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…

Contrariwise, when God said, stir not: they would needs march on, and would not be staid. What? (say they) we loose time, why march we not forward? Here we see, how that we will march, when God sayeth we shall not, again, when he sayeth march on, there is no man that will step one foot forward. To be short, it seemeth we would endeavour our selves to gainsay God, Lo, here our dealing. Surely we are much of the boldness of mad men: For they are strong, and a mad man will be strong enough both to kill him self, and others. For when God would retire us, we are mad, and would make havoc of all things, and again, when God would have us march on, we are so slack, as that every finger is a thumb. And therefore we are to beseech the Lord, to grant unto us the like grace that he gave unto his Apostles, that we stay when he commandeth us to stay, and march on when he biddeth us. Thus we see, why he hath appointed to every one his several office and charge. When he ordained households, he declared what authority the man should have over his wife, and family, and what the woman's obedience was unto the husband, and the children's to the Parents, so, he ordained a law for every one. And to the same purpose and effect was his ordinance, for the administration of Civill government. For, he declared unto Magistrates, what their duty was, and how they ought to use the authority committed unto them: and to the Ministers of his word likewise, he set down a lesson in writing. Thus we see that Jesus Christ hath so well ordered us,¹ as that if we have any regard unto him, we will attempt nothing, which he commandeth us not. We see also the saying of Saint Paul, That whatsoever is not of Faith is sin. Now, if God leaveth us in doubt of any thing that we have to do, we cannot but continually sin: and therefore he hath set down a rule unto us what we shall do, and what we shall not do.

Contrariwise, when God saide, stirre not: they would néedes march on, and would not be staide. What? (say they) wee loose time, why march we not forwarde? Héere we sée, howe that wée will march, when God sayeth we shall not, againe, when he saieth march on, there is no man that will step one foote forward. To be short, it séemeth we woulde endeuour our selues to gainsay God, Loe, here our dealing. Surely we are much of the boldnesse of mad men: For they are strong, and a mad man will be strong enough both to kill him selfe, and others. For when God woulde retire vs, we are madde, and would make hauocke of all thinges, and againe, when God would haue vs march on, we are so slack, as that euerie finger is a thumbe. And therfore we are to beséech the Lord, to graunt vnto vs the lyke grace that hée gaue vnto his Apostles, that we stay when he commaundeth vs to stay, and march on whē hée biddeth vs. Thus we sée, why hée hath appointed to euery one his seuerall office and charge. When he ordeined housholdes, hée declared what authoritie the man should haue ouer his wife, and family, and what the womans obedience was vnto the husbande, and the childrens to the Parentes, so, hée ordeined a lawe for euerie one. And to the same purpose and effect was his ordinaunce, for the administration of Ciuill gouernment. For, hée declared vnto Magistrates, what their duetie was, and howe they ought to vse the authoritie committed vnto them: and to the Ministers of his worde likewise, hée set downe a lesson in writing. Thus wée sée that Iesus Christ hath so well ordered vs,