The Institution of Christian Religion

But now it is good to know, how being taught by the moral law, we are made more inexcusable, that our own guiltiness may move us to crave pardon. If it be true that we be taught perfection of righteousness in the law, then this also followeth, that the absolute keeping thereof is perfect righteousness before God, that is, whereby a man may be deemed and accounted righteous before the heavenly throne of judgement.¹ Wherefore Moses, when he had published the law, doubted not to protest before heaven and earth, that he had set before Israel life and death good and evil. And we may not deny, but that the reward of eternal salvation belongeth to the upright obedience of the law, as the lord hath promised it. Again, yet it is good to examine, whether we perform that obedience, upon desert whereof we may conceive a trust of that reward. For to what small purpose is it, to see the reward of eternal life set in keeping of the law, unless we further know whether we may by that way attain to eternal life? But herein the weakness of the law doth show it self. For because that keeping of the law is found in none of us all, we are excluded from the promises of life, and do fall into curse only. I do not now tell what doth come to pass, but what needs must so come to pass. For where as the doctrine of the law is far above the power of man, he may in deed a far of, look at the promises, but yet not gather any fruit of them. Therefore this one thing remaineth, that by the goodness of them he may the better weigh his own misery, while he considereth, that all hope of salvation being cut of, death doth ⟨p. 40⟩certainly hang over him. Do the other side do press us terrible penal laws, which do hold entangled & fast bound not only a few of us, but every one without exception: they press us, I say, & do pursue us, with unappeasable rigour, so that we may see most present death in the law.

But now it is good to know, how being taught by the morall law, we are made more inexcusable, that our owne giltynesse maye moue vs to craue pardon. If it be true that we be taught perfectiō of rightousnesse in the lawe, then this also followeth, that the absolute keping thereof is perfect righteousnesse before God, that is, whereby a man maye be demed and accompted righteous before the heauenly throne of iudgement.¹