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…

for, to say truly, it is impossible for us to trust unto the son of god, until such time as we are surely & certainly persuaded of the fruit & benefit which ⟨p. 105⟩cometh unto us by his death & passion. And why so? forsooth, because at the first sight (as I have already said) a man would condemn it to be a foolish thing, that a mortal man should be the Author of life: that he should die no simple death, but such a slanderous death, as God cursed, even to be hanged as a thief upon the Gallow tree. Now when we should see all this gear, no doubt of it, we should be brought into such a marvellous hatred of the matter, as that we should never be able to come unto Jesus Christ, but here is the rightest remedy that we have, that we understand why he died, how his death hath profited us, & what benefit we have received by it: & then we shall avoid all offences. As for example, if grief & sorrow oppress my heart, and do behold the only Son of God to be, as it were, trod under foot, and abhorred of all men, I must needs enter into a consideration with my self: For if I look but only into Jesus Christ, I shall pass it over, & make no reckoning of it: but if in the first place I look unto my self, & afterward come unto him, then shall I find a good savour and taste in his suffering. And how so? Forsooth if I consider with my self that I am a miserable sinner, and have so provoked the wrath of God against me, as that he is become mine enemy, and my Judge: if then I think of my sins, and thereupon do conceive what an horrible and terrible thing the wrath of God is, and that he is my judge to cast me into the bottomless pit of hell, then will I begin to say, Go to now, what mean hast thou to make an atonement between God and thee? Art thou able any way to satisfy him, only for the least offence that thou hast committed against him? Alas no, thou art no way able. Can I with travelling by Sea and land all the world over, be able to make recompense? Can the Angels of heaven help me? No surely. Why then it is Jesus Christ alone that must appear for me in my name, & he must be my pledge and warrant. Thus we see that the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be no more any foolishness unto us:

for, to say truly, it is impossible for vs to trust vnto ye sōne of god, vntil such time as we are surely & certainly persuaded of the fruit & benefit which ⟨p. 105⟩cōmeth vnto vs by his death & passiō. And why so? forsooth, because at ye first sight (as I haue already said) a mā would cōdemne it to be a foolish thing, yt a mortal man should be the Author of life: that he should die no simple death, but such a slanderous death, as God cursed, euen to be hanged as a théefe vpon the Gallow trée. Now whē we shoulde sée all this geare, no doubt of it, wée should be brought into such a maruellous hatred of the matter, as that we should neuer be able to come vnto Iesus Christ, but héere is the rightest remedie that we haue, that we vnderstād why he died, how his death hath profited vs, & what benefit we haue receiued by it: & then wée shall auoyde all offences. As for exāple, if griefe & sorrow oppresse my hearte, and doe beholde the onelie Sonne of God to bée, as it were, troade vnder foote, and abhorred of all men, I must néeds enter into a cōsideration with my selfe: For if I looke but only into Iesus Christ, I shal passe it ouer, & make no reckoning of it: but if in the first place I looke vnto my selfe, & afterwarde come vnto him, then shal I finde a good sauour and taste in his suffering. And how so? Forsooth if I consider with my selfe that I am a miserable sinner, and haue so prouoked the wrath of God against me, as that he is become mine enemy, and my Iudge: if then I thinke of my sinnes, and therevpon doe conceyue what an horrible and terrible thing the wrath of God is, and that hée is my iudge to cast mée into the bottomlesse pitte of hell, then will I begin to say, Goe to now, what meane hast thou to make an attonement betwéen God and thée? Art thou able any way to satisfie him, only for the least offence that thou hast committed against him? Alas no, thou arte no way able. Can I with trauelling by Sea and lande all the worlde ouer, be able to make recompence? Can the Angels of heauen helpe mée? No surely. Why then it is Iesus Christ alone that must appeare for mée in my name, & he must bée my pledge and warrant. Thus we sée that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ shalbee no more any foolishnesse vnto vs: