Day 5 — Calvin, *Institutes* Book 1, Chapter 2, §2

Chapter 2 — "What it is to know God; tendency of this knowledge." Section 2 — Further illustration of the use, with a reproof of vain curiosity and a refutation of the Epicureans; the character of God as it appears to the pious mind; religion defined.

All English quoted from the Beveridge translation (public domain). All commentary in English.

PART 1 — Full text of §2 (verbatim)

2. Those, therefore, who, in considering this question, propose to inquire what the essence of God is, only delude us with frigid speculations,—it being much more our interest to know what kind of being God is, and what things are agreeable to his nature. For, of what use is it to join Epicures in acknowledging some God who has cast off the care of the world, and only delights himself in ease? What avails it, in short, to know a God with whom we have nothing to do? The effect of our knowledge rather ought to be, first, to teach us reverence and fear; and, secondly, to induce us, under its guidance and teaching, to ask every good thing from him, and, when it is received, ascribe it to him. For how can the idea of God enter your mind without instantly giving rise to the thought, that since you are his workmanship, you are bound, by the very law of creation, to submit to his authority?—that your life is due to him?—that whatever you do ought to have reference to him? If so, it undoubtedly follows that your life is sadly corrupted, if it is not framed in obedience to him, since his will ought to be the law of our lives. On the other hand, your idea of his nature is not clear unless you acknowledge him to be the origin and fountain of all goodness. Hence would arise both confidence in him, and a desire of cleaving to him, did not the depravity of the human mind lead it away from the proper course of investigation.

For, first of all, the pious mind does not devise for itself any kind of God, but looks alone to the one true God; nor does it feign for him any character it pleases, but is contented to have him in the character in which he manifests himself always guarding, with the utmost diligences against transgressing his will, and wandering, with daring presumptions from the right path. He by whom God is thus known perceiving how he governs all things, confides in him as his guardian and protector, and casts himself entirely upon his faithfulness,—perceiving him to be the source of every blessing, if he is in any strait or feels any want, he instantly recurs to his protection and trusts to his aid,—persuaded that he is good and merciful, he reclines upon him with sure confidence, and doubts not that, in the divine clemency, a remedy will be provided for his every time of need,—acknowledging him as his Father and his Lord he considers himself bound to have respect to his authority in all things, to reverence his majesty, aim at the advancement of his glory, and obey his commands,—regarding him as a just judge, armed with severity to punish crimes, he keeps the Judgment-seat always in his view. Standing in awe of it, he curbs himself, and fears to provoke his anger. Nevertheless, he is not so terrified by an apprehension of Judgment as to wish he could withdraw himself, even if the means of escape lay before him; nay, he embraces him not less as the avenger of wickedness than as the rewarder of the righteous; because he perceives that it equally appertains to his glory to store up punishment for the one, and eternal life for the other. Besides, it is not the mere fear of punishment that restrains him from sin. Loving and revering God as his father, honouring and obeying him as his master, although there were no hell, he would revolt at the very idea of offending him.

Such is pure and genuine religion, namely, confidence in God coupled with serious fear—fear, which both includes in it willing reverence, and brings along with it such legitimate worship as is prescribed by the law. And it ought to be more carefully considered that all men promiscuously do homage to God, but very few truly reverence him. On all hands there is abundance of ostentatious ceremonies, but sincerity of heart is rare.

Reading time: ~3.5–4 minutes aloud (≈ 520 words).

PART 2 — Argument map

Premise (negative): Knowing that God exists, or speculating about his bare essence, is useless — "frigid speculation." A God "with whom we have nothing to do" is no real object of knowledge.

Argument 1 — The right content of the knowledge of God is practical, not metaphysical. What matters is qualis sit Deus (what kind of being God is) and what befits his nature, not quid sit (what his essence is). → Refutation of the Epicureans, who posit a God detached from the world.

Argument 2 — The right effect of this knowledge is twofold: (a) reverence and fear; (b) trustful petition and grateful ascription. The very idea of God carries with it the obligation of the creature.

Argument 3 — The right posture of the pious mind. The believer does not invent a God of his own liking but receives God as he manifests himself. This single, integrated disposition combines: trust in the Governor, recourse to the Provider, repose in the Merciful, submission to the Father/Lord, and awe before the Judge.

Argument 4 — Genuine fear is filial, not servile. The pious mind would shrink from offending God even if there were no hell. Fear of punishment alone is not what restrains it.

Conclusion (definition): Therefore "pure and genuine religion" = confidence in God coupled with serious fear — a reverent love. And, sobering coda: outward homage is universal, true reverence rare.

PART 3 — Sentence-by-sentence deep analysis ⭐

Paragraph 1

S1. "Those, therefore, who, in considering this question, propose to inquire what the essence of God is, only delude us with frigid speculations,—it being much more our interest to know what kind of being God is, and what things are agreeable to his nature."

