Posted on 01/23/2003 5:27:50 AM PST by ksen
Institutes of the Christian Religion
Book I: The Knowledge of God the Creator
Chapter 1: THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF OURSELVES MUTUALLY CONNECTED. - NATURE OF THIS CONNECTION.
Section 1: Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God
Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other. For, in the first place, no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his thoughts towards the God in whom he lives and moves; because it is perfectly obvious, that the endowments which we possess cannot possibly be from ourselves; nay, that our very being is nothing else than subsistence in God alone. In the second place, those blessings which unceasingly distil to us from heaven, are like streams conducting us to the fountain. Here, again, the infinitude of good which resides in God becomes more apparent from our poverty. In particular, the miserable ruin into which the revolt of the first man has plunged us, compels us to turn our eyes upwards; not only that while hungry and famishing we may thence ask what we want, but being aroused by fear may learn humility. For as there exists in man something like a world of misery, and ever since we were stript of the divine attire our naked shame discloses an immense series of disgraceful properties every man, being stung by the consciousness of his own unhappiness, in this way necessarily obtains at least some knowledge of God. Thus, our feeling of ignorance, vanity, want, weakness, in short, depravity and corruption, reminds us, (see Calvin on John 4: 10,) that in the Lord, and none but He, dwell the true light of wisdom, solid virtue, exuberant goodness. We are accordingly urged by our own evil things to consider the good things of God; and, indeed, we cannot aspire to Him in earnest until we have begun to be displeased with ourselves. For what man is not disposed to rest in himself? Who, in fact, does not thus rest, so long as he is unknown to himself; that is, so long as he is contented with his own endowments, and unconscious or unmindful of his misery? Every person, therefore, on coming to the knowledge of himself, is not only urged to seek God, but is also led as by the hand to find him.
2.Without knowledge of God there is no knowledge of self
On the other hand, it is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he have previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself. For (such is our innate pride) we always seem to ourselves just, and upright, and wise, and holy, until we are convinced, by clear evidence, of our injustice, vileness, folly, and impurity. Convinced, however, we are not, if we look to ourselves only, and not to the Lord also - He being the only standard by the application of which this conviction can be produced. For, since we are all naturally prone to hypocrisy, any empty semblance of righteousness is quite enough to satisfy us instead of righteousness itself. And since nothing appears within us or around us that is not tainted with very great impurity, so long as we keep our mind within the confines of human pollution, anything which is in some small degree less defiled delights us as if it were most pure just as an eye, to which nothing but black had been previously presented, deems an object of a whitish, or even of a brownish hue, to be perfectly white. Nay, the bodily sense may furnish a still stronger illustration of the extent to which we are deluded in estimating the powers of the mind. If, at mid-day, we either look down to the ground, or on the surrounding objects which lie open to our view, we think ourselves endued with a very strong and piercing eyesight; but when we look up to the sun, and gaze at it unveiled, the sight which did excellently well for the earth is instantly so dazzled and confounded by the refulgence, as to oblige us to confess that our acuteness in discerning terrestrial objects is mere dimness when applied to the sun. Thus too, it happens in estimating our spiritual qualities. So long as we do not look beyond the earth, we are quite pleased with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue; we address ourselves in the most flattering terms, and seem only less than demigods. But should we once begin to raise our thoughts to God, and reflect what kind of Being he is, and how absolute the perfection of that righteousness, and wisdom, and virtue, to which, as a standard, we are bound to be conformed, what formerly delighted us by its false show of righteousness will become polluted with the greatest iniquity; what strangely imposed upon us under the name of wisdom will disgust by its extreme folly; and what presented the appearance of virtuous energy will be condemned as the most miserable impotence. So far are those qualities in us, which seem most perfect, from corresponding to the divine purity.
