Daily Sermons Upon Jonah, Exposition 23 – Errata
Ʋerſ. 10 ¶Wherfore if I come, I wyll iudge his deedes, which he doeth, pratling againſt vsus with malicious wordes, and not therewith content, neither he him ſelfe receyueth the brethren, but forbiddeth them that woulde, and thruſteth them out of the Church.
Bullinger.WHerefore, if I come. He threatneth that he him ſelfe wyll take awaye from this knaue, his hypocritical ſhadow. But if it be commaunded not to render euyll for euyll, howe is it then that this man here threatneth thoſe thinges?Oecum. Pro. 20.22 1. Theſ. 5.15 Marlorat. The aunſwer. This ſacred prohibition tendeth to this ende, that we ſhould not render euyl for euyl vntounto him which hath offended againſt our ſelues. For euerie reuenge which a man taketh to himſelfe, being ſtirred vp with hatred againſt his neighbour,Oecum. Marlorat. is abhominable vntounto God. But when there is any detriment vntounto faith, and the glorie of Chriſte be oppugned of wicked men: the enemies of Chriſtian Religion are to be handeled more ſeuerelie.Oecum. Act. 13.10 For it is knowne howe Paule behaued him ſelfe towarde Elimas the ſorcerer, when he ceaſed not to peruert the wayes of the Lord▪ It followeth: Pratling against vsus with malicious wordes. That is, ſclaundering and ſpeaking euyll againſt vsus.Marlorat. That is with a maliciouſe and detractiue tongue. So are proude men, and men couetous of vaine glorie accuſtomed, to note the good name of other men, with a blacke coale, as they ſaye commonlie, whereby they maye berieue them of their credite and authoritie, with thoſe men which coueted to perſeuer in the doctrine of the goſpel. So the falſe Apoſtles endeuored to make the name of Paule obſcure among the Corinthes, to the intent they alone might be magnified & had in great eſtimation. His Epiſtles trulie (ſayd they) are graue,2. Cor. 10 10. & preuailable, but his bodily preſence weake, and his ſpeach contemptible.
But the holie Apoſtle in another place terrifyeth them: Therefore (ſayth he) ſome of them are puffed vp, as though I woulde not come to you: But I wyll come to you ſhortlie: if the Lord wyll, & wyll know, not the words of them which are puffed vp, but the power: for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.1. Co. 4.18 So in this place the faithful miniſter of Chriſte promiſeth that he wyll come and depreſſe the arrogancie of this ambicious Diotrephes. And this is the parte of faithfull Paſtors to ſpare or forgeue nothing vntounto ſuch ſeducers. It followeth: And not content therewith. BullingerBy theſe wordes we vnderſtand that there were in the Apoſtles tyme moſt gréeuous perſecutours of the goſpell,Pelica. which were chieflie of the Iewes, which had become halfe Gentyles and Gréekes. Wherefore alſo they choſe to them ſelues a Gréeke name, as was the cuſtome of ſuch: and neither receyued they the olde Teſtament nor the Newe. But commended them ſelues, hauing brought perſecution vponupon the other faithfull Iewes, whereby the goſpell might the leſſe be ſpread among the diſperſed Iewes, and in the Cities of the Gentiles.Marlorat Of this number, Diotrephes was one, a man verie impious, and a moſt great hypocrite,Pelica. who not onelie receyued not the brethren, but letted thoſe which were deſirous to receyue them. For this is the euyll nature of wicked men, that not they them ſelues onelie wyll waxe cruell againſt the ſeruaunts of Chriſt,Marlorat. but to theyr powers wyll ſtyrre vp others therevnto. It followeth. And caſteth them out of the Church. That is, excommunicateth them:Mat. 5 12 Ioh. 16.2 Bullinger. euen as our Lorde foretold ſhould come to paſſe vntounto his diſciples. This Diotrephes therefore is an example of all Heretikes and wicked men, who alſo reſiſt the goſpell. But he wryteth nothing nowe more ſharplie againſt him, but reſerueth it tyll his comming.
