The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 · Chapter 5
The .v. Chapter. ¶That the knowledge of God doeth shiningly appeare in the makyng of the world and in the continual gouernement thereof.
MOreouer because the furthest ende of blessed life standeth in the knowledge of God: that the way to felicite should be stopped to none, therefore God hath not onelyonly planted in the mindes of men that sede of religion which we hauehave spoken of, but also hath so disclosed him selfe in the whole workmanship of ye world, and daily so manifestly presenteth himselfe, that men cannot open their eies but they must nedes beholde him. His substance in dede is incomprehensible, so that his diuine maiestie farre surmounteth all mens senses: but he hath in al his workes grauen certain marks of his glory, and those so plaine and notably discernable, that the excuse of ignorance is taken away from men, be they neuer so grosse and dull witted.ps, cxiiii. … Therfore the Prophete rightfully crieth oute, that he is clothed with light as with a garment, as if he should hauehave said, that then he first began to come forthe to be seen in visible apparell, since the tyme that he first displaied his ensignes in the creacion of the world, by which euē now what way soeuer we turne our eies he appereth glorious vntounto vsus. In the same place also the same prophete aptly compareth the heauens as they be displaied abrode to his roiall pauilion: he saieth that he hath framed his parloures in the waters, that the cloudes are his chariottes, that he rideth vponupon the winges of the windes, that the winds and lightninges are his swift messengers. And because the glorye of his power and wisedome doeth more fully shine aboue, therefore commonlye the heauen is called his palace. And first of al, what way soeuer thou turne thy eyes, there is no pece of the world be it neuer so small, wherein are not seen at least som sparkles of his glory to shine. But as for this most large and beautiful frame, thou canst not with one view peruse ye wide compasse of it, but that thou muste nedes be on eueryevery side ouerwhelmed with the infinite force of ye brightnes therof. Wherfore the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues doeth very well call the ages of the worlde the spectacles of inuisible thinges,He. xi.iii. for that the so orderly framing of ye world serueth vsus for a mirror wherin we may beholde God whiche otherwise is inuisible. For whiche cause the Prophete assigneth to the heauenlye creatures a language that al nations vnderstande,Psa. xix, …, for that in them ther is a more euident testificacion of the Godhead, than that it ought to escape the consideration of any nation be they neuer so dull. Which thing the Apostle declaring more plainely saieth that there is disclosed vntounto men so much as was behouefull to be knowen concernyng God,Rom. i.xix because all men without exception, do throughly see his inuisible things euen to his very power and godhead, which thei vnderstande by the creation of the worlde.
As for his wonderful wisedom, there are innumerable proues bothe in heauen and in earth that witnesse it: I meane not only that secreter sort of thinges, for the nerer marking whereof Astrologie, Physike, and all naturall Philosophie serueth, but euen those thinges that thruste them selues in sighte of eueryevery one, euen of the rudest vnlerned man, so that men can not open their eies but thei muste nedes bee witnesses of them. But truely they that hauehave digested, yea or but tasted the liberall artes, being holpen by the ayde therof, do procede much further to looke into the secretes of Gods wisedome. Yet is there no man so hindred by lack of knowledge of those artes, but that he throughly seeth abundantly inough of conning workmanship in gods workes, to bring him in admiration of the workmā therof. As for example: to the searching out of the mouings of the starres, apointing of their places, measuring of their distances, and noting of their properties, there nedeth art and an exacter diligence: by which being throughly perceaued, as the prouidence of god is the more manifestly disclosed, so it is cōueniēt, that the mynde rise somwhat the hier therby to behold his glory. But for asmuch as the vnlearned people yea and the rudest sort of them, such as ar furnished with the only helpe of their eyes, can not be ignoraūt of ye excellencie of gods conning workmanship, which in this innumerable and yet so seuerally well ordered and disposed varietie doth of it selfe shew forth it selfe: it is euident that ther is no man to whom God doth not largely opē his wisdom. Likewise it requireth a singuler sharpnes of wit, to wey with suche cunning as Galen doth,Yn l…b. de vsu part. the knitting together, ye proportional agremēt, the beautie, & vse in the frame of mans body: but by all mens confession, the body of man doth vtter in very shew of it self so cunning a cōpacting together, that for it the maker of it may worthily be iudged wonderfull.
