The Institution of Christian Religion

But if (as Paul preacheth) no man is witness of the will of man,¹ but the spirit of man that is within him, then how should ⟨p. 123⟩man be sure of the will of God? And if the truth of God be uncertain among us, in those things that we presently behold with our eye, how should it be assured & steadfast among us there where the lord promiseth such thing as neither eye seeth nor wit comprehendeth? But herein mans sharpness of understanding is so overthrown & faileth, that the first degrees of profiting in Gods school, is to forsake his own wit. For by it as by a veil cast before us, we are hindered that we can not attain the mysteries of God,² which are not disclosed but to little ones. For neither doth flesh & blood disclose, nor natural man perceive those things that are of the Spirit, but rather to him the learning of God is foolishness, because it is spiritually to be judged. Therefore herein the help of the holy ghost is necessary, or rather herein his force only reigneth. There is no man that knoweth the mind of God, or hath ben his counsellor: but the holy Spirit searcheth out all things, even the deep secretes of God, by whom it is brought to pass, that we know the mind of Christ, No man (saith he) can come to me,³ unless my father that sent me, draw him. Every one therefore that hath heard & learned of my father, cometh. Not that any man hath seen the father, but he that is sent to God. Even as therefore we can not come unto Christ, but being drawn by the Spirit of God: so when we be drawn, we are lifted up in wit & mind above our own understanding. For the soul enlightened by him, taketh as it were a new sharpness of understanding, wherewith it may behold heavenly mysteries, with brightness whereof it was before dazzled in it self. And so mans understanding receiving brightness by the light of the holy ghost, doth never till then truly begin to taste of those things that belong to the kingdom of God, being before altogether unfavourie and without judgment of taste to take assay of them.⁴ Therefore when Christ did notably set out unto two of his Disciples the mysteries of his kingdom, yet he nothing prevailed, until he opened their senses that they might understand the Scriptures.