A17722:101
Thirteen sermons of Master John Calvin, entreating of the free election of God in…Thirteene sermons of Maister Iohn Caluine, entreating of the free election of God in…
Thirteen sermons of Master John Calvin, entreating of the free election of God in Jacob, and of reprobation in Esau A treatise wherein every Christian may see the excellent benefits of God towards his children, and his marvellous judgements towards the reprobate, first published in the French tongue, & now translated into English, by John Field, for the comfort of all Christians.Thirteene sermons of Maister Iohn Caluine, entreating of the free election of God in Iacob, and of reprobation in Esau A treatise wherin euery Christian may see the excellent benefites of God towardes his children, and his maruelous iudgements towards the reprobate, firste published in the French toung, & now translated into English, by Iohn Fielde, for the comfort of all Christians.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Thomas Man and Toby Cooke, 1579London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Thomas Man and Tobie Cooke, 1579
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.
In speaking of the stronger, it is to show us, that when Gods election is steadfast and undoubted, and that we are upholden by his holy spirit, ⟨p. 37⟩we must no longer fear: & this is a very profitable point, yea necessary. For what is our condition? There needs not but one puff of wind to beat us down, & there needs but a fly to dazzle our eyes: and yet we are here laid open to so many combats, as nothing more. Behold our enemies which are in number infinite: and I speak not of those which we see with the eye, but of spiritual enemies: For the air is full of devils, which lye in wait for us, yea which are as roaring Lyons, besides their slights. Alas what shall we be able to do? It must needs be that we be in distress & vexation continually & without end, & that we be as poor people stricken through, if we knew not that our Lord hath our salvation in his own hand, and that he will keep it. S. Peter saith that it is well kept in hope, and that faith is as it were a capcase: but he sendeth us to God: and our Lord Jesus Christ hath yet declared this more plain unto us, when he saith, that all that was given unto him of his father, shall not perish. And why so? The father who hath given you (saith he) unto me, is stronger then all. So then, he saith that we may rejoice in this, that God will have pity upon us until the end, and that he will keep us: and although he suffer us to stumble, yea so as we fall, yet we shall be recovered & upholden by his hand. And how is it that we can trust in this? Without election it is impossible▪ but when we know that the father hath committed us into the keeping of his son, we are certain, that we shall ⟨image 45⟩be maintained by him unto the end: For we have his promise whereby he hath bound himself uno us, to preserve us: & farther he maketh it until the last day, until the resurrection. And forasmuch as the beginning and end of our salvation is in him, see in whom we may rejoice our selves: That is, that in acknowledging our weaknesses & brittleness, and that we are nothing, and that we want all things: yet we may say: the Lord which hath called me unto himself, will finish his own work: as is said in the 138. Psalm. Lord thou wilt not leave the work of thine own hands in the middest. So then we must hold fast this doctrine, that the one shall be more strong:
In speaking of the stronger, it is to shewe vs, that when Gods election is stedfast and vndoubted, and that we are vpholden by his holy spirite,