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…

Now, this then was a wonderful power & strength to wait for the kingdom of God, because the Jews were made Bastards unto it, and in the opinion of the world, the occasions thereof were very great. For the Prophets had foretold, that at the return of the people out of Babylon,¹ that God would become such a redeemer unto them: that his kingdom should flourish most honourably & that the temple should be built more gloriously then ever before it was: that they should enjoy all the pleasures that might be, & lead a most blessed life, that all men should be in quiet, & no talk be had but of rejoicing in God, of blessing his name, and of yielding him praise, & thanksgiving. And this is it which the Prophets promised. But how fared it with the people? Forsooth their neighbours did eat & drink them up, they grieved, & vexed them, & there was such tyranny used, as that innocent blood was spilt throughout all the town, the book of the law burnt, & every man forbidden upon pain of death not once to read it, & such cruelties committed, as were horrible. The temple also was altogether polluted. And what became of the house of David? Forsooth, it was cut clean down, & at last: the whole state became worse & worse. And therefore no marvel, although so rude a people & so given over to all their desires & lusts, ⟨image 86⟩had not almost fallen from the true religion, and been clean out of heart: because we see that the number of those which patiently suffered,² and were constant in faith, were very rare and few. And of this number were Simeon, Anna the Prophetess, and Joseph. But what? The holy Ghost setteth down unto us in so great a multitude, amongest the Jews, and in a country so notably peopled, four or five, as a thing which was not ordinary, and witnesseth that it were they only who looked for the kingdom of God: and it was to this end, that we might learn, that when things were confounded & in a desperate case, that we should then look steadfastly upon God.

Nowe, this then was a wonderfull power & strength to waite for the kingdome of God, because the Iewes were made Bastards vnto it, and in the opinion of the worlde, the occasions therof were very great. For the Prophets had foretold, that at the returne of the people out of Babylon,