But nowe what thinke you this godlie man woulde ſaye,Bullinger▪ grieuouſely complaineth and moſt trulye of the Popes ambition and crueltie. if he ſhould returne at this daye into thoſe Churches which woulde ſéeme Apoſtolicall, and ſhoulde finde, not ſome, one Diotrephes, gréedilie to couet the preheminence, but infinite, Cardinalles, Patriarches, Biſhops, Abbots, and Eccleſiaſticall noble men? And that we maye nowe omitte to ſpeake of this, that many of theſe babble againſt the doctrine of veritie, we knowe not what: that they receyue not the pure doctrine of the Apoſtles, and that they contemne thoſe that would receiue it, and geue them to Sathan, hauing ſtrocken them with the cruell thunderboltes of excommunication. So perillous trulie are our tymes. God deliuer our ſoules from the mouth of the Lyon.
Verſ. 11 ¶Beloued, followe not that which is euyll, but that which is good: He that doeth well is of God: but he that doeth euyll hath not ſeene God.
Bullinger.BEloued, followe not, &c. He addeth theſe wordes that he might preſerue Gaius from offence, as if he ſhoulde ſaye. Thou knoweſt what Diotrephes goeth about and doth, but I woulde not hauehave thée to followe the manners of men.Imlerus. Alwaye doo thy dilligence to ioyne thy ſelfe to good men, but flee the corrupte manners and pernicious company of euyll men.
Marlorat Imlerus. Pſal. 101.2This Dauid decreed with him ſelfe: I walked (ſayth he) in the innocencie of my harte, in the myddeſt of the houſe of my God. I ſet not before mine eyes, an vnrighteous thing: I hate thoſe that worke wickedneſſe. It followeth: But that which is good. BullingerThis is a generall ſentence of the Scripture, that, that which is good is to be followed, and not that which is euyll. Which ſentence truelie maye be opponed vntounto thoſe which for them ſelues alleadge long tymes, manners and cuſtomes of the Fathers. For alwayes euyll is to baflye…,Marlorat Bullinger. at whatſoeuer tyme, and by what manner ſoeuer it be admytted. It followeth. He that doth well. He alſo addeth another ſentence, that he might exhort him the more forciblie to doo well.Pelica. As if he ſayde: They are not all the ſonnes of God, which hauehave receyued Baptiſme.
He which by godly déedes declareth his fayth, he is borne of God, and ſéemeth to be of God, for he declareth the diſpoſition, and doctrine of his Father. It followeth.Marlorat But he that doeth euill hath not ſeene God. There be ſome which thinke this woorde, Seene, is to be taken for, Knowne. Others make the preterperfect tenſe, by the preſent tenſe, as if he ſayde: He that dealeth vngodlie, although in his wordes he profeſſe God, yet in déede he ſéeth not God. For he is ſéene with the moſte purifyed, or cleare eyes of fayth, which eyes for certayntie, the darkneſſe of ſinne doth blinde,Imlerus Iohn. 8.47 that they can not ſée God.
This place agréeth with the woordes of Chriſt, ſpeaking in the Goſpell thus: He that is of God, heareth the wordes of God. But he doth well, which contineweth in the doctrine of Chriſte: for he obtayneth the ſaluation of his Soule. He doth euyll that declyneth from the trueth: for he getteth to him ſelfe, euyll, and the perdition of his Soule. For not to ſée God is myſerable, but to ſée God is wholſome. We ſée God the Father in Chriſte the Sonne. And Chriſt we ſée in his woorde, that is,Iohn. 14.9. thereby knowe we him to be the Sonne of the lyuing God, and the ſauiour of the whole worlde.
Therefore ſéeing there is none agréement betwene light and darkneſſe,Oecum. neither hath Chriſte any concorde with Belyall, let euerye man looke whether he bée of God, or elſe of Sathan the Prince of darkeneſſe. For euen as hée whiche worketh good thinges is of God, and by the light of the knowledge of hym frameth the eye of his mynde, and when as by theſe thinges, he is altogether lyghte, and ſéethe God whiche is the true lyghte, and is ſéene of others as a lyghte in the worlde ſuſtayning the worde of lyfe: Euen ſo he that worketh euyll thinges, walketh in darkeneſſe, and cannot ſée GOD, that is, doo thoſe things whiche are of God, neyther is he ſéene of others if he rebuke or correcte any man, but all men hate and abhorre him.Pſa. 119 163. According to that wyſe Oracle, I hauehave hated and abhorred iniquitie.
