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…

Again, when we are exhorted too despise the riches and honours of this world, if we be allured thereunto by our adversary the Devil, we will be (as it were) asleep in them, and all our senses will be wholly occupied therewith. ⟨p. 163⟩Now if our Lord used any simple admonition, it is certain that it is as if it were spoken to a man that were asleep. And what shall men profit thereby? It behoveth therefore that god awaken us oftentimes by force. And so as often as God shall scourge us, & that some shall be chastised after one sort, some after another: Let us examine that which was in us, and so we shall know that we were for a time blockish and senseless, that we have known nothing of that which we ought, or else that we were not so attentive therein, & let us learn by the example of our father Isaac, that seeing our Lord doth stir us up and would that we should deeply & in good earnest think upon him, & that we should gather up all our senses, which before were wandering: let us learn I say to make out profit thereof: Lo this for one lesson. But let us mark how Isaac willingly submitteth him self too the will of God. I have already said, that they that will maintain their reputation, will be wilful: although they had done the greatest evil in the world, yet they will always maintain it. And lo this is the cause that so many people plunge them selves so deeply, even unto the depth of the bottomless pits: that is, they are ashamed too be reclaimed: they would have the renown of constancy, and they think that if they should change, that it should be caste in their teeth, as a great lightness and inconstancy. Lo the cause why men harden themselves in obstinacy with boldness and presumption, ⟨image 171⟩too follow a thing, howsoever it be, and take the bit in their teeth and will in no case bow, neither too the one side, nor too the other. Now this is a vice very common, and so much the rather we shall be subject unto it, unless we come to that which is rehearsed here. Lo Isaac who might have bin greatly ashamed, for that he was so deceived and abused: a man might say, look upon this drunkard, when he is well whittled, and that he hath eaten and drunk, he taketh one for another: and farther, a man might have said, this was a glutton, when he could not discern between kid and venison: and again, it might have bin said:

Agayne, when wee are exhorted too despise the riches and honours of this worlde, if we be allured therevnto by our aduersarie the Deuill, wee will bee (as it were) asleepe in them, and all our senses wil be whollie occupied therewith.