A17692:65
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.
Wherefore who soever will not wittingly and willingly deprive himself of the eternal inheritance of the kingdom of god, he must needs begin his course and journey at this principle to wit, that he ought to cut of all the foolish & light desires whereby he may be retained & withholden in the world: so that his chief care & desire always be to draw near unto God, and that he have none impediment, but that in mind & desire at the ⟨image 50⟩least he hast thither. In mind I say and desire at the least, because it were greatly to be desired and wished, that all earthly affections, which do withdraw us from God, should be utterly plucked up & rooted forth of our minds that we might speedily pass over the race and space of this world which we have to run through, and to attain to that place whither our journey lieth. But because we are so far unable to have such a mind as is pure and void from all evil affections: this remaineth that we conquer and overcome all the impediments that hinder us, that what fault or stop so ever be in us, we pursue our course with that mind and desire, that in our greatest infirmities, we always prefer the heavenly life to all worldly things. But now let us consider by what ways and means we may learn this. It neither lieth in mans wit nor authority, to invent or appoint them: but those ways are to be trodden and holden, which god hath ordained and appointed unto us whereof the chief and most sure are here named of David, that is to say, the order and policy and state ⟨image 51⟩of a church so governed, that we may be taught therein and instructed in the word of god, that we may worship him with common consent, & pray unto him and praise him with one voice, & have the right use of his sacraments as the aides and stays of his whole worship and religion. For these are the rules wherein we must exercise our self, that we may be confirmed in faith, in the fear of god, in holiness, finally in contempt of the world and love of the heavenly life. And to this purpose and none other pertaineth Davids testimony and prayer, that amongst many things which he was moved to wish and desire in his banishment this was the chief & principal that he might dwell in the temple of god.
Wherefore who soeuer will not wittingly and willingly depriue himself of the eternall inheritance of the kingdom of god, he must nedes begin his course and iorney at this principle to wit, that he oght to cut of al the folishe & light desires wherby he may be reteined & withholden in the worlde: so that his chiefe care & desier always be to draw nere vnto God, and that he haue none impediment, but that in minde & desier at the