Foure SERMONS OF Maister Iohn Caluin Entreating of matters very profitable for our time as may bee seene by the Preface With a briefe exposition of the LXXXVII Psalme Translated out of Frenche into Englishe by Iohn Fielde ¶ Jmprinted at London for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster Rome at the Signe of the Talbot 1579. To the right Honorable and my verie good Lorde Henry Earle of Huntington Lord Hastings Hungerford Botreaux Mullens and Moyles of the most Honorable order of the Garter Knight and Lorde President of the Queenes Maiesties Councell established in the North partes Iohn Fielde wisheth encrease of true faith and continuance in the zeale of his blessed religion for euer Amen IT may bee right honourable my very good Lord that men will maruayle whye I shoulde publishe these 〈◊〉 excellente Sermons of Maister Iohn Caluines the Argumentes whereof bee not so fitte and agreeable as they thinke to these times seeing GOD in mercy hath geuen vs peace and set vs at libertie from that Romish yoke suffering the beames of his glorious Gospel to spread far and wide to the great comfort of many and his owne euerlasting glory These benefits as they are acknowledged by me so I beseech God to make vs all more thankfull then we haue beene that the litle fruite they haue brought foorth amongest vs the common ignorance that is yet vpon the face of the whole lande the small preparation to the crosse and bending our backs too beare it with Iesus Christe our head doe not prouoke him too geue vs ouer too followe our owne wayes to haue no conscience nor care of any religion as I feare me the worlde is too to ful of such the more is the pitie For who seeth not that the coÌ„mon sort are so far from being instructed hauing plaide the Truantes in Gods Schole these twenty and odde yeeres that they haue not yet taken out this one lesson to bee of minde when God shall trie them too separate them selues from the cursed fellowship of Antichriste For they haue not yet learned too make any difference of religion but bende them selues too serue all times come there falshood or trueth light or darknesse religion or superstition the Gospell or the Masse Turcisme or Christianisme al is one too them so that they may liue at ease they are at a point no Scripture so strong or testimonie so euident that can conuince them too make them stand fast too Gods euerlasting trueth the seale of â—â—eir adoption Though Christe haue pronounced that whosoeuer denye him before men Matt. 10.33.38 hee wyll denie him before his father which is in heauen though he say playnely that hee that will followe him must take vp his crosse and followe him and that he that is ashamed too confesse him before men Apoc. 18.4 he wil deny him before his heauenly father yea although we bee commaunded too come out of Babylon Apoc. 13.3.11 and it be plainely saide that the red Dragon will powre out his waters as a riuer to ouertake the womaÌ„ with childe and that the victorie of the lambe muste be by his own blood by the word of their testimonie who loue not their liues vntoo the death yet can not all this mooue them to seeke too be grounded and prepared calling vpon God that they may stand resolute through his grace to beare testimonie to his glorious name who hath bestowed so many blessings vpon them If they may haue Christe with case wealth honour with the peace of the worlde and fauour of men if they may inioy him with their pleasures and proceeding on in sinne they wil be content with Pharisees a litle to entertaine him that they make a mock of him But if in the entertaining of him he shal neuer so litle touch their botch and pinch theyr pleasure if hee shall come neare their purse and endanger theyr least commoditie if he shal require mortificatioÌ„ with obedience sanctification then either they wil come by night like Nicodemus or else they wil pray him to be packing with the Gergesites or too conclude they wil lay violent hands vpon him Iohn 3.2 Mat. 8.34 Mat. 26.3 Iohn 11.47 Mark 11.10 Mark 14.64 15.12 and naile him fast to the crosse with the proude Scribes and Pharisees As for the common sort they that yesterday receiued him as a king with osianna in excelsis they wil to morow cry out Crucifige with the high Priests that they may liue in securitie These sermons therefore as for their worthinesse they haue been translated long agoe into other tongues and as I vnderstoode when I had almost finished them out of the Latine into ours also so my labour being past they being also by authoritie allowed and I especially following maister Caluines owne french copie so what differing froÌ„ the other I thought they coulde not but be very profitable at the leaste too prepare vs against the time to come For God hath geuen vs long peace and our rest hauing bred rust growen vp eueÌ„ to the height of the conteÌ„pt of his graces must needes prouoke him to punish the wicked with wonted plagues to correct vs with the fire of aduersitie that we may be purged froÌ„ our foule corruption Our cold