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…

When any thing is spoken, which concerneth our salvation, The scripture setteth before us three ends. The one is, That we might know the inestimable love, which GOD beareth us, to the end we might glorify him therefore, as he is worthy. The second, That we should abhor our sins, as we ought, and to be truly ashamed to humble our selves before the Majesty of our GOD. The third, that we might in such sort esteem of our salvation, as that it might make us forsake the world, and whatsoever thing else belongeth unto this transitory life, and to be in love with this inheritance, which was so dearly purchased for us.

WHen any thing is spoken, which concerneth our saluation, The scripture setteth before vs thrée endes. The one is, That wée might know the inestimable loue, which GOD beareth vs, to the end wée might glorifie him therfore, as he is worthy. The second, That wée should abhorre our sinnes, as we ought, and to bée truely ashamed to humble our selues before the Maiestie of our GOD. The thirde, that wée might in such sorte estéeme of our saluation, as that it might make vs forsake the worlde, and whatsoeuer thinge else belongeth vnto this transitorie lyfe, and to bée in loue with this enheritaunce, which was so déerely purchased for vs.

And here we see whereon we must cast our eyes, and bestow all our senses, when it is told us, that the Son of GOD hath redeemed us from everlasting death, and purchased for us everlasting life. We must therefore in the first place learn, ⟨image 27⟩to render unto God the praise due unto him. Now, to say truly, he might, if he had pleased) have delivered us from the bottomless depths of death after an other sort: But his good will was, largely to bestow and pour upon us the treasures of his infinite goodness, when as he spared not his only son. And our Lord Jesus would herein give us an excellent pawn of his wonderful care towards us, when as he offered himself willingly to death. For we shall never be touched to the quick, nor inflamed to praise our God, without we on the other side do examine our estate, and be as it were thrown down into the bottomless pit of hell, knowing what a thing it is to have provoke his wrath, and to become our mortal enemy, having him as a terrible and fearful Judge: so that it were a great deal better, that heaven and earth, and all the creatures had conspired against us, then that we should once come near his Majesty, so long as he is against us. Wherefore it is very meet that sinners should be wounded with the feeling and conceiving of their sins, that they might know themselves to be most miserable, and fear their estate, to the end they might thereby know how greatly they are beholden and bound unto God, in that he hath compassion upon them, and seeing them in a desperate case, hath very good will to help them, without regard of any their worthiness, but only for their miseries sake. And so also is it (as we have already said) because we are too too much entangled here below, and when as God calleth us unto him, our minds and affections, so keep us back, as that we had need to make much of the heavenly life, as it is worthy, and know with how deer a price it was purchased for us.