The lawe of nature. / Ignorance brought i… by corrup…ion of nature.
Seeking the Law of Nature
The Master asks the Scholar to explain the law of nature, which is the law engrafted by God.
Master. I want you now to tell me further what that law is which you're speaking of: the one we call the law of nature? or some other besides?
The Light Dimmed by Sin
The Scholar recalls that the law of nature was originally perfect but became obscured after sin entered the world.
Scholar. I remember, Master, that I learned from you long ago: that God planted it in human nature while that nature was still sound and uncorrupted.1 But after sin entered, although the wise were, to some extent and in a manner of speaking, not completely ignorant of that light of nature, yet by then it was so hidden from most people that they scarcely perceived any shadow of it.2
Read the original English
Master. I wyll nowe that thou tell me further, what lawe is that whyche thou speakest of: that whych we call the lawe of nature? or some other besydes?
Scholer. I remēber maister that I learned that of you longe ago: that it was ingraffed by God in the nature of man, whyle nature was yet sounde and vncorrupted. But after the ētrā … of synne, although the wyse were somewhat after a sort …ot vtterly ignorant of that …yght of nature: yet was it …y that tyme so hydde from the greatest part of mē, that they scāt perceyued any shadow thereof.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source 'ingraffed' is Early Modern for 'engrafted' (implanted by grafting); kept as 'engrafted' to preserve the horticultural metaphor of the law being set into human nature.
- 2 ↩Normalized source is truncated with ellipses and macrons: 'ētrā … of synne', '…ot vtterly', '…yght of nature', '…y that tyme', 'mē', 'scāt'. Orthography, chapter theme (ignorance from corruption of nature), and Early Modern idiom support restoring 'entrance of synne', 'not vtterly', 'lyght of nature', 'by that tyme', 'men', and 'scant'.
John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit