Day 123 — Book 1, Chapter 14, §20

Yesterday: devils are real, so stay alert. Today: now look up — you are standing in a theatre. After six sections of angels and demons, Calvin turns back to where Chapter 14 began: the created world. This is a hinge section — a short, calm, almost pastoral paragraph. The theatre metaphor is one of the most quoted images in the Institutes, and the paragraph tells you how to read creation (with pious delight, asking God's purpose) and where to read about it (Moses, then Basil and Ambrose). 7 sentences, one paragraph, and the shape is clean: invitation S1 → why it matters S2 → where to study S3 → what the history teaches S4–S5 → why Calvin stops S6–S7.

Why examiners love it. It has long, layered sentences with stacked participles and a semicolon list (S4), a dummy-it sentence with a real infinitive subject (S2), and an absolute construction (S5). The traps are ranking words (not the chief… the first) and scope (Calvin recommends Moses and pious writers, but he does not retell the story himself).

Text traps. ⚠️ manifest (S1, adj.) = plain, evident. ⚠️ soever (S2) in which side soever = whatsoever (archaic emphasis). ⚠️ Wherefore (S3) = therefore. ⚠️ liable to (S4) = subject to, not "legally responsible". ⚠️ vigour (S4) = vigor, strength. ⚠️ specimen (S5) = sample, example. ⚠️ in passing (S6) = briefly, by the way.

Today's 3 Big Points

1. Meanwhile, being placed in this most beautiful theatre, let us not decline to take a pious delight… (S1) → free participle (same subject as us) + negative hortative let us not decline to V. Formula 1.
2. it is, in point of order, the first evidence of faith, to remember… and… to meditate… (S2); it is of importance to attend to… (S3) → dummy it + real subject infinitive, with a ranking concession though not the chief. Formula 2.
3. Heaven and earth being thus most richly adorned… at length man was made (S5); arranging… giving… providing… cherishing… bestowing… so preventing (S4) → absolute construction and participle chains. Formula 3.

Meanwhile, being placed in this most beautiful theatre, let us not decline to take a pious delight in the clear and manifest works of God. For, as we have elsewhere observed, though not the chief, it is, in point of order, the first evidence of faith, to remember to which side soever we turn, that all which meets the eye is the work of God, and at the same time to meditate with pious care on the end which God had in view in creating it. Wherefore, in order that we may apprehend with true faith what it is necessary to know concerning God, it is of importance to attend to the history of the creation, as briefly recorded by Moses and afterwards more copiously illustrated by pious writers, more especially by Basil and Ambrose. From this history we learn that God, by the power of his Word and his Spirit, created the heavens and the earth out of nothing; that thereafter he produced things inanimate and animate of every kind, arranging an innumerable variety of objects in admirable order, giving each kind its proper nature, office, place, and station; at the same time, as all things were liable to corruption, providing for the perpetuation of each single species, cherishing some by secret methods, and, as it were, from time to time instilling new vigour into them, and bestowing on others a power of continuing their race, so preventing it from perishing at their own death. Heaven and earth being thus most richly adorned, and copiously supplied with all things, like a large and splendid mansion gorgeously constructed and exquisitely furnished, at length man was made—man, by the beauty of his person and his many noble endowments, the most glorious specimen of the works of God. But, as I have no intention to give the history of creation in detail, it is sufficient to have again thus briefly touched on it in passing. I have already reminded my reader, that the best course for him is to derive his knowledge of the subject from Moses and others who have carefully and faithfully transmitted an account of the creation.

[INVITATION]  S1        Placed in this most beautiful theatre, take pious delight in God's clear works
[WHY]         S2        First (though not chief) evidence of faith: whatever you see is God's work, and ask his end in making it
[WHERE]       S3        So study the creation history — Moses first, then Basil and Ambrose
[WHAT]        S4–S5     Creation out of nothing by Word and Spirit; ordered variety; each species preserved (S4); the furnished mansion and man its crown (S5)
[LIMIT]       S6–S7     No detailed retelling here (S6); go to Moses and faithful transmitters (S7)

Examiner's Eye. - ⚠️ Ranking trap (S2): remembering that all we see is God's work is not the chief but the first evidence of faith, in point of order. An option calling it the chief or the least is wrong. - ⚠️ Source trap (S3): the history is recorded by Moses and more copiously illustrated by pious writers, more especially by Basil and Ambrose. Moses is the record; Basil and Ambrose illustrate it. Reversing them is a direction-flip. - ⚠️ Agent trap (S4): God creates by the power of his Word and his Spirit. The provision for each species (cherishing, instilling vigour, giving power to reproduce) is God's ongoing action, not nature acting alone. - ⚠️ Scope trap (S6–S7): Calvin does not claim to give the creation history here; he says a brief touch in passing is enough and sends the reader elsewhere.

Formula 1 — Free participle + negative hortative

Being PP (= since we are PP), let us (not) V…
Meanwhile, being placed in this most beautiful theatre, let us not decline to take…   (S1)
⚠️ The participle's subject = the subject of the main clause (here "us"). 
⚠️ "decline to V" = refuse to V; "let us not decline" = let us not refuse.

Drill: Since we are taught by Scripture, let us not refuse to read the world with gratitude. → Being taught by Scripture, let us not decline to read the world with gratitude.

Formula 2 — Dummy it + real subject infinitive (with ranking concession)

(Though not the chief,) it is, in point of order, the first N, to V1 … and to V2 …   (S2)
It is of importance to V …                                                          (S3)
⚠️ "it" is a placeholder; the real subject is the infinitive(s) at the end.
⚠️ "chief" (rank) ≠ "first" (sequence).

Drill: It is the first duty of the student, though not the highest, to read the text carefully. (Rewrite with real subject first: To read the text carefully is the first duty of the student, though not the highest.)

Formula 3 — Absolute construction / participle chain

N1 being PP, and PP…, [S2] V…            (S5: Heaven and earth being … adorned … man was made)
S V…, V-ing…, V-ing…, so V-ing…           (S4: he produced…, arranging…, giving…, providing…)
⚠️ Absolute = its own subject (N1 ≠ S2). Chain participles share the main subject.

Drill: The house having been built and furnished, the owner moved in. → Calvin: The world being thus adorned, man was made.

The doctrine at stake. Chapter 14 is about creation as a mark distinguishing the true God from idols. §20 turns from the unseen creatures (angels and devils) back to the visible world and tells the believer how to relate to it: not with curiosity, not with idolatry, but with pious delight and a steady question about God's purpose. This continues the line of thought from Book 1, Chapters 5–6 (where the "elsewhere observed" points): the world is a stage where God's glory is displayed, and Scripture is the key to reading it rightly.

Lineage. The theatre image has a long history: Calvin's own word in Chapters 5–6 and in other writings was theatrum, the world as the stage of God's glory. Basil of Caesarea (Hexaemeron) and Ambrose of Milan (Hexameron) were the standard patristic homilies on the six days of creation, which Calvin recommends here; Moses (Genesis) remains the source. Calvin's own full treatment is his later Genesis Commentary.

Later reception. Reformed theology developed this into the idea of the "two books" (creation and Scripture) and the theme of creation as the theatre of God's glory, which has fed Reformed thinking on nature and vocation. Treat any detailed later schema as later, not as something S1–S7 itself says.

Over-reading guardrail. ⚠️ §20 does not say that creation alone teaches the true knowledge of God. S3 says we need the history of the creation as Moses wrote it — Scripture frames the seeing. And pious delight is delight in God's works as God's works, not an independent aesthetic of nature. Also: Calvin says the creation history is briefly touched on; the detailed doctrine of providence is the subject of the chapters that follow.

1. S1 — Ps 19:1; Ps 92:4; Ps 111:2; (cf. Rom 1:20). "The heavens declare the glory of God" (השמים מספרים כבוד־אל); "Thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work"; "The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein." The "pious delight" is Psalmic. Calvin reads creation as a showing of God's glory.
2. S2 — Heb 11:3. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God" (πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήματι θεοῦ). Faith, not mere observation, grasps creation's origin and purpose.
3. S3–S4 — Gen 1:1–2:3. The history Calvin sends us to: creation out of nothing (1:1), the Spirit moving on the waters (1:2), things made after their kind (1:11–12, 21, 24–25).
4. S4 — Ps 33:6; Ps 104:29–30. "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." "Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth." Word and Spirit in creation, and God's renewing of what decays.
5. S4 — Gen 1:22, 28. "Be fruitful, and multiply" — the power of continuing their race.
6. S5 — Gen 1:26–27; Ps 8:5–6. Man made in God's image, "crowned with glory and honour." The most glorious specimen of the works of God.

Calvin's habit here: he does not quote much; he sends the reader to Moses and the Psalms and lets them speak.

① Grammar — which statement about the grammar of §20 is wrong?

(A) In S1, being placed in this most beautiful theatre, let us not decline… the participle being placed shares the subject us with the main clause. (B) In S2, it is… the first evidence of faith, to remember… the word it is a dummy subject and the real subject is the infinitive phrase. (C) In S5, Heaven and earth being thus most richly adorned… is an absolute construction with its own subject. (D) In S4, the participles arranging, giving, providing modify things inanimate and animate.

Answer: (D). Rationale: The participles hang on the subject he (God), who is doing the arranging, giving and providing. (A) Formula 1. (B) Formula 2. (C) Formula 3.

② Comprehension — which statement is consistent with §20?

(A) Calvin says that remembering that all we see is God's work is the chief evidence of faith. (B) Calvin recommends studying the creation history as recorded by Moses and illustrated by pious writers such as Basil and Ambrose, and says God also preserves each species he made. (C) Calvin says Basil and Ambrose first recorded the creation history, which Moses later illustrated. (D) Calvin gives a detailed account of the creation history in this section.

Answer: (B). Rationale: (A) ranking flip — S2 says not the chief, but the first. (C) direction-flip — Moses recorded; the others illustrated. (D) scope-overreach — S6: no intention to give the history of creation in detail.

③ Composition — apply Formula 1 (Being PP, let us not decline to V):

Write one sentence: Because we are taught by Scripture, let us not refuse to take joy in the world God made.

Model answer: Being taught by Scripture, let us not decline to take joy in the world God made. Rationale: The participle shares the subject us; decline to V replaces refuse to V; let us not is the negative hortative.

One-line summary: Placed in God's most beautiful theatre, we should take pious delight in his works (free participle + let us not decline to V), remembering that all we see is his work and asking his purpose (dummy it + infinitives), and learn from Moses, Basil and Ambrose how God made and keeps the world (absolute construction and participle chain) — though Calvin himself retells it only in passing.

Homework (10 min).

1. Structure restoration. Restore the base pattern of S2: it is, in point of order, the first evidence of faith, to remember… and… to meditate… → To remember… and to meditate… is the first evidence of faith, in point of order, though not the chief.
2. Composition. Write one sentence with a dummy it + two infinitives, and one with an absolute construction (own subject) about creation.
3. Preview (tomorrow). §21 opens It is unnecessary to dwell at length on the end that should be aimed at in considering the works of God. — watch the dummy it + infinitive again, the relative that should be aimed at, and the shift from what creation is to why we study it.

Where we stopped: Book 1, Ch. 14, §20 끝. 다음은 Book 1, Ch. 14, §21.