Transcription
The Institutes of the Christian ReligionbyJohn Calvin
About The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John CalvinTitle:URL:Author(s):Publisher:Rights:Date Created:Contributor(s):CCEL Subjects:LC Call no:LC Subjects:The Institutes of the Christian .htmlCalvin, John (1509-1564)Beveridge, Henry (Translator)Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Grand Rapids, MIPublic Domain2002-08-31Jon Van Hofwegen (Markup)All; Classic; TheologyBX9420 .I65Christian DenominationsProtestantismPost-ReformationOther Protestant denominationsReformed or Calvinistic Churches
The Institutes of the Christian ReligionJohn CalvinTable of ContentsAbout This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. iiTitle Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 1Prefaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2PREFACE TO THE ELECTRONIC EDITION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2THE PRINTERS TO THE READERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 5PREFATORY ADDRESS TO HIS MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY, THEMOST MIGHTY AND ILLUSTRIOUS MONARCH, FRANCIS, KING OFTHE FRENCH, HIS SOVEREIGN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 8THE EPISTLE TO THE READER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 21SUBJECT OF THE PRESENT WORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 22EPISTLE TO THE READER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 23METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT,OR SUBJECT OF THE WHOLE WORK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 24GENERAL INDEX OF CHAPTERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 27INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 30BOOK FIRST. - OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE CREATOR . . . . . p. 30ARGUMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 30CHAPTER 1. - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF OURSELVESMUTUALLY CONNECTED. —NATURE OF THE CONNECTION. . . . . p. 30CHAPTER 2. - WHAT IT IS TO KNOW GOD,—TENDENCY OF THISKNOWLEDGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 32CHAPTER 3. - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD NATURALLY IMPLANTEDIN THE HUMAN MIND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 34CHAPTER 4. - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD STIFLED OR CORRUPTED,IGNORANTLY OR MALICIOUSLY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 36CHAPTER 5. - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD CONSPICUOUS IN THECREATION, AND CONTINUAL GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD. . . . p. 39CHAPTER 6. - THE NEED OF SCRIPTURE, AS A GUIDE ANDTEACHER, IN COMING TO GOD AS A CREATOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 49CHAPTER 7. - THE TESTIMONY OF THE SPIRIT NECESSARY TOGIVE FULL AUTHORITY TO SCRIPTURE. THE IMPIETY OFPRETENDING THAT THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE DEPENDSON THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHURCH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 52iii
The Institutes of the Christian ReligionJohn CalvinCHAPTER 8. - THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE SUFFICIENTLYPROVED IN SO FAR AS NATURAL REASON ADMITS. . . . . . . . . . p. 56CHAPTER 9. - ALL THE PRINCIPLES OF PIETY SUBVERTED BYFANATICS,WHOSUBSTITUTEREVELATIONSFORSCRIPTURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 63CHAPTER 10. - IN SCRIPTURE, THE TRUE GOD OPPOSED,EXCLUSIVELY, TO ALL THE GODS OF THE HEATHEN. . . . . . . . p. 65CHAPTER 11. - IMPIETY OF ATTRIBUTING A VISIBLE FORM TOGOD.—THE SETTING UP OF IDOLS A DEFECTION FROM THE TRUEGOD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 67CHAPTER 12. - GOD DISTINGUISHED FROM IDOLS, THAT HE MAYBE THE EXCLUSIVE OBJECT OF WORSHIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 78CHAPTER 13. - THE UNITY OF THE DIVINE ESSENCE IN THREEPERSONS TAUGHT, IN SCRIPTURE, FROM THE FOUNDATION OFTHE WORLD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 80CHAPTER 14. - IN THE CREATION OF THE WORLD, AND ALL THINGSIN IT, THE TRUE GOD DISTINGUISHED BY CERTAIN MARKS FROMFICTITIOUS GODS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 103CHAPTER 15. - STATE IN WHICH MAN WAS CREATED. THEFACULTIES OF THE SOUL—THE IMAGE OF GOD—FREEWILL—ORIGINAL RIGHTEOUSNESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 117CHAPTER 16. - THE WORLD, CREATED BY GOD, STILL CHERISHEDAND PROTECTED BY HIM. EACH AND ALL OF ITS PARTSGOVERNED BY HIS PROVIDENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 