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…

Thereupon we may gather also, that it is a devilish stateliness when these Ruffians take so highly upon them,¹ as too reject whatsoever they cannot conceive the reason of. If a man tell them that God disposeth all things by his secret ordinance, and that the things which we term fortune, chance, hazard, casualty, hap, adventure, and such like, are all determined before the making of the world, insomuch that even the hairs of our heads are numbered,² and one little bird shall not light upon the ground,³ without Gods providence: they step forth and object, how can that be? And whereas God telleth us in his Law, that he will have this and that done, shall we say, that he hath mo wills than one? Then should he be unconstant, and that were too make God changeable, and so should he seem subject too all manner of lightness like a mortal creature. But (as I said afore) such men ⟨image 144⟩do ill know their own ability. For they imagine that if God bind not himself in all points too the things which he hath revealed to us by his word, he is contrary too himself, and hath a double will, and that moveth them too gabble after that fashion. But too be short, Gods will is always one, and single, and agreeable in it self: howbeit that to our seeming it be divers, and have many kinds of it, as if we saw a hundred sundry shapes which dazzled our eye sight or utterly dimmed it. Whereas S. Paul saith, that Gods wisdom is divers in many sorts: it is as if a picture had a thousand colours in it, so as a man could not distinctly discern one from another. Nevertheless, S. Paul in saying so, meant not that Gods wisdom is so writhed in it self, that there is any contrariety or strife there. No: but he showeth, that although God have always one even meaning, & keep on still in one trace and in one rate,⁴ although there be no change nor variableness in him, and although there be but one light wherein there is no dimness at all: yet notwithstanding when men will needs press unto him, their wits are always as it were astray and dazzled, and if they go forward, and step forth still with too great boldness, they must needs be confounded in the end, and God must utterly overwhelm […]. After that manner therefore must we take the things that are spoken in the holy scripture concerning Gods providence.