Caput III et IV: De Hominis Corruptione, et Conversione ad Deum ejusque Modo
The Image Lost
Humanity was created in God's image with righteousness and holiness, but through the Devil's prompting and its own free will fell and took on blindness, vanity, malice, and impurity.
From the beginning, the human being was created in the image of God. The mind was adorned with true and saving knowledge of its Creator and of spiritual things; the will and heart were established in righteousness; and every disposition was pure—so that the whole person was entirely holy. But, prompted by the Devil and by his own free will, rebelling against God, he robbed himself of those excellent gifts. And in their place, on the contrary, he took on blindness and horrible darkness in the mind, vanity and perversity of judgment, malice, rebellion, and hardness in the will and heart, and finally impurity in every disposition.✦✦
Corruption Passed On
Humanity's corruption after the Fall is transmitted to all posterity not by imitation but by the propagation of a depraved nature through God's just judgment.
But the kind of people humanity became after the fall is the kind of children it brought forth—the corrupt begetting the corrupt. This corruption spread from Adam into all who came after him (Christ alone excepted), not by way of imitation, as the Pelagians once claimed, but through the transmission of a depraved nature, by the just judgment of God.
Born Children of Wrath
All people are conceived in sin, born children of wrath, dead in sins, and unable to return to God or dispose themselves toward correction without regenerating grace.
And so all people are conceived in sin, and are born as children of wrath, unfit for anything that brings salvation, inclined toward evil, dead in their sins, and slaves to sin; and without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit, neither are they willing nor are they able to return to God, to correct their depraved nature, or to order themselves toward its correction.✦12
A Light That Cannot Save
After the Fall, a remnant light of nature remains in humanity, but it falls so far short of saving knowledge that it renders people inexcusable rather than able to convert.
After the fall, there does still remain in man some light of nature, by whose benefit he retains certain notions about God, about natural things, and about the distinction between what is honorable and what is shameful, and he shows some interest in virtue and external discipline; but this light of nature falls so far short of enabling him to arrive at saving knowledge of God and to convert himself to him, that he cannot even use it properly in natural and civil affairs — rather, whatever it may finally be, he wholly defiles it in various ways and holds it fast in injustice, and while he does so, he is rendered inexcusable before God.✦✦✦3
The Law Reveals, Not Heals
The Decalogue uncovers sin and increases guilt but offers no remedy or strength, leaving the transgresser under the curse without saving grace.
This same standard that belongs to the light of nature is also that of the Decalogue, delivered by Moses from God to the Jews in a special way. For while it indeed uncovers the magnitude of sin and makes a person more and more guilty because of it, it offers no remedy and gives no strength to rise out of misery; and so, weakened through the flesh, it leaves the transgressor under the curse — a person cannot obtain saving grace through it.456
The Gospel as God's Remedy
What neither nature nor law can do, God accomplishes through the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of reconciliation, by which He saves believers in both testaments.
What neither the light of nature nor the law can do, God accomplishes by the power of the Holy Spirit through the word, the ministry of reconciliation, which is the Gospel concerning the Messiah. Through this, it has pleased God to save believing people in both the Old Testament and the New.
The Varying Breadth of Revelation
God revealed His mystery of salvation to fewer in the Old Testament and now more broadly in the New, as the distinction between peoples is set open.
God revealed this mystery of his own will to fewer people in the Old Testament, and now, with the distinction between peoples laid open, he reveals it to more in the New Testament.
Sovereign Good Pleasure
The reason for the broader Gospel revelation lies not in human merit or better use of nature but in God's free good pleasure and gratuitous love.
The reason for this arrangement isn't found in the superior dignity of one nation over another, or in a better use of the light of nature, but in the utterly free good pleasure and gratuitous love of God.
Humble Gratitude, Humble Silence
Those who receive such grace beyond all merit must respond with humble gratitude, while those who do not must adore God's justice rather than pry into His judgments.
So those to whom such great grace is given, beyond and against all merit, ought to acknowledge it with a humble and grateful heart; but as for the rest, on whom that grace is not bestowed, they ought to adore with the Apostle the severity and justice of God's judgments, and by no means investigate them with curious scrutiny.
The Earnest Call
All who are called through the Gospel are called in earnest, for God truly invites them to come, promising rest and eternal life to all who believe.
