Four Sermons Against the Pollution of Idolatries, Declaration
A ſhort declaratiON OF M. IHON CALVIN vponupon the .87. Pſalme.
WHen as al things go wel with the childrē of this world, we ſee howe greatly their own ſtate doth pleaſe them, & how wonderfully wt a proude contempte of the church thei do extol the ſame. Yea & although thei be brought vnderunder with ye plagues of god yet do they not forget their carnal confidence wher with thei are droncken. But in the meane ſeaſon they careleſly deſpice religiō & the true worſhip of god: forſomuch as thei being content wt delicate & pleaſant thinges as riches and the brightnes of dignity and honor thinke themſelues bleſſed wt out God. And it cometh often to paſſe yt god doth as it wer make ſuch men fall wt all kynde of good things to the intent yt at the length he mai puniſhe them iuſtly and in due time for their vnthankfulnes: and that his church maye be oppreſſed or at the leaſt kept vnderunder a law and humble degre to the intent that it may ſeme miſerable to it ſelf & be ſubiect to contempt.
Therefore leaſt that this vaine ſhew deceiue the faithful it is nedefull thei be called to another conſideration to witte that they doe conclude that that is true which the .xxxiii. Pſalme doth teache. That bleſſed is the people to whō the lorde is God. Therefore let the effect of thys Pſalme be, that the church of god though it be but one yet doth it excel al the kingdomes and commen welths of this world becauſe god is chief ruler of this cō mon walthe and it is gouerned by his empire. Firſte to the intent it may abide ſafe amongeſt ye raging tumultes and fearefull tempeſtes where with the whole worlde is often ſhaken. Secondly and chiefly that it being wonderfully kept by the helpe of the ſame God may, at the length after this long warfare attaine to the victorious crowne of the heauenly vocation. And this is a ſpecial benefite of God and alſo a wonderful miracle that amongeſt ſo many changes of the kyngdomes of the earthe he doth ſpread his church from age to age and delyuereth it frō deſtructiō to the entent it alone ſhould continually remaine. But becauſe it is euident that whileſt the wicked abound in riches & floriſhe in wealthe and power that the pore church of god is toſſed hither and thither amongeſt many daungers yea & almoſt ouer whelmed with infinite ſhipwrackes, the bleſſednes of ye ſame oght herein to be ſette eſpecially that it hath an euerlaſtyng ſtate layde vp for it in the heauens. As for the circumſtance of the tyme wherein it was made it doth not make a litle to the vnderſtanding of ye Pſalme. For although the people of Iſrael were come agayne from the baniſhement of Babilon & the church of God gathered were nowe made one bodye after that long ſcattering & the temple and the altar did ſtande yea and gods worſhyp was reſtored: but becauſe there was but a verye lytle portyon of men lefte of a greate multytude the ſtate of the church was lowe and without honour yea and that lytle reſidue was dayly made leſſe and leſſe by the enemyes, the church alſo their temple was nothing ſo beautifull as the former temple and fynallye there was nowe almoſte no cauſe lefte, wherefore they coulde conceiue any good hope. And ſurely it ſemed vnpoſſible yt they could euer hauehave rayſed vp them ſelues to the former ſtate from the whych they were fallen. Wherefore it was daungerous leaſte they ſhoulde be ouercome either to the former miſerye or els for the preſent calamities ſhoulde be oppreſſed and fall downe and ſo at length ye mindes of the faithfull ſhould fall into diſpaire. Wherefore leaſt they ſhould faint and lie downe vnderunder ſuch calamites the Lorde dothe promiſe that they ſhall not onelyonly recouer that which they had loſt, but alſo lifteth them vp into the hope of an incomparable glorye according to that prophecy of Aggeus. The glorye of the ſeconde temple ſhall be greater then ye glory of the firſt.
Now laſt of al it remaineth that we learne to apply this pſalme alſo to our profite. And ſurelye this comfort ought to hauehave bene of ſuch force to the godly men of that age, that they ſhoulde in their afflictions not onelyonly hauehave ſtand vpright but alſo yt thei ſhuld hauehave lift thēſelues vp to heauē though they were in the graue but vnles at this preſent daye our fathers experience ioyned with ye words do confirme our faith ſo much the more we are more then ingrat ſince we know that all is fulfilled that whatſoeuer the holy ghoſt hath ſpoken for it can not be inough expreſſed for the worthines thereof how beautifully ſhe did deck the church at his commyng. For then the true religion which afore was ſhutte vp in ye ſtraits of Iury was ſpred abrode through al the worlde. Then God which afore was knowen but of one familie began to be called vponupon of diuers tonges of al nations. Then the world which afore was torne in peecis miſerally with innumerable ſectes of ſuperſtitiōs & errours was vnited in the holye vnitye of faith. Then all gathered them ſelues to ye Iewes whome afore they abhorred. The kyngs of the earth and nations did willingly obey Chriſt. The wolues and lions were chaunged into lambes. The giftes of the holy gooſt were powred vponupon the faythfull which did excell al the glory of this world al beautiful things and all riches. The body of the church being wonderfully gathered out of countreis far diſtant increaſed & preſerued. The ſpreading of the goſpell in ſo ſhort time was vncredible ſpecially being ioined with, ye fruite there of no leſſe notable. Wherefore if the dignitie of the church had neuer bene declared by this Prophet yet that notable and vncomparable condition of that Golden age doth euidentlye declare that it is truly ye heauenly kingdom of god.
But it was neceſſarye that the faythfull ſhoulde hauehave a hier taſte then by the iudgement of the fleſh in eſtemynge the dygnytye of the churche for when it dyd moſte floriſhe it did not ſhyne wyth purple golde or pearles but wt the bloode of martyrs. Ryche ſhe was with the holye Ghoſte neuertheles ſhe was poore and lacked the earthely goodes: ſhe was noble and honorable both before God and angels by holynes but ſhe was contemptible in the worlde. There were manye outwarde and open enemies whych dyd either cruelly rage agaynſt: her or els dyd by ſutle craftes inuent wicked thinges againſt her. And within ther was nothing but terrors and priuy tranes: finially vnderunder the croſſe of Chriſt ther laye yet hid in honorable dignitye but it was ſpirituall. Wherefore the conſolation whych is in this Pſalme was then alſo in due time that the faithfull might riſe vp in their minds to a more perfect ſtate of the church. But our cauſe is diuers. Therefore it is come to paſſe by the faut of our fathers that that faire forme of the church hath line vnderunder the feete of the wicked deformed and fylthy. And at this tyme being ouerladed with our ſynnes, doeth mourne vnderunder miſerable deſtruction vnderunder the deryſyon and mockyng of the deuel & the worlde vnderunder the crueltye of tyrauntes, vnderunder the vniuſte ſlaunder of her enemies: ſo that there is nothing leſſe deſired of the children of the world which would that all went wel with them then to be counted the people of God. Whereby the profit of this pſalme is better perceiued and alſo howe neceſſary the continuall medytatyon thereof is. To the ſonnes of Corah, The 1. verſe.a pſalme or ſonge. The foundacyons thereof are in the holye mountaynes
The inſcription doth not ſo much declare the authors as ye chief muſicians appointed to ſing ye pſalme. Howbeit it might come to paſſe ye ſome man of that ſtocke beyng a leuite did compoſe it.
The foundacions thereof.
Since therelatue is of ye maſculine gendre me think they are deceiued which doe vnderſtand it of Ieruſalem as though he ſhoulde ſay that it was founded in the holy hilles. Neither am I ignoraunt howe eertaine learned men doe excuſe thys thing. To witte that the name of ye people muſt be vnderſtād though he ſpeake of the chief citie. But howe harde an expoſition it were though I ſhould houlde my peace yet eueryevery one may ſee. Some of the Iewes alſo thought nothing more likely then to refer it to ye pſalme. And ſo by a metapher they expoūd it the foundacyons of the matter (of ye pſalme) bycauſe he intreateth of ye holy citie of Ieruſalem which was ſet in the mountaines. But me thinke the true and right meaning is that God hath choſen the holy mountaines in the which he ſhoulde found his owne citie. For it foloweth a litle after in the text The moſt hieſt ſhal eſtabliſhe it.
He is alſo ye builder of other citys but we neuer reade that he ſaid of any other citie. This is mi reſting place for euer, I will dwell here, bycauſe I hauehave choſen it, in the Pſalme. cxxxii.
