Merit and grace

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Often appears with: will, choice, and freedom · punishment and rewards · predestination · justice as a virtue · gratitude and ingratitude · augustine quotations

Usually: argument (1) · detachment (1)

Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) primary

Jean Calvin · 1541 (initial publication of the Institutes; this record is for a later 1559/French-collated edition, but the work’s composition spans Calvin’s revisions after earlier versions)
Book I. On The Knowledge Of God The Creator. > Chapter V. A Refutation Of The Objections Commonly Urged In Support Of (2/19)

He responds that punishments remain just and rewards remain gracious even if human choices are not “free”; he uses Augustine and Paul to argue God crowns his gifts, not human merits.

transition from what is voluntary to what is free; but we have before evinced, that a thing may be done voluntarily, which yet is not the subject of free choice. II. They add, that unless both virtues and vices proceed from the free choice of the will, it is not reasonable either that punishments should be inflicted, or that rewards should be conferred on man. This argument, though first advanced by Aristotle, yet I…