And therefore certaine of the Philosophers in olde tyme dydde not without cause calle manne a littell worlde, because he is a rare representation of the power, goodnes, and wisedome of god, and conteyneth in hym selfe miracles inough to occupie our myndes, yf we will be content to marke them.Act. xvii.xxvii. And for thys reson Paul, after that he had said that the very blinde men may finde out god by groping for him, by and by saieth further, yt he is not to be sought far of, because al men do fele vndoutedly wt … themselues the heauenly grace wherwt they be quickened. But if we nede to go no further than our selues, to find and take hold of god, what pardon shal his slouthfulnes deserue that wil not vouchsafe to descend in to himself to find god?Ps. viii, v And the same is the reason why Dauid when he had shortly spoken in aduauncement of the wonderful name & honor of God that do eueryevery where gloriously shine, by and by crieth out, what is man that thou art mindful of him? Again, out of the mouth of infantes and suckyng babes thou hast stablished strength: for so he pronounceth that not only in the whole kinde of man is a mirrour of the woorkes of God, but also that the very infantes whyle they yet hange on their mothers brestes hauehave tonges eloquent ynough to preache his glory, so that there nedeth no other oratours. And therfore he douteth not to set theyr mouthes in the vauwarde, as beeyng strongly armed to subdue their madnes ye would accordyng to their deuilysh pride couet to extinguish ye name of God. And herevpon riseth that whiche Paule alledgeth out of Aratus,Act. xvii.xxviii. that we are the ofsprynge of God, because he garnishyng vsus with suche excellencie, hathe testified that he is oure father. Lyke as euen by common reason, and as it were by information of experience the prophane Poetes called him the father of men. And truelye no man will assentingly and willingly yeld him self to serue God, but he that hauing tasted his fatherly louelove, is mutually allured to louelove & worship him.
And here is disclosed the foule vnthankefulnesse of men, which while thei hauehave within them selues a workhouse gloriously furnished with innumerable workes of God, and also a shoppe stuffed with inestimable plentie of riches, and when they ought to burst forth into praisynge of him, are contrarye wise puffed vp and doe swell wyth so much the greater pride. They fele how diuersly in marueylous wise God woorketh in them: they are taught by experience it self, how great varietie of giftes they possesse by his liberalitie: whether they wyll or noe, they are enforsed to knowe that these are the tokens of his godhead: and yet they suppresse it close within them. Truely they neede not to goe oute of themselues, so that they would not in presumptuously taking vponupon thēselues that which is geuen from heauen, bury with in the grounde that which brightly giueth light to their mindes to se God. But euen at this day the earth beareth many monstreous spirites, which sticke not to abuse the whole sede of godhead that is sowen in mans nature, and to employ it to oppresse the name of God. How detestable, I pray you, is this madnes, that man finding God a hundred times in his body and his soule, should by the very same pretense of excellēce deny that there is a god? They wil not say, that they are by chaunse made differente from brute beastes. But they pretende a cloke of nature, whom they accompte the maker of al thinges, and so doe conuey God awaye. They see that exquysyte workemanship in al their members, from their mouth and their eyes euen to the nailes of their toaes, and yet here also they putte nature in place of god. But specially the so swift motions, the so excellent powers, the so rare giftes of the soule, do represent a diuine nature that doth not easily suffer it selfe to be hid: vnlesse the Epicureans like the Gyauntes Cyclopes, wold bearing themselues bolde vppon this hye degre outrageously make warre againste God. Do the whole treasures of the heauenly wisedome so mete together, to rule a worme of fiue fete long? and shal the whole vniuersalitie of ye world be wtout this prerogatiue? Firste to agree that there is a certaine instrumentall thing that aunswereth to all the partes of man, doth so serue nothing at al to obscure the honor of God that it rather doeth more gloriously set it out. Let Epicure answer me, what meting of vndiuisible bodyes, boiling the meate and drinke in man, doth dispose part into excrementes & part into bloud, and bringeth to passe that there is in al the members of man such an endeuorynge to do their offyce, euē as if so many seueral soules did by cōmon aduise rule one body.
