The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 · Chapter 10
The .x. Chapter. That the Scripture, to correct all supersticion, doth in comparison set the true God against al the Gods of the gentiles, reckening hym for none of them.
BUt because we hauehave shewed, that the knowledge of God which in the frame of the world and al the creatures is somwhat plainly set forth, is yet more familiarly and plainly declared in the worde: now is it good to consider, whether the Lord shew himselfe suche in the Scripture as it pleased him first to be represented in his workes. But I shall at this time be contented only to point vntounto it, wherby the godly mindes being admonished may know what is chefely to be searched in the Scriptures cōcerning God▪ and be directed to one certain marke in their seking. I do not yet touch the peculiar couenaunte, wherby God seuered the stocke of Abraham from other nations. For euen then he appeared the redemer in receyuing to his children by free adopcion those that before were ennemies. But we ar yet about that knowledge that resteth in the creation of the world and ascendeth not to Christ the mediatour. And although by and by it shalbe good to allege certaine places oute of the newe testament, forasmuch as euen out of it both the power of God the creator and his prouidence in preseruing of the first nature is approued, yet I warne the readers before, what is now my purpose to do, to the ende that they passe not the appointed boundes. So for this present, let it suffice vsus to learne, how God the maker of heauen and earth doth gouerne ye world by him created. EueryEvery where is renomed both his fatherly bountie and enclined wil to do good, and there are also examples rehearsed of hys seueritie, which shew him to be a righteous punisher of wicked doinges, specially where his sufferaunce nothing preuaileth with the obstinate.
In certain places are set forth more plaine descriptions wherin his natural face is as in an image represented to be seen. For in the place where Moses descrybeth it, it semeth that his meanyng was shortly to comprehende al that was lawful for men to vnderstande of God.Er. xixiiii vi. The lord (sayeth he) the Lord, a mercyfull God, & gracious, paciente and of much mercy, and true, whych kepest mercy, vntounto thousandes which takest away iniquitie and wycked doinges, beefore whom the innocente shal not be innocent, which rendrest the wyckednesse of the fathers to the children and childrens children. Where let vsus marke, that his eternitie and being of himselfe is expressed in the twise repeting of that honorable name: and that then his vertues are rehearsed, in which is described vntounto vsus, not what he is in respect to hymselfe, but what a one he is towarde vsus: that thys knowledge of hym maye rather stande in a liuely feling, than in an empty and supernatural speculation. And here we do heare recited those vertues of hys which we noted to shine in the heauen and earth, that is to say, …lemēcie, bountie, mercy, iustice, iudgement and truth. For myght and power are conteyned vnderunder this name Elohim God. Wyth the same names of addition doe the Prophetes set him forth when they meane fully to paint out his holy name. But, because I would not heape vp to many examples together, at this presēt let one Psalme suffice vsus,Psa. cxlv iii. wherin the summe of al his vertues is so exactly reckened vp, that nothing can seme to be omitted. And yet is nothing there rehearsed, but that which we may beholde in his creatures. So plainly do we perceiue God by informacion of experyēce, to be such as he declareth himselfe in hys worde. In Ieremy where he pronounceth, what a one he would hauehave vsus knowe hym to be, he setteth forth a description not altogether so full,Iere. vi.xxiiii. but yet comming all to one effecte. He that gloryeth, saieth he, let him glory in this that he knoweth me to bee the Lord that do mercy, iustice, and iudgemente on the earth. Surelye these three thinges are very necessary for vsus to knowe: mercy, in which alone consisteth al our saluacion: Iudgement, which is dayly executed vponupon euil doers, and more greuous is prepared for them to eternal destruction: Iustice, wherby the faithful are preserued and most tenderlye cherished. Which thinges when thou hast conceiued, the prophecy saith thou hast sufficiently enough wherof thou maiest glory in God. And yet here are not omitted either his trueth or his power, or his holinesse or goodnesse. For how should the knowledge stand sure which is here required of his iustice, mercy and iudgement, vnlesse it did rest vponupon hys vnmouable truth? And how should we beleue that he doeth gouerne the earth with iustice and iudgement, but vnderstandyng hys power? And whense commeth his mercy but of his goodnesse? If then all his waies be mercy, iudgement and iustice, in them must holinesse also nedes bee seen. And to none other ende is directed that knowledge of God that is set forth vntounto vsus in the Scriptures, than is that knowledge also which appeareth emprinted in his creatures, that is to say: it first moueth vsus to the feare of God, and then to put confidence in hym, to the ende we may learne first to honor him with perfect innocency of lyfe and vnfained obedience, and then to hang altogether vponupon hys goodnesse.
But here I meane to gather a summe of generall doctrine. And first let the readers note, that the Scripture to the ende to direct vsus to the true God, doth expresly exclude and cast away al the gods of ye gentiles, because commonly in a manner in al ages religion hath ben corrupted. True it is in dede that the name of one God was euerye where knowen and renomed. For euen they that worshipped a great nomber of gods, so oft as they did speake according to ye proper sense of nature, they simply vsed the singular name of God as if they were contented with one God alone. And thys was wisely marked by Iustine ye Martyr, which for thys purpose made a boke of the Monarchie of god, wherby many testimonies he sheweth that thys, that there is but one god, was engrauen in the hartes of al men. The same thyng also doth Tertulliane proue by the common phrase of speche. But forasmuche as all without exception are by their own vanitie either drawen or fallen to false forged deuises, and so their senses are become vayne, therefore all that euer they naturally vnderstode of the beeing but one god, auayled no further but to make them inxecusable. For euē the wisest of them do plainly shewe the wandering error of theyr mynde, when they wyshe some god to assist them, and so in theyr prayers do cal vponupon vncertayne gods. Moreouer in this that they imagined god to hauehave many natures although they thought somwhat lesse absurdely than the rude people did of Iupeter, Mercury, Uenus, Minerua and other: yet were they not free from the deceites of Satan, and as we hauehave already sayed els where, whatsoeuer wayes of escape the Philosophers hauehave suttelly inuented, they cannot purge themselues of rebelliō but that they all hauehave corrupted the trueth of god.Haba. ii. For thys reson, Habacuc after he had condē ned all idols biddeth to seke God in hys own temple, that the faythfull should not admyt hym to be any other than such as he had disclosed him selfe by hys worde.