The Institution of Christian Religion

For he affirmeth that it shall not only win the victory in one or few battles, or against some one assault, but also that it shall get the overhand of the whole world, although it be a thousand times assailed.

For he affirmeth yt it shal not only winne the victorie in one or fewe battels, or against some one assault, but also that it shal get the ouerhande of the whole world, although it be a thousand times assayled.

There is an other kind of fear & trembling, but such a one as by it the assuredness of faith is so nothing at all diminished ye thereby it is the more soundly stablished. That is, when the faithful either in thinking that the examples of Gods vengeance against the wicked are showed for lessons for them to learn by, do carefully beware that they happen not to provoke gods wrath against themselves with the same offences: or recording with themselves their own misery, do learn to hang altogether upon the Lord, without whom they see themselves to be more fickle & sooner vanishing than any blast of wind. For when the Apostle in setting forth the scourges wherewith the Lord in old time had punished y• people of Israel,¹ putteth the Corinthians in fear that they entangle not themselves with like evils: he doth not thereby abate their affiance▪ but only shaketh away the dullness of the flesh by which faith is wont more to be oppressed than strengthened. And when he taketh occasion of yt Jews fall to exhort him ye standeth,² to take heed that he fall not, he doth not thereby bid us to waver, as though we were not fully assured of our steadfastness, but only he taketh away arrogant presumption & rash trusting to much in our own strength, that after the thrusting out of the Jews, the Gentiles being received into their place, should not to much ⟨p. 118⟩