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…

Howbeit, that will be no let unto us, but that we may frankly call upon our God as upon our father, neither could we glorify our selves, without he reputed us to be just, & all our debts paid, because we are pardoned by the power of the condemnation which Jesus Christ suffered. Thus we see, how this place must be practised of us, Mark also why he sayeth, That we are healed by his wounds. In very deed, we shall never be able to see throughly into our sins, because hypocrisy blindfoldeth our eyes, & pride hath always mighty rule over us: & therefore we greatly deceive our selves, and make our selves believe that ⟨p. 111⟩God is highly beholden unto us: or else, we are so blockish, as that we never think to come to a reckoning. Now, it falleth out here, that the Prophet showeth, that we are but dead, if it were not for the wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore that we must needs seek to be healed by him. When then we would feel the benefit which cometh unto us by the death and passion of the Son of God, Let us note, that look how many sins as are rooted in our nature, although they appear not, are even so many deadly wounds and diseases. I beseech you, if there shall be an Apostume about the stomach of a man, or in his bowels, should it be ever a whit the worse for the man if it were seen, that it might be lanced: If a man then thinketh him self to be whole and sound, because he will not see his disease, surely, he must needs be void of all wit and reason. And therefore our diseases must be so much the more deadly, when as they are secret and not known. And, over & besides the sins which we bear about with us (the roots of which are hid in us) there are sins in us which we commit daily, which sufficiently declareth, that our nature is froward and cursed, and that we are altogether perverted. Wherefore since we are wholly infected with spiritual leprosy, and that our iniquity is rotten in us, what shall we do in this case? & what remedy is to be had? Shall we seek for help at the Angels in heaven? Alas, they can do no good:

Howbeit, that wil be no let vnto vs, but that we may frankly cal vpon our God as vpō our father, neither coulde wee glorify our selues, wtout he reputed vs to be iust, & al our debts payd, because we are pardoned by the power of the condemnation which Iesus Christ suffred. Thus we sée, how this place must be practised of vs, Marke also why hee saieth, That wee are healed by his woundes. In very déede, we shal neuer bée able to sée throughly into our sinnes, because hipocrisie blindfoldeth our eyes, & pride hath alwaies mighty rule ouer vs: & therfore wee greately deceiue our selues, and make our selues beléeue that