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 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.

And héere we sée whereon we must cast our eies, and bestow all our senses, when it is told vs, that the Sonne of GOD hath redéemed vs from euerlasting death, and purchased for vs euerlasting lyfe. Wée must therefore in the first place learne, ⟨image 27⟩to render vnto God the prayse due vnto him. Now, to say truely, he might, if hée had pleased) haue deliuered vs from the bottomelesse depthes of death after an other sorte: But his good will was, largely to bestow and powre vpon vs the treasures of his infinite goodnesse, when as hée spared not his onely sonne. And our Lord Iesus would héerein giue vs an excellent pawne of his wonderful care towardes vs, when as he offred himselfe willingly to death. For we shal neuer bée touched to the quick, nor enflamed to praise our God, without we on the other side doe examine our estate, and be as it were throwne downe into the bottomlesse pit of hell, knowing what a thing it is to haue prouoke his wrath, and to becom our mortall enimie, hauing him as a terrible and fearefull Iudge: so that it were a great deale better, that heauen and earth, and all the creatures had conspyred against vs, then that wée shoulde once come néere his Maiestie, so long as he is against vs. Wherfore it is very méete that sinners should be wounded with the féeling and conceiuing of their sinnes, that they might know themselues to bée most miserable, and feare their estate, to the end they might thereby knowe how greatly they are beholden and bounde vnto God, in that he hath compassion vpon them, and séeing them in a desperate case, hath very good will to helpe them, without regard of any their worthinesse, but onlie for their myseries sake. And so also is it (as we haue already saide) because we are too too much intangled here below, and when as God calleth vs vnto him, our mindes and affections, so kéepe vs backe, as that we had néed to make much of the heauenly life, as it is woorthy, and knowe with how déere a price it was purchased for vs.