A17690:156
Divers sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the divinity, humanity, and nativity of our…Diuers sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, concerning the diuinitie, humanitie, and natiuitie of our…
Divers sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the divinity, humanity, and nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ as also touching his passion, death, resurrection, ascension: together with the coming down of the holy Ghost upon his Apostles: and the first sermon of S. Peter. The order of which you shall find in the page ensuing.Diuers sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, concerning the diuinitie, humanitie, and natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christe as also touching his passion, death, resurection, ascention: togeather with the comming downe of the holy Ghoste vpon his Apostles: and the first sermon of S. Peter. The order of which you shall finde in the page ensuing.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for George Byshop, 1581
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Sermons on the passion › Sermon 4: The fourth Sermon of the passion.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Here then we see how horribly and grievously Peter fell thrice, which ought greatly to fear us in reading of the Story. Now, we know how zealous he was:1 Moreover our Lord Jesus Christ commended him, and was called Peter to signify unto us the constancy of his faith: he was brought up in a very good School, and he had heard this doctrine taught, whosoever denieth me before men,2 I will also deny him before my father which is in heaven. And yet we see how he fell. And here every of us hath good occasion to tremble and be afeard: because Peters weakness was no greater then ours, if we be not holpen from above: wherefore, in the first place we see, how frail we are, so soon as God taketh his hand from us. For mention is not here made of a scorner, nor of a profane man, neither yet of one who had not tasted of the gospel, nor that feared God, or yet reverenced our Lord Jesus Christ. But it was all clean contrary: because there were excellent gifts in Peter.3 For the son of God said unto him, Flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee, but my father which is in heaven. We see then that the holy ghost was in Peter. And yet what a combat had he about the denying of our Lord Jesus? yea with a silly Maid. But if a man, had so spoken unto him, or if some honourable personage had made him afeard, he might have had some colour for himself, but we see that a poor Maid was enough to cause him forsake the hope of life and salvation. Let us therefore look upon the person of Peter, and we shall see that God had need to strengthen us every minute of an hour, because we are not else able to abide it: and although we have laboured to come near unto his majesty, and that we have done many virtuous deeds, yet shall we, in the turning of an hand, be altogether changed, without God continueth in us an invincible constancy, & therefore let us learn to put Pauls admonition in practise, which is this let him that thinketh he standeth,4 beware he falleth not. It is very true, we are not able to uphold our selves, but let us run unto him that hath the mean to do it: and in the mean while, let us ⟨p. 46⟩