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…

Which thing is no small nor light confirmation, when as we see the Son of God to be borne, which the Prophet so long time before had foretold. For if Joseph and Mary had had their house in Bethlehem, and remained there, it had been no strange case, if she had been there delivered, and Jesus Christ to have been borne in the same place: But the thing which at this day should have served our purpose, had been very greatly darkened: for it had not been known that the Prophet had not said without cause, And thou Bethlehem, although ⟨image 23⟩at this day thou be of no great reputation, like unto a village which maketh no great show, yet shalt thou bring forth him, who shall be the ruler of my people. But when Joseph and Mary abode in Nazareth, and came unto the Town of Bethlehem at the very time when she was upon the point of her deliverance, and Jesus Christ borne, who seeth not but that the hand of GOD guided all this gear? And therefore it can not be but that men must be willingly and wickedly blind, when as they will not acknowledge here the handy work of God, who hath set a mark of his only Son, that he might without all doubt be received, as the promised Messiah. In very deed there was good occasion that made Joseph to come unto Bethlehem, and that was the public Edict of the Roman Emperor: but to bring a woman thither great with child, and upon the point of her deliverance, surely this was not any man his deed, but the handy work of God. And again we see that GOD useth strange kind of dealing for the accomplishing of his will. For what imported this Edict of Caesars, but a tyrannical subjection for the taxing of the people of the Jews, and a laying of a tribute of every man at that time, which was a signification that they should not look for any more liberty: Jesus Christ was promised to deliver the Jews and all the faithful from the subjection of Satan, and from all tyranny: and it seemed that this Edict was made to close up the gate, that GOD should never accomplish the thing that he had promised to his people: and yet this was the means to perform it. For when Joseph and Mary came like poor souls to serve a Tyrant, a Pagan, and an Infidel, we see the Prophecy prove true, that Jesus was borne in Bethlehem.

Which thing is no small nor light confirmation, when as we sée the Sonne of God to be borne, which the Prophet so long tyme before had foretolde. For if Ioseph and Marie had had their house in Bethlehem, and remayned there, it had beene no straunge case, if shée had béen there deliuered, and Iesus Christ to haue béene borne in the same place: But the thing which at this day shoulde haue serued our purpose, had béene verie greatly darkened: for it had not béene knowne that the Prophet had not said without cause, And thou Bethlehē, although