Reflection after Deliverance
FTER this remarkable deliverance from the hands of the enemy, Calvin left Italy and returned to his %, native place, Noyon. He was called there by the death of his eldest brother, Charles, a priest, who died in 1536, by which event the paternal inheritance devolved on Calvin. When referring to his visit to Italy he was ever wont to say that ‘he only entered it that he might be able to leave it.’ No doubt the remark had reference to his signal deliverance hy the hand of God, or to some special token of Divine favour granted as he escaped from such imminent danger.
“We can well imagine Calvin, in his solitary secret flight from Italy to Noyon, lifting up his heart, and praising God in the words of the Psalmist: ‘‘If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us, then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us. Blessed be the Lord, Who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken and we are escaped. Our help isin the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (Ps. cxxiv.). Leaving Calvin for awhile to go on his way to France, let us give a few moments’ thought to the groundwork of
CALVINISM.
Those principles of religion which are based upon the perfections of God are sometimes called Calvinism. Not because they were unknown till Calvin’s day, but because he was employed by God to remove the veil which ages of superstitious darkness had drawn over those rays of eternal truth which emanate from the God of truth.
. On the infinite perfections of Jehovah John Calvin took his stand. He believed God to be ‘‘a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.” Whatever harmoniz d not with these perfections Calvin could not receive as truth. He, like Paul, saw God working at Tu1NGs after the counsel of His Own wit (fph. i. 11), and any uncertainty about the final issue of even the smallest of events he saw detracting from the perfections of God.
Absolute, unconditional election of the people of God in Christ, together with their predestination to be conformed to the image of Christ, and the absolute predestinatron of all means to bring about this end were therefore some of the fundamental principles of religion with our Reformer. He, too, like Paul (2 Tim. i. 9), was careful to show that God’s purpose of mercy and grace was not based upon any good works foreseen in the persons chosen from the mass of fallen humanity.
Vo uncertainty did he see about the result of the great sacrifice offered on Mount Calvary; but in the language of the inspired prophet, he could say, ‘“‘ He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be sat7sfied” (Isa. lili. 11). The sanctificatron of the Sprrrt and the gracious obedience of God’s elect, too, were with him no matters of doubt. He could hear Peter saying, ‘‘ Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedzence”’ (1 Peter i. 2).
Neither did he believe it possible for any of these to fall away and be lost. With the following emphatic utterance of the Lord Jesus, his spirit blended, ‘‘1 give unto them eternal life; they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand” (John x. 28, 29). Like Paul, he was confident of this very thing, that He which begins ‘‘a good work in His people wil perform rt until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. i. 6).
LIFE’8 TURNING POINTS.
Having settled his affairs in Noyon, Calvin quitted it for ever, and taking with him his brother Anthony, his sister Maria, and a few other friends, he proceeded towards Basle or Strasburg. But the Emperor Charles V., having penetrated with his army into France, Calvin must needs go through Geneva. This event, apparently small in itself, gave a turn to the whole course of Calvin’s life. It was one of those remarkable little pivots upon which, in the order of a Divine providence, the most momentous circumstances turn.
GENEVA.
Geneva, like Bethlehem Ephratah, was small, and on that account despised. But as Jehovah had-designed that the sublime, prophetic anthem of Isaiah, ‘Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given,” etc., should have its accomplishment in Bethlehem, snd that out of the little city of Judah the Ruler of Israel should come forth, so had He appointed little despised Geneva as the place where the Gospel should take root, and send forth its fruit to the nations.
It is well known to the Papacy, that where Calvinism takes roof, its adherents generally become, not only faithful followers of Christ, but most loyal and patriotic. Nothing is therefore more dreaded, hated, and misrepresented by the priests of Rome than the Gospel as believed in and preached by Calvinists. From the little city, which became the favoured scene of our Reformer’s labour, there is much to learn. Some of the most desperate, yet most noble battles for freedom from the arrogant claims of a deluded priesthood, were fought both by the sword of steel and by the sword of the Spirit in Geneva.
William Farel, Peter Viret, and Froment were among the true soldiers of the Cross who took the lead in the struggles for life and liberty before Calvin arrived in Geneva. A brief sketch of these worthies, their wars and —their victories, it will be needful to give in order to understand Calvin’s work at Geneva.