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,…

They think that they have goodly bucklers and defences, in saying, that the singer of their Mass hath no intention to make them worship the bread or the wine, that he omitteth the Canon, wherein are the greatest impieties, and that he giveth the sacrament to all the company under both kinds. But when this shall come before the great judg, they shall feel what they have gotten by such goodly glossing pretexts: yea they ought already to feel them, and I report me to the pricks & stingings they have in their consciences: And this is the place where this matter must be decided: For without making any longer enquiries, they know what they pretend to show, aswell to the enemies of GOD, as to all the common people. It must needs be that God deny himself, if he allow an act of such a profession. When ⟨p. 9⟩all the men of the world s•all have conspired together to justify them. yet shall not the ablest of them be ever so absolved, that he shall not halt down right on both sides. Now God hath declared by his prophet, that no such halting shall ever be found good. Concerning the man whom they take to be the minister of their Supper, it is a very mockery to go about to make him capable of any such office, yea, but (say they) the worthiness of the sacraments do not depend upon the worthiness of the persons. I grant it, and I say farther, that if a Devil should minister the Supper, it were not the worse: and contrariwise, if an Angel should sing Mass, it were not a point the better. But we are now in hand with another question: to wit, whether the orders of the Pope given too a Monk or a Fryer, make him fit to execute the office of a Pastor. If they reply that they mean not that he should do any thing therein, and that they choose him not in any such condition: the thing showeth the contrary. But let us put the case that concerning them, they have no such regard, yet have I always to stand upon the outward profession which they make. Now it is manifest that they cover themselves under the visor of a priest. For the dew celebration of the Lords supper, it were meet for them, to separate themselves from the rank of Idolaters, because they have nothing herein common with them. In stead of doing this they go as it were to be matriculated and incorporated amongst them, and feign themselves to be members of the same body.

They think that they haue goodly bucklers and defences, in saying, that the singer of their Masse hath no intention to make them worship the bread or the wine, that hee omitteth the Canon, wherein are the greatest impieties, and that he giueth the sacrament to all the company vnder bothe kinds. But when this shal come before the great iudg, they shall feele what they haue gotten by such goodly glosing pretextes: yea they ought already to feele thē, and I reporte me to the prickes & stingings they haue in their consciences: And this is the place where this matter must be decided: For without making any longer enquiryes, they knowe what they pretende to shewe, aswell to the enemyes of GOD, as to all the common people. It must needes be that God denye himselfe, if he allow an act of such a profession. Whē