Two and twenty sermons of Master John Calvin In which sermons is most religiously…Two and twentie sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin In which sermons is most religiously…

He would not have us patted in sunder, to say, Well, I am contented to serve God, howbeit I would not that he should require my whole service to him self: but that I might after satisfy ⟨image 10⟩and follow my own lusts and pleasures, that I might be at liberty to serve the world. No not so (saith he:) It must be brought into a true and perfect soundness, and not to divide man after such a manner. True it is that we shall never be able to seek God with such a perfection, but that it may be greatly amended: neither doth the holy scripture mean by this saying, With their whole heart, full perfection, but only opposeth it self against the hypocrisy of a great number of men, and which would be in us all, were it not that God him self did remedy & help it. That is, we would with good will serve God by halves, if so be he would let us alone with the rest, to do what we thought good. As for example, We shall have very many which will not stick with God, to come to the Sermon on a Sunday, and to be present at the prayers of the faithful, and to make some show of religion: and yet they would have God to give them free choice to do what they listed at the rest of the week after: or if they come to a Sermon oftener then on the Sunday, it seemeth to them that they have done very well, that they are throughly discharged of their duties if they tarry there but one hour. But because they might be set at more liberty, they will not stick to say, that they will be free from some one vice, one will say that he will be no whoremaster, Another, that he will be no drunkard, Another, that he will be no blasphemer: & yet every one of these will have his particular vice, and think that God ought to bear with them, seeing that for his honour, and to do him pleasure, they abstained from some sin, and that they obeyed him in some point. But the scripture telleth us that all this is nothing, but that every one ought to examine him self throughly and in all points, and finding in him self any thing which is against the will of God: to be utterly displeased therewith, clearly to renounce it, and to desire nothing but to be cleansed thereof. See now, this is that perfection, whereof David here speaketh.

He would not haue vs patted in sunder, to saye, Well, I am contented to serue God, howbeit I would not that he should require my whole seruice to him selfe: but that I might after satisfie ⟨image 10⟩and followe my owne lustes and pleasures, that I might be at libertie to serue the worlde. No not so (saith he:) It must be brought into a true and perfect soundnes, and not to deuide man after such a maner. True it is that wee shall neuer be able to seeke God with such a perfection, but that it may be greatly amēded: neither doth the holy scripture meane by this saying, With their whole heart, ful perfection, but only opposeth it selfe against the hypocrisie of a great nūber of men, and which would be in vs al, were it not that God him self did remedy & help it. That is, we would with good wil serue God by halfes, if so be he would let vs alone with the rest, to do what we thought good. As for example, Wee shall haue very many which will not sticke with God, to come to the Sermon on a Sunday, and to be present at the prayers of the faithfull, and to make some shewe of religiō: and yet they would haue God to giue them free choise to do what they listed at the rest of the weeke after: or if they come to a Sermon oftener then on the Sunday, it seemeth to them that they haue done very well, that they are throughly discharged of their dueties if they tarrie there but one houre. But because they might be set at more libertie, they will not sticke to saye, that they will bee free from some one vice, one will say that he will be no whoremaister, Another, that he will be no drunkarde, Another, that he wilbe no blasphemer: & yet euery one of these wil haue his particular vice, and thinke that God ought to beare with them, seeing that for his honour, and to do him pleasure, they absteined from some synne, and that they obeyed him in some point. But the scripture telleth vs that all this is nothing, but that euery one ought to examine him selfe throughly and in all pointes, and finding in him selfe any thing which is against the wil of God: to be vtterly displeased therewith, clerely to renounce it, and to desire nothing but to be cleansed thereof. See nowe, this is that perfection, whereof Dauid here speaketh.