Institutes of Christian religion - Calvin - XV - Chapter 2 of Book 2

Required reading
Institutes of Christian religion by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 2 of Book 2.

My summary
Today Calvin discusses free will.

Firstly he presents writings from philosophers and the early church that support the notion of free will.  Augustine is repeatedly noted as one who did not follow the mainstream opinion.

Then Calvin moves on to define free will, particularly by church fathers.

The subject of reason is then discussed.  Calvin admits that people outside the heavenly kingdom do use reason to discern many truths, particularly in the sciences: '...in reading profane authors, the admirable light of truth displayed in them should remind us, that the human mind, however much fallen and perverted from its original integrity, is still adorned and invested with admirable gifts from its Creator.'

Nevertheless, Calvin concludes that without the Holy Spirit no one seeks God.

What grabbed me
I think this paragraph outlines quite clearly what Calvin loved to teach: 'It thus appears that none can enter the kingdom of God save those whose minds have been renewed by the enlightening of the Holy Spirit. On this subject the clearest exposition is given by Paul, who, when expressly handling it, after condemning the whole wisdom of the world as foolishness and vanity, and thereby declaring man’s utter destitution, thus concludes, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned,” (1 Cor. 2:14). Whom does he mean by the “natural man”? The man who trusts to the light of nature. Such a man has no understanding in the spiritual mysteries of God. Why so? Is it because through sloth he neglects them? Nay, though he exert himself, it is of no avail; they are “spiritually discerned.” And what does this mean? That altogether hidden from human discernment, they are made known only by the revelation of the Spirit; so that they are accounted foolishness wherever the Spirit does not give light. The Apostle had previously declared, that “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him;” nay, that the wisdom of the world is a kind of veil by which the mind is prevented from beholding God (1 Cor. 2:9). What would we more? The Apostle declares that God has “made foolish the wisdom of this world,” (1 Cor. 1:20); and shall we attribute to it an acuteness capable of penetrating to God, and the hidden mysteries of his kingdom? Far from us be such presumption! '

Spiritual discernment requires the Spirit.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 3 of Book 2.

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