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…

We have seen already how Saint Paul brought the Ephesians not only to the chief but also too the only cause of their salvation, and showed that they must of necessity father all the whole upon God, without mingling of any foolish presumption therewithal, as who should say that they themselves had furthered Gods grace which they had received, either by their free will, or by any good intent in them. Saint Paul therefore hath showed in effect, that not only the Ephesians too whom he spake, but also they that had bin Gods Church before, ought all without exception to confess, that all their welfare proceeded of Gods only free goodness, not only because they were all redeemed by mean of our Lord Jesus Christ, but also because he had called them too the belief of the Gospel, according too his choosing of them before the creating of the world.

WEe haue seene already howe Saint Paule brought the Epesians not onely to the chief but also too the onely cause of their saluation, and shewed that they must of necessitie father all the whole vppon God, without mingling of any foolish presumption therwithall, as who should say that they themselues had furthered Gods grace which they had receyued, eyther by their free wil, or by any good intent in them. Saint Paule therefore hath shewed in effect, that not onely the Ephesians too whom he spake, but also they that had bin Gods Church before, ought all without exception to confesse, that all their welfare proceeded of Gods onely free goodnesse, not onely bycause they were all redeemed by meane of our Lord Iesus Christ, but also bycause he had called them too the beliefe of the Gospell, according too his choozing of them before the creating of the world.

And now he warranteth all the said doctrine by the record which it yieldeth unto God, in that it doth even then magnify his goodness, when he is as it were separated from mans eye, and from the sight of all witnesses. Truly the doctrine of the Gospel ought not too be the less esteemed when it is preached and published in the open face of the whole world: but yet it behoveth him that speaketh it too have it throughly printed in his hart, & to say the same thing in himself before God and his Angels, which he speaketh before men: for otherwise it were but a jangling, or rather an unhallowing of Gods word: if a man should step up into the pulpit too talk like an Angel, and in the mean while have no such meaning in his hart, nor be persuaded of the thing that he speaketh. It were better that a man were drowned a hundred times, than too bear abroad the most excellent record of salvation & of Gods truth: and in the mean season not too be persuaded in himself of the thing that he preacheth, so as God and his Angels might know that he hath the same thing printed in his heart. Therefore it is not without cause, that after S. Paul hath preached Gods free goodness in choosing whom he liked, and in calling them too the knowledge of his Gospel when he had chosen them, & in confirming them with his strong hand, and by giving them invincible constancy and steadfastness when he had called them: now he addeth that