A17690:400
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…
Divers sermons of Master John Calvin, concerning the divinity, humanity, and nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ as also touching his passion, death, resurrection, ascension: together with the coming down of the holy Ghost upon his Apostles: and the first sermon of S. Peter. The order of which you shall find in the page ensuing.Diuers sermons of Master Iohn Caluin, concerning the diuinitie, humanitie, and natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christe as also touching his passion, death, resurection, ascention: togeather with the comming downe of the holy Ghoste vpon his Apostles: and the first sermon of S. Peter. The order of which you shall finde in the page ensuing.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for George Byshop, 1581
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And when the prophet speaketh here of the Rich, it is as much as if he had said, the most outrageous kind of people. For we know, that when men are rich and in authority, they go about to make them selves to be feared, always abusing their power and credit. And this also we see, that very few or none of these men keep any temperateness and measure, either yet become gentle and mild, when they may hurt. But as for the poor souls, although indeed they are fierce and cruel enough, yet are they kept back from doing any harm, even by main force, & thereby the mischief which they would gladly do, is not seen. Howbeit as for the rich and mighty ones, they are without all order, and think whatsoever they do is lawful. To be short, the Prophet his meaning is, that our Lord Jesus Christ was thrust into the hands of men, to the end he might be so villainously handled, as that he was not worthy to ⟨p. 124⟩be accounted amongest the contemptible & petty companions: but to be taken as a worm of the earth, and to have all the mocks and scorns that might be, to be laid upon him. Thus we see the sum and effect of this first part. Now, he by and by after saith, That he had for all this done no wickedness, whereby he meant to show, that that the son of God, as touching himself being innocent, would take upon him all our burdens, wherewith we were overcharged: for there was no mortal creature that was able to bear and suffer that which our Lord Jesus Christ did. And so by that mean, the prophet again declareth unto us, that it was not for his own deserts, neither yet was he guilty of any thing whenas they thus cruelly and tyrannously used him: but abode all this gear for our sakes. And to say the truth, if we look well into the life of our Lord Jesus,1 we shall find that never any man had just occasion to attempt any thing against him. In very deed the priests told Pilate, that they would never have brought him before his worship without he had been a malefactor.2 Now it is so far of that Jesus Christ did any shrewd turns, if the matter be thoroughly examined, as that he did none other hurt, but make the blind to see, the lame to go, heal the sick and diseased, raise the dead, & fill the hungry & needy: to be short, all the riches, of the goodness, & mercy of God, that were to be seen, were poured out upon him.