A17690:212
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…
Divers sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the divinity, humanity, and nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ as also touching his passion, death, resurrection, ascension: together with the coming down of the holy Ghost upon his Apostles: and the first sermon of S. Peter. The order of which you shall find in the page ensuing.Diuers sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, concerning the diuinitie, humanitie, and natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christe as also touching his passion, death, resurection, ascention: togeather with the comming downe of the holy Ghoste vpon his Apostles: and the first sermon of S. Peter. The order of which you shall finde in the page ensuing.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for George Byshop, 1581
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
As concerning that which is said, That they gave our Lord Jesus Christ vinegar, mingled with Gall and Myrrh, to drink, It is to be presumed that they did it, according to the custom that was in those days, to shorten the life of malefactors. Howbeit our Lord Jesus, when he had tasted of it, would not drink it, because he knew that his hour was not yet come. They had then a custom, that before the malefactors were upon the top of the Gallows, to give them this drink, that it might trouble the blood, and so they should yield up the ghost the sooner. For this kind of death was very cruel, and therefore they had need of these helps. And in deed, we shall hereafter see, that the thieves had their bones crushed and broken, to the end they might feel no more pain. But however it was, our Lord Jesus would not drink this drink, because he would show that he was ready, obediently to receive the state and condition, which God his Father had committed unto him. In deed, this was a very sharp kind of death: For (as we have before heard) over and beside the terribleness of it, there were in it spiritual torments, whereof by Gods leave we will speak to morrow. All which, were to cause our Lord Jesus to hasten his death as much as was possible: but his ⟨image 72⟩will was, to submit him self, most obediently to abide what punishment soever, until he were delivered without the help of man. And this is it which here we have to consider of. But as for the parting of his garments, and the casting of lots on them, these things were done,1 that the scripture might be fulfilled. For David being a figure of our Lord Jesus Christ maketh the like complaints. True it is that this was spoken but by way of a similitude, when it is said, that vinegar and gall were mixed together in his drink,2 and that there was a devise made to spoil him, and that he should be more and more grieved in his afflictions: even as cruel and savage people will add more affliction unto miserable souls, when they have done the worst they can. And this similitude David used, when it is said that he was made a pray, even for the spoil. For he spake it in respect of his wife, his house, and of all his goods and state of life. Howbeit, it must needs be, that this must be openly seen in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.