The Institution of Christian Religion

¶The .vi. Chapter. That, to attain to God the Creator, it is needful to have the scripture to be our guide and mistress.

¶The .vi. Chapter. That, to atteyne to God the Creatour, it is nedefull to haue the scripture to be our guyde and maistresse.

Therefore although that same brightness, which both in heaven and earth shineth in the eyes of all men, doth sufficiently take away all defence from the wickedness of men, even so as God, to wrap all mankind in one guiltiness, doeth show his divine majesty to all without exception as it were portrayed out in his creatures: yet is it necessary that we have also an other and a better help that may rightly direct ⟨p. 12⟩us to the very creator of the world. Therefore not in vain he hath added the light of his word, that thereby he mought be known to salvation. And this prerogative he hath vouchsafed to give to us, whom it pleased him more nearly and more familiarly to draw together to himself. For because he saw the minds of all men to be carried about with wandering and unsteadfast motion, after he had chosen the Jews to his peculiar flock, he compassed them in as it were with bars, that they should not wander out in vanity as other did. And not without cause he holdeth us with the same mean in the true knowledge of himself. For otherwise even they should quickly swerve away that seem to stand steadfast in comparison of other. For as old men, or poor blind, or they whose eyes are dim sighted, if you lay a fair book before them, though they perceive that there is somewhat written therein, yet can they not read two words together: but being holpen with spectacles set between them and it, they begin to read distinctly: so the Scripture gathering up together in our minds the knowledge of God, which otherwise is but confused, doeth remove the mist, and plainly show us the true god. This therefore is a singular gift, that to the instruction of his church God useth not only dumb teachers, but also openeth his own holy mouth: not only publisheth that there is some God to be worshipped, but also there withal pronounceth that he himself is the same God whom we ought to worship: and doeth not only teach the elect to look upon God, but also presenteth himself unto them to be looked upon. This order hath he kept from the beginning toward his church, beside these common instructions to give them also his word. Which is the righter and certainer mark to know him by.