The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 1 · Chapter 8
¶ The .viii. Chapter. That so farre as mans reason may beare, there are sufficient proues to stablyshe the credite of Scripture.
VNlesse we hauehave this assuraunce, whiche is bothe more excellent and of more force than any iudgement of man. in vayne shall the authorytie of Scripture eyther bee strengthened with argumentes, or stablished with consente of the churche, or confyrmed with any other meanes of defence. For vnlesse this fundation bee layde, it still remayneth hangynge in doubte. As on the other syde when exemptynge it from the common state of thynges, we hauehave embraced it deuoutely and accordyng to the worthynesse of it: then these thynges become very fitte helpes, which before were but of small force to graffe and fasten the assurance therof in our myndes. For it is meruaylous, howe greate establishemente groweth herof, when with earnest studye we consider howe orderly and well framed a disposition of the diuine wisedom appereth therin, howe heauenly a doctrine in eueryevery place of it, and nothyng sauoryng of earthlynesse, howe beautyful an agreement of all the partes amonge theym selues, and suche other thynges as auayle to procure a maiestie to writynges. But more perfectly are oure hartes confirmed when we consyder, howe we are euen violently caried to an admiration of it rather with dignitie of matter, than with grace of woords. For this also was not done without the singular prouidence of God, that the hye misteries of the heauenly kingdome should for the moste part be vttered vnderunder a contemptible basenesse of words, least if it hadde ben beautified with more glorious speache the wicked shoulde cauill that the onelyonly force of eloquence doeth reigne therein. But when that roughe and in a maner rude simplicitie dooeth rayse vp a greater reuerence of it selfe than any rhetoricians eloquence, what may we iudge, but that there is a more myghty strength of truthe in the holye Scripture, than that it nedeth any art of wordes? Not withoute cause therefore the Apostle maketh his argument, to proue that the faythe of the Corinthians was grounded vponupon the power of God,i. Cor. ii.iiii. and not vponupon mans wysedom, bycau…e his preachyng among them was set foorth not with enticyng speche of mans wisedom, but in playne euidence of the spirite and of power. For the truthe is then sette free from all doubtyng, when not vpholden by forayne aides it selfe alone suffiseth to susteyne it self. But how this power is proprely alone belongyng to the scripture, hereby appereth, that of all the writynges of menne, be they neuer so connyngly garnyshed, no one is so farre able to pearce our affections. Reade Demosthenes or Cicero, reade Plato, Aristotle, or any other of all that sorte: I graunt they shall meruailously allure, delite, moue, and rauishe thee. But if from them thou come to this holy readyng of Scriptures, wylte thou or not, it shall so lyuely moue thy affections, it shall so pearce thy hearte, it shall so settle within thy bones, that in comparison of the efficacie of this feelyng, all that force of Rhetoricians and Philosophers shall in maner vanysshe awaie: so that it is easy to perceyue that the scriptures, whiche doo farre excell all gyftes and graces of mans industrie, doo in deede breathe oute a certayne diuinitie.
I graunt in deede, that som of the Prophetes hauehave an elegant cleare yea and a beautifull phrase of speeche, so as their eloquence geueth not place to the prophane writers: and by suche examples it pleased the holy ghost to shewe that he wanted not eloquence, though in the reste he vsed a rude and grosse stile. But whether a man reade Dauid, Esaie, and such lyke, who hauehave a swete and pleasant flowyng speche, or Amos the heardman, Hieremie and zacharye, whose rougher talke sauoureth of countrey rudenesse: in eueryevery one of theim shall appeare that maiestie of the holy ghoste that I spake of. Yet am I not ignorant, that as Sathan is in many thynges a counterfaiter of God, that with deceitfull resemblance he myght the better crepe into simple mens myndes: so hath he craftily spreade abroade with rude and in maner barbarous speche, those wicked errours wherwith he deceyued sely men, and hath ofte tymes vsed discontinued phrases,Scholemen and Canoni…es. that vnderunder suche visour he might hyde his deceites. But howe vayn and vncleanly is that curious counterfaityng, all men that hauehave but meane vnderstandynge doo playnely see. As for the holy scripture, although frowarde men labour to byte at many thynges, yet is it full of suche sentences as coulde not be conceyued by man. Let all the prophetes be loked vponupon, there shall not one be founde among them, but he hath farre excelled all mans capacitie, in suche sorte that those are to be thought to hauehave no iudgement of tast to whome their doctrine is vnsauorie.
