A17705:100
The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the…The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the…
The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the Ephesians. Translated out of French into English by Arthur GoldingThe sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the Ephesians. Translated out of French into English by Arthur Golding
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Lucas Harison, 1577
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
And so, as long as we abide in our former state and plight, there is nothing but endless death in us. Therefore God must be fain too call us home to him. For are we able too purchase such prerogative? Where is the gold or silver too buy it withal? W•ere are the virtues wherewith to recompense God for so great and excellent a privilege?1 Too be short (as is said already upon this sentence) it cometh neither of flesh nor of blood, that is too say, it cometh not of any thing that we can find in this world: but only of Gods adoption. For the word which S. Paul useth, betokeneth an appointing of children: like as when a man adopteth a child, he chooseth him too be his heir, and all the goods that he hath afterward, do pass under that title. Even so are we heirs of the heavenly life, because God hath adopted and chosen us for his children. Yea, but S. Paul is not contented too have magnified Gods grace so far forth: but he saith moreover, that God had also predestinated us, and appointed the thing aforehand. We see the• that S. Paul g•t•ereth together all the things that may beat down the fond imaginations, which we might conceive of bringing aught unto God, or of advancing our selves towards him, too make our selves acceptable unto him. Therefore all such things mu•t be laid awater, so as Gods only grace may be acknowledged in that behalf. And that also is the cause why he repeateth, through Jesus Christ. Then if it be demanded why and how we be predestinated of God too be his children: it is because he vouchsafed too look upon us in Christ: for (as I have said afore) he is as it were the register, wherein we ⟨p. 18⟩[…] too attain too the heritage of life and salvation. For […] pity our miseries: yet should we always be hateful in his […] Jesus Christ came not before him, because that all of us […] descended of Adam, are all of one mould and making, and […] none better than other among us. Now then the one sort […]: and why is that, but because God looking upon them […] doth mislike them? But he chooseth us in our Lord […] Christ, and looketh upon us there as in a glass that he liketh […]. And so ye see whereof the difference proceedeth. […] the thing yet better, he sayeth that Gods choosing of us […] himself. True it is that God doeth all good of himself. But […] S.