Chapter CLIX: To Theodore Vitus.36 (17)

[421] In a letter to the King of the 15th March, Messieurs of Berne
had made strong complaint of the conduct of the Cardinal de Tournon,
who, after having promised them to interest himself in behalf of the
five students, had, with the utmost rigour, instituted proceedings
against them. In a second letter, written three days later, they
represented to this prince the innocence of their scholars, arrested
at Lyons before they had sojourned there a single day, and condemned
to death, although they had neither preached, nor dogmatized,
nor excited any disturbance in the kingdom. They concluded by
saying,--"We very humbly pray your Majesty to bestow them on us as
a pure, royal, gratuitous, and liberal gift, which we shall esteem
as great and precious, as if a present had been made us of an
inestimable amount of gold and silver." These petitions were of no
avail. Inspired by the fatal genius of the Cardinals of Tournon and
of Lorraine, Henry II. confirmed the sentence of the parliament of
Paris.

CCCXIV.--TO CRANMER.

He entreats his influence in favour of the person already
recommended to the King.

_March 1553._

When I lately wrote to you my last letter[422]--which may not perhaps be put into your hands until after you have received the present one--nothing was farther from my mind than that I should again trouble you so soon. An unexpected necessity has arisen, however, which compels me, even before I have penned a single friendly letter to you, to solicit you regarding a matter of great importance. A certain man, of a noble family, has been lately thrown into prison, whose kind heart and generous nature render him still more worthy of commendation for his virtues, than for the nobility of his descent. Thinking there was no danger, he had written to a common friend, who came among us as a voluntary exile when the royal prefect was at Noyon, the town in which I was born. Owing to the perfidy of the messenger, the letter was seized. He was arrested by a royal order. The Chancellor, and some others, were appointed judges extraordinary. Seeing that this occurrence has caused many good men to be seized with no ordinary alarm, and that the enemies of the whole Church are ferociously insulting Christ in the person of a man of sincere piety, it is our duty to do all we can to restrain their fury, and bring relief to such a distinguished servant of God. I was not at all afraid, therefore, of any one accusing me of indiscretion in engaging in the pious duty of commending the life of this person to your most serene king. And the same necessity which drove me to this, leads me to exhort you to use your interest, as far as may be lawful, for furthering the end of my petition. And while I am confident that you will be glad to do it of your own accord, I nevertheless ask and beseech of you, most earnestly to do it for my sake all the more speedily. Adieu, most distinguished sir, deserving in many ways of my hearty reverence.

JOHN CALVIN.

[_Lat. orig. autogr._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 107, _a_.]

[422] The letter to which allusion is here made is lost; and one
cannot sufficiently deplore the disappearance of documents, which
would have shed a fuller light on the relations of Calvin with the
Reformer of England.

CCCXV.--TO MONSIEUR DE MAROLLES.[423]

[423] Seigneur of Picardy, no doubt one of the ancestors of that
illustrious confessor, Louis de Marolles, who expiated in the
galleys of Marseilles the crime of his resistance to the dragooning
zeal of Louis XIV. and the pressing solicitations of Bossuet. "The
hour of liberty," says M. Charles Weiss, "never struck for that
unfortunate one. He died in 1692 in the _Hôpital des Forçats_ at
Marseilles, and was interred in the Turkish cemetery, the ordinary
burial-place of the Reformed who died in the galleys, faithful to
the last in the religion for which they had suffered."--_Histoire
des Refugiés Protestantes de France_, tom. i. p. 101. See also the
book entitled _Histoire des Souffrances du bien heureux martyr, M.
Louis de Marolles_. La Haye, 1699.

Christian encouragement and consolation.

