Calvin and His Work
CHAPTER XII. Gy poten now begins to be eyed by the Papacy as a
potent foe, and the lovers of national and religious oe freedom, find a man, like David in Israel’s camp, capable of confronting the Popish Goliath. It is wonderful what God will sometimes do by one man. And it is deeply interesting to notice the silent, certain progress of the kingdom of Christ by the simple means of God’s appointment. ‘ What though the gates of hell withstood, Yet must this kingdom rise;, ’Tis Thine Own work, almighty God, And wondrous in our eyes.”
No carnal weapons of warfare, rack, stake, nor martyrpiles are needed here. No military force nor deadly engagements on battle-fields are needed to defend or extend this kingdom, and yet it shall never be destroyed. The glory of ancient Tyre, Nineveh, Babylon and Egypt has passed away like a fading flower, yet who can tell how many lives were sacrificed to sustain the glory of these kingdoms? “In the days of these kings,’ said Daniel, ‘shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.”
K The kings of this world for the most part seek their own glory, and to extend their dominions by the sword; Calvin sought tho glory of God and the extension of His kingdom by the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Ages of fiery persecution have passed over his work, yet as gold tried by the fire it has shone brighter and brighter. Every succeeding effort to extinguish it has developed the work of Calvin to be the work of God, and Calvinism to be the doctrine of Christ.
HALF-WAY MEN.
During Calvin’s short stay of a few months at Strasburg he came in contact with such men as he everywhere met,—men of half-way measures. Not a few in high places resembled the chief rulers who believed, but did not confess Christ, lest they should give offence to the Pharisees and be put out of the synagogue (John xii. 42). Others, like their prototypes of old, wished to patch up the old garment with new cloth; to retain the dead formalities of Rome, and to bring in the Gospel to give them: vitality.
These yea and nay, half-way and no way, free-will and free grace, Calvinistic duty faith, something and nothing, twist about sort of men, who are zealous Protestants to-day, but feel charitable to Popery to-morrow, are pests to society, hindrances to all real progress, and stumbling blocks to the true family of God. “If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” These men were used to bring Calvin to a more thorough dependence upon God and Divine Revelation. Here, in the Bible, he found the apostle, who like himself was brought out of a system of human doings, saying, ‘‘If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing”’ (Gal. v. 2). And again, “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight.” ‘Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law’ (Rom. tii. 20, 28). ‘And ‘‘ As God is true, our word to you was not yea and nay.”
INTERVIEW BETWEEN ERASMUS AND CALVIN.
Ono of the most remarkable of these half-way reformers was Erasmus, whom Calvin met at Basle. He is said by his biographer to have been reverenced as the monarch of learning in the West, and was distinguished among his contemporaries for his classical style, refined taste, and
ERASMUS AND CALVIN,
delicate but withering sarcasm. He published a Greek New Testament in the year 1516; but wrote against Luther. He poured his satirical spleen upon the monks,
62 CALVIN!
in a short time a chapel was given him, as in the case of the first Calvin. As this took place when our Reformer had already ‘turned to heresy’ (as they call it), the good canons looked upon Cauvin’s arrival as a sort of recompense and consolation; but it was not long before the disorderly life of this wretched man excited alarm among his protectors. He was reprimanded, punished, and even deprived of his. stipend; but to this he paid no attention, continually lapsiug again into incontinence. ‘‘Seeing then,” says the canon, ‘his hardness of heart, which made him neglect every kind of remonstrance,” the canons deprived John Cauvin of his chapel and expelled him from the choir. James Desmay, a priest and doctor of divinity who studied at Noyon, adds, that he was privately scourged and then driven from the town.
“The Dean of Noyon, however, believing John Calvin the Reformer to be a greater sinner for renouncing the Papacy than John Cauvin for all his acts of wickedness, takes pains to relate that John Cauvin, who had been expelled in 1552 for incontinency, died a good Catholic. ‘Thanks be to God,’ adds he, ‘that he never turned his coat, nor changed his coat, nor changed his religion, to which his didertene life, and the example of his namesake Calvin seemed to incline him.’ He thought it his duty to add this chapter for fear the Catholic should be taken for the heretic.”
Our thanks are due to the Bishop for his kindness. We would not rob him of such an ornament to his church, his libertine life included. We are thankful to say John Calvin the Reformer, like Paul, changed his religion, or rather, his religion changed him, and he adorned his doctrines with a holy life.
CALVIN ARRESTED IN ITALY BY THE OFFICERS OF THE INQUISITION.
Having published the first edition of his Institutes, Calvin’s next business was to visit the Princess Renée, daughter of Louis XII. of France, wife of Duke Hercules of Este, a town of Italy. His publications had, however, by this time brought him to the front asa leading Reformer, and rendered it prudent to travel under a feigned name. ‘This he frequently did, as the officers of the Ingnisition were in constant pursuit of him.
The Princess Renée, like her friend Marguerite, Queen of Navarre, was the favourer of the Reformers. Calvin arrived at her residence in 1535. He held meetings in her room and chapel, and expounded the way of God to all who came. While thus happily engaged in his work news came that the officers of the Inquisition were at hand, and before Calvin had time to escape he was seized and sent off to Bologna for trial. Never, under heaven, was there a more dreadful institution formed than the Inquisition, With all the determination of the Philippian jailor, who thrust Paul and Silas into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks, would these officers therefore hold their prey. But God, who delivered Paul and Silas, could deliver his servant, John Calvin, and He did. When they had got about half way on their journey a body of armed men surrounded the whole company and demanded the prisoner’s release. Thus God arose and delivered His servant from the jaws of the lion that was greedy of his
rey. bey ‘“ Praise Him for His grace and favour To our fathers in distress! Praise Him still, the same for ever, Slow to chide, and swift to bless; Praise Him! Praise Him! Glorious in His faithfulness.’’