A17694:29
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.
But if a man should agree with them concerning the name and yield that which they demand, yet they have gained nothing thereby. Let us put the case, that it were not called Idolatry, too feign too worship Idols: yet this ceaseth not too be a traitorous act against GOD, an act repugnant to the confession of Faith, a pollution and a sacrilege. I pray you, when the honour of God is violated, that we falsify the promise that we have made unto him, that through cowardice and faintness of stomach we crookedly renounce our Christian profession, that we are so double and defile our selves in things which GOD hath accursed: is this so light a matter, that after we have done it, we should only wipe our mouth, and say that we have committed some little fault? Let us therefore put away these shifts, seeing they serve to no other purpose but to make us boulder in evil, without lessening our fault any whit.
But if a man shoulde agree with them concerning the name and yeelde that which they demaunde, yet they haue gained nothing thereby. Let vs put the case, that it were not called Idolatrie, too faigne too worshippe Idolls: yet this ceaseth not too bee a trayterous acte against GOD, an acte repugnaunt to the confession of Faith, a pollution and a sacriledge. I pray you, when the honour of God is violated, that we falsifie the promise that we haue made vnto him, that through cowardise and fayntnesse of stomake wee crookedly renounce our Christian profession, that wee are so double and defile our selues in thinges which GOD hath accursed: is this so lighte a matter, that after wee haue doone it, wee shoulde onely wipe our mouth, and saie that we haue committed some little faulte? Let vs therefore put away these shiftes, seeing they serue to no other purpose but to make vs boulder in euill, without lessening our faulte any whit.
There are yet some others which are more impudent: For not only they labour too wrest the word, making men believe that it is not so great & enormous a sin: but they most plainly and flatly maintain that it is no sin at all. It is sufficient, say they, that GOD be served with the heart: very well, if the heart were not double. For where there is an integrity and soundness, there the body shall never be drawn into a contrary pa•••. I would know of them what it is that carrieth their feet too the Church, when they go to hear Mass. Their legs would never stir of their own motion.