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…

How should we then be justified before God, except our Lord Jesus Christ had been accounted amongst malefactors. Wherefore we are exempt out of this rank, & God receiveth us, and taketh us as me according unto his hearts desire, as if we were altogether clean & innocent, because our Lord Jesus Christ suffered such shame and slander before men. And this is it which in sum we are to consider of touching thieves. But to make a full conclusion, we must set down the words of S. Luke, which is, that one of the thieves, rebuked his companion, when as he see him so obstinate. What saith he, it will be hie time for thee now, or else never, to stoop & humble thy self. For behold, the condemnation & punishment which thou sufferest for thy misdeeds & faults: thou art a man plunged over head and ears in all curses: & although thou hast bin so beastly, as to delight thy self all thy life long in thy wickedness, yet shouldest thou now begin to sigh and groan. For, the most dissolute man that is, although he wantonly pass his time all his life long and never thinketh to come to a reckoning, & scorneth justice, and setteth himself against it, because he thinketh he shall escape unpunished, yet when he is laid hold on, words will not serve his turn. Behold (saith he) in what great torments thou art: and thou seest that both God & men do bring thee to an account: & thy conscience also telleth thee, that it is for thy sins that thou sufferest this: & wilt thou for all this, set thy self against God. Thus we see, that this saying very well declareth, that this thief was taught by the spirit of God. And although we shall, out of all cry (as we say) see this very often: yet may we judge by this saying, what a good schoolmaster the spirit ⟨image 73⟩of God is, when as he so well instructeth those who have erred, and have become like brute beasts: that they have not only acknowledged their offences, and submitted them selves for the obtaining of grace: but also have been able eftsoons to talk like Doctors, and like men which had long time been acquainted with the holy Scriptures. For, can we make a better and sounder exhortation to a man that is grown so hard hearted, and which never ceaseth to storm against God, when as he should yield, and come to repentance, then such a one, as this wretched thief hath here made.

How should we then be iustified before God, except our Lorde Iesus Christ had béen accounted amongst malefactors. Wherefore we are exempt out of this ranke, & God receiueth vs, and taketh vs as me according vnto his hearts desire, as if we were altogether cleane & innocent, because our Lord Iesus Christ suffred such shame and slander before men. And this is it which in summe we are to consider of touching théeues. But to make a full conclusion, we must set down the words of S. Luke, which is, that one of the théeues, rebuked his companiō, when as he sée him so obstinate. What saith he, it wil be hie time for thée now, or els neuer, to stoupe & humble thy self. For behold, the cōdemnation & punishment which thou suffrest for thy misdéeds & faults: thou art a man plunged ouer head and eares in all curses: & although thou hast bin so beastly, as to delight thy selfe all thy life long in thy wickednes, yet shouldest thou now begin to sigh and grone. For, the most dissolute man that is, although he wantonly passe his time all his life long and neuer thinketh to come to a reckoning, & scorneth iustice, and setteth himself against it, because he thinketh he shal escape vnpunished, yet whē he is laid hold on, words wil not serue his turn. Behold (saith he) in what great torments thou art: and thou seest that both God & men do bring thée to an account: & thy cōscience also telleth thée, yt it is for thy sins that thou suffrest this: & wilt thou for all this, set thy selfe against God. Thus we sée, yt this saying verie well declareth, that this théefe was taught by the spirit of God. And although we shal, out of all cry (as we say) sée this verie often: yet may we iudge by this saying, what a good schoolemaster ye spirit