Nothing to lose...
see https://vyrso.com/product/13420/golden-booklet-of-the-true-christian-life
This book represents chapters 6-10 of Book III of Calvin's Institutes. It doesn't seem to match any of the three translations I already had (Beveridge, Allen, and Battles), and it looks to be a looser translation and perhaps more readable that the others. Here's a comparison:
The goal of the new life is that God’s children exhibit melody and harmony in their conduct. What melody? The song of God’s justice. What harmony? The harmony between God’s righteousness and our obedience.Only if we walk in the beauty of God’s law do we become sure of our adoption as children of the Father.The law of God contains in itself the dynamic of the new life by which his image is fully restored in us; but by nature we are sluggish, and, therefore, we need to be stimulated, aided in our efforts by a guiding principle.A sincere repentance from the heart does not guarantee that we shall not wander from the straight path and sometimes become bewildered.John Calvin, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2004).
WE have said, that the end of regeneration is, that the life of the faithful may exhibit a symmetry and agreement between the righteousness of God and their obedience; and that thus they may confirm the adoption by which they are accepted as his children. But though this law of God comprehends that newness of life by which his image is restored in us; yet since our tardiness needs much stimulation and assistance, it will be useful to collect from various places of Scripture, a rule for the reformation of the life, that they who cordially repent may not be bewildered in their pursuits.John Calvin and John Allen, Institutes of the Christian Religion (vol. 2; New-Haven; Philadelphia: Hezekiah Howe; Philip H. Nicklin, 1816), 159.
WE have said that the object of regeneration is to bring the life of believers into concord and harmony with the righteousness of God, and so confirm the adoption by which they have been received as sons. But although the law comprehends within it that new life by which the image of God is restored in us, yet, as our sluggishness stands greatly in need both of helps and incentives, it will be useful to collect out of Scripture a true account of this reformation, lest any who have a heartfelt desire of repentance should in their zeal go astray.John Calvin and Henry Beveridge, Institutes of the Christian Religion (vol. 2; Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society, 1845), 253.
The object of regeneration, as we have said, is to manifest in the life of believers a harmony and agreement between God’s righteousness and their obedience, and thus to confirm the adoption that they have received as sons [Gal. 4:5; cf. 2 Peter 1:10].The law of God contains in itself that newness by which his image can be restored in us. But because our slowness needs many goads and helps, it will be profitable to assemble from various passages of Scripture a pattern for the conduct of life in order that those who heartily repent may not err in their zeal.John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion & 2 (ed. John T. McNeill; trans. Ford Lewis Battles; vol. 1; The Library of Christian Classics; Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011), 684.
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