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…

Again, although this doctrine seem strange too such as are plunged in the world, and utterly heathenish without knowing whereto they be called: yet notwithstanding if we look throughly into it, we shall see it is not unjustly said,¹ that there is no wisdom but the fear of God. For what do all they which will needs advance themselves by their covetousness, ambition, and other trades of theirs? It is certain that they do manifestly provoke Gods wrath against themselves: and oftentimes they receive the reward which they deserve, for they spin ha•tars, both for themselves and for their children: insomuch that whereas they h••ed too enrich themselves, or to maintain ⟨image 284⟩themselves in great […], and too leave an everlasting remembrance of themselves in their houses here: God doth so curse all their attempts, that the more they hoard up, and the higher that they clime, the more horrible is their fall and confusion, so as the goods which they had heaped up, are turned too their undoing, at leastwise too the worldward. But put the case that their prosperity held always at one stay: yet do we know that our happiness consisteth not in this transitory life which is of no continuance, but is as a shadow that vanisheth out of hand. What shall we then think of the man, which being created after Gods image, redeemed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and adopted too be companion with the Angels, doth notwithstanding play the beast wilfully, by forgetting what he himself is, yea and even the price of his salvation? If a man which is created too inherit everlasting life, be contented with the having of a three or four days pleasure here beneath, and never passeth for all the rest: must it not needs be that Satan hath bewitched him, and bereft him of all understanding and reason, and finally made him like a brute beast? For if a mans son forsake his fathers house, and the sustenance that is prepared for him there, and runnes•oging abroad too have a two or three days pleasure, whether it be in whoredom or in any other lewdness, and within a while after becomes a beggar, and hath not a morsel of bread too eat: will not the world say, that such a child is stark blind, & worse than mad? Now let us compare this too the heritage that is prepared for us in heaven, and was purchased so dearly for us: