The Institution of Christian Religion

For they ever willingly desire to make shift against the judgement of God. Now while the same is not yet opened, they yet so astonished with the testimony of the law and their conscience do bewray in them selves what they have deserved.

For they euer wyllingely desire to make shyfte agaynste the iudgemente of God. Nowe while the same is not yet opened, they yet so astonyshed with the testimonie of the lawe and their conscience do bewraie in them selues what they haue deserued.

The second office of the law, is that they which are touched with §10no care of that which is just and right, unless they be compelled, when they hear the terrible penal ordinances therein, may be restrained at least with fear of punishment. But they are restrained, not because their inward mind is moved or affected withal, but because being as it were bridled, they withhold their hand from outward work, and do keep in their perverseness within them, which otherwise they would have outrageously poured out. Thereby they become truly nether the better, nor the more righteous before God. For although being letted either by fear or by shame, they dare not put that in practise which they have conceived in their mind, nor openly blow abroad the rages of their lust: yet have they not a heart framed to the fear & obedience of God, yea the more that they hold back themselves, so much the stronglier within they are kindled, they burn, they boil, ready to do any thing, and to break fourth any whether, if this terror of the law did not stay them. And not that only, but also they most spitefully hate the law, and do detest God the lawmaker, so that if they could, they would very fain take him away, whom they can not abide, neither when he commandeth rightful things, nor when he revengeth him upon the despisers of his majesty. In some in deed more darkly, & in some more plainly, but in all generally that are not regenerate, is this feeling, that they are drawn to the following of the law not by willing submission, but resisting and against their wills, only by violence of fear. But this constrained and enforced righteousness is necessary for the public common state of men, the quiet whereof is herein provided for, while order is taken that all things be not con founded with uproar, which would come to pass, if all things were lawful for all men. Yea it is not unprofitable for the children of God to be exercised with this Schooling, so long as they before their calling being yet destitute of the spirit of sanctification, are still wanton with the folly of the flesh.