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 this is it which the Prophet at this present declareth unto us. And here we see a great deal the better, how God hath loved us, and what the infinite Treasures of his grace and goodness are, which he hath poured out upon us. Moreover, we may also very well understand, what care and zeal our Lord Jesus Christ had over our salvation, when as he forced not to make his own body answer the satisfaction of our sins, but also to bring him self into such an horrible fear, as one that should feel the judgement of God, who laid hold on him, as upon him who had deserved the curse which God had pronounced from his own mouth: to wit, that it was the very thing to swallow us up into hell, and a gulf utterly to destroy us. And therefore it was meet that Jesus Christ should feel all this. Now, to say the trueth, when we see that he had thereby sweat water and blood,¹ and that the Angels came down to comfort him: this could not choose but be an wonderful extreme sorrow and grief: seeing the like example had never been seen all the world over. Thus we see the meaning of these words, Of the travail, or grief of the soul of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, it is true (as Saint Peter sayeth) that the sorrows of hell could not hold him under: howbeit it was meet he should strive with them:² and in the end he had the victory over them, but it was not without great and painful fight. Moreover, we are presently to gather out of this place, that although we must dye, we must not therefore say that the death and passion of Christ was not effectual, nor yet profited us so much as was expedient: because, the death whereunto we are now subject, is but a warning unto us of the curse of God.

and this is it whiche the Prophet at this present declareth vnto vs. And héere we sée a great deale the better, howe God hath loued vs, and what the infinite Treasures of his grace and goodnesse are, which hée hath powred out vpon vs. Moreouer, wee may also verie well vnderstande, what care and zeale our Lorde Iesus Christ had ouer our saluation, when as hée forced not to make his owne bodie answere the satisfaction of our sinnes, but also to bring him selfe into such an horrible feare, as one that should féele the iudgement of God, who layde holde on him, as vpon him who had deserued the curse which God had pronounced from his owne mouth: to wyt, that it was the verie thing to swallowe vs vp into hell, and a gulfe vtterly to destroy vs. And therefore it was méete that Iesus Christ should féele all this. Nowe, to say the trueth, when wée sée that hée had thereby sweat water and blood,