I have been listing to Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion in the mornings, a chapter or so a day. This morning I heard some things I wanted to post because they talk about one of the chief purposes of my blog: our helpless sinful condition; that the moral law cannot be obeyed by any of us; that our only hope is surrender to Christ.
To preface that section of Calvin’s book, I pasted in the early part of chapter 7 of book 2 (there are 4 divisions in his large work, he called them ‘Book First,’ Book Second…’).
My intention was to blog sections 3, 6 and 7. You may see, by glancing over Calvin’s chapter outline, how he described each section and get a sense for how he has ordered his very useful work about the Christian life.
It is available on Kindle for $1.99; paperback, $5.95 and hardback, $26.96 at Amazon, linked below.
Copied and pasted from: Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion (p. 130). Hendrickson Publishers. Kindle Edition.
CHAPTER 7 of Book Second:
The Law Given, Not to Retain a People for Itself, but to Keep Alive the Hope of Salvation in Christ until His Advent
The divisions of this chapter are:
[I couldn’t use his number system because my ‘word’ software kept changing his Roman numerals and numbers]
-The moral and ceremonial law a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, s. 1, 2.
-This true of the moral law, especially its conditional promises. These given for the best reasons. In what respect the observance of the moral law is said to be impossible, s. 3–5.
-Of the threefold office and use of the moral Law, s. 6–12. Antinomians refuted, s. 13.
-What the abrogation of the Law, moral and ceremonial, s. 14–17.
[The emboldened sections below, 3, 6 and 7 describe the sections of his work that I pasted in.]
SECTIONS
- The whole system of religion delivered by the hand of Moses, in many ways pointed to Christ. This exemplified in the case of sacrifices, ablutions, and an endless series of ceremonies. This proved,
- By the declared purpose of God;
- By the nature of the ceremonies themselves;
- From The nature of God;
- From the grace offered to the Jews;
- From the consecration of the priests.
- Proof continued.
- From a consideration of the kingdom erected in the family of David.
- From the end [purpose] of the ceremonies.
- From the end of the moral law.
- A more ample exposition of the last proof. The moral law leads believers to Christ. Showing the perfect righteousness required by God, it convinces us of our inability to fulfill it. It thus denies us life, adjudges us to death, and so urges us to seek deliverance in Christ.
- The promises of the Law, though conditional, founded on the best reason. This reason explained.
- No inconsistency in giving a law, the observance of which is impossible. This proved from reason, and confirmed by Scripture. Another confirmation from Augustine.
- A consideration of the office and use of the moral law shows that it leads to Christ. The Law, while it describes the righteousness which is acceptable to God, proves that every man is unrighteous.
- The Law fitly compared to a mirror, which shows us our wretchedness. This derogates not in any degree from its excellence.
- When the Law discloses our guilt, we should not despond, but flee to the mercy of God. How this may be done.
- Confirmation of the first use of the moral law from various passages in Augustine.
- A second use of the Law is to curb sinners. This most necessary for the good of the community at large; and this in respect not only of the reprobate, but also of the elect, previous to regeneration. This confirmed by the authority of an apostle.
- The Law showing our wretchedness, disposes us to admit the remedy. It also tends to keep us in our duty. Confirmation from general experience.
- The third and most appropriate use of the Law respects the elect.
- It instructs and teaches them to make daily progress in doing the will of God.
- Urges them by exhortation to obedience. Testimony of David. How he is to be reconciled with the apostle.
- The profane heresy of the Antinomians must be exploded. Argument founded on a passage in David, and another in Moses.
- Last part of the chapter treating of the abrogation of the Law. In what respect any part of the moral law abrogated.
- The curse of the Law how abrogated.
- Of the abrogation of the ceremonial law in regard to the observance only.
- The reason assigned by the apostle applicable not to the moral law, but to ceremonial observances only. These abrogated, not only because they separated the Jews from the gentiles, but still more because they were a kind of formal instruments to attest our guilt and impunity. Christ, by destroying these, is justly said to have taken away the handwriting that was against us, and nailed it to his cross.
