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…

IT shall greatly have profited us, if so be we have learned what the end of our life is. For, for that cause, hath God placed, and bringeth us up in the world: and yet few there are which think upon it. True it is, that every man will say, that it is good reason we should do homage too GOD for our life and being, because we hold all of him: and that we should glorify him with so much of our goods as he hath largely bestowed upon us. But what of all this? When as we have confessed that, it is but to show our ingratitude and unthankfulness: and yet no man maketh any account hereof. Lo here, wherefore the holy Ghost, seeing us so tied to the world, putteth us in mind too what end we live here. As here David maketh this request to God too obtain that benefit of his Majesty: That he might live and keep his word: As if he should have said, I desire not O Lord to live for my self alone in this world▪ to receive here my pleasures and commodities: but desire it too an other more precious and excellent end than that: to wit, that I might serve thee. Even so then, as often as we are desirous to live, we must remember us of this request which David maketh: That is, that we should not be like unto brute beasts, living we know not to what end: but that we should always aim at this make, to honour GOD. For without this we ⟨image 24⟩are more miserable then all the rest of his creatures. Every creature will follow his own natural inclination: and albeit that brute beasts have an hard and irksome life, yet notwithstanding they are not in their kind so tormented & grieved as we are. We know & feel by experience, that our evil desires and lusts, are like hot burning furnaces, so that we need no body to persecute and vex us, for there is none of us all, but can tell well enough how to grieve & vex our selves one with ambition, another with covetousness, & some with fornication & adultery. So then our life should be very accursed if we looked no farther. But we must always aim at this mark, to serve God, & to keep his word. For when as all our affection and love shall rest in it, then shall our life be blessed. But contrariwise, when we are so brutish as to desire nothing else but to live here a long time, & to have none other care but of our body, and this temporal life:

IT shall greatly haue profited vs, if so be wee haue learned what the ende of our life is. For, for that cause, hath God placed, and bringeth vs vpp in the worlde: and yet fewe there are which thinke vpon it. True it is, that euery man will say, that it is good reason wee should doe homage too GOD for our life and beeing, because wee holde all of him: and that wee should glorifie him with so much of our goods as he hath largely bestowed vpon vs. But what of all this? When as wee haue confessed that, it is but to shewe our ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse: and yet no man maketh any account heereof. Loe heere, wherefore the holy Ghoste, seeing vs so tyed to the worlde, putteth vs in minde too what ende wee liue heere. As heere Dauid maketh this request to God too obtayne that benefite of his Maiestie: That hee mght liue and keepe his woorde: As if hee should haue sayde, I desire not O Lorde to liue for my selfe alone in this worlde to receiue heere my pleasures and commodyties: but desire it too an other more precious and excellent end than that: to wit, that I might serue thee. Euen so then, as often as we are desirous to liue, we must remember vs of this request which Dauid maketh: That is, that we shoulde not be like vnto brute beastes, lyuing wee knowe not to what end: but that we should alwayes ayme at this make, to honour GOD. For without this wee