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 therefore let us arm our selves, when we are told of the attempts wherewith Satan goeth about to assail us, and let us, I say, be well appointed before the blow come, and show our selves to be so settled in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although we cannot at the first perceive, how the thing which is told us, may come to pass, yet let us rest in him, & do him this honour, to believe, that he will at last show him self faithful. And it is very needful that we should be thus tried even to the uttermost. For otherwise, we would be to to fine and nice, and lay our faith to mortgage, or else feign us here an earthly paradise, & so our senses would never be able to raise us as hie as heaven, that we might forsake this world. Which thing we may very perfectly see in the mother of John & James. For we understand, that she was before that, so ambitiously carried, as that she would have had our Lord Jesus sit in his Kingly throne with all the pomp and bravery that might be, & her sons to sit by him, as his two Lieutenants. For thus she said unto him,¹ I beseech thee Sir command that one of my sons may sit on thy right hand, and the other on thy left. Here we see a foolish glorious woman, who would fain have seen her children in some glistering earthly triumph.

And therefore let vs arme our selues, when we are tolde of the attemps wherwith Satan goeth about to assaile vs, and let vs, I say, be well appoynted before the blow come, and shew our selues to be so setled in ye power of our Lord Iesus Christ, that although wee cannot at the first perceiue, how the thing which is tolde vs, may come to passe, yet let vs rest in him, & doo him this honor, to beléeue, that hee will at last shew him selfe faithfull. And it is very néedefull yt we shoulde be thus tryed euen to the vttermost. For otherwise, we would bée to to fine and nice, and laye our faith to morgage, or els faine vs héere an earthly paradice, & so our sences woulde neuer be able to raise vs as hie as heauen, yt we might forsake this world. Which thing we may very perfectlye sée in the mother of Iohn & Iames. For we vnderstand, yt she was before that, so ambitiously carried, as yt she would haue had our Lord Iesus sit in his Kingly throane with all the pompe and brauery that might be, & her sonnes to sit by him, as his two Lieftennaunts. For thus she said vnto him,¹ I beseech thée Sir cōmaund that one of my sons may sit on thy right hand, and the other on thy left. Héere we sée a foolishe glorious woman, who woulde faine haue séene her children in some glistringe earthly tryumph.