A17683:281
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.
Therefore because in the fifth verse Jonah said that the Ninevites were covered with sackcloth, and proclaimed a fast, and now in this verse he seemeth to express more evidently ⟨image 57⟩how this was done even by the kings commandment. And certainly it is credible that the fast was not commanded in the kings city,1 only by the consent of the common people, when as the king was there and his counsellors. Because therefore it is more agreeable that the edict concerning the fast proceeded from the king, therefore I willingly do so join these two verses together, that the first may signify the fruit that followed of the preaching of Jonah: and the latter may be added expositively, because he declareth the same thing more fully. Now Jonah saith that therefore was the fast indicted of the Ninevites because the king with this counsel had so decreed. (And so I do interpret the Hebrew word by the preterpluperfect tense thus, for the speech had come unto the king,) for the order and manner Jonah now setteth down, how the Ninevites proclaimed a fast: even because the king was admonished of the sermons of Jonah and by and by called together his counsellors. This therefore was a public Edict, and not some rash raised motion, as sometime it cometh to pass he saith that the edict was published by the authority of the king and of his counsel or nobles. Although some take the hebrew word for order of allowance. The word signifieth to taste, as Jonah afterward useth the word: but here it is taken by a metaphor for counsel: and I do think that this sense better agreeth to this place: but now I come to the matter it self. That the king of so Royal a city,2 yea the chief Monarchy in those days yielded himself so obedient at the preaching of Jonah, it is surely worthy the noting. We see that kings wax proud oftentimes because they think that they are exempted from the common forte of men: and so lift they up themselves above laws, and hereby it cometh that they will make all things lawful unto them: and then while they let the rein lose to their own lust, they take it grievously to be admonished or reprehended, yea though it be by their equals. But Jonah a poor man & a foreigner. That he ⟨p. 48⟩therefore so affected the mind of the king, by it certainly appeareth the secret power of God, which he placeth in his word as often as so it pleaseth him.