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…

which is, that when we come unto God, and must present our selves before his Majesty, we be sure that he will pity us, and not lay our sins to our charge, but receive us as his own children. Then if we intend to enjoy this spiritual peace, which passeth all the goods of the world: let us •earne too have war with our selves. And how is that? It is, first too know that we be damned and forlorn, and that there is no hope of remedy for us, whereby too get out of the pit of destruction again, except we be recovered by means of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we be so bereft of all untoward selftrust in our own deserts, and know that we be empty and stark naked: let us repair as poor beggars unto God: that is the thing that is requisite for the attainment of true peace. And by the way also let us not think too gain any thing by being blockish▪ so we should fall• ⟨p. 99⟩sleep in this world: but let us understand, that forasmuch as we have no certain time (appointed us,) it is our duty to summon our selves evening and morning before God, and too examine our sins throughly, and too be both sorry and ashamed of them. When we have once learned too make war thus against our own vices, and too ply it throughly without Hypocrisy and counterfeiting: then are we in the high way too the peace which our Lord Jesus Christ doth publish and preach unto us every day by the Gospel. And that is the very cause why S. Paul sayeth expressly, that by him we have entrance in unto the father. As if he should say, that no unbelievers, no heathenish worldlings, no mockers of God, no dullards which think not of their everlasting salvation, can by any means taste of what value the peace is, which we obtain by the Gospel, or (conceive) how precious and amiable it is. And why? For they put too many scarfs before their faces, too keep them from being abashed at Gods Justice, and from being stricken with terror of their sins. Too be short, they make themselves wilfully drunken, that they might have a senseless conscience, and they bereave themselves of all understanding, as though they were brute beasts. But when we consider that all our welfare consisteth in being able too have all our recourse unto God, and that our coming too him is certain also, yea and that the way is open for us too go thither familiarly:

which is, that when wee come vntoo God, and must present our selues before his Maiestie, wee bee sure that he will pitie vs, and not lay our sinnes to our chage, but receyue vs as his owne children. Then if we intend to enoye this spirituall peace, which passeth all the goods of the world: let vs earne too haue warre with our selues. And how is that? It is, first too knowe that wee bee damned and forlorne, and that there is no hope of remedie for vs, wherby too get out of the pit of destruction agein, except wee bee recouered by meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. When wee bee so bereft of all vntoward selftrust in our own deserts, and knowe that wee bee emptie and starke naked: let vs repayre as poore beggers vntoo God: that is the thing that is requisite for the atteynment of trew peace. And by the way also let vs not thinke too gayne any thing by being blockishe so wee should fall