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…

Is not this enough then too bereave them of all excu•e, which play the beasts in their ignorance, living here but only too devour Gods benefits, and in the mean while repair not too him, too do him honour, or to offer him their service? Then is it not without cause, that Saint Paul addeth yet further this saying, that such as were so destitute of the knowledge of the Gospel, were without God in the world.

Is not this ynough then too bereeue them of all excu•e, which play the beastes in their ignorance, lyuing heere but only too deuoure Gods benefytes, and in the meane whyle repayre not too him, too doo him honour, or to offer him their seruice? Then is it not without cause, that Saint Paule addeeth yit further this saying, that such as were so destitute of the knowledge of the Gospell, were without God in the world.

Now thereupon on the other side, he setteth down the grace of God, which they had received, too the end, they should know that it was not of their own purchase, nor obtained by their own policy and ability, but that they ought too consider well how greatly they be bound unto God, for raising them up too heaven from the deep dungeons of hell. If God had but lent us his hand to lift us up when we were fallen but too the ground, and so let us alone in our own state, we should be beholden to him for it. For when we be fallen, and some body helps too lift us up again, we will con him thank, & so ought we too do. Behold now, God hath not only lift us up from the ground, but also drawn us out of the gulf of hell. And his so doing, is not too make us crepe here beneath upon the earth, or to make us too enjoy the benefits that he offereth us here presently: but too advance us too the kingdom of heaven, as we have seen heretofore, how we be put in possession of it already by faith, and are set in the person of Jesus Christ in the glory that he hath purchased for us, for he is entered into it in our behalf. The seeing it is so, have we not cause too magnify Gods grace so much the more? So have ye Saint Pauls meaning, in that he saith, that now by Jesus Christ you be come near unto God, even you (sayeth he) which were far of before. Therefore at a word (forasmuch as the whole, cannot be laid forth at this time) let us understand, that whereas men seem to have some worthiness in themselves, they cannot but stray away to their own destruction, so long as they be separated from God, because that by nature they ee strangers unto bim, yea and quite cut of from him. Moreover let every of us know for his own part, how we had forgotten