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…

But he hath done a great deal worse, for he denied not our Lord Jesus Christ for once, but as often as he was asked the question. We see, that he forced not to pass continually from evil to worse, as to fall to cursing, whenas he prayed God that he would curse him, and swallow him up into the pit of Hell. And therefore when we see this, let us understand, that he which falleth, whenas he had most need to stand up, will throw him self continually down into a greater depth of destruction, yea even unto his utter overthrow for ever, without God help to remedy him. Thus we see what our estate and condition is: for even from the beginning it is a wonder to see how we flatter our selves of our own strength and therefore our Lord Jesus showeth us by proof ⟨image 53⟩that it is nothing, and that whensoever there bloweth never so little a wind, we are soon overthrown. And yet we persuade our selves, that we are able to stand as of our selves: But we do but all this while increase our own sorrow, adding sin to sin, and exceed more grievously in wickedness. If Saint Peter had been tempted an hundred times, in a day, he would have denied Jesus Christ an hundred times, and a thousand in the head of it. Lo in what case he had been, if God had not had compassion upon him: but he spared him, and would not prove him any further. Surely, these three falls which are here spoken of, are even enow to show us an horrible example, and to make the hairs of our head stand upright, to see peter so forget him self the third time, and become a very beast in the denying of his salvation. But over and besides this, we are to mark that if he had been troubled with any other temptations, he would none otherwise have resisted them, and that had been to have cast him to the deepest place of hell, if God had not so greatly favoured him.

But hee hath done a great deale worsse, for hee denyed not our Lorde Iesus Christ for once, but as often as hee was asked the question. We sée, that hee forced not to passe continually from euill to worse, as to fall to cursing, whenas he prayd God that hée would curse him, and swallow him vp into the pyt of Hell. And therfore when wee sée this, let vs vnderstand, that hee whiche falleth, whenas he had most néede to stande vp, will throw him selfe continually downe into a greater depth of destruction, yea euen vnto his vtter ouerthrow for euer, without God helpe to remedy him. Thus we sée what our estate and condition is: for euen from the beginning it is a wōder to see how we flatter our selues of our owne strength and therefore our Lord Iesus sheweth vs by proofe