A17690:317
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…
Divers sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the divinity, humanity, and nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ as also touching his passion, death, resurrection, ascension: together with the coming down of the holy Ghost upon his Apostles: and the first sermon of S. Peter. The order of which you shall find in the page ensuing.Diuers sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, concerning the diuinitie, humanitie, and natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christe as also touching his passion, death, resurection, ascention: togeather with the comming downe of the holy Ghoste vpon his Apostles: and the first sermon of S. Peter. The order of which you shall finde in the page ensuing.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for George Byshop, 1581
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Moreover, to the end we might not be abashed to see men so wickedly bent as to fight against their God, yea even their Creator, & Redeemer, let us therefore understand, that faith is not given to all men, but is a singular gift which God hath reserved as a precious Jewell for his elect and chosen: and although we understand that our duty is to cleave unto him, yet let us, notwithstanding know, that every of us hath not faith of our own proper motion, but that God hath enlightened us, & made us see by his holy spirit and in thus doing hath showed his power: that is to say, hath given us such a lively feeling thereof in our hearts, as that we may very well know that the Gospel is not of men, but from him. And this is the effect which we are to consider of out of this place. To be short, let us boldly set our selves against the faithlessness & stubbornness of all such as are the enemies of God, & let us march on, whither soever he calleth us, & receive the benefit which he offereth us, to the end we may be found blameless of this unthankfulness, whereof the Prophet accuseth & condemneth here, all such as would not obey the doctrine of the Gospel. Now hereupon he showeth that they vouchsafed not to believe Jesus Christ, because they see him as a forlorn and contemptible man.1 We know that our Lord Jesus Christ is called the stone of offence and stumbling block, because the word stumbled at him. And yet God his father gave him to us for another use: which is, that we might be grounded upon his favour and grace, and as a stone upon which we might all stand: ⟨image 107⟩because there is none other sure stay, but he. And therefore we stand all in reeling manner, and Hell mouth is wide open to swallow us up. Thus we see that our salvation hath no sure ground work in this world, and therefore must we stay our selves upon our Lord Jesus Christ.2 Wherefore, see why it is said, That he should be placed as a precious stone, upon which the Temple of God should be built, and such a sure stone as should be able to bear the whole building, the Prophet also further saith, that he should be a stumbling stone unto the kingdom of Judah, and to the house of Israel. And according hereunto: it is now said that he shall be as A small twig, and as a root coming out of a dry and barren ground: