A Year with the Institutes, Day 20

In chapters six and seven of Book one, Calvin turns to a doctrine of Scripture. The doctrine whose seeds are laid in these chapters is for theologians to exposit, for it boasts concepts like the two-fold knowledge of Scripture, concepts which I satisfy myself to merely comprehend, let alone critique.

Much of chapter seven is given to refuting the claim that the authority of scripture rests upon the church's declaration. These aren't arguments we're having anymore, so they read a bit like historical glosses. Besides, for someone reared in evangelical-dom and schooled at a Reformed Tradition Beachhead, this stuff is in the water. But there is this:

" . . . they who strive to build up firm faith in Scripture through disputation are doing things backwards." (1.7.4)