A17690:56
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.
He useth there the word, word, but yet in such a signification, that he meaneth not only the power of the son of God, but also a certain wonderful disposition, & a very fit and seemly order, which he hath set in the things created, because he is the wisdom of God, & we may behold him in all the creatures, because he upholdeth all things by his virtue and power. Mark then how we have life & moving, and after the first day of our life we continue in the same, to wit, because that God preserveth us:1 for in respect of our selves we must needs perish every minute of an hour, if this were not that that word of God maintaineth us. Behold then in what sense the Evangelist sayeth, that that word was life: that is, that not only all things were made by it, but that they must of necessity also be grounded thereupon, and that it maintain them in their being. Now he addeth afterwards, that that life was that light of men. And wherefore is it that he addeth this? It is for two causes. The first is, that after that we have known the might of God, and the power of that his word, both on high, and beneath, and every where, we must then come to our selves: for this is good reason, that we should and that ⟨p. 10⟩with a greater diligence behold that, which toucheth us very nigh. As how? I ought to know Gods goodness in this, that he preserveth, Horses, and Oxen: as David speaketh to us thereof,2 saying that it is he that giveth nourishment, and food to every beast. I see on the other side the Earth, which by the commandment and blessing of God bringeth forth her fruits. If I look then upon beasts, I ought to know the goodness of God which declareth it self even towards Asses, & Dogs, but much more towards me God cometh to me, that I might inwardly feel his power: he giveth me bread wherewith I am nourished, and ought I not to be touched to the quick for so many benefits & blessings, It is true that I should. Besides also when men set out Gods works, they speak expressly of men,3 because that God doth set out his most great & excellent power rather in us then in other creatures. God then will in deed be magnified, both in heaven & in earth, and in all his works that we see: but yet much more in a man, because he hath imprinted his own Image in us, rather then in all the rest of his creatures.