The Institution of Christian Religion

Finally they do not uprightly enough, when they do spitefully rehearse how great troubles, uproars, and contentions the preaching of our doctrine hath drawn with it, & what fruits it now beareth in many. For the blame of these evils is unworthily laid upon it, which ought rather to have ben imputed to the malice of Satan. This is as it were a certain natural property of the word of God, that whensoever it riseth up, Satan is never quiet or sleeping. This is the most sure and most trusty mark, whereby it is discerned from lying doctrines, which do easily show forth themselves when they are received with favourable ears of all men, and are heard of the world rejoicing at them. So in certain ages past, when all things were drowned in deep darkness, the Lord of this world made a sport and a play in manner of all men, and lay idle and toke his pleasure like a certain Sardanapalus in sound peace. For, what should he ells do but laugh and play being in quiet and peaceable possession of his kingdom? But when the light shining from above somewhat scattered abroad his darkness, when that strong man troubled & assailed his kingdom, then he began to shake of his wonted drowsiness, & hastily to arm himself. And first he stirred up the force of men, whereby he might violently oppress the truth beginning to shine. By which when he nothing prevailed, he turned to subtle entrappynges. He stirred up dissentions and disagreements of doctrines by his Catabaptistes, and other monstrous lewd men, whereby he might darken it and at length utterly quench it. And now he continueth to assail it with both engines. For he travaileth both by the force and power of men to pluck up that seed, and with his darnel (as much as in him lieth) to choke it, that it may not grow and bear fruit. But all this he doth in vain, if we hear the warning of God, which both hath long before opened his crafts unto us, that he should not take us unaware, and hath armed us with sufficient defences against all his engines. But how great maliciousness is it to lay upon the word of God the hatred either of the seditions, which naughty and rebellious men do stir up, or of the sects which deceivers do raise against it? Yet it is no new example. Elijah was asked whether it were not he that troubled Israel. Christ was esteemed of the Jews a seditious man.

Finally they doo not vprightly enough, when they doo spitefully rehearse how great troubles, vprores, and contentions the preachyng of our doctrine hath drawen with it, & what fruites it now beareth in many. For the blame of these euells is vnworthily layde vpon it, which ought rather to haue ben imputed to the malice of Satan. This is as it were a certayne naturall propretie of the worde of God, that whensoeuer it ryseth vp, Satan is neuer quiet or sleapyng. This is the moste sure and moste trusty marke, wherby it is discerned from lyeng doctrines, which doo easyly shew foorthe themselues when they are receiued with fauorable eares of all men, and are heard of the world reioysyng at them. So in certayn ages past, when all thynges were drowned in depe darkenesse, the Lorde of this worlde made a sport and a play in manner of all men, and lay ydle and toke his pleasure like a certayne Sardanapalus in sounde peace. For, what should he ells doo but laugh and playe beyng in quiet and peasible possession of his kyngdome? But when the lyght shinyng from aboue somwhat scattered abrode his darknesse, when that strōg man troubled & assailed his kyngdome, then he began to shake of his wonted drowsinesse, & hastily to arme himself. And first he stirred vp the force of mē, wherby he might violently oppresse the truthe beginnyng to shine. By whiche when he nothyng preuailed, he turned to suttle entrappynges. He stirred vp dissentions and disagreementes of doctrines by his Catabaptistes, and other monstruous lewde men, wherby he might darken it and at lengthe vtterly quenche it. And nowe he continueth to assayle it with bothe engines. For he trauaileth bothe by the force and power of men to plucke vp that sede, and with his darnell (as much as in him lieth) to choke it, that it may not grow and beare frute. But all this he dothe in vayne, if we heare the warnyng of God, which both hath long before opened his craftes vnto vs, that he shold not take vs vnware, and hath armed vs with sufficient defences agaynst al his engins. But how great maliciousnesse is it to lay vpon the worde of God the hatred either of the seditions, which noughty and rebellious men do stirre vp, or of the sectes which deceiuers do raise agaynst it? Yet it is no new example. Elias was asked whether it were not he that troubled Israel. Christe was esteemed of the Iewes a seditious man.