The Institution of Christian Religion

Now let us pass over to those sayings which affirm, the God §1will render to every man according to his works:¹ of which sort are these. Every man shall bear away that which he hath done in the body, either good or evil. Glory & honour to him that worketh good: trouble & distress upon every soul of him that worketh evil. And they which have done good things, shall go into the resurrection of life: they which have done evil, into the resurrection of judgement. Come ye blessed of my father: I have hungered, & ye gave ⟨image 283⟩me meat: I have thirsted, & ye gave me drink, &c. And with th• let us also join these sayings, which call eternal life the reward of works. Of which sort are these.² The rendering of the hands of a man shall be restored to him. He that feareth the commandment, shall be rewarded. Be glad & rejoice, behold, your reward is plentiful in heaven. Every man shall receive reward according to his labour. Where it is said that God shall render to every man according to his works, the same is easily assoiled. For, that manner of speaking doth rather show the order of following, than the cause. But that is out of doubt, that the lord doth accomplish our salvation by these degrees of his mercy when those whom he hath chosen he calleth to him: those whom he hath called, he justifieth: those whom he hath justified, he glorifieth. Although therefore he do by his only mercy receive them ye be his into life, yet because he bringeth them into the possession thereof by the race of good works, that he may fulfil his work in them by such order as he hath appointed: it is no marvel if it be said that they be crowned according to their works, by which without doubt they are prepared to receive the crown of immortality.³ Yea & after this manner it is fitly said that they work their own salvation, when in applying themselves to good works, they practise themselves toward eternal life: namely as in an other place they are commanded to work the meat which perisheth not,⁴