Institutes of the Christian Religion

by John Calvin

we are neither animated by the kindness of God to worship him, nor by his scourge stimulated to repentance.

To the same effect are the words in Isaiah, "I form the light and create darkness: I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things," (Isa 45: 7).

and no consideration of present circumstances will be allowed to withdraw him from the steady contemplation of it.

All the savage beasts you see are so many beings armed for your destruction.

just as if a drawn sword were constantly suspended over his neck?

this is fascinating. a conversation that is much alive today with the rise of anxiety

I admit it; but since we are reminded by the example of others, that they may also happen to us, and that our life is not an exception any more than theirs,

Add that there is something like an insult to God when it is said, that man, the noblest of the creatures, stands exposed to every blind and random stroke of fortune. Here,

But when once the light of Divine Providence has illumined the believer's soul, he is relieved and set free, not only from the extreme fear and anxiety which formerly oppressed him, but from all care.

the gospel sets us free from these anxieties and fears. the light of God soverignity

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday"

As to repentance, we must hold that it can no more exist in God than ignorance, or error, or impotence.

Holy Spirit, that in the very mention of repentance he declares that God is not influenced by any feeling of regret, that he is not a man that he should repent.

What then is meant by the term repentance? The very same that is meant by the other forms of expression, by which God is described to us humanly.

Because our weakness cannot reach his height, any description which we receive of him must be lowered to our capacity in order to be intelligible.

Wherefore, as when we hear that God is angry, we ought not to imagine that there is any emotion in him,

but ought rather to consider the mode of speech accommodated to our sense,

not to imagine any thing more under the term repentance than a change of action, men being wont to testify their ...

Hence, because every change whatever among men is intended as a correction of what displeases, and the correction proceeds from repentance, the same term applied to G...

Who does not now see that, by threatening of this kind, God wished to arouse those to repentance whom he terrified, that they might escape the judgement which their sins deserved?

A primary objection, making a distinction between the permission and the will of God, refuted.

Objection, that there must be two contrary wills in God, refuted. Why the one simple will of God seems to us as if it were manifold.

Hence a distinction has been invented between doing and permitting because to many it seemed altogether inexplicable how Satan and all the wicked are so under the hand and authority of God,

That men do nothing save at the secret instigation of God, and do not discuss and deliberate on any thing but what he has previously decreed with himself and brings to pass by his secret direction,

is proved by numberless clear passages of Scripture.

But though afterwards his power to afflict the saint seems to be only a bare permission, yet as the sentiment is true, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; as it pleased the Lord, so it has been done,"

we infer that God was the author of that trial of which Satan and wicked robbers were merely the instruments.

Satan's aim is to drive the saint to madn...

for it would be ridiculous for a judge only to permit, and not also to decree, what he wishes to be done at the very time that he commits the execution of it to his ministers.

yet the disciples confess in solemn prayer that all the wicked did nothing but what the hand and counsel of God had decreed,

perpetrates a detestable crime. God, however, declares that it was his work; for the words are, "Thou midst it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun[2]."

Even these expressions many would confine to permissions as if, by deserting the reprobate, he allowed them to be blinded by Satan.

thus making his will the cause of hardening it; as if the two things did not perfectly agree with each other, though in different senses viz.,

not that he intends to teach wicked and obstinate man to obey spontaneously, but because he bends them to execute his judgements,

just as if they carried their orders engraven on their minds.

According to the latter view, he is said to have given men over to a reprobate mind,

in discussing the question of man's freedom, this subject will again be considered, the little that has now been said seems to be all that the occasion requires.

all the counsels and actions of men must be held to be governed by his providence; so that he not only exerts his power in the elect, who are guided by the Holy Spirit, but also forces the reprobate to do him service.

I have already shown clearly enough that God is the author of all those things which, according to these objectors, happen only by his inactive permission.

Let them tell me whether God exercises his judgements willingly or unwillingly. As Moses teaches that he who is accidentally killed by the blow of an axe, is delivered by God into the hand of him who smites him,

Still, however, the will of God is not at variance with itself. It undergoes no change.

but while in himself the will is one and undivided, to us it appears manifold, because, from the feebleness of our intellect, we cannot comprehend how, though after a different manner, he wills and wills not the very same thing.

God wills and wills not the very same thing

Paul terms the calling of the Gentiles a hidden mystery, and shortly after adds, that therein was manifested the manifold wisdom of God,

"Man sometimes with a good will wishes something which God does not will, as when a good son wishes his father to live, while God wills him to die.

Again, it may happen that man with a bad will wishes what God wills righteously, as when a bad son wishes his father to die, and God also wills it. The former wishes what God wills not, the latter wishes what God also wills. And

For the things which God rightly wills, he accomplishes by the evil wills of bad men,"

Hence he exclaims, "Great is the work of God, exquisite in all he wills!

because it could not be done if he did not permit; nor does he permit it unwillingly, but willingly; nor would He who is good permit evil to be done, were he not omnipotent to bring good out of evil," (Augustin. in Psa 111: 2).

For, while he confesses that Shimei acts by the order of God, he by no means commends the obedience, as if that petulant dog had been yielding obedience to a divine command;

Thus we must hold, that while by means of the wicked God performs what he had secretly decreed, they are not excusable as if they were obeying his precept, which of set purpose they violate according to their lust.

God wills bad things but the secondary ageknt is not obeying God

How these things, which men do perversely, are of God, and are ruled by his secret providence,

because, while God complained that that kingdom was erected without his knowledge, and against his will, he elsewhere declares, that he had given King Jeroboam in his anger.