A17690:550
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.
This saying then of Jesus Christ, it is not for you to know the times & seasons which the Father hath put in his own power is as much as if he had said, Be contented with that which I have said unto you, and hold you there: For if you would enter into disputation with him to enquire after that which he would not have you know, It would turn to your confusion: seeing he hath not spared to let you understand, whatsoever he thought to be meet for you to know. Now, if we would go beyond this, this were, as a man would say to set our selves against him.
This saying then of Iesus Christ, it is not for you to knowe the times & seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power is as much as if hée had sayde, Bée contented with that which I haue sayde vnto you, and hold you there: For if you would enter into disputation with him to enquire after that which he would not haue you knowe, It woulde turne to your confusion: séeyng hée hath not spared to let you vnderstande, whatsoeuer hee thought to bée méete for you to knowe. Nowe, if wée woulde goe beyonde this, this were, as a man would say to set our selues against him.
Let us see then what we are to note out of this place, to wit, ⟨image 169⟩we must learn to submit and keep our selves within a compass and not seek after that which God would not have us know, and diligently understand and search to know, whatsoever he would have us for to learn. And over and besides all this, let us not be too too inquisitive and say, Why is this: and wherefore is that: But let us take heed of such curiousness, as of a deadly Plague. Now, this can no man do, without every of us violently striveth against his own nature: for we are naturally inclined to such foolishness, as to leave the principal matter which is most necessary for us, and to occupy our heads about that which is neither necessary nor profitable, but only foolish and vain curiousness: as every of us for our own part showeth himself▪ As for example: behold, we have the Gospel, the very fountain of all wisdom, which teacheth us to believe in God, to run only to him, and call upon him, to the end we might fight against all our carnal affections, to submit our selves wholly obedient unto him. Lo, this is the very meaning of our Lord, throughout all the Scripture.