CHAPTER IV.
That Christ was to suffer is proved from the prophecies concerning him.
For this cause did our Lord vouchsafe to give up his body to destruction, that through the forgiveness of our sins we might be sanctified; that is, by the sprinkling of his blood.
2 Now for what concerns the things that are written about him, some belong to the people of the Jews, and some to us.
3 For thus saith the Scripture; He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, and by his blood we are healed. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
4 Wherefore we ought the more to give thanks unto God, for that he hath both declared unto us what is passed, and not suffered us to be without understanding of those things that are to come.
5 But to them he saith; The nets are not unjustly spread for the birds.
6 This he spake, because a man will justly perish, if having the knowledge of the way of truth, he shall nevertheless not refrain himself from the way of darkness.
7 And for this cause the Lord was content to suffer for our souls, although he be the Lord of the whole earth; to whom God said before the beginning of the world, Let us make man after our own image and likeness.
8 Now how he suffered for us, seeing it was by men that he underwent it, I will shew you.