The Institution of Christian Religion

And so read we the prayers of holy men made to that effect, as, The Lord incline our heart to him (sayeth Solomon) that we may keep his commandments.¹ He showeth the frowardness of our heart, which naturally rejoiceth to rebel against the law of God if it be not bowed.² And the same thing is in the Psalm: Lord incline my heart to thy testimonies. For the comparison of contrariety is alway to be noted, which is between the perverse motion of the heart whereby it is carried to obstinacy, and this correction whereby it is led to obedience.³ When David feeling him self for a time without the directing grace, prayeth God to create a new heart within him, to renew a right spirit within his bowels: doeth he not acknowledge that all the parts of his heart are full of uncleanness, and his spirit writhen with crooked perverseness? and in calling the cleanness which he prayeth for, the creature of God, doeth he not attribute it wholly to God? But if any man take exception and say, that the very prayer is a token of a godly and holy affection: our answer is ready, that though David were by that time somewhat come to amendment, yet doeth he still compare his first state with that sorrowful fall that he had felt. Therefore taking upon him the person of a man estranged from God, he for good cause prayeth to have given him all these things that God giveth to his elect in regeneration. And so being like a dead man, he wisheth him self to be created of new, that of the bondslave of Satan, he may be made the instrument of the Holy Ghost. Marvellous and monstrous surely is the lust of our pride. God requireth nothing more earnestly, than that we should most religiously keep his Sabbath, that is in resting from our own works, but of us nothing is more hardly obtained, than bidding our own works farewell, to give due place to the works of God. If sluggishness hindered not, Christ hath given testimony evident enough of his graces, to make them not to be enviously suppressed.⁴ I am (sayeth he) the Vine, you be the branches: My Father is a husbandman. As the branch can not bear fruit of it self, unless it abide in the Vine, no more can you, unless you abide in me. For without me you can do nothing.