Verſ. 12 ❧Demetrius hath good reporte of all men, and of the trueth it ſelfe: yea, and we our ſelues beare recorde, and ye knowe that our teſtimony is true.
DEmetrius hath good report of all men. Firſt, he ſetteth the godlineſſe of Demetrius againſt the malice wherewith Diotrephes was endued,Imlerus and againſt his wicked example, ſecondly, he opponeth & ioyneth that moſt godly example of that moſt excellent man Demetrius, Bullinger.that nothing might be wanting, which might confirme the minde of Gaius. For the mindes of good men are vehementlie ſhaken by the euyll examples of wicked men: whereby we ſée the Scriptures cure this diſeaſe verie often.Pſ. 37.1 &. 73.2 Imlerus. Pelicanus It followeth. And of the trueth it ſelfe. He affirmeth the prayſe to be true which was publiſhed of Demetrius. As if he ſayde: thou ſhalt eſchew the example of Diotrephes, and ſhalt ſet before thée the example of Demetrius, for his pietie hath good report of all men, who although they woulde ſaye nothing, yet the thing it ſelfe teſtifieth the vertue of the man. It followeth. And we our ſelues beare recorde. That is: But euen we alſo hauing experience of his vertue and ſinceritie, doo beare witneſſe of him, vntounto whome I knowe you doo firmelie geue credite: becauſe to all men I ſpeake thinges that are tryed, and certainlie known, and I ſpeake nothing for the fauour of man, or of hatred, but as I hauehave learned of trueth and certaintie.Deu. 17.6 Ioh. 8.17 Furthermore in the mouth of two or thrée wytneſſes conſiſteth eueryevery worde. It muſt néedes be truly that Demetrius was a man of a wonderfull integritie, vntounto whome all good men gaue good reporte: and finallie the trueth it ſelfe, together with this faythfull Senior and miniſter of Chriſt, who had not learned to flatter.Pelica. Of farre other diſpoſition and fayth was he, then that Demetrius the Syluerſmyth of Diana in Epheſus, which yéelded not a lytle gaine to the Craftſmen: but to Paule and the Saintes there, moſt gréeuous ſedition, and moſt perilous trouble.Act. 19.24
That parcell (of all men) maye alſo be vnderſtoode of the Infidelles, that we maye knowe this man to be indued with ſuch great honeſtie, that he lyued euen amongſt the Infidels without offence. For Paule wylleth that the Chriſtians ſhoulde ſtudie to be without offence, both to the Iewes, and to the Gréekes, and alſo to the Churche,1. Co. 10.32 Marlorat euen as I (ſayth he) pleaſe all men in all things. And Peter ſayth: hauehave your conuerſation honeſt a mong the Gentils that they that ſpeak euill of you, as of euill doers, may by your good works which they ſhall ſée gloryfie God in the daye of viſitation.1. Pet. 2.12 Letting paſſe therefore Diotrephes, let vsus rather immitate Gaius and Demetrius.
Ʋerſ. 13 ¶I hauehave manye things to write, but I will not with Inke and penne write vntounto thee.
I HaueHave many things to write▪ Euen as he ſhutte vp the former Epiſtle, euē ſo now alſo concludeth he this Epiſtel:Bullinger. that no man ſhould requyre any notable copie or exquiſite ſtudie of eloquence in the Diſciples of Chriſt, which followe a more diligent order of veritie then of wordes. It followeth. But I will not with ynke and penne write vntounto thee. Imlerus.Out of this place and ſuch lyke, ſome there be which endeuour to eſtabliſhe many mens conſtitutions in the Church, being not founded in the ſounde Scriptures, ſaying that: though there be nothing written concerning them in the worde, yet are they to be accoumpted holie, ſéeing that there reſted many thinges with the Apoſtles, Euangeliſtes, and godlie men of that age, vnwritten.
