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 first of all we must mark well,¹ that Jesus Christ is the door too open heaven unto us: for we know that at his death the v•yle of the Temple was rent asunder, and that in such wise, that we may now enter familiarly into the Sanctuary of God, not of such a material Temple, as was then: but (even of heaven,) so as we may press into the presence of our God, and resort unto him for refuge, as if a child should cast himself into the lap of his father or mother: for it is certain, that God surmounteth all the fathers and mothers of the world, in all kindness and favour. Seeing then that we know that: what cou•t we more? Would we have some better or excellenter ⟨image 148⟩thing than God? Then must we go seek it in the bottom of hell. For when we have made our vagaries as much as we list, we shall always find, that there is nothing in any of all the creatures either above or beneath,² that is worth a straw, in comparison of God, as sayeth the Prophet Isaiah. So then, seeing that God hath given himself unto us in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that the whole fullness of the Godhead dwelleth in that great Sanctuary,³ which was figured by the visible Sanctuary of the Law: ought we not too be fully satisfied when we have that, and too rest our selves wholly thereupon? And although our wits & our affections be fickle, yet ought they too be held in awe as prisoners, so as we may say, Let us cleave, let us cleave too our God,⁴ according too this saying of David, behold, all my felicity, and all my joy is too be joined too my God. Likewise he sayeth in another place,⁵ he is the wellspring of life and light. Again, we have s•ng this morning,⁶ he is my portion, I cannot have a better lot, I must needs take all my delight in him. Thus ye see what w have too remember in the first place.