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,…

But now to speak more freely of all those that would keep a mean betwixt God and the Devil, they are double faced hypocrites: and I can find no better comparison too paint them out lively in their colours, then that of Esau: For when he saw that Isaac his father sent Jacob into Mesopotamia to take him a wife, forasmuch as those of the Country of Canaan displeased both him and Rebecca his wife, so far forth as they hated them deadly, to satisfy his parents in part, he took him a new wife: but he forsook not her whom he had already. He kept the evil then whereof Isaac complained: but to botch up the matter in some sort, he huddled up a new marriage. So, they who are so wrapped in the world that they cannot follow that which GOD commandeth, they make many medleys, and hotchpotches of sundry sorts, that in some sort they may conform themselves too God's will: but they cease not for all that, always too retain some corruption, so as all that they do, is neither pure nor sincere. I know very well that there are many poor souls in great perplexity, who without hypocrisy desire to walk the right way, and yet notwithstanding they can not rid them selves from many doubts: whereat ⟨p. 12⟩I do not much wo•nder, considering the horrible confusion that is in the Papacy. In very deed I much pity their case, who seek the means that they may to serve GOD, keeping them selves if it were possible, amongest the enemies of the faith. But what? I know not what else to do either to the one or to the other, but to show them wherein they have faulted, to the end they may amend it.

But nowe to speake more freely of all those that woulde keepe a meane betwixt God and the Deuill, they are double faced hypocrites: and I can finde no better comparison too painte them out liuely in their colours, then that of Esau: For when he sawe that Isaack his father sent Iacob into Mesopotamia to take him a wife, for asmuche as those of the Countrey of Canaan displeased both him and Rebecca his wife, so farre foorth as they hated them deadly, to satisfie his parentes in parte, he tooke him a newe wife: but hee forsooke not her whō he had alredy. He kept the euil then whereof Isaack complayned: but to botch vp the matter in some sort, he huddled vp a newe marriage. So, they who are so wrapped in the world that they cannot follow that which GOD commaundeth, they make many medlayes, and hotchpotches of sundry sortes, that in some sorte they maye conforme themselues too Goddes wyll: but they cease not for all that, alwayes too retaine some corruption, so as all that they doo, is neither pure nor sincere. I know very well that there are many poore soules in great perplexitie, who without hypocrisie desire to walke the ryght way, and yet notwithstanding they can not ridde them selues from many doubtes: wherat