To refute the practice of selling indulgences, Calvin goes after the papist doctrine of the "treasury of merit," which holds that the saints have performed more good works than they need to satisfy their own accounts, these "supererogatory" or extra works go into a treasury, and the riches of this treasury can be dispensed to less worthy Christians on the authority of the pope of Rome. If the merits of Christ can be intermingled with the saints, Calvin asks,
What is this but to leave Christ only a name, to make him another common saintlet who can scarcely be distinguished in the throng?
The same question, it seems to me, can be asked more directly regarding the entire practice of venerating the saints in general and the Virgin Mary in particular. When considering popular Roman Catholic piety, I find it rather difficult to distinguish Christ from the throng.
Maybe if Juan Diego of Guadalupe could paint a really cool mural of Jesus...
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