A17694:60
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.
Paul saith, ought rather to lift us upon high. Forasmuch as we are to to much given, too embusy our selves, with the present things of the world, God in suffering that the good are evil entreated, and that the wicked have their sway, showeth us by evident signs, that a day shall come, wherein all that is now confused shall be reformed. If the time seem long unto us, let us run to the remedy, and not flatter our selves in our vice: for it is certain, that we have no faith at all, unless we lift up the eyes of our souls to the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Now God to the end he might leave no mean unattempted, which might be fit to drive us forward, he setteth before us the promises on the one side, and his threatenings on the other. Do we think that the promises have not power enough in us? let us join the threatenings for too strengthen them. It is very true that we must be so much the more perverse and froward, not too adjoin more faith then we do too the promises of GOD, when the Lord Jesus sayeth, ⟨image 27⟩that he will avow and acknowledge us before his father,1 so that we confess him before men. And what is there that ought to let us, that we should not yield him that confession that he requireth.2 When men shall have done their uttermost, they can do no worse but murder us. And what shall eternal life be in comparison thereof? I heap not not up here all the promises contained in the Scriptures, which tend to one and the same end: yet (forasmuch as they are so often times repeated) we ought wholly to stay upon them. But if when the plague hang over our heads, if three or four be not enough, one whole hundred will not serve to make us to overcome all adversity and contrary temptations. But if God can not draw us unto him self through gentleness, must we not be more then beetle blockish heads, when his severe threatenings can do no more therein?3 Jesus Christ citeth all those before his father, who shall through fear of bodily death deny the trueth: and saith that both the body and soul,4 shall be thrown too perdition.