A17693:12
A sermon of the famous and Godly learned man, master John Calvin chief Minister…A sermon of the famous and Godly learned man, master Iohn Caluine chiefe Minister…
A sermon of the famous and Godly learned man, master John Calvin chief Minister and Pastor of Christs church at Geneva, containing an exhortation to suffer persecution for following Jesus Christ and his Gospel, upon this text following. Heb. 13. 13. Go ye out of the tents after Christ, bearing his rebuke. Translated out of French into english,A sermon of the famous and Godly learned man, master Iohn Caluine chiefe Minister and Pastour of Christs church at Geneua, conteining an exhortation to suffer persecution for followinge Iesus Christe and his Gospell, vpon this text following. Heb. 13. 13. Go ye out of the tents after Christe, bearing his rebuke. Translated out of French into english,
London: printed by Robert Waldegrave for Edward White, 1581London: printed by Robert VValdegraue for Edward VVhite, 1581
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.
To be short, there is no excuse but this is to our great shame, and rather to our horrible condemnation that we have had so much knowledge of the truth of God ⟨p. 4⟩& have so little courage to stand to the same. Over all, when we consider the martyrs in times past,1 we may well abhor the villainy which is in us, for the most part of them were not much exercised in the holy scripture, for to have knowledge, to dispute of all things, they know that there was one God alone, whom men ought to worship and serve Also that they were redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ to this end, to put their trust of salvation in him, and in his grace, & that all that which hath been found out by men, was not to be esteemed, & were able thereby to condemn all idolatry & superstition, & the sum of their divinity was this, there is one only God, who hath created all the world, & hath declared us his will by Moses by the prophets, & last of all by Jesus Christ & his Apostles, we have one only redeemer who hath redeemed us by his blood, and grace, whereby we trust to be saved. Al the Idols of the world be accursed & execrable having nothing but this, they went frankly either to the fire or else to any other kind of death. And this was not done by two or three, but in so great multitudes, that the number of those which be dead by the ⟨image 6⟩hands of Tyrants is in manner infinite, we are of our part so great Clerks, that none can be more,2 (at least so we think,) & in deed as concerning the understanding of the scripture, God hath dealt so largely with us as ever he hath don with any age. Yet not with standing there is scarce one drop of zeal. Now to make much of such a feebleness, it is to no purpose, unless we will willingly provoke the vengeance of God,3 what shall we then do, for to take a good courage. First of all we have to consider how this thing is precious before God, the confession of our faith, for we know it slenderly, how God alloweth the same since our life, which is very nothing, is more esteemed of us: In the which we declare a marvellous bestiality, for we can not spare our life in this cause, but we must confess that the same is more beloved of us then the honour of God, and the salvation of our souls.