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, we ought to call this lesson oftentimes to mind: For the Prophet pronounceth judgement against all those which call not upon the name of God, in saying, That whosoever calleth upon the name of God, shall be saved: and thereupon necessarily ensueth, That he which calleth not upon him, shall be damned. And forsomuch as we are so cold and so easily withdrawn from the calling upon the name of God, The Prophet (by the saying going before) his meaning was to declare, that we must not leave of calling upon his Majesty, no not when we are in the midst of all the greatest troubles which may come unto us: For, although heaven and earth should conspire against us, yet must we even then call upon the Majesty of our God, both with heart & mouth, and with all power and strength. Howbeit, it is not enough that we say with open mouth, a Pater noster, in Latin, or else, Our Father which art in heaven in our mother tongue, except it be ⟨image 195⟩said with the right affection of the heart grounded upon faith. For otherwise, we may say over this prayer, ten, twenty, and thirty times: and yet they shall be but words wherewith to beat the air. I will not speak of the intermeddling of the Ave Maria amongst, thinking by such silly gauds, that they truly call upon the name of God as he requireth. For surely, such kind of people are far from the true calling upon the name of God: but are even like Witches, and Sorcerers, who can not forget their old Devilish superstitions. And therefore we must not marvel overmuch at such relics of Satan:¹ because they never had, nor yet have, any faith in Jesus Christ. For how shall they (as Saint Paul sayeth) call upon him whom they have not believed? And this place is worthy the noting: Because Saint Paul telleth us, that when the calling upon the name of God is spoken of, that we must seek after him as after our Father: since we know that all the benefits which we have come from him, and that he is ready to receive us, so soon as we turn unto him. For else, what courage might we have to crave any thing at his hands, if we were not sure of this? And therefore, let us be fully persuaded, that when we in trueth, call upon the Lord our God, that he will receive us.

And therefore, we ought to call this lesson oftentimes to mynde: For the Prophet pronounceth iudgement against all those which call not vpon the name of God, in saying, That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of God, shall be saued: and thereupon necessarily ensueth, That hée which calleth not vpon him, shall be damned. And forsomuch as we are so colde and so easily withdrawne from the calling vpon the name of God, The Prophet (by the saying going before) his meaning was to declare, that we must not leaue of calling vpon his Maiestie, no not when we are in the mydst of all the greatest troubles which may come vnto vs: For, although heauen and earth should conspire against vs, yet must we euen then call vpon the Maiestie of our God, both with heart & mouth, and with all power and strength. Howbeit, it is not enough that we say with open mouth, a Pater noster, in Latin, or els, Our Father which art in heauen in our mother tongue, except it bée