s to piece
up one good action that it is a lesson to be good, and we are forced to
be virtuous by the book.

Insolent zeals that do decry good works, and rely only upon faith, take
not away merit; for, depending upon the efficacy of their faith, they
enforce the condition of God, and in a more sophistical way do seem to
challenge heaven. I do not deny but that true faith is not only a mark
or token, but also a means, of our salvation; but, where to find this is
as obscure to me as my last end. If a faith to the quantity of a grain
of mustard seed is able to remove mountains, surely that which we boast
of is not anything, or, at the most, but a remove from nothing.

For that other virtue of charity, without which faith is a mere notion
and of no existence, I have ever endeavoured to nourish the merciful
disposition and humane inclination I borrowed from my parents, and
regulate it to the written and prescribed laws of charity. I give no
alms to satisfy the hunger of my brother, but to fulfil the command of
my God; I draw not my purse for his sake that demands it, but His that
enjoined it. Again, it is no greater charity to clothe his body than to
apparel the nakedness of his soul; and to this, as calling myself a
scholar, I am obliged by the duty of my condition.

Bless me in this life with but the peace of my conscience; command of my
affections the love of Thyself and my dearest friends; and I shall be
happy enough to pity Caesar! These are, O Lord, the humble desires of my
most reasonable ambition, and all I dare call happiness on earth:
wherein I set no limit to Thy hand or providence; dispose of me
according to the wisdom of Thy pleasure. Thy will be done, though in my
own undoing.

* * * * *

JOHN CALVIN

INSTITUTION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION

John Calvin was born on July 10, 1509, at Noyon, in Picardy,
Northern France. Although the Calvins, his ancestors, had been
bargemen on the Oise, his father was notary apostolic,
procurator-fiscal of the county, clerk of the church court,
and diocesan secretary. Young Jean Calvin was eight years old
when Luther nailed his theses to the door of the castle church
in Wittenburg. The new religion gaining very quickly a footing
in France, the youth became influenced by it when studying in
Paris at the College de la Marche. He held meetings with
Protestants in a cave at Poitiers. His p