• ② Syntax skeleton: S = Those … who … propose to inquire … ; V = delude ; O = us ; adverbial only + means phrase with frigid speculations. The relative clause [who, in considering this question, propose to inquire what the essence of God is] modifies Those. Embedded inside the relative clause is an interrogative noun clause [what the essence of God is] = object of inquire. The em-dash introduces an absolute construction [it being much more our interest to know …]. Two interrogative clauses hang off to know: [what kind of being God is] and [what things are agreeable to his nature].
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Those … who … — antecedent + restrictive relative clause; the subject is held open across an interparenthetical in considering this question. (2) Indirect questions with inverted-to-normal order: what the essence of God is (not "what is the essence"); the subordinate question keeps S-V order. (3) Nominative absolute / participial absolute: it being much more our interest to know … — it is the subject of a participial being, grammatically detached from the main clause, supplying the reason ("since it is much more our interest"). (4) Anticipatory / dummy it in it … our interest to know — the real subject is the infinitive phrase to know …. (5) Correlative pair of objects governed by to know: what kind of being God is, and what things are agreeable ….
• ④ Vocabulary in context (etymology): delude < Latin dēlūdere "to play false, mock" (lūdere "to play"). frigid < Latin frīgidus "cold"; here metaphorical = lifeless, lacking warmth/profit. speculations < Latin speculārī "to spy out, observe" (specula "watchtower"); Calvin's pejorative sense = idle theorizing. agreeable to = "in conformity with, suited to" (older sense, not "pleasant").
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: People who tackle the knowledge of God by asking what God's essence is merely fool us with cold, useless theorizing — because it matters far more to know what sort of God he is and what fits his nature.
• ⑥ Style note: Calvin opens with a dismissive periodic sentence: the heavy front-loaded subject delays the verb (delude) for rhetorical contempt, then the dash pivots to the positive correction — a classic non hoc, sed illud ("not this, but that") movement.

S2. "For, of what use is it to join Epicures in acknowledging some God who has cast off the care of the world, and only delights himself in ease?"

• ② Syntax skeleton: Rhetorical question. V = is ; predicate = of what use (fronted) ; dummy S = it ; real subject = infinitive [to join Epicures in acknowledging some God …]. Relative clause [who has cast off the care of the world, and only delights himself in ease] modifies God.
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Anticipatory it again: it = to join Epicures…. (2) Fronting of the interrogative complement of what use for emphasis (= "what good is it…?"). (3) Compound relative predicate: who has cast off … and (who) only delights himself… — second relative subject elided. (4) delights himself — reflexive use, archaic flavor ("takes pleasure").
• ④ Vocabulary in context: Epicures = the Epicureans, here a byword for those who imagine gods indifferent to human affairs (Epicurus held the gods exist but are unconcerned, apatheia). cast off = phrasal verb, "thrown away, renounced." care = "oversight, concern" (Latin cura). ease < Old French aise; here = untroubled idleness (≈ Epicurean ataraxia).
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: What is the point of agreeing with the Epicureans that there is some god who has abandoned all concern for the world and merely enjoys his own comfort?
• ⑥ Style note: First of a pair of rhetorical questions (with S3) that pour scorn on a useless theism; the named target (Epicures) gives the abstraction a polemical face.

S3. "What avails it, in short, to know a God with whom we have nothing to do?"

• ② Syntax skeleton: Rhetorical question. V = avails ; dummy S = it ; real subject = [to know a God …] ; O of avails = interrogative What. Relative clause [with whom we have nothing to do] modifies God.
• ③ Grammar points: (1) avails — intransitive-ish "is of profit/use"; What avails it…? = "what good does it do?" (2) Pied-piping of the preposition in the relative clause: with whom (formal; not "whom we have nothing to do with"). (3) in short — parenthetical discourse marker summarizing the prior question.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: avail < Anglo-French availer, ult. Latin valēre "to be strong, be worth." have nothing to do with — idiom = "have no relation/dealings with."
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: In a word: what is the use of knowing a God who has no bearing on our lives?
• ⑥ Style note: A tightening epigram that caps the Epicurean rebuttal — short, punchy, the inverse of S1's long period.

S4. "The effect of our knowledge rather ought to be, first, to teach us reverence and fear; and, secondly, to induce us, under its guidance and teaching, to ask every good thing from him, and, when it is received, ascribe it to him."

• ② Syntax skeleton: S = The effect of our knowledge ; V = ought to be ; predicate complement = two coordinated infinitive phrases [to teach us reverence and fear] and [to induce us … to ask … and … ascribe]. rather = adverbial contrast with the rejected views above.
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Enumerative correlatives first … secondly organizing the two purposes. (2) Causative induce … to ask: induce takes object + infinitive (induce us to ask). (3) Compound infinitives under induce: to ask … and (to) ascribe — the second to dropped (bare infinitive in coordination). (4) Embedded temporal clause when it is received (passive) inserted before ascribe. (5) under its guidance and teaching — adjunct, its = the knowledge's.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: reverence < Latin reverērī "to stand in awe of" (vereor "fear/respect"). induce < Latin indūcere "to lead in/on." ascribe < Latin ascrībere "to write to/assign to" — to credit something to its source.
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: Instead, the purpose of knowing God ought to be: first, to teach us reverence and fear; and second, to move us — guided and taught by that knowledge — to ask every good thing from God, and, when we receive it, to credit it back to him.
• ⑥ Style note: A balanced bicolon (first … secondly) that states the practical thesis of the section; the give-and-receive rhythm (ask … receive … ascribe) mirrors the piety it describes.

S5. "For how can the idea of God enter your mind without instantly giving rise to the thought, that since you are his workmanship, you are bound, by the very law of creation, to submit to his authority?—that your life is due to him?—that whatever you do ought to have reference to him?"

• ② Syntax skeleton: Rhetorical question. S = the idea of God ; V = can enter ; O = your mind ; negative-circumstance adjunct [without instantly giving rise to the thought …]. Three appositional that-clauses unpack the thought: [that … you are bound … to submit to his authority], [that your life is due to him], [that whatever you do ought to have reference to him].
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Rhetorical "how can … without …" = a strong assertion that it cannot. (2) Gerund after preposition: without … giving rise to. (3) Triadic apposition — three parallel that-clauses, each closed by a dash + question mark, building cumulative force. (4) Inside clause 1, causal subordinate since you are his workmanship + passive of obligation you are bound … to submit. (5) whatever you do — indefinite relative functioning as subject of clause 3.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: workmanship = "thing made," product of a maker (cf. Greek ποίημα, Eph. 2:10). bound = "obligated" (past participle of bind). the very law of creation — very intensifier = "the law of creation itself." have reference to = "be directed toward, be ordered to."
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: For how could the thought of God ever enter your mind without immediately producing these conclusions: that, being his handiwork, you are obligated by creation's very law to submit to him? — that your life belongs to him? — that all you do should be oriented toward him?
• ⑥ Style note: Climax by triple apposition with interrogative dashes — Calvin stages the inference as something the mind cannot help making; the staccato questions enact the "instant" arising of the thought.

S6. "If so, it undoubtedly follows that your life is sadly corrupted, if it is not framed in obedience to him, since his will ought to be the law of our lives."

• ② Syntax skeleton: Main: dummy S it + V follows + extraposed clause [that your life is sadly corrupted]. Three subordinators stacked: condition If so; embedded condition if it is not framed in obedience to him; cause since his will ought to be the law of our lives.
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Anticipatory it + extraposed that-clause (it follows that …). (2) Conditional layering: an opening If so (anaphoric — "if that is true") plus a nested if-clause of the negative condition. (3) Passive is framed with figurative frame = "shape, construct." (4) Causal since-clause grounding the obligation.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: follows = logical consequence (sequitur). sadly = "grievously, deplorably" (older sense, not merely "regrettably"). framed < Old English framian "to be useful/make progress"; here "fashioned, ordered." corrupted < Latin corrumpere "to break/spoil utterly."
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: If that is so, then it certainly follows that your life is gravely corrupt whenever it is not shaped by obedience to God — because his will ought to be the rule of our lives.
• ⑥ Style note: A syllogistic sentence (it follows that …); the cascade of conditional and causal clauses gives it the feel of an inference being drawn before our eyes.

S7. "On the other hand, your idea of his nature is not clear unless you acknowledge him to be the origin and fountain of all goodness."

• ② Syntax skeleton: S = your idea of his nature ; V = is ; C = clear (negated not clear) ; conditional adjunct [unless you acknowledge him to be the origin and fountain of all goodness]. Inside: acknowledge + accusative-and-infinitive him to be ….
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Discourse pivot On the other hand — turns from obligation (fear) to benefit (love/trust). (2) Negative conditional conjunction unless (= "if … not"). (3) ACI (accusative + infinitive): acknowledge him to be the origin (Latinate construction Calvin's translator preserves). (4) Hendiadys-like pairing origin and fountain (two near-synonyms for one idea, source).
• ④ Vocabulary in context: origin < Latin orīgō "beginning, source." fountain < Latin fons/fontem, here a stock Calvinian image: God as fons omnium bonorum ("fountain of all goods" — recall Day 4). goodness = the sum of all good things/perfections.
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: Conversely, your conception of God's nature remains unclear unless you recognize him as the source and wellspring of everything good.
• ⑥ Style note: The antithetical hinge (On the other hand) balancing the chapter's two notes — submission and trust — and reintroducing the fons metaphor that anchors §2.

S8. "Hence would arise both confidence in him, and a desire of cleaving to him, did not the depravity of the human mind lead it away from the proper course of investigation."

• ② Syntax skeleton: Inverted conditional. Main clause: [both confidence in him, and a desire of cleaving to him] would arise (subject postponed after Hence would arise). Protasis without if: [did not the depravity of the human mind lead it away …] = "if the depravity … did not lead it away."
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Inversion for emphasis: Hence would arise … (verb before subject after the adverb Hence). (2) Conditional inversion replacing if: did not the depravity … lead = "if the depravity did not lead" — a counterfactual / contrary-to-fact conditional (would arise … did not …). (3) Correlative both … and joining the two compound subjects. (4) cleaving to — cleave (to adhere) governing to.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: confidence < Latin cōnfīdere "to trust fully." cleaving < Old English clifian "to stick fast, adhere" (note: distinct from the homograph cleave = to split). depravity < Latin dēprāvāre "to distort, corrupt." course of investigation = the right path of inquiry into God.
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: From this both trust in God and a longing to hold fast to him would naturally spring — were it not that the corruption of the human mind diverts it from the proper path of inquiry.
• ⑥ Style note: Double inversion (adverb-fronting + if-less conditional) — a high-register, almost Latinate cadence that lets the sentence end on the grim word investigation, setting up the corrective that follows.

Paragraph 2

S9. "For, first of all, the pious mind does not devise for itself any kind of God, but looks alone to the one true God; nor does it feign for him any character it pleases, but is contented to have him in the character in which he manifests himself always guarding, with the utmost diligences against transgressing his will, and wandering, with daring presumptions from the right path."

• ② Syntax skeleton: Compound. Clause A: S the pious mind + neg V does not devise + O any kind of God + adversative but looks alone to the one true God. Clause B (after nor, with inversion): nor does it feign … any character it pleases, but is contented to have him in the character [in which he manifests himself]. Trailing participial cluster: always guarding … against transgressing … and wandering ….
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Negative-adversative parallelism not … but … nor … but — a four-beat antithetical structure (does not invent / but looks; nor feigns / but is content). (2) Inversion after nor: nor does it feign (auxiliary does fronted, required after sentence-initial negative nor). (3) Relative clause any character (that) it pleases — contact relative (omitted that). (4) Locative relative the character in which he manifests himself. (5) Participial adjuncts guarding … against transgressing … and wandering — against governs two gerunds (transgressing, wandering). (6) with the utmost diligences / with daring presumptions — parallel manner phrases.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: devise < Latin dīvidere via Old French deviser "to plan, contrive." feign < Latin fingere "to shape, fashion, invent" (cf. fiction) — here "fabricate falsely." manifests < Latin manifestus "caught in the act, plainly visible." transgressing < Latin trānsgredī "to step across" (a boundary, i.e., God's will). presumption < Latin praesūmere "to take beforehand" — overreaching arrogance.
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: For, above all, the godly mind does not invent some god of its own but looks only to the one true God; nor does it pin on him whatever character it likes, but is content to take him as he reveals himself — carefully guarding against violating his will and against straying, through bold presumption, from the right path.
• ⑥ Style note: A chiasmus of negations that defines piety by what it refuses: invention and projection. The repeated not … but delivers the Reformed nerve — God known as he reveals himself, never as we imagine.

S10. "He by whom God is thus known perceiving how he governs all things, confides in him as his guardian and protector, and casts himself entirely upon his faithfulness,—perceiving him to be the source of every blessing, if he is in any strait or feels any want, he instantly recurs to his protection and trusts to his aid,—persuaded that he is good and merciful, he reclines upon him with sure confidence, and doubts not that, in the divine clemency, a remedy will be provided for his every time of need,—acknowledging him as his Father and his Lord he considers himself bound to have respect to his authority in all things, to reverence his majesty, aim at the advancement of his glory, and obey his commands,—regarding him as a just judge, armed with severity to punish crimes, he keeps the Judgment-seat always in his view."

• ② Syntax skeleton: A vast periodic sentence built on one subject, He [by whom God is thus known], and a series of dash-separated movements, each opened by a participial phrase that names an aspect of God and closed by a main clause describing the believer's answering act:
• perceiving how he governs all things → confides in him … and casts himself … upon his faithfulness
• perceiving him to be the source of every blessing → (if … strait/want) he instantly recurs to his protection and trusts to his aid
• persuaded that he is good and merciful → he reclines upon him … and doubts not that … a remedy will be provided
• acknowledging him as his Father and his Lord → he considers himself bound to have respect … to reverence … aim at … and obey
• regarding him as a just judge … → he keeps the Judgment-seat always in his view
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Relative clause as subject head: He by whom God is thus known = "the man by whom God is known in this way" (passive relative with pied-piped by whom). (2) Serial participial absolutes (perceiving … persuaded … acknowledging … regarding) each governing a clause — the architecture of the whole sentence. (3) Conditional inset if he is in any strait or feels any want. (4) Catalogues of infinitives under bound: to have respect … to reverence … aim at … and obey (later to's dropped). (5) Litotes doubts not that … = "is fully sure that." (6) Em-dashes as the connective scaffolding, marking each new facet.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: confides in = "puts trust in" (Latin cōnfīdere). strait = "tight place, distress" (cf. "dire straits"; Latin strictus "drawn tight"). recurs to < Latin recurrere "to run back to" — i.e., takes refuge in. reclines upon < Latin reclīnāre "to lean back on" — restful trust. clemency < Latin clēmentia "mildness, mercy." appertains (cf. S12) / Judgment-seat = the divine tribunal (cf. Greek βῆμα, Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10).
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: The person who knows God this way responds to each thing he sees in God: seeing that God governs everything, he trusts him as guardian and protector and throws himself wholly on God's faithfulness; seeing him as the source of every blessing, then in any hardship or need he runs at once to God's protection and relies on his help; convinced God is good and merciful, he rests on him with sure confidence and never doubts that God's mercy will provide a remedy for every need; recognizing him as Father and Lord, he holds himself bound to respect his authority in all things, to reverence his majesty, to seek his glory, and to obey him; and seeing him as a just judge armed to punish crime, he keeps the judgment-seat always before his eyes.
• ⑥ Style note: The rhetorical masterpiece of the section — a correlatio / cumulative period in which knowledge and response are welded facet by facet. Form embodies content: the integrated disposition of piety is mirrored by a single sentence that refuses to break apart.

S11. "Standing in awe of it, he curbs himself, and fears to provoke his anger."

• ② Syntax skeleton: S = he ; V₁ = curbs (O himself) ; V₂ = fears (+ infinitive to provoke his anger). Fronted participial phrase [Standing in awe of it] (it = the Judgment-seat).
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Fronted present participle Standing in awe of it — adverbial of attendant circumstance/cause. (2) Compound predicate curbs … and fears. (3) fears to provoke — fear + infinitive = "is afraid to / shrinks from doing."
• ④ Vocabulary in context: awe < Old Norse agi "terror, reverential fear." curbs < Old French courbe "curved (bit)"; figuratively "restrains" (as a bridle restrains a horse). provoke < Latin prōvocāre "to call forth, challenge."
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: Standing in awe of that judgment-seat, he restrains himself and is afraid to stir up God's anger.
• ⑥ Style note: A short clause that lands after S10's vast period — a deliberate metrical "exhale," focusing on the restraint that awe produces.

S12. "Nevertheless, he is not so terrified by an apprehension of Judgment as to wish he could withdraw himself, even if the means of escape lay before him; nay, he embraces him not less as the avenger of wickedness than as the rewarder of the righteous; because he perceives that it equally appertains to his glory to store up punishment for the one, and eternal life for the other."

• ② Syntax skeleton: Three coordinated movements. (A) he is not so terrified … as to wish [he could withdraw himself], with concessive even if the means of escape lay before him. (B) After nay: he embraces him not less as the avenger … than as the rewarder …. (C) Causal because he perceives [that it equally appertains to his glory to store up punishment … and eternal life …].
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Result correlative so … as to : not so terrified … as to wish = "not terrified to the point of wishing." (2) Counterfactual concessive even if the means of escape lay before him (past subjunctive lay = were lying). (3) Corrective nay: intensifying "no — rather." (4) Comparative correlative not less … than : not less as the avenger … than as the rewarder. (5) Extraposed it … to : it appertains to his glory to store up … (dummy it + infinitival real subject). (6) Antithesis the one … the other / punishment … eternal life.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: apprehension < Latin apprehendere "to seize" — here "anxious anticipation." withdraw = "remove (himself), escape." nay = archaic "indeed/rather" (intensifier). avenger < Latin vindicāre via Old French; one who exacts justice. appertains < Latin appertinēre "to belong to." store up = "lay up, reserve" (cf. Rom. 2:5, "treasuring up wrath").
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: Yet he is not so frightened by the thought of judgment that he would wish to run away even if escape were possible; on the contrary, he welcomes God just as much as the punisher of evil as the rewarder of the righteous — because he sees that God's glory is equally served by reserving punishment for the wicked and eternal life for the good.
• ⑥ Style note: A paradox of holy fear: fear that does not flee but embraces. The balanced comparatives (not less … than; the one … the other) stage the believer's even-handed acceptance of God's justice and mercy.

S13. "Besides, it is not the mere fear of punishment that restrains him from sin."

• ② Syntax skeleton: Cleft sentence. it is not the mere fear of punishment [that restrains him from sin] — cleft highlighting the mere fear of punishment as (negated) the restraining cause.
• ③ Grammar points: (1) It-cleft for focus/negation: it is not X that … = "X is not what …." (2) Besides — additive discourse connective. (3) restrains … from — verb + from + noun.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: mere = "nothing more than, only" (Latin merus "pure, unmixed"). restrains < Latin restringere "to bind back." Besides = "moreover, in addition."
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: What is more, it is not merely the dread of punishment that holds him back from sin.
• ⑥ Style note: A terse cleft that isolates and denies the servile motive — clearing the ground for the climactic S14.

S14. "Loving and revering God as his father, honouring and obeying him as his master, although there were no hell, he would revolt at the very idea of offending him."

