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…

WE have already begun to treatise and say, that although the Gospel should be published throughout the face of the whole earth, yet, that it should be very hardly received, & entreated, by the greatest number: which thing the Prophet hath also so declared, to the end the children of God might not be abashed, whenas they see the faithlessness of such as have had their ears beaten with the doctrine of salvation, and yet have cared no whit at all for the same. And is not this a strange kind of dealing, that when God as much as is possible calleth us unto himself, and laboureth so gently and graciously to win us, that we should perversely draw our heads out of the colour as we say, and even for the very nonce refuse to receive the benefit thus offered unto us? A man would think, that this were an impossible thing: and yet we daily see it by experience. Lo here why it is that the Prophet crieth out, whenas God, as it were, by the sound of a trumpet would publish his Gospel, & yet that there should be notwithstanding so few believers, he addeth the reason, that it was very meet that God should show forth his power, to grant faith unto those which naturally would be faithless. What is the cause that we see so many people reject, loath, & conceive so great an hatred against the Gospel, & had rather be like unto them which so set themselves against God, then quietly come near him? What is the cause, I say? Forsooth, nothing else but that we imagine we have faith tied to our girdles. Howbeit, the Prophet telleth us another manner of thing, for he saith, that although god commanded that his word should be published to all both good & bad, yet worketh he such a secrete effect in his chosen, as if he made them feel his arm & power. And therefore let this be our observation, that whensoever the Gospel is preached, it will be but as an unprofitable sound, until such time as our Lord showeth that it is he him self which speaketh: neither bestoweth he this benefit upon all men.

WE haue already begunne to treatise and say, that although the Gospell shoulde bée published throughout the face of the whole earth, yet, yt it should be very hardly receiued, & intreated, by the greatest number: which thing the Prophet hath also so declared, to the end the children of God might not bée abashed, whenas they sée the faithlesnesse of such as haue had their eares beaten with the doctrine of saluation, and yet haue cared no whit at all for the same. And is not this a strange kinde of dealing, that when God as much as is possible calleth vs vnto himselfe, and laboureth so gently and graciously to winne vs, that we should peruersly drawe our heades out of the collor as wée say, and euen for the very nonce refuse to receiue the benefite thus offered vnto vs? A man woulde thinke, that this were an impossible thing: and yet wée dayly sée it by experience. Loe here why it is that the Prophet cryeth out, whenas God, as it were, by the sound of a trūpet would publish his Gospel, & yet yt there should be notwithstanding so fewe beléeuers, hée addeth the reason, that it was very méete that God should shew forth his power, to graunt faith vnto those which naturally would be faithlesse. What is the cause that wée sée so many people reiect, loath, & cōceiue so great an hatred against the Gospell, & had rather be like vnto them which so set thēselues against God, then quiethly come néere him? What is the cause, I say? Forsooth, nothing els but yt we imagine we haue faith tied to our gyrdels. Howbeit, the Prophet telleth vs another maner of thing, for he saith, that although god cōmaūded that his word should be published to all both good & bad, yet worketh hée such a secrete effect in his chosen, as if he made thē féele his arme & power. And therefore let this bée our obseruation, that whensoeuer the Gospell is preached, it wyll bée but as an vnprofitable sounde, vntyll such time as our Lorde sheweth that it is hée him selfe which speaketh: neither bestoweth hee this benefite vpon all men.