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 let us go back again to the word fill: for therein Saint Paul showeth us, that the sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ hath no bounds too be locked up in: but that it reacheth even unto us. Therefore (as I have said twice already) our Lord Jesus Christs filling of all things, is by his power. For he is not a King after the manner of those whom we see in this world. They be subject to hunger & thirst, they be subject too diseases and other things: so as they must have officers at every stones cast, or else they shall not be obeyed. They then are fain to do their affairs by other men, which they cannot do by themselves, and too borrow help at other folks hands. But it is not so with Jesus Christ: for he reigneth not by force of arms, nor after the manner of worldly princes. Now then? He reigneth by his spirit, and by the mean of his word. And by that means are all things filled with him,¹ even by the Gospel. Saint Paul saith in the first too the Corinthians, that we communicate with him. And too that end also doth God call us day by day, namely too make us partakers of his only son. And how may that be, unless he extend his power unto us? Now truly, in this case it standeth us on hand to have more than our senses can receive. For the power of our Lord Jesus Christ carieth with it a wonderfulness above all our understanding, as Saint Paul will show yet again hereafter. For when he hath said, that Christ is the head of the Church, and as it were a husband (which is all one person with his wife:²) he crieth out, It is a great mystery or secret, between Jesus Christ and his Church. If it be a secret, surely than can we never attain too it by our own mother wit, nor by our own conceits. And therefore whereas Saint Paul sayeth, that he filleth all things: let us assure our selves, that in stead of common reason and common opinion, we must have the experience of faith, if we intend to know how Jesus Christ dwelleth in us, and too be persuaded of it, as hath bin said thereof already. Howsoever we fare, let us not think that any distance can separate us from the son of God. And why?

Now let vs go backe agein to the woord fyll: for therein Saint Paul sheweth vs, that the souereintie of our Lord Iesus Christ hath no boundes too bee locked vp in: but that it reacheth euen vntoo vs. Therfore (as I haue said twyce alredy) our Lord Iesus Christs filling of all things, is by his power. For he is not a King after the manner of those whom wee see in this world. They be subiect to hunger & thirst, they bee subiect too diseases and other things: so as they must haue officers at euery stones cast, or else they shal not be obeyed. They then are fayne to doo their affayres by other men, which they cannot doo by themselues, and too borrowe helpe at other folkes handes. But it is not so with Iesus Christ: for he reigneth not by force of armes, nor after the manner of worldly prynces. Now then? He reygneth by his spirit, and by the meane of his woord. And by that meanes are al things fylled with him,