For we muſt alwayes put this difference that though other cities as touchynge the outwarde pollicie were made by the power and prouidence of god, yet Ieruſalem was his peculier holye place and kinglye ſeate. After the ſame faſhion doth Iſayas ſpeake Chapter .xiiii. Yea, and though all Iewry was holy vntounto God, yet it is ſayd that he hauyng caſt all other aſide hath choſen thys to him ſelfe, in the which he might raigne. Which is expreſſed in the ſeconde verſe.
The Lord loueth the gates of Sion aboue all the dwellynges of Iacob. To the which that anſwereth which is written in the Pſalme. lxxviii. That God hath forſaken Sylo, the Tribe of Ephraim, the tabernacle of Ioſeph, yt he might dwel in Sion which he had loued. Furthermore the Prophete doth declare the cauſe wherefore God doth preferre one place to another and he ſetteth the cauſe not in the worthineſſe of the place, but in the onelyonly louelove of God without merites. Therefore yf any aſke why Ieruſalem doth excell the reſt, let a briefe anſwere be inough, becauſe it ſo pleaſed God. And thys was the begynnyng of the louelove of GOD: but the ende was, that there might be a certaine place in the which trewe religion might remayne vntounto the commynge of Chriſt, to the intent that the vnitie of faith might be noriſhed, and from whence afterwarde trew religion ſhould flow to all ye coaſtes of the worlde.
Wherefore the Prophete doth prayſe Ieruſalem with this title, that it hath God for a chiefe builder and chiefe gouernour. Secondly he aſcribeth al the dignitie which it hath before other places to the grace and adoption of god. As for that that he hath put Sion for Ieruſalem, and the gates for the whole compaſſe of the citie, it is a double*Synecdoche is a figure wher in the part is takē for the whole Synecdoche.
Commonlye they take the hylles for Sion and Moriah: which I do not reiect, though it may be drawen further, becauſe the countrey was full of mountaines rounde about, and the Citie was ſet in an hie place.
The 3. verſe.Wonderful things are ſpoken of thee (thou) citie of the lorde.
Worde for word it is, that that is ſaid in the are wonderful thinges.
But we muſt conſider the councel of the prophet or rather the purpoſe of the holy gooſt ſpeaking by the mouth of his prophet. When as the ſtat of the people was lowe and contemptible and many grieuouſe aduerſaries did riſe againſt them on eueryevery ſyde and but fewe had the courage to ouercome the lettes, and daye by daye ſome new alteration did ariſe vnloked for & it was daungerous leſt theynges waxyng worſe and worſe by lytle and litle at the length ſhould vtterly periſh, and when there was almoſt no hope that the citie coulde be reſtored, leaſt the heartes of the faithful being ouercome with deſperation, ſhould faint.
Here is a mete prop ſet vnderunder it that is to ſaye that God hath ſpoken otherwiſe of the ſtate thereof which is to come. For it is not to be douted but that they are called from the ſight of thinges preſent vntounto the promiſes which did miniſter hope of an vncredible glory. Therefore though nothyng apear wherof one may much reioyce, yet the prophet biddeth the children of God to ſtande vp as it were in a watchtowre and patientlye waite for the thinges that are promiſed. On this maner were the faithfull admoniſhed fyrſt that they might geue eare to the olde oracles, and call them to minde ſpecially thoſe which are written in Iſay, from ye xl. chap. vntounto ye end of ye boke, & ſecondlye that they might barken to the ſeruauntes of God which then did preach of the kingdō of Chriſt: whereby it foloweth that we can not iudge a right of the felicitie of the church vnles we iudge of it after the word of god.
I wil rehearſe Rahab & Babel amongeſt thē that know me, behold the Philiſtines, Titus and Ethiopia he was borne there.The 4. verſe.