starued Papistes I cannot tel what warmeth hath draweÌ„ theÌ„ out of their holes but now they begin a litle to shew theÌ„selues they loke big their haÌ„ging looks shew what malice lurketh in their caÌ„kred harts But our God liueth and therefore wee will not feare we know that all powers both in heauen and in earth are subiect to him and we nothing doubt though our sinnes haue strengthened the handes of his aduersaries that they shoulde be heauy vpon vs yet our God will in our punishmentes geue them an euerlasting ouerthrow and an vnrecouerable confusion Though there be many Newters which haue made a couenant with their owne heartes rather to be of all religions and to serue al times then to endure the least danger yet there are an infinite number of true Christians that by his grace to die for it will neuer bow the Knee too Baall will neuer pertake with the table of God and the table of deuilles 1. Kinges 19. will neuer draw in that vnequall yoke togeather with such Infidelles These shal neither the swoordes of Hazael nor of Ichu or of Elisha once touch for they are marked of the Lorde And if the woorde of God be sure as him selfe and hee haue ioyned himselfe as head too vs his members why shoulde we feare If our head liue we shall liue if he be ascended we his members shal be drawen vp vnto him Our blood shal be of strength too breake all their cheines The shame slaunder and reproche that they lay vpon vs shal be our greatest glory and our innocency laide to theyr crueltie shal be strong enough to set the seale of true happinesse vpon vs for suffering for righteousnesse sake and of wretched confusion vpon
to leaue her husband too whom she is subiect vnlesse that some persecution be raysed and that her manyfest daunger be in it and specially if her husband be as it were a prouoker too persecute her to death Now then shee forsaketh not her husband but she flyeth the euill which is prepared for her and the rage of her enimies as it is permitted and graunted vnto her of god To be short the constraint and force which is doone vnto her freeth and setteth her at libertie notwithstandinge no respect of the worlde ought to witholde the husbande or the wife one from the other but onely the mutuall loue which they owe one to the other in God for the procuring of ech others saluation For if the husband must forget him selfe concerning that which belonggeth to this earthly life and to the body he must haue no regarde too any thing that any whit belongeth to him selfe Let vs returne therefore too this estimation which Dauid maketh of seeking the face of God as also he speaketh thereof in the 84. Psalme Psal 84.11 saying that it is better to liue one day in the courtes of the Lord then a thousande too bee farre from it Wherein he signifieth that the lyfe of the faithfull cannot bee too shorte soo that GOD shew them this grace that liuing in this worlde they exercise themselues in scruing and honoryng him confirming them selues in his promises making confession of his name If any man obiecte that this might well be doone in some wildernesse or amongest the enimies of the faith I answere that it is not without cause that Dauid expresly mentioneth the courtes of the Temple For he considered howe necessary the order of the Churche is too all mortall men especially knowyng the bluntnesse and infirmitie that is in them If this admonition were well imprinted in the heartes of all all at the leaste woulde come into some Christian Churche where they might dye quietly and peaceably and there would not bee any one that would not quickly trusse vp his pack and be trudging But what seeke we All desire too liue and that at their ease euery one according to the lust wherwith he is led And this is the cause why the temple of GOD at this day is neglected and contemned Yea which is more there are very many subtill ones too set before mens eies euyll allurementes and stumbling blockes too turne vs awaye from that study of godlinesse that was in Dauid They alleage what shal it profite vs to chaunge the place whether soeuer wee goe we shall finde the worlde there aswell as in our Countrey all at this day is corrupted there are like offences in all places and temptations too make men fall from God I graunt them al this But if the question were of their bodies and that they were admonished that in some place they might fynde good phisitions fit remedies and other helpes for theyr health woulde they say that they cared not for them beecause that men mighte bee sicke in any place of the worlde I confesse that where soeuer we become that we shall finde many occasions to doo euill and many occasions of falling away but there is a great difference whether we haue those helpes which GOD hath giuen vnto vs to keepe vs in dooing our dewtie and reforming vs or to be quite destitute thereof Let vs put the case that all vices doe equally reigne in the worlde so that the very ayre is infected therewith as it were with a Pestilence Is it not a greate aduantage to haue the preseruatiues