Institutes of Christian religion - Calvin - XLIV - Chapter 14 of Book 3

Required reading
Institutes of Christian religion by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 14 of Book 3.

My summary
Today Calvin explains how justification is progressive. 

At the beginning of the chapter, Calvin shows how all humans belong to one of four different classes to illustrate the different types of righteousness: 'In farther illustration of the subject, let us consider what kind of righteousness man can have, during the whole course of his life, and for this purpose let us make a fourfold division. Mankind, either endued with no knowledge of God, are sunk in idolatry; or, initiated in the sacraments, but by the impurity of their lives denying him whom they confess with their mouths, are Christians in name only; or they are hypocrites, who with empty glosses hide the iniquity of the heart; or they are regenerated by the Spirit of God, and aspire to true holiness.'

Calvin then speaks about each of these classes in turn, using proofs from Scripture and the writings of Augustine.

Again and again, Calvin denies that the works of humans are of any value in their justification before God.

What grabbed me
Calvin was particularly clear on the significance of the works of the unregenerate: 'Still the observation of Augustine is true, that all who are strangers to the true God, however excellent they may be deemed on account of their virtues are more deserving of punishment than of reward, because, by the pollution of their heart, they contaminate the pure gifts of God (August. contra Julia. Lib. 4). For though they are instruments of God to preserve human society by justice, continence, friendship, temperance, fortitude, and prudence, yet they execute these good works of God in the worst manner, because they are kept from acting ill, not by a sincere love of goodness, but merely by ambition or self-love, or some other sinister affection. Seeing then that these actions are polluted as in their very source, by impurity of heart, they have no better title to be classed among virtues than vices, which impose upon us by their affinity or resemblance to virtue. In short, when we remember that the object at which righteousness always aims is the service of God, whatever is of a different tendency deservedly forfeits the name. Hence, as they have no regard to the end which the divine wisdom prescribes, although from the performance the act seems good, yet from the perverse motive it is sin. Augustine, therefore, concludes that all the Fabriciuses, the Scipios, and Catos, in their illustrious deeds, sinned in this, that, wanting the light of faith, they did not refer them to the proper end, and that, therefore, there was no true righteousness in them, because duties are estimated not by acts but by motives. '

If good works are done out of impure motives than they actually count against the person, not in  their favour.

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 15 & 16 of Book 3.

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