. 14, ... u. 83 xiT. 1, ... i. 842 xiT. 6, . . i. 342 xiT. 8, ... u. 7 xiT. 10,11, ... i. 119, 578 xiT. 11, i. 131; ii. 268 xiT. 13, . . ii. 137 xiT. 14, .. ii. 135 xiT. 17, ... i. 429 xiT. 22, 23, ... ii. 136 xiT. 23, i. 581; ii. 94,474,486 489, 626 xt. 1,2, ... a. 137 xt. 8, i. 498; u. 639 it. 16,16, ... ii. 862 XTi 7, .... ii. 319 XTi. 20, ... i. 154 XTi. 25, 26, ... i.867 I. Corinthians. i. 9, ... i. 575 i. 12,13, ... ii. 481 i. 18, i. 573; a. 520 i. 20. ... i, 240 i. 21, ... i. 293 i. 28,24, ... a. 258 i. 26, ... a. 284 i. 29, ... ii. 69 i. 80, i. 427, 625; a. 49, 99 H. 2, i. 122, 404, 405, 427 ii. 4, i. 75, 500; a. 498 u. 6, ... i. 76 ii. 8, i. 61, 416; ii. 586 u. 9, ... i. 240 U. 10, ... i. 499 a. 11, ... i. 499 u. 12, i. 503; a. 897 a. is, ... a. 561 a. 14, .. i. 240,499 ii. 16, ... u. 71 ai. 2, ... a. 189 iii. 4, ... a. 484 ai. 7, i.276; ii.287 Hi. 8, ... u. 120 Hi. 9, i. 290; ii.287 Hi. 11, ... H. 94, 357 Hi. 12,13, ... i. 679 Hi. 15, ... i. 679 iU. 16, i. 128; H. 100 iu. 19, ... i. 57 iT.l, ... u. 820, 846 ir. 4, ... U. 62,117 It. 6, ... H. 68 it. 7, i.276; u. 10, 261 TABLES.Chap. I. CoKISTBIANa. Vol.iT. 16,ii. 287v.4,... a. 448, 455T.6,a. 456T. 6,ii. 456v. 7, 8,u. 609T.ll,ii. 456T. 11, 12,ii. 293T. 12,ii. 443T. 18,ii. 461Ti.6,a. 668Ti. 9,10,i. 552Ti.9,11,a. 260Ti. 11,i. 463; a. 78Ti. 13,... ii. 480, 628Ti. 18, 14,a. 270Ti. 15,ii. 100, 270, 563Ti. 19,iL270Ti. 20,i. 457Tii. 2,i. 849Tii. 5,ii. 463Tii. 7,i. 849Tii. 9,t. 349; a. 486Ta.21,ii. 662Tii. 28,t. ii. 140,676Tii. 29,ii. 88Tii. 30, 31,a. siTU. 31,a. 83Tii. 84,i. 849Tiu. 4,ii. 430Tii. 5, 6,i. 120Tiii. 6,i. 266, 418, 431Tui. 7,a. 480Tai. 9,.. u. 138, 480ix. 6,%u. 470ix.15,a. 84ix. 16,ii. 320ix. 20,•ii. 642ix. 20, 22,a. 188x. 2,a. 617x. 8,U. 608x. 3, 4,"... i. 872x. 4, i.118; u. 568, 574x. 12, i.488,604; ii. 246x.16,ii. 564, 675, 612x. 15,16,ii. 695x. 23, 24,ii. 189x. 25.a. 138x. 28, 29,... a. 142, 416x.29,ii. 188x. 81,ii. 191x. 82.ii. 188xi. 6,H. 165xi. 7,i. 165xi.16,a. 487xi. 21,a. 165xi. 28,ii. 698xi. 26,a. 672xi. 26,a. 595xi.27,... ii. 690,697xi. 28,... u. 650, 597xi. 28, 29,u. 294xi. 29,U. 697XV. Chap. I. Corinthians. Vol. xi. 81, ... i. 524 xi. 32, i. 665; ii. 20 xu. 8, ... i. 239 xii. 6, ... i. 266, 259 xii. 10, ... i. 476 xu. 11, i. 128,125; ii. 474 xii. 12, u. 11,100, 675 xii. 13, u. 496, 621, 645 xu. 28, a. 321, 654 xii. 30, ... i. 477 xiii. 2, i. 476; u. 126 xiu. 8, ... a. 482 xii. 4, 6, ... ii. 10, 11 xui. 6, ... i. 358 xui. 9, ... i. 486 xui. 10, ... i. 481 xiu. 12, i. 487; ii. 620 xui. 18, ... a. 126 xiT. 16, ... u. 160,181 xiT. 16,17, ... ii. 182 xiT. 29, 80, ... u. 395 xiT. 30, ... u. 291 xiT. 40, L 842; a. 178 322, 434 xt. 6, .. ii. 263 xt. 10, i. 262; H. 287 xt. 12, ... a. 268 xt. 18, ... a. 262 xt. 14, ... ii. 261 xt. 17, ... i. 447 xt. 19, ... a. 30,123 xt. 22, i. 216; ii. 640 xt. 23, ... ii. 262 xt. 24, i. 136, 417, 480 xt. 28, i. 136, 840, 417, 430; u. 190 xt. 30, ... a. 640 xt. 36, ... ii. 264 xt. 41, 42, ... a. 647 xt. 45, ... i. 164, 464 xt. 46, ii. ... ii. 651 xt. 47, ... i. 411, 414, ii. 678 xt. 61, i. 451; a. 271 xt. 63, ... u. 268 xt. 54, ... u. 273 x-ri. 2, ... i. 343 XTi. 7, ... i. 194" IL Corinthians. ». 8, ... u. 185 i. 6, ... i. 675 i. 12, ... a. 117 i. 19, ... u. 605 i. 20, ... i. 365 i. 22, ... i. 465, 501 i. 28 ... i. 455 i. 24, ... ii. 395 u. 6, ... ii. 545 iii.7, ... ii. 303, 458 ii. 16, ... i. 19, 277 Hi. 6, ... i. 244, 248 XVI TABLES. Chap. II. Corinthians. Vol. iii. 6, i. 302, 466; ii. 287 iii. 6, 7, ... i. 393 iii. 7, ... i. 305 iii. 8, ... i. 86 iii. 14, ... i. 386 iii. 17, ... ii. 230 iii. 18, ... ii. 487, 515 iy. 4, i. 201, 266, 364 iv. 6, i. 470, 364; ii. 286 iv. 7, ... ii. 284, 316 iv. 8,9, ... ii. 21 iy. 8, 10, ... ii. 97 iy. 10, ii. 125, 262, 268 iy. 13, ... i. 500 y. 1, ... ii. 267 T. 2, ... ii. 29 v. 5, ... i. 601 y. 6, ii. 28, 260, 267 y. 6,7, ... i. 482 v. 7, ... i. 366 y. 10, i. 120; ii. 120 y. 18, i. 494; ii. 355 y. 18,21, ... ii. 40 y. 19, i. 403,455, 556; ii. 47 y. 19,21, ... ii. 57 V.-20, i558;ii. 298 y. 20,21, ... i. 575 y. 21, i. 437, 439, 455, 556, ii. 45, 47 vi. 8, ... ii. 21 yi. 16, ... i. 123 yii. 1, i. 366; ii. 100, 268 vii. 10, ... i. 514, 536 Yiii. 16, 17, ... i. 280 ix. 6, ... ii. 125 ix. 7, ... ii. 101 x. 4, ... ii. 447 x. 4,5, ... ii. 395 x. 4,6, ... ii. 443 x. 8, ... ii. 390 x. 16, ... ii. 355 xi. 14, i. 9; ii. 461 xii. 2, ... ii. 818 xii. 7, ... i. 164, 520 xii. 8,9, ... i. 127 xii. 9, ... i. 620 xii. 21, ... i. 624 xiii. 4, i. 410, 421, 447 xiii. 5, ... ii. 503 xiii. 10, ... ii. 390 xiii. 18, ... ii. 456 Gaxatians. i. 1, ... ii. 324 i. 6, ... ii. 27 i. 8, ... ii. 409 ii. 3, 5, ... ii. 138 ii. 8, ... ii. 287, 858 ii. 9, ... ii. 861 ii. 11, ... ii. 858 ii. 14, ... ii. 454 Chap. Galatians. Vol. ii. 16, ... ii. 105 ii. 19, ... i. 441 ii. 20, ... ii. 7, 648 ii. 21, ... i. 457 iii. 1, i. 96 ; ii. 614 iii. 2, i. 499; ii 287 iii. 6, ... ii. Ill iii. 8, ... ii. 89 iii. 10, i. 804, 311, 435; ii. 55 iii. 11, 12, ... ii. 52, 54 iii. 12, ... ii. 55 iii. 13, i. 311, 456, 657 ; ii. 49, 132 iu. 13, 14, ... i. 440 iii. 16, i. 294, 412; ii. 209 iii. 17, ... ii. 56 iii. 18, ... ii. 48, 54 iii. 19, i. 278, 301, 302 iii. 21, 22, ... ii. 66 iii. 22, ... i. 140 iii. 24, i. 301,308,391 ;ii. 664 iii. 27, ii. 495, 515, 644, 629 iii. 28, ... ii. 234, 652 iy. 1, i. 388, 391, 398 iy. 1,2, ... ii. 423 iv. 4, i. 410, 413; ii. 664 iy. 4, 5,1.811, 408, 437,457 iy. 6, ... ii. 464 iv. 8, i. 48, 106; ii. 537 iy. 9, ... ii. 421 iv. 10, 11, ... j. 342 iv. 25, 26, ... i. 394 iy. 26, ... ii. 281 iv. 30, ... ii. 120 y. 1, ... ii. 140, 606 y. 1, 4, ... ii. 182 v. 4, .. ii. 140 y. 5, i. 507; ii. 107 v. 6, ... ii. 66 v. 13, ... ii. 138 v. 14, ... i. 368 v. 17, ... i. 804 v. 19, i. 217; ii. 618 y. 19, 21, ... ii. 74 vi. 10, ... ii. 12, 187 vi. 14, ... i. 441 vi. 17, ... ii. 125, 270 EPHESIAN3.i. 3, 4,i. 436; ii 223i.4,ii. 132, 213, 235, 244i. 4, 6,ii. 214i- 4, 7,i. 401i. 6, 6,ii. 40i. 6,... i. 465, 498i.9,... ii. 215, 492i. 13.i. 466i. IS, 14, i. 370, 501; ii. 248i. 14,i. 885L17i. 240i. 18, i. 240, 484; ii. 397 Chap. EphBsians. Vol. i. 20, ... i. 430 i. 21, ... i. 145 i. 22,23, ... i. 430 i. 23, ii. 187, 290, 668 ii. 1, 8, ... ii. 250 ii. 2, ... i. 266 ii. 3, i. 215, 219; ii. 640 ii. 4, 5, ... ii. 76 ii. 6, ... i. 291 ii. 6, ... ii. 95 ii. 8, ... ii. 69 ii. 8, 9, ... ii. 82 ii. 10, i. 256, 527; ii. 76, 96, 286 ii. 11, ... ii. 546 ii. 12, ii. 250, 499, 531 ii. 14, i. 72, 498; ii. 637 ii. 14, 15, ... i. 312 ii. 16, ... i. 465 ii. 20, i. 69; ii. 305, 309, 356 iii. 2, 3, ... ii. 492 iii. 10, i. 202; ii. 171, 257 iii. 12, i. 483; ii. 72, 157 iii. 15, .« i. 422 iii. 16, ... i. 405 iii. 18, ... ii. 87 iii. 18, 19, ... i. 405, 482 iii. 19, ... ii. 87 iv. 2. ... ii. 461 iv. 4, ... ii. 283 iy. 4,5, ... ii. 860 iv. 4,16, ... ii. 317 iv. 6, ... ii. 309 iv. 7, i. 430, 464; ii. 859 iv. 8, ... i. 119, 450 iv. 10, ... i. 448 iv. 10, 13, ... ii. 284 iv. 11, ii. 280, 359, 398 iv. 13, ... ii. 496 iv. 14, 15, ..'. ii. 398 iv. 15,16, ... ii. 359, 563 iy. 16, ... i. 410 iv. 17, 18, ..: i. 218, 250 iv. 20, 21, ... i. 473 iv. 22, ... ii. 4 iv. 23, i. 218, 249; ii. 7 iv. 23,24, ... ii. 615 iv. 24, .. i. 164 iv. 27, ... i. 154 iv. 28, ... ii. 260 iv. 80, ... i. 280 y. 6, ... i. 498 v. 8, ... ii. 100, 260 v. 14, ... i. 291 v. 25, 26, ... ii. 518 v. 25,27, ... ii. 295 v. 26, ... ii. 544 v. 26, 27, i. 517; ii. 897, v. 27, ... ii. 290 v. 28, 32, ... ii. 647 v. 30, i. 408, 465; ii. 668 v. 32, i. 408; ii. 668 TABLES. XVU. Chap. Ephesians. Vol. vi. 9, ... ii. 234 vi.10, ... i. 280 vi. 12, ... i. 161, 191 vi. 16, ... i. 488 yi. 16, 18, - . ii. 167 vi. 18, ... ii. 151 Yi. 18,19, ., U. 167 Phimppians. i. 1, ... ii. 321 i.6, i. 255 ; ii. 120, 246 i. 16, ... i. 18 i. 20, ... i. 507 i.20,24, ... ii. 28 i. 29. i. 458; ii. 78 ii. 2. ... ii. 309 ii. 3, ... ii. 9 ii. 5, ... ii. 309 ii. 6, ... i. 120 ii. 6, 7, ... i. 133 ii. 7, i. 410: ii. 578 ii. 7,8, ... i. 437 ii. 8, i. 417; ii. 507 ii. 9, ... i. 458 ii. 9,10, ... i. 397 ii. 9,11, ... i. 430 ii. 10, ... i. 417, 577 ii. 12, ... ii. 12C ii. 12, 13, ... i. 28i ii. 13, i. 246, 255. 259, 262 ii. 5( ii. 17. ... i. 474 ii. 20, ... ii. 26 iii. 5, ... ii. 24! iii. 8, ... ii. 260,48 iii. 8,9, ... ii. 6 iii. 10, i. 447; ii. 97, 12! iii. 12, ... ii. 39 iii. 15, i. 471; ii. 29 iii. 20, ... ii. 261, 58 iii. 20, 21, ... ii. 270, 584 iii. 21, ... ii. 262, 264 iv. 5,6, ... ii. 18" iv. 11, 12, ...• ii. 13f jt. 12, ... ii. 34 iv. 18, ... ii. 61 COLOSSIANS. 2,8, ... i.48 4, ... i. 37 5, ... ii. 12 9, 10, ... i. 244 12, ... ii. 21 13, ... ii. 9 14, ... i. 457, 66 15, i. 297, 402, 416, 42 15, 18, ... i. 40 16, ... i. 145, 14 17, ... i. 41 18, ... i. 42 19,20, ... i. 45 20, ... i. 1  %hap. COLO83IAN8. Vol. 21, ... ii. 77 21,22, ... i. 435 24, ... i. 674 26, i. 397, 482; ii. 492 .. 2, ... i. 482 l. 3, i. 404, 427, 894, 620; ii. 49 i. 8, ... ii. 419 i. 12, ... ii. 515, 543 i. 13,14, ... i. 312 i. 14, ... i. 457 i. 14,15, ... i.440 i. 16,17, ... i. 341, 342i 17, ... ii. 507, 509 ii. 19, ... i. 425 ti. 20, ... ii. 420 i. 20, 21, ... ii. 422 i. 23, ... ii. 421, 474 iii. 1, i. 448; ii. 100 iii. 2, ... ii. 594 iii. 3, ... i. 441 iii. 3,4, ... ii. 260 iii. 5, ... i. 448 iii. 6, ... i. 493 iii. 10, i. 164, 515 iii. 11, ... ii. 652 iii. 14, i. 358; ii. 126, 482 iii. 16, ... ii. 181 iii. 24, ... ii. 121 Lv. 17, ... ii. 321 L Thbssaionians. i. 5, ... ii. 287 ii. 13, ... ii. 287 ii. 18, ... i. 194 ii. 20, ... ii. 274 iii. 12, ... i. 278 iii. 13, ... ii. 118 iv. 8, ... ". 100 iv 4 ... ii. 236 iv 7 ... ii. 100, 236 iv. 16, ... ii. 272 iv. 16,17, ... i. 451 v. 2, ... ii. 647 v 9 ... ii. 100 v. 17, 18, ... ii 178 v. 19, ... i. 284 v. 19,20, ... i. 86 v. 23, ... ii. 268 II. Thessalomans. i. 5,7, ... ii-125 i. 6 7 ... ii. 80 i. 6,8, ... ii. 265 i. 9 ... ii. 276 i. 10, ... ii. 273 i. 11, ... i. 280, 600 ii. 3, ... ii. 406 ii. 4, ii. 313, 884, 405 ii. 8, ... ii. 190 ii. 9, ... i. 9 ii. 11, .. i. 10 Chap. II. Thess. Vol. ii. 11, 12, ... i. 269 ii. 13, ... i. 466, 478 ii. 14, ... i. 371 iii. 6, ... ii. 301 iii. 10, ... ii. 548 iii. 14, ... ii. 456 iii. 15, ... ii. 459 I. Timothy. i. 5, i. 278, 856,480; ii. 142, 416 i. 9,10, ... i. 308 i. 13, ... i. 529 i. 15, ... i. 405 i. 17, ... i. 133 i. 19, ... ii. 145 ii. 1, ... ii. 167,176 ii. 1, 2, ... ii. 669 ii. 2, ... ii. 665 ii. 4, ... ii. 254 ii. 5, i. 401; ii. 167 ii. 5, 6, ... i. 457 ii. 6, ... i. 561 ii, 8, ii. 179,187, 624 iii. 1, ... i. 323 iii. 2, ... ii. 332, 341 iii. 9, i. 481; ii. 646, 648 iii. 15, ii. 290, 305, 379 iii. 16, i.120; ii. 492, 648 iv. 1, ... ii. 411 iv. 3, ... ii. 411, 468 iv. 5, ... ii. 135, 176 iv. 6, ... i. 473 iv. 8, i. 366; ii. 192 iv. 10, i. 7; ii. 21 iv. 13, ... i. 85 iv. 14, ... ii. 643 v. 10, ... ii. 322 ,v. 12, ... ii. 487 v. 17, i. 344; ii. 439 v. 20, ... ii. 454 v. 22, ... ii. 325 vi. 16, ... i. 67, 203 vi. 17,19, ... ii. 124 II i. 1. i.6, i. 9, i. 10, i. 12, i. 14, i. 18, ii. 10, ii. 11, 12, ii. 13, ii. 19, ii. 20, 21, ii. 25, ii. 25, 26, ii. 26, iii. 7, iii. 16, Timothy. i. 366 ii. 326 i. 405; ii. 77,100 i. 365 i. 496; ii. 264 i. 499 ii. 274 i. 574 ii. 97 i. 47 ... ii. 218, 282 ii. 96 ii. 256 i. 627 i. 154 i. 473 i. 85 xvm. Chap. It. 1, iT.8, it. 16, iv. 18, TABLES. tt Thcotht. Vol. i. 45: i.274; U.128, 26f a 862 ii. 29 Titus. i. 1, ... i. 480 i.6, ... ii. 821,325 i 7, ... it 821, 823 L 9, ... ii. 820, 829 i. 16, ii. 136, 480, 597 ii.ll, L403;ii. 801 ii. 11,14, ... ii 8 ii 12,13, ... ii. 260 ii. 18, ... ii. 29 iii. 1, ... ii. 669 iii. 4, ... ii. 801 iii 4, 5, i. 289; ii. 62 iii 6, ii 613, 515, 543, 575 iii. 9, ... i. 405 i-1. j. 1, 2, »• 2, i-8, i- 6, i. 10, !: 14, "• 4, »• 7, ii. 9, ii. 11, ii. 14, ii. 14,15, "• 15, ji.16, • "> u-14. iv. 15 Hebrews. ii. 620 i. 864, 426; ii. 393 i 116 ... i. 110, 176 i. 119 119,131,136 i. 147 i. 9 i. 417 . i. 186, 44p . i 410, 411 i 154, 410; a. 60 i. 440 ii. 444 i 410, 412 ... i. 484 i. 401,406, 410, 445 Chap. Hebrews. ix. 18,14, ix.14, ix.15, i6 ix.22, ix. 25, 26, ix.26, ix. 27, ix.28, x.2, x.7, x.10, x.14, x.18, x.19,20, x.26, x. 26, 27, x.29, ix. 36f 1, xi.2, xi. 8, a. 6, xi. 7, xi. 9, TO, xi. 13,16, xii. 8, 18,22, xii. 23, *i. 4, _di 8, xii. 15, xui. 16, xUi.17, i451 1456 i 678; Vol. i. 466 i. 440; a. 99 ... i. 813, 456 u. 610 i. 466; u. 611 ii 611 u. 609 u. 272 a. 26 a. 60! a 141,41 i.43{ a. 60s a. 60! a. 609 a 166 i. 630 i. 628 i. 627; a 99 i 602 i. 866,604; ii. 260 u. 134 i. 61, 62,172 a 52, 76, 188 ... i. 14, 495 i 878 i. 878 u. 20 i. 894 a. 267 . a. 411, 469 i. 371 . ii, 178, 618 i.568; a. 93 a 409 .6, v- 1. t. 4, t.4,6, v< 2' v.7, T:l°'c vi.4,6, vi. 4 6, vi. 10, v?-18. Ti.16, vn. 3 vii. 12, vu. 17, vu. 21, vii-22, rii 28, 24, ix. 11 aAiS • i. 408 ii. 822, 626 617 ji.618 i443 ••l "-607 i.629 i. 627 ii. 125 i.836 i. 836, 838 ii. 648 i. 538 ij. 607 ii. 607 i.89i iL 608 a 607 . 6,6, i. 18 i. 15, James. . 156 Chap. i-8, i6, i-7, i.8, 9, i. 9, ill, i.12, i. 16 i.18,19, i. 19, 20, i.20, i.21 i.22, i.23, ii-5, a. 9, ii. 18, ii. 17, a is, a. 24, a. 25, in. 18, iu. 19, ni. 21, iT.8, IT. 8, IT. 11, IT. 14, iT. 17, T.2, T.3, r.6, r.8, I Petee. ii. 5, ii. 10, ii. 10,11, ii.14, "" 19, ii21 " % ii' 234 .. a «0 ... ji.129 i.480;ii.H4 ... i 478 ... i. 607; ... i 467; ... i 373 ... i. 801 Vol. i. 446 ii. 121 ii. 18 ii. 260 ii. 122 i. 115, 126 i 868 i 8 ii. 140 ... u. 218 ... ii.620 i. 447, 470, 607 i. 284 ii. 287, 641 ii. 856 ii. 69, 618, 641 ... ii. 669 ... ii. 656, 668 ... ii. 431 ... i. 440, 456, 657 ... ii. 267 ... i. 410 ... i. 442 ii. 141, 416, 498, 518,644 ... ii. 96, 250 ... i 562, 668 ... ii. 21, 394 ... ii. 21 ... i. 665 ... ii. 855, 418 ... ii. 888 ... u. 65 ... i. 504 ... i. 189 ... i. 161,154 LM» - iT.8, ... iT.6, ... iT. 8 ... It. 11,12, ... T.12, ... t. 13 . t. 14, ... t. 15, ... t. 16, i. 539, 644; t. 16,18 .. "-H8 a 152 i232 I 522 ii418 " 886 £ 151 fi 686 a ige ii. 175 i.2, L Pbtbk. t 468; u 78, 218 n. Peter. i. 4, ii. 46, 273, 663 i. 6, ... i. 284 i. 14, ... u. 266 i. 19, ... i. 85 ii. 1, ... u. 404 ii. 4, ... i. 158 iii. 4, ... i. 506 tfi. 8, ... i. 606 iii. 9, ... a. 255 iii. 16, ... i. 18 I. JOHK. i- 1, ... ii. 421 XI, ... i. 466, 573 i-9, i. 643; ii. 164 i-10, ... a. 194 «• 1, ... u. 167 " % 1,2, ... i. 557 ii- 2, ... i. 455 ii. 12, i. 468, 667 «i-18, ... a 620 a 19, i. 529; a 246 TABLES.XIX.Chap.I. John. Vol. Chap.I. John. Vol.Chap. Revelation. Vol.U. 20,... i. 480, 465Y.16,ii. 200xxii. 18, ... ii. 404ii. 27,... i. 430, 466T.18,i. 284iii. 2,i. 365, 482; ii. 47,Y.21,i. 101APOCRYPHA.273, 620iii. 3,ii. 100IL Jons.TOBIT.iii. 8, iii. 9,i. 152,155; ii. 96 ... i. 261, 2847,ii. 688iii. 17, ... i. 117iii. 11,ii. 100Wisdom.iii. 15,i. 347JCDE.xiv. 16, ... i. 96iii. 16,i. 4176,i. 153,155; ii. 267iii. 20,i. 5489,i. 155ECCLESIASTICUS.iii. 22,... ii. 152,155xv. 14,17, ... i. 290iii. 24,i. 466.608; ii. 91, 242Revelation.xvi. 14, ... ii. 93iT. 1,ii. 409i. 6,i. 482 ; ii. 619Baeuch.iv. 8,ii. 588v. 13,ii. 578ii. 18, 19, ... ii. 158it. 10,i. 454; ii. 77vii. 14,i. 573iii. 2, ... ii. 168iv. 11,ii. 100 |vi. 17,ii. 80iv. 18,i. 466' xiv. 13,ii. 681I. Maccabees.iv. 18,i. 492;xix. 10,... i. 106,149i. 57,68, ... i. 80iv. 19,ii. 99 xx. 4,ii. 265v. 4,... i. 284, 488xx. 12,i. 605II. Maccabees.v. 12,... ii. 75, 94xxi. 27,i. 641xii. 43, ... ii. 678v. 14,ii. 150xxii. 8,9, ... i. 106,149xv. 88, ... ii. 678TABLE II. OF HEBREW WORDS EXPLAINED. i. 439 i. 439 i 163 njn D'pn ii. 44 ii. 110 i. 163 TABLE III. OF GREEK WORDS EXPLAINED. ixeXxff'tnt xxoXvffos, ixpxrix, xXXyXovs, p, xtr'iXvrpay, X xrxoiros, a'writ, nvrovvix, . Ppifv, iixxeyix tvrtfaia, . ii. 134 i. 407 i. 242 ii. 640 i. 242 i. 539 ii. 611 ii. 551 i. 440, 561 i. 440, 561, 567 ii. 422 ii. 15 i. 226 i. 458 i. 143 ii. 178 i. 528 i. 168 ii. 533 ii. 322 ii. 110 i. 106 i. 229 ii. 419, 432 i. 99 i. 99 i. 505 ii. 93 i. 105 ii. 616 ii. 27 i. 169 ii. 616 ii. 416 i.416 xotvuviet, Xocrpsutty, XxrptwtxSv, Xiyas, i suffix, . Txtes, , VtftffTXfftf, i vrpstrtyopt i. 440 i. 439 ii. 333 J, i. 416, 575 j ii. 586 ii. 654 i. 128 , i. 106 i. 100 ii. 616 i. 108 ii. 492 i. 112, 423 i. 168 i. 113 i. 168, 242 ii. 533 ii. 116 i 483 i. 528 i. 106 i. 106 ii. 616 j. Ill ii. 616 ii. 616 i. 110, 504 i. 238 i i. 233 ii. 10 i. 110 ii. 337 ii. 337 ii 325 INDEX TO THE AUTHOES QUOTED IN THE INSTITUTES. Ambrose, de Philosophia, i. 850 de Jacob et yita beata, i. 305, 451; ii. 59 de Isaac et anima, ii. 169 de off. lib. ii. cap. 28, ii. 333 lib. yi. de Sacramentis, ii. 625 de iis qui, ministeriis initiantur, ii. 568 de vocatione gentium, i. 275; ii. 122, 221 Ser. 46, de pcenitentia Petri, i. 567 de basilicis tradendis, ii. 446, 450 Epist. 32, ad Valentin, ii. 442, 450 Epist. lib. i. Epist. 3, ii. 457 Epist. lib. v. Epist. 81, 33, ii. 338 Anslem, i. 226 Aristotle, de Hist. Animal., lib. i. cap. 17, i.52 de anima, lib. i., i. 167 Ethic, lib.'Hi. cap. 5, i. 225 lib. vi. cap. 2, i. 169 lib. vii. cap. 3, i. 242 Augustine, Retract., lib. i. cap. 1, i. 179 cap. 3, i. 229 cap. 5, i. 355 lib. ii., ii. 181 Confess, ii. 181 De Ordine, i. 70,175, 198 De Morib. Eccl. Cathol., ii. 479 De Morib. Manich., lib. ii. cap. 13, ii. 465 De Genesi contra Manich., ii. 232,251 Epist. 2, ad Januar., ii. 368 Epist. 5, ad Marcellin., ii. 492, 662. Epist. 19, ad Hieronjm., ii. 387 Epist. 23, ad Bonifac., ii. 581 Epist. 24, ad Alip. i. 279 Epist. 43, ad August., i. 89 Epist. 44, ad Maxim., i. 89 Epist. 47, ad Valent., i. 223 Epist. 48, ad Vincent., i. 205; ii 308 Epist. 49, ad Deograt., i. 101 Epist. 52, ad Maced., j. 274 Epist. 66, ad Diosc, i. 239 Epist. 67, ad Dardan., ii. 578 Augustine, Epist. 66, ad Maxim., i. 123 Epist. 76, ad Aurel., ii. 479 Epist. 82, ad Largum, ii. 478 Epist. 89, ad Hilarium, i. 306 Epist. 95, ad Innocent., i. 306 Epist. 99, ad Euodium, i. 442 Epist. 105, ad Sextum, ii. 579 Epist. 106, ad Bonifac, i. 264 Epist. 107, ad Vital., i. 289 Epist. 108, ad Sextum, ii. 220 Epist. 110, ad Eradium, ii. 335 Epist. 119, ad Januar., ii. 423 Epist. 119, ad Januar., i. 325; ii. 466 Epist. 144, ad Anastas., i. 229 Epist. 162, ad Episcop., i. 127 Epist. 174, ad Pascent., i. 127 Epist. 200, ad Asellic, i. 306, 355 De Doctr. Christ., lib. i. cap. 23, i. 358 lib. iii. cap. 9. ii. 603, 625 lib. iii. cap. 35, i. 279 De Fide et Symbolo, cap. 6, ii. 580 cap. 8. i. 450 Enchirid. ad Laurent., cap. 5, i. 425 cap. 16, i. 279 cap. 30, i. 229 cap. 31, ii. 241 cap. 32, i. 262 cap. 36, i. 418 cap. 08, i. 679 cap. 101, i. 203 cap. 116, ii. 184 De Eccl. dogmat., cap. 64, i. 569 De Trinit., lib. iii cap. 4, i. 180 lib. iii. cap. 10, ii. 668, 581 lib. v. cap. 8, 9, i. 113 De Opere Monachorum, ii. 479, 486 De Spiritu et Litera, i. 229, 275, 304 Qusest. Evang. Matth., ii. 309 Qusest. in Vet. Test., i. 325; ii. 510 De Continentia, i. 355 De Poenitentia, ii. 79 De Civitate Dei, lib. i. cap. 8, i. 58 XXII. INDEX TO AUTHORS. Augustine, De Civitate Dei, lib. iv. cap. 9, i. 95 lib. iv. cap. 12, i. 320 lib. iv. cap. 81, i. 96, 101 lib. v. cap. 24, ii. 662 lib. vi. cap. 10, i. 92. lib. x. cap. 29, i. 422 lib. xi. cap. 2, i. 165 lib. xix. cap. 17, ii. 664 lib. xix. cap. 27, ii. 58 lib. xxi. cap. 25, ii. 591 lib. xxii. cap. 2, ii. 163 lib. xxiv. cap. 13, 16, i. 582 Contra Epist. fundamenti, cap. 4, 5, i. 70 Contra Adimantum, ii. 581 Contra Faustum, lib. ix. cap. 11, ii. 49 lib. xjii. cap. 16, ii. 592 lib. xix. cap. xiii. ii. 495, 510 lib. xx. cap. 18, ii. 614 lib. xxx., ii. 465 lib. xxxii., i. 71 Contra adversar. Legis et Proph., i. 820 De bono conjugali, i. 820 Contra Epist. Parmeniani, lib. ii. cap. 8, ii. 168, 614 lib. ii. cap. 18, ii. 626 lib. iii. cap. 1, 2, ii. 295, 460 Contra literas Petiliani, lib. ii. cap. 37, ii. 610, 690 Contra Gaudentii Epist., i. 578 De Baptismo contra Donatistas, lib. ii. cap. 6, i. 861 lib. iii. cap. 16, ii. 631 lib. v. cap. 10, ii. 691 lib. v. cap. 24, ii. 601 In brevi collat. contra Donatistas, ii. 373 De peccatorum meritis et remissione, lib. ii. cap. 18, i. 257 lib. ii. cap. 83, 34, i. 665 lib. iii. cap. 8, i. 217 De natura et gratia, i. 254, 804 De gratia Cbristi contra Pelag. et Coelest., ii. 240 Contra Epist. Pelag. ad Bonifacium, lib. i. cap. 8, i. 229 lib. ii. cap. 6, i. 179 lib. iii. cap. 5, ii. 62, 75,124 lib. iii. cap. 7, 8, ii. 118 lib. iv. cap. 4, i. 616, 673 Contra Julianum, lib. i., i. 229, 516 lib. ii., i. 850, 616 lib. iv., ii. 76 lib. v., ii. 226 De pradestinatione et gratia, i. 267; ii. 268 De prsedestinatione Sanctorum, i. 280, 463; ii.'91, 227, 240 Augustine, De bono perseverantine, cap. 12, i. 453; ii. 285 cap. 15, ii. 237 cap. 20, ii. 206 De gratia et lib. arb. ad Valent., U. 123 cap. 16, i. 279 cap. 20, i. 205, 271 De baptismo parvulorum, ii. 288 De correptione et gratia ad Valent., i. 170, 230, 264, 276, 287,305; ii. 218, 236 De perfectione justitise, i. 229 Prssf. in Psalmos. ii. 75 In Psalmum 8, ii. 575 16, i. 675 19, i. 218 81, i. 274; ii. 76 82, ii. 126 45, i. 232 67, i. 242 68, i. 127 70, i. 274, 306 73, ii. 510 77, ii. 510 78, ii. 602 88, ii. 71, 91 102, i. 665 109, i. 127; ii. 126 111, i. 203 113, i. 99, 101 118, i. 306, 355 137, ii. 88 189, ii. 91 143, i. 866 144, i. 158; ii. 95 In Joannem, Homil. seu Tractatus 8, ii. 220 13, ii. 493 26, ii. 602, 510 28, ii. 607 29. i. 279 81, ii. 561 85, ii. 204 89, i. 127 40, ii. 661 45, ii. 288 46, ii. 431 47, i. 675 49, i. 232 50, ii. 356, 680 63, i. 229 79, i. 505 80, ii. 624 81, i. 228 84, i. 673 89, ii. 495 96, i. 605 109, i. 449 110, i. 437 De verb. Apost. Serin. 2, ii. 592 INDEX TO AUTHORS. XX1U Augustine, Serm. 8, i. 229 6, i. 616 8, ii. 67, 218 10, i. 247 11, i. 260; ii. 222 15, i. 274 20, ii. 222 68, ii. 456 In adventu Homil. 1, i. 230 De baptismo infantium, ii. 634 De tempore Homil. 38, i. 127 45, i. 855 124, ii. 856 Basil, i. 156,179 Bernard, de gratia et libero arbitrio, i. 2S0 Serm. 2, In Cantica, i. 268 11, ... i. 521 18, ... ii. 63 67 15, ... i. 434 22, ... ii. 58 28, ... ii. 58 244 61, ... ii. 63 68, ... ii. 68 78, ... ii. 203 81, ... i. 254 98, ... ii. 91 Berm. 15, in psal. qui habitat, ii. 68 1, de annunciatione, i. 505 2, in octava paschse, i. 602 2, in die ascensionis, i. 502; ii. 226 5, in dedio. templi, i. 491; ii. 71 Epist. 107, ad Thomam prsepos, ii. 228 Boethius, de definitions, i. 52 Cato, ii. 33 Chrysostom, Homil. 10, in Genes., i. 569 18, ... i. 225 22, ... i. 274 88, ... ii. 91 62, ... i. 225 2, in 60th Ps., ii. 642 Op. imperf. in Matth., ii. 184 Horn. 8, in Matth. ii. 465 14, in Matth., ii. 516 12, de Chanantea, i. 538 8, in Marc, ii. 661 de Lazaro, i. 542 16, in Joan., i. 470 96, in Joan., ii. 400 de oonv. Pauli, ii. 252 18, in 2 ad Corinth., ii. 604 26, in Ep. ad Eph., ii. 601 De inventions S. cruois, i. 257; ii. 471 De incomprehensibili Dei Datura, i. 128, 589 Berm. de poenit. et conf. i. 542, 564 Serm. de Spirit. S. ii 899 Chrysostom, Serm. 3, de providentia ad Stagitium, i. 667 de compunctione cordis, i. 360 de perfect Evang., i. 232 Cicero,. Qusest. Tusc. lib. iii., i. 498 De Natura Deorum, lib. i., i. 43, 45, 59 lib. ii., i. 43, 60,104 lib. iii., i. 225 de finibus, lib. v., i. 168 Cyprian, Epist. lib. i. ep. 2, ii. 457 ep. 3, ii. 325 Epist. lib. ii. ep. 2, ii. 368 Epist. lib. ii. ep. 5, ii. 334 Epist lib. iii. ep. 6, ii. 297 Epist. lib. iii. ep. 14, ii. 444, 457 Epist. lib. iii. ep. 19, ii. 444 Epist. lib. it. ep. 6, ii. 368 Serm. v. de lapsis, ii. 604 de simplicitate prselatorum, ii. 810, 856, 864 ad Pompeium contra Epist. Steph., ii 871 Cyril, de Trinit, lib. vii., i. 127 Dialog, lib. iii., i. 127 de recta fide ad Reginas, i. 444 in Joannem, ii. 562 , de Hierarohia coelesti, i. 144 Epiphanies, ii. 407 Eusebius, i. 76, 95, 885 Galer, i. 52 Gelasius, ii. 604 Gregory, Nazianzen, i. 125; ii. 409 Gregory, Pope, In Ezechielem. Homil. 11. ii. 329 In Ezechielem, Homil. 17, ii. 847 Epist lib. i. ep. 6, ii. 336 Epist. lib. i. ep. 7, ii. 382 Epist. lib. i. ep. 10, ii. 881 Epist lib. i. ep. 24, ii. 371 Epist lib. i. ep. 26, ii. 371 Epist. lib. i. ep. 48, ii. 451 Epist. lib. ii. ep. 5, ii. 448 Epist. lib. ii. ep. 6, 25, ii. 387 Epist lib. ii. ep. 61, ii. 448 Epist. lib. ii. ep. 68, ii. 870, 875 Epist. lib. ii. ep. 69, ii. 836, 288 Epist. lib. ii. ep. 70, ii. 370 Epist, lib. ii. ep. 76, ii. 238 Epist lib. ii. ep. ult. ii. 874 Epist. lib. iii. ep. 11, ii. 846 Epist. lib. iii. ep. 20, ii. 448 Epist. lib. iv. ep. 25, ii. 887 Epist. lib. iv. ep. 32, 88, ii. 461 Epist lib. iv. ep. 84, ii. 448,461 Epist. lib. iv. ep. 65, ii. 887 Epiat lib. iv. ep. 76, 78, 80, ii. 868, 869 XXIV. INDEX TO AUTHORS. Gregory, Pope Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Epist. lib. Kegist. lib W. ep. 83, ii. 881 v. ep. 7, ii. 887 vi. ep. 169, ii. 371 vi. ep. 188, ii. 369 Tii. ep. 30, ii. 377 vii. ep. 39, ii. 451 vii. ep. 6, ii. 875 vii. ep. 76, ii. 369 vii. ep. 109, i. 94 vii. ep. 154, ii. 369 ix. ep. 9, i. 94 i. iv., ii. 387 Hilary, i. 113, 128 Hist. Tripart. lib. ii. cap. 14, ii. 470 lib. iv. cap. 2, 3, i. 444 lib. v. ii. 332 lib. ix. cap. 38, i. 343 lib. ix. cap. 13, ii. 376 Homer, i. 186, 237 Horace, i. 115 Ignatius, i. 138 Irenseus, i. 298, 422 Jerome, Prref. in lib. Salomonis, ii. 412 In comm. in Eaaiam, ii. 328 in Malach. 2, ii. 604 in cap. 1, Ep. ad Titum, ii. 828 Epist. ad Evagrium, ii. 328, 368 Epist. ad Nepot., ii. 331, 466 Epist. ad Ctesiph., i. 274, 303 Contra Pelag. dialog. 1, i. 274 dialog. 3, i. 226 Josephus, i. 326 Justin Martyr, i. 89, 808 Juvenal, i. 93 Lactantius, i. 43, 60, 95, 104, 297 Leo, a Roman bishop, i. 569; ii. 885 Lombard, i. 139, 228 Lucretius, de rerum nature, i. 66 Mackobius, i. 62 Maximus Tyrius, i. 91 Origen, i. 825 Osiander, i. 163, 166 Ovid, i. 242 Philostratin. in vita Apoll., ii. 32 Plato, i. 54, 69, 150,168, 224; ii. 183, 227 Plautus, i. 186 Pliny, lib. ii. cap. 7, 175 Plutarch, i. 69, 60 Pseudo-Dionysius, de Hierarchia coelesti, i. 144 Seneca, i. 19,109; ii. 60 Solon, ii. 659 Sozomen, lib. vii. cap. 17, i. 641 Statius, i. 48 Steuchus, ii. 448 Strabo, ii. 287 Suetonius, i. 44 Tertbllian, i. 89, 115, 138; ii. 198, 268, 625, 583 Themistius, i. 242 Theodoret, ii. 401, 450 Thomas Aquinas, i. 227 Valerius Maximus, i. 45 Valla, ii. 231 Varro, i. 95 Virgil, i. 64 Xenophon, 1.61; ii. 467 INSTITUTIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. PREFATORY ADDRESS TO HIS MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY, THE MOST MIGHTY AND ILLUSTRIOUS MONARCH, FEANOIS, KING OF THE FRENCH, HIS SOVEREIGN ;i JOHN CALVIN PRAYS PEACE AND SALVATION IN CHRIST. 2 Sire,—When I first engaged in this work, nothing was farther from my thoughts than to write what should afterwards be presented to your Majesty. My intention was only to furnish a kind of rudiments, by which those who feel some interest in religion might be trained to true godliness. And I toiled at the task chiefly for the sake of my countrymen the French, multitudes of whom I perceived to be hungering and thirsting after Christ, while very few seemed to have been duly imbued with even a slender knowledge of him. That this was the object which I had in view is apparent from the work itself, which is written in a simple and elementary form adapted for instruction. But when I perceived that the fury of certain bad men had risen to such a height in your realm, that there was no place in it for sound doctrine, I thought it might be of service if I were in the same work both to give instruction to my countrymen, and also lay before your Majesty a Confession, from which you may learn what the doctrine is that so inflames the rage of those madmen who are this day, with fire and sword, troubling your kingdom. For I fear not to declare, that what I have here given may be regarded as a summary of the very doctrine which, they vociferate, ought to be punished 1 In the last edition by Calvin, the words are, as here translated, simply, " Principi 8U0." In the edition published at Basle in 1536, the words are, " Principi ac Domino euo sibiobservando." 2 Ed. 1536. " In Domino." 4 PREFATORY ADDRESS with confiscation, exile, imprisonment, and flames, as well as exterminated by land and sea. I am aware, indeed, how, in order to render our cause as hateful to your Majesty as possible, they have filled your ears and mind with atrocious insinuations; but you will be pleased, of your clemency, to reflect, that neither in word nor deed could there be any innocence, were it sufficient merely to accuse. When any one, with the view of exciting prejudice, observes that this doctrine, of which I am endeavouring to give your Majesty an account, has been condemned by the suffrages of all the estates, and was long ago stabbed again and agaiD by partial sentences of courts of law, he undoubtedly says nothing more than that it has sometimes been violently oppressed by the power and faction of adversaries, and sometimes fraudulently and insidiously overwhelmed by lies, cavils, and calumny. While a cause is unheard, it is violence to pass sanguinary sentences against it; it is fraud to charge it, contrary to its deserts, with sedition and mischief. That no one may suppose we are unjust in thus complaining, you yourself, most illustrious Sovereign, can bear us witness with what lying calumnies it is daily traduced in your presence, as aiming at nothing else than to wrest the sceptres of kings out of their hands, to overturn all tribunals and seats of justice, to subvert all order and government, to disturb the peace and quiet of society, to abolish all laws, destroy the distinctions of rank and property, and, in short, turn all things upside down. And yet, that which you hear is but the smallest portion of what is said ; for among the common people are disseminated certain horrible insinuations—insinuations which, if well founded, would justify the whole world in condemning the doctrine with its authors to a thousand fires and gibbets. Who can wonder that the popular hatred is inflamed against it, when qredit is given to those most iniquitous accusations ? See, why all ranks unite with one accord in condemning our persons and our doctrine ! Carried away by this feeling, those who sit in judgment merely give utterance to the prejudices which they have imbibed at home, and think they have duly performed their part if they do not order punishment to be inflicted on any one until convicted, either on his own confession, or on legal evidence. But of what crime convicted ? " Of that condemned doctrine," is the answer. But with what justice condemned ? The very essence of the defence was, not to abjure the doctrine itself, but to maintain its truth. On this subject, however, not a whisper is allowed ! Justice, then, most invincible Sovereign, entitles me to demand that you will undertake a thorough investigation of this cause, which has hitherto been tossed about in any kind of way, and handled in the most irregular manner, without any order of law, and with passionate heat rather than judicial gravity. Let it not be imagined that I am here framing my own private TO THE KING OF FRANCE. 5 defence, with the view of obtaining a safe return to my native land. Though I cherish towards it the feelings which become me as a man, still, as matters now are, I can be absent from it without regret. The cause which I plead is the common cause of all the godly, and therefore the very cause of Christ—a cause which, throughout your realm, now lies, as it were, in despair, torn and trampled upon in all kinds of ways, and that more through the tyranny of certain Pharisees than any sanction from yourself. But it matters not to inquire how the thing is done ; the fact that it is done cannot be denied. For so far have the wicked prevailed, that the truth of Christ, if not utterly routed and dispersed, lurks as if it were ignobly buried ; while the poor Church, either wasted by cruel slaughter or driven into exile, or intimidated and terror-struck, scarcely ventures to breathe. Still her enemies press on with their wonted rage and fury over the ruins which they have made, strenuously assaulting the wall, which is already giving way. Meanwhile, no man comes forth to offer his protection against such furies. Any who would be thought most favourable to the truth, merely talk of pardoning the error and imprudence of ignorant men. For so those modest personages1 speak; giving the name of error and imprudence to that which they know to be2 the infallible truth of God, and of ignorant men to those whose intellect they see that Christ has not despised, seeing he has deigned to intrust them with the mysteries of his heavenly wisdom.3 Thus all are ashamed of the Gospel. Your duty, most serene Prince, is, not to shut either your ears or mind against a cause involving such mighty interests as these : how the glory of God is to be maintained on the earth inviolate, how the truth of God is to preserve its dignity, how the kingdom of Christ is to continue amongst us compact and secure. The cause is worthy of your ear, worthy of your investigation, worthy of your throne. The characteristic of a true sovereign is, to acknowledge that, in the administration of his kingdom, he is a minister of God. He who does not make his reign subservient to the divine glory, acts the part not of a king, but a robber. He, moreover, deceives himself who anticipates long prosperity to any kingdom which is not ruled by the sceptre of God, that is, by his divine word. For the heavenly oracle is infallible which has declared, that " where there is no vision the people perish" (Prov. xxix. 18). Let not a contemptuous idea of our insignificance dissuade you from the investigation of this cause. We, indeed, are perfectly conscious how poor and abject we are: in the presence of God we are miserable sinners, and in the sight of men most despised—we are (if you will) the mere dregs and off-scourings of the world, or worse, if 1 " Modesti homines," not in Ed. 1536. 