A17693:16
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.
If God should punish us after our demerits, hath he not daily just occasion to chastise us in a thousand sorts. Moreover then this, a hundred thousand deaths were not sufficient for a little portion of our misdoings, yet by his infinite goodness, he putteth under foot all our trespasses, and doth them away, and in stead of punishing us according to that we have deserved, he findeth a wonderful means for to make the afflictions to be turned to our honour, and into a special privilege,1 in so much that by the same we are associate into the company of his son may it not well be said when we disdain so blessed a condition, that we have very evil profited in the doctrine ⟨p. 8⟩of Christ, Behold why saint Peter, 2after he had exhorted us so holily in the fear of God, that we should not suffer as thieves, whoremongers, and murderers, he addeth how and in what manner: let us suffer as Christians that we might glorify God for the good which he doth to us.3 It is not without cause that he speaketh in this wise for what are we I pray you, to be witnesses to the verity of God, & procurers to maintain his cause, Behold here pore worms of the earth, creatures full of vanity altogether, and yet God willeth us, that we defend his verity, which is an honour that pertaineth not to the very angels of paradise? Ought not this consideration alone so much to inflame us to offer our selves to God, for that which pleaseth him to apply us to so honourable a thing: not withstanding many can not refrain themselves to encounter against God, or at the least to make their complaints of this, that God doeth not bear better with their weakness.4 This is marvellous say they, since that God hath chosen us for his children, how can he abide it that we be thus defiled and tormented with the wicked, I answer, although ⟨image 10⟩it doth not appear to us, wherefore he doth it, yet it should have this authority with us to make us walk after his pleasure. But when we look in our pattern Jesus Christ, ought not we to judge it a great felicity, for to be made like unto him without any further question, Notwithstanding God showeth us causes very evident, for the which he willeth us to be persecuted.