The Institution of Christian Religion

yet he setteth out the excellency of his coming by this mark, that he opened the gate of heaven to all men, that the entry thereof may be stand familiarly open to all men.

yet he setteth out the excellēcie of his cōming by this mark, that he opened the gate of heauen to all men, that the entrie thereof maye be stand familiarly open to all men.

But yet we must take heed of the devilish imagination of Seruet tus, which when he goeth about, or at least feigneth that he goeth about, ⟨p. 68⟩to extol the greatness of the grace of Christ, utterly abolisheth the promises, as if they were ended together with the law. He layeth for him, that by the faith of the Gospel there is brought unto us the accomplishment of all the promises: as though there were no difference between us and Christ. I did in deed even now declare that Christ left nothing unperformed of the whole sum of our salvation: but it is wrongfully gathered thereupon, that we do already enjoy the benefits purchased by him, as though that saying of Paul were false, that our salvation is hid in hope. I grant in deed, that we by believing in Christ, do also pass from death to life: But in the mean season we must hold this saying of John, that although we know we be the children of God, yet it hath not as yet appeared, till we shall be like unto him: that is, till we shall see him such as he is. Therefore although Christ offer unto us in his Gospel present fullness of spiritual good things, yet the enjoying thereof lieth still hid under the keeping of hope, till being unclothed of the corruptible flesh, we be transfigured into the glory of him that goeth before us. In the mean time the holy ghost biddeth us to rest upon the promises, whose authority ought with us to put to silence all the barkinges of that filthy dog.¹ For as Paul witnesseth, godliness hath a promise as well of the life to come, as of the life present. For which reason he boasteth that he is an Apostle of Christ, according to the promise of life that is in him. And in an other place he putteth us in mind, that we have the same promises, which in the old time were given to the holy men. Finally, he setteth this for the sum of felicity, that we are sealed up with the holy spirit of promise, but yet we do no otherwise enjoy Christ, but so far as we embrace him clothed with his promises. Whereby it cometh to pass, that he in deed dwelleth in our hearts, and yet we wander in journey abroad from him: because we walk by faith and not by sight. And these two things do not ill agree together: that we possess in Christ all that pertaineth to the perfection of the heavenly life: and yet that faith is a beholding of good things that are not seen.