2 " Quam norunt," not in Ed. 1536. 3 The words, " Quorum ingenium non adeo despicabile Chriati fuisse Yident," not in Ed. 1586. b PREFATORY ADDRESS worse can be named: so that before God there remains nothing of which we can glory save only his mercy, by which, without any merit of our own, we are admitted to the hope of eternal salvation:1 and before men not even this much remains,2 since we can glory only in our infirmity, a thing which, in the estimation of men, it is the greatest ignominy even tacitly3 to confess. But our doctrine must stand sublime above all the glory of the world, and invincible by all its power, because it is not ours, but that of the living God and his Anointed, whom the Father has appointed King, that he may rule from sea to sea, and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth ; and so rule as to smite the whole earth and its strength of iron and brass, its splendour of gold and silver, with the mere rod of his mouth, and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel; according to the magnificent predictions of the prophets respecting his kingdom (Dan. ii. 34 ; Isaiah xi. 4 ; Psalm ii. 9.) Our adversaries, indeed, clamorously maintain that our appeal to the word of God is a mere pretext,—that we are, in fact, its worst corrupters. How far this is not only malicious calumny, but also shameless effrontery, you will be able to decide, of your own knowledge, by reading our Confession. Here, however, it may be necessary to make some observations which may dispose, or at least assist, you to read and study it with attention. When Paul declared that all prophecy ought to be according to the analogy of faith (Kom. xii. 6), he laid down the surest rule for determining the meaning of Scripture. Let our doctrine be tested by this rule and our victory is secure. For what accords better and more aptly with faith than to acknowledge ourselves divested of all virtue that we may be clothed by God, devoid of all goodness that we may be filled by Him, the slaves of sin that he may give us freedom, blind that he may enlighten, lame that he may cure, and feeble that he may sustain us ; to strip ourselves of all ground of glorying that he alone may shine forth glorious, and we be glorified in him ? When these things, and others to the same effect, are said by us, they interpose, and querulously complain, that in this way we overturn some blind light of nature, fancied preparatives, free will, and works meritorious of eternal salvation, with their own supererogations also ;* because they cannot bear that the entire praise and glory of all goodness, virtue, justice, and wisdom, should remain with God. But we read not of any having been blamed for drinking too much of the fountain of living water ; on the contrary, those are severely reprimanded who " have hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water" (Jer. ii. 13). Again, what more agreeable to faith than to feel assured that God is a propitious Father when Christ is acknow- 1 The words stand thus in the Ed. 1536: " Qua salvi nullo nostro merito facti sumus." 2 "Non ita multum," not in Ed. 1536. 3 " Cum nutu," not in Ed. 1536. 4 The only word in the Ed. 1536 after "free will," is "merita." TO THE KING OF FRANCE. 7 ledged as a brother and propitiator, than confidently to expect all prosperity and gladness from Him, whose ineffable love towards us was such that He " spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all" (Kom. viii. 32), than to rest in the sure hope of salvation and eternal life whenever Christ, in whom such treasures are hid, is conceived to have been given by the Father ? Here they attack us, and loudly maintain that this sure confidence is not free from arrogance and presumption. But as nothing is to be presumed of ourselves, so all things are to be presumed of God; nor are we stript of vainglory for any other reason than that we may learn to glory in the Lord. Why go farther ? Take but a cursory view, moBt valiant King, of all the parts of our cause, and count us of all wicked men the most iniquitous, if you do not discover plainly, that " therefore we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God" (1 Tim. iv. 10) ; because we believe it to be " life eternal" to know " the only true God, and Jesus Christ," whom he has sent (John xvii. 3). For-this hope some of us are in bonds, some beaten with rods, some made a gazing-stock, some proscribed, some most cruelly tortured, some obliged to flee; we are all pressed with straits, loaded with dire execrations, lacerated by danders, and treated with the greatest indignity. Look now to our adversaries (I mean the priesthood, at whose beck and pleasure others ply their enmity against us), and consider with me for a little by what zeal they are actuated. The true religion which is delivered in the Scriptures, and which all ought to hold, they readily permit both themselves and others to be ignorant of, to neglect and despise; and they deem it of little moment what each man believes concermng God and Christ, or disbelieves, provided he submits to the judgment of the Church with what they call1 implicit faith ; nor are they greatly concerned though they should see the glory of God dishonoured by open blasphemies, provided not a finger is raised against the primacy of the Apostolic See and the authority of holy mother Church.2 Why, then, do they war for the mass, purgatory, pilgrimage, and similar follies, with such fierceness and acerbity, that though they cannot prove one of them from the word of God, they deny godliness can be safe without faith in these things—faith drawn out, if I may so express it, to its utmost stretch ? Why ? just because their belly is their God, and their kitchen their religion; and they believe, that if these were away they would not only not be Christians, but not even men. For although some wallow in luxury, and others feed on slender crusts, still they all live by the same pot, which without that fuel might not only cool, but altogether freeze. He, accordingly, who is most anxious about his stomach, proves the fiercest champion of bis faith. In short, the object on which all to a man are bent, is to 1 TJt aiunt," not in Ed. 1536. 2 No part of this sentence from '-provided" is in the Ed. 1586. 8 PBEFATOBY ADDRESS keep their kingdom safe or their belly filled ; not one gives even the smallest sign of sincere zeal. Nevertheless, they cease not to assail our doctrine, and to accuse and defame it in what terms they may, in order to render it either hated or suspected. They call it new, and of recent birth ; they carp at it as doubtful and uncertain; they bid us tell by what miracles it has been confirmed ; they ask if it be fair to receive it against the consent of so many holy Fathers and the most ancient custom ; they urge us to confess either that it is schismatical in giving battle to the Church, or that the Church must have been without .life during the many centuries in which nothing of the kind was heard. Lastly, they say there is little need of argument, for its quality may be known by its fruits, namely, the large number of sects, the many seditious disturbances, and the great licentiousness which it has produced. No doubt, it is a very easy matter for them, in presence of an ignorant and credulous multitude, to insult over an undefended cause; but were an opportunity of mutual discussion afforded, that acrimony which they now pour out upon us in frothy torrents, with as much license as impunity,1 would assuredly boil dry. 1. First, in calling it new, they are exceedingly injurious to God, whose sacred word deserved not to be charged with novelty. To them, indeed, I very little doubt it is new, as Christ is new, and the Gospel new; but those who are acquainted with the old saying of Paul, that Christ Jesus " died for our sins, and rose again for our justification" (Kom. iv. 25), will not detect any novelty in us. That it long lay buried and unknown is the guilty consequence of man's impiety; but now when, by the kindness of God, it is restored to us, it ought to resume its antiquity just as the returning citizen resumes his rights. 2. It is owing to the same ignorance that they hold it to be doubtful and uncertain; for this is the very thing of which the Lord complains by his prophet, " The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider " (Isaiah i. 3). But however they may sport with its uncertainty, had they to seal their own doctrine with their blood, and at the expense of life, it would be seen what value they put upon it. Very different is our confidence—a confidence which is not appalled by the terrors of death, and therefore not even by the judgment-seat of God. 3. In demanding miracles from us, they act dishonestly; for we have not coined some new gospel, but retain the very one the truth of which is confirmed by all the miracles which Christ and the apostles ever wrought. But they have a peculiarity which we have not—they can confirm their faith by constant miracles down to the present day! Nay rather, they allege miracles which might produce wavering in minds otherwise well disposed; they are so frivolous and ridiculous, 1 " Tarn licenter quam impune," not in Ed. 1536. TO THE KING OF FRANCE. 9 so vain and false. But were they even exceedingly wonderful, they could have no effect against the truth of God, whose name ought to be hallowed always, and everywhere, whether by miracles, or by the natural course of events. The deception would perhaps be more specious if Scripture did not admonish us of the legitimate end and use of miracles. Mark tells us (Mark xvi. 20) that the signs which followed the preaching of the apostles were wrought in confirmation of it; so Luke also relates that the Lord " gave testimony to the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done " by the hands of the apostles (Acts xiv. 3). Very much to the same effect are those words of the apostle, that salvation by a preached gospel was confirmed, " the Lord bearing witness with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles" (Heb. ii. 4). Those things which we are told are seals of the gospel, shall we pervert to the subversion of the gospel ? what was destined only to confirm the truth, shall we misapply to the confirmation of lies ? The proper course, therefore, is, in the first instance, to ascertain and examine the doctrine which is said by the Evangelist to precede; then after it has been proved, but not till then, it may receive confirmation from miracles. But the mark of sound doctrine given by our Saviour himself is its tendency to promote the glory not of men, but of God (John vii. 18; viii. 50). Our Saviour having declared this to be test of doctrine, we are in error if we regard as miraculous, works which are used for any other purpose than to magnify the name of God.1 And it becomes us to remember that Satan has his miracles, which, although they are tricks rather than true wonders, are still such as to delude the ignorant and unwary. Magicians and enchanters have always been famous for miracles, and miracles of an astonishing description have given support to idolatry: these, however, do not make us converts to the superstitions either of magicians or idolaters. In old times, too, the Dona-tists used their power of working miracles as a battering-ram, with which they shook the simplicity of the common people. We now give to our opponents the answer which Augustine then gave to the Donatists (in Joan. Tract. 23), "The Lord put us on our guard against those wonder-workers, when he foretold that false prophets would arise, who, by lying signs and divers wonders, would, if it were possible, deceive the very elect" (Matth. xxiv. 24). Paul, too, gave warning that the reign of antichrist would be " withall power, and signs, and lying wonders" (2 Thess. ii. 9). But our opponents tell us that their miracles are wrought not by idols, not by sorcerers, not by false prophets, but by saints: as if we did not know it to be one of Satan's wiles to transform himself " into an angel of light" (2 Cor. xi. 14). The Egyptians, in whose neighbourhood Jeremiah was buried, anciently sacrificed and paid other divine honours to him (Hieron. in Praef. Jerem). Did they not 1 No part of the passage, beginning above, " The deception," &c, is in Ed 1536. 10 PKEFATOKY ADDBESS make an idolatrous abuse of the holy prophet of God ? and yet, in recompense for so venerating his tomb, they thought1 that they were cured of the bite of serpents. What, then, shall we say but that it has been, and always will be, a most just punishment of God, to send on those who do not receive the truth in the love of it, " strong delusion, that they should believe a lie"? (2 Thess. ii. 11). We, then, have no lack of miracles, sure miracles, that cannot be gainsaid; but those to which our opponents lay claim are mere delusions of Satan, inasmuch as they draw off the people from the true worship of God to vanity. 4. It is a calumny to represent us as opposed to the Fathers (I mean the ancient writers of a purer age), as if the Fathers were supporters of their impiety. Were the contest to be decided by such authority (to speak in the most moderate terms), the better part of the victory would be ours.2 While there is much that is admirable and wise in the writings of those Fathers, and while in some things it has fared with them as with ordinary men; these pious sons, forsooth, with the peculiar acuteness of intellect, and judgment, and soul, which belongs to them, adore only their slips and errors, while those things which are well said they either overlook, or disguise, or corrupt; so that it may be truly said their only care has been to gather dross among gold. Then, with dishonest clamour, they assail us as enemies and despisers of the Fathers. So far are we from despising them, that if this were the proper place, it would give us no trouble to support the greater part of the doctrines which we now hold by their suffrages. Still, in studying their writings, we have endeavoured to remember (1 Cor. iii. 21-23; see also Augustin. Ep. 28), that all things are ours, to serve, not lord it over us, but that we are Christ's only, and must obey him in all things without exception. He who does not draw this distinction will not have any fixed principles in religion; for those holy men were ignorant of many things, are often opposed to each other, and are sometimes at variance with themselves. It is not without cause (remark our opponents) we are thus warned by Solomon, " Eemove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set" (Prov. xxii. 28). But the same rule applies not to the measuring of fields and the obedience of faith. The rule applicable to the latter is, " Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house" (Ps. xlv. 10). But if they are so fond of allegory, why do they not understand the apostles, rather than any other class of Fathers, to be meant by those whose landmarks it is unlawful to remove ? This is the interpretation of Jerome, whose words they have quoted in their canons. But as regards those to whom they apply 1 Instead of " thought they were cured," the Ed. 1636 says simply, " they were cured" (curarentur). % " Ut modestissiine etiam loquar," not in the Ed 1536. TO THE KING OF FRANCE. 11 the passage, if they wish the landmarks to be fixed, why do they, whenever it suits their purpose, so freely overleap them ? Among the Fathers there were two, the one of whom said,1 " Our God neither eats nor drinks, and therefore has no need of chalices and salvers;" and the other,2 " Sacred rites do not require gold, and things which are not bought with gold, please not by gold." They step beyond the boundary, therefore, when in sacred matters they are so much delighted with gold, silver, ivory, marble, gems, and silks, that unless everything is overlaid with costly show, or rather insane luxury'', they think God is not duly worshipped. It was a Father who said,4 " He ate flesh freely on the day on which others abstained from it, because he was a Christian." They overleap the boundaries, therefore, when they doom to perdition every soul that, during Lent, shall have tasted flesh. There were two Fathers, the one of whom said,5 " A monk not labouring with his own hands is no better than a violent man and a robber;" and the other,6 " Monks, however assiduous they may be in study, meditation, and prayer, must not live by others." This boundary, too, they transgressed, when they placed lazy gormandising monks in dens and stews, to gorge themselves on other men's substance. It was a Father who said,7 " It is a horrid abomination to see in Christian temples a painted image either of Christ or of any saint." Nor was this pronounced by the voice of a single individual; but an Ecclesiastical Council also decreed,8 " Let nought that is worshipped be depicted on walls."9 Very far are they from keeping within these boundaries when they leave not a corner without images. Another Father counselled,10 " That after performing the office of humanity to the dead in their burial, we should leave them at rest." These limits they burst through when they keep up a perpetual anxiety about the dead. It is a Father who testifies,11 " That the substance of bread and wine in the Eucharist does not cease but remains, just as the nature and substance of man remains united to the Godhead in the Lord Jesus Christ." This boundary they pass in pretending that, as soon as the words of our Lord are pronounced, the substance of bread and wine ceases, and is transubstantiated into body and blood. 1 i. Acatius in lib. xi. cap 16, F. Triport. Hist. 2 ii. Ambr. lib. ii. De Officiis, cap. 28. 3 Instead of the words here translated—viz. " exquisite splendore Tel potiua insane luxu," the Ed. 1536 has only the word " luxu." * iii. Spiridion. Trip. Hist. lib. i. cap. 10. s iv. Trip. Hist. lib. viii. cap 1. 6 August. De Opere Monach cap 7. 7 vi. Bpiph. Epist. ab Hieron. versa. 8 vii. Cone. Elibert. can. 36. 9 No part of this sentence is in Ed 1536. 10 viii. Ambr de Abraha. lib. i. c. 7. 11 ix. Gelasius Papa in Cone. Bom. 12 PREFATORY ADDRESS They were Fathers, who, as they exhibited only one Eucharist to the whole Church,1 and kept back from it the profane and flagitious; so they, in the severest terms, censured all those2 who, being present, did not communicate How far have they removed these landmarks, in filling not churches only, but also private houses, with their masses, admitting all and sundry to be present, each the more willingly the more largely he pays, however wicked and impure he may be,—not inviting any one to faith in Christ and faithful communion in the sacraments, but rather vending their own work for the grace and merits of Christ!3 There were two Fathers, the one of whom decided that those were to be excluded altogether from partaking of Christ's sacred supper,4 who, contented with communion in one kind, abstained from the other; while the other Father strongly contendss that the blood of the Lord ought not to be denied to the Christian people, who, in confessing him, are enjoined to shed their own blood. These landmarks, also, they removed, when, by an unalterable law, they ordered the very thing which the former Father punished with excommunication, and the latter condemned for a valid reason. It was a Father who pronounced it rashness,6 in an obscure question, to decide in either way without clear and evident authority from Scripture. They forgot this landmark when they enacted so many constitutions, so many canons, and so many dogmatical decisions, without sanction from the word of God. It was a Father who reproved Montanus, among other heresies,7 for being the first who imposed laws of fasting. They have gone far beyond this landmark also in enjoining fasting under the strictest laws. It was a Father who denied8 that the ministers of the Church should be interdicted from marrying, and pronounced married life to be a state of chastity; and there were other Fathers who assented to his decision. These boundaries they overstepped in rigidly binding their priests to celibacy. It was a Father who thought9 that Christ only should be listened to, from its being said, "hear him;" and that regard is due not to what others before us have said or done, but only to what Christ, the 1 x. Chrys. in 1. cap. Ephes. 2 xi. Calixt. Papa, De Consecrat. dist. 2. 3 Instead of the whole passage, beginning at bottom of p. 11, "It is a Father who testifies," &c, the Ed. 1536 has the following sentence: "Ex patribus erat quinegavit in Sacramento ccenaa esse verum corpus sed mysterium duntaxat corporis; sic enim ad verbum loquitur." On the margin, reference is made to the author of an unfinished Tract on Matthew, forming the 11th Homil. among the works of Chrysostom. * xii. Gelas. can. Comperimus, De Consec. dist. 2. 5 xiii. Cypr. Epist. 2, lib. i. De Lapsis. 6 xiv. August, lib. ii. De Peccat. Mer. cap. uit. 1 xt. Apollon. De quo Eccles. Hist. lib. v. cap. 12. S xvi. Paphnut. Tripart. Hist. lib. ii. cap 14. » xvii. Cypr. Epist. 2, lib. ii. TO THE KING OF FRANCE. 13 head of aij, has commanded. This landmark they neither observe themselves nor allow to be observed by others, while they subject themselves and others to any master whatever, rather than Christ. There is a Father who contends1 that the Church ought not to prefer herself to Christ, who always judges truly, whereas ecclesiastical judges, who are but men, are generally deceived. Having burst through this barrier also, they hesitate not to suspend the whole authority of Scripture on the judgment of the Church.3 All the Fathers with one heart execrated, and with one mouth protested3 against, contaminating the word of God with the subtleties of sophists, and involving it in the brawls of dialecticians. Do they keep within these limits when the sole occupation of their lives is to entwine and entangle the simplicity of Scripture with endless disputes, and worse than sophistical jargon ? So much so, that were the Fathers to rise from their graves, and listen to the brawling art which bears the name of speculative theology, there is nothing they would suppose it less to be than a discussion of a religious nature. But my discourse would far exceed its just limits were I to show, in detail, how petulantly those men shake off the yoke of the Fathers, while they wish to be thought their most obedient sons. Months, nay, years would fail me; and yet so deplorable and desperate is their effrontery, that they presume to chastise us for overstepping the ancient landmarks! 5. Then, again, it is to no purpose they call us to the bar of custom. To make everything yield to custom would be to do the greatest injustice. Were the judgments of mankind correct, custom would be regulated by the good. But it is often far otherwise in point of fact; for, whatever the many are seen to do, forthwith obtains the force of custom. But human affairs have scarcely ever been so happily constituted as that the better course pleased the greater number. Hence the private vices of the multitude have generally resulted in public error, or rather that common consent in vice which these worthy men would have to be law. Any one with eyes may perceive that it is not one flood of evils which has deluged us; that many fatal plagues have invaded the globe; that all things rush headlong; so that either the affairs of men must be altogether despaired of, or we must not only resist, but boldly attack prevailing evils. The cure is prevented by no other cause than the length of time during which we have been accustomed to the disease. But be it so that public error must have a place in human society, still, in the kingdom of God, we must look and listen only to his eternal truth, against which no series of years, no custom, no conspiracy, can plead prescription. Thus Isaiah for- xtJU Aug. cap. 2, Cont. Cresconium Grammat. 2 No part of this passage Is in Ed. 1586. 3 xix. Calv. De Scholast. Doctor. Judicium. Vid. Book II. cap. H. sec. 6; Book III. cap. iT. sec. 1, 2, 7, 18,14, 26-29; Book III. cap. xi. sec. 14, 16; Book IV. cap xviii. gee. 1; and cap. ziz. sec. 10,11, 22, 23. 14 PREFATORY ADDRESS merly taught the people of God, " Say ye not, A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall say, A confederacy;" i.e. do not unite with the people in an impious consent; " neither fear ye their fear, nor he afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him he your dread" (Is. viii. 12). Now, therefore, let them, if they will, object to us both past ages and present examples ; if we sanctify the Lord of hosts, we shall not be greatly afraid. Though many ages should have consented to like ungodliness, He is strong who taketh vengeance to the third and fourth generation; or the whole world should league together in the same iniquity. He taught experimentally what the end is of those who sin with the multitude, when He destroyed the whole human race with a flood, saving Noah with his little family, who, by putting his faith in Him alone, "condemned the world" (Heb. xi. 7). In short, depraved custom is just a kind of general pestilence in which men perish not the less that they fall in a crowd. It were well, moreover, to ponder the observation of Cyprian,1 that those who sin in ignorance, though they cannot be entirely exculpated, seem, however, to be, in some sense, excusable; whereas those who obstinately reject the truth, when presented to them by the kindness of God, have no defence to offer.2 6. Their dilemma does not push us so violently as to oblige us to confess, either that the Church was a considerable time without life, or that we have now a quarrel with the Church. The Church of Christ assuredly has lived, and will live, as long as Christ shall reign at the right hand of the Father. By his hand it is sustained, by his protection defended, by his mighty power preserved in safety. For what he once undertook he will undoubtedly perform, he will be with his people always, "even to the end of the world" (Matth. xxviii. 20). With the Church we wage no war, since, with one consent, in common with the whole body of the faithful, we worship and adore one God, and Christ Jesus the Lord, as all the pious have always adored him. But they themselves err not a little from the truth in not recognising any church but that which they behold with the bodily eye, and in endeavouring to circumscribe it by limits, within which it cannot be confined. The hinges on which tne controversy turns are these: first, in their contending that the form of the Church is always visible and apparent ; and, secondly, in their placing this form in the see of the Church of Bome and its hierarchy. We, on the contrary, maintain, both that the Church may exist without any apparent form, and, moreover, that the form is not ascertained by that external splendour whieh they foolishly admire, but by a very different mark, namely, by the pure preaching of the word of God, and the due administration of 1 Epist. 3, lib. ii.; et in Epist ad Julian. De Hxeret. Baptiz. 2 No part of this sentence is in ed. 1536. TO THE RING OF FRANCE. 15 the sacraments. They make an outcry whenever the Church cannot be pointed to with the finger. But how oft was it the fate of the Church among the Jews to be so defaced that no comeliness appeared? What do we suppose to have been the splendid form when Elijah complained that he was left alone ? (1 Kings xix. 14). How long after the advent of Christ did it lie hid without form? How often since has it been so oppressed by wars, seditions, and heresies, that it was nowhere seen in splendour ? Had they lived at that time, would they have believed there was any Church? But Elijah learned that there remained seven thousand men who had not bowed the knee to Baal; nor ought we to doubt that Christ has always reigned on earth ever since he ascended to heaven. Had the faithful at that time required some discernible form, must they not have forthwith given way to despondency ? And, indeed, Hilary accounted it a very great fault in his day, that men were so possessed with a foolish admiration of Episcopal dignity as not to perceive the deadly hydra lurking under that mask. His words are (Cont. Auxentium), " One advice I give: Beware of Antichrist; for, unhappily, a love of walls has seized you; unhappily, the Church of Q-od which you venerate exists in houses and buildings; unhappily, under these you find the name of peace. Is it doubtful that in these Antichrist will have his seat ? Safer to me are mountains, and woods, and lakes, and dungeons, and whirlpools; since in these prophets, dwelling or immersed, did prophesy." And what is it at the present day that the world venerates in its horned bishops, unless that it imagines those who are seen presiding over celebrated cities to be holy prelates of religion ? Away, then, with this absurd mode of judging!J Let us rather reverently admit, that as God alone knows who are his, so he may sometimes withdraw the external manifestation of his Church from the view of men. This, I allow, is a fearful punishment which God sends on the earth; but if the wickedness of men so deserves, why do we strive to oppose the just vengeance of God?2 It was thus that God, in past ages, punished the ingratitude of men ; for after they had refused to obey his truth, and had extinguished his light, he allowed them, when blinded by sense, both to be deluded by lying vanities and plunged in thick darkness, so that no face of a true Church appeared. Meanwhile, however, though his own people were dispersed and concealed amidst errors and darkness, he saved them from destruction. No wonder; for he knew how to preserve them even in the confusion of Babylon and the flame of the fiery furnace. But as to the wish that the form of the Church should be ascertained by some kind of vain pomp, how perilous it is I will briefly indicate, rather than explain, that I may not exceed all bounds. 1 No part of the passage beginning above is in the Ed. 1536 a In the last Ed., "justw Dei ultionis;" in Ed. 1536, " divin divinse zustitise." 16 PKEFATOET ADDRESS What they say is, that the Pontiff,1 who holds the apostolic see, and the priests who are anointed and consecrated by him,2 provided they have the insignia of fillets and mitres, represent the Church, and ought to be considered as in the place of the Church, and therefore cannot err. Why so ? because they are pastors of the Church, and consecrated to the Lord. And were not Aaron and other prefects of Israel pastors ? But Aaron and his sons, though already set apart to the priesthood, erred notwithstanding when they made the calf (Bxod. xxxii. 4). Why, according to this view, should not the four hundred prophets who bed to Ahab represent the Church ? (1 Kings xxii.ll, &c.) The Church, however, stood on the side of Micaiah. He was alone, indeed, and despised, but from his mouth the truth proceeded. Did not the prophets also exhibit both the name and face of the Church, when, with one accord, they rose up against Jeremiah, and with menaces boasted of it as a thing impossible that the law should perish from the priest, or counsel from the wise, or the word from the prophet? (Jer. xviii. 18). In opposition to the whole body of the prophets* Jeremiah is sent alone to declare from the Lord (Jer. iv. 9),. that a time would come when the law would perish from the priest, counsel from the wise, and the word from the prophet. Was not like splendour displayed in that council when the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees assembled to consult how they might put Jesus to death ? Let them go, then, and cling to the external mask, while they make Christ and all the prophets of God schismatics, and, on the other hand, make Satan's ministers the organs of the Holy Spirit! But if they are sincere, let them answer me in good faith,—in what place, and among whom, do they think the Church resided, after the Council of Basle degraded and deposed Eugenius from the popedom, and substituted Amadeus in his place ? Do their utmost, they cannot deny that that Council was legitimate as far as regards external forms, and was summoned not only by one Pontiff, but by two. Eugenius, with the whole herd of cardinals and bishops who had joined him in plotting the dissolution of the Council, was there condemned of contumacy, rebellion, and schism. Afterwards, however, aided by the favour of princes, he got back his popedom safe. The election of Amadeus, duly made by the authority of a general holy synod, went to smoke; only he himself was appeased with a cardinal's cap, lite a piece of offal thrown to a barking dog. Out of the lap of these rebellious and contumacious schismatics proceeded all future popes, cardinals, bishops, abbots, and presbyters. Here they are caught, and cannot escape. For, on which party will they bestow the name of Church ? Will they deny it to have been a general Council, though it lacked nothing as regards external majesty, having been solemnly 1 " Papa Romanus," in the Ed. 1636. 