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, if we were clearly exempt from death, we should then never know the grace which was purchased for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. And we also know what need we have to be humbled, and that God maketh us always to feel his wrath: For although we were altogether exempt thereof, yet ought we to think still of it, to the end we might groan by reason of our sins, and therefore magnify his mercy so much the more. Wherefore, the death to speak properly, which all men now dye as it were, is not deadly, to those which have faith in Jesus Christ, because they pass out of this life, to live unto God. And therefore when we dye, we are to comfort our selves and rejoice, because we know that God will be merciful unto us, and convert the evil into good, & make death (which before brought with it a mortal wound) to serve for a plaster. And how is that? Forsooth, because we shall understand that God will not become a severe Judge unto us, & pour out his vengeance upon us, when as we bring Jesus Christ with us, to show that he hath made satisfaction for us. And therefore death hath not taken such fearful hold on us, as to confound us, and bring us to despair:¹ But do come, freely to put our selves into the hands of God. For, as it said that Jesus Christ commended his soul unto God his Father, Let us understand, that it was to make him Guardian of our souls, and therefore may we commend them most assuredly into his hands: because he hath said, that whatsoever is given to him to keep, shall never perish. Thus then we see to what end this anguish of our Lord Jesus Christ serveth: and that over and besides he abode death, and the rest of the torments, yet had he also this terror of the feeling of God to be his Judge, as if he should have suffered the pains of hell. Now, it is so far off that this is any whit derogatory from his Majesty, as that it is to make us a great deal the better understand, how greatly he esteemed of our salvation, and how dear and precious we and our souls were unto him. And therefore, although he was made of no reputation (as before hath been seen) and had neither form nor fashion, why men should be desirous of him, yet was this his light estimation of him to exalt him so much the more.

For, if wée were clearely exempt from death, we should then neuer know the grace which was purchased for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ. And we also knowe what néede we haue to bée humbled, and that God maketh vs alwayes to féele his wrath: For although we were altogether exempt thereof, yet ought we to think still of it, to the ende we might grone by reason of our sinnes, and therefore magnifie his mercy so much the more. Wherefore, the death to speake properly, which all men now dye as it were, is not deadly, to those which haue faith in Iesus Christ, because they passe out of this life, to liue vnto God. And therefore when we dye, wée are to comfort our selues and reioyce, because we know that God will be mercifull vnto vs, and conuert the euill into good, & make death (which before brought with it a mortall wound) to serue for a plaister. And howe is that? Forsooth, because we shall vnderstande that God will not become a seuere Iudge vnto vs, & poure out his vengeance vpon vs, when as we bring Iesus Christ with vs, to shewe that hée hath made satisfaction for vs. And therfore death hath not taken such fearefull holde on vs, as to confound vs, and bring vs to dispaire: