Thirteen sermons of Master John Calvin, entreating of the free election of God in…Thirteene sermons of Maister Iohn Caluine, entreating of the free election of God in…

Abimilech not only hideth the evil which he hath committed, and would excuse it: but he boasteth that he hath done his duty wonderful well towards Isaac: and this is the common manner, as we have said: For there is nothing more hard for a man then to condemn him self: although he feel him self faulty. Men will be drawn sooner to any thing then to this lowliness, which yet notwithstanding is a token necessarily required to true repentance. For if a man feel that he have faulted, and have true repentance, he must needs confess him self guilty before God, and likewise towards his neighbour, when it shall be requisite. And therefore our Saviour Christ also exhorteth us, that if we have any quarrel against our neighbours, that is too say, if we have offended them, that rather we should leave our sacrifices at the altar, to the end to seek agreement, than to flatter our selves, and to harden our hearts, despising those to whom were bound. Now he speaketh of that time of the sacrifices: but that was as much as if he should have said, that we cannot pray unto God, nor do any thing that shall be acceptable unto him, as long as we disdain to repair the faults which we have committed. Now although God command us never so straightly to humble our selves, when we have offended, yet can none attain unto this way: and that is here sufficiently taught us in the person of Abimilech & of his companions. For men are so blinded both with self-love, pride and arrogance, that they can not in any case ⟨image 132⟩be brought to this, to say: I have offended: for they are always ashamed to confess their fault: and yet notwithstanding are not ashamed to be condemn ned before God and his Angels: and yet when they have remorse in them selves, they must condemn themselves in spite of their teeth. They can trimly trace out all the ways that can be to maintain their corruption, they have their goodly starting holes, to uphold themselves in their mischievous cause: but when they shall have won both great & small, whether it be through corruption or favour, or by any other means, and all the world stand for them, yet must they in the end come to the judgement of their own conscience which they cannot abide: and as I have said, there they shall find themselves to have gotten nothing by all their fetches & starting holes:

Abimilech not onely hideth the euill which he hath committed, and would excuse it: but he boasteth that he hath done his dutie woonderful well towards Isaack: and this is the common manner, as we haue said: For there is nothing more harde for a man then to condemne him selfe: although he feele him selfe faultie. Men wil be drawen sooner to any thing then to this lowlines, which yet notwithstanding is a token necessarily required to true repentaunce. For if a man feele that hee haue faulted, and haue true repentaunce, he must needes confesse him selfe giltie before God, and likewise towards his neighboure, when it shalbe requisite. And therefore our Sauiour Christ also exhorteth vs, that if we haue any quarrell against our neighbours, that is too say, if wee haue offended them, that rather we should leaue our sacrifices at the altar, to the end to seeke agreement, thā to flatter our selues, and to harden our hearts, despising those to whom weare bound. Nowe he speaketh of that time of the sacrifices: but that was as much as if he should haue saide, that we cannot pray vnto God, nor do any thing that shalbe acceptable vnto him, as long as we disdaine to repaire the faultes which we haue committed. Now although God commaūd vs neuer so straightly to humble our selues, when we haue offended, yet can none attaine vnto this way: and that is heere sufficiently taught vs in the person of Abimilech & of his companions. For men are so blinded bothe with selfeloue, pride and arrogancie, that they can not in any case