But everyone who is called through the Gospel is called in earnest. For through his own word, God declares most truly and seriously what is pleasing to him—namely, that those who are called should come to him. He also earnestly promises rest for their souls and eternal life to everyone who comes to him and believes.
Why Some Do Not Believe
The fault for unbelief lies not in the Gospel, Christ, or God who calls, but in the called themselves, as illustrated by the parable of the sower.
Because many who are called through the gospel's ministry do not come and are not converted, the fault lies not with the gospel, nor with Christ offered through the gospel, nor with God who calls through the gospel and also grants them various gifts, but with the called themselves. Some of them do not receive the word of life, remaining careless; others do receive it, but do not plant it in the heart, and so after the fleeting joy of a temporary faith they fall away; still others choke the seed of the word with the thorns of cares and the pleasures of the world, and bring forth no fruit. Our Savior teaches this through the parable of the seed, in Matthew. 13.
Election Bears Fruit in Time
Conversion must be credited to God, who effectually calls, grants faith and repentance, and transfers believers into His Son's kingdom, as the apostolic Scripture everywhere testifies.
But when others are called through the ministry of the Gospel and do come and are converted, this must not be credited to man, as though by his own free choice he distinguished himself from others who were instructed with equal or sufficient grace for faith and conversion (which is what the arrogant heresy of Pelagius asserts), but to God, who, just as he chose his own before time began in Christ, so also in time he effectually calls those same people, grants them faith and repentance, and, having rescued them from the power of darkness, transfers them into the kingdom of his Son, so that they may proclaim the mighty deeds of the one who called them out of darkness into this marvelous light, and may glory not in themselves, but in the Lord. The apostolic Scripture everywhere testifies to this.
The Spirit's Deep Work
In true conversion God powerfully illumines the mind and penetrates the heart through the Holy Spirit, opening, softening, and renewing the will so that it brings forth good works.
Moreover, when God carries out this good pleasure of his in the elect — that is, when he works true conversion in them — he doesn't just see to it that the Gospel is preached to them outwardly; he also powerfully illumines their minds through the Holy Spirit, so that they rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God. But by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit, he also penetrates to the inmost depths of a person, opens the closed heart, softens the hard heart, circumcises the foreskin of the heart, infuses new qualities into the will, and makes it from dead to living, from evil to good, from unwilling to willing, from stubborn to obedient; he moves and strengthens it, so that, like a good tree, it can bring forth the fruit of good works.✦✦✦✦7
Regeneration: God's Work Within
Regeneration is the new creation and life-giving power proclaimed in Scripture, which God works without us yet within us.
And this is that regeneration, new creation, resurrection from the dead, and life-giving power so greatly proclaimed in the Scriptures — which God works without us and yet within us.
A Supernatural Operation
Regeneration is not mere moral persuasion but a supernatural, powerful, sweet, and ineffable operation that infallibly produces faith in those whom God works upon.
However, this is by no means brought about by mere outward teaching sounding in the ear, or moral persuasion, or any such way of working that, after God's operation, it would remain in the power of the person (as far as he is concerned) to be regenerated or not be regenerated, to be converted or not be converted; but it is clearly a supernatural operation, most powerful at once and most sweet, wonderful, hidden, and ineffable, by its own power, according to Scripture (which is inspired by the Author of this operation), not lesser or inferior to creation or the resurrection of the dead, so much so that all those in whose hearts God works in this wondrous way are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and in act believe.
The Renewed Will Acts
The renewed will is not only moved by God but, having been moved, acts on its own, so that through grace the person rightly believes and repents.
And then the will, now renewed, is not only acted upon and moved by God, but, having been moved by God, it also acts on its own. Therefore a person is also rightly said, through the grace received, himself to believe and to repent.
Resting in Assurance
Believers cannot fully grasp the nature of regeneration in this life, but through grace they know and feel themselves to believe in their heart and love their Savior.
The faithful can't fully grasp the nature of this work in this life; meanwhile, they rest in this: that through this grace of God they know and feel themselves to believe in their heart and to love their Savior.
Faith as God's Gift
Faith is God's gift, not merely offered for human choice but actually bestowed, breathed into, and poured into the person.