The name of Rahab is taken for Egipt ī mani places of ye ſcripture the which ſignification doth wel agre to this place: for the prophets minde is to deſcribe that wonderfull greatnes of the church which was as yet hid in it ſelf. Therfore he ſayeth that they which afore were greuous enemies or altogether ſtrangers ſhould not onelyonly be familier frendes but alſo ſhoulde be grafted in one body ſo that thei ſhoulde be counted citiſins of Ieruſalem. And in the firſt clauſe he ſaieth: I will rehearſe Egipt and Babylon amongeſt them of my houſhold. In the ſeconde he addeth the Philiſtines the Tirians and the Ethiopians, who were hither to at ſuch variaunce wt the people of god ſhall now agre aſwell as if thei were inhabitants. It is a wonderfull dignitie of the church that they ſhall gather them ſelues to it rounde about which did contemne it and that thei which did wiſhe it vtterly raſed out & deſtroyed ſhuld count it a chief honor to be ye citeſins thereof, & ſo to be counted: & al ſhal willyngly refuſe the name of their countrie of ye which before thei wer ſo proud. Therfore wher ſoeuer they were borne, either in Paleſtina either in Ethiopia or in Tirus, thei ſhal profes thēſelues to be citeſins of the holi citie. The Iewes do expoūde this place thus that few ſhould come out of other nacions which excelled ye others in wit & vertues but that ther ſhould be great abundance in Iſrael.
Scantly (ſay thei) ſhal there amongeſt the Tirians Ethipioans, Egiptians or any other particular men worthye of prayſe ſo that yf there be any ſuch he may be pointed out with the finger for the ſcarcitie: but in Sion man and man ſhall be borne that is to ſaye there ſhall be greate aboundaunce. The Chriſtians doe almoſt with one accorde refer it to Chriſt and thinke that the prophet doeth render the cauſe why they ſhoulde be counted amongeſt the cyteſens of Ieruſalem whych hitherto were ſtraungers & ſore enemis: becauſe Chriſt ſhuld be borne there whoſe duetie it is to gather mē ſcatered as membres torne a ſonder into the vnitie of fayth & hope of euerlaſtyng life. As for the firſt interpretation becauſe it is altogether waſted it nedeth no refutation. As for the ſeconde becauſe it is more ſutle then ſounde I doe not receiue.
The 5. verſe.And of Zion it ſhall be ſaid, A man and a man is borne in it and the moſt hieſt ſhall eſtabliſhe it.
He continueth the ſame ſentence that newe citizens ſhall be gathered into the church of god out of diuerſe partes of the worlde. Howbe it he vſeth another figur that ſtraū gers ſhal be counted amongeſt the holye people as though they had bene borne of the father Abraham He ſaide in the former verſe. The Chaldeans and Egiptians ſhal become of ye houſholde of the church. The Ethiopans Philiſtines and the men of Tyre ſhall be counted amongeſt hys chyldren. Nowe he doth adde in ſteade of a confirmation that there ſhalbe an infinite multitude of new ſeed ſo that the citie ſhalbe filled with a great people which was deſolate for a time and afterwarde was but halfe full with a litle nomber of men. And this which is here ſhortely promiſed is declared more at large of Iſay. Prayſe O thou barren whych diddeſt beare children: for the chyldren of the deſolate forſaken are mo then of her whych is maryed. Make large the place of thy tent ſtretche out the cordes and ſtrengthen thy ſtakes &c. Likewiſe. Thy children ſhal come from farre, lifte vp thine eies rounde about (for) all theſe ſhalbe gathered to thee. And in the xliiii. Chapter almoſt the ſame maner of ſpeache is fained or at leaſte one which draweth neare to this which is here. This man ſhall ſay I am of the lorde he ſhalbe called by the name of Iacob. This man ſhall write wt his owne hand I am the lords: and he ſhall call himſelfe after the name of Iſraell. Neyther dothe the prophet without cauſe ſignifie by ye worde of bearing that ye Egiptians Chaldeans and ſuch like ſhoulde be of the flocke of Gods people.
