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…

Now hereupon Saint Paul addeth further, that we must be rooted and grounded in charity. This word Charity or love, may be taken as well for the love that God beareth us, as for the mutual love which we ought to bear one towards another. But the very true and native sense of Saint Paul here, is, that he meant too have us knit together. For as he spake heretofore of Gods free love towards us, so now he showeth how faith importeth that we should have brotherly love one towards another. And the holy Scripture bringeth us always to that point: insomuch that when there is any speaking of the full perfection of good life: faith goeth before, & then comes Charity next unto it. For the end that we must begin at, is the utter abasing of our selves, too the end we may seek all our ⟨p. 142⟩welfare at Gods hand, and that our seeking of it there, may be, first too acknowledge that he giveth us all things in the person of his only son: and secondly, too call upon him too settle our faith in him, too flee wholly for refuge too his mercy, and after as every man feeleth himself bound unto him, (as all of us are exceedingly,) so to acknowledge by our thanksgiving, that he is our righteousness, our holiness, our victory, our joy, our glory, and our happiness, that we may perform the thing which is said in Jeremiah, whosoever glorieth, let him glory in the Lord,¹ because it is he that worketh righteousness, Justice, and mercy. Ye see then that we must rest wholly upon our God, or else all the virtuousness which we seem too have before men, shall be but filth and dung. Now then, have we faith? Charity must be matched with it, and we must live evenly and uprightly one with another, & every of us acknowledge thus, I was not created for my self, nor to seek mine own private benefit & commodity, but for the benefit of my neighbours also. And therefore let us abstain from all guile, wrong, outrage, and malice, and endeavour to serve each others turn, according too our ability. That is the perfection of good life.

Now hereuppon Saint Paule addeth further, that vvee must bee rooted and grounded in charitie. This woord Charitie or loue, may bee taken as well for the loue that God beareth vs, as for the mutuall loue which wee ought to beare one towardes another. But the verie trew and natiue sense of Saint Paule heere, is, that he ment too haue vs knit toogither. For as he spake heeretoofore of Gods free loue towardes vs, so now he sheweth how fayth importeth that wee should haue brotherly loue one towards another. And the holy Scripture bringeth vs alwayes to that poynt: insomuch that when there is any speaking of the full perfection of good lyfe: fayth goeth before, & then comes Charitie next vntoo it. For the end that wee must begin at, is the vtter abacing of our selues, too the end wee may seeke all our