most explicit faith, so to speak, in these things; whereas they prove none of them from the word of God?  Why, but because their belly is their God, their kitchen is their religion; deprived of which they consider themselves no longer as Christians, or even as men.  For though some feast themselves in splendour, and others subsist on slender fare, yet all live on the same pot, which, without this fuel, would not only cool, but completely freeze.  Every one of them, therefore, who is most solicitous for his belly, is found to be a most strenuous champion for their faith.  Indeed, they universally exert themselves for the preservation of their kingdom, and the repletion of their bellies; but not one of them discovers the least indication of sincere zeal.

Nor do their attacks on our doctrine cease here; they urge every topic of accusation and abuse to render it an object of hatred or suspicion.  They call it novel, and of recent origin,—­they cavil at it as doubtful and uncertain,—­they inquire by what miracles it is confirmed,—­they ask whether it is right for it to be received contrary to the consent of so many holy fathers, and the custom of the highest antiquity,—­they urge us to confess that it is schismatical in stirring up opposition against the Church, or that the Church was wholly extinct for many ages, during which no such thing was known.—­Lastly, they say all arguments are unnecessary; for that its nature may be determined by its fruits, since it has produced such a multitude of sects, so many factious tumults, and such great licentiousness of vices.  It is indeed very easy for them to insult a deserted cause with the credulous and ignorant multitude; but, if we had also the liberty of speaking in our turn, this acrimony, which they now discover in violently foaming against us with equal licentiousness and impunity, would presently cool.

In the first place, their calling it novel is highly injurious to God, whose holy word deserves not to be accused of novelty.  I have no doubt of its being new to them, to whom Jesus Christ and the Gospel are equally new.  But those who know the antiquity of this preaching of Paul, “that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and rose again for our justification,"[8] will find no novelty among us.  That it has long been concealed, buried, and unknown, is the crime of human impiety.  Now that the goodness of God has restored it to us, it ought at least to be allowed its just claim of antiquity.

From the same source of ignorance springs the notion of its being doubtful and uncertain.  This is the very thing which the Lord complains of by his prophet; that “the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib,"[9] but that his people know not him.  But however they may laugh at its uncertainty, if they were called to seal their own doctrine with their blood and lives, it would appear how much they value it.  Very different is our confidence, which dreads neither the terrors of death, nor even the tribunal of God.