Other menne hauehave largely entreated of this argument, wherfore at this tyme it suffiseth to touche but a fewe thyngs, that chiefly make for the principall summe of the whole matter. Besyde these poyntes that I hauehave already towched, the very antiquitie of the scripture is of great weight. For howe soeuer the Greke writers tell many fables of the Egyptian diuinitie: yet there remaineth no monument of any religion, but that is farre inferiour to the age of Moses. And Moses deuiseth not a newe God, but setteth foorth the same thyng whiche the Israelites had receyued in longe processe of tyme, conueyed to them by theyr fathers as it wer from hand to hand concernyng the euerlastyng God. For what doth he els but labour to cal thē backe to the couenaunt made with Abraham. If he had brought a thyng neuer hearde of before, he had had no entrie to begynne. But it muste nedes be that the deliueraunce from bondage, wherin they were deteyned, was a thynge well and commonly knowen among them, so that the hearynge of the mention thereof dyd foorthwith raise vp all their myndes. It is also likely that they were informed of the numbre of the .CCCC. yeares. Nowe is it to be consydered, if Moses, whiche hym selfe by so long distance of tyme was before al other writers, do from a begynnyng so long before hym selfe fetche the originall deliuerance of his doctrine: howe muche the holy scripture then is beyonde all other writynges in antiquitie.
Unlesse perhappe some liste to beleue the Egyptians, that stretche their auncientie to sixe thousand yeres before the creation of the world. But sithe their vayne babblyng hath ben alway scorned euen of all the prophane writers themselues, there is no cause why I shoulde spende labour in confutyng of it. But Iosephus agaynst Appion, alledge the testimonies worthy to be remembred out of auncient writers, wherby may be gathered, that by consent of all nations the doctrine that is in the lawe hath ben famous euen from the fyrst ages, although it were neither redde nor truely knowen. Nowe, that neyther there shoulde remaine to the malicious any cause of suspicion, nor to the wicked any occasion to cauill, God hath for bothe these daungers prouided good remedies. When Moses reherseth what Iacob almoste thre hundred yeares before had by heauenly inspiration pronounced vppon his owne posteritie,Gen. xl…x v. howe dooth he sette foorth his owne tribe? yea in the persone of Leui he spotteth it with eternall infamie. Symeon (fayth he) and Leui the vessels of wickednesse. My soule come not into their counsell, nor my tong into their secrete. Truely he myghte hauehave passed ouer that blot with silence, in so doyng not only to please his father, but also not to staine him selfe and his whole family with parte of the same shame. Howe can that writer be suspected, whiche vnconstrainedly publishing by the oracle of the holy ghost, that the principall auncester of the familie wherof hymselfe descended was an abhominable doer, neither priuately prouided for his owne honor, nor refused to enter in displeasure of all his owne kynsemen, whom vndoutedly this matter grened? When also he reherseth the wicked murmuryng of Aaron his owne brother,Num. xii i. and Mary his sister: shall we say that he spake after the meanyng of the fleshe, or rather that he wrote it obeyng the commaundement of the holy ghoste? Moreouer sithe hymselfe was hyest in authoritie, why did he not leaue at least the office of the hye priesthode to his owne sonnes, but appointeth theim to the basest place? I touche here onelyonly a fewe thynges of many. But in the lawe it selfe a man shal eche where mete with many argumentes that are able to bryng full profe to make men beleue that Moses without all question commeth from heauen as an Angel of God.
Nowe these so many and so notable myracles that he recompteth, ar euen as many establishementes of the lawe that he deliuered, and the doctrine that he published.Ex. xxiiii xviii. For, this that he was caried in a clowde vp into the mountayne: that there euen to the fortyeth daye he continued without company of menne: that in the very publishing of the lawe his face dydde shyne as it were besette with sonnebeames:Ex. xxxiiii xxix. Exo. xix.xvi. Exo. xl.xxxiiii. that lightenynges flashed rounde aboute: that thunders and noyses were hearde eche where in the ayre: that a trompette sounded beeyng not blowen with any mouth of man: that the entrie of the tabernacle by a clowde set betwene was kept frō the sight of ye people: that his authoritie was so miraculously reuenged with the horrible destruction of Chore, Dathan and Abiron,Nu. xvi.xxiiii. Nu. xx.x. Nu. xi.ix. and all that wycked faction: that the rocke stryken with a rodde dyd by and by powre foorth a ryuer: that at his prayer it rayned Manna from heauen: did not God herein commende him from heauen as an vndoubted prophet? If any man obiect agaynst me, that I take these thynges as confessed, whiche are not out of controuersy, it is easy to answer this cauillacion. For seyng that Moses in opē assembly published all these thynges, what place was there to fayne before those witnesses that had themselues sene the thynges done? It is likely forsoth that he wold com amōg them, & rebuking the people of infidelitie, stubbornesse, vnthankfulnesse, & other sinnes, wold hauehave bosted yt his doctrine was established in their owne syght with such myracles, which in deede they neuer sawe.