_12th April 1553._

MONSIEUR,--I doubt not that you are at present in very great perplexity, seeing that the rage of the enemies is daily kindling, and dangers increasing more and more. Thus you have much need to have recourse to Him who not in vain claims the office of comforting his people in their afflictions. Although it may be difficult to the weakness of our flesh to continue steadfast when we see no end of warfare; nay more, see that things grow worse; yet when girt about with the armour which God bestows upon us, we must not fear but that we shall overcome all the devices of Satan. I call "the armour of God," not merely the promises and holy exhortations by which he strengthens us, but the prayers which are to obtain the strength we need. And therefore, sir, according to your necessity, get by heart what Scripture sets before us, both as to the present condition of Christians, and the miseries to which they must needs be subject, and also as to the happy and desirable issue promised them; and how, moreover, they shall never be forsaken in the time of their need. I know--long continued maladies being the most harassing--that it is extremely hard for you to languish for such a length of time. But if the enemies of the truth are thus obstinate in their fury, we ought to be ashamed of not being at least equally steadfast in well-doing; and most of all when it concerns the glory of our God and Redeemer, which, of his infinite goodness, he has bound up with our salvation. And I have no doubt that you put in practice what the Apostle tells you about strengthening the feeble knees, and lifting up the hands which hang down. For it cannot be but that the first blows dismay, unless we rouse our virtue to resist temptation. And as I feel well persuaded that you are not slack in bestirring yourself, I am the more brief. It is enough for me to have given you a few words of advice, and at the same time to assure you that you are not forgotten here, but that knowing the difficulties by which you are beset, we have a fellow-feeling of them. I do not mean to say that it is such as we ought to have, but it is at least the testimony of the true brotherly love which we are bound to bear you. Moreover, while praying God that he would strengthen your courage and impart his protection, you will also have to request that he would guide you with his advice, and give you a favourable opening. However scant the means he may offer you, you are free, as I believe, to use them, and that speedily, lest they escape you. As for the road which would be best for you to take, I know not what to say. Although I should be very glad to see you, and to enjoy your good-fellowship, yet I should not repine, knowing that in order to follow after God, and to be the more drawn to him, were you removed to twice the distance from me. I do not know the advantages of the other place. As for ours, I must not conceal from you that they are so scanty I am ashamed to mention them. I wish much, and it would be desirable, that there had been wherewithal to have drawn you hither. But I ought not to inveigle you by vain expectations, having no other desire than your wellbeing wherever it may be. True it is, that what some promise themselves in retiring hither, rests, as appears to me, on very slender grounds. However, there is this to be said, the Christians here have liberty to worship God purely, which is the chief point of all. For the present, you must commit yourself to Him who has the spirit of prudence, to be guided by him. Wherefore, in concluding, Monsieur, after having affectionately commended me to your kind favour and prayers, I pray our good Lord to increase you with the gifts of his Spirit, to uphold you with his strong arm that you faint not, to bridle Satan and all his underlings, so that they may not be able to do aught against you, to glorify his name by you even to the end. I desire also that Madame may have her share in these commendations. And should an occasion offer, I especially entreat you to present the like also to Madame, your neighbour.[424] Once more, I pray the gracious Father to have you all under his care, not merely for the preservation of the body, but also for the keeping the soul unpolluted. Your brother and humble servitor,

CHARLES D'ESPEVILLE.

[_Fr. copy._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 107.]

[424] This was doubtless Madame de Cany. See note, p. 295.

CCCXVI.--TO VIRET.[425]

[425] See the letter to the brothers Zollieoffre, and the notes
relative to the last intercession of the Seigneurie of Berne in
behalf of the students of Lausanne, p. 396. Viret took the most
lively interest in the captives, and wrote them a beautiful letter a
short while before their martyrdom, full of Christian exhortations,
which may be seen in the _Histoire des Martyrs_, pp. 248, 249.

Extinction of all hope in regard to the prisoners of Lyons.

GENEVA, _22d April 1553_.

