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…

Notwithstanding, it is not for nought that S. Paul hath here set down this two words of wisdom and understanding. For they do us too wit, that the learning of the Gospel is enough too bring us to all perfection, and that whatsoever is added moreover, is but dung, filth, and rottenness. Too be short, S. Pauls entitling of the Gospel with those two honourable terms, is too the end that every man should quietly give ear to the things that God teacheth him by the ⟨image 42⟩means of his only son, and that we should yield our selves s• teachable unto him, as not too take upon us to know aught, than tha• which cometh out of his mouth, but simply receive whatsoever he speaketh, and continue in the same to the end, though the whole word despise us, and all men set themselves against us, and not pass for […] the sleights of the world, as many men do, who have •tching ear•s and are always desirous too here some new thing. Too the end therefore that we be not so wavering, nor overled by foolish desire of knowing more than is lawful for us too know: let us mark well how S. Paul sayeth here, that if we have once profited throughly in the Gospel, we shall find there all wisdom to the full, so as we may reject all other things, not only as needless, but also as noisome, because that by them we shall be turned from the pure doctrine, whereby it is his will too have us knit unto him. Too be short, S. Paul meant to show here, that God doeth us an inestimable good turn, when he vouchsafeth to call us too the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ his only son, and that when we have him, we must despise all other things, and not be troubled with a foolish desire of knowing this or that, because that (as I have said already) the full perfection of all our knowledge is there, that is to wit, in our Lord Jesus Christ. And here ye see also why it is said to the Colossians,¹ that he had bin a faithful teacher, yea even too bring men too the perfection of wisdom.² Indeed he confesseth that he was rude and homely of speech, and that he had neither the wisdom nor the eloquence that was highly commended in the world: but yet he declareth, that if his doctrine were received, there should be found a full substance in it for the full nourishment of mens souls, and that there needeth not any more too be added unto it.