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…

But now let us come too the second point, and speak yet more of the high mystery, which Saint Paul magnifieth so much here. It is (sayeth he) a great mystery, yea between Christ and his Church. By these words it is easy too discern, that Saint Paul meant not too call marriage or wedlock a Sacrament: for he expoundeth him […] afterward. And (as I told you) the only thing that is treated here, is the expressing of Gods inestimable goodness, insomuch that in stead of executing the office of a teacher, too show and declare how we be knit too our Lord Jesus Christ, Saint Paul him self […] is astonished, and as a man ravished into wonderment, confessing that the wan•eth fit and sufficient words to express well Gods grace, in vouchsafing too knit and unite us too his only Son. I have told you […] already, how we •ee […] of our Lord Jesus Christs […], and ⟨p. 303⟩how we be his flesh. It is not that we be taken out of his body, for we come of the linage of Adam: but because we live of his own substance,¹ according too this saying, that his flesh is our meat, and his blood our drink, whereby he meaneth that we live in him, howbeit spiritually. In deed we have a common life both too talk and too walk with all men, which proceedeth not of the special grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. But yet the moving which we have common with the brute beasts proceedeth also of him, according as it is said, that he was the life of all things.² Yea and Saint John passeth yet further, saying, that the word, (that is to say, our Lord Jesus Christ,) was too quicken men, in that God hath given them this special privilege of having some understanding and discretion. But when the spiritual life which we have with the Son of God is spoken of: that is a thing above nature. For although we have not any worthiness or excellency when we come out of our mothers womb: yet remaineth there always some print and image of God. And yet for all that we be so cursed in our own nature, and so miserable, that we be called even deceased and dead. And that is the cause why our Lord Jesus Christ sayeth,³ that the hour is come, that the dead which are as rotten carcasses in the grave, shall hear the voice of the Son of God.