But I hauehave not nowe to doe with that …ye of swyne. I rather speake vntounto them, that being geuen to suttelties would by croked conueiaunce wrythe that colde saying of Aristotle, bothe to destroye the immortalitie of the soule, and also to take from God hys ryghte. For because there ar instrumental powers of the soule, by pretense thereof they bynde the soule to the bodye, that it cannot continue without the bodye, and with praises of nature they doo as much as in them is, suppresse the name of God. But the powers of the soule are farre from beeinge enclosed in those exercises that serue the body. For what pertayneth to the body, for a man to measure the skye, to gather the number of the starres, to lerne the greatenes of eueryevery one, to knowe what space they be distante one from an other, with what swiftnes or slownesse they goe their courses, how many degrees they decline this way or that way? I graūt in dede that there is some vse of Astrologie: but my meanyng is onelyonly to shewe that in this so depe serching out of heauenly thyngs, it is not an instrumental measuring, but that the soule hath her offices by it selfe seuerall from the body. I hauehave shewed one example, by whiche it shalbe easy for the readers to gather the reste. Truely the manyfolde nimblenes of the soule, by which it surueieth bothe heauen and earthe, ioyneth thynges past with things to come, kepeth in memory thinges heard long before, and expresseth eche thing to it selfe by imaginacion, also the ingeniousnesse by which it inuenteth thinges incredible, and which is the mother of so many maruelons artes, are sure tokens of diuine nature in man. Beside that, euen in slepyng, it doeth not onelyonly rolle and tourne it self, but also conceiueth many thinges profytable, reasoneth of many thynges, & also prophecieth of thyngs to come. What shal we in this case say, but that the signes of immortalitie that are emprinted in man, cannot be blotted out? Now what reason may beare that man shalbe of diuine nature, and not acknowledge his Creator? Shall we forsoth by iudgement that is put into vsus discerne betwene right and wronge, and shall there be no iudge in heauen? Shall we euen in our slepe hauehave abiding with vsus some remnant of vnderstandyng, and shall no God be waking in gouernyng the worlde? Shall we be so compted the inuenters of so many artes and profitable thynges, that God shalbe defrauded of his praise, where as yet experience sufficiently teacheth, that from an other and not from our selues, all that we hauehave, is in diuerse wise distributed amonge vsus? As for that, which some do babble of the secrete inspiracion that geueth lyuelines to the worlde, it is not onelyonly weake, but also vngodly. They lyke well that famous saying of Uergile.
Aene. viFyrst heauen, and earth, and flovvyng fieldes of seas,
The shinyng globe of Moone, and Ti…ans starres,
Sprite fedes vvithin, and throughout all the lymmes
Infused mynde the vvhole huge masse dooth moue,
And vvith the large bigge body mixe it selfe.
Thense come the kyndes of men and eke of beastes,
And lyues of fliyng foules, and monsters straunge,
That vvater beares vvithin the marble sea.
A fyry lyuelynesse and heauenly race there is
VVithin those seedes. &c.
Forsothe, that the world which was created for a spectacle of the glory of God, shuld be the creator of it selfe. So in an other place the same author folowyng the common opinion of the Greekes and Latynes, sayeth:
Some say that bees hauehave part of mynde diuine,
Geo. iiii.And heauenly draughtes. For eke they say, that God
Gothe through the coastes of lande, and crekes of sea,
And through depe skye. And hense the flockes and heardes:
And men, and all the kyndes of sauage beastes,
Eche at their byrthe receyue theyr suttle lyues,
And therto are they rendred all at laste,
And all resolued are retournde agayne.
Ne place there is for deathe: but lyuely they
Flye into nombre of the Starres aboue,
And take their place vvithin the lofty skye.
Loe, what that hungry speculacion of the vniuersall minde that geueth soule and liuelines to the world, auaileth to engender and nourishe godlines in the hartes of men. Whiche doeth also better appeare by the blasphemous sayings of the filthy dogge Lucretius, which are deriued from the same principle. Euen thys is it, to make a shadowishe God, to driue farre away the true God whome we ought to feare and worshyp. I graunt in dede that this may be godlily sayed, so that it procede from a godly minde, that nature is God: but because it is a hard and an vnproper maner of speche, forasmuch as nature is rather an order prebed by God: therfore in thynges of so great weight and to which is due a singular religiousnes, it is hurtfull to wrapp vp God confusely with the inferior course of his workes. Let vsus therefore remember, so ofte as any man considereth his owne nature, that there is one God which so gouerneth al natures, that his wil is to hauehave vsus to loke vntounto hym, our fayth to be directed to hym, and hym to bee worshypped and called vponupon of vsus: because there is nothing more agaynst conuenience of reason, thā for vsus to enioy those excellent gyftes that sauoure of diuine nature in vsus, and to despise the authoure that freely doeth geue theym vntounto vsus. Nowe as concernynge his power, with howe notable examples dothe it forceably drawe vsus to consider it: vnlesse perhappes we may be ignoraunt, of howe great a strengthe it is with his onelyonly woorde to vpholde this infinite masse of heauen and earth, with his onelyonly becke sometyme to shake the heauen wt noise of thonders, to burne vp ech thing wt lightenings, to set the aire on fier wt lightning flames, sometime to trouble it with diuerse sortes of tempestes, and by and by the same God when he list in one moment to make faire wether: to holde in the sea as if it hanged in the aire, which