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…

But as we cannot possibly, in trueth praise God, until such time as he hath declared unto us his bounty, even so let us also learn not to have a dead and idle faith: but when we see that he hath bountifully bestowed upon us the great treasures of his mercy: let our mouth then do his office in stirring up it self to bless his name, and let our whole life also answer the same. For this is the very right sign, Every of us must consecrate himself to the true service & worship of God, because we knowing, that he hath so dearly bought us, ought by good reason to bestow all our thoughts & deeds in the blessing & magnifying of his most holy & glorious name. And that when we acknowledge ourselves ⟨image 25⟩to be in very deed his, we might understand that it proceedeth of his free mercy and goodness, that it hath so pleased him to accept us unto himself. And therefore this saying is not set down without cause, That peace is granted to men: not for any desert, or for that we have purchased the same, but because it pleased God. For the speech, which Saint Luke useth, importeth this much, that we must seek after none other reason why our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to us: but because that God had compassion of our miseries: as it is also said in John, That God so loved the world,¹ as that he spared not to deliver his only begotten Son to death for us. And therefore let us after this manner come unto our Lord Jesus Christ: to wit, that the message which is here published unto us by the Angels, might be a burning Lantern to show us the way, & faith to be our guide, so that we might understand that he is now God in us, because he is God with us. For (as I have already said) he is declared to be our God with us, when as he meant to dwell in our humane nature, as in his temple: But he is now God in us. That is to say, we feel him conjoined to us in far greater power, then when he showed and declared himself a mortal man. Yea, for he is now both God and man in us. For, first he quickeneth us by the power of his holy spirit: and he is besides, man in us, because he maketh us partakers of the Sacrifice which he offered up for our salvation: and declareth unto us that it was not without cause that he said, that his flesh was meat indeed, and his blood, drink in deed.

But as wée cannot possibly, in trueth praise God, vntill such time as hee hath declared vnto vs his bountie, euen so let vs also learne not to haue a dead and idle faith: but when wée sée that he hath bountifully bestowed vpon vs the great treasures of his mercie: let our mouth then doe his office in stirryng vp it selfe to blesse his name, and let our whole life also answere the same. For this is the very right signe, Euery of vs must conscecrate himself to ye true seruice & worship of God, because we knowing, that hée hath so dearely bought vs, ought by good reason to bestow all our thoughts & déedes in the blessing & magnifying of his most holy & glorious name. And that when we acknowledge ourselues