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…

And therefore he chose to speak of the most excellent man, to the end he would show that he would not have the world deceived, but that it was himself unto whom all honour was to be given. And thus we see, that where men go about to get themselves credit & estimation amongst men, Saint John baptist here doth all he can to abase himself,¹ because he would have no more given unto him, then became him. And after he had used many speeches, he concluded, that he must be abased, and Jesus Christ exalted, Neither was this hypocritically said of him, but in trueth and in deed. And I would it pleased God that the world would take forth this lesson. But what? We are so continually given to this wicked superstition, as that we look still unto the creatures, who are so many veils, to keep us from beholding of Jesus Christ, And by this we see what the cause hath been of the setting up of such an infinite number of Idols in the world. For, look how many holy men and women have been in the world, even so many Idols have been set up: yea, although the graces which God hath liberally bestowed upon us, ought to be Arguments sufficient to have us put our trust in him, & not in creatures. And the papists, when they will honour their Saints, say, it is written. Praise God in his Saints I will not call them beasts,² for taking of this place after this sort, seeing the Prophet in saying, Praise God in his holy place, or in his Sanctuary, meaneth the heavens: as if he should have said, praise this divine majesty, who ruleth in his heavenly throne, over all his Creatures. And yet they so magnify the Saints amongst them, as that (as they themselves say) God is not known from his Apostles, or else is placed all in one rank with the rest. Now this devilish Proverb which is among them, A man cannot know God from his Apostles: will be a testimony against them, that they have torn in pieces the glory of god, like mastiff Curs, & have bestowed one piece of it in this place, and another in that: and have divided it even as pleased themselves: and whereas Jesus Christ should have been only exalted, and the Prophets, and Martyrs made of no estimation in respect of him, they have turned all clean contrary.

And therfore he chose to speak of the most excellent man, to the end he wold shew that he would not haue the worlde deceiued, but that it was himself vnto whom all honor was to be giuen. And thus we sée, yt where men go about to get themselues credite & estimation amongst men, Saint Iohn baptist here doth al he can to abase himself,