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 this son of his, Isaac, must be killed by Abraham his own hand: yea, even by Abraham, who received this promise from God his own mouth, as thus: I will give thee a son, who shall be so blessed, as that all men shall be saved through the grace which I shall bestow upon him: and yet must this son be put to death?

for this sonne of his, Isaak, must be killed by Abraham his owne hande: yea, euen by Abraham, who receiued this promise from God his owne mouth, as thus: I will giue thee a sonne, who shall be so blessed, as that all men shall be saued through the grace which I shall bestowe vpon him: and yet must this sonne be put to death?

Here then we see (as I have already said) Hell standing wide open, and the devil so ruling, as that all is quite and clean destroyed: For there is no more looking for the promises of salvation, seeing that he that should give life to all creatures, is himself put to death.

Here then wee see (as I haue alreadie said) Hell standing wide open, and the diuel so ruling, as that all is quite and cleane destroyed: For there is no more looking for the promises of saluation, seeing that hee that should giue life to all creatures, is himselfe put to death.

Now, whither then must we go? The question then is not here, according to mans judgement, to wound the heart of Abraham with afflictions and sorrows only? but the question is to kill his very faith, and all the hope conceived of his own salvation. It should seem that God meant to tread underfoot whatsoever hope of his grace and goodness he had promised him. To be short, it should seem that he did but mock Abraham: As if he should have said: Go thy way; thou art but a beast to wait and follow me, and to take such pain to obey me. I promised thee a Tribe, from which the salvation of the whole world should come: and I have performed my promise in giving thee thy son Isaac: But thou must by and by go and cut his throat, thereby to let thee understand, that thou art but a simple and foolish fellow, to trust unto that which I have promised thee; and to think to have a Tribe, & such a precious Tribe also as should be more worth than all the whole world besides: yea, than an hundred thousand worlds. For this is a matter which concerneth the everlasting salvation of thine own soul, & of the souls of all men else: and yet thou art now going about to deface all this. Now (as I have already said) it is impossible for us ever to be able sufficiently to comprehend these things, and