A17722:103
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.
Fear not my little flock, but rejoice, and be not as a scattered and discomforted flock. And why so? Because the father delighteth in thee
Feare not my little flock, but reioyce, and be not as a scattered and discomforted flocke. And why so? Because the father delighteth in thee
Mark then from whence we must have all our rejoicing: mark of whom we must be armed, to have victory, and to triumph against all temptations. When we see in these days the enemies of the Gospel, and the Devils supporters, to make their brags, and make no account of others in comparison of them selves, and when in the mean time they despise us: and not only that, but farther account us as most desperate creatures, as though we were unworthy (as men say) to be eaten of Dogs. When therefore we shall see this at this day, yea, that the greatest number shall be as poor starvelings, and that they shall have no bread to eat, that they shall not have their ease nor their commodity: Let us remember that, that is here spoken, that the greater shall serve the lesser. Now this service came not to pass at the first dash. For we shall see afterwards that Jacob came to crouch before his brother, and called him his Lord: he trembled as a poor Lamb before him, and then gave him all his goods as a pray. And where was this subjection of Esau? where was the superiority of Jacob, when he submitted him self in such sort? It seemeth that he gives up all: but he knoweth that God would not accomplish this at the first day. Mark then why he did bear his poverty so patiently: because God would (as if a man might say) that he should creep upon the earth, and yet this shall not hinder, but that he should always attain to that salvation, whereunto he was called. And why so? For God dependeth not upon all ⟨p. 39⟩all these earthly things. And which is more (as I have already said) he will that we begin here, to humble our selves before him: following that which I alleged ere while from the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ, that so we know that our Heavenly Father be well pleased with us, we pass not for the rest, or rather that we be not so shaken that this do deprave us and bring us out of taste, and so hinder us from doing good: but that we doubt not that amiddest all the troubles and griefs that may happen unto us, we have always wherein to rejoice. For who shall separate us from the love that God hath borne us in Christ our Lord?