Divers sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the divinity, humanity, and nativity of our…Diuers sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, concerning the diuinitie, humanitie, and natiuitie of our…

Moreover, we are to call to mind the thing before touched, to wit, that our Lord Jesus Christ hath not here framed a light prayer, but yet was such an one as if he were determined to be quite rid of him self: yea that he, who is the power of God his father, and who upholdeth the whole world, yet because he must show him self a weak man, keeping our place, and settled in our person, hath showed, that when he went again to pray, that he did it not to make a show thereof (as many profane people imagine, that when Jesus Christ appeared, he suffered nothing) but to the end to teach us that we are no way able to escape the hand and punishment of God, and his curse, but by this mean. Now, it is here declared unto us (as it was this morning) that our Lord Jesus Christ was put to the extremity, because that the burden which he had taken upon him was not to be borne, without the invincible power of the spirit of God, had holpen him. Neither must we think this to be any superfluous kind of speech, when he repeated these words.¹ For, that which is said in the other text, That when we pray unto God we must not use much babble, as they do who use many repetitions, thinking thereby to obtain very much, is not meant but that we should continue in prayer: but it is spoken to this end, to find fault with the hypocrisy and superstition of those who think (as a man would say) to rend the ears of God therewith, to make him believe, and persuade him to do that for them which they desire: which folly we have seen reign in the world. And yet even among us, how many are there, which use this kind of sorcery, for although they say not their Ave Maria, yet when they have saide their Pater Noster, doe think that they have obtained very much, and think that God taketh a reckoning of all the words which they have thus repeated in their prayer. Now, I call that, right sorcery: for they villainously profane the prayer which our Lord Jesus Christ delivered unto us, wherein he hath commanded us in a short summary, whatsoever we ought and is lawful for us to crave at the hands of God. And yet this is no let, why a man who is sore grieved, but that he may oftentimes return and pray unto God: and when he hath poured out some sighs, he may also begin again. And therefore when we go unto him without ambition, and for no glorious show:

Moreouer, wée are to call to minde the thing before touched, to wit, that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not here framed a light praier, but yet was such an one as if hée were determined to be quite ryd of him selfe: yea that hée, who is the power of God his father, and who vpholdeth the whole worlde, yet because he must shewe him selfe a weake man, kéeping our place, and setled in our person, hath shewed, that when hée went againe to pray, that hée did it not to make a shewe therof (as many prophane people imagine, that when Iesus Christ appeared, hée suffered nothing) but to the ende to teach vs that wée are no way able to escape the hande and punishment of God, and his curse, but by this meane. Nowe, it is hére declared vnto vs (as it was this morning) that our Lord Iesus Christ was put to the extremitie, because that the burthen which hée had taken vpon him was not to be borne, without the inuincible power of the spirite of God, had holpen him. Neyther must wée thinke this to be any superfluous kinde of spéech, when hée repeated these wordes.