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 he eftsoons saith, Why hast thou forsaken me: and this he spake according to mans reach. For it could not be chosen but that he must grow to that point (as we have said) and yet not be overcome thereof, according to that saying of Saint Peter,¹ that it was impossible for him to be kept under with the sorrows of death, that is to say, that death had taken hold of him, as of a miserable, wretched, and oppressed man. But yet it was impossible for him, as sayeth Saint Peter, to be holden down. And so he wan the victory even in the middest of the fight: and this is so much the greater glory unto our Lord Jesus Christ. David had partly a feeling hereof: for this is most sure that in the middest of all his greatest afflictions, he persevered in calling upon God, and trusted in him: But because he was a weak and frail man, his faith was oftentimes shaken, as he confesseth himself. Howbeit there was a special matter to be considered of, in our Lord Jesus (whereof we spake on Sunday last) and that was this, that all his sufferings were rightly squared and ordered, by reason of his integrity and pureness, in whom was no corruption of nature: But it oftentimes cometh to pass that our sorrows, yea our fears, and cares proceed from a just cause: and yet they shall always be intermeddled with sin, because all our passions are corrupt. But there was no unquietness nor yet disorder in our Lord Jesus. Whereupon it followeth, that his torments were not such but that he had always a sure and an undoubted trust in God, and ⟨image 80⟩so, firmly and constantly called upon him, because he right well knew that he would save him even in the greatest extremity. And thereupon it is said, That some of those which were about him, mocked him. This man, say they, calleth upon Elijah, let us see and if Elijah will come & help him. It is to be thought that the Soldiers, who knew not the law, might have said so, well enough: and yet it had been but a foolish kind of speech, for they knew not what the meaning of Ely was. And it is not like that the Priests who were acquainted with the law, would speak this blasphemy. What? were they deceived in the saying of our Lord Jesus? no: for the Prophet Elijah was not named after that sort. The name therefore was not abused: because there could be no doubt in it, seeing the word of Elijah is otherwise pronounced:

Nowe hée eftsoones saith, Why hast thou forsaken mee: and this hée spake according to mans reach. For it coulde not be chosen but that hée must grow to that point (as wée haue said) and yet not be ouercome thereof, according to that saying of Saint Peter,