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…

And for the same cause also doth Moses say in his Song,¹ that it is great wisdom when men can skill too count their days, and too consider the shortness of their life, that they may high them apace too heaven.

And for the same cause also dooth Moyses say in his Song,¹ that it is great wisedome when men can skyll too count their dayes, and too consider the shortnesse of their lyfe, that they may hye them apace too heauen.

1. 1Psal. […]. c. 12.Psal. 〈…〉. c. 12.

But we must also count our days too a diverse end, and for another respect, which notwithstanding is not contrary, but both agree very well, and that is, that when we be come too the age of discretion, so as we know that God hath created us too be glorified by us in this world: we must on the other side consider how we have dishonoured him, and think continually upon the time past, remembering how we have spent it: and this must we do from day to day, and from mooneth too mooneth. And when we come too the years end, let us think thus with our selves: Behold, God hath bound me too him a great sort of ways: and how have I counted his benefits that I have received of him all my life long? Can my mind attain unto them? Alas no, nor too the hundredth part of them. Therefore we must make a rehearsal of all our years and days, that we may be put in mind too love and honour God, when we see how greatly we be bound unto him, for his maintaining of us so ⟨image 329⟩long a time, and for his pacientnesse towards us in bearing with us. For if we should make comparison of the faults that we shall have committed: there is not so little a fault which craveth not that we should be confounded at his hand, and yet notwithstanding he continueth still his goodness towards us. Therefore let us mark well this doctrine, that is too wit, that this present life bindeth us too God, because he maketh us too taste his fatherly goodness in vouchsafing too maintain us well, and in extending his bounteousness towards us, and in being so gracious as too turn all his corrections too our benefit and behoof, and moreover showeth us that he will have us too be inured in this world too know him for our father, in that he giveth us his word and Sacraments, whereby he assureth us that his setting of us here beneath for a time, is too draw and too gather us in the end too himself. Therefore if we consider whereto we be called, and too what end we be created, namely, too pass through this world and too be taken into the heritage of heaven: we shall perceive that this present life is well worthy too be esteemed, if we consider the benefits that God imparteth too us here.