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…

He addeth a little after that God hath delivered his soul, but he useth a manner of speech which importeth more. He saith thou hast loved my soul, or thou hast had thy good pleasure in it to pluck it back from the grave. By this circumstance he magnifieth the goodness of God so much the more for that he is come to seek him even to the grave. For if God do hold us still in our estate, I grant we thereby know that we are beholding to him, but therm we knowledge it but very coldly. But if he deliver us from death, then we better perceive how good he is, for that in such extremity he as it were cometh down unto us. ⟨p. 57⟩For it seemeth unto us that we are not much bound unto God, if he preserve us in this life, because we take that to be but as an order of nature. True it is that the more he spareth us so much the more we ought to feel his fatherly goodness, but we do it not, and so by reason of our dullness it is become needful that God work of another fashion. Now then as I have already said, if that God pluck us out of the grave, and that we have been as forsaken for a time, that it seemed we were cut of from all hope, that even men disdained to look upon us as if we were pore rotten carrions, if in this case God have pity upon us, in this he showeth us so much greater brightness to see his mercy, and so much more we have occasion to acknowledge what and how infinite his bounty is, in this that god hath so plucked us back from the death. Lo, this it is that Hezekiah meant to say.

He addeth a lytle after that God hath deliuered his soule, but he vseth a maner of spech which emporteth more. He sayth thou hast loued my soule, or thou hast had thy good pleasure in it to plucke it back from the graue. By this circumstance he magnifieth the goodnesse of God so much ye more for that he is come to seke hym euen to the graue. For if God doe holde vs styll in our estate, I graunt we therby knowe that we are beholding to him, but therm we knowlege it but very coldly. But if he deliuer vs from death, then we better perceiue howe good he is, for that in suche extremitie he as it were cometh downe vnto vs. ⟨p. 57⟩For it semeth vnto vs that we are not much boūd vnto God, if he preserue vs in this life, bicause we take that to be but as an order of nature. True it is that the more he spareth vs so muche the more we ought to fele his fatherlye goodnes, but we do it not, and so by reason of our dulnes it is become nedefull that God work of another fashion. Now then as I haue already sayde, if that God plucke vs out of the graue, and that we haue bene as forsaken for a time, that it semed we were cut of from al hope, that euen men disdaigned to loke vpon vs as if we were pore rotten carrions, if in this case God haue pitie vpon vs, in this he sheweth vs so much greater brightnesse to se his mercye, and so much more we haue occasiō to acknowledge what and howe infinite his bountye is, in this that god hath so plucked vs backe from the death. Lo, this it is that Ezechias meant to say.