So faith is God's gift — not in the sense that it is offered by God at human choice, but in the sense that it is actually bestowed on a person, breathed into them, and poured in.
God at Work in Willing and Acting
God does not merely grant the capacity to believe but Himself brings about both the willingness to believe and the very act of believing.
Nor is it the case that God merely grants the capacity to believe while waiting for the assent or the act of believing to come from human choice; rather, God himself brings about both the willingness to believe and the very act of believing in the person — the same God who is at work in both willing to believe and actually believing, and so is at work in everything in everyone.✦
Grace Owed to No One
God owes grace to no one, since humans can give nothing in advance and have nothing of their own except sin and falsehood.
God owes this grace to no one. After all, what does God owe to someone who can offer nothing up front in order to be repaid? Indeed, what does God owe to someone who has nothing of his own except sin and falsehood?
Responses to Grace
Whoever receives grace owes eternal thanksgiving to God alone, while those who do not either disregard spiritual things with self-satisfaction or boast emptily of what they lack.
So whoever receives this grace owes eternal thanksgiving to God alone and gives thanks to him. Whoever does not receive it either has no concern at all for these spiritual things and is pleased with himself in his own way, or, feeling secure, boasts emptily that he has what he does not have.
Pastoral Counsel on Outward Profession
We should judge outward profession charitably, pray for those not yet called, and never be arrogant toward them as though we had set ourselves apart.
As for those who outwardly profess the faith and amend their lives, the best course is to judge and speak following the example of the apostles, for the depths of the heart are unknown to us. But for others who have not yet been called, we must pray to God, who calls into being things that do not exist. On no account, however, should we be arrogant toward them, as though we had set ourselves apart.
The Will Renewed, Not Removed
Regeneration does not destroy the will or compel it violently but spiritually gives life, heals, and bends it so that ready obedience to the Spirit may reign.
Just as, through the fall, man did not stop being man—endowed with understanding and will—nor did the sin that has spread through the whole human race remove human nature, but it depraved and spiritually killed it; so also this divine grace of regeneration does not work in people as if they were logs or stumps, and it does not remove the will and its properties, or violently compel an unwilling person, but spiritually gives life, heals, corrects, and at once sweetly and powerfully bends the will—so that where before the rebellion and resistance of the flesh fully ruled, now a ready and sincere obedience to the Spirit may begin to reign: a renewal and freedom of our will that is true and spiritual, and in this it consists.
No Hope Without God's Working
Unless God works with us, there is no hope for anyone to rise from the fall through free choice, by which same means one originally cast oneself into ruin.
For unless that wonderful maker of all good were to work with us, there would be no hope for anyone to rise from the fall through free choice—the very means by which, when one stood upright, one cast oneself into ruin.
The Gospel as Seed of Regeneration
God's supernatural activity in regeneration does not overturn the use of the Gospel, which He ordained as the seed of regeneration and the food of the soul.
Just as God's almighty activity, by which he produces and sustains this natural life of ours, doesn't rule out but actually requires the use of means through which, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, he chose to exercise that power of his: so also this supernatural activity of God, by which he regenerates us, by no means rules out or overturns the use of the Gospel, which God in his great wisdom has ordained as the seed of regeneration and the food of the soul.
Word, Sacrament, and Discipline Joined
The Apostles and their followers proclaimed God's grace for His glory while also exercising word, sacrament, and discipline, and the Church must never presume to separate what God has joined.
Therefore, as the Apostles and those who followed them as teachers had piously taught the people about this grace of God for his glory and the humbling of all pride, yet they did not meanwhile neglect to restrain him under the holy admonitions of the Gospel, by the exercise of the word, the sacraments, and discipline: so even now, far be it that those teaching or learning in the Church should presume to tempt God by separating those things which, by his good pleasure, he willed to be most closely joined together.
Grace Through Admonition
Through admonitions grace is conferred, and the more readily we do our duty, the more gloriously God's work shines forth and proceeds rightly.
For through admonitions grace is conferred, and the more readily we do our duty, the more gloriously the benefit of God working in us is accustomed to shine forth, and the more rightly his work proceeds.
Glory to God Alone
To God alone is owed all glory for the means of grace and their salutary fruit and efficacy, forever and ever. Amen.
