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…

The speech then which our Lord Jesus Christ had with his Apostles of the kingdom of God, tended to this end, that we should forsake our selves, and overthrow whatsoever is ours, and that Jesus Christ might set up his Throne, and guide us, so that we might be altogether agreeable unto his righteousness, & seek only to follow him as our sovereign and liege Lord & King. And all this is spoken to us. Why so? Forsooth, because the Apostles were not taught only for them selves, but for us. And therefore let this be a note unto us, that whensoever the Gospel is delivered unto us, it is to this end that we should be ready to leave this world: to wit, all the wicked affections, and vanities that are in us, which keep us back here below: For we must be wholly changed, & God must give us a new life. Thus we see how it is, that the Gospel must do good, to the end it might be indeed the very kingdom of God, & bear such authority with us as is meet. And by the way, God calleth us not unto him, meaning to keep us always in one state, but will continually prick us on, until he hath brought us to perfection, making us to understand that this present life is like a Sea full of all miseries: thus we see how Jesus Christ bendeth him self to bring us unto the heavenly kingdom, after we are once entered into the kingdom of God in this world. It is said, That he forbade them going from Jerusalem, until such time as they had received the promise of God. And all this was spoken for the building up of our Faith: For we see how necessary it is for us to be assured and resolved of this point: to wit, that men, devised not the doctrine of the Gospel, but that God sent it from heaven. And therefore this ought to be put out of all doubt. What would then become of it, if it were not throughly declared and verified unto us, that Jesus Christ in such sort sent his Apostles, and were not led by their own motion, counsel, or will, but sent by God, who taught them their lesson, and understood not of their own wits this doctrine, but by the holy Ghost.

The spéech then which our Lord Iesus Christ had with his Apostles of the kingdome of God, tended to this end, that wée shoulde forsake our selues, and ouerthrow whatsoeuer is oures, and that Iesus Christ might set vp his Throne, and guide vs, so yt we might be altogether agréeable vnto his righteousnes, & seeke only to folow him as our soueraigne and liege Lord & King. And all this is spoken to vs. Why so? Forsooth, because ye Apostles were not taught onely for them selues, but for vs. And therefore let this be a note vnto vs, that whensoeuer the Gospel is deliuered vnto vs, it is to this end that we should be readie to leaue this world: to wit, al the wicked affections, and vanities that are in vs, which kéepe vs back here below: For we must be wholly chaunged, & God must giue vs a new life. Thus we sée how it is, that the Gospell must doe good, to the end it might be indéed the verie kingdome of God, & beare such authoritie with vs as is méete. And by the way, God calleth vs not vnto him, meaning to kéepe vs alwayes in one state, but will continually pricke vs on, vntill he hath brought vs to perfection, making vs to vnderstande that this present life is like a Sea full of all miseries: thus we sée howe Iesus Christe bendeth him selfe to bring vs vnto the heauenly kingdome, after we are once entred into the kingdome of God in this world. It is saide, That he forbad them going from Ierusalem, vntill such time as they had receiued the promise of God. And all this was spoken for the building vp of our Fayth: For we sée howe necessarie it is for vs to be assured and resolued of this point: to wyt, that men, deuised not the doctrine of the Gospell, but that God sent it from heauen. And therfore this ought to be put out of all doubt. What would then become of it, if it were not throughly declared and verified vnto vs, that Iesus Christ in such sort sent his Apostles, and were not ledde by their owne motion, counsell, or will, but sent by God, who taught them their lesson, and vnderstood not of their owne witts this doctrine, but by the holie Ghost.