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, when he turneth his chastisings too our benefit, for that he purgeth us by that means, too further us continually thereby too the kingdom of heaven, and too lift us up because we be too much tied too the world, too the end we should be gathered together, too come too the full perfection that is prepared for us in heaven: when we see all this, have we not cause too praise our God, notwithstanding that we be full of grief, care, fear, and doubts? ⟨image 293⟩Yes certainly, but that our own unthankfulness hindereth it. So much the more behoveth it us too mark well the thing that S. Paul telleth us here, namely that we have cause too praise God without end or ceasing. And if our mouth be stopped sometimes with grief, so as we seem too be barred from praising God, and we cannot apply our selves freely thereunto: let us understand that God never showeth himself so rough and rigorous towards us, but that he assuageth the bitterness which is in our afflictions, too the intent too draw us unto him, and that we might thank him, and glorify him for it. Forasmuch as we receive no grace but by the means of our Lord Jesus Christ, who doth also turn the corrections too our welfare, which we should suffer as punishments for our sins: therefore it is said, that we should yield thanks too our God and father, namely by our Lord Jesus Christ. Now he setteth down on the one side, God the father: and afterward showeth how God is our father in all respects: that is too wit, by means of the mediator, through whom we be reconciled unto him, and he hath so put away all our sins, that whatsoever things we can endure in this world, are all furtherances of our salvation,¹ as is said of them in the Epistle too the Romans. And here we have to mark first of all, that without faith we cannot praise God as we ought to do, insomuch that whatsoever praises we sing with our mouth, all is but feigning and hypocrisy, except we be throughly persuaded that God is our father. And mark here what is meant by faith. It is not as the Papists suppose it, namely too believe that there is a God in heaven, and in the mean while too know no whit of his will: but Saint Paul telleth us, we must be throughly resolved, that God accepteth us for his children, or else we shall never be able to praise him with a pure and free affection.

Agein, when he turneth his chastizings too our benefyte, for that he purgeth vs by that meanes, too further vs continually therby too the kingdome of heauen, and too lift vs vp bycause wee bee too much tyed too the world, too the end wee should bee gathered toogither, too come too the full perfection that is prepared for vs in heauen: when wee see all this, haue wee not cause too prayse our God, notwithstanding that wee bee full of greefe, care, feare, and doubtes?