that God hath ordayned for his Children to haue those purgations and medicines whereby hee woulde heale vs Nowe I meane alwayes the doctrine of the Gospell when it is purely preached as also the Sacramentes when they are rightly ministred as it becommeth then also publique prayers and other meanes which serue too the stirring of vs vp and awakening of vs that wee should not be poysoned with the temptations of the world Now euery man knoweth that nothing of all this is found in the papacie but rather altogither contrary Let vs therefore take good heede least that in such necessitie wherein wee haue neede to bee succoured we reiect not the helpes that GOD in mercie hath offred vnto vs. There are others whiche yet more playnely vomite out the filth and disease of their stomack Shall we goe say they to a Churche wherein to our greate offence wee shall see troubles and stumblinge blockes whiche are altogither vnknowen vnto vs If in those places where the Gospell is preached there were such gouernment and polycie as were moste requisite too edyfye vs if we were sure that we shoulde finde none but angels there that should leade vs into Paradise wee woulde runne thither most speedily But when we shall come thither we shal heare many thinges and peraduenture more then were meete that shall doo nothing but offend vs Yea and there shal be people geuen too all kinde of iniquitie who through theyr lewd and dissolute life defame the Gospel Besides that vanities pompes drunkennesse and such like thinges shal there beare to much sway And which is worse to be borne many shal shew them selues such obstinate and vnruly contemners of God that more vngodlinesse shall bee found amongst them then amongest the Papists Furthermore amongest the Magistrates and those that sit at the helue of iustice there shal be founde no lesse abuse and corruption then in other places yea men shall finde many amongest the preachers that might be amended Some wyl be founde negligent in their ministerie or rather they wil be so geuen to seeke their owne profite that they wil haue no great care of their office And which is worst of all there are amongest these some iesters and belly Gods which desire nothing but too make good cheare and too make them selues companions of the wickeddest sorte that they may haue libertie too liue as they liste But let vs put the case thar it were ten times as yll as they say yet notwithstanding their excuse is alwayes friuolous who set such barres vnto them selues least they should draw neare and come too the Churche of God But let vs indeede fixe our eyes vpon the example of Dauid I beseech you was there such vprightnes in the estate of iustice in Saules time as had beene too be wished Nay contrariwise we hear the complaints which they often times made aswell of the malice deceiptes crueltie and pride of the king as of his officers Furthermore the Priests the Leuites did they behaue them selues so holyly as men had occasion to be contented therewith Nay rather we maye gather that the greatest parte of them cleaued vnto euill and nourished theyr iniquities flattering them selues in them And as concerning the common people there was amongest them great hypocrisie and many manifest vices and wickednesses Loe then the Churche of God full of many corruptions and yet notwithstanding Dauid lotheth not to enter
thē that so rage against such as haue done thē no harme Matt. 5.10 and whō they ought too haue most esteemed of as for whose sakes they haue possesse al those temporall blessings that god in his mercy hath geuen thē We wil therefore in the name of our God likewise Marriners in this calme time prouide against stormes and tempests We are not ignorant what the order of nature setteth before vs there is no sommer but bringeth a Winter no day but hath a night nor any professed trueth that bringeth not a tryall Health is alwayes ioyned with sicknesse and the bodily life is subiect to death so the peace of the Church is seldome without aduersitie GOD forbid that we shoulde not prepare euen to the powring foorth of our blood to striue for the trueth of our God yea too death it selfe if God so appointe If they be as Chrysostom saith not onely betraiers of the trueth that speake lyes in steede of the trueth but also that doo not freely vtter the trueth God forbid that wee shoulde not be ready in time and place when he willeth both to vtter it freely and to stande too it valiauntly and constantly for the glory of his name And one thing I doe assure the Papistes of and all of Caynes progenie that the more they kil and persecute the children of God the more wil Christ his Gospell floorish Our blood wil be a fructifiyng multipliyng seede they haue seene it and knowen it true by long experience herein they be but the instruments of hastening vs too our happinesse Not when they will for we are not subiect vnto them The Deuil him selfe their Father and all hellishe furyes are subiect too our God and cannot touch one heare of our heades tyll he haue geuen them leaue