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…

Therefore whensoever we be tempted unto evil, and the devil laboureth to make us take pleasure in it, that all remorse of conscience may be put away: let us call too mind the things that are spoken here, and say: How now? Thou rejoicest: And wherein? In the serving of Satan: and on the other side thou lettest him go that is thy life, the earnest penny of thy salvation, and the foundation of the felicity which hath bin purchased so dearly for thee by our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us think advisedly upon this. And moreover it is certain, that every faithful man ought too feel the thing that is declared here. For if our Lord have touched us, and given us the sealing that is spoken of here: it will be a grief unto us when we be tempted unto •uill. And so the thing that holdeth us in awe, is the spirit which watcheth and wardeth too withstand the enemy. And if we go above too kill this benefit, that is too say, this inworking that God giveth us, it is all one as if we grieved the holy Ghost. This then is a most certain experience, and such a one as showeth us that the thing which the holy Ghost hath put into us, is utterly against all evil, and that there must needs be a battle and strife betwixt them, insomuch that none of Gods children can sin, but he shall by and by be stirred up too fear, and too say in himself, Alas, where shall I become? In what plight have I brought my self? what shall I do?¹ And that is the sorrow that Saint Paul speaketh of, which we must not shun. But if we nevertheless go on still in evil: it is all one as if we took pleasure in driving and chasing away of Gods spirit. The Prophet Isaiah sayeth, we provoke Gods spirit too bitterness,² when we refuse the good doctrine that he setteth afore us. But S. Paul passeth yet further here. For in deed it is a kind of provoking God too wrath, when we yield not too his doctrine, which is a sure record of the care which he hath of our salvation, and of the love that he beareth us. But we must come too the considering of every of us by himself. God hath vouchsafed to engrave the belief of his Gospel in my hart, too the intent I should be sure of my salvation. And how doth he that: By vouchsafing to choose me for his house, and too dwell in me by his holy spirit. Now then if I blot out this grace:

Therefore whensoeuer wee bee tempted vntoo euill, and the diuell laboreth to make vs take pleasure in it, that all remorse of conscience maye bee put away: let vs call too mynd the things that are spoken heere, and say: How now? Thou reioycest: And wherin? In the seruing of Satan: and on the other syde thou lettest him go that is thy lyfe, the earnestpenny of thy saluation, and the foundation of the felicitie which hath bin purchaced so deerly for thee by our Lord Iesus Christ. Let vs thinke aduyzedly vpon this. And moreouer it is certein, that euery faythfull man ought too feele the thing that is declared heere. For if our Lord haue touched vs, and giuen vs the sealing that is spoken of heere: it will bee a greef vntoo vs when wee bee tempted vntoo uill. And so the thing that holdeth vs in awe, is the spirit which watcheth and wardeth too withstand the enemie. And if wee go aboue too kill this benefyte, that is too say, this inwoorking that God giueth vs, it is al one as if wee greeued the holy Ghost. This then is a most certein experience, and such a one as sheweth vs that the thing which the holy Ghost hath put intoo vs, is vtterly ageinst all euill, and that there must needes bee a battell and stryfe betwixt them, insomnch that none of Gods children can sin, but he shall by and by bee stirred vp too feare, and too say in himself, Alas, where shall I become? In what plyght haue I brought my self? what shall I doo?