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 see these two, to be as it were the mirrors of all mankind: because we see in what miseries we are wrapped. For this life is even an hell of all miseries, even the very fruit of our sins, because we were deprived of the blessing of God by the fall of Adam. And yet this is true, that God of his inestimable goodness hath surpassed this curse, when as he continually hath showed him self sundry ways: a Father, making us to feel the gentleness, and love which he beareth us, and the care also which he hath over us. Howbeit we have many signs and tokens of our sins, by which we may perceive that God curseth us both in heaven and in earth: because that death is common to us all. For when we have languished in this world, and have been subject to many diseases, to heat and cold, and have been grieved and tormented divers manner of ways: to be short, that we have suffered infinite miseries, what will be the end of all? Surely even this, That we must turn into rottenness and dust. Now, we see some, whom God so toucheth, as that the afflictions which they endure serve them for their benefit, and are good helps unto them according to that saying of S. Paul.¹ And others we see to wax worse: ⟨p. 67⟩and in stead of humbling them selves, and to be repentant, are so much the more infected and poisoned: provoking eftsoons the wrath of God, and driving him into an hot burning flame, to consume them therein: and all this we see. And therefore let us look upon these two thieves, as the mirrors of all the world: for from hte hiest to the lowest, we are all guilty before the Lord. Yea and if we all suffered this together, what is he that might brag of his innocency: or who is he that could purchase his pardon? Wherefore seeing we are over head and ears in condemnation, we justly suffer for our sins: and yet we will not all alike grant it: because there are some (as we have said) which wax rather worse, and there rebellion against God is openly seen: For they gnash their teeth, spew out their rage and cruelty, and will never agree to this condemnation: or else they take the bit in their mouths, and show them selves so stubborn, as that they will not stick to say, that God shall win nothing by it, nor yet have the mastery of them.

Moreouer, we sée these two, to be as it were the mirrours of all mankinde: because we sée in what miseries we are wrapped. For this life is euen an hell of all miseries, euen the verie fruite of our sinnes, because we were depriued of the blessing of God by the fall of Adam. And yet this is true, that God of his inestimable goodnesse hath surpassed this curse, when as hée continually hath shewed him selfe sundrie wayes: a Father, making vs to féele the gentlenesse, and loue which hee beareth vs, and the care also which hée hath ouer vs. Howbeit we haue many signes and tokens of our sinnes, by which we may perceiue that God curseth vs both in heauen and in earth: because that death is common to vs all. For when we haue languished in this world, and haue béene subiect to many diseases, to heate and colde, and haue béen gréeued and tormented diuers manner of wayes: to be short, that we haue suffered infinite miseries, what will be the end of all? Surely euen this, That we must turne into rottennesse and dust. Now, we sée some, whom God so toucheth, as that the afflictions which they endure serue them for their benefite, and are good helpes vnto them according to that saying of S. Paule.