A17705:73
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…
The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the Ephesians. Translated out of French into English by Arthur GoldingThe sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the Ephesians. Translated out of French into English by Arthur Golding
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Lucas Harison, 1577
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
We have seen heretofore how S. Paul exhorted us too praise and bliss God, because he hath blessed us, and that not after an earthly manner, but after a spiritual manner, too the end we should learn too hold our selves contented with Gods showing of his fatherly goodness and love towards us, in opening the gate of the kingdom of heaven unto us by hope, in so much that although we be subject too much misery in this world, yet it is good reason that we should content our selves with Gods choosing of us after that fashion, and with his calling of us too him, according as it is witnessed too us by the Gospel,1 that he is our father, namely in as much as he hath knit us too our Lord Jesus Christ as members too their head. And now S. Paul bringeth us too the original & wellspring, or rather too the principal cause tha• caused God too take us into his favour. For it is not enough that God hath uttered the •reasures of his goodness and mercy upon us, too draw us too the hope of the heavenly life by the Gospel: and yet is that very much. For had not S. Paul added that which we see presently: it might have bin […] that Gods grace is common too all men, and that he offereth it too all without exception, and consequently that it is in every mans […] too receive it through his own freewill, by means whereof the•e should be some deserving in us. For if there were no […] men, but that some receive Gods grace and […] what might be said, but that God hath showed […] to all mankind? But they that are partakers of the […] Lord Jesus Christ, attain too it by faith. And so ye see ⟨p. 9⟩what might be deemed of it. But S. Paul, too exclude all deserving […] behalf, and too show that all cometh of Gods only free […] goodness: saith that he hath blessed us according too his […] of us aforehand. As if he should say, that too exalt Gods […] as becometh us, we must look upon the difference that is […] between man and man. For the Gospel is preached to some, and […] wot not what it is, but are utterly shut out from it, as if […] should make it too rain in one coast, and suffer another coast to […] dry. Now if it be demanded why God pitieth the one part, […] forsaketh and giveth over the other: there is none other answer […] that it so pleaseth him.