Institutes of Christian religion - Calvin - X - Chapter 15 of Book 1

Required reading
Institutes of Christian religion by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) -  Read Chapter 15 of Book 1.

My summary
Calvin continues to teach us about creation, particularly about man.

Firstly Calvin speaks of the necessity of knowledge about man if we are to have knowledge of God: '...we cannot clearly and properly know God unless the knowledge of ourselves be added. This knowledge is twofold,—relating, first, to the condition in which we were at first created; and, secondly to our condition such as it began to be immediately after Adam’s fall.'

The rest of the chapter then discusses the mysteries of the human soul, including its relationship to:
(i) immortality;
(ii) the image of God;
(iii) human intellect;
(iv) human will.

What grabbed me
The human soul is a difficult matter to probe.

I liked Calvin's comments about God giving Adam freewill: ' There was soundness of mind and freedom of will to choose the good. If any one objects that it was placed, as it were, in a slippery position, because its power was weak, I answer, that the degree conferred was sufficient to take away every excuse. For surely the Deity could not be tied down to this condition,—to make man such, that he either could not or would not sin. Such a nature might have been more excellent; but to expostulate with God as if he had been bound to confer this nature on man, is more than unjust, seeing he had full right to determine how much or how little He would give. Why He did not sustain him by the virtue of perseverance is hidden in his counsel; it is ours to keep within the bounds of soberness. Man had received the power, if he had the will, but he had not the will which would have given the power; for this will would have been followed by perseverance. Still, after he had received so much, there is no excuse for his having spontaneously brought death upon himself. No necessity was laid upon God to give him more than that intermediate and even transient will, that out of man’s fall he might extract materials for his own glory. '

We must be very careful not to start thinking we know better than God and question his judgement about how he made Adam.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 16 of Book 1.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.