A17690:449
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.
Which thing we are ne•er able to do without we lively feel that we are lost in our selves: and besides, that as God meant to ⟨p. 138⟩receive us once for all to his mercy, even so he at this day increaseth the same in us. And to say the trueth, it is impossible for us to attain to this knowledge, except we be enlightened with his holy spirit. Which when we have obtained, it is an undoubted sign that god meaneth to work in us, to the end he would put us into the possession of that righteousness, from the which we were before very far of, We see then that God would gladly have the Gospel preached. But yet that is not enough: for, we should understand no more of it, then an high Almain (as we say) until such time as he inwardly touched us with his holy spirit (thus we see from whence faith proceedeth) and then are we the true & good disciples of Jesus Christ, able to feel the fruit of this doctrine. And this is it, which the Prophet here showeth unto us. Now, he again maketh a recital of Jesus Christ his bearing of sins, whereby he meaneth to declare, that he made satisfaction for them, and that our sins should be such a charge as should cast us headlong into the bottomless pit of hell if we were not holpen & eased by our lord Jesus Christ. For what is meant by sin, but the very wrath of god? For, if God but once hold up his finger, it is enough to destroy and overthrow the whole world: for it is said, that with his breath the rocks should rive in pieces,1 & the mountains be softened & melt like wax. Wherefore, if God showeth the least token of his fury and wrath, there is nothing so firm & sure in the world, but shall melt away: and what shall become of us then, who are so frail creatures, when as God shall show unto us the face of a terrible judge, & call us to an account? Were it not meet that we should hearken unto his voice: howbeit the only sign that he will give us to summon withal shall be a bottomless depth to swallow us up in. And therefore it cannot be chosen but that our sins must needs be a burden not able for us to bear. Now, there is an infinite number of them in us: and we have not the shoulders to stand under them and to bear them. But although our Lord Jesus Christ suffered in the weakness of his flesh, yet did the power of the spirit, which he had always uphold him.2