3.Man before God's majesty
Hence that dread and amazement with which as Scripture uniformly relates, holy men were struck and overwhelmed whenever they beheld the presence of God. When we see those who previously stood firm and secure so quaking with terror, that the fear of death takes hold of them, nay, they are, in a manner, swallowed up and annihilated, the inference to be drawn is that men are never duly touched and impressed with a conviction of their insignificance, until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God. Frequent examples of this consternation occur both in the Book of Judges and the Prophetical Writings; so much so, that it was a common expression among the people of God, "We shall die, for we have seen the Lord." Hence the Book of Job, also, in humbling men under a conviction of their folly, feebleness, and pollution, always derives its chief argument from descriptions of the Divine wisdom, virtue, and purity. Nor without cause: for we see Abraham the readier to acknowledge himself but dust and ashes the nearer he approaches to behold the glory of the Lord, and Elijah unable to wait with unveiled face for His approach; so dreadful is the sight. And what can man do, man who is but rottenness and a worm, when even the Cherubim themselves must veil their faces in very terror? To this, undoubtedly, the Prophet Isaiah refers, when he says, (Isaiah 24: 23,) "The moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign;" i. e., when he shall exhibit his refulgence, and give a nearer view of it, the brightest objects will, in comparison, be covered with darkness.
But though the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves are bound together by a mutual tie, due arrangement requires that we treat of the former in the first place, and then descend to the latter.
Something that they already knew, I suspect........ :o)
In the south they are common ..but not here in Buffalo..(In Fla I say one that was 3 inches long..I love Buffalo:>)
They do hate the light..but tellingly if they "get used to it" they will stand in it even though it is not natural to them ..like lots of unsaved church goers..me thinks...
If you really pay attention, you'll find that all that is presented to us as 'enlightenment' by the media, or schools is deep darkness.
I've always found that paradox interesting. Lucifer means Lightbearer in Latin; and the Age of Enlightenment was really the ascent of secret societies.
And yet Christ gave sight to the blind. Perhaps "light" and "sight" are different, analogy-wise.
But I agree with ksen that Total Depravity and Total Inability are not the same thing.
The question would be when He gives it, and to whom. I would understand Calvin to teach He only gives that ability to some.
Amen!
All men can respond to the Light of the Gospel if they will, but they choose the Darkness instead (Jn.3:19)
That does not answer who will come does it? Why some come or anothers do not
This chapter of the Institutes is about the character of God and how we can not know ourselves untill we know Him..and how we can not know Him untill we know ourselves
....I think that might come under the heading of "revelation" of God to a man about who He is ...that is the whosoever..the one with eyes to see and ears to hear..
It is not a matter of who is in the right place at the right time or who is smarter or more holy...
It's the same cement wall the Arminians keep banging their heads against.
If we are agreed that all men are fallen, then what is it that causes one person to "respond to the Light of the Gospel," and others to "choose the darkness," as FTD asked.
The Arminians would have us believe some men are capable of choosing God on their own; they're not quite as "fallen" as others. Like the ruling-class pigs in "Animal Farm," some animals are "more equal" than others.
But Calvin was a true egalitarian who wrote that only after we acknowledge all men to be fallen and utterly lost, can we begin to perceive the true and vast nature of God; that all salvation, like everything else, comes from He who created it.
I believe that's a mischaracterization.
Arminians teach that God gives all men the ability to choose, but that not all do so. It has nothing to do with how fallen man is (we all are).
That's why "depravity" cannot equal "inability."
I ~think ~we are running ahead of the institutes and not letting Calvin develop his theology..I believe it will be better to take each part or else we will never work it through in a academic way ..Did you want to look at it systematically?
BTW I believe Calvin did not emphasize the limited atonement
One thought on John1..and your comment. Notice he did not give the power equally to be saved to everyone....but only to those that "received" Him.Jesus said you must be born again to see the kingdom..you can not receive what you can not see or comprehend..
We would say that John 1:12 is a fine calvinist verse:>)
Did you want to stay on topic?
If it's possible. Thanks for helping me wrangle this thread. Oh yeah, how 'bout them Bucs? ;^)
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