2 Instead of the words, " qui ab eo instites inuncti et consecrati, infulis modo et lituis insigniti aunt," the Ed. 1686 has only " episcopi alii." TO THE KING OP FRANCE. 17 called by two bulls, consecrated by the legate of the Roman See as its president, constituted regularly in all respects, and continuing in possession of all its honours to the last ? Will they admit that Eugenius, and his whole train, through whom they have all been consecrated, were schismatical ? Let them, then, either define the form of the Church differently, or, however numerous they are, we will hold them all to be schismatics in having knowingly and willingly received ordination from heretics. But had it never been discovered before that the Church is not tied to external pomp, we are furnished with a lengthened proof in their own conduct, in proudly vending themselves to the world under the specious title of Church, notwithstanding that they are the deadly pests of the Church. I speak not of their manners and of those tragical atrocities with which their whole life teems, since it is said that they are Pharisees who should be heard, not imitated. By devoting some portion of your leisure to our writings, you will see, not obscurely, that their doctrine—the very doctrine to which they say it is owing that they are the Church—is a deadly murderer of souls, the firebrand, ruin, and destruction of the Church. 7. Lastly, they are fax from candid when they invidiously number up the disturbances, tumults, and disputes, which the preaching of our doctrine has brought in its train, and the fruits which, in many instances, it now produces; for the doctrine itself is undeservedly charged with evils which ought to be ascribed to the malice of Satan. It is one of the characteristics of the divine word, that whenever it appears, Satan ceases to slumber and sleep. This is the surest and most unerring test for distinguishing it from false doctrines which readily betray themselves, while they are received by all with willing ears, and welcomed by an applauding world. Accordingly, for several ages, during which all things were immersed in profound darkness, almost all mankind1 were mere jest and sport to the god of this world, who, like any Sardanapalus, idled and luxuriated undisturbed. For what else could he do but laugh and sport while in tranquil and undisputed possession of his kingdom ? But when light beaming from above somewhat dissipated the darkness—when the strong man arose and aimed a blow at his kingdom—then, indeed, he began to shake off his wonted torpor, and rush to arms. And first he stirred up the hands of men, that by them he might violently suppress the dawning truth; but when this availed him not, he turned to snares, exciting dissensions and disputes about doctrine by means of his Catabaptists, and other portentous miscreants, that he might thus obscure, and, at length, extinguish the truth. And now he persists in assailing it with both engines, endeavouring to pluck up the true seed by the violent hand of man, and striving, as much as in him lies, to ehoke it with his tares, that it may not grow and bear fruit. But it will be in vain, if we listen to the admonition of the Lord, who long ago disclosed his 1 For "cuucti fere mortales " the Ed. 1536 has only "homines." VOL. I. B 18 PREFATORY ADDRESS wiles, that we might not be taken unawares, and armed us with full protection against all his machinations. But how malignant to throw upon the word of God itself the blame either of the seditions which wicked men and rebels, or of the sects which impostors stir up against it! The example, however, is not new. Elijah was interrogated whether it were not he that troubled Israel. Christ was seditious, according to the Jews ; and the apostles were charged with the crime of popular commotion. What else do those who, in the present day, impute to us all the disturbances, tumults, and contentions which break out against us ? Elijah, however, has taught us our answer (1 Kings xviii. 17, 18). It is not we who disseminate errors or stir up tumults, but they who resist the mighty power of God. But while this single answer is sufficient to rebut the rash charges of these men, it is necessary, on the other hand, to consult for the weakness of those who take the alarm at such scandals, and not un-frequently waver in perplexity. But that they may not fall away in this perplexity, and forfeit their good degree, let them know that the apostles in their day experienced the very things which now befall us. There were then unlearned and unstable men who, as Peter tells us (2 Pet. iii. 16), wrested the inspired writings of Paul to their own destruction. There were despisers of God, who, when they heard that sin abounded in order that grace might more abound, immediately inferred, " We will continue in sin that grace may abound" (Horn. vi. 1) ; when they heard that believers were not under the law, but under grace, forthwith sung out, " We will sin because we are not under the law, but under grace" (Eom. vi. 15). There were some who charged the apostle with being the minister of sin. Many false prophets entered in privily to pull down the churches which he had reared. Some preached the gospel through envy and strife, not sincerely (Phil. i. 15)—maliciously even—thinking to add affliction to his bonds. Elsewhere the gospel made little progress. All sought their own, not the things which were Jesus Christ's. Others went back like the dog to his vomit, or the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Great numbers perverted their spiritual freedom to carnal licentiousness. False brethren crept in to the imminent danger of the faithful. Among the brethren themselves various quarrels arose. What, then, were the apostles to do ? Were they either to dissemble for the time, or rather lay aside and abandon that gospel which they saw to be the seed-bed of so many strifes, the source of so many perils, the occasion of so many scandals? In straits of this kind, they remembered that " Christ was a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence," " set up for the fall and rising again of many," and " for a sign to be spoken against" (Luke ii. 34) ; and, armed with this assurance, they proceeded boldly through all perils from tumults and scandals. It becomes us to be supported by the same consideration, since Paul declares that it is a never-failing characteristic of the gospel to be a " savour of death unto TO THE KING OF FRANCE. 19 death in them that perish" (2 Cor. ii. 16), although rather destined to us for the purpose of being a savour of life unto Me, and the power of God for the salvation of believers. This we should certainly experience it to be, did we not by our ingratitude corrupt this unspeakable gift of God, and turn to our destruction what ought to be our only saving defence.1 But to return, Sire.2 Be not moved by the absurd insinuations with which our adversaries are striving to frighten you into the belief that nothing else is wished and aimed at by this new gospel (Tor so they term it), than opportunity for sedition and impunity for all kinds of vice. Our God3 is not the author of division, but of peace; and the Son of God, who came to destroy the works of the devil, is not the minister of sin. We, too, are undeservedly charged with desires of a kind for which we have never given even the smallest suspicion. We, forsooth, meditate the subversion of kingdoms; we, whose voice was never heard in faction, and whose life, while passed under you, is known to have been always quiet and simple; even now, when exiled from our home, we nevertheless cease not to pray for all prosperity to your person and your kingdom. We, forsooth, are aiming after an unchecked indulgence in vice, in whose manners, though there is much to be blamed, there is nothing which deserves such an imputation; nor (thank God) have we profited so little in the gospel that our life may not be to these slanderers an example of chastity, kindness, pity, temperance, patience, moderation, or any other virtue. It is plain, indeed, that we fear God sincerely, and worship him in truth, since, whether by life or by death, we desire his name to be hallowed; and hatred herself has been forced to bear testimony to the innocence and civil integrity of some of our people on whom death was inflicted for the very thing which deserved the highest praise. But if any, under pretext of the gospel, excite tumults (none such have as yet been detected in your realm), if any use the liberty of the grace of God as a cloak for licentiousness (I know of numbers who do), there are laws and legal punishments by which they may be punished up to the measure of their deserts-only, in the mean time, let not the gospel of God be evil spoken of because of the iniquities of evil men. Sire,4 That you may not lend too credulous an ear to the accusations of our enemies, their virulent injustice has been set before you at sufficient length ; I fear even more than sufficient, since this preface has grown almost to the bulk of a full apology. My object, however, was not to frame a defence, but only with a view to the hearing 1 Instead of the concluding part of the sentence beginning " though rather," &c, and stopping at the reference, the Ed. 1636 simply continues the quotation " odor vital in vitam iis qui salvi sunt." 2 Instead of " Re?" simply, the Ed. 1686 has "magnanime Eex.' 3 Instead of " Deus noster," the Ed 1536 has only " Deus " * In Ed. 1586, " Bex magnificentissime " 20 PBEFATORY ADDEESS, ETC. of our cause, to mollify your mind, now indeed turned away and estranged from us—I add, even inflamed against us—but whose good will, we are confident, we should regain, would you but once, with calmness and composure, read this our Confession, which we desire your Majesty to accept instead of a defence. But if the whispers of the malevolent so possess your ear, that the accused are to have no opportunity of pleading their cause; if those vindictive furies, with your connivance, are always to rage with bonds, scourgings, tortures, maimings, and burnings, we, indeed, like sheep doomed to slaughter, shall be reduced to every extremity; yet so that, in our patience, we will possess our souls, and wait for the strong hand of the Lord, which, doubtless, will appear in its own time, and show itself armed, both to rescue the poor from affliction, and also take vengeance on the despisers, who are now exulting so securely.1 Most illustrious King, may the Lord, the King of kings, establish your throne in righteousness, and your sceptre in equity. Basle, 1st Augutl 1586. 1 The words, " qui tanta seouritate nuno exsultant," not in Ed. 1586. THE EPISTLE TO THE KEADER [prefixed to the second edition, published at steasbueo in 1539.] In the First Edition of this work, having no expectation of the success which God has, in his goodness, been pleased to give it, I had, for the greater part, performed my office perfunctorily, as is usual in trivial undertakings. But when I perceived that almost all the godly had received it with a favour which I had never dared to wish, far less to hope for, being sincerely conscious that I had received much more than I deserved, I thought I should be very ungrateful if I did not endeavour, at least according to my humble ability, to respond to the great kindness which had been expressed towards me, and which spontaneously urged me to diligence. I therefore ask no other favour from the studious for my new work than that which they have already bestowed upon me beyond my merits. I feel so much obliged, that I shall be satisfied if I am thought not to have made a bad return for the gratitude I owe. This return I would have made much earlier, had not the Lord, for almost two whole years, exercised me in an extraordinary manner. But it is soon enough if well enough. I shall think it has appeared in good season when I perceive that it produces some fruit to the Church of God. I may add, that my object in this work was to prepare and train students of theology for the study of the sacred volume, so that they might both have an easy introduction to it, and be able to proceed in it, with unfaltering step, seeing I have endeavoured to give such a summary of religion in all its parts, and have digested it into such an order as may make it not difficult for any one, who is rightly acquainted with it, to ascertain both what he ought principally to look for in Scripture, and also to what head he ought to refer whatever is contained in it. Having thus, as it were, paved the way, I shall not feel it necessary, in any Commentaries on Scripture which I may afterwards publish, to enter into long discussions of doctrine, or dilate on common places, and will, therefore, always compress them. In this way the pious reader will be saved much trouble and weariness, provided he comes furnished with a knowledge of the present work as an essential prerequisite. As my Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans will give a specimen of this plan, I would much rather let it speak for itself than declare it in words. Farewell, dear reader, and if you derive any fruit from my labours, give me the benefit of your prayers to the Lord. Steasbceq, lit August 1639 SUBJECT OF THE PEESENT WORK. [PREFIXED TO THE FRENCH EDITION, PUBLISHED AT GENEVA IN 1545.] In order that my readers may be the better able to profit by the present work, I am desirous briefly to point out the advantage which they may derive from it. For by so doing I will show them the end at which they ought to aim, and to which they ought to give their attention in reading it. Although the Holy Scriptures contain a perfect doctrine, to which nothing can be added—our Lord having been pleased therein to unfold the infinite treasures of his wisdom—still every person, not intimately acquainted with them, stands in need of some guidance and direction, as to what he ought to look for in them, that he may not wander up and down, but pursue a certain path, and so attain the end to which the Holy Spirit invites him. Hence it is the duty of those who have received from God more light than others to assist the simple in this matter, and, as it were, lend them their hand to guide and assist them in finding the sum of what G-od has been pleased to teach us in his word. Now, this cannot be better done in writing than by treating in succession of the principal matters which are comprised in Christian philosophy. For he who understands these will be prepared to make more progress in the school of God in one day than any other person in three months, inasmuch as he, in a great measure, knows to what he should refer each sentence, and has a rule by which to test whatever is presented to him. Seeing, then, how necessary it was in this manner to aid those who desire to be instructed in the doctrine of salvation, I have endeavoured, according to the ability which God has given me, to employ myself in so doing, and with this view have composed the present book. And first I wrote it in Latin, that it might be serviceable to all studious persons, of what nation soever they might be; afterwards, desiring to communicate any fruit which might be in it to my French countrymen, I translated it into our own tongue. I dare not bear SUBJECT OF THE PBESENT WORK. 23 too strong a testimony in its favour, and declare how profitable the reading of it will be, lest I should seem to prize my own work too highly. However, I may promise this much, that it will be a kind of key opening up to all the children of God a right and ready access to the understanding of the sacred volume. Wherefore, should our Lord give me henceforth means and opportunity of composing some Commentaries, I will use the greatest possible brevity, as there will be no occasion to make long digressions, seeing that I have in a manner deduced at length all the articles which pertain to Christianity. And since we are bound to acknowledge that all truth and sound doctrine proceed from G-od, I will venture boldly to declare what I think of this work, acknowledging it to be God's work rather than mine. To him, indeed, the praise due to it must be ascribed. My opinion of the work then is this: I exhort all who reverence the word of the Lord, to read it, and diligently imprint it on their memory, if they would, in the first place, have a summary of Christian doctrine, and, 'n the second place, an introduction to the profitable reading both of the Old and New Testament. When they shall have done so, they will know by experience that I have not wished to impose upon them with words. Should any one be unable to comprehend all that is contained in it, he must not, however, give it up in despair; but continue always to read on, hoping that one passage will give him a more familiar exposition of another. Above all things, I would recommend that recourse be had to Scripture in considering the proofs which I adduce from it. EPISTLE TO THE KEADEB. [prefixed to the last edition, revised by the acthor.] Ik the first edition of this work, having not the least expectation of the success which God, in his boundless goodness, has been pleased to give it, I had, for the greater part, performed my task in a perfunctory manner (as is usual in trivial undertakings) ; but when I understood that it had been received, by almost all the pious, with a favour which I had never dared to ask, far less to hope for, the more I was sincerely conscious that the reception was beyond my deserts, the greater I thought my gratitude would be, if, to the very kind wishes which had been expressed towards me, and which seemed of their own accord to invite me to diligence, I did not endeavour to respond, at least according to my humble ability. This I attempted not only in the second edition, but in every subsequent one the work has received some improvement. But though I do not regret the labour previously expended, I never felt satisfied until the work was arranged in the order in which it now appears. Now I trust it will approve itself to the judgment of all my readers. As a clear proof of the diligence with which I have laboured to perform this service to the Church of God, I may be permitted to mention, that last winter, when I thought I was dying of quartan ague, the more the disorder increased, the less I spared myself, in order that I might leave this book behind me, and thus make some return to the pious for their kind urgency. I could have wished to give it sooner, but it is soon enough if good enough. I shall think it has appeared in good time when I see it more productive of benefit than formerly to the Church of God. This is my only wish. And truly it would fare ill with me if, not contented with the approbation of God alone, I were unable to despise the foolish and perverse censures of ignorant, as well as the malicious and unjust censures of ungodly men. For although, by the blessing of God, my most ardent desire has been to advance his kingdom, and promote the public good,—although I feel perfectly conscious, and take EPISTLE TO THE READER. 25 God and his angels to witness, that ever since I began to discharge the office of teacher in the Church, my only object has been to do good to the Church, by maintaining the pure doctrine of godliness; yet I believe there never was a man more assailed, stung, and torn by calumny—[as well by the declared enemies of the truth of God, as by many worthless persons who have crept into his Church—as well by monks who have brought forth their frocks from their cloisters to spread infection wherever they come, as by other miscreants not better than they1]. After this letter to the reader was in the press, I had undoubted information that, at Augsburg, where the Imperial Diet was held, a rumour of my defection to the papacy was circulated, and entertained in the courts of the princes more readily than might have been expected.2 This, forsooth, is the return made me by those who certainly are not unaware of numerous proofs of my constancy— proofs which, while they rebut the foul charge, ought to have defended me against it, with all humane and impartial judges. But the devil, with all his crew, is mistaken if he imagines that, by assailing me with vile falsehoods, he can either cool my zeal or diminish my exertions. I trust that God, in his infinite goodness, will enable me to persevere with unruffled patience in the course of his holy vocation. Of this I give the pious reader a new proof in the present edition. I may further observe, that my object in this work has been, so to prepare and train candidates for the sacred office, for the study of the sacred volume, that they may both have an easy introduction to it, and be able to prosecute it with unfaltering step; for, if I mistake not, I have given a summary of religion in all its parts, and digested it in an order which will make it easy for any one, who rightly comprehends it, to ascertain both what he ought chiefly to look for in Scripture, and also to what head he ought to refer whatever is contained in it. Having thus, as it were, paved the way, as it will be unnecessary, in any Commentaries on Scripture which I may afterwards publish, to enter into long discussions of doctrinal points, and enlarge on commonplaces, I will compress them into narrow compass. In this way much trouble and fatigue will be spared to the pious reader, provided he comes prepared with a knowledge of the present work as an indispensable prerequisite. The system here followed being set forth as in a mirror in all my Commentaries, I think it better to let it speak for itself than to give any verbal explanation of it. 1 The passage in brackets occurs only in the French original. The words are as follows: " Tant des ennemis manifestes de la verite de Dieu, que de beaucoup de canailles qui se sont fourrez en son Eglise : tant des Moines qui ont apporte leurs frocs hors de leurs cloistres pour infecter le lieu ou ils venoyent, que d'autres vilains qui ne valent pas mieux qu'eux." 2 The words in the French are, " Avec trop grande facilite; ce qui monstroit que beaucoup de meschans hypocrites, faisans profession de l'Evangile, eussent bien voulu qu'ainsi fust." With too great facility; showing that many wicked hypocrites, making profession of the gospel, would have been very glad it had been so. 26 EPISTLE TO THE HEADER. Farewell, kind reader: if you derive any benefit from my labours, aid me with your prayers to our heavenly Father. Geneva, 1st August 1559. The zeal of those whose cause I undertook, Has swelled a short defence into a book. " I profess to be one of those who, by profiting, write, and by writing profit."—Augustine, Epist. vii. METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT, OE SUBJECT OF THE WHOLE WOBK. [from an epitome of the institutions, by gaspar oleyian.] The subject handled by the author of these Christian Institutes is twofold: the former, the knowledge of God, which leads to a blessed immortality; and the latter (which is subordinate to the former), the knowledge of ourselves. With this view the author simply adopts the arrangement of the Apostles' Creed, as that with which all Christians are most familiar. For as the Creed consists of four parts, the first relating to God the Father, the second to the Son, the third to the Holy Spirit, and the fourth to the Church, so the author, in fulfilment of his task, divides his Institutes into four parts, corresponding to those of the Creed. Each of these parts it will now be proper to explain separately. I. The first article of the Apostles' Creed is concerning God the Father, the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, as implied in his omnipotence. Accordingly, the First Book of the Institutes treats of the knowledge of God, considered as the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the world, and of everything contained in it. It shows both wherein the true knowledge of the Creator consists, and what the end of this knowledge is, chap. i. and ii.; that it is not learned at school, but that every one is self-taught it from the womb, chap. iii. Such, however, is man's depravity, that he stifles and corrupts this knowledge, partly by ignorance, partly by  %wicked design; and hence does not by means of it either glorify God as he ought, or attain to happiness, chap. iv. This inward knowledge is aided from without, namely, by the creatures in which, as in a mirror, the perfections of God may be contemplated. But man does not properly avail himself of this assistance; and hence to those to whom God is pleased to make himself more intimately known for salvation, he communicates his written word. This leads to a consideration of the Holy Scriptures, in which God has revealed that not the Father only, but along with the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, is thatx Creator of heaven and earth whom, in consequence of our 28 METHOD AND ARKANGEMBNT innate depravity, we were unable, either from innate natural knowledge or the beautiful mirror of the world, to know so as to glorify. Here the author treats of the manifestation of God in Scripture; and in connection with it, of the one divine essence in three persons. But, lest man should lay the blame of his voluntary blindness on God, the author shows in what state man was created at first, introducing dissertations on the image of God, free will, and original righteousness. The subject of Creation being thus disposed of, the preservation and government of the world is considered in the three last chapters, which contain a very full discussion of the doctrine of Divine Providence. II. As man, by sinning, forfeited the privileges conferred on him at his creation, recourse must be had to Christ. Accordingly, the next article in the Creed is, And in Jesus Christ his only Son, dtc. In like manner, the Second Book of the Institutes treats of the knowledge of God considered as a Kedeemer in Christ, and, showing man his fall, conducts him to Christ the Mediator. Here the subject of original sin is considered, and it is shown that man has no means within himself by which he can escape from guilt and the impending curse: that, on the contrary, until he is reconciled and renewed, everything that proceeds from him is of the nature of sin. This suh-ject is considered as far as the vi. chapter. Man being thus utterly undone in himself, and incapable of working out his own cure by thinking a good thought, or doing what is acceptable to God, must seek redemption without himself—viz. in Christ. The end for which the Law was given, was not to secure worshippers for itself, but to conduct them unto Christ. This leads to an exposition of the Moral Law. Christ was known to the Jews under the Law as the author of salvation, but is more fully revealed under the Gospel in which he was manifested to the world. Hence arises the doctrine concerning the similarity and difference of the two Testaments, the Old and the New, the Law and the Gospel. These topics occupy as far as the xii. chapter. It is next shown that, in order to secure a complete salvation, it was necessary that the eternal Son of God should become man, and assume a true human nature. It is also shown in what way these two natures constitute one person. In order to purchase a full salvation by his own merits, and effectually apply it, Christ was appointed to the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. The mode in which Christ performs these offices is considered, and also whether in point of fact he did accomplish the work of redemption. Here an exposition is given of the articles relating to Christ's death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. In conclusion, it is proved that Christ is rightly and properly said to have merited divine grace and salvation for us. III. So long as Christ is separated from us we have no benefit from him. We must be ingrafted in him like branches in the vine. Hence the Creed, after treating of Christ, proceeds in its third article, / believe in the Holy Spirit,—the Holy Spirit being the bond of OF THE PRESENT WORK. 29 union between us and Christ. In like manner, the Third Book of the Institutes treats of the Holy Spirit which unites us to Christ, and, in connection with it, of faith, by which we embrace Christ with a double benefit—viz. that of gratuitous righteousness, which he imputes to us, and regeneration, which he begins in us by giving us repentance. In order to show the worthlessness of a faith which is not accompanied with a desire of repentance, the author, before pro ceeding to a full discussion of justification, treats at length from chapter iii.-x. of repentance, and the constant study of it—repentance which Christ, when apprehended by faith, begets in us by his Spirit. Chapter xi. treats of the primary and peculiar benefit of Christ when united to us by the Holy Spirit—viz. justification. This subject is continued to the xx. chapter, which treats of prayer, the hand, as it were, to receive the blessings which faith knows to be treasured up for it with God, according to the word of promise. But, as the Holy Spirit, who creates and preserves our faith, does not unite all men to Christ, who is the sole author of salvation, chapter xxi. treats of the eternal election of God, to which it is owing that we, in whom he foresaw no good which he had not previously bestowed, are given to Christ, and united to him by the effectual calling of the Gospel. This subject is continued to the xxv. chapter, which treats of complete regeneration and felicity, namely, the final resurrection to which we must raise our eyes, seeing that, in regard to fruition, the happiness of the godly is only begun in this world. IV. Since the Holy Spirit does not ingraft all men into Christ, or endue them with faith, and those whom he does so endue he does not ordinarily endue without means, but uses for that purpose the preaching of the Gospel and the dispensation of the Sacraments, together with the administration of all kinds of discipline, the Creed contains the following article, I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, namely, that Church which, when lying in eternal death, the Father, by gratuitous election, freely reconciled to himself in Christ and endued with the Holy Spirit, that, being ingrafted into Christ, it might have communion with him as its proper head; whence flow perpetual remission of sins, and full restoration to eternal life; Accordingly, the Church is treated of in the first fourteen chapters of the Fourth Book, which thereafter treats of the means which the Holy Spirit employs in calling us effectually from spiritual death, and preserving the Church, in other words, Baptism and the Lord's" Supper. These means are, as it were, the royal sceptre of Christ, by which, through the efficacy of his Spirit, he commences his spiritual reign in the Church, advances it from day to day, and after this life, without the use of means, finally perfects it. This subject is continued to the xx. chapter. And because civil governments are, in this life, the hospitable entertainers (hospitia) of the Church (though civil government is distinct from the spiritual kingdom of Christ), the author shows how great 30 METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT, ETC. blessings they are, blessings which the Church is bound gratefully to acknowledge, until we are called away from this tabernacle to the heavenly inheritance, where God will be all in all. Such is the arrangement of the Institutes, which may be thus summed up: Man being at first created upright, but afterwards being not partially but totally ruined, finds his entire salvation out of himself in Christ, to whom being united by the Holy Spirit freely given, without any foresight of future works, he thereby obtains a double blessing—viz. full imputation of righteousness, which goes along with us even to the grave, and the commencemeut of sanctification, which daily advances till at length it is perfected in the day of regeneration or resurrection of the body, and this, in order that the great mercy of God maybe celebrated in the heavenly mansions throughout eternity. GENEEAL INDEX OF CHAPTEKS. BOOK FIEST. OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE CREATOR. Eighteen Chapters. I. Connection between the Knowledge of God and the Knowledge of Ourselves. Nature of the connection. II. What it is to Know God. Tendency of this Knowledge. III. The Human Mind naturally imbued with the Knowledge of God. IV. This knowledge stifled or corrupted, ignorantly or mali- ciously. V. The Knowledge of God displayed in the fabric and constant Government of the Universe. VI. The need of Scripture as a Guide and Teacher in coming to God as a Creator. VII. The Testimony of the Spirit necessary to give full authority to Scripture. The impiety of pretending that the Credibility of Scripture depends on the j udgment of the Church. VIII. The Credibility of Scripture sufficiently proved, in so far as Natural Keason admits. IX. All the principles of piety subverted by fanatics, who substitute revelations for Scripture. X. In Scripture, the true God opposed exclusively, to all the gods of the Heathen. XI. Impiety of attributing a visible form to God. The setting up of Idols a revolt against the True God. XII. God distinguished from Idols, that He may be the exclusive object of Worship. XIII. The Unity of the Divine Essence in Three Persons taught, in Scripture, from the foundation of the World. XIV. In the Creation of the World, and all things in it, the True God distinguished by certain marks from fictitious gods. XV. State in which man was created. The Faculties of the Soul—The Image of God—Free Will—Original Kight-eousness. 