Part 23
MADAME AND WELL-BELOVED SISTER,--As we ought to be glad when the kingdom of the Son of God our Saviour is multiplied, and the good seed of his doctrine is everywhere spread abroad, I have been greatly rejoiced in perceiving from your letter that his grace and bounty has reached to you, to draw you on in the knowledge of his truth, wherein lies our salvation and every blessing. Indeed, it is a kind of miracle when he is pleased to make his glorious light shine in the place of such deep darkness; and this I say, that you and your associates may be the more induced to value the inestimable benefit which he has conferred on you. For if the lies of Satan wherewith he has blinded and bewitched the wretched world reign everywhere at present, they have their chief seat in those unhappy prisons which he has reared up, that he may keep souls in a twofold captivity. Acknowledge then that our good Lord has reached out a hand to you, even to the depths of the abyss, and that in so doing he has expressed an infinite compassion toward you. Wherefore it is your duty, as St. Peter has told us, to employ yourself in magnifying his holy name. For in calling us to himself, he sets us apart in order that our whole life may be to his honour, which it cannot be without our withdrawing ourselves from the pollutions of this world. And indeed there ought to be a difference between those who are enlightened by Christ Jesus, and the poor blinded ones who know not whither they are going. Therefore take heed that the knowledge which he has bestowed upon you be not unimproved, that you may not be reproached at the great day for having made void his grace. But because I am confident that you do so as much as lieth in you, I shall not dwell at greater length on that subject. It is quite certain that we cannot be too earnestly importuned on this very point. Besides, I believe that you will receive this exhortation as you ought, not thinking it superfluous, inasmuch as it may be of service to you against many assaults which Satan never ceases to make upon all the children of God. Now, while he has many ways in this world for seducing us out of the straight path, we on our parts are so pitiably frail, that we are immediately overcome. Wherefore we have much need to arm ourselves completely at every point. Moreover, being sensible of our infirmity, which makes us so often come short, we should supplement the exhortations which are made to us in the name of God, with prayer and supplication, that it would please our heavenly Father to strengthen us by his might, and to supply whatsoever is lacking. However it may be, let us never seek out excuses to flatter ourselves in our vices as the most part do, but let us be thoroughly convinced that God's honour deserves to be preferred to everything else, yea verily to life itself. And let us not think it strange, if for his name's sake we be chased from one place to another, and that we must forsake the place of our birth, to transport ourselves to some unknown place, for we must even be ready to depart from this world whensoever he shall call us away. I understand quite well, that in such bondage as you now are, you can not serve God purely without the rage and cruelty of the wicked rising up immediately against you, and without the fire perhaps being lighted. Such being the case, were it even necessary that you should compass sea and land, never grow weary in seeking the liberty to regulate yourself entirely according to the will of your kind heavenly Father. Howbeit, you must remember, that wherever we may go, the cross of Jesus Christ will follow us, even in the place where you may enjoy your ease and comforts. Lay your account with it, that even in the country where you have liberty, as well to honour God as to be confirmed by his word, that you will have to endure many annoyances. For this is the very way whereby God would make trial of our faith, and know whether, in seeking after him, we have been renouncing self. It is right that you be informed of this beforehand, so that it may not be new to you when the experience of it comes, though I doubt not that you and your associates are already prepared for it. But the chief thing is to pray God that he would lead you, as well to guide you as to uphold by his strong arm, in order that as he has begun a good work in you, he would continue it until he has brought you on to that perfection, after which we must aspire until we are gone forth out of this world. And to confirm you in this respect, recall to mind continually what an unhappiness it is to be in perpetual disquietude and trouble of conscience. In this condition of mind, you will naturally abhor the wretched state in which you are, and count but dung all those delights and all those comforts which you must purchase at so sad a price as that of daily offending God. When you consider that our life is accursed, and, of course, worse than any kind of death, if our state be not approved of God, no bands of any earthly comforts will be so strong that you will not easily rend them asunder, so as entirely to escape from a kind of life which God condemns, especially to live in a place where not only you may be free to follow a holy and Christian calling, but where you will likewise have the means of exercising yourself daily in sound doctrine, of which we are so clearly enjoined to avail ourselves. Such a recompense of reward may well stifle all regret of the flesh-pots and pleasures of Egypt, and encourage us rather to follow God in the wilderness than to befool ourselves in the practice of those lusts which our flesh desires and longs for.