When the present messenger left Lyons matters stood thus: the majority of the judges were disinclined to agree to the condemnation of the brethren, inasmuch as the king had given no express orders respecting it. The Constable, however, stood alone in opposing this.[426] Good men thought accordingly that something would require to be done. To me indeed their labour appears not only useless, but absurd. For there is no hope of inducing the Bernese, after their insolent repulse, to expose themselves to no purpose to the mockery of the tyrant and his court. Nor in truth would the Lyonnese ask aught of the kind from us, if a copy of a letter which I received three days ago were put into their hands. Should you deem it advisable, you may counsel some of your Bernese friends as to what should be done there. But good men will understand from our letter that they need give themselves no farther trouble. Adieu, very excellent and upright brother, together with your wife and family. Salute Beza, your colleague Ribet, and the rest of my friends. May Christ ever watch over you and guide you.--Yours,

JOHN CALVIN.

[_Lat. orig. autogr._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 107, _a_.]

[426] The Constable, Anne de Montmorency, governor of Lyonnais,
shared with Cardinal de Tournon the melancholy honour of having
urged on with fury the condemnation of those prisoners who had been
recommended to his merciful intercession with the king.--_Hist. des
Martyrs_, p. 231, MSS. of the Archives of Berne.

CCCXVII.--TO BULLINGER.[427]

[427] This letter is without a date, but from the allusion to the
very dangerous illness of Farel, it must have been written in the
month of April 1553.

Assurances of respect and fraternal affection.

_April 1553._

A letter was shown me lately at Farel's, addressed to himself, in which you informed him that you were gradually recovering from a very severe and all but fatal illness. The life of our brother Farel was at that time despaired of; so much so, that on my return, I declared everywhere that he was dead. We have now to offer our sincere thanks to the Lord, who has restored both of you to us and to his Church. I was very glad to find from your letter, three days ago, that you are quite recovered. Although, to speak the truth, the reading of it would have filled me with more joy, had I not ascertained that it was written to prevent me from entertaining any hostility towards you. Certainly such a thing never entered my mind; nor do I think that Ulmius had any reason for saying so. He came twice to me. We conversed together for a long time on various matters, freely and familiarly. Mention was made of yourself, and the whole of your colleagues, but not a syllable escaped me, so far as I know, calculated to convey an unfavourable opinion of you. On desiring him, however, as he was leaving me, to present my regards to you, I omitted Bibliander, inasmuch as he was openly professing hostility towards us.[428] When Ulmius[429] seemed to regard this with incredulity, and turned away from it as if from an unlucky omen, I briefly explained to him the cause of it:--that having been tormented here by a vile and perfidious character, I led myself to think that we were sure of support from you; that the issue was not what I had expected; that, notwithstanding, our brotherly regard for one another remained unchanged, and no token, certainly, of alienation had been given by you. I added, moreover, that myself and my fellow-ministers, while we had not been so fully supported by you as we could have wished, were nevertheless inclined to put a favourable construction on it. Also, that Bibliander was throwing out threats about being engaged on a work against my doctrine, and that he went babbling about concerning it, in some violent way or other, among all without distinction. Our conversation at length concluded, by my saying,--"Bibliander may write what he chooses; I shall not consider him worthy of a reply."

[428] Theodore Bibliander, professor of Theology at Zurich. Of an
ardent and irritable nature, he could not bear to be contradicted,
and it is even told of him that he challenged to a duel the
celebrated Peter Martyr, one of his colleagues, owing to some
disagreement on the doctrine of predestination. The Seigneurie of
Zurich dismissed the warlike theologian.--_Hist. de la Suisse_, tom.
xii. p. 87.

[429] Is this John ab Ulmis of whom we read in numerous letters to
Bullinger?--_Zurich Letters_, first series, vol. ii. pp. 377, 458.

