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…

And indeed S. Peter did cast this in their dish, as we say, to the end he might prick their hearts, and wound them to the quick: as hereafter we shall see, that it so stuck, & grieved them at the hearts, as that they were therewith converted. Thus and by this mean must men be won to come to be humbled, and brought to the acknowledging of their offences. For, if we continually preach unto them pleasant and delightful things, they will do nothing else but toy and trifle, and be Gods fellows, and play with him even as they would do with a mortal man. We see how it fared with the woman of Samaria, when she spake unto Jesus Christ, and that he told her of the water of life, whereof (he said) if she drunk,¹ that she should never thirst, she mocked him like a naughty pack as she was. But after he had once brought her to the acknowledging of her sin, and told her that she went to seek her husband, and remembered her of her wicked life past, she was more mild in her speech then she was at the first. For when he simply and plainly laid before her, the graces of God, she laughed him to scorn, and said, why, where shall we have a Bucket wherewith to draw the water, seeing the well is so very deep? but when he had said unto her, Thou art an harlot: thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband, she then acknowledged her sin, and said that Jesus Christ was an holy Prophet. And therefore until such time as we tremble at the horror of our sins, we will never give place unto the word of God, And that was the cause that made Saint Peter accuse the Jews of the slaying of Christ, not that he took any pleasure in thus reproving of them, but to the end they might understand that their condemnation was at hand for their sins: and on the other side, that they had forgiveness of them by Jesus Christ, if they would acknowledge him and come unto him. Now, here in this place have the ministers of God a rule set down unto them, to wit, that they must touch men to the quick, and tell them of their sins, that they might understand that God is their Judge, and will not leave their obstinate sinning unpunished: and by that mean be brought back unto him by repentance: which they will never do except they be reproved and roughly handled.

And indéede S. Peter did cast this in their dish, as we say, to the end he might pricke their hearts, and wound them to the quicke: as hereafter we shal sée, that it so stuck, & grieued thē at the hearts, as that they were therewith conuerted. Thus and by this meane must men be wonne to come to be humbled, and brought to the acknowledging of their offences. For, if we continually preach vnto them pleasant and delightfull things, they will doe nothing els but toy and tryfle, and be Gods fellowes, and play with him euen as they would doe with a mortall man. We sée how it fared with the woman of Samaria, when she spake vnto Iesus Christ, and that he told her of the water of lyfe, whereof (he said) if she drunke,