A17716:46
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…
Sermons of John Calvin, upon the song that Hezekiah made after he had been sick and afflicted by the hand of God, contained in the 38. chapter of Isaiah. Translated out of French into English. 1560.Sermons of Iohn Caluin, vpon the songe that Ezechias made after he had bene sicke and afflicted by the hand of God, conteyned in the 38. chapiter of Esay. Translated out of Frenche into Englishe. 1560.
London: printed by John Day, 1560London: printed by Iohn Day, 1560
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now concerning that which Hezekiah speaketh of the cutting short of his days,1 he speaketh as having respect to the natural course of mans life whereof is made mention in the song of Moses, for he began to reign at the age of xxv. years▪ In the xiiii. year of his reign, Jerusalem ⟨p. 21⟩was besieged, and then he fell into this sickness, as we see. Thus was he xxxix. years old. Now he sayeth that his life is cut short, because he is not come to old age. True it is that Moses speaketh of the frailty of men, and saith: What are men? After that God hath let them walk here their days, then they are gone again. And in deed when man cometh to lx. years, he is all decayed, and if ye add x. years more, there is nothing but loathsomeness and weariness, he is nothing but a burden unprofitable, and life it self is cumbersome unto him. He showeth then that this life being short and frail, ought not to hold us. But howsoever it were, this king Hezekiah was as in the flower of his age, he was not yet come to the age of xl. years. And in this respect he saith that God hath cut short his days, not that we have any time determined. For do not children die sometimes before they come into this world, and so soon as they be come, doth not death already besiege them? But he was not yet come to that old age, which is according to the ordinary course of mans life. Hezekiah than beholdeth this: and above all things hath his eyes fastened upon this message of the Prophet Isaiah, that is, that God hath punished him because of his sins. And it is as much as if he should say talking to him self. I see well that God will not leave thee in this world, for the assault is very violent. And whereof cometh that, but of thy offences and sins: as we shall see that he addeth afterward. It is true that he attributeth all unto God as unto his judge, but he toke the fault upon his own parson, confessing him self only to be culpable. Lo ⟨p. 22⟩how he understandeth that his days were cut short.
Nowe concernynge that whiche Ezechias speaketh of the cuttynge shorte of his dayes,1 he speaketh as hauing respect to the naturall course of mans life wherof is made mention in the song of Moyses, for he began to reigne at the age of xxv. yeares In the xiiii. yere of his raigne, Hierusalem