A17683:283
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.
1Therefore look what Jonah here declareth of Fasting & other exercises, ought to be referred unto the lawful end why they were used, even that by this means the Ninevites would evidently declare that they were culpable and worthily called before the judgement seat of God: and next that they humbly desired the favour of the Judge. Fasting therefore and Sackcloth, are only but an outward profession of repentance. For if a man all his life long fast and put on Sackcloth, & wallow in the dust, & in the mean time joineth not with all the sincere affection of the hart he doth nothing else but jest with God, and trifle in his sight. Therefore of them selves these outward exercises shall be of smaller moment, except the inward affection of the heart goeth before them, and move men so to declare such testimonies of their inward minds. Furthermore, as often as the Scripture maketh any mention of Fasting of Ashes, 2and Sackcloth, we must mark that these things are set forth unto us, as external and outward signs of repentance, which if they be false, nothing else do they but provoke the ire of God: but if they be true, they are accepted of God in respect of their end, and not that of them selves they are of force to pacify Gods ire, or to put away our sins. Now if any man will demand whether Repentance bringeth with it. Fasting, Sackcloth, and Ashes: the answer is easy, that the faithful all their whole life ought to meditate repentance, therefore except each of us exercise himself in this continual study, even that he renounce both him self and his former life, he as yet hath not learned what it is so serve God, because we must always w••re against, and ⟨p. 49⟩wage battle with the flesh. But seeing that the meditation of Repentance is daily, yet is not Fasting always required of us. It followeth then that Fasting is a public and solemn testimony of repentance, where there appeareth any extraordinary token of the vengeance of God. So also we seacute;e in Joel that the Jews were called unto Sackcloth & Ashes, because God as it were prepared to the battle came forth amongst them: and all the Prophets cried that destruction was at hands to the people, and therefore it behoved the Jews to fly for succour unto God with such testimonies.