a good reminder

I found this piece of truth from John Calvin's "Institutes" an encouragement yesterday. To remember that we are in God's hand, and to recognize this grace and release ourselves to it is a comfort, even in the midst of crazy weeks and seasons. This nugget comes from II.2.11 of the Institutes:

"I have always been exceedingly delighted with the words of Chrysostom, 'The foundation of our philosophy is humility;' and still more with those of Augustine, 'As the orator, when asked, What is the first precept in eloquence? answered, Delivery: What is the second? Delivery: What the third? Delivery: so, if you ask me in regard to the precepts of the Christian Religion, I will answer, first, second, and third, Humility.' By humility he means not when a man, with a consciousness of some virtue, refrains from pride, but when he truly feels that he has no refuge but in humility. This is clear from another passage, 'Let no man,' says he, 'flatter himself: of himself he is a devil: his happiness he owes entirely to God. What have you of your own but sin? Take your sin which is your own; for righteousness is of God.'"