Meanwhile, Madame and good sister, having affectionately commended me to your kind favour, and that of your companions, I pray our good Lord more and more to increase his spiritual blessings upon you, to keep you wholly in his obedience, and to have you under his protection and defence against all the ambushes of Satan and those who belong to him.
Your humble servant and brother,
CHARLES D'ESPEVILLE.
[_Fr. Copy, Library of Geneva._ Vol. 107.]
CCXLIV.--TO BUCER.[237]
[237] This letter is without a date, but is evidently related to the early period of Bucer's residence in England. Proceeding from Strasbourg on the 5th April 1549 with Paul Fagius, he reached London on the 25th, and met with a very cordial reception at Lambeth, in the house of Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. At the desire of his protector, and amid the sorrows inseparable from his exile, he immediately undertook a new translation of the Bible, which he was not permitted to finish, owing to repeated illness, brought on by the change of climate. He was engaged, at the same time, on a revision of the English Liturgy, from which he removed everything that appeared to be tainted with Popery, without going as far in these corrections as he was desired by Calvin, who was pressing him by letter to remove the accusations of his life, by showing himself more resolute and firm than hitherto.--See _La France Protestante_ of M. M. Haag. Art. Bucer.
Encouragements and consolations--desire for the conclusion of peace between France and England--excesses of the ultra-Lutheran party in Switzerland and Germany--agreement between the Churches of Geneva and Zurich.
_June 1549._
Although your letter was mixed with joy and sorrow, yet it was extremely pleasant to me. Would that I were able in some measure to lighten the sufferings of your heart, and those cares by which I see you are tortured! We all beseech you, again and again, not to keep afflicting yourself to no purpose. Yet it is neither proper in itself, nor is it in keeping with your piety, nor should we desire to see it, that amid such various and manifold causes for grief, you should be joyous and cheerful. You should make it your study, however, to serve the Lord and the Church as far as you have opportunity. You have indeed run a long race, but you know not how much may be still before you. It may be that I, who have just commenced the race, am at present nearer to the goal. But the direction and the termination of your course are alike in the hand of the Lord. I am a daily witness to many deaths, in order that I may be made as active as possible amid the dangers which threaten us from many quarters. Just as wars keep you busy where you are, so we here give way to sluggish fears. I trust, however, that the internal tumults are already calmed; and there is a report of a cessation of hostilities between you and the French.[238] Would that a plan of stable peace could be agreed upon: for we see that trainer of gladiators, who is bringing these two kingdoms into conflict, in the meantime laughing at his ease, and ready to seize any turn of fortune, in order that he may attack the victor with fresh forces, and gather the spoils of the vanquished without sweat and blood, and thus triumph over and carry off the booty from both.[239] But when I reflect on the wicked counsels by which France is ruled, I almost despair of this matter. Indeed, they fear him more than enough; but, by haughtily despising others, they do not guard themselves against his craft. And indeed the Lord is by this blindness justly avenging, as I take it, their atrocious cruelty to his saints, which is daily increasing. Just as their wickedness is gathering strength, and is continually becoming worse, so I pray that the English may, with a contrary emulation, make a stand for the genuine purity of Christianity, until everything in that country is seen to be regulated according to the rule which Christ himself has laid down. As you wished, and as the present state of things urgently demanded, I have attempted to encourage the Lord Protector; and it will be your duty to insist by all means, if you get a hearing--and of that I am persuaded--that those rites which savour of superstition be entirely removed. I particularly commend this to you, that you thereby may free yourself of a charge which many, as you know, falsely bring against you; for they always regard you as either the author or approver of half measures. I know that this suspicion is fixed too deeply in the minds of some to be easily rooted out, even if you do your best. And some have been led to calumniate you spitefully for no error whatever. This is accordingly damaging to you, in some measure fatal, as you can with difficulty escape from it. However, you must be on your guard, lest occasion of suspicion be afforded the ignorant: the wicked eagerly snatch at any pretext for abuse. I am exceedingly sorry that N.