But, to return to yourself, most excellent and venerable brother, as I would be very far indeed from estimating you by the character of that man, so I was never led to believe that you entertained any hostility towards me whether publicly or privately. If that individual kept up a great deal of offensive babbling, and was, as I have said, boasting about his book, there was really no reason why I should disguise the matter, or make any hesitation about it, for the thing was notorious; and while I am accustomed to say nothing about it to others, I did not think that I required to be silent on it to Ulmius and a select few. This, therefore, I have in the first place to testify to you--and I solemnly declare it--that, so far am I from regarding you as an enemy, I desire to remain bound to you for ever by all ties of brotherly attachment; and, confidently assured that it will be so, I hail you in no other manner than as a loving and inseparable companion in the work of the Lord. In the next place, I wish you to believe that I never either wrote or spoke anything but what was loving and honourable of that man who has publicly earned so much distinction in the Church, and has been ever my friend in private. If, therefore, you have been vexed at all by this matter, let your mind be hereafter at ease.[430]

JOHN CALVIN.

[_Lat. copy._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 107, _a_.]

[430] The end of this letter is wanting.

CCCXVIII.--TO THE FIVE PRISONERS OF LYONS.[431]

[431] This letter must have preceded by some days the last conflict
of the five prisoners. Foreseeing their end near, they wrote, on
the 5th May, to the Seigneurie of Berne, to thank them for the
testimonials of affection which they had received from them. "If it
has not pleased God," they said, "to preserve life by your means,
it has at least been prolonged thereby ... in spite of the fury of
all those who would have desired long ago to put us to death. Since,
then, that He is pleased that our blood should soon be shed for the
confession of his holy name, we reckon ourselves far happier than if
we were set at liberty, for as he is true and all-powerful, he will
strengthen us, and will not permit us to be tormented beyond our
strength; and after that we have suffered awhile, he will receive us
into his heavenly kingdom, and will bestow upon us eternal rest with
himself...." It was the 16th May when the five scholars were told
to prepare for death; they received that intelligence with a pious
serenity. The stake was set up upon the _Place des Terreaux_; they
proceeded thither, singing psalms, and repeating passages of holy
writ. "Having arrived at the place of death, they cheerfully mounted
on the heap of wood, the two youngest first.... The last who went up
was Martial Alba, the elder of the five, who had been a long time on
his knees in prayer to the Lord. He earnestly requested Lieutenant
Tignac to grant him a favour. The lieutenant said to him: What would
you? He said to him: That I might kiss my brethren before I die.
The lieutenant granted his wish. Then the said Martial kissed the
other four who were already bound, saying to each of them, _Adieu,
adieu, my brother_. The fire was kindled; the voice of the five
confessors was heard, still exhorting one another in the midst of
the flames: _Courage, my brothers; courage_.... These were the last
audible words of these five valiant champions and martyrs of the
Lord."--_Hist. des Martyrs_, lib. iv. p. 231.

He exhorts them to steadfastness unto the end, in the assurance
of eternal joy reserved in heaven.

FROM GENEVA, _May 15, 1553_.

