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…

Now Hezekiah forsaketh all and declareth that there is none but God, and that he it is whom we ought to go unto.

Nowe Ezechias forsaketh all and declareth that there is none but God, and that he it is whom we ought to go vnto.

True it is that God suffereth us to use all the means that he offereth us, and he hath ordained them for that use, but yet he will not that his glory be darkened, as it is no reason it should be. Nevertheless men be so wicked and froward, that alway they take occasion to minish the glory of God under this colour that he helpeth them by his creatures. If God hath not been content only to make us feel his own virtue, but also applieth all his creatures to our use we ought to be so much the more stirred to praise him. But clean contrary, we rob him of his right, we forsake him, and fasten our affiance here, and there, and we think that our salvation proceedeth from this thing and from that. Lo how God is defrauded of his right. So much the more ought we to mark this that is here said by Hezekiah. The Lord it is that saveth us. That is, though the Lord do stretch his hand unto us, and giveth us wherewith to be maintained, yet let us confess that he is the fountain, and let the river that floweth from him unto us, not hinder us to know whence the river cometh. Let us then tend alway to this wellspring that God be glorified, and that he kept his own wholly: and after, when we are made naked of all other means, let us say: the Lord alone shall suffice. And for this cause saith David. The mercy of God is more worth than all lives, not meaning that the life of men is not of the mercy of God, but he showeth ye men ought not to be fast bound here beneath, & that they are become brutish ⟨p. 73⟩when they think to preserve, maintain, or warrant them selves by this, or that mercy, & that they ought above all things to prefer the only goodness of God and to rest in the same. So then behold here a saying of great doctrine, if we can have skill to take profit thereof. Let us then follow the example of Hezekiah, and when God hath succoured us at our need: let us give him the praise for our life confessing that there is none but he alone to save us. Hereunto he addeth again. And we will singe our songs all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. Here he repeateth again the saying that he spake before, that is, that he will employ all the residue of the life that god hath given him to make to God acknowledgement thereof, that he might not be found unthankful.