[240] is annoying you without cause. Would that he would learn humanity some time! I am the more ready to pardon him, as he seems to me to be so moved by malice, as to be driven by a blind impulse. You cannot credit how bitterly he has wounded us at times; alike the innocent, the absent, and the friendly. When Viret was well nigh overcome by the very great injustice of some, and by the perfidiousness of others, he was as violently attacked by this individual, as if he had been the most infamous traitor to the Church. He would certainly accustom himself to mildness if he knew what hurt is done by the intemperateness of his too fervid zeal and immoderate severity. You must endure with your accustomed forbearance this and other indignities offered to you. The people of Zurich, certainly, did not approve of his cause. I differ from you somewhat in this matter; in that, you think injury will be done to the opposite party. For while you think that they would never labour under such gross hallucinations as to imagine that Christ was diffused everywhere, you do not hold what Brentius, among others, has written, that when Christ was lying in the manger he was, even as to his body, full of glory in heaven. And to speak more plainly, you know that the Popish doctrine is more moderate and sober than that of Amsdorf,[241] and those resembling him, who have raved as if they were the priestesses of Apollo. You know how cruelly Master Philip has been annoyed, because he observed a certain degree of moderation. In their madness they even drew idolatry after them. For what else is the adorable sacrament of Luther but an idol set up in the temple of God? I desired, however, to see all these things buried. Indeed I have done my utmost among our neighbours to keep them from railing; yet as it afforded them satisfaction, I did not hesitate, the names being suppressed, to condemn all the errors to which I was expressly opposed. You certainly seem to me to enter with too much subtlety into the discussion about place. Others are more seriously offended by your obscurity, which they think you have studied craftily to employ. I know indeed that in this they are wrong. But I do not see why you should shrink so much from what we teach; that when Christ is said to have ascended into heaven, there is affirmed by this expression a diversity of places. For it is not disputed here whether there is place in celestial glory, but only whether the body of Christ is in the world. As the Scriptures have borne clear testimony on that point, I have no hesitation in embracing it as an article of faith. And yet, as you will find from our document,[242] this was yielded to the fretfulness of some, not without a struggle: for I had framed the words differently. Nothing was comprised in this formula which we employed, except what I perceived it would be scrupulousness not to concede to others. You wish piously and wisely, to explain more clearly and fully the effect of the Sacrament, and what the Lord bestows through it. Nor indeed was it owing to me that they were not fuller on some points. Let us bear therefore with a sigh what we cannot correct. You will find here a copy of the document which they sent me. The two paragraphs which you feared they would not admit, were readily adopted. Had the rest imitated the calmness of Bullinger, I should have obtained all more easily. It is well, however, that we have agreed about the truth, and that we are at one in the most important sense. It would be exceedingly appropriate for you to modify these two theses somewhat, in order to bring out more clearly that you place Christ apart from us who are in the world, by a diversity of place; in the second place, that you might discard the more obviously all those false inventions by which the minds of men have been led to superstition; and above all, that you might vindicate the glory of the Holy Spirit and of Christ, lest aught should be attributed to the ministers or to the elements. At the commencement of our deliberations, agreement seemed really hopeless. Light suddenly broke forth. Our forefathers wished to deliberate with other Churches. We agreed without difficulty. N.'s dissension must be borne with equanimity. Farel, as you will see, writes you at great length. Viret dare not, for you cannot believe how unjustly he is treated. He salutes you as dutifully as he can, and wishes you to excuse him. All my colleagues, also, salute you respectfully. There is nothing new here except that Zurich and Berne have cut off all hopes of an alliance with France.[243] Adieu, very illustrious sir, and father in the Lord, truly worthy of my regard.