But if you beholde fayth in Chriſt, and the chiefe grounde of our ſaluation, there maye nothing be added, nor any other Goſpell preached:Againſt the Goſpel of the familie of LoueLove. Gala. 1.8 that although an Angell from Heauen preached any other Goſpell, then that which the Apoſtles preached, and committed to memorie, he muſt be accurſed. But if you hauehave reſpecte vntounto the outwarde ordinaunces of the Church, or the workes of Charitie, the vniuerſal Church vponupon occaſion of matters and tymes, maye adde and chaunge ſome thinges.Marlorat. Iohn. 20.30 &. 21.15 &. 2. Theſ. 2.15 Act. 20.27. Of which thing the Reader maye ſée more.
Certainlie Paule ſayth, that he hath declared all the counſayle of God, to thoſe vntounto whome he preached the Goſpell. And Chriſte alſo thus ſpeaketh vntounto his Apoſtles: I call you not ſeruauntes from henceforth, for the ſeruaunt knoweth not what his Lorde doth, but you hauehave I called friends: for all things that I hauehave hearde of my Father, I hauehave made knowne to you.
Ʋerſ. 14 ¶For I truſt I ſhall ſhortlie ſee thee, and we shal ſpeake mouth to mouth. Peace bee with thee. The friendes ſalute thee. Greete the frindes by name.
Marlorat. Pelica.FOr I trust I shall shortly ſee thee. This ſaying containeth the cauſe of the breuity of the Epiſtle. As if he ſhould ſaye: There were alſo many other things beſyde theſe, which I deſired to wryte vntounto thée: but I had rather declare them being preſent, then commit them vntounto wryting. For I truſt ſhortlye to ſée thée, and ſpeake face to face: if ſo it ſéeme good to him, by whoſe becke all thinges are gouerned. It followeth: Peace be vntounto thee. This peace which he wiſheth vntounto Gaius that beloued, contayneth not onelyonly health of the bodye, but alſo of the ſoule as it hath béene often ſayde. It followeth.Marlorat. The friendes ſalute thee. Nowe with a mutuall and Chriſtian ſalutation is the Epiſtle ſhut vp:Bullinger which although it be ſhort yet contayneth it a notable argument rather to be immitated then diſputed of. For breuitye hath alſo his myſteries.
FINIS.
❧Faultes eſcaped
IN folio. 1. line. 20. for &c. reade Et. In folio. 3. line. 35. for Betus reade. Belus, In folio. 6, line. 31. for when reade then. In folio. 7. line. 24. for, is one, reade, is one thinge. In eodem. 20. for but there, reade, then. In fol. 8. line. 31. for, augmenteth haynouſneſſe, reade, augmenteth the haynouſneſſe. In fol. 9. line. 12. for requireth, reade, executeth. In fol. 10. line. 24. for gladneſſe, reade godlineſſe. In fol. 13. line, 17. for, apprehenſion: but yet remaine, reade, apprehenſion of God: but yet eueryevery man. In eodem. line. 25. for, this, reade, his. In fol. 14 line. 5. for, Conſtant, reade, Inconſtant. In eodem line. 23. for thus, read, that. In fol. 17. line. 28. for name, reade meane. In. folio. 18. line. 22, for Offence, reade, Office. In fol. 23. line. 22, for, of, reade, or In fol. 25. line. 26. for, the mercy, reade, the mercy of God. In fol. 26. line. 26. for, councelled read, compelled. In fol. 27. line. 7. for, them for the, reade, thence forth. In fol. 29. line. 4. for, vaniſhed, reade, vanquiſhed. In eodem. line 21. for proſperouſly, reade, prepoſterouſly. In fol. 32. line. 22. for, Ionas by, reade Ionas prayed not by. In fol. 34 line. 26, for, yet I, reade, yet wil I. In fol 35, in the notes, for, To the rootes ſignifieth, reade, To the rootes the Hebrew word ſignifieth. In folio. 39. line. 30. for, ſhall in, reade ſhall fynde in. In fol. 47. line, 24. for expoſitinally, reade, expoſitiuely. In fol. 49. line. 35. for, feaſt, reade Ieſt. In fol. 51. line. 5. for, theefe reade chiefe. In fol. 64. line, 7. for, went out, reade, went not out. In fol. 56. line. 13. for prayer to be. reade prayer ought to be. In fol. 65. line. 16. for dampnation, reade denunciation. In foll. 70. line. 24. for Emphate, reade, Emphaſis.
End of the text · John Calvin, Daily Sermons Upon Jonah (1578)