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…

Many supposing themselves too have profited well in faith, are yet notwithstanding ignorant what belongs too prayer. They think it enough if they can say, God help me, when they see any danger at hand, and yet in the mean while flee not too him for refuge. But such folk wot not too what purpose the promises serve that are made unto us. For God sayeth not singly, that he will have a care of us, and that he will help us in all our needs: but also allureth us too him, and therewithal encourageth us too praying. Then cannot the one be separated from the other, that is too wit, that we should rest upon the hope of Gods promises, and have them throughly rooted in our hearts: and also be stirred up too resort unto our God, so as our faith exercise us in prayer and supplication. Thus see we that they be unseparable things. And look how much we be forwarder in faith, so much with the earnester zeal should we call upon our God, and acknowledge and confess that our salvation lieth in his hand, and that we look for all good things from him. And forasmuch as we be so slothful in that behalf: he setteth down two words, Prayer and supplication, too express the better that we must not go too it coldly, nor slightly, and as it were for courtesy sake: but that we must be touched too the quick, too continue at it (as he will add anon after) and too hold on rightly without ceasing at any time. True it is that God telleth us by his Prophet Isaiah, that he will hear us before we cry,¹ and his hand shall be ready too succour us before we have opened our mouth. Howbeit, that is not too make us slothful, that we should lye gaping at him with open throat (as they say:) but too show that he will not suffer us too linger, when we shall have called upon him, as though he were careless too help us: and that for proof thereof, he preventeth us, as we find by experience. Yet notwithstanding, he will have us too yield a true proof of our f•yth by praying unto him. For the very way for us too show ⟨p. 334⟩truly that his promises have taken effect in us, and that we trust too them,² is, that as soon as we be touched with any grief or affliction, we go straight unto him,³ and unburden our hearts there, as is said in another place. Now we see how we must make our advantage of Gods word, whereby we be certified that he will never fail us: