-04 Chapter 4. Of Religion.

2-04 Chapter 4. Of Religion.

1. Observance [of God’s commands] is either Religion, or Justice.
2. This distribution, as touching Observance itself, is made by God in the division of the Decalogue, as enfolded by Christ in Matthew 22:37.789 Also, the sense of the same distribution is expressed in different words in Romans 1:18,790 where all disobedience by man is distributed into impiety and injustice; this could not stand unless all obedience were also distributed into Piety and Justice. This is more plainly opened in Titus 2:12,791 where those three things are propounded. Righteousness and Piety make up the parts of new Obedience, and Temperance denotes the manner or means of performing them: namely, by denying worldly lusts.
3. Also tending to this Christian life, and more frequently used, is that same distribution into holiness and righteousness, as in Luke 1:75, and Ephesians 4:24.792 And it has the same meaning as that distribution which is made into love towards God, and love towards our neighbor.793
4. Yet we use the terms Religion and Justice, because Religion is a most general word, containing all those duties which are owed to God; and it is most emphatic, because it expresses that proper and distinct way by which they are due to God, as in Acts 26:5 and James 1:26-27; 794 and often in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
5. RELIGION is that Observance whereby we perform those things which directly pertain to bringing honour to God. Romans 1:21, Although they knew God, yet they did not glorify him as God, nor were they thankful.
6. Therefore some are not amiss who say this term is derived from à Religando, binding again, because in this part of obedience, we directly and immediately tend to God, so that we may cling to him, and as it were, be tied to him.
7. Religion has the first place in observance, 1. Because obedience towards God must necessarily begin from God himself, and from those affections and acts whereby we are carried towards him. 2 Corinthians 8:5, They gave themselves first to the Lord, and then to us by the Will of God. 2. Because Righteousness towards men must be performed by the force and virtue of Religion, so it may be true obedience towards God; for it would not be obedience towards God unless it brought honour to God; nor could it bring honour to God unless it were to proceed from a religious affection. 1 Corinthians 10:31, Do all to the glory of God, to which also belongs this phrase, In the Name of the Lord, and in the Lord, Colossians 3:17-18; and as to the Lord, and not to men, Colossians 3:23.  3. Because Religion has command over the acts of Justice, and it is the cause of them, not only virtually effecting them, but also directing and ordering them. James 1:26. If any seem to be religious among you, not refraining [bridling] his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 4. Because religion is in a certain manner the end of all the acts of Justice, as far as they dispose a man to the act of religion, as a certain greater thing.
8. Hence Justice itself is sometimes called religion in the Scriptures, James 1:27, But religious worship, pure and without spot before God and the Father, is to visit the fatherless, etc. This is not only because it is a sign which is not separated from true religion, but also because it ought to be exercised by the command of religion, and have its beginning from religion.
9. Hence the offices of religion are the first and highest offices. Matthew 6:33, First seek the kingdom of God. Matthew 22:37, the first and great Commandment.
10. They are the first in order, and so they ought to be taken care of in the first place.
11. To this pertains that phrase which we see everywhere in the Psalms, of seeking God early in the morning.795
12. Also they are the chief indignity, and so they are chiefly to be cared for. Matthew 10:37, He that loves father or mother above me, is not worthy of me.
13. Hence the duties of Religion ought to be performed with more intent and stirred up forces than the duties of Justice; for that rule pertains properly to them, not to these, which says to love with all the heart, all the soul, and all the thought, Matthew 22:37.
14. Yet this must not be so understood as if all the strength were not also required in performing and fulfilling the duties of the second Tablet, but 1. Because this is principally required in the duty of Religion. 2. Because it is not required in the other duties in respect to our neighbor whom they immediately respect; but it is required in respect to God, and by virtue of Religion. 3. Because one may love his neighbor with too much intention as touching the very material act of loving — although this cannot be done in respect to virtue and love — but we can in no way love God with too much intention.
15. Hence, if some duties of piety and justice cannot be performed together using an equal and prudent comparison, then the duties of piety are to be preferred. Matthew 12:46-48, Behold my mother and my brethren. Luke 2:49, Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must go about my father’s business?
16. But an equal comparison, is when a just proportion is observed of the greater to the greatest, and of the lesser to the least.
