The Institution of Christian Religion

For that flowing plenty of sweetness which God hath laid up in store for them that fear him, can not be truly known, but that it must therewithal vehemently mo•e affection: and whose affection it ones month, it utterly ravisheth and carrieth him beyond himself. Therefore it is no marvel, if into a perverse & crooked heart never entereth this affection, by which being conveyed up into the very heaven, we are suffered to come to thee most secretly hidden treasures of God, and the most sacred privy places of his kingdom, which may not be defiled with the entrance of an unclean heart.¹ For that which the Schoolmen teach, that charity is before faith and hope, is a mere madness. For it is faith only that first engendereth charity in us. Howe much more rightly doth Bernard teach:² I believe (saith he) that the testimony of conscience, which Paul calleth the glory of the godly, consisteth in three things. For first of all it is necessary to believe that thou canst not have forgiveness of since,³ but by the pardon of God: then that thou canst have no good work at all, unless he also give it: last of all that thou canst by no works deserve eternal life, unless it also be given freely. A little after he addeth that these things suffice not, but that there is a certain beginning of faith, because in believing that sins can not be forgiven but of God, we ought also to believe that they are not forgiven us, till also we be persuaded by the testimony of the holy ghost, that salvation is laid up in store for us: because God forgiveth sins, he himself giveth merits, and he himself also giveth rewards, that we may not stay still in this beginning. But these and other things shall be to be entreated of in places fit for them. Now let it only suffice to know what faith is.

For that flowing plentie of swetenesse whiche God hathe laied vp in store for them that feare him, canne not bee truely knowen, but that it muste therewythall vehemently mo•e affection: and whose affection it ones moneth, it vtterly rauisheth and carrieth hym beyonde himselfe. Therefore it is no maruell, if into a peruerse & crooked hearte neuer entreth this affection, by whiche beinge conueyed vp into the very heauen, we are suffred to com to thee moste secretly hidden treasures of God, and the most sacred priuie places of hys kyngedome, whyche maie not be defyled wyth the entrance of an vncleane hearte.