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…

This was spoken to this end, that all the faithful might be armed against the temptation wherewith they might be attempted before Jesus Christ should appear in glory and majesty, that is to say before that he, who was God eternal, and full of glory, were manifested in the flesh. For when the Jews were translated into Babylon (as hath been before said) then was the dignity of David his line clean scraped out and defaced. Howbeit this is ⟨p. 93⟩true in deed, that after the return of a few of them, there was one Zorobabell who was taken for a Captain and chief: But he ware no Kingly Diadem or Crown, he had but a certain title of honour given him: because the people bear always a reverence unto the house of David. Thus we see (I say) that Zorobabell was obeyed: yea forsooth, but yet there was no show of government in him. And therefore it was meet that the faithful should be armed against such a temptation, & that God should assure them that the Redeemer should come, and notwithstanding that the earth and all bottomless depths should open to give him place to come out, and that he might be advanced aloft, yet for all that, must this thing needs come to pass. And so, it is not to be doubted, that the Prophet maketh here a comparison between two contrary things: that is, that Jesus Christ must be as it were long time hid, yea, & as one plunged over head & ears in the bottomless depths: & besides, that when he should come, that he should not come in such great glory & pompous show, as that men should make any great estimation of him: But contrariwise, that he should be naught set by, or else so contemptible, as that a man would think, the salvation of the people, should never be accomplished, and brought about, by his mean: & yet should he be exalted. But it is a great deal more plainly expressed, when as the Prophet saith, That he was more disfigured then any man, & no form nor fashion to be seen in him, as if he were not worthy to come into the company of men, but to be taken to be a most detestable fellow, & the very countenance of him, only to be abhorred. Thus we see the pretence of the Prophet, in saying that Jesus Christ was exalted. Here are then two things, which should seem at the first sight, to be nothing like, nor possible to be reconciled: to wit, that Jesus Christ was not to be known: to be sought for, and not found:

This was spoken to this ende, that all the faithfull might bée armed against the temptation wherwith they might be attēpted before Iesus Christ shuld appeare in glory and maiesty, yt is to say before that he, who was God eternal, and ful of glory, were manifested in the fleshe. For when the Iewes were translated into Babylon (as hath béene before saide) then was the dignitie of Dauid his ligne cleane scraped out and defaced. Howbeit this is