The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the…The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the…

Besides this, we have too mark here, that after Saint Paul hath spoken of the vanity of mind, he addeth, Blindness of mind, or Darkness of understanding: and lastly he sayeth, Blindness or Stubbornness of hart. This blazing of men after this sort, serves well too put them quite out of conceit. For when the Philosophers spake of the excellency and worthiness that is in mans nature, they did always set down Reason as an overruler: Next her they did s•t down discretion, between good and evil, when men debate in themselves, and make a searching and a turmoiling (for things). After ⟨p. 200⟩that manner did they make as it were a Court bar, too the end too make man judge of good and evil. It should seem then that Saint Paul here abaseth men too much, when he saith, that Reason hath nothing in it but vanity, untruth, and deceitfulness: and again, that all that ever men can conceive, is but a maze of vain fancies, and that they do but overthrow them selves more and more, as if a blind wretch should wander abroad in the dark. Yet notwithstanding, the holy Ghost is the only competent judge too give sentence of the things that are in us, least we might think our selves too have won the goal by flattering of our selves, according as he told us afore, that men have their eyes so blindfolded with the fond opinion which they have conceived of their own worthiness, that they cannot be ashamed and confess their own lewdness. That was the cause why the Philosophers did always magnify the nature of man, and yet notwithstanding experience showeth the clean contrary: for the vanity that is in them is apparent. But they wited that upon mens negligence and recklessness, so that if men would apply all the senses of nature throughly, too know what is good, they should be as little Angels. They imagined so: but that was for want of boul•yng them too the bottom. For they never wist what God is: and that made them too discharge themselves so lightly towards him: insomuch that even they which disputed most cunningly of Gods majesty, and had a higher understanding than the common sort, and (too be short) were esteemed the wizzest men in the world: could notwithstanding never come near the truth of God: and whensoever his seruis came in question, they were so gravelled, that they turned all things upside down.

Besydes this, wee haue too marke heere, that after Saynt Paule hath spoken of the vanitie of mynd, he addeth, Blyndnesse of mynde, or Darkenesse of vnderstanding: and lastly he sayeth, Blyndnesse or Stubbornesse of hart. This blazing of men after this sort, serues well too put them quyte out of conceyt. For when the Philosophers spake of the excellencie and woorthinesse that is in mans nature, they did alwayes set downe Reason as an ouerruler: Next hir they did st downe discretion, betweene good and euill, when men debate in themselues, and make a serching and a turmoyling (for things). After