The Institution of Christian Religion

not paying wages for their labour, but pouring out the richesse of his goodness upon them whom he hath chosen without works, that even they also which have sweat in great labour, & have received no more than the last, may understand that they ⟨image 284⟩have received a gift of grace, not a reward of works. Last of all, this also is worthy to be noted in these places, where eternal life is called the reward of works, that it is not simply taken for the communicating which we have with God to blessed immortality, when he embraceth us with fatherly good will in Christ: but for the possessing or enjoying (as they call it) of blessedness,¹ as also yt very words of Christ do sound, In time to come life everlasting. And in an other place, Come & possess the kingdom, &c. After this manner Paul calleth adoption, the revealing of the adoption which shall be made in the resurrection: & afterward expoundeth it the redemption of our body. Otherwise as estranging from God is eternal death, so when man is received of God into favour, that he may enjoy the communicating of him & be made one with him, he is received from death to life: which is done by the beneficial mean of adoption only. And if, as they are wont, they stiffly enforce the reward of works,² we may turn against them that §4saying of Peter, that eternal life is the reward of faith.

not paieng wages for their labore, but pouring out ye richesse of his goodnes vpō thē whome he hath chosen wtout works, yt euen thei also which haue swet in great laboure, & haue receiued no more than the last, may vnderstand yt they ⟨image 284⟩haue receiued a gift of grace, not a reward of works. Last of al, this also is worthy to be noted in these places, wher eternal life is called ye rewarde of works, yt it is not simply takē for ye communicating which we haue wt God to blessed immortalitie, whē hee embraceth vs wt fatherly good wil in Christe: but for the possessing or enioying (as thei cal it) of blessednesse,¹