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…

6. There is one God and father of all, which is above all things▪ and through all things, and in you all: 7. But grace is given too every one of us, according too the measure of Christs gift. 8. For the which thing he sayeth, When he went up on high, he led a multitude of prisoners into captivity, and gave gi•ts unto men.

6. There is one God and father of all, vvhich is aboue all things▪ and through all things, and in you all: 7. But grace is giuen too euery one of vs, according too the measure of Christes gift. 8. For the vvhich thing he sayeth, When he went vp on high, he led a multitude of prisoners into captiuitie, and gaue gi•ts vntoo men.

We have seen heretofore, that God forgot not any mean that might knit us together in true concord and brotherhood. For he hath dedicated us all too himself by Baptism,¹ wherein we put on Christ. Forasmuch as we he come together into the Church, like as we be called unto one selfsame life too be heirs all together of the kingdom of heaven: so ought we too know who is the Master that hath authority over us. Too be short, God is in such wise our father, and we his children, as he will not have us too be at discord: for otherwise it were but a setting of trouble in his own house and Church. Seeing we be members of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is meet that we should link together in true unity, or else we shall (as much as in us lieth) tear his body in pieces. Yet notwithstanding too the intent that this unity might touch us the better: S. Paul addeth now, that God being the father of all the faithful, sheddeth out his power and grace upon them, and is above all things, as it were too gather them into one. Too be short, he so dwelleth in them by his holy spirit, that they must needs be one body, unless they will needs turn away from him. Ye see then that the reason why God is our father, is not only that he hath once created us, or that he hath begotten us again by his Gospel: but because he hath shed out his grace upon us, as I said, and again, for that he is above all. Ye see then, that the mean whereby God linketh us one with another, is his casting of his beams (as it were sun beams) from heaven, so as we must needs come together into one, sith we know whence the things come that belong too our spiritual life, namely, of Gods gift towards us. And this is not too scatter us a sunder, but rather too gather us together into one body. But the last words do yet better lay open the mind of S. Paul, namely, that God is in us. Then if every of v know that God doth him so much grace and honour,