The Institution of Christian Religion

¶The .i. Chapter. That the knowledge of God, and of our selves, are things conjoined: and how they be linked the one with the other.

¶The .i. Chapter. That the knowledge of God, and of oure selues, are thynges conioyned: and howe they bee lyncked the one wyth the other.

The whole sum in a manner of all our wisdom, which only ought to be accounted true & perfect wisdom, consisteth in two parts, that is to say, the knowledge of God, and our selves. But where as these two knowledges be with many bands linked together: yet whether goeth before or engendereth the other, it is hard to discern. For first no man can look upon him self, but he must needs by and by turn all his senses to the beholding of God, in whom he liveth and is moved: because it is plain that those gifts wherewith we be endowed are not of our selves, yea even that that we have a being is nothing else but an essence in the one god. Finally, by these good things that are as by drop meal poured into us from heaven, we are led as it were by certain streams to the spring head. And so by our own neediness, better appeareth that infinite plenty of good things that abideth in god. Specially that miserable ruin, whereinto the fall of the first man hath thrown us, compelleth us to lift up our eyes, not only being foodless and hungry, to crave from thence the which we lack, but also being awakened with fear, to learn humility. For as there is found in man a certain world of all miseries, and since we have been spoiled of the divine apparel, our shameful nakedness discloseth an infinite heap of filthy disgracementes: it must needs be that every man be pricked with knowledge in conscience of his own unhappiness, to make him come at least unto some knowledge of god. So by the understanding of our own ignorance, vanity, beggary, weakness, perverseness, and corruption, we learn to reknowledge that no where else but in the Lord abideth the true light of wisdom, sound virtue, perfect abundance of all good things, and purity of righteousness. And so by our own evils we are stirred to consider the good things of God: & we cannot earnestly aspire toward him, until we begin to mislike our selves. For of all men what one is there that would not willingly rest in himself? yea who doeth not rest, so long as he knoweth not him self, that is to say, so long as he is contented with his own gifts, and ignorant or unmindful of his own misery? Therefore every man is by the knowledge of him self, not only pricked forward to seek God, but also led as it were by the hand to find him.