Divers sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the divinity, humanity, and nativity of our…Diuers sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, concerning the diuinitie, humanitie, and natiuitie of our…

Now, when we know all this, and that we on the other side see, that the Son of God refused not to be slanderously bound, to the end that all the spiritual bonds of sin & death, which keep us bound under the bondage of Satan, might be broken in sunder, then have we wherefore to glorify God, & with open mouth to triumph in the death & passion of our Lord Jesus Christ,¹ & in his taking, whereof mention here is made. Thus we see what we have to remember in this place: & hereupon the evangelist saith, that our Lord Jesus healed the servant whom Peter hurt, not because he was worthy to be healed, but for the salving of the offence that was given. For this had been a defaming of the doctrine of the Gospel, and of the redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ, (I call that the redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ which he purchased for us) if this hurt had not been healed: so that it might have been said that he had withstood the Governor of the Country, and all the Priests, and that he kept in that place, as it were a standing, for thieves & robbers. And this was to have darkened all the glory of the son of God, and to have made the Gospel for ever to have been slandered. We see also that this zeal of Peters was devilish: For the Devil went about to make Jesus Christ and all his doctrine to be infamous. And here we see to what end all our painted devotion tendeth, when we will serve God as pleaseth our selves, & every man take leave to do whatsoever he thinketh best in his own eyes.

Now, when we know all this, and that we on the other side sée, that the Sonne of God refused not to be slaunderously bound, to the end that al the spiritual bonds of sin & death, wc kéepe vs boūd vnder ye bōdage of Satā, might be brokē in sunder, thē haue we wherefore to glorify God, & wt opē mouth to triumph in the death & passiō of our Lord Iesus Christ,¹ & in his taking, wherof mētion here is made. Thus we sée what we haue to remēber in this place: & héervpō ye euāgelist saith, yt our Lord Iesus healed the seruaunt whom Peter hurte, not because he was woorthy to be healed, but for the saluing of the offence that was geuen. For this had béen a defaming of the doctrine of the Gospel, and of the redemption of our Lorde Iesus Christ, (I call that the redemption of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hee purchased for vs) if this hurt had not béen healed: so that it might haue béene sayde that hée had withstood the Gouernour of the Countrey, and all the Priests, and that he kept in that place, as it were a standing, for théeues & robbers. And this was to haue darkened all the glory of the sonne of God, and to haue made the Gospel for euer to haue béene slandered. We sée also that this zeale of Peters was diuelishe: For the Diuell went about to make Iesus Christe and all his doctrine to be infamous. And héere we sée to what end all our painted deuotiō tendeth, whē we wil serue God as pleaseth our selues, & euery mā take leaue to doe whatsoeuer he thinketh best in his owne eyes.