we pray with confident hope

But "assurance" I do not understand to mean that which soothes our mind with sweet and perfect repose, releasing it from every anxiety. For to repose so peacefully is the part of those who, when all affairs are flowing to their liking, are touched by no care, burn with no desire, toss with no fear. But for the saints the occasion that best stimulates them to call upon God is when, distressed by their own need, they are troubled by the greatest unrest, and are almost driven out of their senses, until faith opportunely comes to their relief. For among such tribulations God's goodness so shines upon them that even when they groan with weariness under the weight of present ills, and also are troubled and tormented by the fear of greater ones, yet, relying upon his goodness, they are relieved of the difficulty of bearing them, and are solaced and hope for escape and deliverance.

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, vol. 2, ed. John T. McNeill (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), 863. (3.20.11)

a grand finale, Institutes style!

"We are afflicted yet not made anxious, we fail but are not deserted, are humbled but not confounded, we are cast down but have not perished, ever bearing the mortification of Jesus Christ about in our bodies that Jesus' life may be manifested in us" [II Cor. 4:8-10 p.]; "If we died with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him" [II Tim. 2:11-12]; thus are we conformed to his sufferings, until we attain to the likeness of his resurrection, since "the Father has predestined those whom he has chosen in himself to conform to the image of his Son that Christ may be the first-born among all the brethren" [Rom. 8:29 p.]. Therefore, "neither death, . . . nor things present, nor things to come . . . will will separate us from the love of God which is in Christ" [Rom. 8:38-39p.]; but rather all things will turn to our good and salvation [cf. Rom. 8:28].

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, vol. 1, Ed. John T. McNeill, Book III, Chapter XVI, Section 8, "Admonition and comfort on the basis of right doctrine," p. 796-797

diverse excellencies

A therapist-Christ does not evoke an ardency of soul that wishes to be annihilated, emptied of self and filled with Christ and made pure with a divine and heavenly purity. We need a Christ from above. For only when we see Christ as one like a Son of Man, with eyes of flame, a voice like many waters, a mouth like a sword, and a face like the sun will be able to overcome life's trials and temptations and confess with the apostle John that we are companions "in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus" (Rev. 1:9 NIV). We need to know Jesus not just as the dreamer-poet ushering in His kingdom of shalom and acceptance. We need to know Him as the glorified Son of Man of Revelation 1. We need to know Him in all His diverse excellencies.

Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck, Why We're Not Emergent (by two guys who should be), Moody Publishers, "Epilogue: listening to all the churches of Revelation," p. 250-51