To him alone is owed all glory, both of the means and of their salutary fruit and efficacy, forever and ever. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Homo ab initio ad imaginem Dei conditus vera et salutari sui Creatoris et rerum spiritualium notitia in mente, et justitia in voluntate et corde, puritate in omnibus affectibus exornatus, adeoque totus sanctus fuit; sed Diaboli instinctu, et libera sua voluntate a Deo desciscens, eximiis istis donis seipsum orbavit: atque e contrario eorum loco cœcitatem, horribiles tenebras, vanitatem, ac perversitatem judicii in mente, malitiam, rebellionem, ac duritiem in voluntate et corde, impuritatem denique in omnibus affectibus contraxit.
Qualis autem post lapsum fuit homo, tales et liberos procreavit, nempe corruptus corruptos; corruptione ab Adamo in omnes posteros [solo Christo excepto] non per imitationem [quod Pelagiani olim voluerunt], sed per vitiosæ naturæ propagationem, justo Dei judicio, derivata.
Itaque omnes homines in peccato concipiuntur, et filii iræ nascuntur, inepti ad omne bonum salutare, propensi ad malum, in peccatis mortui, et peccati servi; et absque Spiritus Sancti regenerantis gratia, ad Deum redire, naturam depravatam corrigere, vel ad ejus correctionem se disponere nec volunt, nec possunt.
Residuum quidem est post lapsum in homine lumen aliquod naturæ, cujus beneficio ille notitias quasdam de Deo, de rebus naturalibus, de discrimine honestorum et turpium retinet, et aliquod virtutis ac disciplinæ externæ studium ostendit: sed tantum abest, ut hoc naturæ lumine ad salutarem Dei cognitionem pervenire, et ad eum se convertere possit, ut ne quidem eo in naturalibus ac civilibus recte utatur, quinimo qualecumque id demum sit, id totum variis modis contaminet, atque in injustitia detineat, quod dum facit, coram Deo inexcusabilis redditur.
Quæ luminis naturæ, eadem hæc Decalogi per Mosen a Deo Judæis peculiariter traditi est ratio: cum enim is magnitudinem quidem peccati retegat, ejusque hominem magis ac magis reum peragat, sed nec remedium exhibeat, nec vires emergendi ex miseria conferat, adeoque per carnem infirmatus transgressorem maledictione relinquat, non potest homo per eum salutarem gratiam obtinere.
Quod igitur nec lumen naturæ, nec lex potest, id Spiritus Sancti virtute præstat Deus, per sermonem, sive ministerium reconciliationis, quod est Evangelium de Messia, per quod placuit Deo homines credentes tam in Veteri, quam in Novo Testamento servare.
Hoc voluntatis suæ mysterium Deus in Veteri Testamento paucioribus patefecit, in Novo Testamento pluribus, sublato jam populorum discrimine, manifestat. Cujus dispensationis caussa, non in gentis unius præ alia dignitate, aut meliore luminis naturæ usu, sed in liberrimo beneplacito, et gratuita dilectione Dei est collocanda. Unde illi, quibus præter et contra omne meritum tanta fit gratia, eam humili et grato corde agnoscere, in reliquis autem, quibus ea gratia non fit, severitatem et justitiam judiciorum Dei cum Apostolo adorare, nequaquam vero curiose scrutari debent.
Quotquot autem per Evangelium vocantur, serio vocantur. Serio enim et verissime ostendit Deus verbo suo, quid sibi gratum sit, nimirum, ut vocati ad se veniant. Serio etiam omnibus ad se venientibus et credentibus requiem animarum, et vitam æternam promittit.
Quod multi per ministerium Evangelii vocati, non veniunt et non convertuntur, hujus culpa non est in Evangelio, nec in Christo per Evangelium oblato, nec in Deo per Evangelium vocante, et dona etiam varia iis conferente, sed in vocatis ipsis, quorum aliqui verbum vitæ non admittunt securi; alii admittunt quidem, sed non in cor immittunt, ideoque post evanidum fidei temporariæ gaudium resiliunt; alii spinis curaram et voluptatibus sæculi semen verbi suffocant, fructusque nullos proferunt; quod Servator noster seminis parabola docet, Matt. xiii.