[This explanation corresponds to SECTION 1 above]
1. From the whole course of the observations now made, we may infer, that the Law was not superadded about four hundred years after the death of Abraham in order that it might lead the chosen people away from Christ, but, on the contrary,to keep them in suspense until his advent; to inflame their desire, and confirm their expectation, that they might not become dispirited by the long delay.
By the Law, I understand not only the Ten Commandments, which contain a complete rule of life, but the whole system of religion delivered by the hand of Moses.
Moses was not appointed as a Lawgiver, to do away with the blessing promised to the race of Abraham; no, we see that he is constantly reminding the Jews of the free covenant which had been made with their fathers, and of which they were heirs; as if he had been sent for the purpose of renewing it.
This is most clearly manifested by the ceremonies. For what could be more vain or frivolous than for men to reconcile themselves to God, by offering him the foul odor produced by burning the fat of beasts? or to wipe away their own impurities by besprinkling themselves with water or blood?
In short, the whole legal worship (if considered by itself apart from the types and shadows of corresponding truth) is a mere mockery….
[SKIPPING AHEAD to]
Section 3: The Law fitly compared to a mirror, which shows us our wretchedness. This derogates not in any degree from its excellence]
[Calvin’s paragraphs were divided into smaller units for ease of reading; bracketed statements, underscoring and emboldening are mine.]
Section 3. But in order that a sense of guilt may urge us to seek for pardon, it is of importance to know how our being instructed in the moral law renders us more inexcusable.
If it is true, that a perfect righteousness is set before us in the Law, it follows, that the complete observance of it is perfect righteousness in the sight of God; that is, a righteousness by which a man may be deemed and pronounced righteous at the divine tribunal.
Wherefore Moses, after promulgating the Law, hesitates not to call heaven and earth to witness, that he had set life and death, good and evil, before the people.
Nor can it be denied, that the reward of eternal salvation, as promised by the Lord, awaits the perfect obedience of the Law (Deut 30:19).
Again, however, it is of importance to understand in what way we perform that obedience for which we justly entertain the hope of that reward.
For of what use is it to see that the reward of eternal life depends on the observance of the Law, unless it moreover appears whether it be in our power in that way to attain to eternal life?
Herein, then, the weakness of the Law is manifested; for, in none of us is that righteousness of the Law manifested, and therefore being excluded from the promises of life, we again fall under the curse.
I state not only what happens, but what must necessarily happen.
The doctrine of the Law transcending our capacity, a man may indeed look from a distance at the promises held forth, but he cannot derive any benefit from them.
The only thing, therefore, remaining for him is, from their excellence to form a better estimate of his own misery, while he considers that the hope of salvation is cut off, and he is threatened with certain death.
On the other hand, those fearful denunciations which strike not at a few individuals, but at every individual without exception, rise up; rise up, I say, and, with inexorable severity, pursue us; so that nothing but instant death is presented by the Law.
Section 6. That the whole matter may be made clearer, let us take a succinct view of the office and use of the moral law.
Now this office and use seems to me to consist of three parts.
First, by exhibiting the righteousness of God—in other words, the righteousness which alone is acceptable to God—it admonishes everyone of his own unrighteousness, certiorates, convicts, and finally condemns him.
[The term certiorates: an extraordinary writ issued by a superior court (as the Supreme Court) to call up the records of a particular case from an inferior judicial body (as a Court of Appeals)]
This is necessary, in order that man, who is blind and intoxicated with self-love, may be brought at once to know and to confess his weakness and impurity.
For until his vanity is made perfectly manifest, he is puffed up with infatuated confidence in his own powers, and never can be brought to feel their feebleness so long as he measures them by a standard of his own choice.
So soon, however, as he begins to compare them with the requirements of the Law, he has something to tame his presumption. How high soever his opinion of his own powers may be, he immediately feels that they pant under the heavy load, then totter and stumble, and finally fall and give way. He, then, who is schooled by the Law, lays aside the arrogance which formerly blinded him.