For this is also worthy to be noted, so ofte as he telleth of any myracles, he therwithall odiously ioyneth suche thynges as myght stirre the whole people to crye out agaynst hym, if there had been neuer so lytle occasion. Wherby appeareth, that they were by no other meane brought to agree vntounto him, but because thei were euer more than sufficiently cō uinced by their owne experience. But because the matter was plainlier knowen, than that the prophane coulde deny that myracles were done by Moses:Exod. vii xi the father of lyeng hath mynistred them an other cauillation, sayeng that they were doone by Magicall artes and sorcerie. But what likely profe hauehave they to accuse him for a sorcerer, whiche so farre abhorred from suche superstition, that he commaundeth to stone him to deathe,Leuit. xx. Exod. xvi that dooth but aske councell of sorcerers and soothsaiers? Truly no suche deceiuer vseth his iugglynge castes, but that he studieth to amase the myndes of the people to get himselfe a fame. But what dothe Moses? by this that he crieth out, that himselfe and his brother Aaron are nothyng, but dooth onelyonly execute those thynges that God hath appoynted, he dothe sufficiently wipe away all blottes of thinkyng euyll of hym. Nowe if the thynges themselues be considered, what enchantment coulde bryng to passe that Manna dayly raynynge from heauen, should suffise to feede the people? and if any man kept in store more thā his iuste measure, by the very rottyng therof he shuld be taugh: yt God dyd punishe his want of beleefe? Beside that, with many great proues God suffred his seruant so to be tried, that now the wicked can nothing preuayle with pratyng agaynst hym. For how oft did somtyme the people prowdely and impudently make insurrections, somtyme dyuers of them conspiryng among them selues wente aboute to ouerthrowe the holy seruaunt of God: howe coulde he hauehave begyled their furour with illusions? And the end that folowed plainly sheweth, that by this meane his doctrine was stablished to continue to the ende of all ages.
Moreouer where he assigneth the chiefe gouernement to the tribe of Iuda in the persone of the Patriarch Iacob, who can denye that this was doone by spirite of prophecie,Gen. xlix specially if we wey in consideration the thyng it selfe, howe in comyng to passe it proued true? Imagine Moses to hauehave ben the fyrst author of this prophecie: yet from the tyme that he dydde fyrste put it in writynge, there passed fower hundred yeares wherein there was no mencion of the sceptre in the tribe of Iuda. After Saule was consecrate kynge, it semed that the kyngdom shuld rest in the tribe of Beniamyn.Sam. xi.xv. Sam. xvi When Dauid was annoynted by Samuel, what reason appeared there why the course of inheritance of the kyngdome should be changed? who wold hauehave looked that there shuld hauehave come a kyng out of the base house of a herdman? And whē there were in the same house seuen brethren, who wolde hauehave sayd that that honour shuld lyght vponupon the yongest? By what meane came he to hope to be a king? who can say that this annointment was gouerned by any art, trauaile or policie of man, & not rather that it was a fulfillyng of the heauenly prophecie? Lykewise those thinges that Moses afore speaketh, albeit darkely, concernynge the Gentiles to be adopted into the couenāt of God, seing thei came to passe almost two thousand yeres after, do thei not make it plain that he spake by the inspiration of God. I ouerskippe his other tellynges aforehande of thynges, whiche doo so euidently sauoure of the reuelation of God, that all men that hauehave their sounde witt may playnely perceiue that it is God that speaketh.Deuter xxxii. To be shorte, that same one song of his, is a clere lookyng glasse, wherin God euidently appeareth.
