Sermon of Master John Calvin, on the history of Melchizedek Wherein is also handled,…Sermon of Maister Iohn Caluin, on the historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled,…

for it could not be chosen but that he was exceeding blockish, to think that God was bound unto him for his works. Wherefore we must all fly unto the mere ⟨p. 169⟩mercy of God, and then, I say, we shall be assured that he will love us, when as we shall look for all our merits in Jesus Christ, never ceasing to pray unto him notwithstanding our great unworthiness, because he hath not adopted us, either for our persons or yet for our works, but of his mere and free mercy: thus we see how we shall be assured of our salvation. True it is, that we shall always be full of scruples and doubts, by reason that our faith is not perfect in us: but yet our assurance shall always surmount, so long as we fight stoutly, and embrace the promises of God, and make them a buckler and defence against all the temptations and distrusts, which the devil shall set before us. When then we speak of this certainty of faith, we mean not but that it may be shaken, and we, many times be greatly perplexed & distressed: but our meaning is, that we may in the end conclude how ever it fall out, that God will have mercy upon us, and so upon this assuredness pray unto him. And this is it which we are now to keep in mind. We easily see then by this, that they which have taken this word Justify, to be said that God changeth us, and governeth us by his holy spirit to serve God, are too too much abused: for there are many that will say that we are not justified by our merits, neither yet that there ⟨p. 170⟩is any one jot in us wherein to glory, and that whatsoever goodness is in us cometh from the free gift of God, because that as of our selves we can do nothing else but sin: all this they will confess, and will in sum say, that we are justified by mere grace and not by our works, and that there is no goodness in us, but that God giveth all: have they confessed all this? Yea verily: and yet they still go about to overthrow both themselves and others. And how so? Forsooth, because they think that they have attained unto perfection, when as in very deed, there is nothing else in them but imperfection.

for it could not be chosen but that he was exceeding blockish, to think that God was bound vnto him for his works. Wherefore wee must all flie vnto the meere ⟨p. 169⟩mercy of God, and then, I saie, we shall be assured that he will loue vs, when as wee shall looke for all our merits in Iesus Christ, neuer ceasing to praie vnto him notwithstanding our great vnworthines, because he hath not adopted vs, either for our persons or yet for our workes, but of his meere and free mercy: thus wee see how wee shall be assured of our saluation. True it is, that we shall alwaies be full of scruples and doubtes, by reason that our faith is not perfect in vs: but yet our assurance shall alwaies surmount, so long as we fight stoutly, and embrace the promises of God, and make them a buckler and defence against all the temptations and distrustes, which the diuell shall set before vs. When then we speake of this certaintie of faith, we meane not but that it may be shaken, and we, many times be greatly perplexed & distressed: but our meaning is, that we may in the end conclude how euer it fall out, that God wil haue mercy vpon vs, and so vpon this assurednes pray vnto him. And this is it which we are now to keepe in minde. We easily see then by this, that they which haue taken this word Iustifie, to be said that God chaungeth vs, and gouerneth vs by his holie spirit to serue God, are too too much abused: for there are many that will say that wee are not iustified by our merits, neither yet that there