In like manner must he be cured of pride, the other disease under which we have said that he labors.
So long as he is permitted to appeal to his own judgment, he substitutes a hypocritical for a real righteousness, and, contented with this, sets up certain factitious observances in opposition to the grace of God.
[Every Christian who does not read the Bible has to be guilty of this; many preachers call it, creating a god in their own image whose commands are doable…. Not that Bible readers cannot make the same mistake, thinking, e.g., that they have some special relationship that permits sinning….]
But after he is forced to weigh his conduct in the balance of the Law, renouncing all dependence on this fancied righteousness, he sees that he is at an infinite distance from holiness, and, on the other hand, that he teems with innumerable vices of which he formerly seemed free.
The recesses in which concupiscence [sexual desire; lust; ardent, usually sensuous, longing] lies hid are so deep and tortuous that they easily elude our view; and hence the apostle had good reason for saying, “I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” For, if it be not brought forth from its lurking places, it miserably destroys in secret before its fatal sting is discerned.
Section 7. Thus the Law is a kind of mirror.
As in a mirror we discover any stains upon our face, so in the Law we behold, first, our impotence; then, in consequence of it, our iniquity; and, finally, the curse, as the consequence of both.
He who has no power of following righteousness is necessarily plunged in the mire of iniquity, and this iniquity is immediately followed by the curse. Accordingly, the greater the transgression of which the Law convicts us, the severer the judgment to which we are exposed.
To this effect is the apostle’s declaration, that “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20).
By these words, he only points out the first office of the Law as experienced by sinners not yet regenerated.
In conformity to this, it is said, “the law entered that the offense might abound”; and, accordingly, that it is “the ministration of death”; that it “worketh wrath” and kills (Rom 5:20; 2 Cor 3:7; Rom 4:15).
For there cannot be a doubt that the clearer the consciousness of guilt, the greater the increase of sin; because then to transgression a rebellious feeling against the Lawgiver is added.
All that remains for the Law, is to arm the wrath of God for the destruction of the sinner; for by itself it can do nothing but accuse, condemn, and destroy him.
Thus Augustine says, “If the Spirit of grace be absent, the law is present only to convict and slay us.”
But to say this neither insults the law, nor derogates in any degree from its excellence. Assuredly, if our whole will were formed and disposed to obedience, the mere knowledge of the law would be sufficient for salvation; but since our carnal and corrupt nature is at enmity with the divine law, and is in no degree amended by its discipline, the consequence is, that the law which, if it had been properly attended to, would have given life, becomes the occasion of sin and death.
When all are convicted of transgression, the more it declares the righteousness of God, the more, on the other hand, it discloses our iniquity; the more certainly it assures us that life and salvation are treasured up as the reward of righteousness, the more certainly it assures us that the unrighteous will perish.
So far, however, are these qualities from throwing disgrace on the Law, that their chief tendency is to give a brighter display of the divine goodness. For they show that it is only our weakness and depravity that prevents us from enjoying the blessedness which the law openly sets before us.
Hence additional sweetness is given to divine grace, which comes to our aid without the law, and additional loveliness to the mercy which confers it, because they proclaim that God is never weary in doing good, and in loading us with new gifts.
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion (p. 130). Hendrickson Publishers. Kindle Edition.
End Calvin
The term MIRROR from James 1 and 1 Corinthians:
James 1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he looked at himself and has gone away, he immediately forgot what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now abide faith, hope, love—these three; but the greatest of these is love.
MacArthur Bible Commentary on James 1:23
observing. A forceful Greek word meaning to look carefully and cautiously, as opposed to taking a casual glance.
mirror. First-century mirrors were not glass but metallic, made of bronze, silver—or for the wealthy—gold. The metals were beaten flat and polished to a high gloss, and the image they reflected was adequate, but not perfect (cf. 1Co_13:12).
Link to purchase Calvin’s Institutes at Amazon: