The Institution of Christian Religion

For he meaneth, that we have obtained free righteousness by the sacrifice of Christ, that we should please God, which by nature are the children of wrath, & by sin estranged from him. But this distinction is also meant so oft as the grace of Christ is joined to the love of God. Whereupon followeth, that he giveth us of his own that which he hath purchased: For otherwise it would not agree with him, that this praise is given him severally from his father, that it is his grace and proceedeth from him.

For he meaneth, that we haue obteyned free righteousnesse by the sacrifice of Christ, yt we should please God, which by nature are the children of wrath, & by sinne estranged from him. But this distinction is also meante so oft as the grace of Christ is ioyned to the loue of God. Wherupō foloweth, that he geueth vs of his owne that which he hath purchaced: For otherwise it would not agree with him, that this prayse is geuen him seuerally from his father, that it is his grace and procedeth from him.

But it is truly and perfectly gathered by many places of the Scripture, that Christ by his obedience hath purchased us favour with his father. For this I take for a thing confessed, that if Christ hath satisfied for our sins, if he hath suffered the punishment due unto us, if by his obedience he hath appeased God, finally, if he being righteous, hath suffered for the unrighteous, then is salvation purchased for us by his righteousness: which is as much in effect as to deserve it. But,¹ as Paul witnesseth, we are reconciled and have received reconciliation by his death. But reconciliation hath no place, but where there went offence before. Therefore the meaning is: that God, to whom we were hateful be reason of sin, is by the death of his son appeased, so that he might be favourable unto us. And the comparison of contraries that followeth a little after, is diligently to be noted: As by the transgression of one man,²