Sermons on Galatians, Prayer 2 – Blessing
The Prayer that Maiſter Iohn Caluin made ordinarily before the beginning of his Sermons.
LEt vsus fall downe before the face of our good God. &c. (Here he addeth as the matter treated of in his Sermon, giueth him occaſion too require at Gods hande, and bicauſe the ſame chaungeth almost in euerie Sermon, it cannot here be ſpecified.) That it may pleaſe him to graunt this grace, not onelyonly to vsus, but alſo to all people and Nations of the earth, bringing backe all poore ignorant ſoules from the miſerable bondage of errour and darckneſſe, to the right way of ſaluation, for the doing whereof it may pleaſe him to rayſe vp true and faythfull miniſters of his worde, that ſeeke not their owne profite and vainglorie, but onelyonly the aduauncement of his holy name, and the welfare of his flocke: and contrariwiſe roote out all ſects, errours and hereſies, which are ſeeds of trouble and diuiſion among his people, too the ende we may liue in good brotherly concorde all togither: and that it may pleaſe him to guide with his holy ſpirite, all kings, princes and magiſtrates that hauehave the rule of the ſworde, to the end that their raigning be not by couetouſneſſe, crueltie, tyrannie, or any other euill and diſordered affection, but in all iuſtice and vprightneſſe, and that wee alſo liuing vnderunder them, may yeelde them their due honour and obedience, that by the meane of good peace and quietneſſe, we may ſerue God in all holineſſe and honeſtiē: and that it may pleaſe him to comfort all afflicted perſons, whom he viſit… after diuers maners with cr…es and tribulations: all people …om he afflicteth with plague, warre or famin, or other his rods: and all perſons that are ſmitten with pouertie, impriſonment, ſickneſſe, baniſhment, or other calamitie of bodie … …exation of mind: giuing them all good pacience, … them full diſcharge of their miſeries: and ſpecially that is … pleaſe him too hauehave pitie vponupon all his poore faythfull ones, that are diſperſed in the captiuitie of Babilon vnderunder the tyrannie of Antichriſt, cheefly which ſuffer perſecution for the witneſsing of his truth, ſtrengthening them with true conſtancie, and comforting them, and not ſuffering the wicked and rauening wolues too execute their rage agaynſt them, but giuing them ſuch a true ſtedfaſtneſſe as his holy name may be glorified by them both in life and death: and finally that it may pleaſe him to ſtrengthen all Churches that are nowadayes in daunger and aſſaulted for the quarell of his holy name, and ouerthrow and deſtroy all the deuiſes, practiſes and attemptes of all his aduerſaryes, to the intent that his glorie may ſhine ouer all, and the kingdome of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt bee increaſed and aduaunced more and more: Let vsus pray him for all the ſayde things in ſuch wiſe as our good maiſter and Lorde Ieſus Chriſt hath taught vsus to pray, ſaying: Our father which art. &c.
ALſo let vsus pray our good God to giuegive vsus true continuance in his holy fayth, and to increaſe it from day to day, whereof wee will make confeſsion, ſaying: I beleeue in God the father. &c.
The bleſsing of the people after the Sermon.
THe grace of God the father, and the peace of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt through the felowſhip of the holy Ghoſt dwell with vsus for euer. Amen.
¶Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman, for Lucas Haryſon and Georg… Byſhop.
End of the text · John Calvin, Sermons on Galatians (1574)