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…

Now look how much is attributed too faith, so much is taken away from men. For faith borroweth all things of Gods mere grace and liberality. Therefore let us mark that in this text Saint Paul meant too humble us, and too show us that God must be fain too provide us of all things belonging and requisite too our victory. And therefore whosoever make themselves shields of any of all the (other bulwarks that can be devised, too repulse Satan withal: they shall have but a spiders web (as they say) and Satan will but sport him at their presumption, insomuch that when they ween they have all the mountains of the world too fortify them, it shall profit them nothing at all at their need. Wherefore let us learn too make faith our buckler: that is too say, when we mind too enter into the battle, and too hold out in it: let us consider, that God is our father, because he hath elected and chosen us for his children, of his own infinite goodness. Seeing he hath assured us that he will always be on our side, and that he is greater than all the world, and that he hath put us in good and safe keeping by ordaining our Lord Jesus Christ too be our Shepherd: let us gather all those promises together, and make a shield of them too set before us whensoever we be assailed, and let us defy the devil, because we be in the protection of our God, who is of invincible power, and because our Lord Jesus Christ hath taken upon him the charge of our salvation,¹ and promised too be a faithful keeper of our souls too the end. When we be once at that point, then shall we beat back the darts of the devil. For on the one side he will labour too make us distrust Gods grace: and on the other side he will make us believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is far of from us: yea and he will tempt us too murmur and grudge against him, or too make us cast forth trifling and unprofitable questions, or else blasphemies, and such other things: and all these are darts. Again, when we be tickled with any wicked lust or longing in our hearts, it is the next way for us too be taken tardy. True it is that at the first blush these allurements will seem neither ⟨p. 332⟩bitter, nor irksome, nor hard, nor any thing else: but yet for all that, they be deadly darts: and yet notwithstanding, faith beateth them all back. As how?

Now looke how much is attributed too fayth, so much is taken away from men. For fayth borroweth all things of Gods mere grace and liberalitie. Therfore let vs marke that in this text Saint Paule ment too humble vs, and too shewe vs that God must bee fayne too prouyde vs of all things belonging and requysyte too our victorye. And therefore whosoeuer make themselues sheeldes of any of all the (other bulwarkes that can be deuyzed, too repulse Satan withall: they shall haue but a spyders web (as they say) and Satan will but sport him at their presumption, insomuch that when they weene they haue all the mountaynes of the world too fortifye them, it shall profit them nothing at all at their neede. Wherfore let vs learne too make fayth our bucklar: that is too say, when wee mynd too enter intoo the battell, and too hold out in it: let vs consider, that God is our father, bycause he hath elected and chozen vs for his children, of his owne infinite goodnesse. Seeing he hath assured vs that he will alwayes be on our syde, and that he is greater than all the world, and that he hath put vs in good and safe keeping by ordeyning our Lord Iesus Christ too bee our Shepherd: let vs gather all those promises toogither, and make a sheeld of them too set before vs whensoeuer wee bee assayled, and let vs defye the diuell, bycause wee bee in the protection of our God, who is of inuincible power, and bycause our Lord Iesus Christ hath taken vppon him the charge of our saluation,