A17722:388
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.
¶ An Answer to certain slanders and blasphemies, wherewith certain evil disposed persons have gone about to bring the doctrine of Gods everlasting Predestination into hatred.
¶ An Answeare to certaine slaunders and blasphemyes, wherewith certaine euill disposed persons haue gone aboute to bring the doctrine of Gods euerlasting Predestination into hatred.
Dearly beloved brethren we must not be amazed if the article of the everlasting predestination of God, be so assaulted and fought against by Satan's maintainers, seeing it is the foundation of our salvation, and also serveth for the better magnifying of the free goodness of God towards us. On the other side those Dogs which bark against it thinking to have a good and favourable cause are therein more hardy: as in very trueth there is nothing more contrary to mans understanding, then to place the cause of our salvation in the good will of God, in saying, that it belongeth to him alone to choose us: without finding of any thing in us wherefore he should choose us: and after he hath chosen us, to give us faith through which we should be justified. But what? Inasmuch as he is not bound to the person, it is good reason that he be left in his mere liberty to give grace unto whom he will, and to leave the rest in his perdition. But I defer my self to entreat more largely of this matter, because you may have large discourse thereof in those Books which are imprinted: which ought too ⟨image 178⟩content you. Concerning the writing which was scattered about, to abolish this article of our faith, in very truth it deserveth no answer: being on the one side so full of ignorance & beastliness, that every one ought easily to judge thereof: & on the other side so full of impudency, that it is a wonder how these troublecoasts & shameless deceivers, abusing so villainously the holy Scriptures should be hearkened unto: notwithstanding because I have understood that there are yet some simple & weak ones that are troubled therewith, I therefore thought good to take the pain to show them that will show themselves teachable: how they ought to resolve themselves, to the end they might be no more deceived by these deceivers.