But in the other prophetes the same is yet also muche more plainely seene. I will choose out onelyonly a fewe examples, because to gather them all together were to greate a laboure. When in the tyme of Esaie the kyngdom of Iuda was in peace, yea when they thought that the Chaldees were to them some staie and defence, then did Esaie prophecie of the destruction of the citie and exile of the people. But admitte that, yet this was no token playne enough of the instinct of God, to tell longe before of suche thinges as at that tyme semed false, and afterward proued true:Esa. xlv.i. yet those prophecies that he vttereth concernyng their delyueraunce, whense shall we saye that they proceded but from God? He nameth Cyrus by whom the Chaldees shoulde be subdued, and the people restored to libertie. There passed more than a hundred yeares from the tyme that Esaie so prophecied before that Cyrus was borne: for Cyrus was borne in the hundreth yeare or theraboutes after the deathe of Esaie. No man coulde then gesse that there shoulde bee any suche Cyrus, that shoulde hauehave warre with the Babylonians, that shoulde bringe subiecte so myghtie a monarchie vnderunder his dominion, and make an ende of the exile of the people of Israell. Dooth not this bare tellynge without any garnishement of woordes euidently shewe, that the thynges that Esaie speaketh,Ier…. xxv xi. are the vndoubted oracles of God, and not the coniectures of men? Againe, when Ieremie a litle before that the people was caried awaie, didde determine the ende of the captiuitie within threscore and tenne yeares, and promised returne and libertie, muste it not needes bee that his to…gue was gouerned by the spirite of God? What shamelesnesse shall it bee to denye, that the credite of the prophetes was stablished by such proues,Esa. xlii. and that the same thyng was fulfilled in dede, whiche thei theim selues doo reporte to make their sayenges to bee beleued? Beholde, the former thynges are come to passe, and newe thinges doo I declare: before thei comme foorthe, I tell you of them. I leaue to speake howe Hieremie and Ezechiell beeynge so farre asonder, yet prophecyenge bothe at one tyme, they so agreed in all theyr sayenges as if eyther one of theym hadde endyted the wordes for the other to write. What did Daniell? Doothe he not write continuynge prophecies of thynges to come for the space of sixe hundred yeares after, in suche sorte as if he hadde compyled an hystory of thynges already doon and commonly knowen? These thynges if godly men hauehave well consydered, they shall bee sufficiently well furnished, to appease the barkynges of the wycked. For the playne proofe hereof is to cleare to be subiect to any cauillations at all.
I knowe what some learned men doo prate in corners, to shewe the quicknesse of their witte in assaltyng the truthe of God. For they demande, who hath assured vsus that these thynges whiche are redde vnderunder title of their names, were euer written by Moses & the prophetes. Yea, they are so hardy to moue this question, whether euer there were any suche Moses or …. But if a manne shoulde calle in doubte whether euer there were any Plato, or Aristotle, or Cicero, who would not saye, that suche madnesse were woorthye to bee corrected with strokes and strypes? The lawe of Moses hathe been meruaylousely preserued rather by heauenlye prouidence then by diligence of menne. And thowgh by the negligence of the Priestes it laye buried a lyttell while: yet syns the tyme that: the godly kynge Iosias founde it, it hath still by continuall succession from age to age ben vsed in the handes of men. Neyther did Iosias brynge it foorthe as an vnknowen or newe thyng, but suche a thynge as hadde ben euer commonly published, and wherof the remembrance was at that tyme famous. The originall booke it selfe was appoynted to be sarredly kepte in the temple, and a copy written out thereof, to remayne with the kepers of the kynges Recordes. OnelyOnly this had happened, that the priestes had ceassed to publyshe the lawe accordyng to the olde accustomed maner, and the people them selues had neglected theyr wonted readyng of it. Yea there in maner passed no age wherin the establishement therof was not confirmed and renued? They that had Dauid in their handes, knew they not of Moses? But to speake of thē al at ones, it is most certayn yt their writings came to posteritie none otherwise but from hand to hand (as I may terme it) by continual orderly course of yeres deliuered from their fathers, which had partly heard them speake, and partly while the remembrance was freshe of it, dyd lerne of them which herd them that they had so spoken.
