The institutions of Christian religion, written by the reverend father, M. John Calvin, compendiously…The institutions of Christian religion, written by the reuerend father, M. Iohn Caluin, compendiously…

3 What so ever is done of the unbelievers, although it seem laudable, is yet for two causes corrupted, that is to say, by impurity of heart: and because they despise the right end, Augustine sayeth,¹ that all they that are strangers from the true religion of the one God, how so ever they be counted worthy of admiration for opinion of virtue, are not only worthy of no reward, but rather are worthy of punishment, because they do with defiling of their heart, bespot the pure good things of God. For though they be instruments of God, to preserve the fellowship of men, with justice, continency, temperance of mind, valiantness and wisdom; yet they do ⟨p. 151⟩very evilly execute these good works of God, because they are restrained from evil doing, not by sincere love of goodness, but either by only ambition, or by love of them selves, or by some other crooked affection.

3 What so euer is done of the vnbeléeuers, although it séeme laudable, is yet for two causes corrupted, that is to say, by impuritie of heart: and because they despise the right end, Augustine sayeth,¹ that all they that are strangers from the true religion of the one God, how so euer they be counted worthie of admiration for opinion of vertue, are not only worthie of no rewarde, but rather are worthy of punishment, because they doe with defiling of their heart, bespot the pure good thinges of God. For though they be instrumentes of God, to preserue the fellowship of men, with iustice, continencie, temperancie of mind, valiantnes and wisedome; yet they doe ⟨p. 151⟩very euilly execute these good works of God, bicause they are restrained frō euil doing, not by sincere loue of goodnesse, but either by only ambition, or by loue of them selues, or by some other crooked affection.

1. 1Lib. 4. cont. Julianum.Lib. 4. cont. Iulianum.