The Institution of Christian Religion

But that the whole matter may be more plainly set forth: let us in a compendious order gather up together the office and use of the law which they call Moral. Now, as far as I understand, it is contained in these three parts. The first is, that while it showeth to every man the righteousness of God, ye is the righteousness which only is acceptable to God, it admonish, certify, prove guilty, yea & condemn every man of his own unrighteousness. For so is it needful that man blinded & drunk with love of himself, be driven both to the knowledge & the confession of his own weakness & uncleanness: forasmuch as if his vanity be not evidently convinced, he swelleth with mad affiance of his own strength, & can never be brought to think of the slenderness thereof, so long as he measureth it by the proportion of his own will. But so soon as he beginneth to compare his strength to the hardness of the law, there he findeth matter to abate his courage. For how so ever he before conceived a great opinion of it, yet by and by he feeleth it to pant under so great a burden, & then to shake & falter, at last even to fall down and faint. So being taught by the schooling of the law, he putteth of that arrogance wherewith before he was blinded. Likewise he is to be healed of an other disease of pride, whereof we have said that he is sick. So long as he is suffered to stand to his own judgement, he deviseth Hypo••i•e in stead of righteousness, wherewith being contented, he riseth up in courage, by I hot not, what forged righteousnesses, against the grace of God. But so soon as he is compelled to try his life by the balance of the law, then leaving the presumption of that counterfeit righteousness, he seeth himself to be an infinite space distant from holiness: again, that ⟨p. 41⟩he floweth full of infinite vices, whereof before he seemed clean. For the evils of lust are hidden in so deep and crooked privy corners, that they easily deceive the sight of man.¹ And not without cause the Apostle saith, that he knew not lust, except the law had said: Thou shalt not lust: because except it be by the law disclosed out of her lurking holes, it destroyeth miserable man so secretly, that he feeleth not the deadly dart thereof.

But that the whole mater may be more plainly set forth: let vs in a compendious order gather vp together the office and vse of the lawe which they cal Morall. Now, as far as I vnderstand, it is cōteined in these three partes. The first is, that while it sheweth to euery man the righteousnesse of God, ye is the righteousnesse which only is acceptable to God, it admonish, certifie, proue gilty, yea & condemne euery mā of his owne vnrightousnesse. For so is it nedeful yt man blinded & dronke with loue of himself, be driuen both to the knowledge & the confession of his own weakenesse & vncleannesse: for asmuch as if his vanitie be not euidently conuinced, he swelleth with mad affiance of his owne strength, & can neuer be brought to think of the sclēdernesse therof, so long as he measureth it by the proportion of his owne wil. But so sone as he beginneth to cōpare his strēgth to the hardnesse of ye lawe, there he findeth matter to abate his courage. For how so euer he before conceiued a great opinion of it, yet by and by he feleth it to pante vnder so great a burden, & then to shake & folter, at laste euen to fall downe and faint. So being taught by the scholing of the lawe, he putteth of that arrogācie wherwith before he was blinded. Likewise he is to be healed of an other disease of pride, wherof we haue said that he is sick. So long as he is suffred to stand to his own iudgemēt, he deuiseth Hypoie in stede of rightousnesse, wherwith beyng cōtēted, he riseth vp in courage, by I whote not, what forged rightousnesses, against ye grace of God. But so soue as he is cōpelled to trie his life by the balaunce of the law, thē leauing the presumption of yt counterfait righteousnesse, he seeth himself to be an infinite space distāt frō holinesse: againe, that