Ioannis Caluini in viginti prima Ezechielis Prophetae capita Praelectiones, Ioannis Budaei & Caroli Ionuillaei labore & industria exceptae. Com Praefatione Theodori Bazae ad generosis. Gasparem ) Colignio Gallia Amiralium.

CALVIN Jean & BèZE Théodore de
Ioannis Caluini in viginti prima Ezechielis Prophetae capita Praelectiones, Ioannis Budaei & Caroli Ionuillaei labore & industria exceptae. Com Praefatione Theodori Bazae ad generosis. Gasparem) Colignio Gallia Amiralium.
Ex officina Francisci Perrini , Genevae (Geneva) 1565, in-8 (12 x 19,5 cm), (10 f.) 412 ff (20 f.) Sig: *10 a-z8 A-Z8 Aa-Hh8, mid-19th-century half morocco
The very rare posthumous first edition, first printing (known as “type a”), with all the typographical characteristics (capitals in the fifth line of the title in Roman letter, *ii instead of *ij and identical initials on *ii and p.1). This edition contains a preface by Théodore de Bèze, Calvin's successor, in the form of an exhortation to the head of the Protestants in France, Admiral Gaspard de Coligny. Another edition by the same printer appeared a few months later in French translation.
Thirty-four lines per page, woodcut initials, printer's device.
Mid-19th century half navy blue morocco by Galette, spine in six compartments with richly decorated frames, marbled pastedowns and endpapers, all edges red. Two corners slightly rubbed, small repair to upper inside margin of title, a few leaves repaired in margins, occasional marginal dampstaining. Contemporary inscription to title.
Calvin began his lessons on Ezekiel on the 20th January 1562. Very soon, however, his state of health compelled him to call upon Théodore de Bèze's help. In a letter to the Daniel family, François Perrot notes this double teaching: “Our good tutor and common father has got into the habit of commenting on Ezekiel – still in hand – which is to say on the first three days every second week this year, while our Théodore in his turn is commenting on the Catechism in Greek the first three days of the week...Because of his illness, Calvin can often hardly finish his bit.” Calvin interrupted his unfinished lessons once and for all on the 2nd February 1564. These lessons on the first twenty chapters of the revelations of the Prophet Ezekiel are the last preached by Calvin before his death on the 27th May 1564.
Like the previous lessons, these too were collected in Latin by Jean Budé and Calvin's secretary, Charles de Jonviller who, on the 9th October 1564 asked the Council for “permission to have printed the lessons of Monseigneur Calvin on the first 20 chapters of Ezekiel, reviewed by the deceased. Agreed that he has permission for as many as Monseigneur de Bèze has witnessed.”
In his dedicatory epistle to Admiral de Coligny, de Bèze – who succeeded Calvin to the Chair of Theology at the Academy – pays elegant homage to his friend and spiritual guide: “In him we find the only [person] in our time who has left behind so many works which contain so whole and so pure a doctrine. But that it had pleased God to leave us the benefit of this shining light for another year or two; it seems to me, in truth, that one could not demand a more perfect knowledge of the Old and New Testaments...His death, of which he was forewarned, prevented his finishing Ezekiel, which is all the greater a loss to the Church, since he was the most obscure of the Prophets, as we know...and who knows when we will find someone to complete this painting, begun by our Apelles.”
Only 16 copies in various libraries of the first printing (cf. Bibliotheca Calviniana).
A handsome and very rare copy of the first printing with good margins.