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…

and therefore we must go unto our Lord Jesus Christ, because he would be disfigured even from the crown of the head, unto the sole of the foot, would be all to wounded, scourged and buffeted with one blow upon an other, crowned with thorns, tied & fast nailed to the Cross, and at last pierced through the side with a spear. And here we see how we are healed, here is the right medicine for our disease, wherewith we must be contented, & whereunto also we must apply our whole affection, knowing that we are never able to be at quiet with our selves but that we must still be extremely tormented & vexed, were it not that Jesus Christ comforted us, and appeased the wrath of God for us. Now, when we are sure of this, it giveth us occasion to sing praises unto his holy name, where before, we could do nothing else, but groan, and be utterly confounded. And this is in sum the thing which we are to learn out of the words of the Prophet. Now S. Matthew, allegeth this place,¹ when he maketh mention of all ⟨image 118⟩the diseases which our Lord Jesus Christ healed, how he made the blind to see, the lame to go, the deaf to hear, set a foot such as were half dead, & sick of the palsy, & cast devils out of mens bodies. This (saith he) declareth, that it was not for naught that the Prophet Isaiah said, that he bear our infirmities, and sustained our griefs. Without doubt, the Prophet speaketh not here of bodily diseases. Wherefore, it seemeth that the Evangelist hath applied this testimony but ill. But he, in declaring that our Lord Jesus Christ healed outward diseases, meaneth to bring us to an higher consideration, because he would have us to behold as it were in a figure, the reason of his coming into the world. And therefore, when we hear, that our Lord Jesus Christ healed the sick of the palsy, but especially raised the dead, & that he also healed all manner of diseases, let us understand even in the view of the eye, according to our gross & weak capacities, that he hath told us that he is our spiritual Physician: & let us also learn (as I have already said) that all the vices whereunto we are inclined, are so many corruptions in our souls. And as there are many evil humours in the body, even so likewise are there many other like things: To be short, there are many secret diseases & even so fareth it with our souls:

and therefore we must go vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ, because hée would bee disfigured euen from the crowne of the head, vnto the soale of the foote, would be al to wounded, scourged and buffeted with one blow vpon an other, crowned with thorns, tyed & fast nayled to the Crosse, and at last persed through the side with a speare. And here we see how wée are healed, here is the right medicine for our disease, wherwith we must be contented, & whervnto also we must apply our whole affection, knowing that we are neuer able to be at quiet with our selues but that we must stil be extreamly tormented & vexed, were it not that Iesus Christ comforted vs, and appeased the wrath of God for vs. Now, when wée are sure of this, it giueth vs occasion to sing praises vnto his holy name, where before, wée could doe nothing else, but grone, and be vtterly confounded. And this is in summe the thing which we are to learne out of the words of ye Prophet. Now S. Matthew, alledgeth this place,