Calvin Visits His Native City
ROM the time that the young scholar and chaplain of ¥ La Gésine left his home, till his return to the scenes 7 Of his childhood, only six years had passed away, oS but what a remarkable change had taken place in im!
We know of no Scriptural narrative so forcibly illustrating the change as the account of the Gadarene, who was found at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind.
Far be it from us to speak one uncharitable word of any, Roman Catholics or others, who are left in their darkness. God has divided the light from the darkness; and God only can translate a sinner from the power of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. Yet we think every candid reader acquainted with the histories of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, must readily admit that no greater, although more perceptible, change took place in the Gadarene than that which took place in John Calvin.
It is true that he was never, like the possessed, so fierce that no one could pass by where he was. He was neither fierce nor frolicsome. He was not even like other boys: in fact, in mind and manner he never was a boy. Yet blinded by the god of this world, and taking the commandments of men for the doctrines of God, he was as ignorant of the right way as the man among the tombs; and had not Divine grace prevented, he no doubt would have grown up as decided, and as sincere a persecutor of the saints of God as the Church of Rome ever possessed.
Such indeed was the state of young Calvin when he left Noyon and the stately mansions of the Mommors, the lords of the neighbourhood, with whose sons he was educated. But he now returned to his native city to publish how great things Jesus had done for him. The Church of Pont l’Evéque was opened for him, and crowded with persons anxious to see and hear the cooper’s grandson. The reception of the Gospel at Noyon was little better, however, than the reception of Christ at Gadara. ‘The light shined in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.” The Gadarenes saw the man, once possessed with devils, sitting calmly at the feet
84 CALVIN!
of his Deliverer, yet desired they that Jesus might depart out of their coast (Luke viii. 35, 37). Oh, astonishing manifestation of the blindness of human nature, and the awful depths of the fall! The best gift the eternal God could bestow upon fallen man was despised by the Gadarenes; despised by the people of Noyon; and this same Christ rightly set forth is still despised and ever will be by all who are not taught of God. ‘“‘He was despised, and we esteemed Him not” (Isa. liii. 3); ‘“No man can come to Me,”’ said Jesus, ‘‘ except the Father which hath sent Me draw him; and I wit RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAsT DAY” (John vi. 44).
No yon no longer possessed the attractions of earlier days. What Calvin had in former days counted gain, he now counted loss for Christ: so after a few months he left the city.
Where should we next expect to find him? Well, considering his age, now a little over twenty, his natural timidity, the patronage and associations at Bourges, we should naturally suppose he would return thither, but it was not so ordered.
HE RETURNS TO PARIS AND LABOURS AS A MISSIONARY.
Paris, the seat of the Government, the centre of learning, was then the scene of theological strife, where the merits of the old and new doctrines were being freely canvassed by the students. Calvin was familiar with both systems. He had studied them, tried them, and withal he - had the grace of God in his heart and was seeking the place where he could gain most knowledge and be most useful. Paris was adopted. Here he soon became acquainted with all who were seeking a more pure religion than Roman Catholicism.
The time for Calvin to come to the front as the leader of the Reformation in Europe had not yet arrived. But as we trace his onward, upward course, we see in him that peculiar characteristic discernible in most or all of earth’s great worthies. He loved labour; quiet, humble, unobtrusive labour, in the cause of truth. Few persons, who seek prominence, accomplish any good for themselves or for others if they attain it. Even the greatest of all teachers washed His disciples’ feet, and declared that He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. ‘‘ Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
From about twenty to twenty-four years of age it appears that Calvin continued his studies in Paris, and at the same time worked hard with his pen, and as a humble missionary, visiting from house to house, to diffuse the light of truth.
There were other and apparently more powerful oppositions being offered to the Papacy in Paris at that time, which caused the quiet, youthful missionary to be overlooked. No doubt our Reformer took a lively interest in all around him that affected the Reformation, and was often under the royal roof to hear the tidings of salvation, and at the martyr’s stake to witness the holy triumphs of departing spirits.
We may safely conclude that we have him in our company, or that we are at least tracing his footsteps while we turn aside to notice some of the great events of that day.
ROUSSEL PREACHING IN THE ROYAL PALACE.
