A17690:623
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, since he dwelleth in us, and that we are truly and in deed his body, let us not doubt, but that whatsoever Isaiah speaketh, of the graces of the holy Ghost, they belong and are proper unto us, In very deed, we receive not the holy Ghost perfectly:1 because there is a measure of the gift (according to the saying of Saint Paul) and we must increase in it more & more. Besides, it is not without cause that our Lord Jesus hath so distributed it to us by certain and sure portions and degrees: For, it is needful that his power should be made perfect in our weakness, to the end we might hang always upon him,2 and carefully call upon his holy name: that we might also be humbled, because we know that there are many things in us which may be amended. We see then that we should understand, that Jesus Christ dwelleth not in vain in us: because he will effectually witness unto us, that his holy Spirit will pour forth his power to strengthen us in him, that we might forsake this world, and come unto heaven. It is said in that place of Isaiah, That the Spirit of wisdom rested upon him: by which he meaneth to show, that ⟨image 182⟩we are nothing but darkness and miserable blind fowls: and in steed of thinking our selves to be both able and skilful, we shall always pervert and falsify the trueth of God, until such time as he enlightened us, and granted us an heavenly clearness, which cometh not unto us either by birth or yet by inheritance. And it is said besides, that he hath the spirit of the fear of God: and all because our desires are so many enemies against the will of God, until such time as they be reformed,3 and altogether changed. Besides, it is said also that he hath the spirit of power, to the end we might understand our weakness, so that we could not choose but quail, if we were not strengthened from above, we should then feel all these things, whenas we should come to the receiving of the testimony which is here set down unto us: and we should be persuaded that as mortal men distribute the bread and wine, even so will our Lord Jesus work therein, because it is done by his authority & in his name: & is no devised thing of mans brain, but that Jesus Christ is the Author thereof. Thus we see whereunto we must apply this history.