As for that whithe they obiect out of the hystorie of the Machabees, to mynishe the credite of scripture,i. Mac. i. it is suche a thyng as nothynge can be deuised more fitte to stablishe the same. But first lette vsus wipe away the colour that they lay vponupon it, and then let vsus turne vponupon them selues the engine that they raise vp agaynst vsus.…i▪ Ma i▪ iix. Then Antiochus (saye they) commaunded all the bookes to be bourned, whense are come these copies that we nowe hauehave? On the other side I aske them, in what shop they could so sone be made? It is euidēt, that after the crueltie appeased they were immediatly abrode agayn., & were without controuersy knowen to be the same of all godly men, that hauyng ben brought vp in the doctrine of them dyd familiarly knowe them. Yea when all the wicked men beyng as it wer conspired togyther, dyd insolently triumphe with reproches vpō the Iewes, yet neuer was there any yt durst lay to their charge false changyng of their bokes. For what soeuer they thynke the Iewes religion to be, yet still they thinke Moses to be the authour of it. What then do these praters els, but bewraie their owne more then doggysshe frowardenesse, while they falsely saie that these bookes are chaunged, and newe put in their places, whose sacred antiquitie is approued by consente of all histories? But to spende no more laboure vainely in confutynge suche foolishe cauillations: let vsus rather hereby consyder howe great a care God had for preseruation of his worde, … beyonde the hope of all men, he saued it from the outrage of the moste cruell tyrant, as out of a present fyre: that he endewed the godly priestes and other with so greate constancie, that they sticke not to redeeme this booke euen with losse of theyr lyfe if nede were, and so to conuey it ouer to posteritie: that he disappoynted the narowe searche of so many gouernours and souldiours. Who can but acknowledge the the notable and myraculous woorke of God, that these scared monumentes whyche the wycked veryly thought to hauehave bene vtterly destroyed, by and by came abroade agayne as fully restored, and that with a greate deale more honour. For by and by folowed the translatynge of theim into Greke, to publyshe theim throughout the worlde. And not in thys onelyonly appeared the myraculous woorkynge, that God preserued the tables of his couenaunt from the bloudy proclamations of Antiochus: but also that among so manyfold miserable afflictions of the Iewes, wherewith the whole nation was sometyme worne to a fewe and wasted, and laste of all, brought in maner to vtter destruction, yet they remayned styll safe and ex…ant. The Hebrue tongue lay not onelye vnestemed, but almoste vnknowen. And surely hadde not been Goddes pleasure to hauehave his religion prouyded for, it hadde peryshed altogether. For howe muche the Iewes that were since theyr retourne from exile, were swarued from the naturall vse of theyr mother tongue, appeareth by the Prophetes, that lyued in that age, whyche is therefore woorthy to bee noted, because by this comparyson the antiquitie of the lawe and the prophetes is the more playnely perceyued. And by whome hathe God preserued for vsus the doctrine of saluation conteyned in the lawe and the prophetes, to the ende that Christe myghte in his appoynted tyme bee openly shewed? euen by the moste cruelly bente enemyes of Christe, the Iewes, whome Saincte Augustine doothe therefore woorthylye calle the keepers of the Librarie of Christian Churche, because they hauehave mynystred vntounto vsus that thyng, to reade wherof, theimselues hauehave no vse.
Nowe if we comme to the newe Testamente, with howe sounde pyllers is the trueth thereof vpholden? The three Euangelistes write the hystorie in base and symple speeche. Manye prowde menne dooe lothe that symplicitie, because they take no heede to the chiefe poyntes of doctrine therein, whereby it were easie to gather, that they entreate of heauenly mysteries aboue mannes capacitie. Surely who so euer hauehave but one droppe of honest shame will be ashamed yf they rede the fyrste chapiter of Luke. Nowe, the sermons of Christe, the summe whereof is shortly comprised by these three Euangelistes, dooe easyly delyuer theyr writynges from all contempte. But Ihon thunderynge from on hye, those whome he compelleth not to obedience of faythe, he throweth downe their stubbournesse more myghtily than any thunderbolt. Nowe let come foorth all these sharpnosed faultfinders, that hauehave a great pleasure to shake the reuerence of scripture oute of theyr owne and other mens heartes, let them reade Iohns gospell: Will they or no, they shall there fynde a thousande sentences that may at leaste awaken their sluggishenes, yea that may printe a horrible brande in theyr consciences to restrayne their lawhyng. The same is to bee thought of Peter and Paul, in whose writynges although the more part be blynd, yet the very heauenly maiestie in them holdeth all men bounde, and as it were faste tyed vntounto it. But this one thyng doth sufficiently aduance their doctrine aboue the worlde, that Mathew being before al geuen to the gaine of his money boorde. Peter & Iohn brought vp in their fisher boates, all grosse vnlearned men, had learned nothyng in mens schoole that they myghte deliuer to other. Paule, not onelyonly from a professed, but also from a cruell and blouddy ennemy conuerted to a newe man, with sodayne and vnhoped chaunge dothe shewe, that beyng compelled by heauenly authoritie he nowe maynteyneth that doctrine, whiche before he had fought agaynst. Nowe lette these dogges denye, that the holy ghoste came downe vponupon the Apostles, or lette theym discredite the hystorie: yet styll the truthe it selfe openly crieth out, that they were taughte by the holye ghoste, whyche beynge before tyme despised men amonge the raskall people, sodeynly began so gloriousely to entreate of heauenly mysteries.
