Man’s Corrupt Knowledge of God

​Indeed, vanity joined with pride can be detected in the fact that, in seeking God, miserable men do not rise above themselves as they should, but measure Him by the yardstick of their own carnal stupidity, and neglect sound investigation; thus out of curiosity, they fly off into empty speculations. They do not therefore apprehend God as He offers Himself, but imagine him as they have fashioned him in their own presumption.
 
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, I.iv.1