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…

For unrepealable is the definitive sentence that is given here, that is too wit, that the devil is our prince, and we his subjects, held down under his thraldom, until we be set free by our Lord Jesus Christ,¹ according too this saying in the eight of Saint John, that it is he which maketh us free, too the end we should depart out of the cursed tyranny and bondage of Satan. Now seeing we be as wretched folk overthrown, and the devil is over our heads, and hath gotten the upper hand of us already, if we be not rescued after a wonderful manner: there is good cause why we should stoop, (as I declared already this morning) and distrust the strength that we surmise our selves too have of our own, for it is nothing else than deceitfulness. Also there is wherewith too quicken up our carefulness, too make us resort unto God, and too pray him that he forsake us not, ne suffer us too be given up as a pray too our enemies. And finally, too make every man too strain himself, knowing that although we our selves do nothing: yet doth God work in such wise by us, as he will not have us too be as blocks, but he will have us exercise our faith, and too be as men of war, too serve him in battle, so as the stops that we encounter, restrain us not from keeping on our course still, but that we outstand all the ambushes and ⟨p. 328⟩assaults that are put too us. Thus ye see in effect how we must put this text in ure.

For vnrepealable is the definitiue sentence that is giuen heere, that is too wit, that the diuel is our prince, and wee his subiects, hild downe vnder his thraldome, vntill wee bee set free by our Lord Iesus Christ,¹ according too this saying in the eyght of Saint Iohn, that it is he which maketh vs free, too the ende wee shoulde depart out of the cursed tyrannie and bondage of Satan. Now seeing wee bee as wretched folk ouerthrowen, and the diuell is ouer our heads, and hath gotten the vpper hand of vs alredye, if wee bee not reskewed after a woonderfull maner: there is good cause why wee should stoope, (as I declared alredye this morning) and distrust the strength that wee surmyze our selues too haue of our owne, for it is nothing else than deceytfulnesse. Also there is wherwith too quicken vp our carefulnesse, too make vs resort vntoo God, and too pray him that he forsake vs not, ne suffer vs too bee giuen vp as a pray too our enemies. And finally, too make euery man too streyne himself, knowing that although wee our selues doo nothing: yit dooth God woork in such wyse by vs, as he wil not haue vs too bee as blocks, but he will haue vs exercyze our fayth, and too bee as men of warre, too serue him in battell, so as the stoppes that wee incounter, restreyne vs not from keeping on our course still, but that wee outstand all the ambushes and