242
Prefacetothesecondpart.—Tospeakofthosewhohavetreatedofthismatter.
, theirfirstchapteristoproveDivinityfromtheworksofnature.[91] Ishouldnotbeastonishedattheirenterprise, iftheywereaddressingtheirargumenttothefaithful; , andinwhomwepurposetorekindleit, personsdestituteoffaithandgrace, who, seekingwithalltheirlightwhatevertheyseeinnaturethatcanbringthemtothisknowledge, findonlyobscurityanddarkness; totellthemthattheyhaveonlytolookatthesmallestthingswhichsurroundthem, andtheywillseeGodopenly, togivethem, asacompleteproofofthisgreatandimportantmatter, thecourseofthemoonandplanets, andtoclaimtohaveconcludedtheproofwithsuchanargument, .
ItisnotafterthismannerthatScripturespeaks, , onthecontrary, thatGodisahiddenGod, andthat, sincethecorruptionofnature, HehasleftmeninadarknessfromwhichtheycanescapeonlythroughJesusChrist, , nisiFilius, etcuivolueritFiliusrevelare.[92]
ThisiswhatScripturepointsouttous, whenitsaysinsomanyplacesthatthosewhoseekGodfindHim.[93] Itisnotofthatlight, "likethenoondaysun," , orwaterinthesea, shallfindthem; : VeretuesDeusabsconditus.[94]
243
, Solomon, etc., haveneversaid, "Thereisnovoid, thereforethereisaGod." Theymusthavehadmoreknowledgethanthemostlearnedpeoplewhocameafterthem, .
244
"Why! DoyounotsayyourselfthattheheavensandbirdsproveGod?" No."Anddoesyourreligionnotsayso?" , yetitisfalsewithrespecttothemajorityofmen.
245