JOHN CALVIN.
[_Calvin's Lat. Corresp._ Opera, tom. ix. p. 49.]
[238] War prevailed at that time between France and England, with Artois and Scotland for its theatre. Peace was concluded only the year following (May 1550).--De Thou, tom. vi.
[239] In allusion to the Emperor, who saw his power increase by the weakness of the English and French monarchs, who were equally interested in opposing his supremacy on the Continent.
[240] Doubtless one of the ministers of the Church of Berne.
[241] Nicolas Amsdorf, a learned German minister, exaggerated the Lutheran doctrine regarding Works and the Supper, and wrote a book, in which he endeavoured to prove that good works are hurtful to salvation,--_Bona opera sunt ad salutem noxia et perniciosa._--McIchior Adam, pp. 69, 70
[242] The common formulary, doubtless, on the Supper, compiled by Calvin, which the theologians of Zurich and Geneva were led to adopt.
[243] While Schaffhausen, Basle, and Bienne acceded to the French alliance, Zurich and Berne haughtily refused to be the allies of a monarch who was the persecutor of the churches of France. Moved by the eloquence of Bullinger, the Seigneury of Zurich declared that it would lean upon God alone, and dispense with the alliance of the king.--_Hist. de la Suisse_, tom. xi. p. 308.
CCXLV.--TO LADY ANNE SEYMOUR.[244]
[244] "To the Most Noble, Most Gifted, and Most Honourable Lady Ann, Eldest Daughter of the very Illustrious Protector of England."
Anne Seymour, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Somerset, Protector of England, was distinguished alike for her illustrious descent, genius, and piety. She married in 1550 the Earl of Warwick, son of the Duke of Northumberland, and thus apparently sealed the reconciliation of her father with the ambitious head of that illustrious house. We read in a letter, from Martin Micronius to Bullinger, of 4th June 1550:--"On the third of this month was celebrated a marriage between the daughter of the Duke of Somerset and the son of the Earl of Warwick, at which the King himself was present. This event, I hope, will wonderfully unite and conciliate the friendship of those noblemen."--_Zurich Letters_, 1st series, tom. ii. p. 569.
Thanks to the Duchess of Somerset, the mother of Anne Seymour--exhortation to perseverance in the true faith.
_17th June 1549._
As your mother, illustrious lady, lately presented me with a ring, as a token of her good-will towards me, which I did not at all deserve, it would be exceedingly unbecoming in me not to show some sign of gratitude, by giving expression, at least, to my regard for her. But not being able to find language, again, in which to discharge this sort of duty, nothing seems fitter than that I should call you to my aid, noble lady, distinguished no less by your worth than by your descent. For as you will be, of all others, the most suitable negotiator with your mother, you will be glad to present this mark of respect to her, in virtue of your very great affection for her; and, particularly, as the address will not, or I am mistaken, be unpleasant to her. For I learn you have understood from her words that she is agreeably disposed towards me. Now, if my prayers be of any avail with you, I would particularly request of you, not to take amiss the humble salutation offered, with all submission, by me to her, that she may, at least, understand, that that gift of which I was held worthy was not bestowed upon one who knew not to be grateful. Moreover, I made bold to use the more confidence with you, as I learned that you were not only cultivated in liberal knowledge, (a singular thing in a young person of rank of this place,) but that you were also so well informed in the doctrines of Christ, that you grant a willing access to his ministers, among whose number, if I mistake not, you acknowledge me a place. It remains for me to exhort you to pursue your so happy course, even although, as I hear, you are willing enough of yourself; and I trust that the Lord who gave you this disposition, will also grant you steadfastness to persevere to the end. However, you will take my exhortation in good part, as incitements are never superfluous, since there are so many obstacles and hindrances in the world, and so many infirmities in our flesh. Certainly, among so many excellent gifts with which God has endowed and adorned you, this stands unquestionably first,--that he stretched out his hand to you in tender childhood, to lead you to his own Son, who is the author of eternal salvation, and the fountain of all good. It becomes you to strive, with all the more zeal, to follow eagerly at his call. Especially as he has, at the same time, given you that support of which we see not only the daughters of noblemen, but even noblemen themselves, to be often deprived. Salute your brother--a boy of heroic nature--and your very noble sisters. May the Lord enrich you daily with his blessing, and may he be the constant guide of the whole course of your life.
