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…

And now he addeth a thing which may seem hard & strange at the first sight, when he saith, that the Ephesians were without God. For it is certain that although they were wretched Idolaters, yet they had a certain opinion that the world was not made of it self: for we k••we that all men have continually held so•e seed of Religion, and even they which oversho•e them selves so far, as too wipe out all knowledge of God, are first most ugly monsters, and secondly although ⟨p. 86⟩they strive too thrust all knowledge of God under foot, yet must they needs have harthitings, that sting them in spite of their teeth, and they be driven too feel that they cannot scape the hand of God. Howsoever the case stand, we be naturally inclined too know that there is a God. And the heathen men have always had their devotions and divine services (as •hey termed them) to show that they worshipped some Godhead. How then doth S. Paul say here, that they were without God? We have to note, that it is not enough for men to confess that there is some certain Godhead, and to endeavour to discharge themselves of their duty by serving of a God: but they must also have a certain settled belief, that they wander not too and fro after the manner that is spoken of in the first Chapter too the Romans,¹ where it is said, that such as deuyze strange shapes of God, do vanish away in their own foolish imaginations. Now it is certain, that all such as are not taught by Gods word, by the law, by the Prophets, & by the Gospel, are out of the right way, and after a sort, at their wits end, so as they be tossed too and fro like wavering reeds that yield too every wind, and thereupon make sundry shapes of God. For every man buildeth and forgeth crooked conceits in his own brain, and we know that mans wit is as a shop of Idolatry & superstition, insomuch that if a man believe his own conceit, it is certain, that he shall forsake God, and forge some Idol in his own brain. Lo• what we be. And it may right well be said, that we be without God, when we wander away after that fashion in our own imaginations, and in our false opinions. And that is the cause why S.