A17692:105
Four godly sermons against the pollution of idolatries comforting men in persecutions, and teaching…Foure godlye sermons agaynst the pollution of idolatries comforting men in persecutions, and teachyng…
Four godly sermons against the pollution of idolatries comforting men in persecutions, and teaching them what commodities they shall find in Christs church, which were preached in French by the most famous clerk John Calvin, and translated first into Latin and afterward into English by divers godly learned men.Foure godlye sermons agaynst the pollution of idolatries comforting men in persecutions, and teachyng them what commodities thei shal find in Christes church, which were preached in French by the moste famous clarke Ihon Caluyne, and translated fyrst into Latine and afterward into Englishe by diuers godly learned men.
London: printed by Rouland Hall, 1561
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.
But very few are found which embraceth the commandments of god of this ⟨image 78⟩mind, though the most part will say after this sort & use the like answer truly it is our duty: we ought not nor can not speak against it. But that whereunto they agree with their mouths, is far away from entering & piercing into their minds. Therefore let us learn hereby to lay the beginning of our religion that we do answer unto god truly & unfeignedly that we do fully understand & feel his most excellent benefit when he calleth us so mercifully to behold his face. When this sense & feeling hath thus touched the hart & prepared it, it can not be but that the other part of religion & duty shall straight ways follow, which is, a power to perform that the which we do know to be most justly commanded of god & to belong to our singular commodity. For David had no cold nor dead meditation without any motion or application of the whole life to be bestowed in the seeking & beholding of the face of god. But so soon as he hath determined that he ought to seek god he goeth forward with this protestation that he will prosecute this desire of his hart with all diligence. wherein they must needs be much ashamed which profess themselves christians & nether have that desire of hart nor good motion, nether yet ⟨image 78⟩apply nor exercise themselves in the duty of life which dependeth thereupon. But some will say thus, that it is not lawful for them to forsake their country wherein they are born: although they be destitute of the food of life & nothing be seen there but an horrible desolation whereby the hole order of the church is deformed or rather destroyed. Why so? lest they break their allegiance they say ye which they do owe to their natural & civil governor, I will answer to this their excuse in few words: I do ask of them this thing only if they were in such penury & want of living that they had nothing at home to eat & drink would any such doubt stay them in those places? there is no man truly which would not ask pardon to forsake his country that he starve not for hunger. I will also put this case which is of no necessity: if there should be offered unto them in a strange country six times so much riches as they have in their own, there should nothing stay them from that journey that they might attain such possessions.
But very few ar foūd which embraceth ye cōmandements of god of this