o far
as reason dictates to adapt our actions to their dispositions.

III. We see that this natural Divine law does not demand the performance
of ceremonies--that is, actions in themselves indifferent, which are
called good from the fact of their institution, or actions symbolizing
something profitable for salvation, or (if one prefers this definition)
actions of which the meaning surpasses human understanding. The natural
light of reason does not demand anything which it is itself unable to
supply, but only such as it can very clearly show to be good, or a means
to our blessedness. Such things as are good simply because they have
been commanded or instituted, or as being symbols of something good, are
mere shadows which cannot be reckoned among actions that are the
offspring, as it were, or fruit of a sound mind and of intellect. There
is no need for me to go into this now in more detail.

IV. Lastly, we see that the highest reward of the Divine law is the law
itself, namely, to know God and to love Him of our free choice, and with
an undivided and fruitful spirit; while its penalty is the absence of
these things, and being in bondage to the flesh--that is, having an
inconstant and wavering spirit.

These points being noted, I must now inquire

I. Whether by the natural light of reason we can conceive of God as a
lawgiver or potentate ordaining laws for men?

II. What is the teaching of Holy Writ concerning this natural light of
reason and natural law?

III. With what objects were ceremonies formerly instituted?

IV. Lastly, what is the good gained by knowing the sacred histories and
believing them?

Of the first two I will treat in this chapter, of the remaining two in
the following one.

Our conclusion about the first is easily deduced from the nature of
God's will, which is only distinguished from His understanding in
relation to our intellect--that is, the will and the understanding of
God are in reality one and the same, and are only distinguished in
relation to our thoughts which we form concerning God's understanding.
For instance, if we are only looking to the fact that the nature of a
triangle is from eternity contained in the Divine nature as an eternal
verity, we say that God possesses the idea of a triangle, or that He
understands the nature of a triangle; but if afterwards we look to the
fact that the nature of a triangle is thus contained in the Divine
nature, solely by the necessity of the Div