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…

To be short, were it not for the death and passion of our Lord I• sus Christ, we should stand bound still in the hand writing that is spoken of in the second too the Colossians.¹ For if we should come too reckoning, who durst open his mouth too excuse himself before God, or (look too) scape the damnation that all of us have deserved? For if we should go about too allege but one point, there would be a thousand too stop our mouths, so as we should be driven too stand still all confounded, till we came too the remedy, that is too wit, that Jesus Christ hath by his death made so full satisfaction for all our debts, that we be quitted and released. That then is the thing which S. Paul handleth as now, too the end we might know what manner of access it is that he speaketh of. For, too press into Gods presence, in case as we be of our selves, were too great a boldness. But when it is told us, that God will not lay our sins and misdeeds to our ⟨p. 96⟩charge, because Jesus Christ hath put them all away by his death: then is it no rashness at all for us too go unto God with our heads bolt upright, but we have a good foundation, and a boldness that God liketh well of. Therefore as oft as we have occasion too pray, or too fight against any temptations, let us learn too know that we have need too be encouraged too patience, and too be ascertained of the everlasting life, and too repair all wholly for refuge too the death and passion of the son of God, knowing that until such time as we be dipped in his blood, and washed by the working of his holy spirit, we shall evermore be loathly, and God will justly shake us of, and be always a judge too us in stead of being our father. And it is not enough too know that Jesus Christ hath made amends for us, yea and that all things requisite too our salvation, were fully accomplished and performed by his death and passion: but we must also therewithal receive the benefit thereof in such manner as it is ministered unto us. For what shall it avail the Jews, Turks, and other like, that Gods son undertook the condemnation that belonged too us? They shall rather be held double guilty, because that by their unthankfulness they bereave themselves of the benefit whereof they might have bin partakers, if they had received the promises of the Gospel by faith.

To bee short, were it not for the death and passion of our Lord I sus Christ, wee should stand bound still in the hand wryting that is spoken of in the second too the Colossians.