17. Because God is more worshipped with the inward affection than with the outward work, but men need the outward work more, the outward work of Religion may sometimes be omitted, so that a necessary work of Justice and mercy may be fulfilled. Matthew 12:1; Matthew 12:3-4; Matthew 12:7; Matthew 12:10; Matthew 12:12 : I will have mercy and not sacrifice, etc.796
18. Nor is Religion in the meantime violated by this means, because Religion itself commands us to omit an external work, so that a necessary work may be performed.
19. The immediate object to which Religion is carried, is God. And that is so adequate that no duty of Religion may be referred to any other object without greatest injury to God. This pertains to that title of God whereby he is said to be Zelotes, Zelotypus, zealous or Jealous.
20. But that respect under which religion considers God, is that Divine excellency which shines forth in his sufficiency and efficiency; it is not some one attribute, but a perfection arising from all his attributes. Exodus 34:6-8, Jeshua, Jehovah, the stong God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and full of lovingkindness and truth, etc.797 Therefore all the attributes of God have some power to beget religion in us; and so in the Scriptures, its special respect refers sometimes to Mercy – Psalms 130:4, With you is pardoning that you may be reverently worshipped; sometimes to Justice – Deuteronomy 4:24, Hebrews 12:29, Let us have grace, by which we may so serve God that we may be accepted by him, with reverence and fear. For our God is a consuming fire.And so also to all the other attributes.
21. Hence Religion immediately flows from that Faith with which we believe in God, as in the sufficient and efficient cause of life.
22. This is what is to be understood of the usual statement that Religion respects God as the first beginning, and supreme Lord of life. And so that distinction of the Papists is too empty whereby they confess that those acts of religion which respect God as the first beginning of life are to be performed only to God; but then they contend that other acts of religion may be communicated to the Creatures also, when there is no act of religion which does not belong to God as the first beginning of life.
23. The proper act of religion is to bring honor to God, and it is called worship, Exodus 12:25-27; and adoration, John 12:23.798 For it must contain, in a certain manner, good unto God — otherwise it would not be obedience towards him. But there can be no intrinsic good added to God except an outward good, which is honor: that is, a testimony of the virtue of another to further his glory or estimation; and this is all that the Creature can perform unto God.
24. Therefore an agreeable or worthy estimation of God, and other acts by which an estimation of God is manifested, make the next matter of religion. And every honest human act, as far as it may be referred to the honour and glory of God, may be the matter or the material object of religion. Also, one and the same act which is called obedience in respect to its subjection to the precept of God, is called religion and worship in respect to the honour which it brings to God.
25. The proper manner of honour or religious worship, is to subject the soul itself, and the inward affections, and the acts of the will, to another.799
26. For in respect to the soul and its inward acts, man is not directly subject to any Creature per se; although the soul being knit to the body, and the inward acts being knit to the outward, his (as it were, necessary) condition commands that subjection which is due to the Creature as a superior.
27. This honour is due to God, not only according to the agreement of the thing — in which sense we say those things are due which we give from liberality — but also according to the right of the person to whom it is given; and that is by so by strict a right, that in respect to the debt, it exceeds all Justice; although in respect to equality, it is far exceeded by Justice.
28. Therefore all worship which — either by its nature or condition, or by Law and common custom, or by the mind and institution of the one who gives it —gives religious honour to another besides the true God, it so far at least, grants to itself a new and a false God.
29. He that does not give this religious worship to God is profane; he that gives it to another besides the true God is an idolater, Acts 7:40; Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8.800
30. But because greatest care ought to be had in Divine worship, among the Latins the word religion is sometimes used metaphorically to describe any anxious care, even in things that were not sacred. By this it appears that the Heathens themselves, by the light of nature, saw that care for Religion is to be preferred before all other things.
31. Also, because the fear of conscience pertains to the worship of religion, every scruple of conscience also tends to be called religion; from this we may also gather that nature itself dictates that the conscience of a man first and most properly respects religion.
32. The general state of the Church, as it professes a right manner of worshipping God, is rightly to be called the Christian Religion, because that state or profession arises from virtue, and from the act of Religion.
33. Those things which, by special institution, are designed for religious uses, as instruments of religion, are also called religious by reason of their state, or the fixed relation which they have.
34. That peculiar manner of living which the Monks have chosen for themselves to exercise a certain pretended perfection, without any reason, and not without wrong to other Christians, tends to be called religion by the Papists; and such Monks are called religious persons.
35. He that is not religious, is not a Christian.
36. The true religion is only one.