MY VERY DEAR BROTHERS,--We have at length heard why the herald of Berne did not return that way. It was because he had not such an answer as we much desired. For the King has peremptorily refused all the requests made by Messieurs of Berne, as you will see by the copies of the letters, so that nothing further is to be looked for from that quarter. Nay, wherever we look here below, God has stopped the way. This is well, however, that we cannot be frustrated of the hope which we have in him, and in his holy promises. You have always been settled on that sure foundation, even when it seemed as though you might be helped by men, and that we too thought so; but whatever prospect of escape you may have had by human means, yet your eyes have never been dazzled so as to divert your heart and trust, either on this side or that. Now, at this present hour, necessity itself exhorts you more than ever to turn your whole mind heavenward. As yet, we know not what will be the event. But since it appears as though God would use your blood to sign his truth, there is nothing better than for you to prepare yourselves to that end, beseeching him so to subdue you to his good pleasure, that nothing may hinder you from following whithersoever he shall call. For you know, my brothers, that it behoves us to be thus mortified, in order to be offered to him in sacrifice. It cannot be but that you sustain hard conflicts, in order that what was declared to Peter may be accomplished in you, namely, that they shall carry you whither ye would not. You know, however, in what strength you have to fight--a strength on which all those who trust, shall never be daunted, much less confounded. Even so, my brothers, be confident that you shall be strengthened, according to your need, by the Spirit of our Lord Jesus, so that you shall not faint under the load of temptations, however heavy it be, any more than he did who won so glorious a victory, that in the midst of our miseries it is an unfailing pledge of our triumph. Since it pleases him to employ you to the death in maintaining his quarrel, he will strengthen your hands in the fight, and will not suffer a single drop of your blood to be spent in vain. And though the fruit may not all at once appear, yet in time it shall spring up more abundantly than we can express. But as he hath vouchsafed you this privilege, that your bonds have been renowned, and that the noise of them has been everywhere spread abroad, it must needs be, in despite of Satan, that your death should resound far more powerfully, so that the name of our Lord be magnified thereby. For my part, I have no doubt, if it please this kind Father to take you unto himself, that he has preserved you hitherto, in order that your long-continued imprisonment might serve as a preparation for the better awakening of those whom he has determined to edify by your end. For let enemies do their utmost, they never shall be able to bury out of sight that light which God has made to shine in you, in order to be contemplated from afar.

I shall not console, nor exhort you more at length, knowing that our heavenly Father gives you to experience how precious his consolations are, and that you are sufficiently careful to meditate upon what he sets before you in his word. He has already so shown how his Spirit dwells in you, that we are well assured that he will perfect you to the end. That in leaving this world we do not go away at a venture, you know not only from the certainty you have, that there is a heavenly life, but also because from being assured of the gratuitous adoption of our God, you go thither as to your inheritance. That God should have appointed you his Son's martyrs, is a token to you of superabounding grace. There now remains the conflict, to which the Spirit of God not only exhorts us to go, but even to run. It is indeed a hard and grievous trial, to see the pride of the enemies of truth so enormous, without its getting any check from on high; their rage so unbridled, without God's interfering for the relief of his people. But if we remember that, when it is said that our life is hid, and that we must resemble the dead, this is not a doctrine for any particular time, but for all times, we shall not think it strange that afflictions should continue. While it pleases God to give his enemies the rein, our duty is to be quiet, although the time of our redemption tarries. Moreover, if he hath promised to be the judge of those who have brought his people under thraldom, we need not doubt that he has a horrible punishment prepared for such as have despised his majesty with such enormous pride, and have cruelly persecuted those who call purely upon his name. Put in practice, then, my brethren, that precept of David's, and forget not the law of God, although your life may be in your hands to be parted with at any hour. And seeing that he employs your life in so worthy a cause as is the witness of the Gospel, doubt not that it must be precious to him. The time draws nigh when the earth shall disclose the blood which has been hid, and we, after having been disencumbered of these fading bodies, shall be completely restored. However, be the Son of God glorified by our shame, and let us be content with this sure testimony, that though we are persecuted and blamed we trust in the living God. In this we have wherewith to despise the whole world with its pride, till we be gathered into that everlasting kingdom, where we shall fully enjoy those blessings, which we now only possess in hope.

My brethren, after having humbly besought your remembrance of me in your prayers, I pray our good Lord to have you in his holy protection, to strengthen you more and more by his power, to make you feel what care he takes of your salvation, to increase in you the gifts of his Spirit, and to make them subserve his glory unto the end.

Your humble brother,

JOHN CALVIN.

* * * * *

I do not make my special remembrances to each of our brethren because I believe that this letter will be common to them all.[432] Hitherto I have deferred writing on account of the uncertainty of your state, fearing lest I might disquiet you to no purpose. I pray anew our good Lord to stretch out his arm for your confirmation.

[_Fr. copy.--Library of Geneva._ Vol. 107, _a_.]

