Divine considerations treating of those things which are most profitable, most necessary and most perfect in our Christian profession by John Valdesso.

CONSID. XXXVII.

That they who know God by mens relation, have a false opinion of him, and they who know him by the holy Spirit; have a true.

THis is alwayes true, that men frame their o∣pinions and conceits of those things which they know not, according to the relations and informations that men give them of those things. And it comes to passe, that when a man takes an affection to every thing which he seeth, we hold him for vain; and that when he doth delight to take money and gifts, we hold him for covetous; and that when he doth not pardon when he is offended, we hold him for cruel, inhumane, and revengefull: So this is alwayes true, that when we have need of such a man, we do endeavour to gain his good will with those things which are according to the opinion and conceit which we have of him by relation; in which we continue and persevere, untill such time as coming into acquaintance and familiarity with that man, by little and little

we have other opinions and conceits of him, according to that which we our selves know of him. Whereupon now we do not go about to gain his good will by those things with which we did at first, following the Relation; but by those things which according to our own know∣ledge seem to us to be to purpose.

This betides us with God: Men being de∣ceived by humane Philosophy, and by their own wisdome and reason, which doth not reach un∣to the knowledge of God; and being deceived principally by superstition, and false religion, they make relation that God is so delicate and sensitive, that he is offended for every thing: that he is so vindicative, that he doth punish all offences: that he is so cruell, that he punisheth them with eternall punishment: that he is so in∣humane, that he delights that we should cha∣stize our persons, insomuch as to shed our own bloud which he hath given unto us; and that we should deprive our selves of that substance which he hath given unto us, to the end that we should therewith maintain our selves in this pre∣sent life; that he doth delight that we should go naked and barefoot, alwayes suffering: that he is vain, and that presents do please him, and that he delights to have gold and goodly furni∣ture; and in summe, that he delights himself in all those things, in which a tyrant doth delight, and rejoyceth to have from them that are sub∣ject

to him. According to this Relation which men make to us of God, we frame our opinions and our conceits of God; and so much the more, because what men tell us by word of mouth, we find written in the writings of men. And inasmuch as both they and we, when we begin to reade holy Scripture, have already conceived this opinion of God, and formed these conceits of him, it comes to passe, that not gathering the true fruit of holy Scripture, which consist∣eth in the knowledge of God, but rather stretching it out, and understanding it according to that opinion, and to those conceits which vve bring with us by the Relation of men, it be∣falls us, that the holy Scripture being the Re∣lation of the holy Spirit, by means whereof we might conceive a true opinion and right con∣ceits of God, we make it that it become the rela∣tion of men, & that it speaks not that which the holy Spirit intends, but that w^ch humane igno∣rance imagines. From whence it comes to passe, that men knowing that they have need of God, because they hold him for sensitive, for vindica∣tive, for cruel, live in continuall scruples, & con∣tinuall fear & terrour, w^ch are things that ordi∣narily beget hatred. Because we hold him for in∣humane, we punish our own persons with fast∣ings, with watchings, with disciplines, & with all those other things which the flesh abhorres; and in this we think much to please God, because

we account him covetous, we offer unto him our goods, and we adorn him with ornaments of gold, of silver, and of jewels. And in summe, because we account him a tyrant, we demean our selves with him in all things and every where, as we demean our selves with them that are tyrants. In this we abide, & in this we perse∣vere all the time that we frame our opinions and our conceits of God, by the relation that we have of men. Whence I understand, that whilest a man procures to gain Gods good will by these things, he shews that the opinion and conceit that he hath of God, is by mans relation. And if any man shall say unto me, I do these things to conform my self with others, but I have no confidence in them, nor do I esteem them at all; I shall answer him, that it is a most difficult thing to understand whether he trust in them or no. And I shall say unto him, Wilt thou, brother, understand whe∣ther thou trust in them or no? Examine thy self well, whether thou find satisfaction in do∣ing of them, or no; whether thou hast a good opinion of them who do them, or no; and whe∣ther thou hast an evil opinion of them that do them not, or no; and so shalt thou understand whether thou hast confidence in them, or no. And finding that thou hast confidence in them, hold for certain, that the opinion and conceit which thou hast of God, is by relation of men.

They who accepting the Gospel, and through the covenant of justification which is by Jesus Christ our Lord, are made the sonnes of God, and having familiarity with God, know God, and get a new opinion of God, and frame new thoughts of God, not now by relation but by knowledge and experience; and going unto the holy Scriptures with their new thoughts, find written in it the self same which they know and experiment: they find that God is patient, mercifull, slow to wrath, and estranged from revenge; except it be in them that are the vessels of wrath, whom also God for sometime suffers. Understanding this, they drive out of their minds all scruples, fears, and terrours; they understand that God is full of such loving kind∣nesse, that to give eternall life to men, he sent into the world his own sonne, made a man, on whom he executed the rigour of his justice, whereby they know, that he doth not delight that men should punish their own persons; but this indeed he requires, that they should in such sort be dispoiled of self love, that being evil in∣treated upon whatsoever occasion, they should not be grieved nor resent themselves; And that he would not that they should deprive themselves of their goods, but that they should possesse them in such manner, that being by whatever occasion deprived of them, they should not esteem it for evil, nor be sorrow∣full;

and that it being necessary to leave them, God calling them to the preaching and manife∣station of the Gospel, they should immediate∣ly leave them, and deprive themselves of them. Finally, these persons holding this new opinion, and these new conceits of God, know∣ing God first in Christ, are just and holy; and knowing that God delights himself in holinesse and righteousnesse, they serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse. And also acknowledging God in naturall things, they content themselves with all things, after whatsoever manner they come to passe; they follow willingly that or∣der which God hath set, without being grie∣ved or resenting themselves for any of those things which befall them, holding them all for good, and just, and holy; although sometimes according to the judgement of humane wisdome they be judged the contrary. And because they understand that God is delighted with this o∣bedience, and this mortification of humane wisdome, in serving with obedience, and with mortification, they serve with piety: In this they abide whilest they remain in the opinion and in the conceits which are had of God, by the familiarity, and by the knowledge, and by the experience that they have of God, who ac∣cept the covenant of justification, which is by Jesus Christ our Lord. They as I understand, not onely find no satisfaction in those things

which they do, who stand in that opinion of God, and in those conceits of God, which are had by relation of men; but if they be necessi∣tated to do them, they feel displeasure and dis∣content: And this displeasure, and this discon∣tent in these things, I understand to be a good countersigne for to know that a man hath now lost the opinion, and those conceits of God which are by relation of men, and hath obtain∣ed that opinion, and those conceits of God which are by familiarity, and by the knowledge of God, and by the experience of those things which are by the spirit of God.

By this Consideration I understand the cause why a person beginning to have familiarity with God, and to have experience of the things of the spirit of God, it seems every day to him that the knowledge of God is renewed in him, that is, that he comes anew to know God; because that holding a long time imprinted in his mind that opinion of God, and those conceits which are by relation of men, and not being able at once to dispoyl himself of them, and leaving them by little and little, he goes on by little and little, re∣ceiving that opinion and those conceits of God, which are by the spirit of God. Whereupon it comes to passe, that it seems to him to make so many changes in the knowledge of God as those are, which he makes in leaving his old opinion, and his old conceits of God, and in clothing of

himself with a new opinion, and new conceits of God. And because it is also more proportiona∣ble to the depraved nature of man, to abide in the first then in the second, in the old then in the new, in that of Adam then in that of Christ, in that of the Law then in that of the Gospel; I understand that with difficulty doth a man spoil himself of the old, and cloath himself with the new. And I understand, that to a regenerate man & renued by the holy spirit, it appertains to keep his mind all his life long attent to despoil himself of that opinion, and of those conceits of God which are by relation of men; and to cloath himself with that opinion, and with those conceits of God, which are by Reve∣lation of the spirit of God, which is obtained by Jesus Christ our Lord.