Four sermons of Master John Calvin entreating of matters very profitable for our time,…Foure sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin entreating of matters very profitable for our time,…

For he will say, that he went thither for this cause, that he might see and worship, either the body of some blessed Saint, or some image of our Lady, or else some such relic: shall the only beholding of some dead carrion or some apish Idol have more power to harden the unbelievers in their superstitions, then the face and presence of God shall have towards us, in giving us constancy too follow that which is good? We see this thing and that thing which doth vex us: God calleth us unto himself and would have us, in beholding his face and countenance too take such pleasure and delight, as we might patiently bear all the rest. Wherefore let this be the buckler and only refuge of all the faithful & godly to hold themselves fast, in the continual contemplation of the face of God, howsoever Satan craftily go about to turn us from it. And in very deed when we shall so esteem it as it deserveth, we shall suffer no damage in the loss of any other things whatsoever: albeit to say the trueth the greatest part of them, be let and hindered not so much in the difficulty and discommodity of those things which concern the body. Not but that the children of God have very great and hard combats in their consciences when they find in the Churches which ⟨p. 46⟩are said to be reformed, those offences whereof we have spoken before. And therefore they that advise with themselves to withdraw themselves, into those places where the Gospel is preached, must be warned too resist grievous assaults & too prepare them selves to withstand them. And they also which have had experience already, must fortify themselves, and in despite of the Devil, constantly continue too seek the face of God. But when all shall be well weighed, there is nothing but very distrust, which slacketh and holdeth back the greatest multitude: & as men are very cunning to devise excuses, so the rich have theirs on the one side, & the pore have theirs on the other. But how can it be, will some great rich landed man say, that I should spoil my self of all that I have? Shall I so go and strip my self of all my goods and possessions? I have wife and children: and we have been brought up and nourished without any travail: and what shall we do in a strange country where we shall neither have rents nor revenues? And again the poor man he will allege, indeed I have but a little here:

For he will say, that he went thither for this cause, that he might see and woorship, eyther the body of some blessed Saint, or some image of our Lady, or els some such relique: shall the onely beholding of some dead carrion or some apish Idol haue more power to harden the vnbeleeuers in their superstitions, then the face and presence of God shall haue towardes vs, in geuing vs constancie too follow that which is good? We see this thing and that thing which doth vexe vs: God calleth vs vnto himselfe and woulde haue vs, in beholding his face and countenaunce too take suche pleasure and delight, as wee might patiently beare all the rest. Wherfore let this be the buckler and onely refuge of all the faithful & godly to hold themselues faste, in the continuall contemplation of the face of God, howsoeuer Satan craftely goe about to turne vs from it. And in very deede when we shal so esteeme it as it deserueth, we shal suffer no damage in the losse of any other thinges whatsoeuer: albeit to say the trueth the greatest part of thē, be let and hindred not so much in the difficultie and discommoditie of those things which concerne the body. Not but that the children of God haue very great and harde combates in their consciences when they finde in the Churches whiche