A17690:609
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.
Moreover, let us consider of their power and constancy: surely, they all quailed, and it should seem that their faith was dead and of no force. For, mark how Peter even one of the chiefest of them villainously forsook his Master, and yielded himself the bondslave of Satan. Wherefore it was God that must put too his hand: because it was impossible for any man to help it. And so, let us observe, that it was not without cause that the spirit of God appeared in the likeness of tongues, because it was a declaration, that God, by that mean had allowed and sealed up the doctrine of the Gospel, to the end we might reverently, and humbly receive it, and not reason from whence it came: seeing God hath stretched forth his arm, and declared him self to be the Author thereof. And besides, it is not without cause, that they were cloven and fiery tongues. For we know, how mankind had divided it self, by the estranging of it self from God. And the platform that was laid for the building up of the Tower of Babylon,1 was the cause that men understood not one an other, nor yet spake one to the other: ⟨image 180⟩so that they thought, that God of very anger had divided them. Howe falleth it out then, that the Apostles having been always enclosed, as simple and unlearned people, in this corner of Judea, were able to publish the Gospel throughout the world, if God had not accomplished that which before he had promised: to wit,2 that all languages and nations should know him? In deed, it was said that all men should speak the Hebrew tongue, that they might agree together in one true faith: But it is more manifestly set forth when as it is said, that all the faithful, of what nation soever they were, should call upon God with one accord, and cry Abba,3 Father: notwithstanding their sundry languages. Thus we see how the spirit of God would pour abroad the power of his tongues,4 to the end that all men might call upon the name of God, that we might all, be made partakers together of this covenant of salvation which appertained only to the Jews, until the wall was broken down. And herein we see the unspeakable goodness of God, in converting of ill into good.