The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the…The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the…

Therefore we have too mark first of all, that we can obtain no […] at Gods hand, nor be received of him, till our sins be ••yped […], and the remembrance of them clean put away. The reason •hereof is (as I said afore) that God must needs hate sin wher••ever he seeth it. So then, as long as he considereth us as sinners, he •ust needs abhor us: for there is not any thing in our selves, nor in […] own nature, but all manner of naughtiness & confusion. Then are […] enemies and adversaries unto him, till we come too the remedy that S. Paul showeth us here, which is, too have our sins forgiven. Hereby we see that no man can be loved of God for any worthiness that is in himself. For wherein lieth the love that God ⟨image 40⟩beareth us: I have told you already, that he must be fain too cast his eye upon out Lord Jesus Christ, & not too look a whit at us. But yet therewithal it is declared further, that God doth never like well of us, till he have released us o•r debts, and adopted us too be his children, notwithstanding that we be worthy of death before him. Thus ye see that the assurance of our salvation (as is said in the song of zachary) is that God be merciful too us and forgive us our sins whereby we were become his enemies.¹ Howbeit, let us also bear in mind, that the clear release of our sins through Gods free goodness, is not done without the ransom that was paid by our Lord Jesus Christ,² not in gold nor silver (as sayeth S. Peter in his first Epistle) but in such wise that he which was the unspotted Lamb, was fain too serve that turn his own self. Wherefore whensoever we intend too seek Gods favour and mercy, let us fasten all our wits upon the death & passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we may there find wherewith too appease Gods wrath. And furthermore seeing that our sins are done away by such payment and satisfaction: let us understand that we cannot bring aught of our own, for the which we should be reconciled unto God. Wherein we see how the devil hath by his s•yghtes cut of all hope of salvation from the world, by bearing men in hand that they must every man ransom himself, and make his own atonement with God. And that is the very thing which men all good works, merits, and virtues in Papistry. For too what end tend all the inventions which they have forged?