The Institution of Christian Religion

In some he only restraineth them with putting a bridle in their mouth, only that they break not out, so far as he foreseeth to be expedient for preserving of the university of things. Hereby some are holden in by shame, some by fear of laws, that they burst not forth into many sorts of filthiness, howbeit they do for a great part not hide their uncleanness. Some because they think that an honest trade of life is good, do after a certain sort aspire toward it. Some rise up above the common sort, that by their majesty they may keep other in their duty. So God by his providence bridleth the perverseness of nature, that it break not forth into doing: but he cleanseth nor within.

In some he only restraineth them with putting a bridle in their mouth, only that they breake not out, so farre as he foreseeth to bee expedient for preseruynge of the vniuersitie of thinges. Hereby some are holden in by shame, some by feare of lawes, that they burste not forth into many sortes of filthinesse, howebeit they do for a great part not hide their vncleannesse. Some bycause they thinke that an honest trade of life is good, doe after a certayne sorte aspire towarde it. Some rise vp aboue the common sorte, that by their maiestie they maye kepe other in their duetie. So God by his prouidence bridleth the peruersenesse of nature, that it breake not forth into doyng: but he cleanseth nor within.

But yet the doubt is not dissolved. For either we must make Camillus like unto Catiline, or else in Camillus we shall have an example that nature, if it be framed by diligence, is not altogether without goodness. I grant in deed that those goodly gifts which were in Camillus both were the gifts of God and seem worthy to be commended, if they we weighed by themselves, but how shall they be proves of natural goodness in him? must we not return to the mind, and frame our argument in this sort? If a natural man excelled in such uprightness of manners, then nature is undoubtedly not without power toward the study of virtue.¹ But what if the mind were perverse and crooked, and following any thing rather than upright straightness? And that it was such there is no doubt, if you grant that he was a natural man. Now what power of mans nature to goodness will you rehearse unto me in this behalf, if in the greatest show of pureness it be found that he is alway carried to corruption: Therefore, lest ye commend a man for virtue, whose vices deceive you under virtues Image, do not so gene unto the will of man power to desire goodness, so long as it remaineth taste in her own perverseness. Albeit this is a most sure and easy solution of this question,