The Institution of Christian Religion

Therefore no man shall well & profitably weigh the Providence of God but he that considering that he hath to do with his creator and the maker of the world, doeth with such humility as he ought submit himself to fear and reverence. Hereby it cometh to pass, that so many dogs at this day do with venomed bitings, or at least barking assail this doctrine, because they will have no more to be lawful for God, than their ⟨p. 62⟩own reason informeth them. And also they rail at us with all the spitefulness that they are able, for that not contented with the commandments of the law, wherein the will of God is comprehended. We do further say, that the world is ruled by his secrete counsels. As though the thing that we teach were an invention of our own brain, and as though it were not true that the Holy ghost doth every where expressly say the same, and repeateth it with innumerable forms of speech. But because some shame restraineth them, that they dare not vomit out their blasphemies against the heaven: they fain that they contend with us, to the end they may the more freely play the madmen. But if they do not grant that what soever happeneth in the world,¹ is governed by the incomprehensible purpose of God, let them answer to what end the Scripture saith, that his judgements are a deep bottomless depth. For where as Moses crieth out that the will of God is not to be sought afar of in the clouds, or in the depths, because it is familiarly set forth in the law: it followeth, that his other hidden will is compared to a bottomless depth.² Of the which Paul also saith: O depth of the richesse and of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God: how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways paste finding out? for who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor? And it is in deed true, that in the gospel and in the law are contained mysteries which are far above the capacity of our sense: but forasmuch as God for the comprehending of these mysteries which he hath vouchsafed to open by his word, doeth lighten the minds of them that be his, with the Spirit of Understanding: now is therein no bottomless depth, but a way wherein we must safe walk, & a candle to guide our feet, & the light of life, and the school of certain and plainly discernible trueth.