Calvin, Institutes, Vol.3, Part 7
(... continued from part 6)
Chapter 6.
6. The life of a Christian man. Scriptural arguments exhorting to
it.
This and the four following chapters treat of the Life of the
Christian, and are so arranged as to admit of being classed under
two principal heads.
First, it must be held to be an universally acknowledged point,
that no man is a Christian who does not feel some special love for
righteousness, chap. 6. Secondly, in regard to the standard by which
every man ought to regulate his life, although it seems to be
considered in chap. 7 only, yet the three following chapters also
refer to it. For it shows that the Christian has two duties to
perform. First, the observance being so arduous, he needs the
greatest patience. Hence chap. 8 treats professedly of the utility
of the cross, and chap. 9 invites to meditation on the future life.
Lastly, chap. 10 clearly shows, as in no small degree conducive to
this end, how we are to use this life and its comforts without
abusing them.
This sixth chapter consists of two parts, - I. Connection
between this treatise on the Christian Life and the doctrine of
Regeneration and Repentance. Arrangement of the treatise, sec. 1-3.
II. Extremes to be avoided; 1. False Christians denying Christ by
their works condemned, sec. 4. 2. Christians should not despair,
though they have not attained perfection, provided they make daily
progress in piety and righteousness.
Sections.
1. Connection between this chapter and the doctrine of Regeneration.
Necessity of the doctrine concerning the Christian Life. The
brevity of this treatise. The method of it. Plainness and
unadorned simplicity of the Scripture system of morals.
2. Two divisions. First, Personal holiness. 1. Because God is holy.
2. Because of our communion with his saints.
3. Second division, relating to our Redemption. Admirable moral
system of Scripture. Five special inducements or exhortations
to a Christian Life.
4. False Christians who are opposed to this life censured 1. They
have not truly learned Christ. 2. The Gospel not the guide of
their words or actions. 3. They do not imitate Christ the
Master. 4. They would separate the Spirit from his word.
5. Christians ought not to despond: Provided 1. They take the word
of God for their guide. 2. Sincerely cultivate righteousness.
3. Walk, according to their capacity, in the ways of the Lord.
4. Make some progress. 5. Persevere.
1. We have said that the object of regeneration is to bring the
life of believers into concord and harmony with the righteousness of
God, and so confirm the adoption by which they have been received as
sons. But although the law comprehends within it that new life by
which the image of God is restored in us, yet, as our sluggishness
stands greatly in need both of helps and incentives it will be
useful to collect out of Scripture a true account of this
reformations lest any who have a heartfelt desire of repentance
should in their zeal go astray. Moreover, I am not unaware that, in
undertaking to describe the life of the Christian, I am entering on
a large and extensive subject, one which, when fully considered in
all its parts, is sufficient to fill a large volume. We see the
length to which the Fathers in treating of individual virtues extend
their exhortations. This they do, not from mere loquaciousness; for
whatever be the virtue which you undertake to recommend, your pen is
spontaneously led by the copiousness of the matter so to amplify,
that you seem not to have discussed it properly if you have not done
it at length. My intention, however, in the plan of life which I now
propose to give, is not to extend it so far as to treat of each
virtue specially, and expatiate in exhortation. This must be sought
in the writings of others, and particularly in the Homilies of the
Fathers.1 For me it will be sufficient to point out the method by
which a pious man may be taught how to frame his life aright, and
briefly lay down some universal rule by which he may not improperly
regulate his conduct. I shall one day possibly find time for more
ample discourse, [or leave others to perform an office for which I
am not so fit. I have a natural love of brevity, and, perhaps, any
attempt of mine at copiousness would not succeed. Even if I could
gain the highest applause by being more prolix, I would scarcely be
disposed to attempt it,2] while the nature of my present work
requires me to glance at simple doctrine with as much brevity as
possible. As philosophers have certain definitions of rectitude and
honesty, from which they derive particular duties and the whole
train of virtues; so in this respect Scripture is not without order,
but presents a most beautiful arrangement, one too which is every
way much more certain than that of philosophers. The only difference
is, that they, under the influence of ambition, constantly affect an
exquisite perspicuity of arrangement, which may serve to display
their genius, whereas the Spirit of God, teaching without
affectation, is not so perpetually observant of exact method, and
yet by observing it at times sufficiently intimates that it is not
to be neglected.
