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ofacceptance in terms of merit, instead ofjustification righteousnessand its subordinate righteousness ofthe Holy Spirit. Here onesees Calvin as the historical bridge between the medievalSchoolmen's covenant doctrine and that of the later Calvinisticfederal theologians. Calvin simply excises the medieval doctrineof merit from the covenant of acceptance and replaces it with theReformation's justification by faith alone. Consequently, Calvinoccupies a middle ground between the Schoolmen and Luther onthe issue of the acceptance of good works in relationship tojustification. Luther and Calvin are in full agreement against thescholastics regarding the issue of the unique instrumentality offaith and the non-meritorious character of all of human standingbefore God. On the other hand, Calvin, in agreement with theSchoolmen and contrary to Luther, accepts the fact that God can bycovenant receive the works of man. Calvin's doctrine of theacceptance of men's works by God is therefore an intermediateposition between Luther and the medieval tradition.The declaration that Calvin taught a doctrine ofjustificationby faith and works is false. Calvin damned this doctrine as heartilyas did Luther. Calvin fully agreed with Luther that justification isby faith alone, apart from any work or righteousness of thejustified sinner himself. Always the one who is justified appearsas the '"ungodly" (Rom. 4:5). Calvin regarded the truth ofjustificationby faith alone as the '"cornerstone of the gospel." Thedoctrine that Lillback attributes to Calvin is exactly the teachingthat Calvin exposed as the heresy of Roman Catholicism.But a great part of mankind imagine that righteousness is composedoffaith and works. Let us also, to begin with, show that faithrighteousness so differs from works righteousness that when one isestablished the other has to be overthrown.... Farewell, then, to thedream of those who think up a righteousness flowing together outoffaith and works. The Sophists [Roman Catholic theologians­DJE], who make game and sport in their corrupting of Scriptureand their empty caviling, think they have a subtle evasion. For theyexplain "works" as meaning those which men not yet reborn doonly according to the letter by the effortoftheir own free will, apartfrom Christ's grace. But they deny that these refer to spiritualworks. For, according to them, man is justified by both faith and56 PRTJ