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…

and thereby eternally live in bliss, which never shall have end. And in deed, the eternal God brought the children of Israel hereunto, by that Manna wherewith he fed them in the wilderness. Whereupon, it will come to pass, that if we do, as many of them did, who made none other reckoning but of stuffing their paunches, and thereby looked into none other matter: that we also shall die, even as they did. For as it is impossible for us to live here in this world, without the use of bread and other food, which God the Creator hath ordained, as means whereby he adjoining thereto his heavenly power, would sustain us in this corporal life: Even so likewise is it as impossible for us to be partakers of everlasting life, except we be fed with this food of the soul: wherewith being appointed by God, to the same end, the holy Ghost serveth as it were for an instrument, to cause us possess, through a lively and true faith Christ Jesus, who is alone given to us for life, and without whom, we continually abide in death. Wherefore, seeing the soul is more excellent then the body, the heavenly bread more precious then corruptible bread, and everlasting life, far more worth, then the transitory life for a day, it is most certain, that heavenly benefits are without all comparison, a great deal more excellent then corporal, and to be preferred before them. Now, if we would at the least consider, as in deed we ought, what a benefit were it, to have the true fear and knowledge of God, in stead of being altogether ignorant thereof, and contemning the same: to trust surely in him alone, in stead of trusting too too much unto our selves: unfeignedly to love our neighbours, in stead of envying and hating of them, before we are regenerate: and to have a pure and ⟨image 3⟩sound heart belonging to everlasting life, in stead of all iniquity, wherein we bathe and feed our selves as fish in the water? To be short, if we think it no small matter, that all supernatural gifts: altogether abolished in man through sin, be restored to us, through Christ Jesus alone: and that, reason, understanding, judgement, will, and other such natural gifts, which man had of his Creator, howbeit, corrupted by the same fall, be likewise, through the same Saviour renewed in us:

and thereby eternally liue in blisse, which neuer shal haue end. And in deed, the eternall God brought the children of Israel heereunto, by that Manna wherwith he fed them in the wildernesse. Whereupon, it will come to passe, that if we doe, as many of thē did, who made none other reckoning but of stuffinge their paunches, and thereby looked into none other matter: that wee also shal die, euen as they did. For as it is impossible for vs to liue heere in this world, without the vse of bread and other food, which God the Creator hath ordeined, as means wherby he adioyning thereto his heauenly power, would susteine vs in this corporal life: Euen so likewise is it as impossible for vs to be partakers of euerlasting life, except we be fed with this food of the soule: wherewith being appointed by God, to the same end, the holy Ghoste serueth as it were for an instrument, to cause vs possesse, through a liuely and true faith Christe Iesus, who is alone giuen to vs for life, and without whom, we continually abide in death. Wherefore, seeing the soule is more excellent then the body, the heauenly bread more precious then corruptible bread, and euerlasting life, farre more worth, then the transitory life for a day, it is most certaine, that heauenly benefits are without al comparison, a great deale more excellent then corporal, and to be preferred before them. Now, if wee woulde at the least consider, as in deede wee ought, what a benefite were it, to haue the true feare and knowledge of God, in steede of being altogether ignorant thereof, and contemning the same: to trust surely in him alone, in stead of trusting too too muche vnto our selues: vnfeinedlye to loue our neighbors, in steade of enuying and hating of them, before wee are regenerate: and to haue a pure and