A17694:12
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,…
Four sermons of Master John Calvin entreating of matters very profitable for our time, as may be seen by the preface: with a brief exposition of the LXXXVII. Psalm. Translated out of French into English by John Field.Foure sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin entreating of matters very profitable for our time, as may bee seene by the preface: with a briefe exposition of the LXXXVII. Psalme. Translated out of Frenche into Englishe by Iohn Fielde.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Thomas Man, 1579
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.
¶ John Calvin to all true Christians, who desire the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
¶ Iohn Caluin to all true Christians, who desire the aduancement of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe.
When you shall understand wherefore and to what end, I was desirous too publish these Sermons, and shall be advertised of the Argument which they contain, you shall know the better how too make your profit of them, and to apply them to such use as I have appointed them. Although that I have written heretofore two Treatises large enough, to show that it is not lawful for a Christian, knowing the pure doctrine of the Gospel, when he liveth in the Papacy, too dissemble howsoever it be, to consent or to cleave unto the abuses, superstitions and Idolatries, which reign there: Notwithstanding there are every day some people that demand my counsel thereof a fresh, as if I had never spoken thereof. I understand also that there are others which never cease to allege their replies, & have new starting holes against that which I have written thereof. Therefore to cut of all occasions, aswell from those which inquire of that which ought to be sufficiently known & understood of them, as also from them which think to cover themselves under this wet sack from the vengeance of God: I thought that it should be very expedient to review over again and to bring into order a Sermon that I had made as touching this matter, the sum whereof had been gathered. Wherefore this first Sermon containeth an admonition, what a slothfulness it is in them too whom God hath given to know the trueth of his Gospel, too defile themselves with the abominations of the Papists, the which are altogether contrary too Christian religion, forasmuch as in so doing, they deny as much as lieth in them, the Son of GOD who hath redeemed them.