• ② Syntax skeleton: S = he ; V = would revolt ; adjunct at the very idea of offending him. Two fronted participial phrases (Loving and revering … as his father; honouring and obeying … as his master); concessive clause although there were no hell.
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Paired participial absolutes in parallel (Loving and revering … / honouring and obeying …), each with an as-phrase of role (father / master). (2) Counterfactual concessive although there were no hell — past subjunctive were expressing a contrary-to-fact supposition. (3) Conditional-counterfactual main verb would revolt. (4) the very idea — very intensifier ("the mere idea itself"). (5) Gerund object of offending him.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: revering < Latin reverērī "to stand in awe." revolt < Latin revolvere via Italian rivoltare "to turn back/away"; here "recoil in abhorrence." offending < Latin offendere "to strike against." Note the double role-pairing: father / master = the affective (love) and the dutiful (obedience) sides of piety.
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: Loving and revering God as his Father, honouring and obeying him as his Master, he would — even if there were no hell at all — shrink in horror from the very thought of offending him.
• ⑥ Style note: The emotional and theological climax of §2: etiamsi nullus esset infernus ("even if there were no hell"). The counterfactual proves the fear is filial, not mercenary — love, not the gallows, is the deepest restraint.

Paragraph 3

S15. "Such is pure and genuine religion, namely, confidence in God coupled with serious fear—fear, which both includes in it willing reverence, and brings along with it such legitimate worship as is prescribed by the law."

• ② Syntax skeleton: Inverted predicative: Such (C, fronted) + V is + S pure and genuine religion. Appositive (after namely): confidence in God coupled with serious fear. Then fear is re-taken up by a non-restrictive relative: [which both includes in it willing reverence, and brings along with it such legitimate worship as is prescribed by the law].
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Inversion for definition: Such is X = "X is of this kind" — formal closing formula. (2) Appositive definition introduced by namely. (3) Resumptive repetition serious fear—fear, which … (epanalepsis): the dash repeats fear to attach the relative clause. (4) Correlative both … and within the relative: includes … and brings. (5) Correlative such … as : such legitimate worship as is prescribed by the law (= "the kind of worship that the law prescribes").
• ④ Vocabulary in context: genuine < Latin genuīnus "natural, innate." coupled = "joined" (Latin cōpula "bond"). legitimate < Latin lēgitimus "lawful." prescribed < Latin praescrībere "to write beforehand, lay down as a rule." the law = the divine law (esp. the Decalogue / Mosaic law as norm of worship).
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: This, then, is pure and true religion: trust in God joined to serious fear — a fear that both contains within it willing reverence and carries with it the lawful worship that God's law prescribes.
• ⑥ Style note: The defining sentence of the whole chapter (Talis est pura germanaque religio). The repeated fear and the both … and balance give it the cadence of a formal definition meant to be remembered.

S16. "And it ought to be more carefully considered that all men promiscuously do homage to God, but very few truly reverence him."

• ② Syntax skeleton: S dummy it + V ought to be … considered (passive) + extraposed clause [that all men promiscuously do homage to God, but very few truly reverence him]. Within: adversative but joining all men … do homage vs. very few … reverence.
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Anticipatory it + extraposed that-clause (it ought to be considered that …). (2) Passive of obligation ought to be considered. (3) Antithesis all … but very few with the contrast do homage (outward) vs. truly reverence (inward). (4) Adverbs carry the weight: promiscuously (indiscriminately, all alike) vs. truly.
• ④ Vocabulary in context: promiscuously < Latin prōmiscuus "mixed, indiscriminate" — here "without distinction, one and all." do homage = "pay formal respect/allegiance" (feudal term, Old French homage). reverence (verb) = to render heartfelt awe.
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: And it deserves more careful thought that, while everyone alike pays God outward homage, very few truly revere him.
• ⑥ Style note: A sobering antithesis (all … very few) that pivots from the ideal portrait to a realistic diagnosis — the gap between formal religion and true piety.

S17. "On all hands there is abundance of ostentatious ceremonies, but sincerity of heart is rare."

• ② Syntax skeleton: Existential + antithesis. Clause A: On all hands there is abundance of ostentatious ceremonies (existential there is). Clause B: but sincerity of heart is rare (S sincerity of heart + V is + C rare).
• ③ Grammar points: (1) Existential there is with fronted locative adjunct On all hands. (2) Adversative but completing the antithesis abundance vs. rarity. (3) Implied parallelism / zeugma of contrast: outward ceremonies (plentiful) vs. inward sincerity (rare).
• ④ Vocabulary in context: On all hands = idiom, "on every side, everywhere." abundance < Latin abundāre "to overflow." ostentatious < Latin ostentāre "to display showily" (ostendere "to show"). ceremonies < Latin caerimōnia "religious rite." sincerity < Latin sincērus "pure, unadulterated."
• ⑤ Plain-English paraphrase: Everywhere there is no shortage of showy ceremonies, but genuine sincerity of heart is rare.
• ⑥ Style note: A closing epigram — short, balanced, memorable — that seals the section on the same realist note as S16: the ratio of show to substance in religion is lopsided.