with his heighth semeth to threaten cōtinuall destruccion to the earth, sometime in horrible wise to raise it vp with outragious violence of windes, and sometime to appease the waues and make it calme againe. For profe hereof do serue all the prayses of God gathered of the testimonies of nature, speciallye in the booke of Iob, and in Esaie, whiche now of purpose I ouerpasse, because they shall els where hauehave an other place fitter for them, where I shall entreate of the creacion of the world accordyng to the Scriptures. Only my meanyng was now to touch, that both straungers and they of the householde of God hauehave this way of seking God common to them both, that is, to folow these first draughtes which both aboue and beneth doe as in a shadow set fourth a liuely image of him. And now the same power leadeth vsus to consider his eternitye. For it must nedes be that he from whom al thinges hauehave their beginning, is of eternal continuaunce, and hath his beginning of him self. But nowe if any mā enquire the cause wherby he both was once lead to create al these things, & is now moued to preserue them: we shal fynde that his only goodnesse was it that caused him. Yea and although this onelyonly be the cause, yet ought the same aboundauntly to suffice to allure vsus to the louelove of him, forasmuch as ther is no creature (as the Prophete sayeth) vponupon which his mercy is not poured out.Psa. Cxlv ix.
Also in the seconde sorte of his woorkes, I meane those that come to passe byside the ordinary course of nature, there doeth appeare no lesse euident profe of his powers. For in gouerning the felowship of men he so ordereth his prouidence, that wheras he is by innumerable meanes good and bountifull to al men, yet by manifest and dayly tokens he declareth his fauourable kindnes to the godly, and his seuerite to the wicked and euill doers. For not doutefull are the punishmentes that he layeth vppon hainous offences: lyke as he doeth openly shewe hymself a defendoure and reuenger of innocencye, while he prospereth the lyfe of good menne wyth hys blessynge, helpeth their necessitye, asswageth and comforteth their sorowes, relieueth their calaunties, and by al meanes prouideth for their safety. Neyther ought it any thyng to deface the perpetuall rule of his iustice, that he oftentymes permitteth wicked men and euill dooers for a tyme to reioyse vnpunished: and on the other side suffreth good and innocent to be tossed wyth many aduersities, yea and to be oppressed with the malice and vniust dealing of the vngodly. But rather a much contrary consideracion ought to enter into our mindes: that when by manifest shewe of his wrath he punisheth one sinne, we shoulde therefore thinke that he hateth all sinnes: and when he suffereth many sinnes to passe vnpunished, we should there vponupon thinke that ther shalbe an other iudgemente to which they are differed to bee then punyshed. Likewise how great matter doth it minister vsus to cōsider his mercy, while he oftentimes cesseth not to shew his vnweried boūtifulnes vponupon miserable sinners in calling them home to him with more than fatherly tendernes, vntil he hauehave subdued their frowardnes with doinge them good?
To this ende, where the Prophete particularly rehearseth, how God in cases paste hope,Psa. xvii. doeth sodenly and wonderfully and beside all hope, succoure men that are in misery and in a maner lost, whether he defende them wandering in wildernes from the wild beastes and at length leadeth them into the way againe, or ministreth sode to the nedy and hungry, or deliuereth prisoners out of horrible dongeons and iron bandes, or bringeth men in peril of shipewracke safe into the hauen, or healeth the half dead of diseases, or scorcheth the earth with heate and drienesse, or maketh it frutefull with secrete watering of his grace, or aduaunceth the hasest of the rascall people, or throweth down the noble peres from ye hie degree of dignitie, by such examples shewed fourth he gathereth that those thinges which are iudged chaunces happening by fortune, are so many testimonies of the heauenly prouidēce, and specially of hys fatherly kindnes, and that therby is geuen matter of reioysing to the Godlye, and the wicked and reprobate hauehave their mouthes stopped. But because the greater part infected with their errors are blinde in so clere a place of beholding, therfore he cryeth out that it is a gift of rare & singular wisedome, wisely to weye these workes of God: by syghte whereof they nothing profit that otherwise seme most clere sighted. And truly how much soeuer the glory of God doothe apparantly shyne before them, yet scarsly the hundreth manne is a trewe beholder of it. Likewise his power and wisedome are no more hidde in darkenesse, whereof the one, his power, doth notably appere, when the fierce outragiousnesse of the wicked beynge in all mennes opinion vnconquerable is beaten flatte in one momente,Psa. cxiii.vii. their arrogancie tamed, their strongest holdes rased, their weapons and armour broken in pieces, their strengthes subdewed, their deuises ouerthrowen, and theimselues fall with their owne weighte, the presumptuous boldenesse that auaunced it selfe aboue the heauens is throwen downe euen to the bottome point of the earth: Agayne, the lowly are lyfted vp out of the duste, and the needy raysed from the donghil, the oppressed and afflicted are drawen out of extreme distresse, men in despayred state are restored to good hope, the vnarmed beare awaye the victorie from the armed,i. Cor. iii.xix. fewe frome many, the feeble from the strong. As for his wysedome, it selfe sheweth it selfe manifestly excellent, while it disposeth eueryevery thing in fittest oportunitie, confoū deth the wisedom of the worlde be it neuer so pearcyng, fyndeth out the subtile in their subtiltie, finally gouerneth all thinges by moste conuenient order.