2. The Scripture system of which we speak aims chiefly at two
objects. The former is, that the love of righteousness, to which we
are by no means naturally inclined, may be instilled and implanted
into our minds. The latter is, (see chap. 2:,) to prescribe a rule
which will prevent us while in the pursuit of righteousness from
going astray. It has numerous admirable methods of recommending
righteousness.3 Many have been already pointed out in different
parts of this work; but we shall here also briefly advert to some of
them. With what better foundation can it begin than by reminding us
that we must be holy, because "God is holy?" (Lev. 19: 1; 1 Pet. 1:
16.) For when we were scattered abroad like lost sheep, wandering
through the labyrinth of this world, he brought us back again to his
own fold. When mention is made of our union with God, let us
remember that holiness must be the bond; not that by the merit of
holiness we come into communion with him, (we ought rather first to
cleave to him, in order that, pervaded with his holiness, we may
follow whither he calls,) but because it greatly concerns his glory
not to have any fellowship with wickedness and impurity. Wherefore
he tells us that this is the end of our calling, the end to which we
ought ever to have respect, if we would answer the call of God. For
to what end were we rescued from the iniquity and pollution of the
world into which we were plunged, if we allow ourselves, during our
whole lives, to wallow in them? Besides, we are at the same time
admonished, that if we would be regarded as the Lord's people, we
must inhabit the holy city Jerusalem, (Isaiah rev. 8, et alibi;)
which, as he hath consecrated it to himself, it were impious for its
inhabitants to profane by impurity. Hence the expressions, "Who
shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He
that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness," (Ps. 15: 1, 2;
24: 3, 4;) for the sanctuary in which he dwells certainly ought not
to be like an unclean stall.
3. The better to arouse us, it exhibits God the Father, who, as
he hath reconciled us to himself in his Anointed, has impressed his
image upon us, to which he would have us to be conformed, (Rom. 5:
4.) Come, then, and let them show me a more excellent system among
philosophers, who think that they only have a moral philosophy duly
and orderly arranged. They, when they would give excellent
exhortations to virtue, can only tell us to live agreeably to
nature. Scripture derives its exhortations from the true source,4
when it not only enjoins us to regulate our lives with a view to God
its author to whom it belongs; but after showing us that we have
degenerated from our true origin, viz., the law of our Creator,
adds, that Christ, through whom we have returned to favour with God,
is set before us as a model, the image of which our lives should
express. What do you require more effectual than this? Nay, what do
you require beyond this? If the Lord adopts us for his sons on the
condition that our life be a representation of Christ, the bond of
our adoption, - then, unless we dedicate and devote ourselves to
righteousness, we not only, with the utmost perfidy, revolt from our
Creator, but also abjure the Saviour himself. Then, from an
enumeration of all the blessings of God, and each part of our
salvation, it finds materials for exhortation. Ever since God
exhibited himself to us as a Father, we must be convicted of extreme
ingratitude if we do not in turn exhibit ourselves as his sons. Ever
since Christ purified us by the laver of his blood, and communicated
this purification by baptism, it would ill become us to be defiled
with new pollution. Ever since he ingrafted us into his body, we,
who are his members, should anxiously beware of contracting any
stain or taint. Ever since he who is our head ascended to heaven, it
is befitting in us to withdraw our affections from the earth, and
with our whole soul aspire to heaven. Ever since the Holy Spirit
dedicated us as temples to the Lord, we should make it our endeavour
to show forth the glory of God, and guard against being profaned by
the defilement of sin. Ever since our soul and body were destined to
heavenly incorruptibility and an unfading crown, we should earnestly
strive to keep them pure and uncorrupted against the day of the
Lord. These, I say, are the surest foundations of a well-regulated
life, and you will search in vain for any thing resembling them
among philosophers, who, in their commendation of virtue, never rise
higher than the natural dignity of man.