There bee yet also furthermore many very good reasons, why the consente of the churche shoulde not be esteemed without weyght. For it is to be accompted no smalle matter, that syns the scripture was first publyshed, the wylles of so many ages hauehave constantly agreed to obey it. And that howe soeuer Sathan with all the worlde hath trauayled by meruaylous meanes, eyther to oppresse it, or ouerthrowe it, or vtterly to blotte and deface it oute of mennes remembraunce, yet euer styl like a palme tree, it hath rysen vp aboue, and remayned inuincible. For there hath not lyghtly ben in olde tyme any sophister or Rhetorician that had any more excellent witte than other, but he hath bente his force agaynst this scripture: yet they all hauehave nothyng preuayled. The whole power of the earthe hath armed it selfe to destroye it, and yet all their enterprises are vanished away, as in smoke. Nowe coulde it hauehave resysted beyng so myghtyly on eche syde assayled, yf it hadde had none other defence but mannes? Yea rather it is hereby proued, that it came from God hymselfe, that all the trauayles of men stryuynge againste it, yet it hath of her owne power styll rysen vp. Besyde that, not one citie alone, nor one onelyonly nation hathe agreed to receiue and embrace it: but so farre as the worlde extendethe in lengthe and breadth, the scripture hath atteyned her credite, by one holye conspiracie of diuers nations, whiche otherwyse were in nothynge agreable one with an other. And forasmuche as suche agreement of myndes so dyuers and disagreyng in maner in all thynges elles, ought muche to moue vsus, because it appeareth, that the same is brought about none other way, but by woorkyng of the heauenly maiestie: no smalle estimation groweth vntounto it, when we beholde theyr godlynesse, that doo so agree. I meane not of them all, but onelyonly of those, with whom as with lyghtes it pleased God to hauehave his churche to shyne.
Nowe with what assurednesse of myde ought we to submitte vsus to that doctrine whiche we see stablished and witnessed with the bloude of so mayne holye menne? They when they hadde but ones receaued it, sticked not boldely without feare, yea and with greate cherefulnesse to dye for it: howe shoulde it then come to passe, that wee, hauynge it conueyed to vsus with suche an assured pledge, shoulde not with certayn and vnmouable persuasion take holde of it? It is therfore no small confirmation of the scripture▪ that it hath ben sealed with the bloud so many witnesses, specially when we consider that they suffred deth to beare witnesse of their faith: and not of a frentike distemperance of brayne, as somtyme the erronious spirites are wont to do, but with a firme and constant and yet sobre zeale of God. There be other reasons and those not fewe nor weake, whereby the Scripture hath her dignitie and maiestie not onelyonly ascertayned vntounto godly hartes, but also honourably defended agaynst the subtilties of cauillers, yet be they suche as be not of them selues sufficiently auaylable to bryng stedfast credite vntounto it, vntyll the heauenly father disclosyng therin his maiestie, doothe bryng the reuerence therof out of all controuersie. Wherfore then only the scripture shall suffise to that knowledge of God that bryngeth saluation, when the certayntie therof shall be grounded vponupon the inwarde persuasion of the holy ghoste. So those testimonies of men that serue to confirme it shall not be vaine, if as seconde healpes of our weaknesse they folowe that chiefe and hyest testimonie. But they doo fondly that will hauehave it perswaded by proofe to the unfaithfull, that the scripture is the woorde of God, whiche can not be knowen but by faith. For good reason therfore dooth Augustine geue warnyng,De vtill… rate cre… dendi. that godlynesse and peace of mynde ought to go before, to make a man vnderstande somwhat of so greate matters.