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…

What was the reason then, that men thus persecuted him? surely it must needs be, that this proceeded from some other cause. Here therefore we see why the prophet bringeth us back to the remembrance of our sins & iniquities, whenas he speaketh of the pureness of our lord Jesus Nether must we think that the prophet meant here, simply to justify the son of God. For this were a very bare kind of speech to say, lo I beseech you, he was guilty in nothing, but so behaved himself, as that all the world was to love & honour him. Al this is true indeed, howbeit, this were over cold a kind of doctrine to be taught, that our lord Jesus had need to be excused, & exempt, from all blame. And therefore the prophet had a further consideration with him: & joineth these 2 points together which are here set down: to wit, ye god had put his only son to all horrible rebuke & shame, & yet was innocent & guiltless. Now, if men should lift up themselves against him, & it not done by the providence & counsel of god, it might be said that they were furiously bent, & yet knew not any cause why: nevertheless, it is said that it was done by the hand of God. For, although the priests, and all the Jews in general & the ⟨image 131⟩Soldiers, were stirred up by the Devil, to vomit out these blasphemies, which we read of in the Gospel, against our Lord Jesus, yet, Isaiah saith, that they had never bin able to have done it, with out the appointment of the Lord, and therefore we must not fix our eyes only upon men, to say, that this or that they have done: but it is as if God had set him self down in his judgment seat, to have fully determined to send his only son into the hands of such wicked and cruel tyrants, as that no shame and villainy that was possibly to be devised should not light upon him. And therefore, when it is not only said that men, but ye God his father also spared him not:¹

What was the reasō then, yt mē thus persecuted him? surely it must néeds be, yt this procéeded from some other cause. Héere therefore wée sée why ye prophet bringeth vs back to ye remēbrance of our sins & iniquities, whēas he speaketh of ye purenes of our lord Iesus Nether must we think that ye prophet ment héere, simply to iustifie the sonne of God. For this were a very bare kinde of speach to say, loe I beséeche you, hée was guilty in nothing, but so behaued himself, as yt al ye world was to loue & honor him. Al this is true indéed, howbeit, this were ouer cold a kind of doctrin to be taught, yt our lord Iesus had néede to be excused, & exempt, from all blame. And therefore the prophet had a farder consideratiō wt him: & ioineth these 2 points together which are héere set downe: to wit, ye god had put his only son to al horrible rebuke & shame, & yet was innocent & guiltles. Now, if men should lift vp thēselues against him, & it not done by the prouidēce & counsel of god, it might be said yt they were furiously bēt, & yet knew not any cause why: neuertheles, it is said yt it was done by ye hande of God. For, although the priestes, and all the Iewes in general & the