[432] Calvin refers here to other prisoners of Lyons, Mathieu
Dimonet and Denis Peloquin, who kept up in prison a pious
correspondence by letter with the scholars of Lausanne.

CCCXIX.--TO MADAME DE CANY.[433]

[433] In the Fellowship Register of Geneva, (_Registres de la
Compagnie de Genève_, Vol. A. p. 440,) there is a document entitled,
"_Letter of a Lady persecuted by her Papist Husband_," from France,
24th June 1552. That lady was of high birth, as these words
indicate, "_Knowing the house to which she belongs, and the great
lords of the kingdom to whom she is related, and who are in great
favour with the king_...." This passage appears to us to point at
Madame de Cany; see the Note, p. 295. Persecuted by her husband on
account of her belief, that lady found her only consolation in the
letters and exhortations which she received in secret from Geneva.
Note, p. 409.

Expression of Christian sympathy under trial.

_This 7th of June 1553._

MADAME,--Although I am not so devoid of compassion as not to feel my heart pained, in hearing of the more than ever strict captivity in which you are now held, yet I shall not cease to exhort you to furnish yourself with courage and constancy, according as you feel the trial to be vexatious and hard to bear; for it is just when pressed by Satan and the enemies of the faith to the uttermost, that we ought to make the most of the grace of God. St. Paul glories in this, that although he was chained in prison, nevertheless, the doctrine which he preached was not bound, but having its course, and thriving powerfully. And, indeed, seeing that it is the truth of God which reaches far beyond this world, and upward above the heavens, it is not likely that she should straiten herself according to the fancy or by the tyranny of men. Consequently, the more the devil contrives to torture us by distress, let us strive the more to enlarge our hearts by faith, so as to meet all assaults. Our Saviour, moreover, has formerly afforded you examples of the kind, and gives us all the like daily in divers places; so that we ought to take great shame to ourselves if we are not strengthened by them. For were we to grow faint under the strokes of the rod, when others are noways dismayed by death, what excuse should we have for our cowardice? You had not counted on the possibility of meeting with such rude conflicts at home. But you know how the Son of God forewarns us, so that nothing should trouble us, seeing that we have been prepared for it beforehand. Think, rather, that this is not the end, but that God is trying you very gently, supporting your weakness, until you have more strength to sustain blows. But be this as it may, beware of letting yourself be cast down by indifference or despair. Many are overcome, because they allow their zeal to grow cold, and run off in self-flattery. Others, on the contrary, become so alarmed when they do not find in themselves the strength they wish, that they get confused, and give up the struggle altogether. What then is to be done? Arouse yourself to meditate, as much upon the promises of God, which ought to serve as ladders to raise us up to heaven, and make us despise this transitory and fading life, as upon threatenings, which may well induce us to fear his judgments. When you do not feel your heart moved as it ought to be, have recourse, as to a special remedy, to diligently seeking the aid of Him without whom we can do nothing. In the meantime, strive to your utmost, blaming coldness and weakness, until you can perceive that there is some amendment. And in regard to this, great caution is required so as to hold a middle course, namely, to groan unceasingly, and even to woo yourself to sadness and dissatisfaction with your condition, and to such a sense of misery as that you may have no rest; without, at the same time, any doubting that God in due time will strengthen you according to your need, although this may not appear at once. It can be nothing strange to you to see the poor Church of God so miserably afflicted--to see the pride of enemies increase more and more with their cruelty. If your mind is in too great perplexity, this it is that you should find strange, as a proof of your having forgotten what we ought to have rooted in the depths of our heart, the duty of conformity to the image of the Son of God, patiently bearing the ignominy of his cross, until the day of our triumph come. Nevertheless, let not this hinder, but rather induce you to follow on in the way, for we must yet be sifted even more thoroughly.

