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…

And now we see how, and wherefore the good king Hezekiah was thus tormented, that is, because he saw death so near at hand. It seemeth at the first face, that such passion beseemeth not a faithful man. True it is that of nature death is dreadful to us all. For there is no man but (as they say) desireth to be, and in death we think that we perish, that we be brought to nought, and cease to be. Thus of nature we fly from & abhor death▪ ¹and therefore also S. Paul saith in the v. chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians. that we do not desire to be unclothed of this body for it is impossible for man to desire to change his ⟨p. 5⟩estate, I mean as concerning this life. And those that do kill them selves have no natural affection, but the Devil so carrieth them away that they are altogether blinded. And such are to be reckoned as unnatural monsters, in whom all the order of nature is changed. To be short it is most assured that death shall be alway to us terrible, and not only because we are inclined to desire to to live, but also for so much as God hath left a certain mark, in such sort that the Heathen them selves & the unfaithful are constrained to feel that death is a curse of God, which was pronounced upon Adam, and all his linage. Forasmuch then, as death is come upon the world by sin, & that it is a witness of the wrath of God, that by it we are as it were cast of from him, banished from his kingdom (which is the kingdom of life) it must needs be, although we have no light of faith neither ever had any one word of doctrine, that this be imprinted in our minds, that it is naturally unpleasant unto us. Behold then by what means we are brought to fly death, & to withdraw our selves from it so much as we possibly may. First because we are desirous to be: secondly for that we conceive death to be a certain sign of Gods wrath: yea although we hard thereof no certain instruction, yet God hath printed a certain natural instinction and feeling thereof within our hearts. Yet notwithstanding it is also true that the faithful do overcome those fears, and do prepare them selves to die when it pleaseth God, but not (as the place speaketh which we have alleged out of S.

And nowe we see howe, and wherfore the good king Ezechias was thus tourmented, that is, because he sawe death so nere at hande. It semeth at the first face, that suche passion besemeth not a faithful mā. Trew it is that of nature death is dreadfull to vs al. For there is no man but (as they saye) desireth to be, and in death we thinke that we perishe, yt we be broughte to nought, and cease to be. Thus of nature we flie frō & abhorre death