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 it was not the meaning of the Prophet, to signify for a season, the signs that should here appear at the coming of Jesus Christ: For, although at his coming, he poured out his great treasures, to disperse them abroad upon all men, yet for all that we shall see marvellous judgements, by reason of the unthankfulness of men, who will not receive the thing that is offered them. And to the self same purpose serveth that saying of Jesus Christ, when he spake of the destruction of the Temple. For mark,¹ the Disciples asked him, when all these things should come to pass, and what sign there should be of his coming, & of the destruction of the world: for they thought as fondly as the Jews, that the Temple should continue even unto consummation of the world, and that they in the mean while should reign peaceably like earthly Princes. Thus we see what the question was that they asked, notwithstanding, that Jesus Christ had no speech of the last day. Now, he answered them thus, you shall see (sayeth he) marvellous terrible things: For, you make this reckoning, that ye shall dwell here on earth peaceably, and rule at your pleasure: howbeit ye shall find it clean contrary, because there will suddenly come deceivers: and besides, the Devil will do all he can, to spread false doctrine in every place: There shall be pestilence, wars, and famine, so that a man would think that the world should be turned upside down. And when you shall see all these things, yet is not the end come: For, Jerusalem shall be destroyed. Whereby he showeth, that it is so far of, that the Jews should have any peaceable life here in this world, as that it cannot be chosen but that they must feel the judgements of God come upon them for their unthankfulness: which shall soon after be dispersed throughout the face of the whole world. And consequently, he goeth on and sayeth, That after the troubles in those days, The Sun ⟨image 194⟩should be darkened, and the Moon lose her light, that the Stars should fall from heaven, and all the powers of the heavens be moved. Which words agree just with the saying of the Prophet: as if he should have said, That great troubles shall not only be seen here below, but also, if a man did look up unto heaven, he should see a general confusion. And yet must we not for all that but come fort our selves:

And therefore it was not the meaning of the Prophet, to signifie for a season, the signes that should here appeare at the comming of Iesus Christ: For, although at his comming, hée poured out his great treasures, to disperse them abroad vpon all men, yet for all that we shall sée merueylous iudgements, by reason of the vnthākfulnesse of men, who will not receiue the thing that is offred them. And to the selfe same purpose serueth that saying of Iesus Christ, when hée spake of the destruction of the Temple. For marke,