The Institution of Christian Religion

Both these points the Apostle very well teacheth in diverse places. For when he saith,¹ that we know unperfectly, and prophesy unperfectly, and see by a dark speaking as by a glass, he showeth how slender a little portion of the true godly wisdom is given us in this present life. For though those words do not expressly show that our faith is unperfect so long as we groan under this burden of the flesh, but that it happeneth unto us by our own imperfection, that we have need to be continually exercised in learning: yet he secretly declareth that that thing which is infinite, can not be comprehended by our small capacity, and narrow compass. And this Paul reporteth of the whole church, but unto every own of us, his own dullness is a hinderance & stay that he can not come so near as were to be wished. But how sure and undeceivable a taste of it self, even a small drop of faith doth make us feel, the same Apostle showeth in an other place, where he affirmeth,² that by the Gospel we behold the glory of God with uncovered face, having no veil between us and it, so effectually ⟨p. 117⟩that we be transformed into the same image. In such entanglements of ignorance there must needs be wrapped together both much doubting and fearful trembling, specially forasmuch as our heart, by a certain natural instinct of it self, is inclined to unbelievingness. Beside that there be tentations which both infinite in number, and diverse in kind, do oftentimes with great sudden violence assail us. But specially our own conscience oppressed with heavy burden of sins lying upon it, doth sometime lament and groan with it self, and sometime accuseth it self: sometime secretly murmureth, and sometime is openly troubled. Whether therefore adversities do show an appearance of the wrath of God, or the conscience doth find in it self any proof or matter of his wrath, from thence unbelief doth take weapons and engines to vanquish faith withal: which are alway directed to this end, that we thinking God to be our adversary and hatefully bent against us, should both not hope for any help at his hand, and also be afraid of him as of our deadly enemy.

Both these pointes the Apostle very wel teacheth in diuerse places. For when he sayth,