32 GENERAL INDEX OF CHAPTERS. XVI. The World, created by God, still cherished and protected by Him. Each and all of its parts governed by His Providence. XVII. Use to be made of this Doctrine. XVIII. The instrumentality of the wicked employed by God, while He continues free from every taint. BOOK SECOND. OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE REDEEMEB, IN CHRIST, AS FIRST MANIFESTED TO THE FATHERS DNDER THE LAW, AND THEREAFTER TO US UNDER THE GOSPEL. Seventeen Chapters. I. Through the Fall and revolt of Adam the whole Human Race made accursed and degenerate. Of Original Sin. II. Man now deprived of Freedom of Will, and miserably enslaved. . III. Everything proceeding from the corrupt Nature of Man damnable. IV. How God works in the hearts of men. V. The Arguments usually alleged in support of Free Will refuted VI. .Redemption for lost man to be sought in Christ. VII. The Law given, not to retain a people for itself, but to keep alive the Hope of Salvation in Christ until his Advent. VIII. Exposition of the Moral Law. IX. Christ, though known to the Jews under the Law, yet only manifested under the Gospel. X. The resemblance between the Old Testament and the New. XI. The difference between the two Testaments. XII. Christ, to perform the office of Mediator, behoved to become man. XIII. Christ clothed with fee true substance of Human Nature. XIV. How two natures constitute the Person of the Mediator. XV. Three things chiefly to be regarded in Christ—viz. his Offices of Prophet, King, and Priest. XVI. How Christ performed the Office of Redeemer in procuring our salvation. The Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ. XVII. Christ rightly and properly said to have merited Grace and Salvation for us. GENERAL INDEX OF CHAPTERS. 33 BOOK THIRD. THE MODE OF OBTAINING THE GRACE OP CHRIST. THE BENEFITS IT CONFERS, AND THE EFFECTS RESULTING FROM IT. Twenty-Five Chapters. I. The Benefits of Christ made available to us by the Secret Operation of the Spirit. II. Of Faith. The Definition of it. Its peculiar properties. III. Regeneration by Faith. Of Repentance. IV. Penitence, as explained in the sophistical jargon of the Schoolmen, widely different from the purity required by the Gospel. Of Confession and Satisfactions. V. Of the modes of Supplementing Satisfactions—viz. Indulgences and Purgatory. VI. The Life of a Christian Man. Scriptural Arguments exhorting to it. VII. A Summary of the Christian Life. Of Self-Denial, VIII. Of Bearing the Cross—one branch of Self-Denial. IX. Of Meditating on the Future Life. X. How to use the Present Life, and the comforts of it. XI. Of Justification by Faith. Both the name and the reality defined. XII. Necessity of contemplating the Judgment-seat of God, in order to be seriously convinced of the Doctrine of Gratuitous Justification. XIII. Two things to be observed in Gratuitous Justification. XIV. The beginning of Justification. In what sense progressive. XV. The boasted merit of Works subversive, both of the Glory of God in bestowing Righteousness and of the certainty of Salvation. XVI. Refutation of the Calumnies by which it is attempted to throw odium on this doctrine. XVII. The Promises of the Law and the Gospel reconciled. XVIII. The Righteousness of Works improperly inferred from Rewards. XIX. Of Christian Liberty. XX. Of Prayer—a perpetual exercise of Faith. The daily benefits derived from it. XXI. Of the Eternal Election, by which God has predestinated some to Salvation and others to Destruction. XXII. This Doctrine confirmed by Proofs from Scripture. XXIII. Refutation of the Calumnies by which this Doctrine is always unjustly assailed. XXIV. Election confirmed by the Calling of God. The Reprobate vol. i. c 34 GENERAL INDEX OF CHAPTEBS. bring upon themselves the righteous destruction to which they are doomed. XXV. Of the Last Kesurrection. BOOK FOURTH. OF THE EXTEBNAL MEANS OR HELPS BY WHICH GOD A1LUBES US INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST, AND KEEPS US IN IT. Twenty Chapters. I. Of the True Church. Duty of cultivating Unity with her, as the mother of all the godly. II. Comparison between the False Church and the True. III. Of the Teachers and Ministers of the Church. Their Elec- tion and Office. IV. Of the state of the Primitive Church, and the Mode of Government in use before the Papacy. V. The Ancient Form of Government utterly corrupted by the tyranny of the Papacy. VI. Of the Primacy of the Romish See. VII. Of the Beginning and Eise of the Romish Papacy, till it attained a height by which the Liberty of the Church was destroyed, and all true Rule overthrown. VIII. Of the Power of the Church in Articles of Faith. The unbridled license of the Papal Church in destroying Purity of Doctrine. IX. Of Councils and their Authority. X. Of the Power of making Laws. The cruelty of the Pope and his adherents, in this respect, in tyrannically oppressing and destroying Souls. XI. Of the Jurisdiction of the Church and the Abuses of it, as exemplified in the Papacy. XII. Of the Discipline of the Church, and its principal use in Censures and Excommunication. XIII. Of Vows. The miserable entanglements caused by Vowing rashly. XIV. Of the Sacraments. XV. Of Baptism. XVI. Psedobaptism. Its accordance with the Institution of Christ, and the nature of the sign. XVII. Of the Lord's Supper, and the benefits conferred by it. XVIII. Of the Popish Mass. How it not only profanes, but annihilates the Lord's Supper. XIX. Of the Five Sacraments, falsely so called. Their spurious-ness proved, and their true character explained. XX. Of Civil Government. INSTITUTES THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. BOOK FIEST. OP THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE CREATOR. ARGUMENT. The First Book treats of the knowledge of God the Creator. But as it is in the creation of man that the divine perfections are best displayed, so man also is made the subject of discourse. Thus the whole book divides itself into two principal heads—the former relating to the knowledge of God, and the latter to the knowledge of man. In the first chapter, these are considered jointly; and in each of the following chapters, separately: occasionally, however, intermingled with other matters which refer to one or other of the heads; e.g., the discussions concerning Scripture and images falling under the former head, and the other three, concerning the creation of the world, the holy angels, and devils, falling under the latter. The last point discussed—viz. the method of the divine government—relates to both. With regard to the former head—viz. the knowledge of God—it is shown, in the first place, what the kind of knowledge is which God requires, Chap.. II. And, in the second place (Chap. III.—IX.), where this knowledge must be sought, namely, not in man; because, although naturally implanted in the human mind, it is stifled, partly by ignorance, partly by evil intent, Chap. III. and IV.; not in the frame of the world: because, although it shines most clearly there, we are so stupid that these manifestations, however perspicuous, pass away without any beneficial result, Chap. V.; but in Scripture (Chap. VI.), which is treated of, Chap. VII.—IX. In the third place, it is shown what the character of God is, Chap. X In the fourth place, how impious it is to give a visible form to God (here images, the worship of them, and its origin, are considered), Chap. XI. In the fifth place, it is shown that God is to be solely and wholly worshipped, Chap. XII Lastly, Chap. XIII. treats of the unity of the divine essence, and the distinction of three persons. With regard to the latter head—viz. the knowledge of man—first, Chap. XIV. treats of the creation of the world, and of good and bad angels (these all having reference to man). And then Chap. XV., taking up the subject of man himself, examines his nature and his powers. The better to illustrate the nature both of God and man, the three remaining Chapters—viz. XVI.—XVIII.—proceed to treat of the general government of the world, and particularly of human actions, in opposition to fortune and fate, explaining both the doctrine and its use. In conclusion, it is shown, that though God employs the instrumentality of the wicked, he is pure from sin and from taint of every kind. INSTITUTES OT THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. BOOK FIBST. OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE CREATOB: OHAPTBE I. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF OURSELVES MUTUALLY CONNECTED. —NATURE OF THE CONNECTION. Sections. 1. The sum of true wisdom—viz. the knowledge of God and of ourselves. Effects of the latter. 2. Effects of the knowledge of God, in humbling our pride, unveiling our hypocrisy, demonstrating the absolute perfections of God, and our own utter helplessness. 3. Effects of the knowledge of God illustrated by the examples, 1. of holy patriarchs; 2. of holy angels; 3. of the sun and moon. 1. Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes, and gives birth to the other. For, in the first place, no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his thoughts towards the God in whom he lives and moves; because it is perfectly obvious, that the endowments which we possess cannot possibly be from ourselves; nay, that our very being is nothing else than subsistence in God alone. In the second place, those blessings which unceasingly distil to us from heaven, are like streams conducting us to the fountain. Here, again, the infinitude of good which resides in God becomes more apparent from our poverty. In particular, the miserable ruin into which the revolt of the first man has plunged us, compels us to turn our eyes upwards; not only that while hungry and famishing we may thence ask what we want, but being aroused by fear may learn 38 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. humility. For as there exists in man something like a world of misery, and ever since we were stript of the divine attire our naked shame discloses an immense series of disgraceful properties, every man, being stung by the consciousness of his own unhappiness, in this way necessarily obtains at least some knowledge of God. Thus, our feeling of ignorance, vanity, want, weakness, in short, depravity and corruption, reminds us (see Calvin on John iv. 10) that in the Lord, and none but He, dwell the true light of wisdom, solid virtue, exuberant goodness. We are accordingly urged by our own evil things to consider the good things of God; and, indeed, we cannot aspire to Him in earnest until we have begun to be displeased with ourselves. For what man is not disposed to rest in himself? Who, in fact, does not thus rest, so long as he is unknown to himself; that is, so long as he is contented with his own endowments, and unconscious or unmindful of his misery? Every person, therefore, on coming to the knowledge of himself, is not only urged to seek God, but is also led as by the hand to find him. 2. On the other hand, it is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he have previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself. For (such is our innate pride) we always seem to ourselves just, and upright, and wise, and holy, until we are convinced, by clear evidence, of our injustice, vileness, folly, and impurity. Convinced, however, we are not, if we look to ourselves only, and not to the Lord also— He being the only standard by the application of which this conviction can be produced. For, since we are all naturally prone to hypocrisy, any empty semblance of righteousness is quite enough to satisfy us instead of righteousness itself. And since nothing appears within us or around us that is not tainted with very great impurity, so long as we keep our mind within the confines of human pollution, anything which is in some small degree less defiled, delights us as if it were most pure: just as an eye, to which nothing but black had been previously presented, deems an object of a whitish, or even of a brownish hue, to be perfectly white. Nay, the bodily sense may furnish a still stronger illustration of the extent to which we are deluded in estimating the powers of the mind. If, at mid-day, we either look down to the ground, or on the surrounding objects which lie open to our view, we think ourselves endued with a very strong and piercing eyesight; but when we look up to the sun, and gaze at it unveiled, the sight which did excellently well for the earth, is in stantly so dazzled and confounded by the refulgence, as to oblige us to confess that our acuteness in discerning terrestrial objects is mere dimness when applied to the sun. Thus, too, it happens in estimating our spiritual qualities. So long as we do not look beyond the earth, we are quite pleased with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue; we address ourselves in the most flattering terms, and seem only less than demigods. But should we once begin to raise our CHAP. I. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 39 thoughts to God, and reflect what kind of Being he is, and how absolute the perfection of that righteousness, and wisdom, and virtue, to which, as a standard, we are bound to be conformed, what formerly delighted us by its false show of righteousness, will become polluted with the greatest iniquity; what strangely imposed upon us under the name of wisdom, will disgust by its extreme folly; and what presented the appearance of virtuous energy, will be condemned as the most miserable impotence. So far are those qualities in us, which seem most perfect, from corresponding to the divine purity. 3. Hence that dread and amazement with which, as Scripture uniformly relates, holy men were struck and overwhelmed whenever they beheld the presence of God. When we see those who previously stood firm and secure so quaking with terror, that the fear of death takes hold of them, nay, they are, in a manner, swallowed up and annihilated, the inference to be drawn is, that men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God. Frequent examples of this consternation occur both in the Book of Judges and the Prophetical Writings;l so much so, that it was a common expression among the people of God, " We shall die, for we have seen the Lord." Hence the Book of Job, also, in humbling men under a conviction of their folly, feebleness, and pollution, always derives its chief argument from descriptions of the divine wisdom, virtue, and purity. Nor without cause: for we see Abraham the readier to acknowledge himself but dust and ashes, the nearer he approaches to behold the glory of the Lord, and Elijah unable to wait with unveiled face for His approach, so dreadful is the sight. And what can man do, man who is but rottenness and a worm, when even the Cherubim themselves must veil their faces in very terror ? To this, undoubtedly, the Prophet Isaiah refers, when he says (Isaiah xxiv. 23), " The moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign;" i.e., when he shall exhibit his refulgence, and give a nearer view of it, the brightest objects will, in comparison, be covered with darkness. But though the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves are bound together by a mutual tie, due arrangement requires that we treat of the former in the first place, and then descend to the latter. l Judges xiii. 22; Isaiah vi. 5; Ezek. i. 28, iii. 14; Job ix. 4, &c.; Gen. xviii. 27; 1 Kings xix. 18. 40 INSTITUTES OF THK BOOK L CHAPTER II. WHAT IT IS TO KNOW GOD.—TENDENCY OF THIS KNOWLEDGE. Sectiona. 1. The knowledge of God the Creator defined. The substance of this knowledge, and the use to be made of it. 2. Further illustration of the use, together with a necessary reproof of vain curiosity, and refutation of the Epicureans. The character of God as it appears to the pious mind, contrasted with the absurd views of the Epicureans. Religion defined. 1. By the knowledge of God, I understand that by which we not only conceive that there is some God, but also apprehend what it is for our interest, and conducive to his glory, what, in short, it is befitting to know concerning him. For, properly speaking, we cannot say that God is known where there is no religion or piety. I am not now referring to that species of knowledge by which men, in themselves lost and under curse, apprehend God as a Redeemer in Christ the Mediator. I speak only of that simple and primitive knowledge, to which the mere course of nature would have conducted us, had Adam stood upright. For although no man will now, in the present ruin of the human race, perceive God to be either a father, or the author of salvation, or propitious in any respect, until Christ interpose to make our peace; still it is one thing to perceive that God our Maker supports us by his power, rules us by his providence, fosters us by his goodness, and visits us with all kinds of blessings, and another thing to embrace the grace of reconciliation offered to us in Christ. Since, then, the Lord first appears, as well in the creation of the world as in the general doctrine of Scripture, simply as a Creator, and afterwards as a Redeemer in Christ,—a twofold knowledge of him hence arises: of these the former is now to be considered, the latter will afterwards follow in its order. But although our mind cannot conceive of God, without rendering some worship to him, it will not, however, be sufficient simply to hold that he is the only being whom all ought to worship and adore, unless we are also persuaded that he is the fountain of all goodness, and that we must seek everything in him, and in none but him. My meaning is: we must be persuaded not only that as he once formed the world, so he sustains it by his boundless power, governs it by his wisdom, preserves it by his goodness, in particular, rules the human race with justice and judgment, bears with them in mercy, shields them by his protection; but also that not a particle of light, or wisdom, or justice, or power, or rectitude, or genuine truth, will anywhere be found, which does not flow CHAP. II. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 41 from him, and of which he is not the cause ; in this way we must learn to expect and ask all things from him, and thankfully ascribe to him whatever we receive. For this sense of the divine perfections is the proper master to teach us piety, out of which religion springs. By piety I mean that union of reverence and love to God which the knowledge of his benefits inspires. For, until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that nought is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary obedience; nay, unless they place their entire happiness in him, they will never yield up their whole selves to him in truth and sincerity. 3. Those, therefore, who, in considering this question, propose to inquire what the essence of God is, only delude us with frigid speculations,—it being much more our interest to know what kind of being God is, and what things are agreeable to his nature. For, of what use is it to join Epicurus in acknowledging some God who has cast off the care of the world, and only delights himself in ease ? What avails it, in short, to know a God with whom we have nothing to do? The effect of our knowledge rather ought to be, first, to teach us reverence and fear; and, secondly, to induce us, under its guidance and teaching, to ask every good thing from him, and, when it is received, ascribe it to him. For how can the idea of God enter your mind without instantly giving rise to the thought, that since you are his workmanship, you are bound, by the very law of creation, to submit to his authority ?—that your life is due to him ?—that whatever you do ought to have reference to him ? If so, it undoubtedly follows that your life is sadly corrupted, if it is not framed in obedience to him, since his will ought to be the law of our lives. On the other hand, your idea of his nature is not clear unless you acknowledge him to be the origin and fountain of all goodness. Hence would arise both confidence in him, and a desire of cleaving to him, did not the depravity of the human mind lead it away from the proper course of investigation. For, first of all, the pious mind does not devise for itself any kind of God, but looks alone to the one true God; nor does it feign for him any character it pleases, but is contented to have him in the character in which he manifests himself, always guarding, with the utmost diligence, against transgressing his will, and wandering, with daring presumption, from the right path. He by whom God is thus known, perceiving how he governs all things, confides in him as his guardian and protector, and casts himself entirely upon his faithfulness,—perceiving him to be the source of every blessing, if he is in any strait or feels any want, he instantly recurs to his protection and trusts to his aid,—persuaded that he is good and merciful, he reclines upon him with sure confidence, and doubts not that, in the divine clemency, a remedy will be provided for his every time of need,— acknowledging him as his Father and his Lord, he considers himself 42 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. bound to have respect to his authority in all things, to reverence his majesty, aim at the advancement of his glory, and obey his commands, —regarding him as a just judge, armed with severity to punish crimes, he keeps the judgment-seat always in his view. Standing in awe of it, he curbs himself, and fears to provoke his anger. Nevertheless, he is not so terrified by an apprehension of judgment as to wish he could withdraw himself, even if the means of escape lay before him; nay, he embraces him not less as the avenger of wickedness than as the rewarder of the righteous; because he perceives that it equally appertains to his glory to store up punishment for the one, and eternal life for the other. Besides, it is not the mere fear of punishment that restrains him from sin. Loving and revering God as his father, honouring and obeying him as his master, although there were no hell, he would revolt at the very idea of offending" him. Such is pure and genuine religion, namely, confidence in God coupled with serious fear—fear, which both includes in it willing reverence, and brings along with it such legitimate worship as is prescribed by the law. And it ought to be more carefully considered, that all men promiscuously do homage to God, but very few truly reverence him. On all hands there is abundance of ostentatious ceremonies, but sincerity of heart is rare. CHAP. III. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 43 CHAPTEE III. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD NATURALLY IMPLANTED IN THE HUMAN MIND. Sections. 1. The knowledge of God being manifested to all makes the reprobate without excuse' Universal belief and acknowledgment of the existence of God. 2. Objection — that religion and the belief of a Deity are the inventions of crafty politicians. Refutation of the objection. This universal belief confirmed by the examples of wicked men and Atheists. 3. Confirmed also by the vain endeavours of the wicked to banish all fear of God from their minds. Conclusion, that the knowledge of God is naturally implanted in the human mind. 1. That there exists in the human mind, and indeed by natural instinct, some sense of Deity, we hold to be beyond dispute, since God himself, to prevent any man from pretending ignorance, has endued all men with some idea of his Godhead, the memory of which he constantly renews and occasionally enlarges, that all to a man, being aware that there is a God, and that he is their Maker, may be condemned by their own conscience when they neither worship him nor consecrate their lives to his service. Certainly, if there is any quarter where it may be supposed that God is unknown, the most likely for such an instance to exist is among the dullest tribes farthest removed from civilisation. But, as a heathen tells us,1 there is no nation so barbarous, no race so brutish, as not to be imbued with the conviction that there is a God. Even those who, in other respects, seem to differ least from the lower animals, constantly retain some sense of religion ; so thoroughly has this common conviction possessed the mind, so firmly is it stamped on the breasts of all men. Since, then, there never has been, from the very first, any quarter of the globe, any city, any household even, without religion, this amounts to a tacit confession, that a sense of Deity is inscribed on every heart. Nay, even idolatry is ample evidence of this fact. For we know how reluctant man is to lower himself, in order to set other creatures above him. Therefore, when he chooses to worship wood and stone rather than be thought to have no God, it is evident how very strong this impression of a Deity must be ; since it is more difficult to obliterate it from the l " Intelligi necesse est deos, quoniam insitas eorum vel potiua innatas cognitiones habemus.—Quse nobis natura informationem deorum ipsorum dedit, eadem insculpsit in mentibus ut eos seternos et beatos haberemus."—Cic. de Nat. Deor. lib. i. c. 17.— " Itaque inter omnes omnium gentium summa conatat; omnibus enim innatum est, et in animo quisi insculptum esse deos."—Lib. ii. c. 4. See also Lact. Inst. Div. lib. iii. c. 10. 44 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. mind of man, than to break down the feelings of his nature,—these certainly being broken down, when, in opposition to his natural haughtiness, he spontaneously humbles himself before the meanest object as an act of reverence to God. 2. It is most absurd, therefore, to maintain, as some do, that religion was devised by the cunning and craft of a few individuals, as a means of keeping the body of the people in due subjection, while there was nothing which those very individuals, while teaching others to worship God, less believed than the existence of a God. I readily acknowledge, that designing men have introduced a vast number of fictions into religion, with the view of inspiring the populace with reverence or striking them with terror, and thereby rendering them more obsequious ; but they never could have succeeded in this, had the minds of men not been previously imbued with that uniform belief in God, from which, as from its seed, the religious propensity springs. And it is altogether incredible that those who, in the matter of religion, cunningly imposed on their ruder neighbours, were altogether devoid of a knowledge of God. For though in old times there were some, and in the present day not a few are found1 who deny the being of a God, yet, whether they will or not, they occasionally feel the truth which they are desirous not to know. We do not read of any man who broke out into more unbridled and audacious contempt of the Deity than 0. Caligula,2 and yet none showed greater dread when any indication of divine wrath was manifested. Thus, however unwilling, he shook with terror before the God whom he professedly studied to contemn. You may every day see the same thing happening to his modern imitators. The most audacious despiser of God is most easily disturbed, trembling at the sound of a falling leaf. How so, unless in vindication of the divine majesty, which smites their consciences the more strongly the more they endeavour to flee from it. They all, indeed, look out for hiding-places, where they may conceal themselves from the presence of the Lord, and again efface it from their mind ; but after all their efforts they remain caught within the net. Though the conviction may occasionally seem to vanish for a moment, it immediately returns, and. rushes in with new impetuosity, so that any interval of relief from the gnawings of conscience is not unlike the slumber of the intoxicated or the insane, who have no quiet rest in sleep, but are continually haunted with dire horrific dreams. Even the wicked themselves, therefore, are an example of the fact that some idea of God always exists in every human mind. 3. All men of sound judgment will therefore hold, that a sense of Deity is indelibly engraven on the human heart. And that this belief is naturally engendered in all, and thoroughly fixed as it were 1 As to some Atheists of the author's time, see Calvinus De Scandalis. 2 Suet. Calig. c. 51. CHAP. III. CHRISTIAN EELIGION. 45 in our very bones, is strikingly attested by the contumacy of the wicked, who, though they struggle furiously, are unable to extricate themselves from the fear of God. Though Diagoras,1 and others of like stamp, make themselves merry with whatever has been believed in all ages concerning religion, and Dionysius scoffs at the judgment of heaven, it is but a Sardonian grin; for the worm of conscience, keener than burning steel, is gnawing them within. I do not say with Cicero, that errors wear out by age, and that religion increases and grows better day by day. For the world (as will be shortly seen) labours as much as it can to shake off all knowledge of God, and corrupts his worship in innumerable ways. I only say, that, when the stupid hardness of heart, which the wicked eagerly court as a means of despising God, becomes enfeebled, the sense of Deity, which of all things they wished most to be extinguished, is still in vigour, and now and then breaks forth. Whence we infer, that this is not a doctrine which is first learned at school, but one as to which every man is, from ths womb, his own master; one which nature herself allows no individual to forget, though many, with all their might, strive to do so. Moreover, if all are born and live for the express purpose of learning to know God, and if the knowledge of God, in so far as it fails to produce this effect, is fleeting and vain, it is clear that all those who do not direct the whole thoughts and actions of their lives to this end fail to fulfil the law of their being. This did not escape the observation even of philosophers. For it is the very thing which Plato meant (in Phced. et Theact.) when he taught, as he often doea, that the chief good of the soul consists in resemblance to God; i.e., when, by means of knowing him, she is wholly transformed into him. Thus Gryllus, also, in Plutarch (lib. quod bruta anim. ratione utantur), reasons most skilfully, when he affirms that, if once religion is banished from the lives of men, they not only in no respect excel, but are, in many respects, much more wretched than the brutes, since, being exposed to so many forms of evil, they continually drag on a troubled and restless existence: that the only thing, therefore, which makes them superior is the worship of God, through which alone they aspire to immortality. 1 Cic. De Nat. Deor. lib. i. c. 23. Valer. Max. lib. i. c. 1. 46 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. OHAPTEE IV. THE KNOWLEDGE OP GOD STIFLED OB CORRUPTED, IGNORANTLY OK MALICIOUSLY. Sections. 1 The knowledge of God suppressed by ignorance, many falling away into superstition. Such persons, however, inexcusable, because their error is accompanied with pride and stubbornness. 2. Stubbornness the companion of impiety. 3. No pretext can justify superstition. This proved, first, from reason; and, secondl/, from Scripture. 4. The wicked never willingly come into the presence of God. Hence their hypocrisy. Hence, too, their sense of Deity leads to no good result. 1. But though experience testifies that a seed of religion is divinely sown in all, scarcely one in a hundred is found who cherishes it in his heart, and not one in whom it grows to maturity, so far is it from yielding fruit in its season. Moreover, while some lose themselves in superstitious observances, and others, of set purpose, wickedly revolt from God, the result is that, in regard to the true knowledge of him, all are so degenerate, that in no part of the world can genuine godliness be found. In saying that some fall away into superstition, I mean not to insinuate that their excessive absurdity frees them from guilt; for the blindness under which they labour is almost invariably accompanied with vain pride and stubbornness. Mingled vanity and pride appear in this, that when miserable men do seek after God, instead of ascending higher than themselves, as they ought to do, they measure him by their own carnal stupidity, and, neglecting solid inquiry, fly off to indulge their curiosity in vain speculation. Hence, they do not conceive of him in the character in which he is manifested, but imagine him to be whatever their own rashness has devised. This abyss standing open, they cannot move one footstep without rushing headlong to destruction. With such an idea of God, nothing which they may attempt to offer in the way of worsliip or obedience can have any value in his sight, because it is not him they worship, but, instead of him, the dream and figment of their own heart. This corrupt procedure is admirably described by Paul, when he says, that "thinking to be wise, they became fools" (Kom. i. 22). He had previously said that " they became vain in their imaginations," but lest any should suppose them blameless, he afterwards adds, that they were deservedly blinded, because, not contented with sober inquiry, because, arrogating to themselves more than they have any title to CHAP. IV. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 47 do, they of their own accord court darkness, nay, bewitch themselves with perverse, empty show. Hence it is that their folly, the result not only of vain curiosity, but of licentious desire and overweening confidence in the pursuit of forbidden knowledge, cannot be excused. 2. The expression of David (Psalm xiv 1, liii. 1), "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God," is primarily applied to those who, as will shortly farther appear, stifle the light of nature, and intentionally stupifiy themselves. We see many, after they have become hardened in a daring course of sin, madly banishing all remembrance of God, though spontaneously suggested to them from within, by natural sense. To show how detestable this madness is, the Psalmist introduces them as distinctly denying that there is a God, because, although they do not disown his essence, they rob him of his justice and providence, and represent him as sitting idly in heaven. Nothing being less accordant with the nature of God' than to cast off the government of the world, leaving it to chance, and so to wink at the crimes of men that they may wanton with impunity in evil courses; it follows, that every man who indulges in security, after extinguishing all fear of divine judgment, virtually denies that there is a God. As a just punishment of the wicked, after they have closed their own eyes, God makes their hearts dull and heavy, and hence, seeing, they see not. David, indeed, is the best interpreter of his own meaning, when he says elsewhere, the wicked has " no fear of God before his eyes" (Psalm xxxvi. 1); and, again, "He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten; he hideth his face; he will never see it." Thus, although they are forced to acknowledge that there is some God, they however, rob him of his glory by denying his power. For, as Paul declares, " If we believe not, he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself" ( 2 Tim. ii. 13); so those who feign to themselves a dead and dumb idol, are truly said to deny God It is, moreover, to be observed, that though they struggle with their own convictions, and would fain not only banish God from their minds, but from heaven also, there stupefaction is never so complete as to secure them from being occasionally dragged before the divine tribunal. Still, as no fear restrains them from rushing violently in the face of God, so long as they are hurried on by that blind impulse, it cannot be denied that their prevailing state of mind in regard to him is brutish oblivion. 3. In this way, the vain pretext which many employ to clothe their superstition is overthrown. They deem it enough that they have some kind of zeal for religion, how preposterous soever it may be, not observing that true religion must be conformable to the will of God as its unerring standard; that he can never deny himself, and is no spectre or phantom, to be metamorphosed at each individual's caprice. It is easy to see how superstition, with its false glosses, mocks God, while it tries to please him. Usually fastening merely on things on which he has declared he sets no value, it either contemptuously overlooks, or even undisguisedly rejects, the things which he expressly 48 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. enjoins, or in which we are assured that he takes pleasure. Those, therefore, who set up a fictitious worship, merely worship and adore their own delirious fancies ; indeed, they would never dare so to trifle with God, had they not previously fashioned him after their own childish conceits. Hence that vague and wandering opinion of Deity is declared by an apostle to be ignorance of God: " Howbeit, then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods." And he elsewhere declares, that the Ephesians were " without God" (Eph. ii. 12) at the time when they wandered without any correct knowledge of him. It makes little difference, at least in this respect, whether you hold the existence of one God, or a plurality of gods, since, in both cases alike, by departing from the true God, you have nothing left but an execrable idol. It remains, therefore, to conclude with Lactantius (Instit. Div. lib. i. 2, 6), " No religion is genuine that is not in accordance with truth." 4. To this fault they add a second—viz. that when they do think of God it is against their will; never approaching him without being dragged into his presence, and when there, instead of the voluntary fear flowing from reverence of the divine majesty, feeling only that forced and servile fear which divine judgment extorts—judgment which, from the impossibility of escape, they are compelled to dread, but which, while they dread, they at the same time also hate. To impiety, and to it alone, the saying of Statius properly applies : " Fear first brought gods into the world" (Theb. lib. i.). Those whose inclinations are at variance with the justice of God, knowing that his tribunal has been erected for the punishment of transgression, earnestly wish that that tribunal were overthrown. Under the influence of this feeling they are actually warring against God, justice being one of his essential attributes. Perceiving that they are always within reach of his power, that resistance and evasion are alike impossible, they fear and tremble. Accordingly, to avoid the appearance of contemning a majesty by which all are overawed, they have recourse to some species of religious observance, never ceasing meanwhile to defile themselves with every kind of vice, and add crime to crime, until they have broken the holy law of the Lord in every one of its requirements, and set his whole righteousness at nought; at all events, they are not so restrained by their semblance of fear as not to luxuriate and take pleasure in iniquity, choosing rather to indulge their carnal propensities than to curb them with the bridle of the Holy Spirit. But since this shadow of religion (it scarcely even deserves to be called a shadow) is false and vain, it is easy to infer how much this confused knowledge of God differs from that piety which is instilled into the breasts of believers, and from which alone true religion springs. And yet hypocrites would fain, by means of tortuous windings, make a show of being near to God at the very time they are fleeing from him. For while the whole life ought to be one perpetual course of obedience, they rebel without fear in almost all their actions, and seek to appease CHAP. IV. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 49 him with a few paltry sacrifices; while they ought to serve him with integrity of heart and holiness of life, they endeavour to procure his favour by means of frivolous devices and punctilios of no value. Nay, they take greater license in their grovelling indulgencies, because they imagine that they can fulfil their duty to him by preposterous expiations ; in short, while their confidence ought to have been fixed upon him, they put him aside, and rest in themselves or the creatures. At length they bewilder themselves in such a maze of error, that the darkness of ignorance obscures, and ultimately extinguishes, those sparks which were designed to show them the glory of God. Still, however, the conviction that there is some Deity continues to exist, like a plant which can never be completely eradicated, though so corrupt that it is only capable of producing the worst of fruit. Nay, we have still stronger evidence of the proposition for which. I now contend—viz. that a sense of Deity is naturally engraven on the human heart, in the fact, that the very reprobate are forced to acknowledge it. When at their ease, they can jest about God, and talk pertly and loquaciously in disparagement of his power ; but should despair, from any cause, overtake them, it will stimulate them to seek him, and dictate ejaculatory prayers, proving that they were not entirely ignorant of God, but had perversely suppressed feelings which ought to have been earlier manifested. VOL. I. D INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK L CHAPTER V. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD CONSPICUOUS IN THE CREATION AND CONTINUAL GOVEBNMENT OF THE WORLD. This chapter consists of two parts: 1. The former, which occupies the first ten sections, divides all the works of God into two great classes, and elucidates the knowledge of God as displayed in each class. The one class is treated of in the first six, and the other in the four following sections : 2. The latter part of the chapter shows, that, in consequence of the extreme stupidity of men, those manifestations of God, however perspicuous, lead to no useful result. This latter part, which commences at the eleventh section, is continued to the end of the chapter. Sections. 1. The invisible and incomprehensible essence of God, to a certain extent, made visible in his works 2. This declared by the first class of works—viz. the admirable motions of the heavens and the earth, the symmetry of the human body, and the connection of its parts ; in short, the various objects which are presented to every eye. 3. This more especially manifested in the structure of the human body. 4. The shameful ingratitude of disregarding God, who, in such a variety of ways, is manifested within us. The still more shameful ingratitude of contemplating the endowments of the soul, without ascending to Him who gave them. No objection can be founded on any supposed organism in the soul. 5. The powers and actions of the soul, a proof of its separate existence from the body. Proofs of the soul's immortality. Objection that the whole world is quickened by one soul. Reply to the objection. Its impiety. 6. Conclusion from what has been said—viz. that the omnipotence, eternity, and good- ness of God, may be learned from the first class of works, i.e., those which are in accordance with the ordinary course of nature. 7. The second class of works—viz. those above the ordinary course of nature—afford clear evidence of the perfections of God, especially his goodness, justice, and mercy. 8. Also his providence, power, and wisdom. 9. Proofs and illustrations of the divine Majesty. The use of them—viz. the acquisition of divine knowledge in combination with true piety. 10. The tendency of the knowledge of God to inspire the righteous with the hope of future life and remind the wicked of the punishments reserved for them. Its tendency, moreover, to keep alive in the hearts of the righteous a sense of the divine goodness. 11. The second part of the chapter, which describes the stupidity both of learned and unlearned, in ascribing the whole order of things, and the admirable arrangements of divine Providence, to fortune. 12. Hence Polytheism, with all its abominations, and the endless and irreconcilable opinions of the philosophers concerning God. 13. All guilty of revolt from God, corrupting pure religion, either by following general custom, or the impious consent of antiquity. 14. Though irradiated by the wondrous glories of creation, we cease not to follow our own ways. 15. Our conduct altogether inexcusable, the dulness of perception being attributable to ourselves, while we are fully reminded of the true path, both by the structure and the government of the world. CUAP. V. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 51 1. Since the perfection of blessedness consists in the knowledge of God, he has been pleased, in order that none might be excluded from the means of obtaining felicity, not only to deposit in our minds that seed of religion of which we have already spoken, but so to manifest his perfections in the whole structure of the universe, and daily place himself in our view, that we cannot open our eyes without being compelled to behold him. His essence, indeed, is incomprehensible, utterly transcending all human thought; but on each of his works his glory is engraven in characters so bright, so distinct, and so illustrious, that none, however dull and illiterate, can plead ignorance as their excuse. Hence, with perfect truth, the Psalmist exclaims, " He covereth himself with light as with a garment" (Psalm civ. 2); as if he had said, that God for the first time was arrayed in visible attire when, in the creation of the world, he displayed those glorious banners, on which, to whatever side we turn, we behold his perfections visibly portrayed. In the same place, the Psalmist aptly compares the expanded heavens to his royal tent, and says, " He layeth the beams of bis chambers in the waters, maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind," sending forth the winds and lightnings as his swift messengers. And because the glory of his power and wisdom is more refulgent in the firmament, it is frequently designated as his palace. And, first, wherever you turn your eyes, there is no portion of the world, however minute, that does not exhibit at least some sparks of beauty ; while it is impossible to contemplate the vast and beautiful fabric as it extends around, without being overwhelmed by the immense weight of glory. Hence, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews elegantly describes the visible worlds as images of the invisible (Heb. xi. 3), the elegant structure of the world serving us as a kind of mirror, in which we may behold God, though otherwise invisible. For the same reason, the Psalmist attributes language to celestial objects, a language which all nations understand (Psalm xix. 1) ; the manifestation of the Godhead being too clear to escape the notice of any people, however obtuse. The apostle Paul, stating this still more clearly, says, " That which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead" (Rom. i. 20). 2. In attestation of his wondrous wisdom, both the heavens and the earth present us with innumerable proofs, not only those more recondite proofs which astronomy, medicine, and all the natural sciences, are designed to illustrate, but proofs which force themselves on the notice of the most illiterate peasant, who cannot open his eyes without beholding them. It is true, indeed, that those who are more or less intimately acquainted with those liberal studies are thereby assisted and enabled to obtain a deeper insight into the secret workings of divine wisdom. No man, however, though he be ignorant of these, 52 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK 1. is incapacitated for discerning such proofs of creative wisdom as may well cause him to break forth in admiration of the Creator. To investigate the motions of the heavenly bodies, to determine their positions, measure their distances, and ascertain their properties, demands skill, and a more careful examination ; and where these are so employed, as the providence of God is thereby more fully unfolded, so it is reasonable to suppose that the mind takes a loftier flight, and obtains brighter views of his glory.1 Still, none who have the use of their eyes can be ignorant of the divine skill manifested so conspicuously in the endless variety, yet distinct and well-ordered array, of the heavenly host; and, therefore, it is plain that the Lord has furnished every man with abundant proofs of his wisdom. The same is true in regard to the structure of the human frame. To determine the connection of its parts, its symmetry and beauty, with the skill of a Galen (Lib. De Usu Partium), requires singular acuteness; and yet all men acknowledge that the human body bears on its face such proofs of ingenious contrivance as are sufficient to proclaim the admirable wisdom of its Maker. 3. Hence certain of the philosophers2 have not improperly called man a microcosm (miniature world), as being a rare specimen of divine power, wisdom, and goodness, and containing within himself wonders sufficient to occupy our minds, if we are willing so to employ them. Paul, accordingly, after reminding the Athenians that they "might feel after God and find him," immediately adds, that " he is not far from every one of us" (Acts xvii. 27) ; every man having within himself undoubted evidence of the heavenly grace by which he lives, and moves, and has his being. But if, in order to apprehend God, it is unnecessary to go farther than ourselves, what excuse can there be for the sloth of any man who will not take the trouble of descending into himself that he may find Him ? For the same reason, too, David, after briefly celebrating the wonderful name and glory of God, as everywhere displayed, immediately exclaims, " What is man, that thou art mindful of him ?" and again, " Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength" (Psalm viii. 2, 4). Thus he declares not only that the human race are a bright mirror of the Creator's works, but that infants hanging on their mothers' breasts have tongues eloquent enough to proclaim his glory without the aid of other orators. Accordingly, he hesitates not to bring them forward as fully instructed to refute the madness of those who, from devilish pride, would fain extinguish the name of God. Hence, too, the passage which Paul quotes from Aratus, " We are his offspring" (Acts xvii. 28), the excellent gifts with which he has endued us attesting that he is our Father. In the same way, also, from natural instinct, and, as it were, at the dictation of experience, heathen poets 1 Augustinus: Astrologia magnum religiosis argumentum, tormentumque curiosis. 2 See Aristot. Hist. Aniui. lib. j. o. 17; Macrob. in Somn. Seip. lib. ii. o. 12; Boeth. De Definitione. CHAI\ V. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 53 call him the father of men. No one, indeed, will voluntarily and willingly devote himself to the service of God unless he has previously tasted his paternal love, and been thereby allured to love and reverence Him. 4. But herein appears the shameful ingratitude of men. Though they have in their own persons a factory where innumerable operations of God are carried on, and a magazine stored with treasures of inestimable value—instead of bursting forth in his praise, as they are bound to do, they, on the contrary, are the more inflated and swelled with pride. They feel how wonderfully God is working in them, and their own experience tells them of the vast variety of gifts which they owe to his liberality. Whether they will or not, they cannot but know that these are proofs of his Godhead, and yet they inwardly suppress them. They have no occasion to go farther than themselves, provided they do not, by appropriating as their own that which has been given them from heaven, put out the light intended to exhibit God clearly to their minds. At this day, however, the earth sustains on her bosom many monster minds—minds which are not afraid to employ the seed of Deity deposited in human nature as a means of suppressing the name of God. Can anything be more detestable than this madness in man, who, finding God a hundred times both in his body and his soul, makes his excellence in this respect a pretext for denying that there is a God ? He will not say that chance has made him differ from the brutes that perish; but, substituting nature as the architect of the universe, he suppresses the name of God. The swift motions of the soul, its noble faculties and rare endowments, bespeak the agency of God in a manner which would make the suppression of it impossible, did not the Epicureans, like so many Cyclops, use it as a vantage-ground, from which to wage more audacious war with God. Are so many treasures of heavenly wisdom employed in the guidance of such a worm as man, and shall the whole universe be denied the same privilege ? To hold that there are organs in the soul corresponding to each of its faculties, is so far from obscuring the glory of God, that it rather illustrates it. Let Epicurus tell what concourse of atoms, cooking meat and drink, can form one portion into refuse and another portion into blood, and make all the members separately perform their office as carefully as if they were so many souls acting with common consent in the superintendence of one body. 5. But my business at present is not with that stye : I wish rather to deal with those who, led away by absurd subtleties, are inclined, by giving an indirect turn to the frigid doctrine of Aristotle, to employ it for the purpose both of disproving the immortality of the soul and robbing God of his rights. Under the pretext that the faculties of the soul are organised, they chain it to the body as if it were incapable of a separate existence, while they endeavour as much as in them lies, by pronouncing eulogiums on nature, to suppress the 54 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. name of God. But there is no ground for maintaining that the powers of the soul are confined to the performance of bodily functions. What has the body to do with your measuring the heavens, counting the number of the stars, ascertaining their magnitudes, their relative distances, the rate at which they move, and the orbits which they describe ? I deny not that Astronomy has its use; all I mean to show is, that these lofty investigations are not conducted by organised symmetry, but by the faculties of the soul itself apart altogether from the body. The single example I have given will suggest many others to the reader. The swift and versatile movements of the soul in glancing from heaven to earth, connecting the future with the past, retaining the remembrance of former years, nay, forming creations of its own—its skill, moreover, in making astonishing discoveries, and inventing so many wonderful arts, are sure indications of the agency of God in man. What shall we say of its activity when the body is asleep, its many revolving thoughts, its many useful suggestions, its many solid arguments, nay, its presentiment of things yet to come ? What shall we say but that man bears about with him a stamp of immortality which can never be effaced ? But how is it possible for man to be divine, and yet not acknowledge his Creator ? Shall we, by means of a power of judging implanted in our breast, distinguish between justice and injustice, and yet there be no judge in heaven ? Shall some remains of intelligence continue with us in sleep, and yet no God keep watch in heaven ? Shall we be deemed the inventors of so many arts and useful properties that God may be defrauded of his praise, though experience tells us plainly enough, that whatever we possess is dispensed to us in unequal measures by another hand ? The talk of certain persons concerning a secret inspiration quickening the whole world, is not only silly, but altogether profane. Such persons are delighted with the following celebrated passage of Virgil:'— " Know, first, that heaven, and earth's compacted frame, And flowing waters, and the starry flame, And both the radiant lights, one common soul Inspires and feeds—and animates the whole. This active mind, infused through all the space, Unites and mingles with the mighty mass : Hence, men and beasts the breath of life obtain, And birds of air, and monsters of the main. Th' ethereal vigour is in all the same, And every soul is filled with equal flame."3 The meaning of all this is, that the world, which was made to display the glory of God, is its own creator. For the same poet has in another place,3 adopted a view common to both Greeks and Latins:— 1 jEneid, vi. 724, sq. See Calvin on Acts xvii. 28. Manil. lib. i. Astron. 2 Dryden's Virgil, Mneii, Book vi. 1. 980-990. 3 Georgie iv. 220. Plat, in Tim. Arist. lib. i. De Animo. See also Metaph. lib. 1. Merc. Trismegr. in Piniandro. CHAr. V. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 55 " Hence to the bee some sages have assigned A portion of the God, and heavenly mind; For God goes forth, and spreads throughout the whole, Heaven, earth, and sea, the universal soul; Each, at its birth, from him all beings share, Both man and brute, the breath of vital air; To him return, and, loosed from earthly chain, Fly whence they sprang, and rest in God again Spurn at t'.3 grave, and, fearless of decay, Dwell in high heaven, and star th' ethereal way."l Here we see how far that jejune speculation, of a universal mind animating and invigorating the world, is fitted to beget and foster piety in our minds. We have a still clearer proof of this in the profane verses which the licentious Lucretius has written as a deduction from the same principle.2 The plain object is to form an unsubstantial deity, and thereby banish, the true God whom we ought to fear and worship. I admit, indeed, that the expression, " Nature is God," may be piously used, if dictated by a pious mind; but as it' is inaccurate and harsh (Nature being more properly the order which, has been established by God), in matters which are so very important, and in regard to which special reverence is due, it does harm to confound the Deity with the inferior operations of his hands. 6. Let each of us, therefore, in contemplating his own nature, remember that there is one God who governs all natures, and, in governing, wishes us to have respect to himself, to make him the object of our faith, worship, and adoration. Nothing, indeed, can be more preposterous than to enjoy those noble endowments which bespeak the divine presence within us, and to neglect him who, of his own good pleasure, bestows them upon us. In regard to his power, how glorious the manifestations by which he urges us to the contemplation of himself; unless, indeed, we pretend not to know whose energy it is that by a word sustains the boundless fabric of the universe—at one time making heaven reverberate with thunder, sending forth the scorching lightning, and setting the whole atmosphere in a blaze; at another, causing the raging tempests to blow, and forthwith, in one moment, when it so pleases him, making a perfect calm; keeping the sea, which seems constantly threatening the earth with devastation, suspended as it were in air; at one time, lashing it into fury by the impetuosity of the winds ; at another, appeasing its rage, and stilling all its waves. Here we might refer to those glowing descriptions of divine power, as illustrated by natural events, which occur throughout Scripture ; but more especially in the book of Job and the prophecies of Isaiah. These, however, I purposely omit, because a better opportunity of introducing them will be found when 1 Dryden's Virgil, Book iv. 1. 252-262. 2 He maintains, in the beginning of the First Book, that nothing is produced of nothing, but that all things are formed out of certain primitive materials. He also perverts the ordinary course of generation into an argument against the existence of God. In the Fifth Book, however, he admits that the world -was born and will die. 56 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I., I come to treat of the Scriptural account of the creation. [Infra, chap. xiv. s. 1,2, 20, sq.) I only wish to observe here, that this method of investigating the divine perfections, by tracing the lineaments of bis countenance as shadowed forth in the firmament and on the earth, is common both to those within and to those without the pale of the Church. From the power oi God we are naturally led to consider his eternity, since that from which all other things derive their origin must necessarily be self-existent and eternal. Moreover, if it be asked what cause induced him to create all things at first, and now inclines him to preserve them, we shall find that there could be no other cause than his own goodness. But if this is the only cause, nothing more should be required to draw forth our love towards him; every creature, as the Psalmist reminds us, participating in his mercy. " His tender mercies are over all his works " (Ps. cxlv. 9). 7. In the second class of God's works, namely, those which are above the ordinary course of nature, the evidence of his perfections are in every respect equally clear. For in conducting the affairs of men, he so arranges the course of his providence, as daily to declare, by the clearest manifestations, that though all are in innumerable ways the partakers of his bounty, the righteous are the special objects of his favour, the wicked and profane the special objects of his severity. It is impossible to doubt his punishment of crimes; while at the same time he, in no unequivocal manner, declares that he is the protector, and even the avenger of innocence, by shedding blessings on the good, helping their necessities, soothing and solacing their' griefs, relieving their sufferings, and in all ways providing for their safety. And though he often permits the guilty to exult for a time with impunity, and the innocent to be driven to and fro in adversity, nay, even to be wickedly and iniquitously oppressed, this ought not to produce any uncertainty as to the uniform justice of all his procedure. Nay, an opposite inference should be drawn. When any one crime calls forth visible manifestations of his anger, it must be because he hates all crimes; and, on the other hand, his leaving many crimes unpunished, only proves that there is a judgment in reserve, when the punishment now delayed shall be inflicted. In like manner, how richly does he supply us with the means of contemplating his mercy, when, as frequently happens, he continues to visit miserable sinners with unwearied kindness, until he subdues their depravity, and woos them back with more than a parent's fondness ? 8. To this purpose the Psalmist (Ps. cvii.), mentioning how God, in a wondrous manner, often brings sudden and unexpected succour to the miserable when almost on the brink of despair, whether in protecting them when they stray in deserts, and at length leading them back into the right path, or supplying them with food when famishing for want, or delivering them when captive from iron fetters and foul dungeons, or conducting them safe into harbour after shipwreck, or bringing them back from the gates of death by curing CHAP. V. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 57 their diseases, or, after burning up the fields with heat and drought, fertilising them with the river of his grace, or exalting the meanest of the people, and casting down the mighty from their lofty seats:— the Psalmist, after bringing forward examples of this description, infers that those things which men call fortuitous events, are so many proofs of divine providence, and more especially of paternal clemency, furnishing ground of joy to the righteous, and at the same time stopping the mouths of the ungodly. But as the greater part of mankind, enslaved by error, walk blindfold in this glorious theatre, he exclaims that it is a rare and singular wisdom to meditate carefully on these works of God, which many, who seem most sharp-sighted in other respects, behold without profit. It is indeed true, that the brightest manifestation of divine glory finds not one genuine spectator among a hundred. Still, neither his power nor his wisdom is shrouded in darkness. His power is strikingly displayed when the rage of the wicked, to all appearance irresistible, is crushed in a single moment; their arrogance subdued, their strongest bulwarks overthrown, their armour dashed to pieces, their strength broken, their schemes defeated without an effort, and audacity which set itself above the heavens is precipitated to the lowest depths of the earth. On the other hand, the poor are raised up out of the dust, and the needy lifted out of the dunghill (Ps. cxiii. 7), the oppressed and afflicted are rescued in extremity, the despairing animated with hope, the unarmed defeat the armed, the few the many, the weak the strong. The excellence of the divine wisdom is manifested in distributing everything in due season, confounding the wisdom of the1 world, and taking the wise in their own craftiness (1 Cor. iii. 19); in short, conducting all things in perfect accordance with reason. 9. We see there is no need of a long and laborious train of argument in order to obtain proofs which illustrate and assert the Divine Majesty. The few which we have merely touched, show them to be so immediately within our reach in every quarter, that we can trace them with the eye, or point to them with the finger. And here we must observe again (see chap. ii. s. 2), that the knowledge of God which we are invited to cultivate is not that which, resting satisfied with empty speculation, only flutters in the brain, but a knowledge which will prove substantial and fruitful wherever it is duly perceived, and rooted in the heart. The Lord is manifested by his perfections. When we feel their power within us, and are conscious of their benefits, the knowledge must impress us much more vividly than if we merely imagined a God whose presence we never felt. Hence it is obvious that, in seeking God, the most direct path and the fittest method is, not to attempt with presumptuous curiosity to pry into his essence, which is rather to be adored than minutely discussed, but to contemplate him in his works, by which he draws near, becomes familiar, and in a manner communicates himself to us. To this the Apostle referred when he said, that we need not go far in 58 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. search of him (Acts xvii. 27), because, by the continual working of his power he dwells in every one of us. Accordingly, David (Psalm cxlv.), after acknowledging that his greatness is unsearchable, proceeds to enumerate bis works, declaring that his greatness will thereby be unfolded. It therefore becomes us also diligently to prosecute that investigation of God which so enraptures the soul with admiration as, at the same time, to make an efficacious impression on it. And, as Augustine expresses it (in Psalm cxliv.), since we are unable to comprehend Him, and are, as it were, overpowered by his greatness, our proper course is to contemplate his works, and so refresh ourselves with his goodness. 10. By the knowledge thus acquired, we ought not only to be stimulated to worship God, but also aroused and elevated to the hope of future life. For, observing that the manifestations which the Lord gives both of his mercy and severity are only begun and incomplete, we ought to infer that these are doubtless only a prelude to higher manifestations, of which the full display is reserved for another state. Conversely, when we see the righteous brought into affliction by the ungodly, assailed with injuries, overwhelmed with calumnies, and lacerated by insult and contumely, while, on the contrary, the wicked nourish, prosper, acquire ease and honour, and all these with impunity, we ought forthwith to infer, that there will be a future life in which iniquity shall receive its punishment and righteousness its reward. Moreover, when we observe that the Lord often lays his chastening rod on the righteous, we may the more surely conclude, that far less will the unrighteous ultimately escape the scourges of his anger. There is a well-known passage in Augustine (De Civitat. Dei, lib. i. c. 8), " Were all sin now visited with open punishment, it might be thought that nothing was reserved for the final judgment; and, on the other hand, were no sin now openly punished, it might be supposed there was no divine providence." It must be acknowledged, therefore, that in each of the works of God, and more especially in the whole of them taken together, the divine perfections are delineated as in a picture, and the whole human race thereby invited and allured to acquire the knowledge of God, and, in consequence of this knowledge, true and complete felicity. Moreover, while his perfections are thus most vividly displayed, the only means of ascertaining their practical operation and tendency is to descend into ourselves, and consider how it is that the Lord there manifests his wisdom, power, and energy,—how he there displays his justice, goodness, and mercy. For although David (Psalm xcii. 6) justly complains of the extreme infatuation of the ungodly in not pondering the deep counsels of God, as exhibited in the government of the human race, what he elsewhere says (Psalm xl.) is most true, that the wonders of the divine wisdom in this respect are more in number than the hairs of our head. But I leave this topic at present, as it will be more fully considered afterwards in its own place (Book I. c. 16, sec. 6-9). CHAP. V. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 59 11. Bright, however, as is the manifestation which God gives both of himself and his immortal kingdom in the mirror of his works, so great is our stupidity, so dull are we in regard to these bright manifestations, that we derive no benefit from them. For in regard to the fabric and admirable arrangement of the universe, how few of us are there who, in lifting our eyes to the heavens, or looking abroad on the various regions of the earth, ever think of the Creator ? Do we not rather overlook Him, and sluggishly content ourselves with a view of his works ? And then in regard to supernatural events, though these are occurring every day, how few are there who ascribe them to the ruling providence of God—how many who imagine that they are casual results produced by the blind evolutions of the wheel of chance? Even when, under the guidance and direction of these events, we are in a manner forced to the contemplation of God (a circumstance which all must occasionally experience), and are thus led to form some impressions of Deity, we immediately fly oft to carnal dreams and depraved fictions, and so by our vanity corrupt heavenly truth. This far, indeed, we differ from each other, in that every one appropriates to himself some peculiar error; but we are all alike in this, that we substitute monstrous fictions for the one living and true God —a disease not confined to obtuse and vulgar minds, but affecting the noblest, and those who, in other respects, are singularly acute. How lavishly in this respect have the whole body of philosophers betrayed their stupidity and want of sense ? To say nothing of the others whose absurdities are of a still grosser description, how completely does Plato, the soberest and most religious of them all, lose himself in his round globe?1 "What must be the case with the rest, when the leaders, who ought to have set them an example, commit such blunders, and labour under such hallucinations? In like manner, while the government of the world places the doctrine of providence beyond dispute, the practical result is the same as if it were believed that all things were carried hither and thither at the caprice of chance; so prone are we to vanity and error. I am still referring to the most distinguished of the philosophers, and not to the common herd, whose madness in profaning the truth of God exceeds all bounds. 12. Hence that immense flood of error with which the whole world is overflowed. Every individual mind being a kind of labyrinth, it is not wonderful, not only that each nation has adopted a variety of fictions, but that almost every man has had his own god. To the darkness of ignorance have been added presumption arid wantonness, and hence there is scarcely an individual to be found without some idol or phantom as a substitute for Deity. Like water gushing forth from a large and copious spring, immense crowds of gods have issued from the human mind, every man giving himself full license, and l Plato in Tiroseos. See also Cic. De Nat. Deorum, lib. i ; Plut. Dc Philos Placitis, lib. i. 60 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. devising some peculiar form of divinity, to meet his own views. It is unnecessary here to attempt a catalogue of the superstitions with which the world was overspread. The thing were endless; and the corruptions themselves, though not a word should be said, furnish abundant evidence of the blindness of the human mind. I say nothing of the rude and illiterate vulgar; but among the philosophers' who attempted, by reason and learning, to pierce the heavens, what shameful disagreement! The higher any one was endued with genius, and the more he was polished by science and art, the more specious was the colouring which he gave to his opinions. All these, however, if examined more closely, will be found to be vain show. The Stoics plumed themselves on their acuteness, when they said2 that the various names of God might be extracted from all the parts of nature, and yet that his unity was not thereby divided: as if we were not already too prone to vanity, and had no need of being presented with an endless multiplicity of godSj to lead us further and more grossly into error. The mystic theology of the Egyptians shows how sedulously they laboured to be thought rational on this subject.3 And, perhaps, at the first glance, some show of probability might deceive the simple and unwary; but never did any mortal devise a scheme by which religion was not foully corrupted. This endless variety and confusion emboldened the Epicureans, and other gross despisers of piety, to cut off all sense of God. For when they saw that the wisest contradicted each other, they hesitated not to infer from their dissensions, and from the frivolous and absurd doctrines of each, that men foolishly, and to no purpose, brought torment upon themselves by searching for a God, there being none: and they thought this inference safe, because it was better at once to deny God altogether than to feign uncertain gods, and thereafter engage in quarrels without end. They, indeed, argue absurdly, or rather weave a cloak for their impiety out of human ignorance; though ignorance surely cannot derogate from the prerogatives of God. But since all confess that there is no topic on which such difference exists, both among learned and unlearned, the proper inference is, that the human mind, which thus errs in inquiring after God, is dull and blind in heavenly mysteries. Some praise the answer of Simonides, who being asked by King Hiero what God was, asked a day to consider. When the king next day repeated the question, he asked two days; and after repeatedly doubling the number of days, at length replied, " The longer I consider, the darker the subject appears."4 He, no doubt, wisely suspended his opinion, when he did not see clearly: 1 Cicero: Qui deos esse dixerunt tanta sunt in varietate ao dissensione, ut eorum molestum sit enumerare sententias.—Cicero, De Nat Deorum, lib. i. and ii. Lactant Inst. Div. lib. i. &c. * Seneca, De Benef., lib. iv. c. 7, et Natural. Qusest, lib. i. in Prsef., et lib. ii, c 45. 3 Plutarch, lib. De Iside et Osiride. * Cicero. De Nat. Deor. lib. i. CHAP. V. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 61 still his answer shows, that if men are only naturally taught, instead of having any distinct, solid, or certain knowledge, they fasten only on contradictory principles, and, in consequence, worship an unknown God. 13. Hence we must hold, that whosoever adulterates pure religion (and this must be the case with all who cling to their own views), make a departure from the one God. No doubt, they will allege that they have a different intention; but it is of little consequence what they intend or persuade themselves to believe, since the Holy Spirit pronounces all to be apostates who, in the blindness of their minds, substitute demons in the place of God. For this reason Paul declares that the Ephesians were " without God" (Eph. ii. 12), until they had learned from the gospel what it is to worship the true God. Nor must this be restricted to one people only, since, in another place, he declares in general, that all men " became vain in their imaginations," after the majesty of the Creator was manifested to them in the structure of the world. Accordingly, in order to make way for the only true God, he condemns all the gods celebrated among the Gentiles as lying and false, leaving no Deity anywhere but in Mount Zion, where the special knowledge of God was professed (Hab. ii. 18,20). Among the Gentiles in the time of Christ, the Samaritans undoubtedly made the nearest approach to true piety; yet we hear from his own mouth that they worshipped they knew not what (John iv. 22); whence it follows that they were deluded by vain errors. In short, though all did not give way to gross vice, or rush headlong into open idolatry, there was no pure and authentic religion founded merely on common belief. A few individuals may not have gone all insane lengths with the vulgar ; still Paul's declaration remains true, that the wisdom of God was not apprehended by the princes of this world (1 Cor. ii. 8). But if the most distinguished wandered in darkness, what shall we say of the refuse ? No wonder, therefore, that all worship of man's device is repudiated by the Holy Spirit as degenerate. Any opinion which man can form in heavenly mysteries, though it may not beget a long train of errors, is still the parent of error. And though nothing worse should happen, even this is no light sin—to worship an unknown God at random. Of this sin, however, we hear from our Saviour's own mouth (John iv. 22), that ail are guilty who have not been taught out of the law who the God is whom they ought to worship. Nay, even Socrates in Xenophon (lib. i. Memorabilia) lauds the response of Apollo enjoining every man to worship the gods according to the rites of his country, and the particular practice of his own city. But what right have mortals thus to decide of their own authority in a matter which is far above the world; or who can so acquiesce in the will of his forefathers, or the decrees of the people, as unhesitatingly to receive a god at their hands ? Every one will adhere to his own judgment sooner than submit to the dictation of others. Since, therefore, in regulating the worship of God, the custom of a city, or 62 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. the consent of antiquity, is a too feeble and fragile bond of piety : it remains that God himself must bear witness to himself from heaven. 14. In vain for us, therefore, does Creation exhibit so many bright lamps lighted up to show forth the glory of its Author. Though they beam upon us from every quarter, they are altogether insufficient of themselves to lead us into the right path. Some sparks, undoubtedly, they do throw out; but these are quenched before they can give forth a brighter effulgence. Wherefore, the apostle, in the very place where he says that the worlds are images of invisible things, adds that it is by faith we understand that they were framed by the word of God (Heb. xi. 3); thereby intimating that the invisible Godhead is indeed represented by such displays, but that we have no eyes to perceive it until they are enlightened through faith by internal revelation from God. When Paul says that that which may be known of God is manifested by the creation of the world, he does not mean such a manifestation as may be comprehended by the wit of man (Rom. i. 19); on the contrary, he shows that it has no further effect than to render us inexcusable (Acts xvii. 27). And though he says, elsewhere, that we have not far to seek for God, inasmuch as he dwells within us, he shows, in another passage, to what extent this nearness to God is availing. God, says he, " in times past, suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless, he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness " (Acts xiv. 16, 17). But though God is not left without a witness, while, with numberless varied acts of kindness, he woos men to the knowledge of himself, yet they cease not to follow their own ways, in other words, deadly errors. 15. But though we are deficient in natural powers which might enable us to rise to a pure and clear knowledge of God, still, as the dulness which prevents us is within, there is no room for excuse. We cannot plead ignorance, without being at the same time convicted by our own consciences both of sloth and ingratitude. It were, indeed, a strange defence for man to pretend that he has no ears to hear the truth, while dumb creatures have voices loud enough to declare it; to allege that he is unable to see that which creatures without eyes demonstrate ; to excuse himself on the ground of weakness of mind, while all creatures without reason are able to teach. Wherefore, when we wander and go astray, we are justly shut out from every species of excuse, because all things point to the right path. But while man must bear the guilt of corrupting the seed of divine knowledge so wondrously deposited in his mind, and preventing it from bearing good and genuine fruit, it is still most true that we are not sufficiently instructed by that bare and simple, but magnificent testimony which the creatures bear to the glory of their Creator. For no sooner do we, from a survey of the world, obtain some slight know- CHAP. V. CHRISTIAN KELIGION. C!i ledge of Deity, than we pass by the true God, and set up in his stead the dream and phantom of our own brain, drawing away the praise of justice, wisdom, and goodness from the fountain-head, and transferring it to some other quarter. Moreover, by the erroneous estimate we form, we either so obscure or pervert his daily works, as at once to rob them of their glory, and the author of them of his just praise. 64 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. CHAPTER VI. THE NEED OF SCBIPTURE, AS A GUIDE AND TEACHER, IN COMING TO GOD AS A CKEATOB. Sections. 1. God gives his elect a better help to the knowledge of himself—viz. the Holy Scrip- tures. This he did from the very first. 2. First. By oracles and visions, and the ministry of the Patriarchs. Secondly, By the promulgation of the Law, and the preaching of the Prophets. Why the doctrines of religion are committed to writing. 8. This view confirmed, 1. By the depravity of our nature making it necessary in every one who would know God to have recourse to the word; 2. From those passages of the Psalms in which God is introduced as reigning. 4. Another confirmation from certain direct statements in the Psalms. Lastly, From the words of our Saviour. 1. Therefore, though the effulgence which is presented to every eye, both in the heavens and on the earth, leaves the ingratitude of man without excuse, since God, in order to bring the whole human race under the same condemnation, holds forth to all, without exception, a mirror of his Deity in his works, another and better help must be given to guide us properly to God as a Creator. Not in vain, therefore, has he added the light of his Word in order that he might make himself known unto salvation, and bestowed the privilege on those whom he was pleased to bring into nearer and more familiar relation to himself. For, seeing how the minds of men were carried to and fro, and found no certain resting-place, he chose the Jews for a peculiar people, and then hedged them in that they might not, like others, go astray. And not in vain does he, by the same means, retain us in his knowledge, since but for this, even those who, in comparison of others, seem to stand strong, would quickly fall away. For as the aged, or those whose sight is defective, when any book, however fair, is set before them, though they perceive that there is something written, are scarcely able to make out two consecutive words, but, when aided by glasses, begin to read distinctly, so Scripture, gathering together the impressions of Deity, which, till then, lay confused in their minds, dissipates the darkness, and shows us the true God clearly. God therefore bestows a gift of singular value, when, for the instruction of the Church, he employs not dumb teachers merely, but opens his own sacred mouth ; when he not only proclaims that some God must be worshipped, but at the same time declares that He is the God to whom worship is due; when he not CHAP. VI. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. G5 only teaches his elect to have respect to God, but manifests himself as the God to whom this respect should be paid. The course which God followed towards his Church from the very first, was to supplement these common proofs by the addition of his Word, as a surer and more direct means of discovering himself. And there can be no doubt that it was by this help, Adam, Noah, Abraham, and the other patriarchs, attained to that familiar knowledge which, in a manner, distinguished them from unbelievers. I am not now speaking of the peculiar doctrines of faith by which they were elevated to the hope of eternal blessedness. It was necessary, in passing from death unto life, that they should know God, not only as a Creator, but as a Eedeemer also; and both kinds of knowledge they certainly did obtain from the Word. In point of order, however, the knowledge first given was that which made them acquainted with the God by whom the world was made and is governed. To this first knowledge was afterwards added the more intimate knowledge which alone quickens dead souls, and by which God is known, not only as the Creator of the world, and the sole author and disposer of all events, but also as a Kedeemer, in the person of the Mediator. But as the fall and the corruption of nature have not yet been considered, I now postpone the consideration of the remedy (for which, see Book II. c. vi., &c). Let the reader then remember, that I am not now treating of the covenant by which God adopted the children of Abraham, or of that branch of doctrine by which, as founded in Christ, believers have, properly speaking, been in all ages separated from the profane heathen. I am only showing that it is necessary to apply to Scripture, in order to learn the sure marks which distinguish God, as the Creator of the world, from the whole herd of fictitious gods. We shall afterward, in due course, consider the work of Redemption. In the mean time, though we shall adduce many passages from the New Testament, and some also from the Law and the Prophets, in which express mention is made of Christ, the only object will be to show that God, the Maker of the world, is manifested to us in Scripture, and his true character expounded, so as to save us from wandering up and down, as in a labyrinth, in search of some doubtful deity. 2. Whether God revealed himself to the fathers by oracles and visions,1 or, by the instrumentality and ministry of men, suggested what they were to hand down to posterity, there cannot be a doubt that the certainty of what he taught them was firmly engraven on their hearts, so that they felt assured and knew that the things which they learnt came forth from God, who invariably accompanied his word with o sure testimony, infinitely superior to mere opinion. At length, in < --der that, while doctrine was continually enlarged, 1 The French adds, ' % C'est a dire, temoignages celestes;" that is to say, messages from hearen. VOL. I. E 66 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. its truth might subsist in the world during all ages, it was his pleasure that the same oracles which he had deposited with the fathers should be consigned, as it were, to public records. With this view the law was promulgated, and prophets were afterwards added to be its interpreters. For though the uses of the law were manifold (Book II. c. 7 and 8), and the special office assigned to Moses and all the prophets was to teach the method of reconciliation between God and man (whence Paul calls Christ " the end of the law," Kom. x. 4); still I repeat that, in addition to the proper doctrine of faith and repentance in which Christ is set forth as a Mediator, the Scriptures employ certain marks and tokens to distinguish the only wise and true God, considered as the Creator and Governor of the world, and thereby guard against his being confounded with the herd of false deities. Therefore, while it becomes man seriously to employ his eyes in considering the works of God, since a place has been assigned him in this most glorious theatre that he may be a spectator of them, his special duty is to give ear to the Word, that he may the better profit.1 Hence it is not strange that those who are born in darkness become more and more hardened in their stupidity; because the vast majority, instead of confining themselves within due bounds by listening with docility to the Word, exult in their own vanity. If true religion is to beam upon us, our principle must be, that it is necessary to begin with heavenly teaching, and that it is impossible for any man to obtain even the minutest portion of right and sound doctrine without being a disciple of Scripture. Hence the first step in true knowledge is taken, when we reverently embrace the testimony which God has been pleased therein to give of himself. For not only does faith, full and perfect faith, but all correct knowledge of God, originate in obedience. And surely in this respect God has with singular Providence provided for mankind in all ages. 3. For if we reflect how prone the human mind is to lapse into forgetfulness of God, how readily inclined to every kind of error, how bent every now and then on devising new and fictitious religions, it will be easy to understand how necessary it was to make such a depository of doctrine as would secure it from either perishing by the neglect, vanishing away amid the errors, or being corrupted by the presumptuous audacity of men. It being thus manifest that God, foreseeing the inefficiency of his image imprinted on the fair form of the universe, has given the assistance of his Word to all whom he has ever been pleased to instruct effectually, we, too, must pursue this straight path, if we aspire in earnest to a genuine contemplation of God;—we must go, I say, to the Word, where the character of God, drawn from his works, is described accurately and to the life; 1 Tertullian, Apologet. adv. Gentea: " Quae plenius et impressius tam ipsum quam dispositiones ejus et voluntates adiremus, instrumentum adjecit literaturoe," &o. CHAP. VI. CHRISTIAN KELIGION. 67 these works being estimated, not by our depraved judgment, but by the standard of eternal truth. If, as I lately said, we turn aside from it, how great soever the speed with which we move, we shall never reach the goal, because we are off the course. We should consider that the brightness of the Divine countenance, which even an apostle declares to be inaccessible (1 Tim. vi. 16), is a kind of labyrinth,—a labyrinth to us inextricable, if the Word do not serve us as a thread to guide our path; and that it is better to limp in the way, than run with the greatest swiftness eut of it. Hence the Psalmist, after repeatedly declaring (Psalm xciii. xcvi. xcvii. xcix. &c.) that superstition should be banished from the world in order that pure religion may nourish, introduces God as reigning; meaning by the term, not the power which he possesses and which he exerts in the government of universal nature, but the doctrine by which he maintains his due supremacy: because error never can be eradicated from the heart of man until the true knowledge of God has been implanted in it. 4. Accordingly, the same prophet, after mentioning that the heavens declare the glory of God, that the firmament showeth forth the works of his hands, that the regular succession of day and night proclaim his Majesty, proceeds to make mention of the Word:—"The law of the Lord," says he, " is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes" (Psalm xix. 1—9). For though the law has other uses besides (as to which, see Book II. c. 7, sec. 6, 10, 12), the general meaning is, that it is the proper school for training the children of God; the invitation given to all nations, to behold him in the heavens and earth, proving of no avail. The same view is taken in the xxix. Psalm, where the Psalmist, after discoursing on the dreadful voice of God, which, in thunder, wind, rain, whirlwind, and tempest, shakes the earth, makes the mountains tremble, and breaks the cedars, concludes by saying, "that in his temple doth every one speak of his glory," unbelievers being deaf to all God's words when they echo in the air. In like manner another Psalm, after describing the raging billows of the sea, thus concludes, " Thy testimonies are very sure; holiness becometh thine house for ever" (Psalm xciii. 5). To the same effect are the words of our Saviour to the Samaritan woman, when he told her that her nation and all other nations worshipped they knew not what; and that the Jews alone gave worship to the true God (John iv. 22). Since the human mind, through its weakness, was altogether unable to come to God if not aided and upheld by his sacred word, it necessarily followed that all mankind, the Jews excepted, inasmuch as they sought God without the Word, were labouring under vanity and error. 68 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. CHAPTEE VII. THE TESTIMONY OF THE SPIRIT NECESSARY TO GIVE FULL AUTHOR-IT Y TO SCRIPTURE. THE IMPIETY OF PRETENDING THAT THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE DEPENDS ON THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHURCH. Sections. 1. The authority of Scripture derived not from men, but from the Spirit of God. Ob- jection, That Scripture depends on the decision of the Church. Refutation, I. The truth of God would thus be subjected to the will of man. II. It is insulting to the Holy Spirit. III. It establishes a tyranny in the Church. IV. It forms a mass of errors. V. It subverts conscience. VI It exposes our faith to the scoffs of the profane. 2. Another reply to the objection drawn from the words of the Apostle Paul. Solution of the difficulties started by opponents. A second objection refuted. 3 A third objection founded on a sentiment of Augustine considered. 4. Conclusion, That the authority of Scripture is founded on its being spoken by God. This confirmed by the conscience of the godly, and the consent of all men of the least candour. A fourth objection common in the mouths of the profane. Eefu tation. 6 Last and necessary conclusion, That the authority of Scripture is sealed on the hearts of believers by the testimony of the Holy Spirit. The certainty of this testimony. Confirmation of it from a passage of Isaiah, and the experience of believers. Also, from another passage of Isaiah. 1. Before proceeding farther, it seems proper to make some observations on the authority of Scripture, in order that our minds may not only be prepared to receive it with reference, but be divested of all doubt. When that which professes to be the Word of God is acknowledged to be so, no person, unless devoid of common sense and the feelings of a man, will have the desperate hardihood to refuse credit to the speaker. But since no daily responses are given from heaven, and the Scriptures are the only records in which God has been pleased to consign his truth to perpetual remembrance, the full authority which they ought to possess with the faithful is not recognised, unless they are believed to have come from heaven, as directly as if God had been heard giving utterance to them. This subject well deserves to be treated more at large, and pondered more accurately. But my readers will pardon me for having more regard to what my plan admits than to what the extent of this topic requires. A most pernicious error has very generally prevailed—viz. that Scripture is of importance only in so far as conceded to it by the suffrage of the Church; as if the eternal and inviolable truth of God could depend on the will of men. With great insult to the Holy CHAP. Vn. CHRISTIAN KELIGION. 