4. This is the place to address those who, having nothing of
Christ but the name and sign, would yet be called Christians. How
dare they boast of this sacred name? None have intercourse with
Christ but those who have acquired the true knowledge of him from
the Gospel. The Apostle denies that any man truly has learned Christ
who has not learned to put off "the old man, which is corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts, and put on Christ," (Eph. 4: 22.)
They are convicted, therefore, of falsely and unjustly pretending a
knowledge of Christ, whatever be the volubility and eloquence with
which they can talk of the Gospel. Doctrine is not an affair of the
tongue, but of the life; is not apprehended by the intellect and
memory merely, like other branches of learning; but is received only
when it possesses the whole soul, and finds its seat and habitation
in the inmost recesses of the heart. Let them, therefore, either
cease to insult God, by boasting that they are what they are not, or
let them show themselves not unworthy disciples of their divine
Master. To doctrine in which our religion is contained we have given
the first place, since by it our salvation commences; but it must be
transfused into the breast, and pass into the conduct, and so
transform us into itself, as not to prove unfruitful. If
philosophers are justly offended, and banish from their company with
disgrace those who, while professing an art which ought to be the
mistress of their conduct, convert it into mere loquacious
sophistry, with how much better reason shall we detest those flimsy
sophists who are contented to let the Gospel play upon their lips,
when, from its efficacy, it ought to penetrate the inmost affections
of the heart, fix its seat in the soul, and pervade the whole man a
hundred times more than the frigid discourses of philosophers?
5. I insist not that the life of the Christian shall breathe
nothing but the perfect Gospel, though this is to be desired, and
ought to be attempted. I insist not so strictly on evangelical
perfection, as to refuse to acknowledge as a Christian any man who
has not attained it. In this way all would be excluded from the
Church, since there is no man who is not far removed from this
perfection, while many, who have made but little progress, would be
undeservedly rejected. What then? Let us set this before our eye as
the end at which we ought constantly to aim. Let it be regarded as
the goal towards which we are to run. For you cannot divide the
matter with God, undertaking part of what his word enjoins, and
omitting part at pleasure. For, in the first place, God uniformly
recommends integrity as the principal part of his worship, meaning
by integrity real singleness of mind, devoid of gloss and fiction,
and to this is opposed a double mind; as if it had been said, that
the spiritual commencement of a good life is when the internal
affections are sincerely devoted to God, in the cultivation of
holiness and justice. But seeing that, in this earthly prison of the
body, no man is supplied with strength sufficient to hasten in his
course with due alacrity, while the greater number are so oppressed
with weakness, that hesitating, and halting, and even crawling on
the ground, they make little progress, let every one of us go as far
as his humble ability enables him, and prosecute the journey once
begun. No one will travel so badly as not daily to make some degree
of progress. This, therefore, let us never cease to do, that we may
daily advance in the way of the Lord; and let us not despair because
of the slender measure of success. How little soever the success may
correspond with our wish, our labour is not lost when to-day is
better than yesterday, provided with true singleness of mind we keep
our aim, and aspire to the goal, not speaking flattering things to
ourselves, nor indulging our vices, but making it our constant
endeavour to become better, until we attain to goodness itself. If
during the whole course of our life we seek and follow, we shall at
length attain it, when relieved from the infirmity of flesh we are
admitted to full fellowship with God.
Notes
[1]The French adds, "C'est a dire, sermons populaires ;" - that is
to say, popular sermons.
[2]The passage in brackets is omitted in the French.
[3]The French begins the sentence thus, "Quant est du premier
poinct; - As to the former point.
[4]Mal. 1: 6; Eph. 5: 1; 1 John 3: 1, 3; Eph. 5: 26; Rom. 6: 1- 4; 1
Cor. 6: 11; 1 Pet. 1: 15, 19; 1 Cor. 6: 15; John 15: 3; Eph. 5: 2,
3; Col. 3: 1, 2; 1 Cor. 3: 16; 6: 17; 2 Cor. 6: 16; 1 Thess. 5: 23.
Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Vol. 3, Part 7
(continued in part 8...)
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