We see that it needeth no long or laboursom demonstration, to fetche out testimonies, to serue for the glorious declaration and profe of gods maiestie: for by these few that we hauehave touched it appeareth, that which way soeuer a man chance to looke, they are so cōmon & ready that they may be easily marked with eye, & pointed out with the fynger. And here again is to be noted, that we ar called to the knowledge of god, not such as contented with vayne speculation, doth but flye about in the brayne, but suche as shall be sounde and fruitfull, yf it be rightly conceyued and take roote in our heartes. For the Lorde is declared by his powers, the force wherof because we fele within vsus, and doo enioy the benefites of them, it muste nedes be that we be inwardly moued muche more liuely with suche a knowledge, then if we shoulde imagine God to bee suche a one, of whome we shulde hauehave no feelyng. Whereby we vnderstande, that this is the rightest waye and fittest order to seeke God, not to attempt to entre depely with presumptuous curiositie, throughely to discusse his substance, whiche is rather to be reuerently woorshipped than scrupulousely searched, but rather to behold hym in his workes, by whiche he maketh hym selfe nere and familiar, and doothe in a maner communicate hym selfe vntounto vsus. And this the apostle mente when he sayd,Acte. xvii.xxvii. Psa. cxlv. that God is not to be sought afarre of, forasmuche as he with his moste present power dwelleth within eueryevery one of vsus. Wherfore Dauid hauyng before confessed his vnspeakeable greatnesse, when he descendeth to the particular rehersall of his woorkes, protesteth that the same wyll shewe foorth it selfe. Therfore we also ought to geue our selues vntounto suche a searchyng out of God, as maye so holde our witte suspended with admiration, that it may therwithall throughely moue vsus with effectuall feelynge.In Psal. cxliiii. And, as Augustine teacheth in an other place, because we are not able to conceiue hym, it behoueth vsus as it were faintyng vnderunder the burdeyne of his greatnesse, to looke vntounto his workes, that we may be refreshed with his goodnesse.
Then suche a knowledge ought not only to stirre vsus vp to the worshyppyng of God, but also to awake vsus, and rayse vsus to hope of the life to come. For when we consyder that suche exaumples as God sheweth bothe of hys mercyfulnesse, and of hys seueritie, are but begunne, and not halfe full, without doubt we muste thynke, that herein he doothe but make a shewe aforehande of those thynges, whereof the open disclosynge and full delyueraunce, is differred vntounto an other lyfe. On the other syde, when we see that the godly are by the vngodly greued with afflictions, troubled with iniuries, oppressed with sclaunders, and vexed with despitefull dealynges and reproches: contraryewyse that wicked dooers doo flourishe, prosper, and obteyne quiet with honour, yea and that vnpunished, we must by and by gather, that there shall bee an other lyfe, wherin is layde vp in store bothe dewe reuenge for wyckednesse, and rewarde for rightuousnesse. Moreouer when we note that the faythfull are often chastised with the roddes of the Lorde, we may moste certaynly determyne that muche lesse the vngodly shall escape his scourges.De clui. dei. cap. viii. For very wel is that spoken of Augustin. If eueryevery synne shoulde nowe be punished with open peyne, it woulde be thought that nothynge were reserued to the laste iudgement. Agayne, yf God shoulde nowe openly punyshe no synne, it would be beleued, that there were no prouidence of God. Therfore we muste confesse, that in eueryevery particular woorke of God, but principally in the vniuersall generalitie of them, the powers of God are sette foorthe as it were in paynted tables, by whyche all mankynde is prouoked and allured to the knowledge of hym, and from knowledge to full and perfecte felicitie. But where as these his powers doo in his workes moste bryghtly appeare, yet what they principally tende vntounto, of what valoure they bee, and to what ende we ought to waie them: this we then onelyonly atteyne to vnderstande when we descende into our selues, and doo consider by what meanes God dooth shewe foorthe in vsus his lyfe, wysedom, and power, and dothe vse towarde vsus his ryghteousnesse, goodnesse, and mercyfull kyndenesse. For though Dauid iustly complayneth, that the vnbeleuynge doo dote in folly,Psa. xcii.vii. because they weye not the deepe counsailes of God in his gouernance of mankynde: yet that is also moste true, whiche he sayth in an other place, that the wonderfull wysedom of God in that behalfe excedeth the heares of our heade. But because this poincte shall hereafter in place conuenient be more largely entreated,Ps. xl.xiii therfore I doo at this tyme passe it ouer.
