The Institution of Christian Religion

Therefore this evil, even as innumerable other, is to be imputed §2to the Schoolmen, which have hidden Christ as it were with a veil drawn before him, to the beholding of whom unless we be directly bent, we shall alway wander in many uncertain mazes. But beside this that with their dark definition they do deface and in a manner bring to naught the whole force of faith, they have forged a deuyse of unexpressed faith, with which name they garnishing their most gross ignorance do with great hurt deceive the silly people, yea (to say truly and plainly as the thing is in deed) this deuyse doth not only bury but utterly destroy the true faith. Is this to believe, to understand nothing, so that thou obediently submit thy sense to the Church? Faith standeth not in ignorance but in knowledge, and that not only of God, but of the will of God. For neither do we obtain salvation by this that we either are ready to embrace for true whatsoever the Church appointeth, or that we do commit to it all the office of searching and knowing: but when we acknowledge God to be a merciful father to us by the reconciliation made by Christ, and that Christ is given us unto righteousness, sanctification, and life. By this knowledge, I say, not by submitting of our sense, we attain an entry into the kingdom of heaven.¹ For when the Apostle saith, that with the heart we believe to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation, he showeth that it is not enough, if a man unexpressedly believe that which he understandeth not, nor seeketh to learn: but he requireth an expressed acknowledging of Gods goodness, in which consisteth our righteousness.

Therefore thys euell, euen as innumerable other, is to be imputed §2to the Scholemen, whiche haue hidden Christe as it were with a veile drawen before hym, to the beholdyng of whome vnlesse we be dyrectly bent, we shall alwaie wander in many vncertaine mazes. But bysyde thys that with theyr darke definition they doe deface and in a manner bring to naught the whole force of faithe, they haue forged a deuyse of vnexpressed faith, wyth which name thei garnyshing theyr most grosse ignorance doe with greate hurte deceyue the silly people, yea (to saye truely and plainely as the thinge is in deede) thys deuyse doth not only burie but vtterly destroye the true faithe. Is this to beleue, to vnderstand nothing, so that thou obediently submitte thy sense to the Churche? Faythe standeth not in ignorance but in knoweledge, and that not onely of God, but of the wyll of God. For neither do we obteine saluation by thys that wee eyther are ready to embrace for true whatsoeuer the Churche appoynteth, or that we do committe to it all the office of searchyng and knowing: but when we acknowledge God to be a mercifull father to vs by the reconciliation made by Christ, and that Christe is geuen vs vnto ryghteousnesse, sanctification, and lyfe. By thys knoweledge, I saye, not by submitting of oure sense, we atteine an entrie into the kyngedome of heauen.