ms the office of
reproving the world is that he may call the world back to penitence
and the recognition of its derangement. But the world remains
consistent with itself; it hears not and believes it can please God
with forms of worship of its own choosing and without the sanction of
the divine Word, and does not permit itself to be undeceived.

145. If ever a council should be held, the final declaration and
conclusion with reference to this very point, the freedom of will,
will be that we should abide by the decisions of the pope and the
fathers. We may clamor until we are hoarse that man in himself without
the Holy Spirit is evil, that everything he does without the Holy
Spirit or without faith is condemned before God, that his heart is
depraved and all his thought; we shall effect nothing.

146. Therefore, the mind is to be grounded in this, and we are to hold
fast the doctrine which lays before us our sin and condemnation. This
knowledge of our sin is the beginning of salvation; we must absolutely
despair of ourselves and give glory for righteousness to God alone.
Why does Paul elsewhere complain, and in Romans 7, 18 freely confess
that there is nothing good in him? He says plainly, "in my flesh;" so
that we understand that the Holy Spirit alone can heal our infirmity.
When this has been fixed in our hearts, the foundation of our
salvation is largely laid, inasmuch as subsequently clear testimonies
are given that God will not cast away the sinner, that is, one who
recognizes his sin and desires to come to his senses and thirsts after
righteousness and the remission of sin through Christ.

147. Let us, therefore, take care not to be found among those
Cyclopeans who oppose the Word of God and proclaim their freedom of
will and their own powers. Though we often err, though we fall and
sin, still, upon yielding to reproof on the part of the Holy Spirit
with an humble confession of our depravity, the Holy Spirit himself
will be present, and not only not impute to us the sin we acknowledge,
but the grace of Christ shall cover it and he will shower upon us
other gifts necessary to this life as well as the future one.

148. But the words of Moses are to be more closely considered, for
with a definite purpose he has used here a peculiar expression; he has
not merely said, "The thoughts of man's heart are evil," but "the
imagination of the thoughts of his heart." Thus he expresses the
highest that man can achieve with hi