But with howe great bryghtnesse soeuer God doothe in the myrrour of his woorkes shewe by representation bothe hymselfe and his immortall kyngedome: yet suche is oure grosse blockysshenesse, that we stande dully amased at so playne testimonies, so that they passe awaye from vsus without profyte. For, as touchynge the frame and most beautyfull placynge of the worlde, howe many a one is there of vsus, that when he eyther lyfteth vp his eyes to heauen, or casteth them about on the diuers countreys of the earth, doothe directe his mynde to remembraunce of the creatour, and doothe not rather rest in beholdynge the woorkes withoute hauynge regarde of the woorkemanne? But as touchynge those thynges that dayely happen besyde the order of naturall course, howe manye a one is there that dooth not more thynke that menne are rather whyrled aboute, and rowlled by blynde vnaduisednesse of fortune, than gouerned by prouydence of God. But yf at any tyme we be by the guidyng and direction of these thynges dryuen to the consideration of God (as all menne muste nedes be) yer so soone as we hauehave without aduisemente conceiued a feling of som godheade, we by and by slyde awaye to the dotages or erronious inuencions of our fleshe, and with our vanitie we corrupt the pure veritie of God. So herein in dede we differ one from an other, that eueryevery man priuately by hym selfe procureth to hym selfe some peculiar errour: but in this poynte we all are moste lyke together, that we all, not one excepted, doo departe from the one trewe God to monstruous trifles. To which disease not onelyonly common and grosse wittes are subiect, but also the moste excellent and those that otherwyse are endewed with singular sharpnes of vnderstandyng, are entangled with it. Howe largely hath the whole sect of philosophers bewrayed their own dulnesse and beastlye ignoraunce in this behalfe? For, to passe ouer all the rest, whyche are muche more vnreasonably foolyshe. Plato himselfe the most religious and moste sober of all the reste, vaynely erreth in his round globe. Nowe what myghte not chaunce to the other, when the chiefe of them, whoes parte was to geue lyghte to the reste, doo themselues so erre and stumble? Lykewise where Goddes gouernaunce of mennes matters, doth so playnely proue his prouidence that it can not be denyed, yet this doothe no more preuayle with menne, than yf they beleued that all thynges are tossed vp and downe with the rashe will of Fortune: so great is our inclination to vanitie and erroure. I speake nowe altogither of the moste excellente, and not of the common sorte, whoes madnesse hath infinitely wandered in prophanynge the truthe of God.
Hereof procedeth that vnmeasurable synke of errours, wherewith the whole worlde hath bene fylled and ouerflowen. For eche mannes witte is to hymselfe as a maze, so that it is no meruaile that eueryevery seuerall nation was diuersely drawen into seuerall deuises, and not that onelyonly, but also that eche seuerall man hadde his seuerall gods by hym selfe. For sins that rashe presumption and wantonnesse was ioyned to ignoraunce and darknesse, there hath ben scarcely at any tyme any one manne founde, that dydde not forge to hym selfe an ydole or fansye in stede of God. Truly euen as out of a wide and large spring do issue waters, so the infinite numbre of gods hath flowed out of the wit of man, while eueryevery man ouer licentiousely strayeng, erroniousely deuiseth this or that concernyng God hym selfe. And yet I nede not here to make a register of the superstitions, wherwith the worlde hath ben entangled: bycause bothe in soo dooynge I shoulde neuer hauehave ende, and also thoughe I speake not one woorde of theym, yet by so many corruptions it sufficiently appeareth howe horrible is the blyndenesse of mans mynde. I passe ouer the rude and vnlearned people. But amonge the Philosophers, whiche enterprysed with reason and learnyng to pearce unto heauen, howe shamefulle is the disagreement? With the hygher wytte that any of theym was endewed, and fylled with arte and scyence, with so muche the more glorious coloures he seemed to painte out his opinion. All whiche notwithstandynge, yf one dooe narowely looke vppon, he shall fynde theim to be but vanishyng false colours. The Stoikes seemed in theyr owne conceipte to speake very wysely, that out of all the partes of nature may be gathered diuers names of God, and yet that God beyng but one is not therby torne in sonder. As though we were not already more than enough enclined to vanitie, vnlesse a manifolde plentie of gods set before vsus should further and more violently drawe vsus into errour. Also the Egyptians mysticall science of diuinitie sheweth, that they all diligently endeuored to this ende, not to seeme to erre without a reason. And it is possible, that at the fyrst syght some thyng semyng probable, might deceyue the symple and ignorant: but no mortall man euer inuented any thing, wherby religion hath not ben fowly corrupted. And this so confuse diuersitie emboldned the Epicures and other grosse despisers of godlynesse, by little and little to cast of al felyng of god. For when they saw the wisest of all to striue in contrary opinions, they sticked not out of their disagreementes, and out of the foolishe or apparantly erronious doctrine of eche of theym, to gather, that men doo in vayne & fondly procure tormentes to them selues whyle they serche for God, whiche is none at all. And this they thought that they myghte freely doo without punishement, because it was better brefely to denye vtterly, that there is any God, than to fayne vncertayn Gods, and so to rayse vp contentions that neuer shuld hauehave ende. And to muche fondly doo they reason, or rather cast a myst, to hide their vngodlynesse by ignoraunce of men, whereby it is no reason that any thyng shoulde be taken away from God. But forasmuche as all do confesse, that there is nothyng, about whiche bothe the learned and vnlerned doo so muche disagree, thervpon is gathered that the wittes of men are more than dull and blynde in heauenly misteries, that do so erre in seekyng out of God. Some other doo praise that answere of Symonides, which beyng demaunded of kyng Hieron what God was, desired to hauehave a daies respite graunted to studye vponupon it. And when the next day folowyng, the kyng demaunded the same question, he requyred two daies respite, and so oftentymes doublyng the numbre of days at length he answered: Howe muche the more I consyder it, so muche the harder ye matter semeth vntounto me. But grauntyng that he dyd wisely to suspende his sentence of so darke a matter, yet hereby appearethe, that yf men be only taught by nature, they can know nothyng certainly, soundly, and plainly concernyng God, but onelyonly are tyed to confused principles to worshyp an vnknowen God.
Nowe we must also holde, that all they that corrupt the pure religion (as all they must nedes doo that are geuen to their own opinion) do depart from the one God. They wil boast that their meanyng is otherwise: but what they meane, or what they persuade them selues maketh not muche to the matter, sith the holy ghoste pronounceth, that all they are Apostates, that accordyng to the darknes of their owne mynde do thrust deuyls in the place of God.Ep. ii.xii. For this reason, Paule pronounceth that the Ephesians were without a God, tyll they hadde learned by the Gospell, what it was to worshyp the true God. And we must not thinke this to bee spoken of one nation onelyonly,Ro. i.xxi. for as muche as he generally affyrmeth in an other place, that all menne were become vayn in their imaginations, syns that in the creation of the worlde, the Maiestie of of the Creatour was disclosed vntounto them. And therefore the scripture, to make place for the true and one onelyonly God, condemneth of falsehod and lying, whatsoeuer godhead in olde tyme was celebrate among the Gentiles, and leaueth no God at all, but in the mounte Syon,Abacuk: ii.xviii.xx. Ioh. iiii.xxii. where flourished the peculiar knowledge of God. Truely among the Gentiles the Samaritans in Christes time semed to approche nighest to true godlynesse: and yet we heare it spoken by Christes owne mouthe, that they knewe not what they worshipped. Whervpon foloweth, that they were deceyued with vayne error. Fynally althoughe they were not all infected with grosse fautes, or fell into open idolatries, yet was there no true and approued religion that was grounded onelyonly vppon cōmon reason. For all be it, that there were a fewe that were not so madde as the common people were, yet this doctrine of Paule remayneth certainely true,i. Cor. ii.viii. that the princes of this worlde conceiue not the wisedome of God. Nowe yf the moste excellent hauehave wandred in darknesse, what is to be sayde of the very dregges? Wherefore it is no meruayle, if the holy ghoste doo refuse as bastarde worshippynges all formes fo woorshipping deuised by the will of men. Bycause in heauenly misteries opinion conceiued by witt of men, although it do not alway breede a heape of erroures, yet is alwaye the mother of erroure. And thoughe there come no worse of it, yet is this no small fault, at aduenture to worshyp an vnknowen God:Iohn. iiii.xxii. of whiche fault all they by Christes owne mouthe are pronounced guilty, that are not taughte by the lawe what God they ought to worshyp. And truely the best lawmakers that euer were, proceded no further, than to saie that religion was grounded vponupon cōmon consent. Yea and in Xenophon Socrates praised the answere of Apollo, wherin he willed that eueryevery mā shuld worship gods after the maner of the countrey, and the custome of his owne citie. But how came mortall men by this power, of their owne authoritie to determine that whiche farre surmounteth the worlde? or who can so reste in the decrees of the elders, or common ordinaunces of peoples, as to receaue withoute doutynge a God deliuered by mannes deuise? EueryEvery man rather will stand to his owne iudgement, than yeld hym self to the wil of an other. Sith therfore it is to weake & feble a bonde of godlynesse, in worshippyng of God to folow either a custom of a citie, or the cōsent of antiquitie, it remayneth that God him self must testify of him self from heauen.
