Institutes 3.11.10 — OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. BOTH THE NAME AND THE REALITY DEFINED.

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**OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. BOTH THE NAME AND THE REALITY DEFINED.**

Moreover, lest by his cavils he deceive the unwary, I acknowledge that we are devoid of this incomparable gift until Christ become ours. Therefore, to that union of the head and members, the residence of Christ in our hearts, in fine, the mystical union, we assign the highest rank, Christ when he becomes ours making us partners with him in the gifts with which he was endued. Hence we do not view him as at a distance and without us, but as we have put him on, and been ingrafted into his body, he deigns to make us one with himself, and, therefore, we glory in having a fellowship of righteousness with him. This disposes of Osiander’s calumny, that we regard faith as righteousness; as if we were robbing Christ of his rights when we say, that, destitute in ourselves, we draw near to him by faith, to make way for his grace, that he alone may fill us. But Osiander, spurning this spiritual union, insists on a gross mixture of Christ with believers; and, accordingly, to excite prejudice, gives the name of Zuinglians The Latin, “ideo Zuinglianos odiose nominat;” is in the French simply, “condamne furieusement;”—furiously condemns. Latin, “crassa mixtura;”—French, “mixtion telle que les viandes qu nous mangeons;”—mixture such as the victuals we eat. The French adds, “Osiander tire de la que Dieu a meslée son essence avec la nostre;”—Osiander implies from this that God has mingled his essence with ours.

Source

• source-manifest/institutes — Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, tr. Beveridge 1845 (PD)
• evidence_grade: D_doctrinal_textbook