For although by nature they were not borne of Zion but ought to be grafted in by adoptyon into the bodye of the holye people: yet becauſe our entrye into the church is the ſecond birth, this maner of ſpeakyng doth agre very well. For Chriſt doth take ye faith full to him in marriage with thys condicion, that they forget theyr owne people and their fathers houſe. Pſalme .xlv. and being faſhioned and borne a new of incorruptible ſeede into newe creatures maye begin to be the ſonnes both of God and of the church, Gal. iiii. And ſurely we are borne a new in to ye heauenly life none other way then by the miniſtery of the church. But in the meane ſeaſon we muſt marke the difference that the apoſtle putteth betwixt the earthly Ieruſalem, which as it is a ſeruaunt ſo engendreth children to ſubiection, and the heauenly which bryngeth forth fre children by the goſpell. In the ſecond parte of the verſe, the long duryng of the ſame is declared: for often times it cometh to paſſe yt the ſoner yt cities doe creepe vp into a wonderfull height ye ſhorter whyle doeth their proſperous ſtate endure. And leaſt that the felicitie of ye church ſhould ſeme after this ſorte to be vnſtable the prophet doeth pronounce that her ſtabilitie ſhall be of the lord as though he ſhould ſaye that it were no merueil though other cities did ſhake & were ſubiect to diuerſe inclinations: becauſe they are toſſed with the world & hauehave not euerlaſting kepers. But new Ieruſalem is of another ſort whoſe eternitie being grounded in ye powre of god ſhal ſtand though heauē & earth fal
The 6. verſe.God ſhall count his people by writing: he was borne there. Selah. The prophet meaneth that the name of Zyon ſhall be ſo famous that all ſhall wt moſt feruent deſire go about to be counted in the numbre and degre of the citezens thereof. For he ſpeaketh of a moſte honorable degree: as though he ſhould ſay, when god ſhall make a count of the nations them whom he will chiefly honour he wyll accounte rather to Zion then to Babilon or any other cities. For this ſhall be a greater dignitie to be in the loweſt degre amongeſt the Citizens of Zyon then any other where to be of the chief: yet in the meane ſeaſon he admoniſheth vsus from whence men yt are ſtraungers get ſuch honor ſo ſodenly: to wit, of the free gyft of god. And ſurely thei which are the ſeruants of the deuyll and of ſinne can neuer get by their owne diligence the fredom of the heauenly citie. It is the lord alone who placeth the people in their ſeueral degrees as it ſemed good to him: and whereas the condicion of men is a like he putteth difference betwixt one & another. As for the writing whereof he maketh here mencion, pertayneth to the callynge for although he hath written his children in the booke of life before the creation of the worlde yet he then counteth them at length in ye numbre of his childrē when as he doth ſeale them being regenerate with the marke of the ſpirit of adoptiō. Aſwell the ſyngers as the players on inſtrumentes, all my fountaynes are of thee.The 7. verſe.
Partly the great ſhortnes partly the doutfull ſignification of one worde doth make ye ſentence dark. As for the word fountaines, there is no dout but that it is tranſlated from the right ſignification & vſed here by a Metapher. But for all ye yt expounders do differ in the declaration of the Metapher. Some do expound it hope, ſome affections, ſome the inward thoughtes. How be it, I would gladly agre to their ſentence which interpret it ſongs if the proprietie of the tonge wold ſuffer it. But becauſe it may ſeme to far fetched I do receiue yt which is moſt agreable to reaſon to wit, that the countenance is ſignified, for the rote from the which it is deriued doth ſignifie an eye. Nowe muſt we ſe what that other membre ſignifieth. Aſwell the ſyngers as the players on inſtruments. It is an abrupt maner of ſpeaking, but al men do agree of the ſence thereof, to wit, that there ſhalbe ſuch cauſe of ioye that the prayſe of God ſhall be ſet forth with ſingyng, both without inſtrumentes and alſo with inſtrumentes of muſicke. Therefore he doth eſtabliſhe that which he ſaide afore of that great glorious reſtauration of Sion: for by ye greatnes of the ioy and manifolde ſinging of praiſe he declareth how great the felicitie thereof ſhould be. But in the meane ſeaſon he deſcribeth the end of al the giftes which god doth ſo liberally powre on his church: to wit that the faithfull do witneſſe their thankfull minde towardes him with himnes & ſonges. More ouer that the prophet declareth yt he dothe embraſe the church with a ſyngular louelove care and ſtudye to the intent he myght exhorte and kindle all faithfull by his example to the ſame affection. According to thys ſaiyng let my ryght hande be forgottē if I do not remembre thee Ieruſalem in the begynyng of my ioye. For then finallye are all our affections in the churche when as we gather our ſelues frō the wanderyng and vaine diſtruction of the mynde, and deſpyſe the dignities, delicate thynges, ryches, and pompe of this worlde, and are content wyth that onelye ſpirituall glory of the kyngdome of Chriſt.
FINES.
Prynted at London by Roulande Hall dvvellyng in Golding Lane at the ſigne of the three arrovves.
1561.
End of the text · John Calvin, Four Sermons Against the Pollution of Idolatries (1561)