In vayne therfore so many lampes lightned doo shyne in the edifice of the worlde, to shew forth the glory of the creatour, which do so eueryevery way display their beames vponupon vsus, that yet of them selues they can not bryng vsus into the right way. In deede they raise vp certaine sparkles, but suche as be choked vp before that they can spreade abrode anye full brightnesse. Therfore the apostle in the same place where he calleth the ages of the worlde images of thynges inuisible, sayth further, that by faithe is perceyued, that they were framed by the worde of God: meaning therby yt the inuisible godhed is in dede represēted by such shewes,Heb. xi.iii. but yt we hauehave no eies to see the same throughly, vnles they be enlightued by the reuelation of God through faith. And Paule, where he teacheth that by the creation of the world was disclosed that which was to be knowen concerning god, doth not meane such a disclosyng as may be comprehended by the witte of men: but rather sheweth, that the same procedeth no further but to make them vnexcusable. The same Paule also,Act. xvii. & xxvii. Act. xiii. & xvi. although in one place he sayth, that God is not to be sought afarre of, as one yt dwelleth within vsus: yet in an other place reacheth to what end that nerenesse auayleth. In the ages past (sayth he) God suffred the nations to walke in their own waies: yet he lefte not hym selfe without testimonie, doyng good from heauen, geuyng showres and fruitefull seasons, fillyng the hartes of men with foode and gladnesse. Howsoeuer therfore the Lorde bee not withoute testimonie, whyle with his greate and manyfolde bountyfulnesse he sweetely allureth men to the knowledge of hym: yet for all that, they cesse not to folowe their owne waies, that is to say, their damnable errours.
But although we want naturall power, wherby we can not clymbe vp vntounto the pure and cleare knowledge of God, yet bycause the faulte of our dulnesse is in our selues, therfore all colour of excuse is cutte away from vsus. For we can not so pretende ignorance, but that euen our conscience dothe stil condemne vsus of slouthfulnesse & vnthankfulnesse. It is a defence forsoothe right woorthy to be receyued, if man will alledge that he wanted eares to heare the truth, for the publishyng wherof the very dombe creatures hauehave lowde voyces: yf man shall say that he can not see those thynges with his eyes, whyche the creatures without eyes doo shewe hym: yf man shall laye for his excuse the feblenesse of his witte, where all creatures without reason doo instructe hym? Wherfore sithe all thynges doo shewe vsus the right way, we are worthily put from all excuse of our wanderyng and strayeng out of the way. But howe soeuer it is to be imputed to the fault of men, that they dooe by and by corrupt the sede of the knowledge of God, sowē in theyr mindes by meruailous workemanshyp of nature, so that it groweth not to good and cleane fruite: yet it is moste true, that we are not sufficiently instructed by that bare and simple testimonie, that the creatures do honourably declare of goodes glory. For so soone as we hauehave taken by the beholdyng of the worlde a smalle taste of the godhead, we leauyng the true God doo in steade of hym rayse vp dreames and fansies of oure owne brayne, and doo conuey hyther, and thyther from the true fountayne the prayse of ryghtousnes, wysedom, goodnes and power. Moreouer we doo so either obscure, or by yll estemyng them, depraue his daily doynges, that we take away bothe from them their glorye, and from the authour his due praise.