Sermons of John Calvin, upon the song that Hezekiah made after he had been…Sermons of Iohn Caluin, vpon the songe that Ezechias made after he had bene…

But there is yet more. For Hezekiah speaketh not here simply of death as we have touched already, but he setteth out his death to be such ⟨p. 61⟩as if he had been cut of from the Church of God, and from all hope of salvation, when this judgement was come to be executed, or as if he had been before his Judge: Then Hezekiah prepared not him self to dye, as by nature we can not flee this necessity: but he had this testimony of God's wrath, wherewith he was so feared as if all were lost to him. Now we know that no man can sing the praises of God except he have occasion and matter. For when our Lord showeth us a terrible countenance, our mouths are stopped, we are filled with such anguish, that it is impossible for us to bless him. Rather contrariwise there shall be nothing but gnashing of teethe, when the wrath of God shall so astonish us. Lo thus stood Hezekiah. On the other side, when God showeth him self merciful toward us,¹ and uttereth some sign of his favour toward us, he openeth our mouths, as it is said in the li. Psalm. Lord thou haste opened my mouth: therefore will I sing thy songs. And in other places. Lord thou haste put a new song in my mouth, by this the Prophet signifieth when God maketh them joyful for their deliverance from some evil, that by this mean, he stireth them up to sing his songs, and to bless his name, and to be mindful of his benefits. So then, when we conceive nothing but altogether terror in God, we are in a swound, and then the gate is shut so that we can not praise God. So Hezekiah in this place, saying that the dead shall not praise god, meaneth not generally all those that depart out of this transitory life, ⟨p. 61⟩but those which are as it were cut of from God, and are confounded with his wrath, who also taste not his goodness any manner of way, & are made naked and estranged from all hope of health. It is then impossible that such should praise God.

But there is yet more. For Ezechias speaketh not here simply of death as we haue touched alreadye, but he setteth oute hys death to be suche ⟨p. 61⟩as if he had bene cut of from the Churche of God, and from all hope of saluation, when this iudgement was come to be executed, or as if he had bene before hys Iudge: Then Ezechias prepared not him selfe to dye, as by nature we can not flee thys necessitie: but he had thys testymonye of Godes wrath, wherewith he was so feared as if all were lost to hym. Nowe we knowe that no man can synge the prayses of God excepte he haue occasion and matter. For whan oure Lorde sheweth vs a terrible countenaunce, oure mouthes are stopped, we are fylled wyth suche anguisshe, that it is impossible for vs to blesse hym. Rather contrariwise there shall be nothynge but gnashynge of teethe, when the wrath of God shall so astonishe vs. Loe thus stoode Ezechias. On the other syde, when God sheweth hym selfe mercyfull towarde vs,