125CHAPTER 17. - USE TO BE MADE OF THE DOCTRINE OFPROVIDENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 134CHAPTER 18. - THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE WICKED EMPLOYEDBY GOD, WHILE HE CONTINUES FREE FROM EVERY TAINT. . . . . p. 145BOOK SECOND. - OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE REDEEMER,IN CHRIST, AS FIRST MANIFESTED TO THE FATHERS, UNDER THELAW, AND THEREAFTER TO US UNDER THE GOSPEL. . . . . . . . . p. 150ARGUMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 151CHAPTER 1. - THROUGH THE FALL AND REVOLT OF ADAM, THEWHOLE HUMAN RACE MADE ACCURSED AND DEGENERATE. OFORIGINAL SIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 151CHAPTER 2. - MAN NOW DEPRIVED OF FREEDOM OF WILL, ANDMISERABLY ENSLAVED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 159CHAPTER 3. - EVERY THING PROCEEDING FROM THE CORRUPTNATURE OF MAN DAMNABLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 179CHAPTER 4. - HOW GOD WORKS IN THE HEARTS OF MEN. . . . . p. 191iv
The Institutes of the Christian ReligionJohn CalvinCHAPTER 5. - THE ARGUMENTS USUALLY ALLEGED IN SUPPORTOF FREE WILL REFUTED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 195CHAPTER 6. - REDEMPTION FOR MAN LOST TO BE SOUGHT INCHRIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 210CHAPTER 7. - THE LAW GIVEN, NOT TO RETAIN A PEOPLE FORITSELF, BUT TO KEEP ALIVE THE HOPE OF SALVATION IN CHRISTUNTIL HIS ADVENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 215CHAPTER 8. - EXPOSITION OF THE MORAL LAW. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 226CHAPTER 9. - CHRIST, THOUGH KNOWN TO THE JEWS UNDERTHE LAW, YET ONLY MANIFESTED UNDER THE GOSPEL. . . . . . p. 261CHAPTER 10. - THE RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN THE OLDTESTAMENT AND THE NEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 265CHAPTER 11. - THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWOTESTAMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 278CHAPTER 12. - CHRIST, TO PERFORM THE OFFICE OF MEDIATOR,BEHOVED TO BECOME MAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 287CHAPTER 13. - CHRIST CLOTHED WITH THE TRUE SUBSTANCEOF HUMAN NATURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 294CHAPTER 14. - HOW TWO NATURES CONSTITUTE THE PERSONOF THE MEDIATOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 298CHAPTER 15. - THREE THINGS BRIEFLY TO BE REGARDED INCHRIST—VIZ. HIS OFFICES OF PROPHET, KING, AND PRIEST. . . p. 305CHAPTER 16. - HOW CHRIST PERFORMED THE OFFICE OFREDEEMER IN PROCURING OUR SALVATION. THE DEATH,RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 310CHAPTER 17. - CHRIST RIGHTLY AND PROPERLY SAID TO HAVEMERITED GRACE AND SALVATION FOR US. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 325BOOK THIRD. - THE MODE OF OBTAINING THE GRACE OF CHRIST.THE BENEFITS IT CONFERS, AND THE EFFECTS RESULTING FROMI T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 330ARGUMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 330CHAPTER 1. - THE BENEFITS OF CHRIST MADE AVAILABLE TO USBY THE SECRET OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 331CHAPTER 2. - OF FAITH. THE DEFINITION OF IT. ITS PECULIARPROPERTIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 334CHAPTER 3. - REGENERATION BY FAITH. OF REPENTANCE. . . . . p. 364CHAPTER 4. - PENITENCE, AS EXPLAINED IN THE SOPHISTICALJARGON OF THE SCHOOLMEN, WIDELY DIFFERENT FROM THEPURITY REQUIRED BY THE GOSPEL. OF CONFESSION ANDSATISFACTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 382v
The Institutes of the Christian ReligionJohn CalvinCHAPTER 5. - OF THE MODES OF SUPPLEMENTINGSATISFACTION—VIZ. INDULGENCES AND PURGATORY. . . . . . . p. 411CHAPTER 6. - THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN. SCRIPTURALARGUMENTS EXHORTING TO IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 420CHAPTER 7. - A SUMMARY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. OFSELF-DENIAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 423CHAPTER 8. - OF BEARING THE CROSS—ONE BRANCH OFSELF-DENIAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 431CHAPTER 9. - OF MEDITATING ON THE FUTURE LIFE. . . . . . . . p. 437CHAPTER 10. - HOW TO USE THE PRESENT LIFE, AND THECOMFORTS OF IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 441CHAPTER 11. - OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. BOTH THE NAME ANDTHE REALITY DEFINED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 444CHAPTER 12. - NECESSITY OF CONTEMPLATING THEJUDGMENT-SEAT OF GOD, IN ORDER TO BE CATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 462CHAPTER 13. - TWO THINGS TO BE OBSERVED IN GRATUITOUSJUSTIFICATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 467CHAPTER 14. - THE BEGINNING OF JUSTIFICATION. IN WHAT SENSEPROGRESSIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 471CHAPTER 15. - THE BOASTED MERIT OF WORKS SUBVERSIVEBOTH OF THE GLORY OF GOD, IN BESTOWING RIGHTEOUSNESS,AND OF THE CERTAINTY OF SALVATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 483CHAPTER 16. - REFUTATION OF THE CALUMNIES BY WHICH IT ISATTEMPTED TO THROW ODIUM ON THIS DOCTRINE. . . . . . . . . p. 489CHAPTER 17. - THE PROMISES OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPELRECONCILED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 492CHAPTER 18. - THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF WORKS IMPROPERLYINFERRED FROM REWARDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 504CHAPTER 19. - OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 512CHAPTER 20. - OF PRAYER—A PERPETUAL EXERCISE OF FAITH.THE DAILY BENEFITS DERIVED FROM IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 521CHAPTER 21. - OF THE ETERNAL ELECTION, BY WHICH GOD HASPREDESTINATED SOME TO SALVATION, AND OTHERS TODESTRUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 565CHAPTER 22. - THIS DOCTRINE CONFIRMED BY PROOFS FROMSCRIPTURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 572CHAPTER 23. - REFUTATION OF THE CALUMNIES BY WHICH THISDOCTRINE IS ALWAYS UNJUSTLY ASSAILED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 581vi
The Institutes of the Christian ReligionJohn CalvinCHAPTER 24. - ELECTION CONFIRMED BY THE CALLING OF GOD.THE REPROBATE BRING UPON THEMSELVES THE RIGHTEOUSDESTRUCTION TO WHICH THEY ARE DOOMED. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 591CHAPTER 25. - OF THE LAST RESURRECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 606BOOK FOURTH. - OF THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH . . . . . . . . . . p. 621ARGUMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 621CHAPTER 1. - OF THE TRUE CHURCH. DUTY OF CULTIVATINGUNITY WITH HER, AS THE MOTHER OF ALL THE GODLY. . . . . . p. 621CHAPTER 2. - COMPARISON BETWEEN THE FALSE CHURCH ANDTHE TRUE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 640CHAPTER 3. - OF THE TEACHERS AND MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH.THEIR ELECTION AND OFFICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 648CHAPTER 4. - OF THE STATE OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH, ANDTHE MODE OF GOVERNMENT IN USE BEFORE THE PAPACY. . . . p. 657CHAPTER 5. - THE ANCIENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT UTTERLYCORRUPTED BY THE TYRANNY OF THE PAPACY. . . . . . . . . . . p. 665CHAPTER 6. - OF THE PRIMACY OF THE ROMISH SEE. . . . . . . . p. 676CHAPTER 7. - OF THE BEGINNING AND RISE OF THE ROMISHPAPACY, TILL IT ATTAINED A HEIGHT BY WHICH THE LIBERTY OFTHE CHURCH WAS DESTROYED, AND ALL TRUE RULEOVERTHROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 685CHAPTER 8. - OF THE POWER OF THE CHURCH IN ARTICLES OFFAITH. THE UNBRIDLED LICENCE OF THE PAPAL CHURCH INDESTROYING PURITY OF DOCTRINE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 703CHAPTER 9. - OF COUNCILS AND THEIR AUTHORITY. . . . . . . . . p. 713CHAPTER 10. - OF THE POWER OF MAKING LAWS. THE CRUELTYOF THE POPE AND HIS ADHERENTS, IN THIS RESPECT, INTYRANNICALLY OPPRESSING AND DESTROYING SOULS. . . . . p. 720CHAPTER 11. - OF THE JURISDICTION OF THE CHURCH, AND THEABUSES OF IT, AS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE PAPACY. . . . . . . . . . . p. 739CHAPTER 12. - OF THE DISCIPLINE OF THE CHURCH, AND ITSPRINCIPAL USE IN CENSURES AND EXCOMMUNICATION. . . . . p. 749CHAPTER 13. - OF VOWS. THE MISERABLE ENTANGLEMENTSCAUSED BY VOWING RASHLY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 764CHAPTER 14. - OF THE SACRAMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 778CHAPTER 15. - OF BAPTISM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 794CHAPTER 16. - PÆDOBAPTISM. ITS ACCORDANCE WITH THEINSTITUTION OF CHRIST, AND THE NATURE OF THE SIGN. . . . . p. 806CHAPTER 17. - OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, AND THE BENEFITSCONFERRED BY IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 827vii
The Institutes of the Christian ReligionJohn CalvinCHAPTER 18 - OF THE POPISH MASS. HOW IT NOT ONLYPROFANES, BUT ANNIHILATES THE LORD’S SUPPER. . . . . . . . p. 865CHAPTER 19. - OF THE FIVE SACRAMENTS, FALSELY SO CALLED.THEIR SPURIOUSNESS PROVED, AND
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 .