69 Spirit, it is asked, Who can assure us that the Scriptures proceeded from God; who guarantee that they have come down safe and unimpaired to our times; who persuade us that this book is to be received with reverence, and that one expunged from the list, did not the Church regulate all these things with certainty ? On the determina-ation of the Church, therefore, it is said, depend both the reverence which is due to Scripture and the books which are to be admitted into the canon. Thus profane men, seeking, under the pretext of the Church, to introduce unbridled tyranny, care not in what absurdities they entangle themselves and others, provided they extort from the simple this one acknowledgment—viz. that there is nothing which the Church cannot do. But what is to become of miserable consciences in quest of some solid assurance of eternal life, if all the promises with regard to it have no better support than man's judgment ? On being told so, will they cease to doubt and tremble ? On the other hand, to what jeers of the wicked is our faith subjected—into how great suspicion is it brought with all, if believed to have only a precarious authority lent to it by the good-will of men ? 2. These ravings are admirably refuted by a single expression of an apostle. Paul testifies that the Church is " built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets" (Eph. ii. 20). If the doctrine of the apostles and prophets is the foundation of the Church, the former must have had its certainty before the latter began to exist. Nor is there any room for the cavil, that though the Church derives her first beginning from thence, it still remains doubtful what writings are to be attributed to the apostles and prophets, until her judgment ia interposed. For if the Christian.Church was founded at first on the writings of the prophets, and the preaching of the apostles, that doctrine, wheresoever it may be found, was certainly ascertained and sanctioned antecedently to the Church, since, but for this, the Church herself never could have existed.1 Nothing, therefore, can be more absurd than the fiction, that the power of judging Scripture is in the Church, and that on her nod its certainty depends. When the Church receives it, and gives it the stamp of her authority, she does not make that authentic which was otherwise doubtful or controverted, but, acknowledging it as the truth of God, she, as in duty bound, shows her reverence by an unhesitating assent. As to the question, How shall we be persuaded that it came from God without recurring to a decree of the Church ? it is just the same as if it were asked, Hotv shall we learn to distinguish light from darkness, white from black, sweet from bitter ? Scripture bears upon the face of it as clear evidence of its truth, as white and black do of their colour, sweet and bitter of their taste. 3. I am aware it is usual to quote a sentence of Augustine, in which 1 The French adds, " Comme le fondement va deuant l'edifice;"—as the foundation goes before the house. 70 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. he says that he would not believe the gospel, were he not moved by the authority of the Church (Aug. Cont. Epist. Fundament, c. v.). But it is easy to discover from the context, how inaccurate and unfair it is to give it such a meaning. He was reasoning against the Manichees, who insisted on being implicitly believed, alleging that they had the truth, though they did not show they had. But as they pretended to appeal to the gospel in support of Manes, he asks what they would do if they fell in with a man who did not even believe the gospel—what kind of argument they would use to bring him over to their opinion. He afterwards adds, " But I would not believe the gospel," &c.; meaning, that were he a stranger to the faith, the only thing which could induce him to embrace the gospel would be the authority of the Church. And is it anything wonderful, that one who does not know Christ should pay respect to men ? Augustine, therefore, does not here say that the faith of the godly is founded on the authority of the Church ; nor does he mean that the certainty of the gospel depends upon it; he merely says that unbelievers would have no certainty of the gospel, so as thereby to win Christ, we.re they not influenced by the consent of the Church. And he clearly shows this to be his meaning, by thus expressing himself a little before: "When I have praised my own creed, and ridiculed yours, who do you suppose is to judge between us; or what more is to be done than to quit those who, inviting us to certainty, afterwards command us to believe uncertainty, and follow those who invite us, in the first instance, to believe what we are not yet able to comprehend, that waxing stronger through faith itself, we may become able to understand what we believe—no longer men, but God himself internally strengthening and illuminating our minds ?" These unquestionably are the words of Augustine (August. Cont. Epist. Fundament, cap. iv.) ; and the obvious inference from them is, that this holy man had no intention to suspend our faith in Scripture on the nod or decision of the Church,1 but only to intimate (what we too admit to be true) that those who are not yet enlightened by the Spirit of G-od, become teachable by reverence for the Church, and thus submit to learn the faith of Christ from the gospel. In this way, though the authority of the Church leads us on, and prepares us to believe in the gospel, it is plain that Augustine would have the certainty of the godly to rest on a very different foundation.2 At the same time, I deny not that he often presses the Manichees with the consent of the whole Church, while arguing in support of 1 The French adds, " La destournant du seul fondement qu'elle a en 1'Escriture ;"— diverting it from the only foundation which it has in Scripture. 2 Augustin, De Ordine, lib. ii. c. 9. " Ad discendum dupliciter movemur, auctori-tate atque ratione : tempore auetoritas, re autem ratio prior est," &c. " Itaque quam-quam bonorum auetoritas imperitae multitudini videatur esse salubrior, ratio yero aptior eruditis : tamen quia nullus hominum nisi ex imperito peritus fit, &c, evenit ut omnibus bona, magna, occulta discere cupientibus, non aperiat nisi auetoritas januam," &o. He has many other excellent things to the same effect. CHAP. VII. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 71 the Scriptures, which they rejected. Hence lie upbraids Faustus (Lib. xxxii.) for not submitting to evangelical truth—truth so well founded, so firmly established, so gloriously renowned, and handed down by sure succession from the days of the apostles. But he nowhere insinuates that the authority which we give to the Scriptures depends on the definitions or devices of men. He only brings forward the universal judgment of the Church, as a point most pertinent to the cause, and one, moreover, in which he had the advantage of his opponents. Any one who desires to see this more fully proved may read his short, treatise, De Utilitate Credendi (The Advantages of Believing), where it will be found that the only facility of believing which he recommends is that which affords an introduction, and forms a fit commencement to inquiry; while he declares that we ought not to be satisfied with opinion, but to strive after substantial truth. 4. It is necessary to attend to what I lately said, that our faith in doctrine is not established until we have a perfect conviction that God is its author. Hence, the highest proof of Scripture is uniformly taken from the character of him whose word it is. The prophets and apostles boast not their own acuteness, or any qualities which win credit to speakers, nor do they dwell on reasons; but they appeal to the sacred name of God, in order that the whole world may be compelled to submission. The next thing to be considered is, how it appears not probable merely, but certain, that the name of God is neither rashly nor cunningly pretended. If, then, we would consult most effectually for our consciences, and save them from being driven about in a whirl of uncertainty, from wavering, and even stumbling at the smallest obstacle, our conviction of the truth of Scripture must be derived from a higher source than human conjectures, judgments, or reasons; namely, the secret testimony of the Spirit. It is true, indeed, that if we choose to proceed in the way of argument, it is easy to establish, by evidence of various kinds, that if there is a God in heaven, the Law, the Prophecies, and the Gospel, proceeded from him. Nay, although learned men, and men of the greatest talent, should take the opposite side, summoning and ostentatiously displaying all the powers of their genius in the discussion ; if they are not possessed of shameless effrontery, they will be compelled to confess that the Scripture exhibits clear evidence of its being spoken by God, and, consequently, of its.containing his heavenly doctrine. We shall see a little farther on, that the volume of sacred Scripture very far surpasses all other writings. Nay, if we look at it with clear eyes and unbiassed judgment, it will forthwith present itself with a divine majesty which will subdue our presumptuous opposition, and force us to do it homage. Still, however, it is preposterous to attempt, by discussion, to rear up a full faith in Scripture. True, were I called to contend with the craftiest despisers of God, I trust, though I am not possessed of the highest ability or eloquence, I should not find it difficult to stop their 72 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK L obstreperous mouths; I could, without much ado, put down the boastings which they mutter in corners, were anything to be gained by refuting their cavils. But although we may maintain the sacred Word of God against gainsayers, it does not follow that we shall forthwith implant the certainty which faith requires in their hearts. Profane men think that religion rests only on opinion, and, therefore, that they may not believe foolishly, or on slight grounds desire and insist to have it proved by reason that Moses and the prophets were divinely inspired. But I answer, that the testimony of the Spirit is superior to reason. For as God alone can properly bear witness to his own words, so these words will not obtain full credit in the hearts of men, until they are sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit. The same Spirit, therefore, who spoke by the mouth of the prophets, must penetrate our hearts, in order to convince us that they faithfully delivered the message with which they were divinely intrusted. This connection is most aptly expressed by Isaiah in these words, " 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 for ever" (Isa. lix. 21). Some worthy persons feel disconcerted, because, while the wicked murmur with impunity at the word of God, they have not a clear proof at hand to silence them, forgetting that the Spirit is called an earnest and seal to confirm the faith of the godly, for this very reason, that, until he enlightens their minds, they are tossed to and fro in a sea of doubts. 5. Let it therefore be held as fixed, that those who are inwardly taught by the Holy Spirit acquiesce implicitly in Scripture; that Scripture, carrying its own evidence along with it, deigns not to submit to proofs and arguments, but owes the full conviction with which we ought to receive it to the testimony of the Spirit.1 Enlightened by him, we no longer believe, either on our own judgment or that of others, that the Scriptures are from God; but, in a way superior to human judgment, feel perfectly assured—as much so as if we beheld the divine image visibly impressed on. it—that it came to us, by the instrumentality of men, from the very mouth of God. We ask not for proofs or probabilities on which to rest our judgment, but we subject our intellect and judgment to it as too transcendent for us to estimate. This, however, we do, not in the manner in which some are wont to fasten on an unknown object, which, as soon as known, displeases, but because we have a thorough conviction that, in holding it, we hold unassailable truth; not like miserable men, whose minds are enslaved by superstition, but because we feel a divine 1 The French adds, " Car jacoit qu'en sa propre majesty elle ait assez de quoy estre reueree, neantmoins elle commence lors a nous vrayement toucher, quand elle est 8cell4o en nos coeurs par le Sainct Esprit."—For though in its own majesty it has enough to command reverence, nevertheless, it then begins truly to touch us when it is sealed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. CHAP. VII. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 73 energy living and breathing in it—an energy by which we are drawn and animated to obey it, willingly indeed, and knowingly, hut more vividly and effectually than could be done by human will or knowledge. Hence, God most justly exclaims by the mouth of Isaiah, " Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he" (Isa. xliii. 10). Such, then, is a conviction which asks not for reasons; such, a knowledge which accords with the highest reason, namely, knowledge in which the mind rests more firmly and securely than in any reasons; such, in fine, the conviction which revelation from heaven alone can produce. I say nothing more than every believer experiences in himself, though my words fall far short of the reality. I do not dwell on this subject at present, because we will return to it again: only let us now understand that the only true faith is that which the Spirit of God seals on our hearts. Nay, the modest and teachable reader will find a sufficient reason in the promise contained in Isaiah, that all the children of the renovated Church " shall be taught of the Lord" (Isaiah liv. 13). This singular privilege God bestows on his elect only, whom he separates from the rest of mankind. Tor what is the beginning of true doctrine but prompt alacrity to hear the word of God ? And God, by the mouth of Moses, thus demands to be heard: " It is not in heaven, that thou shouldst say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear and do it ? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart" (Deut. xxx. 12, 14). God having been pleased to reserve the treasure of intelligence for his children, no wonder that so much ignorance and stupidity is seen in the generality of mankind. In the generality, I include even those specially chosen, until they are ingrafted into the body of the Church. Isaiah, moreover, while reminding us that the prophetical doctrine would prove incredible not only to strangers, but also to the Jews, who were desirous to be thought of the household of God, subjoins the reason, when he asks, " To whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed ? " (Isaiah liii. 1.) If at any time, then, we are troubled at the small number of those who believe, let us, on the other hand, call to mind, that none comprehend the mysteries of God save tbbse to whom it is given. 74 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. CHAPTER VIII. THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE SUFFICIENTLY PROVED, IN SO FAB 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—viz. the arrangement of the sacred volume, its dignity, truth, simplicity, efficacy, and majesty, sec. 1, 2. The second part contains special proofs taken from the Old Testament—viz the antiquity of the books of Moses, their authority, his miracles and prophecies, sec. 3-7; also, the predictions of the other prophets and their -wondrous harmony, sec. 8. There is subjoined a refutation of two objections to the books of Moses and the Prophets, sec. 9, 10. The third part exhibits proof gathered out of the New Testament, e.g., 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, sec. 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, sec. 12, 13. This is followed by a conclusion of the particular topic discussed. Sections. I. Secondary helps to establish the credibility of Scripture. I. The arrangement of the sacred -volume. II. Its dignity. III. Its truth. IV. Its simplicity. V. Its efficacy. 2. The majesty conspicuous in the writings of the Prophets. 3. Special proofs from'the Old Testament. I. The antiquity of the Books of Moses. 4. This antiquity contrasted with the dreams of the Egyptians. II. The majesty of the Books of Moses. 5. The miracles and prophecies of Moses. A profane objection refuted 6. Another profane objection refuted. 7. The prophecies of Moses as to the sceptre not departing from Judah, and the calling of the Gentiles. 8. The predictions of other prophets. The destruction of Jerusalem ; and the return from the Babylonish captivity. Harmony of the Prophets. The celebrated prophecy of Daniel. 9. Objection against Moses and the Prophets. Answer to it. ]0. Another objection and answer. Of tlie wondrous Providence of God in the preservation of the sacred books. The Greek Translation. The carefulness of the Jews. II. Special proofs from the New Testament. I. The harmony of the Evangelists, and the sublime simplicity of their writings. II. The majesty of John, Paul, and Peter. III. The calling of the Apostles. IV. The conversion of Paul. 12 Proofs from Church history. I. Perpetual consent of the Church in receiving and preserving the truth. II. The invincible power of the truth itself. III. Agreement among the godly, notwithstanding of their many differences in other respects. 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. 1. In vain were the authority of Scripture fortified by argument, or supported by the consent of the Church, or confirmed by any other CHAP. VIII. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 75 helps, if unaccompanied by an assurance higher and stronger than human judgment can give. Till this better foundation has been laid, the authority of Scripture remains in suspense. On the other hand, when recognising 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 attentively consider how admirably the system of divine wisdom contained in it is arranged—how perfectly free the doctrine is from everything that savours of earth—how beautifully it harmonises 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 excited 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 rhetorician's art ? Hence there was good ground for the Apostle's declaration, that the faith of the Corinthians was founded not on " the wisdom of men," but on " the power of God" (1 Cor. ii. 5),—his speech and preaching among them having been, " not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Cor. ii. 5). For the truth is vindicated 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 skilfully composed, are at all capable of affecting us in a similar way. Eead Demosthenes or Cicero, read Plato, Aristotle, or any other of that 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, splendour, the style of some of the prophets is not surpassed by the eloquence of heathen writers. By examples of this description, the Holy Spirit was pleased to show that it was not from want of eloquence he in 76 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. other instances used a rude and homely style. 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, whose rougher idiom savours of rusticity; that majesty of the Spirit to which I adverted appears conspicuous in all. 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, so he craftily disseminated the impious errors with which he deceived miserable men in an uncouth and semi-barbarous style, and frequently employed obsolete forms of expression in order to cloak his impostures. None possessed of any moderate share of sense need be told how vain and vile such affectation is. 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. Let each of the prophets be examined, and not one will be found who does not rise far higher than human reach. Those who feel their works insipid must be absolutely devoid of taste. 3. As this subject has been treated at large by others, it will be sufficient here merely to touch on its leading points. In addition to the qualities already mentioned, great weight is due to the antiquity of Scripture (Euseb. Prepar. Bvang. lib. ii. c. i.). 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. 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, by whom it had been transmitted, as it were, from hand to hand, during a long series of ages. For what else does he do than lead them back to the covenant which had been made with Abraham ? Had he referred to matters of which they had never heard, he never could have succeeded; but their deliverance from the bondage in which they were held must have been a fact of familiar and universal notoriety, the very mention of which must have immediately aroused the attention of all. It is, moreover, probable, that they were intimately acquainted with the whole period of four hundred years. Now, if Moses (who is so much earlier than all other writers) traces the tradition of his doctrine from so remote a period, it is obvious how far the Holy Scriptures must, in point of antiquity, surpass all other writings. 4. Some perhaps may choose to credit the Egyptians in carrying back their antiquity to a period of six thousand years before the world was created. But their garrulity, which even some profane authors have held up to derision, it cannot be necessary for me to refute. Josephus, however, in his work against Appion, produces important passages from very ancient writers, implying that the doctrine delivered in the law was celebrated among all nations from the remotest ages, though it was neither read nor accurately known. And then, in order that the malignant might have no ground for CHAP. V1I1. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 77 suspicion, and the ungodly no handle for cavil, God has provided, in the most effectual manner, against both dangers. When Moses relates the words which Jacob, under Divine inspiration, uttered concerning his posterity almost three hundred years before, how does he ennoble his own tribe ? He stigmatises it with eternal infamy in the person of Levi. " Simeon and Levi," says he, " are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. 0 my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united" (Gen. xlix. 5, 6). This stigma he certainly might have passed in silence, not only that he might spare his own ancestor, but also save both himself and his whole family from a portion of the disgrace. How can any suspicion attach to him, who, by voluntarily proclaiming that the first founder of his family was declared detestable by a Divine oracle, neither consults for his own private interest, nor declines to incur obloquy among his tribe, who must have been offended by his statement of the fact ? Again, when he relates the wicked murmuring of his brother Aaron, and his Bister Miriam (Numb. xii. 1), shall we say that he spoke his own natural feelings, or that he obeyed the command of the Holy Spirit ? Moreover, when invested with supreme authority, why does he not bestow the office of High Priest on his sons, instead of consigning them to the lowest place ? I only touch on a few points out of many> but the Law itself contains throughout numerous proofs, which fully vindicate the credibility of Moses, and place it beyond dispute, that he was in truth a messenger sent forth from God. 5. The many striking miracles which Moses relates are so many sanctions of the law delivered, and the doctrine propounded, by him.1 His being carried up into the mount in a cloud; his remaining there forty days separated from human society; his countenance glistening during the promulgation of the law, as with meridian effulgence; the lightnings which flashed on every side; the voices and thunder-ings which echoed in the air; the clang 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, Dathan, and Abiram, and all their impious faetion; 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 aloud that he was an undoubted prophet ? If any one object that I am taking debatable points for granted, the cavil is easily answered, Moses published all these things in the assembly of the people. How, then, could he possibly impose on the very eyewitnesses of what was done ? 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 ? l Exod. xxiv. 18; xxxiv. 29 ; xix. 16 ; xl. 34. Numb. xvi. 24 ; xx. 10; xi. 9. 78 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. 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 assent, merely because they had been previously convinced by their own experience. But because the fact was too clear to leave it free for heathen writers to deny that Moses did perform miracles, the father of lies suggested a calumny, and ascribed them to magic (Exod. ix. 11). But with what probability is a charge of magic brought against him, who held it in such abhorrence, that he ordered every one who should consult soothsayers and magicians to be stoned ? (Lev. xxx. 6.) 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 (Exod. xvi. 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 rain from heaven every day, and in sufficient quantity to maintain a people, while any one, 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 clamour. When (as often happened) the people proudly and petulantly rose up against him, when individuals conspired, and attempted to overthrow him, how could any impostures have enabled him to elude their rage ? The event plainly shows that by these means his doctrine was attested to all succeeding ages. 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' y«ars 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 (1 Sam. xi. 15; xvi. 13). When David is anointed by Samuel, what apparent ground is there for the transference ? 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 honour 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 fulfilment 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 P I omit other predictions which so CHAP. VIII. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 79 plainly betoken divine revelation, that all men of sound mind must see they were spoken by God. In short, his Song itself (Deut. xxxii.) is a bright mirror in which God is manifestly seen. 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 xlv. 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, whence shall it be said that the prophecies which he uttered concerning their return proceeded, if it was not from God ? He names 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 Telapsed 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 undoubted 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! " Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them" (Isaiah xlii. 9). I say nothing of the agreement between Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who, living so far apart, and yet prophesying at the same time, harmonise as completely in all they say as if they had mutually dictated the words to one another. What shall I say of Daniel ? Did not he deliver prophecies embracing a future period of almost six hundred years, as if he had been writing of past events generally known ? (Dan. ix. &c.) If the pious will duly meditate on these things, they will be sufficiently instructed to silence the cavils of the ungodly. The demonstration is too clear to be gainsayed. 9. I am aware of what is muttered in corners by certain miscreants, when they would display their acuteness in assailing divine truth. They ask, how do we know that Moses and the prophets wrote the books which now bear their names ? Nay, they even dare to question whether there ever was a Moses. Were any one to question whether thera ever was a Plato, or an Aristotle, or a Cicero, would not the rod or the whip be deemed the fit chastisement of such 80 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. 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 priests, it lay for a short time buried,—from the time when it was found by good King Josiah (2 Kings xxii. 8; 2 Chron. xxxiv. 15),—it has continued in the hands of men, and been 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 matter of notoriety, and was then in full remembrance. The original writing had been deposited in the temple, and a copy taken from it had been deposited in the royal archives (Deut. xvii. 18, 19); the only thing which had occurred was, that the priests had ceased to publish the law itself in due form, and the people also had neglected the wonted 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 them from those who had, while the remembrance of them was fresh. 10. An objection taken from the history of the Maccabees (1 Mac-cab, i. 57, 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 burnt, 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 leagued 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 acknowledged that Moses was the founder of it. What, then, do those babblers, but betray their snarling petulance in falsely alleging the spuriousness of books whose sacred antiquity is proved by the consent of all history ? But not to spend labour in vain in refuting these vile calumnies, 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. CHAP. VIII. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 81 Who does not recognise it as a signal and miraculous work of God, that those sacred monuments which the ungodly persuaded themselves had utterly perished, immediately returned to resume their former rights, and, indeed, in greater honour ? For the Greek translation appeared to disseminate them over the whole world. Nor does it seem so wonderful that God rescued the tables of bis 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, it 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 native 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 did God employ to preserve the doctrine of salvation contained in the Law and the Prophets, that Christ might manifest it in its own time ? The Jews, 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. 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 ; for 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 candour must be ashamed of their fastidiousness when they read the first chapter of Luke. Even our Saviour's discourses, of which a summary is given by these three evangelists, ought to prevent every one 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 a 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, who was formerly 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, more- VOL. I F 82 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. over, who had not only been an avowed but a cruel and bloody foe, being changed into a new man, shows, by the sudden and unhopedfor 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 teacher of those who, formerly contemptible among the people, all of a sudden began to discourse so magnificently of heavenly mysteries. 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 and the whole world have made to oppress and overthrow it, or completely efface it from the memory of men, 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 t their efforts proved unavailing. The powers of the earth armed themselves for its destruction, but all their attempts 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. Add that it was not a single city or a single nation that concurred in receiving and embracing it. Its authority was recognised as far and as wide as the world extends—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 minds so diversified, and in all other things so much at variance 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 of all of them indeed, but of those in whom as lights God was pleased that his Church should shine. 13. Again, with 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 defence. 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 wont 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 CHAP. VIII. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 83 the Scriptures may be not only proved to the pious, but also completely vindicated against the cavils of slanderers. These, however, cannot of themselves produce a firm faith in Scripture until our heavenly Father manifest his presence in it, and thereby secure implicit reverence for it. Then only, therefore, does Scripture suffice to give a saving knowledge of God when its certainty is founded on the inward persuasion of 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. 