The Institution of Christian Religion

This is the truth, we never truly glory in him, unless we be utterly §2put from our own glory. On the other side, this is to be holden for a catholic principle, that all they glory against God that glory in them selves.¹ For Paul judgeth that only by this mean the world is made subject to God, when all matter to glory upon is utterly taken from men. Therefore Isaiah, when he declareth that Israel shall have their justification in God,² sith also that they shall there also have their praise: as though he should say, that the Lord to this end justifieth the elect that they should glory in him and in nothing else. But how we ought to be praised in the Lord, he had taught in the verse next before: that is, that we should swear that our righteousnesses & strength are in the Lord. Note that there is not required a bare confession, but confirmed with an oath, that a man should not think that he shall be discharged with I wot not what feigned humility. And let no man here allege for excuse, that he doth not glory when without arrogance he reknowlegeth his own righteousness: for there can be no such estimation but it engendereth confidence, nor confidence but it breedeth glory. Therefore let us remember that in all the disputation of righteousness we must have regard to this end, ⟨image 264⟩that the praise thereof remain with the Lord whole & perfect. For as much as for declaration of his righteousness (as the Apostle testifieth) he hath poured out his grace upon us,³ that he might be just & justifying him that is of the faith of Christ.⁴ Wherefore in an other place, when he had taught that the Lord gave us salvation, to set out the glory of his name, afterward as it were repeating the same thing he addeth: ye are saved by grace & by the gift of God, not by works, that none should glory. And when Peter telleth that we are called unto hope of salvation that we should declare the powers of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light, without doubt his meaning is so to make the only praises of God to sound in the ears of the faithful, that they should with deep silence oppress all arrogance of the flesh. In a sum, man can not without robbery of God challenge to him self any one crumb of righteousness: because even so much is plucked and taken away from the glory of Gods righteousness.