Certain homilies of m. Joan Calvin containing profitable and necessary, admonitio[n] for this time,…Certaine homilies of m. Ioan Calvine conteining profitable and necessarie, admonitio[n] for this time,…

But if we will have this stay and moderation of mind / that we can patiently abide / god will at the last declare / that it was not without a cause that he so greatly esteemed our life / and had it in so great honour. In the mean while let us not take it to grief / if it be now bestowed to confirm and garnish th• gospel / which excelleth heaven and earth in worthiness. And that we may be mor surely persuaded that god will never leave us as abjects in the hands of the enemies / let us not forget that same saying of Jesus Christ / wherein he saith / that it is he him self whom men do persecute in his members. ¹God had said before by Zachary / who so toucheth you toucheth the sight of mine eye. ²This is much more expressed / if we suffer for the gospel sake / it is even as the son of god him self were & suffered in that affliction. Therefore let us think so ⟨image 58⟩that Jesus Christ must forget him self / if he should have no care & thought of us at that time when we be in prison and danger of life for his cause & glory: and let us also know that god will take all the contumelies and injuries / as done against his own son. Let us come to the second place of consolation / with is one of the greatest among gods promises: that is / that god will so hold us up with the virtue of his spirit in thes afflictions / that our enemies what so ever they do / nor satan their chief captain shall in any thing go away with the over hand. And truly we do see how in that necessity / he doth show the succour and helps of his grace. For the invincible stoutness and constancy of mind with is seen in the true martyrs / is a notable token of that same most mighty power with god useth in his saints. There be two things in persecutions grievous / tedious and intolerable to the flesh whereof the one consisteth in the checks and rebukes of men / the other in the pain and torment of the body. In both thes kinds of temptations god doth promise so his assistance that we shall easily over come all the infamy and violence of the griefs and pain. And truly what he promiseth he doth perform in deed with most manifest and assured help. Let us then take this buckler to defend us against all fear / ⟨image 59⟩