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, forsomuch as the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is perpetual, let us understand, that we are at this day enriched as much as is needful, as by experience we feel: For, Jesus Christ must needs help us in all the distresses wherewith we are encompassed. For otherwise how should we do, if his hand were not always upon us to uphold us? Surely it were impossible for us to stand. And therefore he always giveth us wherewith to relieve all our needs and necessities. And to say the truth, all the graces of the holy Ghost are a part of the spoil of our Lord Jesus Christ: For, God his father hath enriched him with them, because we might be as a man would say, familiarly acquainted with them, and the Devil will still be a let that the power of the holy Ghost might not have his course with us: howbeit we are now enriched with them, inasmuch as all lets are taken away: yea, and (as I have already said) that thing that was an hinderance unto us in this world, is now turned to our good and benefit, because our Lord Jesus hath made a spoil of all his enemies. Now, it is namely said, Because he was accounted amongst sinners, and bare the iniquities of many, and prayed for the trespassers. We have already heard, that our Lord Jesus bare the transgressions of many: and that was because he sustained the punishment which was impossible ⟨image 148⟩for us to bear. And besides, we were too too frail & weak to stand before the majesty of God, if we should be burdened with our sins: because there is no mean in the whole world to be found to discharge us of them. And therefore it was meet that our Lord Jesus for the easing of us should present himself in our stead, & be charged with our sins, that they might be imputed unto him before God his father, and he be bound for the payment of them. For, when a man shall only owe a thing that he is never able to pay, he is like unto one that were stiff and crooked, and knew not which way to turn him, and hath such a burden on his back, as it were, that so crusheth & bruiseth his shoulders, as that it maketh him to stoop again: what shall then become of us, who are not debtors to a mortal man, but even unto the living God? & not debtors of gold and silver, but of our sins, which deserve as the scripture telleth us his fearful indignation.

Moreouer, forsomuch as the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ is perpetuall, let vs vnderstand, that we are at this day inriched as much as is néedfull, as by experience we féele: For, Iesus Christe must néedes helpe vs in all the distresses wherewith we are incompassed. For otherwise how should we do, if his hand were not alwayes vpon vs to vphold vs? Surely it were impossible for vs to stand. And therefore he alwaies giueth vs wherwith to relieue al our néedes and necessities. And to say the truth, al the graces of the holy Ghoste are a part of the spoyle of our Lorde Iesus Christe: For, God his father hath inriched him with them, because we might be as a man wold say, familiarly acquainted with them, and the Diuell wil still bee a let that the power of the holy Ghost might not haue his course with vs: howbeit we are now inriched with them, in asmuch as al lets are taken away: yea, and (as I haue alredy said) that thing that was an hinderance vnto vs in this world, is nowe turned to our good and benefite, because our Lorde Iesus hath made a spoyle of all his enimies. Nowe, it is namely said, Because he was accounted amongst sinners, and bare the iniquities of many, and prayed for the trespassers. We haue alredy heard, that our Lord Iesus bare the transgressions of many: and that was because he susteined the punishment which was impossible