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,…

To […] their divinity was there is one God which hath created all the world, & hath declared v•to us his will by Moses, by the prophets, & ••••lly by Jesus Christ & his apostles we have […] who hath bough• us by his blood & through whose grace we hope to be saved. All the Idolatries of the world are accursed and execrable, having nothing but this they went stoutly & freely either to the […] or to some other kind of death. And this was not for […] but in so great troops that the number of those which went through the hands of tyrants, was as it were infinite. We a•• for our parts so great clerks as none can be greater: (at the least we think for) & indeed concerning the understanding of the holy scripture god hath so liberally dealt with us as he hath never done with any age. Notwithstanding there is hardly found one drop of zeal. Now to nourish such sloth there is no other way, unless we would willingly and wittingly provoke the vengeance of God ⟨image 23⟩what then must we do too get a good courage? We have to consider in the first place, that there can be no more precious a thing before God, than the confession of our faith: for we do little know how god esteemeth it, when our life which is nothing, is more dear unto us than it. And herein we show a marvellous beastliness. For we cannot spare our life in this point, but we must confess that it is more esteemed of us then the honour of God and the salvation of our souls. A certain Heathen, had the knowledge to say, that it was a miserable thing, to forsake and betray the cause why we live, for the conservation of our life: notwithstanding he and such like never knew truly, to what end men were placed in this world, and wherefore they lived therein. It is true that they k••we well, that a man ought to follow virtue, that he ought to maintain him self honestly & without blame: but all their virtues were nothing else but colours and shadows. We know much better, whereto our life ought too be applied to wit, that we glorify God, to the end that he may be our glory, without this woe upon us, and we cannot prolong our life upon the earth one minute, but that we shall always heap upon our heads, so much the more malediction.

To 〈…〉 their diuinitie was there is one God which hath created al the world, & hath declared vto vs his will by Moyses, by the prophets, & lly by Iesus Christ & his apostles we haue who hath bough vs by his blood & through whose grace we hope to be saued. All the Idolatries of the world are accursed and execrable, hauing nothing but this they wēt stoutly & freely either to the or to some other kind of death. And this was not for but in so great troups that the nūber of those which went through the hands of tyrants, was as it were infinit. We a for our parts so great clarkes as none can bee greater: (at the least wee think for) & indeed cōcerning the vnderstanding of the holy scripture god hath so liberally delt with vs as he hath neuer done with any age. Notwithstāding ther is hardly found one drop of zeale. Now to nourish such slouth there is no other way, vnlesse we would willingly and wittingly prouoke the vengeance of God