Had I heard, that, being deprived of the little liberty you had, you did not cease to have your heart set aright, and to persevere in the service of Him who merits well that his honour be preferred to all beside, I should have whereof to rejoice more fully. However, I do rejoice, whatever be the result, in the good hope I have of this: therefore, do not wrong me by disappointment. However, you must consider most of all what you owe to our gracious God, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown how dear we were to him, since he has not spared himself for us; therefore, see to it that Satan and his underlings, who have thought to trample your faith beneath their feet, be confounded. But as so great a victory requires greater strength than your own, take refuge in this kind Lord Jesus, who has been made to us the strength of God his Father, so that in him we might do all things. And for my part, I shall beseech him that he would pour out upon you the help of his Spirit, so that you may know by experience what it is to be upheld by him, and that he may be glorified thereby, praying also that he would take you into his holy protection, against the fury of wolves, and the wiles of foxes. Whereupon, Madame, after having humbly commended me to your kind favour, likewise to your prayers, I shall now make an end.

Your humble brother and servant,

_J. de Bonneville_.[434]

[_Fr. copy._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 107.]

[434] A town of Savoy, some leagues from Geneva--used sometimes as a
pseudonyme by the Reformer.

CCCXX.--TO THE PRISONERS OF LYONS.[435]

[435] The dungeons in which Mathieu Dimonet still pined away,
contained several other prisoners, Denis Peloquin of Blois, Louis
de Marsac, gentleman of the Bourbonnais, and one of his cousins.
It is to the two last, recently arrived at Lyons, that the letter
of the Reformer is addressed. The prisoners maintained a pious
correspondence with those outside their prison. Peloquin wrote to
his relations,--"... My dear brothers and sisters, ... do not stay
yourselves, I beseech you, upon the judgment of the world, which
is so blinded, that it cannot find life in death, nor blessing in
cursing. Let us know that the means of being confirmed in Jesus
Christ ... is that we should carry our cross with him, for the
servant is not greater than the master...." Louis de Marsac wrote
to Calvin:--"Sir and brother, ... I cannot express to you the great
comfort I have received ... from the letter which you have sent to
my brother Denis Peloquin, who found means to deliver it to one of
our brethren who was in a vaulted cell above me, and read it to me
aloud, as I could not read it myself, being unable to see anything
in my dungeon. I entreat of you, therefore, to persevere in helping
us with similar consolation, for it invites us to weep and to
pray."--_Histoire des Martyrs_, pp. 236, 251.

He impresses on them the duty of maintaining their confession of
the truth quietly and modestly.

_This 7th of July 1553._

MY BRETHREN,--I believe you have been informed that I was absent from town when the tidings from your prison arrived, and did not return for eight days after. I need not, therefore, to excuse myself for having so long delayed writing to you. Now, although these tidings have proved sorrowful to the flesh, even in consequence of the love we justly bear you in God, as we are bound to do, yet must we submit ourselves to the will of this kind Father and sovereign Lord, and not only consider his way of disposing of us just and reasonable, but also accept it with a gentle and loving heart as altogether right and profitable for our salvation,--patiently waiting until he palpably show it to be so. Besides, we have whereof to rejoice even in the midst of our sorrow, in that he has so powerfully aided you, for need was that you should be strengthened by his Spirit, so that the confession of his sacred truth should be more precious to you than your own lives. We all know too well how difficult it is for men to forget self.

Therefore it must needs be that our gracious God put forth his strong arm; then, for the sake of glorifying him we do not fear torments, nor shame, nor death itself. Now, since he has girded you with his power, so as to sustain the first assault, it remains to entreat him to strengthen you more and more according to your further conflict. And seeing that he has promised us victory in the end, do not doubt, that as he has imparted a measure of his strength, so you will have more ample evidence in future, that he does not make a beginning only to leave his work imperfect, as it is said in the Psalm. Especially when he puts such honour upon his people, as to employ them in maintaining his truth, and leads them, as it were by the hand, to martyrdom, he never leaves them unprovided with the needful weapons. Yet, meanwhile, remember to lift up your eyes to that everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ, and to think of whose cause it is in which you fight; for that glance will not only make you overcome all temptations which may spring from the infirmity of your flesh, but will also render you invincible by all the wiles of Satan, whatever he may devise to darken God's truth,--for I am well assured, that it is by his grace you are so settled and grounded, that you do not walk at a venture, but that you can say with that valiant champion of Jesus Christ, I know on whom I have believed.

