A17722:27
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.
This was to make him give over all, & after to be without hope, and to have contemned God: he had fallen even to the uttermost extremity, if he had not been holden in by a singular patience. Now then, we have here to behold as in a glass, the condition of Gods Church, how it beginneth, & how God upholdeth it, and multiplieth it, that is to say, after so strange a fashion, that it seemeth at all assays, that that same appearance which God shall have given us, is nothing (as a man would say) but to deceive us. For (in stead that the children of this world have a goodly show, & a man shall find them to increase to the eye) the church shall be hidden under the Earth: a man shall see the earth full replenished of unbelievers, of contemners of God and profane people: and where shall a man find the faithful? They shall be very thin sown and a man shall not be able to perceive them, they shall be despised, men shall tread them almost under their feet, and men shall think that God hath no ⟨p. 3⟩care of his Church, and that further he taketh pleasure that the wicked, should make their triumphs, and should have their brave & pompous shows.
This was to make him giue ouer al, & after to be without hope, and to haue contemned God: he had falne euen to the vttermost extremitie, if he had not bene holdē in by a singular patience. Now then, wee haue heere to beholde as in a glasse, the condition of Gods Church, how it beginneth, & how God vpholdeth it, and multiplyeth it, that is to say, after so strange a fashion, that it seemeth at al assaies, that that same apparance which God shall haue giuen vs, is nothing (as a man would say) but to deceiue vs. For (in stead that the children of this world haue a goodly shew, & a man shall find thē to encrease to the eye) the church shall bee hidden vnder the Earth: a man shall see the earth full replenished of vnbeleeuers, of contemners of God and prophane people: and where shall a man finde the faithfull? They shall bee very thin sowen and a man shall not be able to perceiue them, they shall be despised, men shall treade them almoste vnder their feete, and men shall thinke that God hath no ⟨p. 3⟩care of his Church, and that further hee taketh pleasure that the wicked, should make their triumphes, and should haue their braue & pompeous shewes.