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…

We see then why it is said, that our Lord Jesus was not only chastised for our sins & transgressions, but also, that he did not once open his mouth, nor yet gave any foul language: but because he knew that he was appointed for that purpose, & that it was the eternal decree of god his father, he showed himself obedient even unto the death. And therefore when we would have a more feeling of the power of the death & passion of the son of god, let every man consider with him self, how many sundry ways he hath withstood the will & justice of God. Surely if we do so, we shall find that we do nothing else but make war against him, and as if we would willingly & wittingly despite him. Wherefore we need never be abashed, to have the want of such a remedy: to wit, that for the burying of the remembrance of all our iniquities, the son of GOD must obey in our behalf.

We sée then why it is said, yt our Lord Iesus was not only chastised for our sins & transgressiōs, but also, that he did not once open his mouth, nor yet gaue any foule language: but bicause he knew that he was appointed for yt purpose, & yt it was the eternall decrée of god his father, he shewed himselfe obedient euen vnto the death. And therfore when we would haue a more féeling of the power of the death & passiō of the sonne of god, let euery man consider wt him selfe, how many sundry wayes he hath withstood the will & iustice of God. Surely if we doo so, we shall finde that wee doo nothing els but make war against him, and as if we would willingly & wittingly dispite him. Wherfore we néede neuer be abashed, to haue the want of such a remedy: to wit, that for the burying of the remē braunce of all our iniquities, the sonne of GOD must obey in our behalfe.

It is true indeed that our Lord Jesus spake before Pilate his Judge: but he did it not to escape death,¹ but rather offered himself unto it: neither would he accept of any occasion, to be pardoned, because it was very meet that he should be condemned in our name. Wherefore it is not for naught that the Prophet saith, that he was like a dumb man: and compareth him unto a sheep, or unto A Lamb: having regard unto the figure of the ancient sacrifices: for, when we here the death and passion of our Lord Jesus spoken of, we must take it to be a sacrifice, wherewith God the father was appealed, because that sins (as we have heretofore declared) could not be taken away, to please God, but by that mean. And to say the truth, whenas in the time of the law, men would crave pardon for their sins, there must of necessity be sacrifices done. For they were never able to make any recompense: and therefore God told them, that it was sufficient that they builded upon the promise made unto them in the redeemer. Wherefore, to the end the Jews might understand, that Jesus Christ should fulfil whatsoever was then figured in the law, this name of a lamb was namely given unto him, and under one kind, the Prophet hath comprehended all: as if he should have said, that Jesus Christ, in his death and passion, should first take away all our iniquities, because he should submit