The second Chapter. Of the naturall knowledge of God by the things created: & whervnto this knowledge tendeth. And whether there be anie that knoweth not God. Out of the Epistle to the Romans, Cap. 1, verse. 19. Looke, In Sam. Cap. 6, vers. 22.
PAule in the Epistle to the Romans disputing of the naturall knowledge of God, 1 saith, 2 that that which is knowne of God is manifest among them. In the Gréek we read ⟨…⟩; As if wée should saie, That which may be knowen of God. Which therefore is said, bicause there be many diuine mysteries, 3 vnto which wée cannot by nature attaine: as is this, that God would iustifie vs fréelie, forgiue our sins through Christ crucified, and restore these verie bodies of ours vnto eternall felicitie. These & such other like, the nature of things teacheth vs not. Therfore (saith Paule) That which might be knowne of God is made manifest in them. In that place he declareth what maner of truth it is, that they withheld in vnrighteousnes. It was the knowledge of things pertaining vnto God, which they attained vnto by a naturall instinct. And Paule reduceth all those things, 4 that they knew, into twoo principall points: namelie, the euerlasting power of God, and his diuinitie. For by the very workmanship of this world, they knew God to be most mightie. Further, they knew by the beautie, shew, & distinction of all things, that so great a power was administred by a most high prouidence and wisedome. 5 Also the commoditie and profit of things created taught them the Maiestie of God, which consisteth chieflie in this, that he dooth good vnto all things. These be the things which God bestowed vpon the Ethnikes: but they abused the gifts of God. Wherfore verie well agréeth with them that similitude, 6 which Chrysostome vseth. For thus hée saith: If a king should giue much monie to his seruant for the furniture of his houshold, & amplifieng of his gorgious estate, to the end that his magnificence and honor might be the more manifest: and the wicked seruant should lewdlie spend the monie vpon brothels and harlots; should not this seruant (saith he) séeme woorthilie & rightlie to haue deserued punishment? Euen so did the wise men among the Ethnikes behaue themselues. 7 For they receiued of GOD a verie excellent knowledge of things, wherewith when they should haue worshipped and adorned him, they turned it to the worshipping of stones, and stocks, and of images. Wherfore not without cause did the wrath of God waxe hote against them.
2 And whereas it is written: It was made manifest in them: neither is it said, In all: the Scripture dooth seuer the wise and the philosophers, from the barbarous & vnskilfull multitude. For all things were not knowne to all alike: which neuertheles happened by the fault of these philosophers. For they ought to haue preached openlie, and beaten into the eares of the common people, those things which they knew. 8 And yet this they did not, as did the prophets and apostles, but with a proud mind kept these things among themselues, yea and after a sort hid them, that they should not be vnderstood of all men. Wherevpon the epistle of Aristotle to Alexander is much spoken of; wherein he saith, that his bookes of naturall philosophie are so set foorth by him, as if they were not set foorth. For the philosophers séemed of set purpose, to make their writings obscure, to the intent they should not be vnderstood by others. Besides this, through their arguings they polluted those excellent things which they knew to be pure. When they vnderstood that there is but one God, and iudged that hée ought to be worshipped, they gathered afterward of themselues: 9 Séeing the common people are not apt to worship the high diuinitie that is spred ouer all things, (for they cannot perceiue it after this maner) it shall be well doon to diuide it, and to assigne it vnto images, 10 signes of heauen, and to other creatures. And the same men, when they acknowledged that the nature of GOD was seuered from all corporall matter: that is to saie, that he is a Spirit, and therefore to be worshipped in mind and spirit: they thinking the common people to be so rude in comparison of themselues, as they could not attaine vnto this, brought in outward rites and ceremonies deuised of their owne heads, the which men hauing performed, they should thinke that they had fulfilled the seruice of God: and so by their slender reasons they corrupted that, which being pure they had gathered out of the creatures, and gaue no such credit as they ought to haue done to the truth which they knew. 11 Otherwise they would haue submitted themselues to the mightie power, which they acknowledged, and would haue suffered themselues to be ruled by the prouidence of God, and would haue trusted to him in their aduersities: which neuertheles they did not, 12 naie rather they shamefullie despaired. Cicero crieth out in his later time in an Epistle to Octauius: O that I was neuer wise! And in his bookes De natura deorum, he bringeth in Cotta, notwithstanding hée were chéefe bishop, to saie, that he would verie faine haue it prooued indéed, that there be anie gods at all. And so whilest they would not beléeue those things which they knew naturallie of God, they were not onelie wicked towards him, but also iniurious towards their neighbours. 13 And oftentimes the more famous philosophers they were, the more infamous life they led. According as the Poet taunteth them: Curious life they faine, but followe Bacchus vaine. For the wrath of GOD waxed hot against them. And euen as a schoolmaister that continuallie instructeth his scholler, (who yet in the meane time is thinking & dooing other things) cannot suffer so great negligence: so doth God behaue himselfe towards vs. For he conitnuallie holdeth open before our eies, the booke of the things created: he is euer calling and illuminating of vs; but we alwaies turne awaie our mind from his doctrine, otherwise occupieng our selues. Wherefore God will cast vs awaie, as naughtie schollers: neither will hée suffer so great an iniurie vnreuenged.