after the lapse of many years, any whom he had only once seen; and though he had been frequently interrupted for many hours while in the act of dictating, he would, without being reminded, forthwith resume the thread of his subject; and never forget, though overpowered by an infinite multiplicity of business, such things as it was important for him in his ministerial character to know. His judgment was so sound and exact on all subjects, that his decisions seemed almost oracular; nor do I remember an instance of any error being committed by those who followed his advice. He despised an artificial eloquence, and was sparing in his words, but an accomplished writer; and no theologian, until the present time, it may be said, without disparaging any, hath written with greater purity, gravity, and judgment than Calvin, though none either in our own age, or that of our fathers, has written so much as our author. By close study, during his youth, by uncommon accuracy of judgment, confirmed by the practice of dictating to an amanuensis, he was always able to speak with propriety and gravity, aud his language in conversation differed very little from his written compositions. The consistency and uniformity of his doctrine from first to last, are scarcely to be paralleled in any divine of the present time. With respect to his manners, though he was naturally grave, yet, in the intercourse of social life, no one was distinguished by more suavity. He exercised great prudence and forbearance towards all such infirmities in others, as are consistent with integrity, so that he did not overawe, or raise the blush in his weak brethren, by unseasonable or too severe reproof, nor cherish their vices by connivance or adulation. He was as severe and indignant an enemy of flattery and dissimulation, and of every kind of wickedness, especially where religion was concerned, as he was a keen and ardent friend of truth, simplicity, and candour. He was naturally of an irritable temperament, and this fault was augmented by the excessive laboriousness of his life. But the Spirit of the Lord had so taught him to moderate his anger, that he was never heard to utter a word unbecoming a good man, or which went beyond the bounds of virtue; nor did he ever speak with rashness, unless his mind was roused when treating on the subject of religion, or when engaged with obstinate characters. No attentive reader of the lives of those men who, even in profane history, displayed more than usual attachment to any kind of heroism, will be astonished to find so many excellent qualities and splendid virtues, both of a domestic and public nature, to have called forth such an host of enemies. Nor will any one be surprised that such a most undaunted defender of sound doctrine, and so steady a follower of purity of life, should have experienced such violent opposition from the enemies of true religion and morality. But he will consider this fact chiefly to be worthy of his astonishment, that one man alone, like some Christian Hercules, could have been sufficient for subduing so many monsters by the use of that most powerful club, the word of God. Calvin achieved as many triumphs as Satan raised up enemies to oppose him, for it is certain he had none, among the great crowd of his adversaries, but such as had proclaimed war both against piety and virtue. Those enemies brand Calvin as an heretic, but Christ suffered under the same reproach, and that even from the priests themselves. He was expelled, they say, from Geneva; true, but he was solicited to return. What happened to the apostles? What to Athanasius? What to Chrysostom? Many other charges are brought against him by another class of enemies, but what are they? He is charged with ambition, yea, with aspiring at a new Popedom ;-an extraordinary accusation against a man, who preferred this kind of life, this republic, this church, which I may truly call the very seat and abode of poverty, to all other honours. They say again that he coveted wealth. Yet all his worldly goods, including his library, which brought a high price, scarcely amounted to three hundred crowns; so that he might very justly, as well as very elegantly, in order to refute this calumny of unparalleled impudence, use the following words : "If I fail in my lifetime to persuade some people that I am not a lover of money, my death will convince them of the contrary." The senate can certainly testify to the smallness of his stipend, and so far was he from being dissatisfied with what they gave him, as positively to refuse an advance when offered. Some object against him, that his brother, Anthony Calvin, divorced his former wife for adultery, when she was discovered. What would they have said had he continued to live with her? If the dishonour of an unchaste female is brought against him, what shall become of the family of Jacob, of David, nay, of the Son of God himself, who expressly marked out a devil, as one of his own disciples ? His numerous labours answer the charge of his delighting in luxury and indulgence. Some are not ashamed, both in their speeches and writings, to accuse him of reigning in the church and state at Geneva, where he had, as it were, elevated himself to a high tribunal. Claudius Sponse, of the Sorbonne, the rhapsodist, dared to accuse him, in a very malevolent book, of introducing some living man, wholly unknown, instead of a dead one, whom he pretended to raise to life in the presence of the whole people, which is as disgraceful a falsehood, as if he had said that he was Pope of Rome. What accusation will not some dare to bring against him? But such false statements require no refutation; and neither those who were acquainted with so distinguished a person during his life, nor the judicious in future ages, who shall form their opinion of his character from his writings, will pay the least regard to such gross and unfounded calumnies. These are the principal events in the life and death of Calvin, which have come under my own immediate observation during the last sixteen years. I feel myself justly warranted to declare, that in him was presented to all men, one of the most beautiful and illustrious examples of the pious life and triumphant death of a real Christian; and as it is easy for malevolence to calumniate his character, so the most exalted virtue will find it difficult to imitate his conduct. A CATALOGUE OF JOHN CALVIN'S WRITINGS. Commentaries in Latin and French. Commentaries on Genesis. On the other Four Books of Moses, in the form of a Harmony. On Joshua. On the Psalms. On Isaiah. On Jeremiah. On the twenty first Chapters of Ezekiel. On Daniel. On the twelve minor Prophets. On the three Evangelists, in the form of a Harmony. On John. On the Acts of the Apostles. On the Epistles of Paul. On the Epistle to the Hebrews. On the Canonical Epistles of Peter, John, James, and Jude. Published Sermons, which were taken down when delivered. Three Homilies concerning the Sacrifice of Abraham. Sermons on Samuel. Sermons on Job. Sermons on the Decalogue. Sermons on the 119th Psalm. Sermons on Hezekiah's Song. Sermons on the last eight Chapters of Daniel. Sermons on the beginning of the Harmony of the three Gospels. Sermons on the 10th and 11th Chapters of the 1st Corinthians. Sermons on the Galatians. Sermons on the Ephesians. Sermons on the Epistles to Timothy and Titus. Sermons on the Birth, Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ. Four Sermons treating on subjects very useful for our times. Sermon on the Providence of God and Eternal Election, made to the congregation. Sermon on a passage in the Epistle to the Galatians, and an explanation of the last article of the Lord's Prayer, made to the congregation. Sermons which have not been printed. Sermons on Genesis. Sermons on the first 18 Chapters of the 1st of Kings. Sermons on many of the Psalms. Sermons on Isaiah. Sermons on Jeremiah. Sermons on Ezekiel. Sermons on seven of the minor Prophets. Sermons on the Harmony of the three Evangelists. Sermons on the Acts of the Apostles. Sermons on the two Epistles to the Corinthians. Sermons on the two Epistles to the Thessalonians. Sermons on some Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews. A short explanation of the Book of Joshua, made to the con gregation. Lectures on the Psalms, from the 37th to the last. |