and that for our good and tryall Let the sonnes therefore of seruitude in the pride of bondage ieare neuer so muche against the sonnes of libertie Gal. 4. yet a day shall come when their righteousnesse shall breake foorth and appeare more glorious then the Sunne and all the Starres when as too them what pleasures soeuer they shall vsurpe in this world shall belong nothing but perpetuall shame ioyned with an euill name too all posterities and an euerlasting death in the ende worlde without ende Wherefore good my Lorde I am bolde too offer vp these sermons vnto your honour rudely translated by me beseeching your honour in the behalfe of Gods Church to accept of them I will say nothing in their commendation they are able and of sufficient age to speake for themselues Onely I thought good to shew this humble duetie towards you by this publique testimonie And I beseech God the father of all mercies to strengthen you in that happy course of the Gospel wherinto of his singuler goodnesse hee hath drawen you that you may be as a bright starre in his Churche comfortably shining forth in constancie and maintenance of the same trueth too the stirring vp of many that not onely it may be geuen you as the Apostle saieth to beleeue in him but also too suffer for him For this is true honour too suffer for righteousnesse The cause is it that must comfort all that are afflicted and herein we haue wonderfully to reioyce when it is for his name sake herevnto also wee must as I haue said prepare our selues For it is impossible that Christe and his Crosse shoulde bee sundred The worlde muste loue her owne and in the worlde wee shal be troubled Christ in his members must be crucified til he come againe in his second glorious comming to subdue all his enimies The remainder of his afflictions must bee borne in our bodies not because hee hath not suffered fully but because wee muste bee made conformable vnto him till wee bee fined from the drosse that is in vs too detest it and wholly too loue his righteousnesse Wherfore we muste detest all those Libertines who count themselues the Familie of Loue and the Atheistes of the worlde who ouerthrowe all confession and profession of the Faith of Christe beeing indifferent for all religions that tread vnder their feete the blood of all Martyres and account them but for fooles Nowe the God of all patience and comfort blesse your honor togeather with my good Lady that you may feele and possesse that comfort that none can take from you Amen Your Honours most bounden and Faythfull euer to commaunde IOHN FIELDE ¶ Iohn Caluin to all true Christians who desire the aduancement of the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe WHen you shall vnderstande wherfore and to what ende I was desirous too publishe these Sermons and shall bee aduertised of the Argument which they conteine you shall know the better howe too make your profite of them and to apply them to suche vse as I haue appointed them Although that I haue written heeretofore two Treatises large enough to shew that it is not lawful for a Christian knowing the pure doctrine of the Gospell when he liueth in the Papacie too dissemble howsoeuer it be to consent or to cleaue vnto the abuses superstitions and Idolatries which raigne there Notwithstāding there are euery day some people that demaund my coūsel therof a freesh as if I had neuer spoken therof I vnderstand also that there are others which neuer cease to alleage their replies haue new startīg holes agaīst that which I haue written thereof Therefore to cut of al occasiōs aswel frō those which iniquire of that which ought to be sufficiently knowen vnderstoode of them as also from them which thinke to couer themselues vnder this wet sacke from the vengeance of God I thought that it shoulde be very expedient to reuiew ouer againe and to bring into order a Sermon that I had made as touching this matter the sūme whereof had beene gathered Wherefore this first Sermon conteineth an admonition what a slouthfulnes it is in them too whom God hath geuen to know the trueth of his Gospel too defile themselues with the abhominations of the Papistes the which are altogeather contrary too Christian religion forasmuche as in so doyng they deny as muche as lyeth in them the sonne of GOD who hath redeemed them Nowe because that it is impossible for a Christian man dwelling vnder the tyranny of Antichriste too make a right and pure confession of his faith but that incontinent hee must bee in daunger to be persecuted I haue adioyned another second Sermon for to exhort all the faithfull more too esteeme the honor and seruice of God then theyr owne life and to fortifie themselues against all temptations And in deede whereas many thinke it strange that they be not suffered to disguise thēselues to play the coūterfaites it is not for that they are not conuinced that the duetie of the children of God is too worship him onely in all plainesse and simplicitie withdrawing themselues from all pollutions and Idolatry but it is because they