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, to be cast down into the bottomless pit of death as it were, was not the way to come unto heavenly glory: and to be condemned by a mortal man, is not like that he should be made judge of the whole world. Howbeit, the meaning of God was such, as that he would work beyond mans reason: neither must we bring our counsel hither with us, and think that we are able to amend this counsel, which we know, to be the cause and springhead of our salvation: but let us most humbly glorify God, because he would have his son to be thus cut off from the land of the living. Now the Prophet namely speaketh after this manner, as though Jesus Christ had been utterly abolished: and would not make mention only of a common death, but even of such a death as should utterly root him out, as if the remembrance of him had been clearly abolished and defaced. For although of necessity, all men must dye, & thereby are cut of from the land of the living, yet hath this ben specially seen in our Lord Jesus Christ, that his death was to have shut him quite out from the company of men. For (as we have already said) it was a most shameful death, and cursed of God: and besides, it was almost even the very gulf of hell: yet not that Jesus christ was swallowed up of it: howbeit he strove mightily against the anguishes of death. And therefore it is not for naught that the prophet setteth him down here as one that had ben abolished from amongst men. Nevertheless how ever it is he obtained by this means such majesty in this nature of ours, as that at this day he being our brother,¹ yet ceaseth not also to become our judge. And mark what S. Paul saith of it, that he rendered himself obedient unto death, yea even to the most cursed death of the Cross, in saying that he rendered himself obedient, he noteth unto us that which we have already declared out of the prophet, to wit, that, that which our Lord Jesus Christ suffered, was willingly done. But because we are guilty before god, & are his enemies, it is said that Jesus Christ submitted himself: for as S. Paul saith, he who had all power and authority, took upon him the form of a servant, & the state of those that were under the yoke. Thus we see how obedient he was all his life long, & would be under the law.

Now, to bee cast downe into the bottomlesse pitte of death as it were, was not the way to come vnto heauenly glory: and to be condemned by a mortall man, is not like that he should be made iudge of the whole worlde. Howbeit, the meaning of God was such, as yt he would worke beyond mans reason: neither must wée bring our counsell hether with vs, and think that wée are able to amend this counsel, which wée know, to be the cause and springhead of our saluation: but let vs most humbly gloryfy God, because hee woulde haue his sonne to be thus cut off from the lande of the liuing. Now the Prophet namely speaketh after this manner, as though Iesus Christ had bene vtterly abolished: and would not make mention onely of a common death, but euen of such a death as should vtterly root him out, as if the remembrance of him had bene cléerelye abolished and defaced. For although of necessitie, all men must dye, & thereby are cut of from the land of the lyuing, yet hath this ben specially séene in our Lord Iesus Christ, that his death was to haue shut him quite out from the company of men. For (as we haue already said) it was a most shamefull death, and curssed of God: and besides, it was almost euen the very gulfe of hell: yet not yt Iesus christ was swalowed vp of it: howbeit he straue mightely against the angushes of death. And therefore it is not for naught that ye prophet setteth him downe héere as one that had ben abolished from amōgst mē. Neuertheles how euer it is he obtained by this menes such maiestie in this nature of ours, as yt at this day he being our brother,