Marguerite, the Queen of Navarre, under whose protection Calvin laboured so successfully at Bourges, was sister to Francis I., the reigning King of France, who was then absent in Picardy.
Francis was no friend to Protestantism; he was sometimes itscruelpersecutor. Yet,asamatterof policy, to alarm the Pope or gain favour with Protestant princes, he would at times support it.
Marguerite, holding the reins of government and o cupying the royal palace during her brother’s absence, resolved upon having the Gospel preached in the churches of Paris. But the opposition of the doctors of Sorbonne (one of the colleges of Paris) thwarting her purpose, she threw open the royal apartments for the reception of all, from prince to peasant, and invited Roussel, a converted doctor of the Sorbonne, to preach daily.
Here thousands of persons, with the King and Queen of Navarre, daily listened to the strange but glad tidings of salvation full and free by grace, without Romish mass, absolution, purgatory, or any other priestly intervention; and we may rest assured that young Calvin was not often absent from those joyful gatherings. We know that he was in Paris at the time, that he was deeply interested in and learning from such movements, and that
ROUSSEL PREACHING IN THE ROYAL PALACE IN FRANCB.
the Queen had an interview with him, and freely expressed her admiration for and confidence in him.; John Calvin, however, had not such confidence in the “Queen. Not that he doubted the genuineness of her religion, but he doubted her clearness of understanding. Much good nevertheless resulted from her love and zeal for the truth. Fivethousand men and women are said to have daily passed in at the gates of the Louvre to listen to Roussel, and numerous churches throughout the city were opened and filled with crowds that seemed to thirst for the water of life.
LIGHT REJECTED, GRACE COMMUNICATED.
Protestantism at this time seemed in full blaze, yet France did not become Protestant. She rejected the Gospel of Christ, and therefore never reaped its national advantages. God, in His government of the nations of the earth, does not undertake to supply them with grace to make them willing to receive the Gospel. This is reserved for His chosen people, according to the words of the Psalmist, ‘Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power’ (Ps. ex. 3).
France, as a nation, therefore occupied a similar position to the Jewish nation. The light was sent among the Jews; it exposed their superstitious regard for the doctrines of men, but they loved darkness rather than light. ‘‘IfI had not come and spoken unto them,” said Jesus, ‘ they had not had sin, but now they have no cloke for their sin ” (John xv. 22).
Like Paul at Antioch, Roussel preached the Gospel at Paris, and as the Jews, filled with envy, spake against the things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming, so did the Romanists at Paris. Every priest, monk, and friar that could be found was employed to excite and inflame the people against the Queen and her preachers. Processions were organized in the streets, and crowds of persons were seen with sackcloth on their loins and ashes on their heads.
Yet the Word of God was not without effect. ‘The churches where the Gospel was preached were filled, not with formal auditors, but with men who received the glad tidings with great joy. Drunkards became sober, the idle industrious, the disorderly peaceful, and libertines had grown chaste.”
“Tt was necessary,” said Paul and Barnabas to the Jews, “that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting lite, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.... And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad, and glorified the Word of the Lord; and as Many as WERE ORDAINED TO ETRRNAL LIFE, BELIEVED” (Acts xiii. 45, 48). Of the preaching of Roussel and others in Paris the same thing may be said. It was nesdful that the Gospel should be preached to gather out God’s chosen people; it was needful that the light should shine in France that the awful depth of man’s ruin should be revealed by the natural rejection of the light.
Thus, lest we should dishonour the Spirit, and limit the Holy One of Israel, let us carefully distinguish between the light of the truth being brought to shine in the midst of a nation, and the life of God being brought by the Spirit into a sinner’s heart. In the former case the Gospel appeals to the natural understanding, and as the burglar dreads.the break of day and flees from it, so men can and do reject the Gospel. ‘“‘ How often would I have gathered thy children together even as alien gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” said Jesus (Matt. xxiii. 37). In the latter case God writes His law on the heart (Jer. xxxi. 33); the sinner is born again by the Spirit (John iii. 6). Faith and repentance are given (1 Cor. xii. 9; Acts v. 31), and the sinner is thus made willing in the day of Christ’s power. This grace cannot be rejected.