The Institution of Christian Religion

For although always in our miseries we ought to think upon our sins, that the very punishment may move us to repentance, yet do we see how Christ giveth more power to the secrete purpose of his father, than to punish every one according to his deserving.¹ For of him that was borne blind he saith: neither hath this man sinned nor his parents, but that the glory of God may be showed in him. For here natural sense murmureth when calamity cometh even before birth, as if God did unmercifully so to punish the silly innocent, that had not deserved it. But Christ doth testify that in this looking glass the glory of his father doeth shine to our sight, if we have clear eyes to behold it. But we must keep modesty, that we draw not God to yield cause of his doings, but let us so reverence his secrete judgements, that his will be unto us, a most just cause of all things. When thick clouds do cover the heaven, and a violent tempest ariseth, then because both a heauysome mistiness is caste before our eyes, and the thunder troubleth our ears, and all our senses are amazed with terror, we think that all things are confounded and tumbled together: and yet all the while there remaineth in the heaven the same quietness and calmness, that was before. So must we think that while the troublesome state of things in the world taketh from us ability to judge, God by the pure light of his righteousness and wisdom, doth in well framed order govern and dispose even those very troublesome motions themselves to a right end. And surely very monstrous is the rage of many in this behalf, which dare more boldly call the works of God to account and examine his secrete meanings, and to give unadvised sentence of things unknown, than they will do of the deeds of mortal men. For what is more unorderly than to use such modesty toward our equals, that we had rather suspend our judgement than to incur the blame of rashness, and on the other side proudly to triumph upon the dark judgements of God, which it became us to regard with reverence.

For although alwais in our miseries we ought to thinke vpon our sinnes, that the verye punishement maye moue vs to repentance, yet doo we see how Christe geueth more power to the secrete purpose of his father, than to punishe euery one according to his deseruyng.¹ For of hym that was borne blynde he sayth: neither hath this man synned nor his parentes, but that the glory of God may be shewed in hym. For here naturall sense murmureth when calamitie commeth euen before birth, as if God did vnmercifully so to punish the sely innocente, that had not deserued it. But Christe dooth testifie that in this lokyng glasse the glory of his father doeth shyne to our syght, if we haue cleere eies to beholde it. But we must kepe modestie, that we drawe not God to yelde cause of his dooynges, but lette vs so reuerence his secrete iudgementes, that his wyll be vnto vs, a moste iuste cause of all thynges. When thicke cloudes doo couer the heauen, and a violent tempest aryseth, then bycause bothe a heauysome mystynesse is caste before oure eyes, and the thunder troubleth oure eares, and all oure senses are amased with terrour, we thynke that all thynges are confounded and tombled togither: and yet all the whyle there remaineth in the heauen the same quietenesse and calmenesse, that was before. So muste we thynke that whyle the troublesome state of thinges in the worlde taketh from vs abilitie to iudge, God by the pure lyghte of his ryghteousnesse and wysedome, dooth in well framed order gouerne and dispose euen those very troublesome motions themselues to a ryght ende. And surely very monstrous is the rage of many in this behalfe, whiche dare more boldly call the workes of God to accompte and examyne his secrete meanynges, and to geue vnaduised sentence of thynges vnknowen, than they wyll dooe of the deedes of mortall men. For what is more vnorderly than to vse such modestie towarde our egals, that we had rather suspende our iudgement than to incurre the blame of rashenesse, and on the other syde proudely to triumph vpon the darke iudgementes of God, whiche it became vs to regarde with reuerence.