The Institution of Christian Religion

And so that which here he taketh away from men, in an other §21place, in a prayer, he giveth it to god alone. God (sayeth he) and the father of glory,¹ give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Now thou hearest that all wisdom and revelation is the gift of god. What followeth? and lighten the eyes of your mind. Surely if they need a new revelation, then are they blind of themselves that followeth after: That ye may know what is the hope of your calling. &c. Therefore he confesseth, that the wits of men are not capable of so great understanding to know their own calling And let not some Pelagian babble here, that god doth remedy that dullness or unskilfulness, when by the doctrine of his word he directeth mans understanding, whether without a guide he could not have attained. For David had a law, wherein was comprehended all the wisdom that may be desired, and yet not contented with that, he requireth to have his eyes opened, that he may consider the mysteries of the same law.² By which speech truly he secretly sayeth, that the sun riseth upon the earth where the word of God shineth to men: but they get not much thereby, until he himself that is therefore called the father of lights,³ do give them or open their eyes, because where so ⟨image 94⟩ever he shineth not with his spirit, all things are possessed with darkness. So the Apostles were well & largely taught by the best school-master: yet if they had not needed the spirit of trueth to instruct their minds in that same doctrine which they had heard before,⁴ he would not have bidden them look for him. If the thing that we ask of God, we do thereby confess that we want: and God in that that he promiseth it us, doth argue our need, let no man now doubt to confess that he is so much able to understand the mysteries of God, as he is enlightened with his grace. He that giveth to him self more understanding is so much the more blind, for that he doth not acknowledge his own blindness.