Quod autem alii, per ministerium Evangelii vocati, veniunt et convertuntur, id non est adscribendum homini, tanquam seipsum per liberum arbitrium ab aliis pari vel sufficiente gratia ad fidem et conversionem instructis discernenti (quod superba Pelagii hæresis statuit), sed Deo, qui ut suos ab æterno in Christo elegit, ita eosdem in tempore efficaciter vocat, fide et resipiscentia donat, et e potestate tenebrarum erutos in Filii sui regnum transfert, ut virtutes ejus, qui ipsos e tenebris in admirandam hanc lucem vocavit, prædicent, et non in se, sed in Domino, glorientur. Scriptura apostolica passim id testante.
Cæterum, quando Deus hoc suum beneplacitum in electis exequitur, seu veram in iis conversionem operatur, non tantum Evangelium illis externe prædicari curat, et mentem eorum per Spiritum Sanctum potenter illuminat, ut recte intelligant et dijudicent quæ sunt Spiritus Dei, sed ejusdem etiam Spiritus regenerantis efficacia ad intima hominis penetrat, cor clausum aperit, durum emollit, præputiatum circumcidit, voluntati novas qualitates infundit, facitque eam ex mortua vivam, ex mala bonam, ex nolente volentem, ex refractaria morigeram, agitque et roborat eam, ut, ceu arbor bona, fructus bonarum actionum proferre possit.
Atque hæc est illa tantopere in Scripturis prædicata regeneratio, nova creatio, suscitatio e mortuis, et vivificatio, quam Deus sine nobis, in nobis operatur. Ea autem neutiquam fit per solam forinsecus insonantem doctrinam, moralem suasionem, vel talem operandi rationem, ut post Dei (quoad ipsum) operationem, in hominis potestate maneat regenerari vel non regenerari, converti vel non converti; sed est plane supernaturalis, potentissima simul et suavissima, mirabilis, arcana, et ineffabilis operatio, virtute sua, secundum Scripturam (quæ ab Authore hujus operationis est inspirata) nec creatione, nec mortuorum resuscitatione minor, aut inferior, adeo ut omnes illi, in quorum cordibus admirando hoc modo Deus operatur, certo, infallibiliter, et efficaciter regenerentur, et actu credant. Atque tum voluntas jam renovata, non tantum agitur et movetur a Deo, sed a Deo acta, agit et ipsa. Quamobrem etiam homo ipse per gratiam istam acceptam credere et resipiscere recte dicitur.
Modum hujus operationis fideles in hac vita plene comprehendere non possunt; in eo interim acquiescentes, quod per istam Dei gratiam, se corde credere, et Servatorem suum diligere, sciant ac sentiant.
Sic ergo fides Dei donum est, non eo quod a Deo hominis arbitrio offeratur, sed quod homini reipsa conferatur, inspiretur, et infundatur. Non etiam quod Deus potentiam credendi tantum conferat, consensum vero seu actum credendi ab hominis deinde arbitrio expectet, sed, quod et velle credere, et ipsum credere in homine is efficiat, qui operatur et velle et facere, adeoque omnia operatur in omnibus.
Hanc gratiam Deus nemini debet. Quid enim debeat ei, qui prior dare nihil potest, ut ei retribuatur? Imo quid debeat ei, qui de suo nihil habet, præter peccatum et mendacium? Qui ergo gratiam illam accipit, soli Deo æternas debet et agit gratias; qui illam non accipit, is aut hæc spiritualia omnino non curat, et in suo sibi placet: aut securus se habere inaniter gloriatur, quod non habet. Porro de iis, qui externe fidem profitentur, et vitam emendant, optime secundum exemplum apostolorum judicandum et loquendum est, penetralia enim cordium nobis sunt incomperta. Pro aliis autem qui nondum sunt vocati, orandus est Deus, qui quæ non sunt vocat tanquam sint. Neutiquam vero adversus eos est superbiendum, ac si nosmetipsos discrevissemus.
Sicuti vero per lapsum homo non desiit esse homo, intellectu et voluntate præditus, nec peccatum, quod universum genus humanum pervasit, naturam generis humani sustulit, sed depravavit, et spiritualiter occidit; ita etiam hæc divina regenerationis gratia, non agit in hominibus tanquam truncis et stipitibus, nec voluntatem ejusque proprietates tollit, aut invitam violenter cogit, sed spiritualiter vivificat, sanat, corrigit, suaviter simul ac potenter flectit: ut ubi antea plene dominabatur carnis rebellio et resistentia, nunc regnare incipiat prompta, ac sincera Spiritus obedientia; in quo vera et spiritualis nostræ voluntatis instauratio et libertas consistit. Qua ratione nisi admirabilis ille omnis boni opifex nobiscum ageret, nulla spes esset homini surgendi e lapsu per liberum arbitrium, per quod se, cum staret, præcipitavit in exitium.
