John Calvin’s Sermons on Ephesians. Banner of Truth Trust £2.50
This volume of Calvin’s sermons is unique. Calvin’s sermons have remained the rarest and least-known of all his works. It is stated in the Publisher’s Introduction — dated Jan. 1973 — that this volume is the first republication of an entire volume of Calvin’s pulpit work in English since the 17th century. When John Knox lay dying in Edinburgh, it was the French edition of this present volume, which he had beside his bed, and from which his wife read to him. Years before, he had found in Switzerland, “The maist perfyt schoole of Chryst,” and it was the preaching, which nourished him then, which he treasured most at the last. So let us add, if John Knox treasured the truth of these sermons so much, may we be blessed likewise!
These searching, evangelical sermons of Calvin were intended for his pastorate, that is, the congregation which gathered in the Cathedral Church in Geneva. They were delivered without notes, and without any written record of what was said. From 1549-1560, a group of French and Waldensian refugees employed Denis Raquenier, one of their number, to take down the sermons in a form of shorthand. Later, assisted by others, they were transcribed into longhand copies. In them we hear Calvin as he spoke from the pulpit, “We can move into the actual tempo and ethos of the great years at Geneva.” (Introduction p.xi).
The present volume was translated into English from the French edition by Arthur Golding and published in 1562. The edition of 1562 was revised, and in a number of places a retranslation is given. This was done by Rev. Leslie Rawlinson, Loughborough, and by Mr S. M. Houghton. We have thus presented here a reliable edition of these sermons of Calvin.
As to the forty-eight sermons, it is needless, and indeed out of place, to do much more than direct the attention of any interested reader to this book. It would have been well if Calvin had been able to revise it personally, but evidently, owing likely to pressure of work, he was unable to do this.
In the sermons on portions of the first chapter of the Epistle, a reader will find much light given on foreknowledge, on predestination to the adoption of sons, and onwards, to the subject of the Saviour’s Headship of the Church, and over all things for the Church. The second Chapter of the Epistle is especially well-known, at least in the letter of it. Paul was led to bring solemnly and lovingly before them their depraved state by nature, and yet — that believers in Ephesus, saved by grace and through God-created faith would in the ages to come show forth the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward them through Christ Jesus. An insight into the truths set forth can be got by a patient perusal of the sermons. We pass on to point out how, in the third chapter, Paul puts on record that he was raised up and set apart by the Lord to preach the unsearchable, or untraceable riches of Christ. To know Calvin’s meaning, one requires to follow what he preached on vv 9, 10 and onwards. All were now, owing to the coming of Christ, welcome to have as their spiritual, refreshing portion, the mystery which was hidden in God. This ‘Mystery’ may be compared to something hid in a vessel covered with a lid. When one lifts the lid, the secret is out for all to see. Now, the unsearchable riches of Christ are preached to Gentiles, as the ‘iron curtain’ is broken down, and the very angels in glory have made known to them by the Church — that is the church according to Eph. 2:18-21 — the many-coloured, or variegated, wisdom of God. A number of quotations from Calvin’s sermon on Eph. 3:10 might be supplied, but it is better for a reader to seek to follow and grasp Calvin’s meaning by a first hand prayerful use of the book.
Calvin handles in a very full way such subjects as God’s ordinance of marriage — the relations of parents and children, also that of masters and servants. A master in those days of the Roman Empire might have a large number of slaves. All those referred to are given counsel as to how to conduct themselves in their circumstances for the glory of God. The closing sermons are occupied with the spiritual armour supplied by the Lord for His poor and needy people.
May such as are able to get a copy of this book be as those Huguenots, and Waldensians, and Germans, and Italians, who were glad at heart to get even scraps of these sermons, and send them to their relatives and acquaintances. May each one of us be imbued with their spirit of love for Christ’s Zion.
“Now, for my friends’ and brethren’s sakes,
Peace be in thee, I’ll say,
And for the house of God, our Lord,
I’ll seek thy good alway.”
In a re-issue of Calvin’s book, note might be taken of p.13; line 10 fr ft., — also p.258, lines 9-10 fr top. Here Ps. 119:2 is quoted, but reference appears to be Ps. cxi:2. D. A. Macf.
Exposition on Psalm 119 by Charles Bridges. Banner of Truth Trust £1.80.
It seems that Charles Bridges who was a Minister of the Church of England in the last Century issued his exposition of Psalm 119 in 1827, when he was only thirty-three years of age.
The writer says in the preface that the design of the exposition was “to furnish a correct standard of Evangelical sincerity for the habitual scrutiny of his own heart,” and if it had the same effect upon his fellow-christians in calling them to this neglected duty, he would not consider his labour in vain.
His commentary takes the form of a brief exposition upon each verse of the Psalm which is in twenty-two parts, corresponding to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet; each part consisting of eight verses.
The richly devotional spirit of these meditations make them profitable reading and, in our view, the author is a workman who need not “be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” The Psalm is one in which the Psalmist treats of various matters, but there are two main themes running through the whole Psalm; namely the exhorting of the people of God to follow holiness and godliness, and prescribing the rule which is the Word of God. The author observes that the Word of God is brought before us in this Psalm under ten different names; way, law, judgments, words, statutes, commandments, precepts, testimonies, righteousness, truth, and these are expounded with much clarity.
In his opening remarks on the undefiled who walk in the way and law of the Lord, he shows that this is the true way to happiness and peace, and we feel that this is a lesson to learn, and a message especially for this present generation, who seek satisfaction and happiness in material things and the pleasures of sin. Holiness, peace and happiness are joined together in the Word of God — so is sin, misery and bitterness, and cannot be separated.
We may be allowed to give a brief quotation from this exposition before we conclude this short review.
In commenting on verse fifty-nine where the Psalmist is resolved to consider his ways — where he says, “I thought on my ways,” it may not be out of place to give Dr Adam Clarke’s note on the explanation of the Hebrew word used here: ‘Chasabti.’ He says “the word used here is a metaphor taken from embroidering, where the figure must appear the same on the one side as it does on the other: therefore, the cloth must be turned on each side every time the needle is set in to see that the stitch be fairly set. Thus, narrowly and scrupulously did the Psalmist examine his conduct; and the result was a deep conviction that he had departed from the way of God and Truth.”
And now we may give the quotation from the author in expounding the passage, “The Psalmist’s determination lately mentioned to keep God’s Word was not a hasty impulse, but a considerate resolve; the result of much thinking on his former way of sin and folly. How many on the other hand seem to pass through this world into eternity without a serious thought on their ways. (Multitudes live for the world, forget God and die). This is their history. What their state is is written as with a sunbeam in the Word of Truth, ‘the wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God’.” Ps. 9:17.
We would commend Bridges’ Commentary on the 119th Psalm to stimulate interest in the study of this precious Psalm.
Obtainable from Banner of Truth Trust.
D.N.
“Can we conceive of an effective preacher, if he be not a man of prayer? Was not the secret of Apostolic success hidden in the resolution — ‘We will give ourselves continually unto prayer, and to the ministry of the word.’ The man of prayer will shine forth in the pulpit with a full reflection of his Divine Master’s likeness — ‘grace poured into his lips.’ Gifted with a wise and understanding heart — he will produce clear and luminous masses of truth — putting into his sermons all that he finds in his Bible in its correct harmony and proportion; while his own spirit will be suitably moulded into the spirit of his messages — bold — wise — simple — fervent — diligent — single-minded — full of love.”
Charles Bridges.