The Institution of Christian Religion

Truly if this be taken to be spoken of the bare commandments, I grant they be of no small weight to this present matter. For though it were easy to mock it out with saying, that here is spoken not of the easiness and readiness of observation, but of knowledge: yet even so, peradventure it would also leave some doubt. But the Apostle which is no doubtful expositor, taketh away all doubt from us, which affirmeth that Moses here spake of the doctrine of the Gospel. But if any obstinate man will say,¹ that Paul violently wrested those words, that they might be drawn to the Gospel: although his boldness so to say shall not be without impiety, yet is there sufficient matter beside the authority of the Apostle to convince him withal. For if Moses spake of the commandments only, then he puffed up the people with a most vain confidence. For what should they else have done, but thrown them selves down headlong, if they had taken upon them the keeping of the law by their own strength, as a thing not heard for them? Where is them that so ready easiness to keep the law, where there is no access unto it, but by a headlong fall to destruction? Wherefore there is nothing more certain, than that Moses in these words did mean the covenant of mercy, which he had published together with the straight requiring of the law.² For in a few verses before he had taught, that our hearts must be circumcised by the hand of God, that we may love him. Therefore he placed the easiness, whereof he straightway after speaketh, not in the strength of man, but in the help & succour of the holy ghost, which performeth his work mightily in our weakness. Albeit the place is not simply to be understanded of the commandments, but rather of the promises of the Gospel, which are so far from stablishing a power in us to obtain righteousness, that they utterly overthrow it. Paul considering that same, proveth by this testimony, that salvation is offered us in the Gospel, not under that hard and impossible condition, wherewith the law dealeth with us, that is, that they only shall attain it which have fulfilled all the commandments, but under a condition that is easy, ready, and plain to come unto. Therefore this testimony maketh nothing ⟨p. 33⟩to challenge freedom to the will of man.