PART 4 — Vocabulary table

PART 5 — 🏛 Theology (deep)

The doctrine at stake: what kind of knowledge of God is salvific/pious. §2 develops the program announced in §1. There Calvin defined the knowledge of God as not bare cognition that God exists but apprehension of "what it is for our interest" to know of him, insisting that "we cannot say that God is known where there is no religion or piety." §2 now presses the point polemically: speculation about the divine essence (quid sit Deus) is "frigid"; what saves and sanctifies is knowing qualis sit Deus — what kind of being God is, and what is "agreeable to his nature."

Against speculative theology. Calvin is making a deliberate methodological choice against a certain scholastic mode (and against pagan philosophy) that begins with God's metaphysical essence. His theologia is relational and practical: knowledge of God always terminates in worship. This is the seedbed of his later, famous principle that God reveals himself quoad nos (as he is "toward us"), not quoad se (as he is "in himself") — a form of the doctrine of accommodation that recurs throughout Book 1.

The Epicurean foil. The Epicureans held that gods exist but are wholly unconcerned with the world (living in untroubled ataraxia). Calvin uses them as the archetype of a useless theism: a God "with whom we have nothing to do." Note the structural point — atheism of the practical kind (a God who does nothing) is, for Calvin, no better than denial. True knowledge of God necessarily includes God's providence and beneficence.

The structure of piety. §2 gives Calvin's working definition of pietas: "that union of reverence and love to God which the knowledge of his benefits inspires" (the phrase falls at the end of §1 in Beveridge's paragraphing and is presupposed here). §2's portrait of the pious mind (S9–S14) unfolds piety as an integrated disposition — not a sequence of separate acts but a single posture responding to every facet of God: God as Governor → trust; as Benefactor → recourse and gratitude; as merciful → restful confidence; as Father/Lord → obedience; as Judge → awe. This is Calvin's characteristic correlation of the knowledge of God and the knowledge of self/duty.

Filial vs. servile fear. The climax (S13–S14) distinguishes timor filialis (filial fear, born of love) from timor servilis (servile, mercenary fear of punishment). Calvin's test — etiamsi nullus esset infernus, "even if there were no hell" — became a touchstone in Reformed and later Puritan devotion (echoing a motif also found in patristic and medieval piety, e.g., the sentiment later popularized in the Spanish sonnet "No me mueve, mi Dios, para quererte / el cielo que me tienes prometido"). The point: true religion is not extorted by threat but flows from love that reverences.

Religion defined (S15). "Such is pure and genuine religion, namely, confidence in God coupled with serious fear" — fiducia + timor. This pairing (trust and reverent fear) is Calvin's compact definition and coheres with the duplex cognitio Dei framework (Creator/Redeemer) introduced in §1: here we are still in the cognitio Dei Creatoris, the knowledge available "had Adam stood upright," now corrupted and needing the Redeemer.

Realist coda (S16–S17). Calvin ends not in triumph but in diagnosis: outward homage is universal, true reverence rare; ceremonies abound, sincerity is scarce. This anticipates Book 1's later critique of idolatry and superstition (Chs. 4, 11–12) and his lifelong concern that the form of worship without the heart is hypocrisy — the cor (heart) as the seat of true religion.

Cross-links: Builds on §1 (duplex cognitio Dei, fons omnium bonorum, definition of piety); looks forward to Ch.3 (the sensus divinitatis, the universally implanted sense of deity — note S17's "on all hands"), Ch.4 (how that seed is corrupted), and Chs.11–12 (idolatry, true vs. false worship).

PART 6 — 📖 Biblical studies (deep)

Calvin's §2 is saturated with Scripture even where he does not cite chapter and verse; the prose is a tissue of biblical theology.

1. Creation and obligation (S5). "Since you are his workmanship, you are bound, by the very law of creation, to submit to his authority." The logic is that of Psalm 100:3 — "It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people" — and of Acts 17:28 (Paul to the Epicureans and Stoics! "in him we live, and move, and have our being"). The word workmanship directly evokes Ephesians 2:10 (Gk ποίημα, "we are his workmanship"). Creation establishes a jus creatoris, a maker's claim.

2. God as fountain of all good (S7). "the origin and fountain of all goodness" draws on James 1:17 ("Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights") and Psalm 36:9 ("For with thee is the fountain of life"). The fons image is Calvin's signature.

3. Reverence + petition + gratitude (S4). The threefold effect — fear, asking, ascribing — mirrors the shape of biblical prayer: Philippians 4:6 ("in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God") and the doxological reflex of 1 Corinthians 4:7 ("what hast thou that thou didst not receive?").

