Sermons on Ephesians, To the reader
To all Christians baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost, dwelling or abyding in Fraunce, greeting.
IT is a wondrous matt…r right deerly beleued brethren, how all of vsus glory in our Baptim, and yit consider not all with one accord what that marke importeth of i… owne nature, namely by following the intent of him that is the author of it. For no doubt but if wee did so, wee should all ioyne toogither in one holy consent too woorship the onelyonly one God in spirit and truth, and to acknowledge Iesus Christ for our onelyonly Sauyour, Aduocate, Mayster, yea and Lord, as touching the gouernment of our soules and consciences: and wee would take his …nely woord for our wisdome, guyde, and rule of our whole lyfe, and specially of his seruice, without mingling of the inuentions of mans brayne with it, how great antiquitie or countenance so euer they seeme too hauehave. Yea, and for the outward gouernment and visible order of the Church, wee would hold vsus to that which our Lord Iesus Christ in whose name wee were Baptyzed, hath shewed thereof too his Apostles, and by them inioyneth the whole world too followe euen vntoo the last day. And certeynly then should the straunge confuzion and diuisions ceasse which are too bee seene in Christendome, wherof those are the cause, which will not harken vntoo God, and yeeld full authoritie too his woord, which fault shalbee layd too their charge at the iudgment of God, vnlesse they turne a new leafe. The Lord and Father of merciemercy graunt them grace so too doo, according as supplication is made too him for them, in all holy assemblies where he is called vppon according too his will, in the onelyonly name of Iesus Christ. That is the thing which wee desire: For heere the cace concerneth not the bringing in of some newe deuyce, after the fancie of men, nother stryue wee too make the victorie fall vppon mens sides, whatsoeuer they bee, as some surmyze: but that God and his woord may hauehave the vpper hand ageinst all abuses, superstitions, and lyes of Satan, and … we may all toogither giuegive glory too our God, confessing that both … and our fathers hauehave ouershamefully forgotten him, insomuch … hauehave not folowed his holy Lawe, but hauehave bowed asyde both … the ryght hand and too the left. And truly whensoeuer we reade … woord in a tung that wee vnderstand, or heare it preached and … …clared purely: he allureth vsus too him, too make the lyke acknow…gedment. And he hath doone so much in these late yeeres by stri…ng with his merciemercy ageinst the malice of the world, that dyuerse …aue returned intoo the ryghtway, whom others yea euen of all de…rees doo followe styll anew. But yit is not that ynough, vnlesse th… residew which hauehave hithertoo bin deaf or asleepe, doo bethinke themselues too awake in good earnest, and too hauehave eares too heare, a… sayeth Iesus Christ. Therefore wee intreate and exhort them too it … Gods name, that they may discharge themselues of the promis whereuntoo their Baptim dooth secretly bynd them, as hath bin sayd. And too further them therein, besydes the lyuely voyces of the trew …inisters, and other bookes conteyning faythfull expositions of the Scripture: wee offer them heere the Sermons of M. Iohn Caluin vppon the Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paule too the Ephesians, where (as wee hope) they shall hauehave matter too fare the better by, for the playner vnderstanding of the things, which they shall eyther heare preached, or reade alone by themselues afterward. Too mak long rehersall of things that myght bee alledged in commendation of the doctrine herein conteyned, or of the manner of teaching vsed by the Author, which is both simple and familiar, and yit neuerthelesse full of authoritie and force: it is not now needfull. For wee bee sure that such as seeke Gods honour and their owne saluation, shall in reading them, perceyue that the Author had none other meaning with him: and that shall euen the malicious sorte themselues bee driuen to… confesse, spyte of their hartes. Wherefore too conclude, ryght deare brethren which shall meete with this book…, wee pray you new agein, too giuegive eare too our God and too his sonne our Mayster, who by his seruant and excellent minister of his Church, declareth the things which his holy Apostle had long ago preached with lyuely voyce, and afterward compyled breefly in wryting for vsus, and all that shall com… after vsus too the worldes end. And of what degree soeuer you bee or hauehave bin, shrinke not backe, forasmuch as it is God that speaketh, who hath loued vsus so d…arely, that he hath not spared his owne sonne, but hath giuen him too death too redeeme vsus from death, and from the vayne traditions of our fathers: Come on therefore, and let vsus all serue our God with one accord, walking in the wayes which he teacheth vsus, and forsaking our owne, (that is too say, all that disagreeth with the rule of his woord,) and making all his giftes too serue too his glory. And in so dooyng wee shall bee Christians both in name and deede: wee shall discharge our selues of our promise made in Baptim: wee shall see good agreement in Christianitie: and wee shall serue for a good example too the Iewes and Turkes, which are yit enemyes too Christendome. So bee it, So bee it, Amen.
Your brethren in our Lord, The causers of these Sermons too bee brought to lyght.