Adieu, most excellent lady, deserving of my esteem. Truly yours to obey you,
JOHN CALVIN.
[_Lat. orig. autogr.--Library of Geneva._ Vol. 107, _a_.]
CCXLVI.--TO FAREL.
Reply by the Protector of England to a letter from Calvin.
_9th July 1549._
The English messenger[245] has at last returned. He has brought a letter from the Regent, in which he expresses himself thankful for my service. His wife sent me a present of a ring, not of great value, not being worth more than four crown pieces. The members of his family led me to expect a tolerably liberal present from him, in a short time, which I neither desire nor long for. For what has, as I hear, given a keener stimulus to him, is a sufficiently ample reward for me. Adieu, dearly beloved brother in the Lord. May the Lord Jesus keep you and continue to bless you in your sacred labours. I infer that the quarrel with the prefect is settled, from your not writing me regarding it. Salute respectfully your family and our fellow-ministers. My associates send you their regards: Normandie also, and the rest of your friends.--Yours,
JOHN CALVIN.
[_Lat. orig. autogr.--Library of Geneva._ Vol. 106.]
[245] The messenger charged with the letter to the Regent of 22d October 1549.
CCXLVII.--TO FAREL.
Imprisonment of two brothers of M. de Falais--persecution in the Low Countries and in France.
GENEVA, _19th July 1549_.
You know of the letter we have received from Bullinger. I was hoping the Bernese were going to give over negotiations. At all events, the inhabitants of Zurich see now with what just reason we in time past complained of our broken heads. Haller lately confessed to me that he would gladly have written, had Schirma not been afraid. I certainly excuse what does not provoke such rage. The people of Zurich might have obtained their wishes from the Senate, had they not stripped themselves of all liberty. For they have so often repeated this old song--that they should abide by things as they were, that nothing further should be done, that something deceptive always lurked under the guise of harmony--that they are now ashamed to say a word on the opposite side. Nothing remains for them now but to suppress everything, or follow that new plan of yours. I was astonished that Viret did not indicate by a single word what was your opinion of them both. Be sure to let me know at your very first opportunity what arrangement you think should be made. I have nothing further to add except that two of M. de Falais' brothers are in prison.[246] After the Emperor had given them a polite reception, he sent them to Granvelle. He received them courteously also. On leaving him, they were bound by the officer, and thrust hastily into prison. They were then removed to the Castle of Villevord, whence no one is brought forth except for punishment. Awful persecution blazes now over that region; let us then assist the godly brethren with our prayers.[247] The Frenchman is as mad as ever. He wished to be present at the burning of two [martyrs] lately.[248] May the Lord by his own power put a check upon his atrocious ferocity. Amen.
[246] The names and fate of these two brothers of M. de Falais are not known.
[247] See the account of the persecutions in Hainault in _L'Histoire des Martyrs_, p. 184. A woman named Mary was buried alive. A learned Frenchman named M. Nicolas, endured courageously the torment of the stake, crying out in the midst of the flames: "O Charles, Charles, how long will thy courage endure?"