IT may be (right honourable & my very good Lord) that men will marvel, why I should publish these […] excellent Sermons of Master John Calvins, the Arguments whereof be not so fit and agreeable (as they think) to these times: seeing GOD in mercy hath given us peace, and set us at liberty from that Romish yoke, suffering the beams of his glorious Gospel to spread far and wide, to the great comfort of many, and his own everlasting glory. These benefits, as they are acknowledged by me: so I beseech God to make us all more thankful then we have been, that the little fruit they have brought forth amongest us, the common ignorance that is yet upon the face of the whole land, the small preparation to the cross and bending our backs too bear it with Jesus Christ our head, do not provoke him too give us over too follow our own ways, to have no conscience nor care of any religion: as I fear me the world is too to full of such, the more ⟨image 3⟩is the pity. For who seeth not, that the common sort are so far from being instructed, having plaid the Truants in Gods School these twenty and odd years, that they have not yet taken out this one lesson, to be of mind when God shall try them, too separate them selves from the cursed fellowship of Antichrist. For they have not yet learned too make any difference of religion, but bend them selves too serve all times: come there falsehood or trueth, light or darkness, religion or superstition, the Gospel or the Mass, Turkism or Christianism, all is one too them, so that they may live at ease, they are at a point: no Scripture so strong, or testimony so evident, that can convince them, too make them stand fast too Gods everlasting trueth, the seal of ••eir adoption. Though Christ have pronounced that whosoever deny him before men,1 he will deny him before his father which is in heaven: though he say plainly that he that will follow him must take up his cross and follow him, and that he that is ashamed too confess him before men,2 he will deny him before his heavenly father: yea although we be commanded too come out of Babylon,3 and it be plainly said that the red Dragon will pour out his waters as a river to overtake the woman with child, and that the victory of the lamb must be by his own blood, & by the word of their testimony, who love not their lives unto the death:
IT may bee (right honourable & my very good Lord) that men will maruayle, whye I shoulde publishe these 〈…〉 excellente Sermons of Maister Iohn Caluines, the Argumentes whereof bee not so fitte and agreeable (as they thinke) to these times: seeing GOD in mercy hath geuen vs peace, and set vs at libertie from that Romish yoke, suffering the beames of his glorious Gospel to spread far and wide, to the great comfort of many, and his owne euerlasting glory. These benefits, as they are acknowledged by me: so I beseech God to make vs all more thankfull then we haue beene, that the litle fruite they haue brought foorth amongest vs, the common ignorance that is yet vpon the face of the whole lande, the small preparation to the crosse and bending our backs too beare it with Iesus Christe our head, doe not prouoke him too geue vs ouer too followe our owne wayes, to haue no conscience nor care of any religion: as I feare me the worlde is too to ful of such, the more ⟨image 3⟩is the pitie. For who seeth not, that the cōmon sort are so far from being instructed, hauing plaide the Truantes in Gods Schole these twenty and odde yeeres, that they haue not yet taken out this one lesson, to bee of minde when God shall trie them, too separate them selues from the cursed fellowship of Antichriste. For they haue not yet learned too make any difference of religion, but bende them selues too serue all times: come there falshood or trueth, light or darknesse, religion or superstition, the Gospell or the Masse, Turcisme or Christianisme, al is one too them, so that they may liue at ease, they are at a point: no Scripture so strong, or testimonie so euident, that can conuince them, too make them stand fast too Gods euerlasting trueth, the seale of ••eir adoption. Though Christe haue pronounced that whosoeuer denye him before men,1 hee wyll denie him before his father which is in heauen: though he say playnely that hee that will followe him must take vp his crosse and followe him, and that he that is ashamed too confesse him before men,2 he wil deny him before his heauenly father: yea although we bee commaunded too come out of Babylon,3 and it be plainely saide that the red Dragon will powre out his waters as a riuer to ouertake the womā with childe, and that the victorie of the lambe muste be by his own blood, & by the word of their testimonie, who loue not their liues vntoo the death:
- 1Matt. 10.33.38.
- 2Apoc. 18.4.
- 3Apoc. 13.3.11.
