The Institution of Christian Religion

And no otherwise doth Bernard argue, when he purposely entreateth §25of this question in his .v. Homily in the Dedication of the temple. Oftentimes (I say) by the benefit of God studying upon the soul, me thinks I find in it two things as it were contrary. If I behold the soul it self, as it is in it self and of it self, I can say nothing more truly of it, than that it is utterly brought to nought. What need I now to reckon up particularly all the miseries of the soul, how it is loaden with sins, covered with darkness, entangled with deceitful enticements, itching with lusts, subject to passions, filled with illusions alway inclined to evil, bent to all kinds of vice, finally full of shame and confusion? Now if all the very righteousnesses of it being looked upon by the light of truth be found like a clothe stained with flowers,¹ then what shall the unrighteousnesses thereof be accounted? If the light that is in us be darkness, how great shall the very darkness be?² What then? without doubt man is made like unto vanity: man is brought to nought: man is nothing. But how then is he utterly nothing, whom God doth magnify? How then is he nothing, toward whom Gods heart is set? Brethren, let us take heart again. Though we be nothing in our own hearts, peradventure there may somewhat of us lie hidden in the heart of God. O father of mercies, O father of the miserable, how doest thou set thy heart toward us? For thy heart is where thy treasure is. But how• •e we thy treasure, if we be nothing? All nations are so before thee as if they were not, they shall be reputed as nothing. Even before thee, not within thee: so in the judgement of thy truth, but not in the affection of thy pity. Thou callest those things that are not, as though they were. Therefore both they are not, because thou callest those things that are not, and also they are because thou callest them. For though they are not, in respect of themselves, yet with thee they are, according to that saying of Paul,³ not of the works of righteousness, but of him that calleth. And then he saith, that this coupling together of both considerations is marvellous. Truly those things that are knit together, do not the one destroy the other. Which also in the conclusion he more plainly declareth in these words.