4. The Judgment-seat (S10, S12). "he keeps the Judgment-seat always in his view" invokes the βῆμα of Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10 ("we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ"). "to store up punishment" (S12) echoes Romans 2:5 — "treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath" (Gk θησαυρίζεις … ὀργήν). God as both "avenger of wickedness" and "rewarder of the righteous" condenses Romans 12:19 ("Vengeance is mine; I will repay") with Hebrews 11:6 ("he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," Gk μισθαποδότης).

5. Filial fear (S14). "although there were no hell, he would revolt at the very idea of offending him." The biblical substructure is the fear of the LORD as the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; Psalm 111:10) understood not as cringing dread but as reverent love — cf. Deuteronomy 10:12 ("to fear the LORD thy God … and to love him"), where fear and love are conjoined exactly as Calvin conjoins reverence and love. 1 John 4:18 ("perfect love casteth out fear," i.e., servile fear) stands behind the distinction.

6. Lawful worship "prescribed by the law" (S15). Calvin's insistence that true fear "brings along … such legitimate worship as is prescribed by the law" is his regulative instinct — worship is to be governed by God's revealed will, not human invention (cf. Deuteronomy 12:32, "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto"; and 1 Samuel 15:22, "to obey is better than sacrifice").

7. Homage without sincerity (S16–S17). The diagnosis — many do homage, few reverence; abundant ceremonies, rare sincerity — is straight from the prophets and Jesus: Isaiah 29:13 ("this people draw near me with their mouth … but have removed their heart far from me"), quoted by Christ in Matthew 15:8–9 ("in vain they do worship me"). "Sincerity of heart" recalls John 4:24 ("worship him in spirit and in truth").

Exegetical method note: Calvin does not proof-text mechanically; he reasons from the biblical account of God as Creator-Provider-Judge to the proper response of the creature, then closes the circle with prophetic critique of empty worship. The movement is creation → obligation → trust → filial fear → true worship → critique of hypocrisy — a miniature biblical theology of religion.

PART 7 — 🔁 Translation comparison (Beveridge vs. Battles)

(a) S15 — definition of religion. Beveridge: "pure and genuine religion, namely, confidence in God coupled with serious fear." Battles renders the key pair more starkly as faith joined with "earnest fear." What: "confidence" vs. "faith" for fiducia; "serious" vs. "earnest" for the qualifier. Why: Beveridge's confidence foregrounds the trust nuance of fiducia; faith risks collapsing it into fides. Type: chiefly stylistic/lexical, but with a mild theological tilt (trust vs. belief).

(b) S14 — the famous clause. Beveridge: "although there were no hell." Battles: "even if there were no hell." What/Why: near-identical; Battles' even if makes the concessive-counterfactual force slightly more explicit for modern readers. Type: purely stylistic.

(c) S1 — qualis/quid. Beveridge: "what kind of being God is." Battles: God's nature, "what … God is like." What: both capture qualis sit Deus vs. quid sit; Beveridge's "what kind of being" is heavier but precise. Type: stylistic.

PART 8 — ✅ Check yourself (multiple choice)

Q1 (syntax). In S8, "Hence would arise both confidence in him … did not the depravity of the human mind lead it away …," the clause "did not the depravity … lead" is: A. an ordinary past-tense statement B. an if-less (inverted) counterfactual conditional = "if … did not lead" C. a relative clause modifying depravity D. an imperative

Q2 (syntax/grammar). In S13, "it is not the mere fear of punishment that restrains him from sin," the construction is: A. an anticipatory-it extraposition of an infinitive B. a passive of obligation C. an it-cleft used to focus and negate the cause D. a nominative absolute

Q3 (vocabulary). As Calvin uses it in S1, "frigid speculations" most nearly means: A. frightening predictions B. cold, lifeless/profitless theorizing C. careful observations D. heretical doctrines

Q4 (vocabulary). In S8, "a desire of cleaving to him," the verb cleave here means: A. to split apart B. to chop C. to adhere / hold fast D. to divide loyalties

Q5 (theology/comprehension). Calvin's clause "although there were no hell, he would revolt at the very idea of offending him" (S14) is meant to establish that true religious fear is: A. servile — motivated chiefly by dread of punishment B. filial — flowing from love, not from fear of hell C. optional for the pious mind D. identical to mere outward ceremony

Answer Key

Q1 — B. Did not the depravity … lead is a conditional inversion replacing if; with would arise it forms a contrary-to-fact conditional. Q2 — C. It is not X that … is an it-cleft; here it focuses on and negates the mere fear of punishment as the restraining cause. Q3 — B. Frigid = "cold," used metaphorically of lifeless, useless speculation. Q4 — C. Cleave (to) from OE clifian = adhere/hold fast (distinct from the homograph meaning "to split"). Q5 — B. The counterfactual "even if there were no hell" proves the fear is filial (love-driven), not servile; S13 has already denied that "mere fear of punishment" is what restrains him.

Where we stopped: Book 1, Ch. 2, §2 끝 (Chapter 2 완료). 다음은 Book 1, Ch. 3, §1 (Day 6) — "The knowledge of God naturally implanted in the human mind" (sensus divinitatis).