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…

For, by reason there were in those days, a great number of hypocrites, who cloaked them selves with the name of God, the Prophet telleth them that it will cost them dear. After the same very manner shall we see the most wicked at this day, with open mouth and wide throat say, What I beseech you good Sir? think you that we fear not God, and that we will not be as good Christians as the rest? Thus, no doubt of it, will they say: and yet in the mean while, a man shall see nothing in them but wantonness, and all ungodliness, and as religious as Dogs and Swine. And examine their lives, and we shall find them altogether disloyal, and faithless like Foxes, full of treason, perjury, cruelty, and bitterness unto their neighbours: given to all kind of harm and outrage, and full of all corruption, so that whosoever giveth them most, they will be sure to be no losers: They will keep open shop to take of all hands, insomuch that they will not only sell their faith and credit, but their honour and honesty also even in open sight: and will keep open fair and market to utter all wickedness. To be short, they will show them selves extreme impudent contemptuous persons, and yet forsooth, they will not stick to brag, that they are the frowardest men in all the Church of God: and think, that God will help them, as if he were greatly beholden unto them. And therefore, as we see it to be thus at this day, even so the Prophet speaking to those that were in his days, saith, What? what kind of brags are these that you make, of the Lords coming? Why? think you to receive any benefit by his coming? No, no: But be assured that it will be a terrible, and a most fearful day to you. And so, according to my first saying, we have to note out of this place of Saint Paul, that if we would have the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ available to us, and do us good, and to be the Redeemer of our salvation, we must learn to consecrate our selves to holiness of life, and to separate our selves from the corruptions of the world, and the flesh. And thus much for the first point. But to the attaining hereof, let us note, that we must begin with faith: according to that which we have lately said:

For, by reason there were in those dayes, a great number of hypocrites, who cloaked them selues with the name of God, the Prophet telleth them that it will cost them deare. After the same verie maner shal we sée the most wicked at this day, with opē mouth and wyde throate say, What I beséech you good Syr? thinke you that we feare not God, and that wée will not be as good Christians as the rest? Thus, no doubt of it, will they say: and yet in the meane while, a man shall sée nothing in them but wantonnes, and all vngodlines, and as religious as Dogges and Swine. And examine their lyues, and we shall finde them altogether disloyall, and faythlesse like Foxes, full of treason, periurie, crueltie, and bitternesse vnto their neighbours: giuen to all kinde of harme and outrage, and full of all corruption, so that whosoeuer giueth them most, they will be sure to be no losers: They will kéepe open shop to take of all handes, insomuch that they will not onely sell their fayth and credite, but their honour and honestie also euen in open sight: and will kéepe open fayre and market to vtter all wickednesse. To be short, they will shewe them selues extreame impudent contemptuous persons, and yet forsooth, they will not sticke to bragge, that they are the frowardest men in all the Church of God: and thinke, that God will helpe them, as if hée were greatly beholden vnto them. And therefore, as we sée it to be thus at this day, euen so the Prophet speaking to those that were in his dayes, saith, What? what kinde of bragges are these that you make, of the Lordes comming? Why? thinke you to receiue any benefite by his comming? No, no: But be assured that it will be a terrible, and a most fearefull day to you. And so, according to my first saying, we haue to note out of this place of Saint Paule, that if wée would haue the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ auaileable to vs, and doe vs good, and to be the Redéemer of our saluation, wée must learne to consecrate our selues to holinesse of life, and to separate our selues from the corruptions of the worlde, and the fleshe. And thus much for the first point. But to the attaining héereof, let vs note, that we must begin with fayth: according to that which we haue lately said: