The Institution of Christian Religion

Thou must first possess Christ: & thou canst not possess him, but that thou must •e made partaker of his sanctification: because he can not be torn in pieces. Sith therefore the Lord doth grant us these benefits to be enjoyed none otherwise than in giving himself, he giveth them both together, the one never without the other. So appeareth how true it is, that we are justified not without works, and yet not by works: because in the partaking of Christ, whereby we are justified, is no less contained sanctification than righteousness.

Thou must first possesse Christ: & thou canst not possesse him, but that thou must •e made partaker of his sanctification: bicause he can not be torne in peces. Sithe therefore the Lord doth graunt vs these benefites to be enioyed none otherwise than in geuing himself, he geueth them bothe together, the one neuer without the other. So appereth how true it is, that we are iustified not without workes, and yet not by workes: bycause in the partaking of Christ, wherby we are iustified, is no lesse cōteined sanctification than righteousnesse.

That also is most false, that the minds of men are withdrawn from the affection of welldoing, when we take from them the opinion of meriting. Here by the way the readers must be warned, that they foolishly reason from reward to merit, as I shall afterward more plainly declare: namely because they know not this principle, that God is no less liberal when he assigneth reward to works, than when he giveth power to do well. But this I had rather differ to the place fit for it. Now it shall be enough to touch how weak their objection is: which shall be done two ways. For first whereas they say that there shall be no care of well framing of life, but when hope of reward is set before them: they err quite from the truth. For if this only be intended when men serve God, that they look to reward, or let out to hire or sell their labours to him, they little prevail: for God will be freely worshipped, freely loved: he (I say) alloweth that worshipper, which when all hope of receiving reward is cut of, yet ceaseth not to worship him. Moreover if men be to be pricked forward, no man can put sharper spurs unto them, than those that are taken of the end of our redemption and calling: such as the word of God spurreth men withal, when it teacheth, that it is to wicked unthankfulness, not mutually to love him again which first loved us: that by the blood of Christ our consciences are cleansed from dead works,