84 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. CHAPTEE IX. 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. Their refutation. 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. 8. 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 indissolubly 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 menr have lately appeared, who, while they make a great display of the superiority of the Spirit, reject all reading of the Scriptures themselves, and deride 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 illuminated by any other Spirit. None of these thereby learned to despise the Word of God, but every one 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 for ever," he does not tie down the ancient Church to external doctrine, as he were a mere teacher of elements ;2 he rather shows that, under the reign of Christ, the true and full felicity of the new Church will consist in their 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 1 Lactantius: Coslestes literas corruperunt, utnovam sibi doctrinam sine ullaradice ac stabilitate componerent. Vide Calvin in Instruct, adv. Libertinos, cap. ix. and x. 2 For the Latin, "ac si elementarius esset," the French has, "comme s'ils eussent Stepetis enfans a l'A, B, C ;"—as if they were little children at their A, B, C. CHAP. IS. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 85 teacher of singular excellence, to give attention to reading (1 Tim. iv. 13). And the eulogium which he pronounces on Scripture well deserves to be remembered—viz., that " it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect" (2 Tim. iii. 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 Saviour promise to send ? One who should not speak of himself (John xvi. 13), but suggest and instil 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 Pet. i. 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 by the Lord with sufficient clearness; but these miserable men err 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 when once we hear his voice ; but lest Satan should insinuate himself under his name, he wishes us to recognise 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 honourable for him to degenerate, and revolt against himself. 86 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. 3. Their cavil about our cleaving to the dead letter carries with it the punishment which they deserve for despising Scripture. It is clear that Paul is there arguing against false apostles (2 Cor. iii. 6), who, by recommending the law without Christ, deprived 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 dissevered 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 Cor. iii. 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 honour and respect. There is nothing repugnant here to what was lately said (chap, vii.) 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 recognise 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 it 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 xxiv. 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 prophesyings" (1 Thess. v. 19, 20). By this, doubtless, he intimates that the light of the Spirit is quenched the moment prophesyings 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 the 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. CHAP. X. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 87 CHAPTEE X. IN SCRIPTURE, THE TRUE GOD OPPOSED, EXCLUSIVELY, TO ALL THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN. Sections. 1. Explanation of the knowledge of God resumed. God as 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. 1. We formerly 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. It may now be proper to show, that in Scripture the Lord represents himself in tbe 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, and be directed as to the mode of conducting the search. I am not now adverting to the peculiar 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 enemies to the rank of sons, he even then acted in tbe character of a Redeemer. At present, however, we are employed in considering that knowledge which stops short 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 of 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, it 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 notwithstanding of all his forbearance. 2. There are certain passages which contain more vivid descriptions 88 INSTITUTES Or THE BOOK I. 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, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness 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" (Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7). Here we may observe, first, that his eternity and self-existence are declared by his magnificent name twice 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, goodness, 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 (cxlv.), 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 cfeatidn; 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 the 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 glorieth," says he, " glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth " (Jerem. ix. 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 severer form, even for eternal destruction ; Kighteousness, by which the faithful are preserved, and most benignly 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 founded on his inviolable 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—viz. CHAP. X. CHBISTIAN KELIGTON. 89 that we may thereby learn to worship him with perfect integrity of heart and unfeigned obedience, and also to depend entirely on his goodness. 3. 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 used 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. Tertullian also proves the same thing from the common forms of speech.1 But as all, without exception, have in the vanity of their minds rushed or been dragged into lying fictions, these impressions, 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 absurd 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, Hab-akkuk (ii. 20), 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. 1 In bis book, Be Idolatria. See also in Augustine, a letter by one Maximus, a grammarian of Medaura, jesting at his gods, and scoffing at the true religion. See, at the Bame time, Augustine's grave and admirable reply. Ep. xliii. xliv. 90 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. CHAPTER XI. IMPIETY OF ATTRIBUTING A "VISIBLE FORM TO GOD.—THE SETTING UP OF IDOLS A DEFECTION FROM THE TKUE GOD. There are three leading divisions in this chapter. The first contains a refutation of those who ascribe a visible form to God (s. 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 defence of their error (s. 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 (s. 6-7). The second division of the chapter relates to the origin of idols or images, and the adoration of them, as approved by the Papists (s. 8-10). Their evasion refuted (s. 11). The third division treats of the use and abuse of images (s. 12). Whether it is expedient to have them in Christian Churches (s. 13). The concluding part contains a refutation of the second Council of Nice, which very absurdly contends for images in opposition to divine truth, and even to the disparagement of the Christian name. Sections. 1. God is 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 shape 2. Reasons fort his prohibition from Moses, Isaiah, and Paul. The complaint' of a heathen. It should put the worshippers of idols to shame. 3. Consideration of an objection taken from various passages in Moses. The Cheru- bim and Seraphim show that images are not fit to represent divine mysteries. The Cherubim belonged.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 meretri- cious ornaments given to them in Popish Churches. 4. The Church must be trained in true piety by another method. 8. The second division of the chapter. Origin of idols or images. Its rise shortly after the flood. Its continual progress. 9. Of the worship of images. Its nature. A pretext of idolaters refuted. Pretexts of the heathen. Genius of idolaters. 10. Evasion of the Papists. Their agreement with ancient idolaters. 11. Refutation of another evasion or sophism,—viz. the distinction of dulia and latria, 12. Third division of the chapter—viz. the use and abuse of images. 13. Whether it is expedient to have images in Christian temples. 14. Absurd defence of the worship of images by the second so-called Council of Nice. Sophisms or perversions of Scripture in defence of images in churches. 15. Passages adduced in support of the worship of images. 16. The blasphemous expressions of some ancient idolaters approved by not a few of the more modern, both in word and deed. 1. As Scripture, in accommodation to the rude and gross intellect of man, usually speaks in popular terms, so whenever its object is to CHAP. XI. CHRISTIAN EELIGION. 91 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 subtilely by philosophers, but that it may the better expose the folly, nay madness, of the world in its inquiries after God, bo long as every one clings to his own speculations. This exclusive definition, which we uniformly meet with in Scripture, annihilates every deity which men frame for themselves of their own accord— 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, that 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 adds, " 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 " (Exod. xx. 4). 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 worshipped by the Persians. As many stars as the foolish nations saw in the sky, so many gods they imagined them to be. Then to the Egyptians, every animal was a figure of God.1 The Greeks, again, plumed themselves on their superior wisdom in worshipping God under the human form, (Maximus Tyrius Platonic. Serm. 38). 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 imagine they can bring him near to them. 2. This may easily be inferred from the reasons which he annexes to his prohibition. First, it is said in the books of Moses, (Deut. iv. 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 Horeb, out of the midst of the fire, lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure," &c. We eee how plainly God declares against all figures, to make us aware that all longing after such visible shapes is rebellion against him. Of the prophets, it will be sufficient to mention Isaiah, who is the most copious on this subject (Isaiah xl. 18; xli. 7, 29 ; xlv. 9 ; xlvi. 5), in order to show how the majesty of God is defiled by an absurd and indecorous fiction, when lie 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 i The French adds, " voire jusques aux oignons et porreaux;"—they have gone even to onions and leeks. 92 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. paltry wood, or stone, or gold. Paul, too, reasons in the same way, " Forasmuch, 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 xvii. 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 insults 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, De Civit. Dei, c. 10, is well known. He says, " The sacred, immortal, and invisible gods, they exhibit in the meanest and most ignoble materials, and dress them in 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 evasion, when they pretend that the Jews were forbidden to use them on account of their proneness to superstition; as if a prohibition which the Lord founds on his own eternal essence, and the uniform course of nature, could be restricted to a single nation. Besides, 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 apt 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 (Deut. iv. 11), curbed men's minds as with a bridle, that they might not attempt to penetrate farther. Therefore, even Moses (to whom, of all men, God manifested himself most familiarly) was not permitted, though he prayed for it, to behold that face, but received for answer, that the refulgence was too great for man (Exod. xxxiii. 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 his power and grace, and not 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 (Exod. xxv. 17, 18, 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 Cherubim 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 Cherubim. For CHAP. XI. OHMSTIAN EELIGION. 93 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 Q-od, not only from the eye, but from every human sense, and curbing presumption ? To this we may add, that the prophets depict the Seraphim, who are exhibited to us in vision, as havingtheir faces veiled; thus intimating, that the refulgence 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 Cherubim in question belonged 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 puerility, if I may so express it, to which such rudiments were adapted, has passed away. And surely it is disgraceful that heathen writers should be more skilful interpreters of Scripture than the Papists. Juvenal (Sat. xiv.) holds up the Jews to derision for worshipping the thin clouds and firmament. 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 prate 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 the sleep of death. 4. To the same effect are the words of the Psalmist (Psalms cxv. 4, cxxxv. 15), " Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands." From the materials of which they are made, he infers that they are not gods, taking it for granted that every human device concerning God is a dull fiction. He mentions silver and gold rather than clay or stone, that neither splendour 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 forced to confess that he is but the creature of a day (see Book III. c. ix. s. 2), and yet would have the metal which he has deified to be regarded as God. Whence had idols their origin, but from the will of man ? There was ground, therefore, for the sarcasm of the heathen poet (Hor. Sat. I. 8), "I was once the trunk of a fig-tree, a useless log, when the tradesman, uncertain whether he sTaould make me a stool, &c, 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 honour of deity on a lifeless trunk. But as that Epicurean poet, in indulging his wit, had no regard for religion, without attending to his jeers or those of his fellows, let the rebuke of the prophet sting, nay, cut us to the heart, when he speaks of the extreme infatuation of 94 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. those who take a piece of wood to kindle a fire to warm themselves, bake bread, roast or boil flesh, and out of the residue make a god, before which they prostrate themselves as suppliants (Isaiah xliv. 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 Deity to the stature of a few feet. And yet experience shows that this monstrous proceeding, though palpablyrepugnant 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 (Isa. ii. 8, 31; vii. 57; Hos. xiv. 4 ; Mic. v. 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 Psalmist (Psalm cxv. 8), when he shows how aid is implored from dead and senseless objects, by beings who have been endued 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 imprecation, " They that make them are like unto them, so is every one that trusteth 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 sculptured shape of Deity, while none go greater lengths in the licentious use of pictures. The Lord, however, not only forbids any image of himself to be erected by a statuary, but to be formed by any artist whatever, because every such image is sinful and insulting to his majesty. 5. 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:2 but the Holy Spirit gives a very different decision ; and had Gregory got his lesson in this matter in the Spirit's school, he never would have spoken as he did. For when Jeremiah declares that " the stock is a doctrine of vanities " (Jer. x. 8), and Habakkuk, " 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 objected that the censure of the prophets is directed against those who perverted images to purposes of impious superstition, I admit it to be so; but I add (what must be obvious to all), that the prophets utterly condemn 1 Calvin translates the words of the Psalmist its an imprecation, " Similes illis fiant qui faciunt ea; "—Let those who make them be like unto them. 2 See Gregory, Ep. ad Serenum Massiliens, Ep. cix. lib. vii.; and Ep. ix. lib. ix. ; also Ep. liii. et exxvi. lib. ii., where Gregory, while wishing to excuse the worship of images, rather accuses it. CHAP. IX. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 95 what the Papists hold to be an undoubted axiom—viz. 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 worshipped, 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 fallacious 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 verbatim what the prophets taught. 6. Moreover, let Lactantius and Eusebius1 be read on this subject.2 These writers ass me 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 than had been long before decreed by the Elibertine Council, the thirty-sixth Canon of which is, "There must be no pictures used in churches: Let nothing which is adored or worshipped be painted on walls." But the most memorable passage of all is that which Augustine quotes in another place from Varro, and in which he expressly concurs :— '' Those who first introduced images of the gods both took away fear and brought in error." Were this merely the saying of Varro, 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 tha.t it was uttered with no less truth than shrewdness. But Augustine, while he borrows it from Varro, 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 if new fuel had been added. Afterwards, he explains how the fear of God was thereby extinguished or impaired, his presence being brought into contempt by foolish, and childish, and absurd representations.3 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. 1 The French adds, " deux des plus anciens Docteurs de l'Eglise; "—two of the most ancient Doctors of the Church. 2 Lact. Inst. Div. lib. i c. 15; Euseb. Prsef. Evang. lib. iii. c. 3, 4; also August. De Ciyitate Dei, lib. iv. c. 9, 31. 3 The French is, " Pourceque la gloire de sa Divinite est vilipendee en une chose si sotte et lourde comme est un marmouset; "—because the glory of his Divinity is degraded into an object so silly and stupid as a marmoset. 96 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. 7. Let Papists, then, if they have any sense of shame, henceforth desist from the futile plea, that images are the books of the unlearned —a plea so plainly refuted by innumerable passages of Scripture. And yet were I to admit the plea, it would not be a valid defence of their peculiar idols. It is well known what kind of monsters they obtrude upon us as divine. For what are the pictures or statues to which they append the names of saints, but exhibitions of the most shameless luxury or obscenity ? Were any one to dress himself after their model, he would deserve the pillory. Indeed, brothels exhibit their inmates more chastely and modestly dressed than churches do images intended to represent virgins. The dress of the martyrs is 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 there instructed. His injunction is, that the doctrine common to all should there 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 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 honours with a revelation of his 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, whence this stupidity, but just because they are defrauded of the only doctrine which was fit to instruct them ? The simple reason why 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 and in a manner crucified before our eyes (Gal. iii. 1). Of what use, then, were the erectiga in churches of so many crosses of wood and stone, silver and gold, if this doctrine were faithfully and honestly preached—viz., Christ died that he might bear our curse upon the tree, that he might expiate our sins by 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 to any heavenly instructor. 8. In regard to the origin of idols, the statement contained in the Book of Wisdom has been received with almost universal consent— viz., that they originated with those who bestowed this honour 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 CHAP. XI. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 97 it was 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. The idols that 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 (Gen. xxxi. 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 elapse, 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 G-od had lately purged with so fearful a judgment. For Joshua testifies (Josh. xxiv. 2), that Terah and Nachor, even before the birth of Abraham, were the worshippers 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 rashness, dares to imagine a god suited to its own capacity; as it labours under dulness, nay, is sunk in the grossest ignorance, it substitutes vanity and an empty phantom in the place of God. To these evils another is added. The god whom man has thus conceived inwardly he 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 them unless his presence is carnally exhibited, appears from the example of the Israelites : " Up," said they, " make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him" (Exod. xxxii. 1). 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 rest--less 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. 9. After such a figment is formed, adoration forthwith ensues ; for when once men imagined that they beheld God in images, they also worshipped him as being there. At length their eyes and minds becoming wholly engrossed by them, they began to grow more and vol. i. a 98 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. 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 forbad 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 are men, that wherever 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 honours are paid to an idol, be the colour what it may. And because God wills not to be worshipped 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 defence of the execrable indolatry 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 wished to retain God, their deliverer, provided they saw him going before them in the caif. Nor are the heathen to be deemed to have been so stupid as not to understand that God was something else than wood and stone. For they changed the images at pleasure, but always retained the same gods in their minds ;l 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 of his time {August, in Fs. cxiii.). 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 worshipped 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 surer and nearer impression. When once this preposterous representation of God was adopted, there was l The French is, " Neantmoins ils ne disoyent point pour cela qu'un Dieu fut divis6;" —nevertheless, they did not therefore say that the unity of God was divided. CHAP. XI. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 99 no limit until, deluded every now and then by new impostures, they came to think that God exerted his power in images.1 Still the Jews were persuaded, that, under such images, they worshipped the eternal God, the one true Lord of heaven and earth; and the Gentiles, also, in worshipping their own false gods, supposed them to dwell in heaven. 10. It is an impudent falsehood to deoy 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, do they turn towards them as to the ears of God ? It is indeed true, as Augustine says (in Ps. cxiii.), 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 honour, another is worshipped with the highest solemnities ? Why do they fatigue themselves with votive pilgrimages to images, while they have many similar ones at home ?2 Why at the present time do they fight for them to blood and slaughter, as for their altars and hearths, 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. I am only 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 ceased to charge them with their adulteries with wood and stone for the very acts which are daily done by those who would be deemed Christians, namely, for worshipping God carnally in wood and stone. 11. I am not ignorant, however, and I have no wish to disguise the fact, that they endeavour to evade the charge by means of a more subtle distinction, which shall afterwards be fully considered (see infra, s. 16, and chap. xii. s. 2). The worship which they pay to their images they cloak with the name of ildoXobvXiia (idolodulia), and deny to be ilfaXoXargiia (idolatria). So they speak, 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 tvorship than to serve. And yet, 1 French, " Ne vouloit monstrer sa vertu que sous les images;"—would only show his power under the form of images. 2 The two last sentences in French are, " Car Iaissan3 la un crucifix, ou une image de leur nostre-dame, ou n'en tenans point grand comte, ils mettent leur devotion i. un outre. Pourquoy est-ce qu'ils trotent si loin en pelerinage pour voir un marmouset, duquel ils out le semblable a leur porte ?"—For there passing by a crucifix, or an image of what they call " Our Lady," or making no great account of them, they pay their devotion to another. Why is it that they trot so far on a pilgrimage to see a marmoset, when they have one like it at their door ? 100 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. while they take refuge in a Greek term, they very childishly contradict themselves. For the Greek word }.urgt6uv having no other meaning than to worship, what they say is just the same as if they were to confess that they worship their images without worshipping 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 soever 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 rivalship with them, while they with their minds devise, and with their hands execute, symbolical shapes of God. 12. 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. And lest any should think that we are singular in this opinion, those acquainted with the productions of sound divines will find that they have always disapproved of it. If it be unlawful to make any corporeal representation of God, still more unlawful must it 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 dishonoured by unbecoming representations. Visible representations are of two classes—viz. 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 latter, so far as I can see, are only fitted for amusement. And yet it is certain, that the latter 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 indulged (a point to which I alluded a little ago, supra, s. 7). I only say, that though they were otherwise faultless, they could not be of any utility in teaching. CHAP. XI. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 101 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 five hundred years, during which religion was in a more prosperous condition, and a purer doctrine flourished, Christian churches were completely free from visible representations (see Preface, and Book IV., c. ix. s. 9). 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 those 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, than omitted it through ignorance or carelessness. This is clearly attested by Augustine in these words (Ep. xlix. See also De Civit. Dei, lib. iv. c. 31). " When images are thus placed aloft in seats of honour, 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," &c. And again, in another passage (in Ps. cxii.), he says, " The effect produced, and in a manner extorted, by the bodily shape, is, that the mind, being itself in a body, imagines that a body which is so like its own must be similarly affected," &c. 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, than of correcting it, as they neither speak, nor see, nor hear, nor walk." This undoubtedly is the reason why John (1 John v. 21) 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 laboured, 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. Even were the 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, than to require the aid of any images which the wit of man may devise. Such, then, is the incomparable blessing of images—a 102 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. blessing, the want of which, if we believe the Papists, cannot possibly be compensated!* 14. Enough, I believe, would have been said on this subject, were I not in a manner arrested by the Council of Nice ; not the celebrated Council which Constantine the Great assembled, but one which was held eight hundred years ago by the orders and under the auspices of the Empress Irene.2 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 Synod. 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 Synod for support. But there is a refutation extant 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 thence inferred 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 hath lighted a candle, putteth it under a bushel." Another, to show the utility of looking at images, quoted a verse of the Psalms, " The light of thy countenance, 0 Lord, has shone upon us." Another laid hold of this similitude: As the Patriarchs used the sacrifices of the G-entiles, 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 painful 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, The French is, " qu'il n'y ait nnlle recompense qui vaille un marmouset guignant a travers et faisant la mine tortue; "—that no compensation can equal the value of a marmoset looking askance and twisting its face. 2 The French is, " une mechante Proserpine nominee Irene; "—a wicked Proserpine named Irene. CHAP. XI. CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 103 "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 apposite 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 Mira confirms the propriety 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 urge us with the decree of this Synod, as if the venerable Fathers did not bring themselves into utter discredit by handling Scripture so childishly, or wresting it so shamefully and profanely. 16. I come now to monstrous impieties, which it is strange they ventured to utter, and twice strange that all men did not protest against with the utmost detestation.1 It is right to expose this frantic and flagitious extravagance, and thereby deprive the worship of images of that gloss of antiquity in which Papists 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 worshipped 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 odours and ircense, much more are the images of saints entitled to the honour. Constantius, Bishop of Constantia in Cyprus, professes to embrace images with reverence, and declares that he will pay them the respect which is due to the ever blessed Trinity: every person refusing to do the same thing he anathematises and classes with Marcionites and Manichees. Lest you should think this the private opinion of an individual, they all assent. Nay, John the Eastern legate, carried still farther by his zeal, declares it would be better to allow a city to be filled with brothels than 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, " Eejoice and exult, ye who, having the image of Christ, offer sacrifice to it." Where is now the distinction of latria and dulia 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.2 1 The French adds, " et qu'il ne se soit trouve gens qui leur crachassent au visage ;" —and that people were not found to spit in their face. 2 See Calvin, De Vitandis Superstitionibus, where also see Resp. Pastorum, Tigurin. adver. Nicode>. .tas. See also Calvin, De Fugiendis lllicitis Sacris. 104 INSTITUTES OF THE BOOK I. CHAPTER XII. GOD DISTINGUISHED FBOM IDOLS, THAT HE MAY BE THE EXCLUSIVE OBJECT OF WOBSHIP. Sections. 1. Scripture, in teaching that there is but one God, does not make a dispute about words, but attributes all honour and religious worship to him alone. This proved, 1st, By the etymology of the term. 2d, 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. 2. The Papists, in opposing this pure doctrine, gain nothing by their distinction of dulia and "latrid. 8. Passages of Scripture subversive of the Papistical distinction, and proving that religious worship is due to God alone. Perversions «f Divine worship. . 1. We said at the commencement of our work (chap, ii.), that the knowledge of God consists not in frigid speculation, but carries worship along with it; and we touched by the way (chap. v. s. 6, 9, 10) on what will be more copiously treated in other places (Book II. chap, viii.)—viz. how God is duly worshipped. 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 eu