A17722:209
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.
There is no question here neither of the first nor second degree. So Isaac lied not in saying that Rebecca was his sister. And yet notwithstanding all this, he faulted, yea indeed: For God is no Sophister, & doth not stay upon a word as we have declared before: but he regardeth the intent.
There is no question heere neither of the first nor secōd degree. So Isaack lyed not in saying that Rebecca was his sister. And yet notwithstāding al this, he faulted, yea indeed: For God is no Sophister, & doth not stay vpon a word as we haue declared before: but hee regardeth the intent.
When therefore we shall have well painted our words, and that there shall be some goodly colour and fair show to acquit us before men, all this is nothing: For GOD soundeth the heart. And though men can find nothing too say against our excuses, yet this proveth not that GOD is content therewith. And this which is here, is a very good & profitable admonition. For how do men commonly jest with God? It ⟨image 92⟩is true, that we will confess that it belongeth to him to search into our secret thoughts, and that nothing is hidden from him: but yet so it is, that we deal with him after the manner of men: and which is worse, we will altogether go beyond him, & we will blear his eyes: and we will jest more boldly with him than with men. For although we have many starting holes, which might discharge us of blame, yet so much there is that we have some remorse, knowing other men will not judge so thereof, this man is no beast, he may know my craft. When therefore we have thus disguised our words, yet we shall be always in doubt, whether men be satisfied or not. But when the matter is of God, we do nothing but writhe our mouth, or rather mow and snuff at God: For we are as brute beasts, yea and worse too in this point. But so much the more ought we to learn this doctrine: that is to say, that God careth not for all our goodly collars: for they are nothing else but breeches of leaves, and this excused not our father Adam, that he came not out too make his account. What must we then do? We must so acknowledge our faults in simplicity, that we be first our own judges: & when we shall once have found out, that there was some crooked and indirect dealing, we must acknowledge that it displeased God. For mark Isaacks intention, it was to hide his marriage. It is true that the words which he useth are not such as for which he should be called a liar: but yet for all that there was some