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, by this we are advertised, ye god oftentimes so worketh in us, as that we do not perceive, as a man would say, whether we have profited any whit or not: for we are so ignorant & so fantastical, as that we are overshadowed as with clouds, whereby we are not able to behold the clear light, to be short, all the doctrine of God seemeth to us very unprofitable: & yet we find some taste amongst, which maketh us feel that god hath wrought in our harts. For although there be but a spark of grace in us, let us not be discouraged: but beseech the Lord to increase that little that he hath begun, until such time as we be brought to a full perfection, from the which we are as yet very far of.

Now, by this we are aduertised, ye god oftētimes so worketh in vs, as yt we do not perceue, as a man would say, whether we haue profited any whit or not: for we ar so ignorant & so fantastical, as yt we are ouershadowed as wt clouds, wherby we are not able to behold the clere light, to be short, all the doctrine of God séemeth to vs very vnprofitable: & yet wée find some tast amongst, which maketh vs féele yt god hath wrought in our harts. For although ther be but a spark of grace in vs, let vs not be discouraged: but beséeche the Lord to encrease yt litle that he hath begun, vntil such time as we be brought to a ful perfection, frō the which we are as yet very far of.

And although the fear and joy which these women had, be accounted and condemned for a fault, yet we see that God continually governed them by his holy spirit, and that the message which the Angel delivered unto them, was not altogether unprofitable. We are now to look further into the matter: and that is this, that Lord Jesus appeared in the way unto them, and said, fear ye not but go and tell my Brethren, that they meet altogether in Galilee, and there they shall see me. We see here in this place, a great deal more, how that the son of God draweth us unto him by degrees, until such time as we be throughly confirmed, whereof we have great need. Now, this was sufficient enough that the women had hard the message delivered by the mouth of the Angel, & the signs and tokens were such as that they could not choose but think that he was sent from God, for his face did shine, as it were. In very deed, the whit garment and such like, was not, lively to express the majesty of God, howbeit the women had an assured testimony that it was not a mortal man which spake, but an Angel from heaven. And therefore, this was a sufficient testimony unto them, but yet they were a great deal the more assured, whenas they had seen our Lord Jesus, whom they before knew to be the son of God, & his unchangeable truth. And this more fully ratified the thing, which they had before heard by the mouth of the Angel. And thus we see how we may increase in faith: for at the first, we shall not be able to understand, what power and effect is in the word of God, but if we be taught well, something we learn by it, and yet is this little or nothing God wat: howbeit, God by little and little toucheth us with his holy spirit, & in the end showeth us that it is he himself which speaketh. And then are we fully resolved, insomuch as we have not only some knowledge, but we are also so persuaded, as that when the devil shall go about to devise whatsoever he can possibly, yet shall he never be able to shake our faith, because we hold this principle, that the son of God is our teacher, upon whom we stay, because we know him to have all mastership over us, & is worthy of most excellent authority. And this we see was in these women. Indeed, God worketh not alike, in all men.