In one of his sermons, he spoke of the lack of “joyfulness and gladness of heart” as a sin, almost recalling Hildegard of Bingen’s observation that Adam and Eve’s original error was a failure to take delight in all the trees of the garden, focusing instead on only one. Calvin said: God of his own nature is inclined to allure us to himself by gentle and loving means, as a father goes about to win his children, by laughing with them and giving them all they desire. If a father could always laugh with his children and fulfill their desires, all his delight would surely be in them. Such a one does
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