The lectures or daily sermons, of that reverend divine, D. John Calvin, pastor of…The lectures or daily sermons, of that reuerend diuine, D. Iohn Caluine, pastor of…

I therefore think that Jonah obeyed not the commandment of God, partly because the weakness of the flesh, partly the strangeness of the case: third lie, his despair of fruit or success of his doctrine were an hinderance unto him. But now there is no doubt, but that he sinned or offended grievously. For the chief rule of all our actions is […] follow God, calling us. Although any man excel in princely virtues, yet vanishing smoke shall all his virtues be, which shine before the eyes of men, unless his intent be to obey God. The calling of God therefore as I have said, holdeth the principality in the governing of mans life, and except we lay that foundation, we do even like as if any man would build a house in the air. Confused therefore shall be the whole order of our life, unless God help and govern us, and as his workmanship to sustain us. Therefore when as Jonah overturned the chief & certain foundation of good living, what could remain? There is no reason therefore why we should extenuate his fault, because he could not sin more ⟨p. 7⟩heinously, then when he left God him self, even because he submitted not himself unto his calling, this is as it were to shake of the Lords yoke, the which thing he also confesseth. Therefore they dote to childishly, which will be his patrons or defenders, seeing that he twice accuseth himself, as▪ Jonah rose up two flee from the face of the Lord, that he might goo to Tarshish from the sight of the Lord. Why the second time repeateth he might flee from the sight of the Lord. No doubt but that he would here more plainly express his fault: and that the repetition is here full of vehemency, or emphatical. Moreover, that saying plainly showeth that it was no small fault that Jonah fled to another place when he was sent to Nineveh. For he could not depart from the Lords sight for God filleth heaven and earth: and as I have already said: he was not with so gross an error bewitched, that he would think that he were out of the reach or hand of God, when he was a fugitive. But what is it to free from the face of the Lord, but that he here confesseth, that he fled from the presence of God as though he desired, as fugitive servants are accustomed, to reject the rule and impery of his God? Sith therefore Jonah was carried away with such violence:

I therefore thinke that Ionas obeyed not the commaundement of God, partlie because the weaknesse of the flesh, partlie the st•aungenesse of the case: third lie, his dispayre of fruite or successe of his doctrine were an hinderaunce vnto him. But nowe there is no doubte, but that he sinned or offended gréeuouslie. For the chiefe rule of all our actions is folowe God, calling vs. Although any man excell in princely vertues, yet vanishing smooke shall all his vertues bee, which shyne before the eyes of men, vnlesse his intent be to obey God. The calling of God therefore as I haue sayde, holdeth the principalitie in the gouerning of mans lyfe, and except we laye that foundation, we doo euen lyke as if any man woulde buylde a house in the ayre. Confused therefore shalbe the whole order of our lyfe, vnlesse God helpe and gouerne vs, and as his workmanshyp to sustaine vs. Therefore when as Ionas ouerturned the chiefe & certaine foundation of good lyuing, what could remaine? There is no reason therfore why we should extenuate his fault, because he could not sinne more