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, he foreseeth that when the Gospel shall be preached throughout the face of the whole earth, that some will make a jest at it, some will be mad at it, some will never find any taste in it, some will be blockish, other some will hypocritically lye unto GOD, and make a show that they love and obey the Gospel, and yet all shall be but plain dissembling. Wherefore, the Prophet seeing the world to be thus wicked, and foreseeing that God should not be heard, nor yet his word so reverently received as it ought, wondered, and cried out saying, Who shall believe our doctrine? As if he should have said, Alas, I preach here salvation unto the world, but it is all lost labour without this remedy be had: to wit, that GOD will send his only son, to fight against the Devil and death, that he might thereby purchase us righteousness, and life: For this doctrine is it that must bedew all the world over, otherwise we are very fruitless. There is in us nothing but dryness and wretchedness: and yet God tarrieth not until such time as we desire him to bedew us but cometh first to us and frankly offereth himself, presenting unto us his only son with his doctrine: and herein, he showeth himself so loving, as that he ought to be received without gainsaying: yea should not every man be so zealously inflamed, as not to make any reckoning of all the rest whatsoever, ⟨image 104⟩for the embracing of this Redeemer which hath appeared. Now, this deed is so far of, as that a man shall hardly find the tenth part of the hearers which shall be earnestly touched. And in deed, we are taught by experience that some make a test at it, as commonly all these contemners of God do, in whom there is as much faith & religion as in a Mastiff Cur: accounting all whatsoever is preached unto them of everlasting life, but as an old wives tale: Other some there are who are not contented with this contempt of the word, without they go further: for they are stark staring mad at it.

Nowe, hée foreséeth that when the Gospell shall bee preached throughout the face of the whole earth, that some will make a iest at it, some will bee madde at it, some wyll neuer finde any taste in it, some will be blockishe, other some will hypocritically lye vnto GOD, and make a shewe that they loue and obey the Gospell, and yet all shall bee but plaine dissembling. Wherefore, the Prophet séeing the worlde to bee thus wicked, and foreséeing that God shoulde not bee hearde, nor yet his worde so reuerently receiued as it ought, wondered, and cryed out saying, Who shal beleeue our doctrine? As if hee shoulde haue saide, Alas, I preache héere saluation vnto the worlde, but it is all loste labour without this remedie bée had: to wit, that GOD will sende his onely sonne, to fight against the Diuell and death, that hée myght thereby purchase vs righteousnesse, and life: For this doctrine is it that must bedeawe all the worlde ouer, otherwise wee are very fruitlesse. There is in vs nothing but drynes and wretchednesse: and yet God tarrieth not vntill such time as wee desire him to bedeawe vs but commeth first to vs and franckly offereth himselfe, presenting vnto vs his onely sonne with his doctrine: and heerein, he sheweth himselfe so louing, as that hée ought to bee receiued without gaynesaying: yea shoulde not euery man be so zelously inflamed, as not to make any reckoning of all the rest whatsoeuer,