A17683:250
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…
The lectures or daily sermons, of that reverend divine, D. John Calvin, pastor of the Church of God in Geneva, upon the prophet Jonah, by N.B. student in Divinity. Whereunto is annexed an excellent exposition of the two last epistles of S. John, done in Latin by that worthy doctor, August. Marlorate, and englished by the same N.B.The lectures or daily sermons, of that reuerend diuine, D. Iohn Caluine, pastor of the Church of God in Geneua, vpon the prophet Ionas, by N.B. student in Diuinitie. Whereunto is annexed an excellent exposition of the two last epistles of S. Iohn, done in Latin by that worthy doctor, August. Marlorate, and englished by the same N.B.
London: printed by J. Charlewood for Edward White, 1578
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Calvin. Here first Jonah saith, that men do miserably err, when they decline unto their superstitions, because they deprive themselves of the chiefest felicity.1 For he calleth the Mercy of men, whatsoever aid or help to attain salvation is to be wished. The sense therefore is, that as soon as men turn back from the true God, they are immediately estranged also both from life and salvation, neither remaineth there with them any hope, because of their own accord they cast from them whatsoever good thing may be hoped or wished for. Some gather here a contrary sense, that superstitious men, when they return unto goodness, leave their shame behind them.2 For the Hebrew word sometime is taken for Reproach. These therefore think that here is described the manner of true repentance, even that: when God calleth men back from their error into the way of salvation, and giveth unto them a sound mind, that then they throw from them all their vices. This truly is true: but the sense is to much wrested. Others restrain it unto the shipmen, which vowed Sacrifice unto God, as if Jonah should say: that they fell back again by and by into their former doting toys, and let God go, who with his mercy had delivered them from shipwreck, and so do these expositors interpret their Mercy, to be taken for God: and this is also to much restrained. I doubt not but Jonah here setteth his pity against the wicked inuations of men, because a little after it followeth: But I will sacrifice unto thee, in the voice of praise. Therefore before Jonah professeth that ⟨image 49⟩he shall be acceptable to God, he triumpheth over all feigned inventions, which men have wickedly devised for them selves, and with the which they are drawn away from the true God and his sincere Religion. For, lying vanities, he calleth all the devises of men, wherewith men deceive them selves: for certain it is that they be mere fallacies and decepts, that men frame unto them selves without the word of God: because there is one only and simple trueth, which the Lord hath revealed unto us by his word. Whosoever therefore declineth from it hither or thither,3 yea but one jot, he upon purpose bringeth upon him a kind of deceit, even whereby he destroyeth him self.