The Institution of Christian Religion

But before we go any further, it is to be seen by the way, how it §2agreeth together, that God which prevented us with his mercy, was our enemy until he was reconciled to us by Christ. For how could he have given us in his only begotten Son a singular pledge of his love, unless he had already before that embraced us with his free favour? Because therefore here ariseth some seeming of contrariety, I will first undo this knot. The holy ghost commonly speaketh after this manner in the Scriptures,¹ that God was enemy to men, till they were restored into favour by the death of Christ:² that they were accursed till their iniquity was purged by his sacrifice: that they were severed from God, till they were received into a conjoining by his body. Such manner of phrases are applied to our capacity, that we may the better understand how miserable and wretched our estate is being out of Christ. For if it were not spoken in express words, that the wrath and vengeance of God, and everlasting death did rest upon us, we would less acknowledge how miserable we should be without Gods mercy, and would less regard the benefit of deliverance. As for example. If a man hear this spoken to him: If God, at such time as thou wast yet a sinner, had hated thee, and cast thee away as thou hadst deserved, thou shouldest have suffered horrible destruction: but because he hath willingly & of his own free kindness kept the in favour, and not suffered thee to be estranged from him, he hath so delivered thee from that peril: truly he will be moved with, and in some part feel how much he oweth to the mercy of God. Butte if he hear on the other side that which the Scripture teacheth, that he was by sin estranged from God the heir of wrath, subject ⟨image 175⟩to the curse of eternal death, excluded from all hope of salvation, a stranger from all blessing of God, the bondslave of Satan, captive under the yoke of sin.

But before we goe any further, it is to be seen by the waye, howe it §2agreeth together, that God whiche preuented vs wyth his mercie, was oure enemie vntyll he was reconciled to vs by Christe. For howe could hee haue geuen vs in hys onely begotten Sonne a syngular pledge of his loue, vnlesse he had already before that embraced vs wyth hys free fauoure? Bycause therefore here ariseth some seminge of contrarietie, I will firste vndo this knotte. The holy ghoste commonly speaketh after this manner in the Scriptures,