Two Godly Sermons, Title page – To the reader
❧ TVVO ❧ GODLY AND NOTABLE SERMONS PREACHED BY THE excellent and famous Clarke, maſter Iohn Caluyne, in the yere .1555. The one concernynge Pacience in aduerſitie: The other touchyng the moſt comfortable aſſuraunce of oure ſaluation in Chryſte. Ieſu.
Tranſlated out of Frenche into Englyſhe.
To the Chriſten Reader.
AMonge the manifolde, ſounde, and moſte holſome leſſons, whiche are taughte vsus in the heauenly ſchole of our Sauiour Ieſus Chryſt, there be none that the holy goſt in more erneſt wiſe requyreth vsus to learne, or that more maketh for oure comforte here and in the worlde to come, then to hauehave quietneſſe of mynde in aduerſytie, and to be aſſured of eternal ſaluation in Chriſt Ieſu. ForHeb. 12. (though all trouble for the preſent tyme be greuous) yet lyke as when we pacyently run the race that is ſet before vsus, enduryng ſuche correction and chaſtiſement as our heauenly father leyeth vponupon vsus, he then cauſeth the ſame to turne ſo much to our profyte, and to bringe vsus ſo quiete fruite of ryghtuouſenes, that we thereby obteyne more of hys holyneſſe, and become veſſelles more apt to ſerue the glory of his name, and to edifye his churche: Euen ſo, of all conſolations and comfortes, this is moſt incomparable,Ephe. 1. 2. Tim. 1 Mat. 25 that throughe the mooſte graciouſe purpoſe of the eternall God, oure euerlaſtynge ſaluation is ſo certayne and ſure, that it was determyned and decreed by hym in Chryſt Ieſu his eternall ſonne, before the foundation of the worlde was leyed.
Touchynge theſe two poyntes: namely, the quiet or pacient ſufferynge of trouble in Chriſtes cauſe. And the aſſuraunce of our eternall ſaluation in hym, thou haſt here (gentle reader) two notable, godly and comfortable ſermons, made by goddes faythful ſeruaunt, maiſter Iohn Caluine euen at ſuch tyme as here in Englande, the ſworde of tyrannye was full of bloudde, and the fyre burnynge hotte. By the whiche worthy ſermons, we all be cauled vponupon: partly to choſe rather to ſuffre aduerſitie with the people of God,Heb. 11. then to enioy the pleſures of ſynne for a ſeaſon: And partely in nothynge to reioyſe ſo muche, as in that our names are wrytten in heauen.Luc. 10. As we be taughte by oure ſayde ſoueraygne lorde and maſter Chryſt Ieſus, bleſſed for euer ⸫ Amen.