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…

All the greatness and all the authority of the world will serve too no purpose, but every man shall be taken as a child of Adam. So then, let such as have any occasion too exalt themselves, bear well in mind, that all the things which have any gloriousness too the worldward, and are esteemed and had in reputation, shall fade away like smoke, and be consumed too nothing, when we come too be judged of our God. And therefore let all men both great and small live in humbleness and trust.¹ And that is the c••se why Saint James saith, let him that is small, glory in his highness. Why so? Because God hath adopted us too his children, and although we be but poor earthworms, and even men themselves account us as filth and dung: yet hath God vouchsafed too print his mark in us, that we might be known too be his children, and that he hath given us leave to call upon him as our father with full mouth. Therefore we have just cause too glory, notwithstanding that we be of low degree. For we have a highness whereby God exalteth us above all the world. And on the contrary part, Saint James sayeth, that he which is great, must glory in his lowness. For whereas the unbelievers are so bewitched with pride, that they despise God, and (as I said afore) do bear themselves on hand, that they be exempted from all law, and that their state is set alone by it self from all the rest of the world: the believers must understand, that all the dignity and excellency in the world, serveth but for a time, and passeth away, and that when we come before God, we shall have neither one thing nor other to clothe our selves withal. Too be short, the things ⟨p. 321⟩which the scripture calleth Persons, are as apparels and clothings. Let us take this similitude: If he that is richly apparelled, think too scape from God, under colour that he gazeth at his own gay feathers, and that the world wondereth too behold him: he deceiveth himself very much. For all those things must be laid aside when God calleth us too judgement. Again, the poor folk that scarcely have wherewith too cover half their body, yea and that but with a few rags and torn clouts, must not think themselves the less esteemed (of God) for all that. For there shall be no more persons, that is too say, there shall be noth […] riches nor poverty, honour nor baseness:

All the greatnesse and all the authoritie of the world will serue too no purpose, but euery man shall be taken as a chyld of Adam. So then, let such as haue any occasion too exalt themselues, beare well in mynd, that all the thinges which haue any gloriousnesse too the worldward, and are esteemed and had in reputation, shall fade away lyke smoke, and bee consumed too nothing, when wee come too bee iudged of our God. And therefore let all men both great and small lyue in humblenesse and trust.