Quemadmodum etiam omnipotens illa Dei operatio, qua vitam hanc nostram naturalem producit et sustentat, non excludit sed requirit usum mediorum, per quæ Deus pro infinita sua sapientia et bonitate virtutem istam suam exercere voluit: ita et hæc prædicta supernaturalis Dei operatio, qua nos regenerat, neutiquam excludit, aut evertit usum Evangelii, quod sapientissimus Deus in semen regenerationis, et cibum animæ ordinavit. Quare, ut Apostoli, et qui eos secuti sunt doctores, de gratia hac Dei ad ejus gloriam et omnis superbiæ depressionem, pie populum docuerant, neque tamen interim sanctis Evangelii monitis, sub verbi, sacramentorum, et disciplinæ exercitio eum continere neglexerunt: sic etiamnum, absit, ut docentes aut discentes in Ecclesia Deum tentare præsumant, ea separando, quæ Deus pro suo beneplacito voluit esse conjunctissima. Per monita enim confertur gratia, et quo nos officium nostrum facimus promptius, hoc ipso Dei in nobis operantis beneficium solet esse illustrius, rectissimeque ejus opus procedit. Cui soli omnis, et mediorum, et salutaris eorum fructus atque efficaciæ debetur gloria in sæcula. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Gen.1.26-Gen.1.27 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen.1.27 — So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
- ↩Eph.4.18 — Their minds darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their hearts.
- ↩Eph.2.3 — Among them we too all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the thoughts, and we were by nature children of wrath, just like the rest.
- ↩Rom.1.20-Rom.1.21 — For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes have been clearly perceived, being understood through the things that have been made: both his eternal power and divine nature. So they are without excuse. Rom.1.21 — For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened.
- ↩Rom.2.14-Rom.2.15 — For whenever Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves. Rom.2.15 — who show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or even defending them
- ↩1Cor.1.21 — For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through its wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the proclaimed message.
- ↩Deut.10.16 — So circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.
- ↩1Cor.2.14 — But the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- ↩Ezek.36.26 — And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
- ↩Matt.7.17-Matt.7.18 — So every good tree produces good fruit, but the bad tree produces bad fruit. Matt.7.18 — A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruit.
- ↩Phil.2.13 — For God is the one working in you, both to desire and to work for his good pleasure.
Notes
- 1 ↩filii iræ: 'children of wrath' echoes a traditional rendering of Eph 2:3; the Latin iræ is case-ambiguous (genitive singular or nominative plural), but the natural reading with filii is genitive: 'of wrath.'
- 2 ↩regenerantis gratia rendered 'regenerating grace' to preserve the active, grace-led sense of regeneration rather than reducing it to a static category.
- 3 ↩The Canons distinguish the 'light of nature' (lumen naturæ) from saving grace: it yields natural knowledge of God and moral discrimination, but cannot bring about conversion. 'Saving knowledge of God' translates salutarem Dei cognitionem, a technical Reformed phrase for the knowledge that accompanies salvation.
- 4 ↩The opening clause equates the 'ratio' (standard/account) of natural light with that of the Decalogue, linking this section to the previous one's discussion of the lumen naturæ.
- 5 ↩ratio rendered 'standard' rather than 'reason' to capture the normative, measuring sense: the Decalogue functions as a rule or criterion, parallel to natural light.
- 6 ↩per eum ('through it') refers to the Decalogue; the point is that the law reveals sin and guilt but cannot confer the grace needed for salvation.
- 7 ↩The Latin 'præputiatum circumcidit' (circumcises the foreskin) is a physical metaphor drawn from Deuteronomy 10:16 / 30:6 ('circumcise the foreskin of your heart'). Rendered here as 'circumcises the foreskin of the heart' to preserve the biblical imagery and the inner/outer contrast that structures the sentence.
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