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…

Moreover when God shall as it were have ⟨p. 61⟩stricken us dead, and revived us by his grace, let this so much the more move us to praise him. There is not so small a benefit that deserveth not thanks, and when we shall apply all our wits to thank God only for this that he nourisheth us, yet can we not acquit our selves of the hundred part of our debt. But if God use a more excellent manner to declare his favour toward us, and that the good things which he doeth for us, are as it were wonderful and incomprehensible of men, our bond increaseth so much the more, and we have so much the less excuse if we be not then inflamed to praise him with full mouth, and to preach every where the goodness that he hath made us to feel.

Moreouer when God shall as it were haue ⟨p. 61⟩striken vs dead, and reuiued vs by his grace, let this so much ye more moue vs to praise him. Ther is not so smale a benefit that deserueth not thankes, and when we shall applie all oure wittes to thanke God onely for this that he nourisheth vs, yet can we not aquite our selues of the hundreth part of our det. But if God vse a more excellent maner to declare his fauour toward vs, and that the good thinges which he doeth for vs, are as it were wonderfull and incomprehensible of men, our bond encreseth so much the more, and we haue so much the lesse excuse if we be not then enflamed to praise him with full mouth, and to preache euerye where the goodnes that he hathe made vs to feele.

After this Hezekiah addeth that God hath cast his sins behind his back. Here he leadeth us back to that we saw before, that is, that all that he endured was but the payment that was due unto him for his faults. And that now this that god hath been merciful unto him, is for that he hath hidden and buried his offences which brought all the evil upon him. This sentence is worthy to be well noted. For (as we have before declared) although we know well that adversities happen not unto us by chance, but that it is the hand of God that striketh us, yet so it is that we can not come to the true cause as we ought. And that is partly because every one doeth flatter him self in his own faults, and partly also because we enter not in judgement or examination of our own life to know whether it hath been well ordered: for willingly we are very loth to be disquieted. And yet must we come unto it, for that is the true sign