This is why I have not sent you such a confession of faith as our good brother Peloquin asked me for, for God will render that which he will enable you to make, according to the measure of mind which he has allotted you, far more profitable than any that might be suggested to you by others. Indeed, having been requested by some of our brethren who have lately shed their blood for the glory of God, to revise and correct the confession they had prepared, I have felt very glad to have a sight of it for my own edification, but I would neither add, nor take away, a single word; believing that any change would but lessen the authority and efficacy which the wisdom and constancy we clearly see to have proceeded from the Spirit of God deserved. Be then assured, that God who manifests himself in time of need, and perfects his strength in our weakness, will not leave you unprovided with that which will powerfully magnify his name. Only proceed therein with soberness and reverence, knowing that God will no less accept the sacrifice which you offer him, according to the measure of ability which you have received from him, than if you comprehended all the revelations of angels, and that he will make effectual that which he puts into your mouth, as well to confirm his own, as to confound the adversaries. And as you know that we have steadfastly to withstand the abominations of the Papacy, unless we would renounce the Son of God, who has purchased us to himself at so dear a rate, meditate, likewise, on that celestial glory and immortality to which we are invited, and are certain of reaching through the Cross--through ignominy and death. It is strange, indeed, to human reason, that the children of God should be so surfeited with afflictions, while the wicked disport themselves in delights; but even more so, that the slaves of Satan should tread us under foot, as we say, and triumph over us. However, we have wherewith to comfort ourselves in all our miseries, looking for that happy issue which is promised to us, that he will not only deliver us by his angels, but will himself wipe away the tears from our eyes. And thus we have good right to despise the pride of these poor blinded men, who to their own ruin lift up their rage against heaven; and although we are not at present in your condition, yet we do not on that account leave off fighting together with you by prayer, by anxiety and tender compassion, as fellow-members, seeing that it has pleased our heavenly Father, of his infinite goodness, to unite us into one body, under his Son, our head. Whereupon I shall beseech him, that he would vouchsafe you this grace, that being stayed upon him, you may in nowise waver, but rather grow in strength; that he would keep you under his protection, and give you such assurance of it, that you may be able to despise all that is of the world. My brethren greet you very affectionately, and so do many others.--Your brother,

JOHN CALVIN.

* * * * *

As this letter will, I hope, be in common to you both, I shall merely add, that there is no need whatever for a long exhortation from me; it is enough that I pray God that it may please him to impress still better and better upon your heart, what I see by your letter, that you already enjoy. However grievous it may be to pine so long, if you got no other benefit by it than God's showing you that he has not reserved you until now without cause, you have good reason not to grow faint nor wearied out thereby. And as for the sickness, it is well for you to consider, that God in this way wishes to prepare you better for a greater conflict, so that the flesh being entirely subdued, may be more able to resign itself. Thus we ought to turn to profitable improvement everything that the heavenly Father sends us. If you can communicate with the other brethren, I pray you to salute them also from me. May God uphold you all by his strong hand, preserve and guide you, and make his own glory to shine forth in you more and more.

[_Fr._--Printed in _Histoire des Martyrs_, lib. iv. p. 253.]

CCCXXI.--TO BULLINGER.

Expression of regret for the death of the King of England--sad
condition of the German Churches.

GENEVA, _3d August 1553_.

Paulus an Italian, and a man of tried integrity, on writing lately to our friend Count Celso, stated, among other things, that he had brought a letter for me from the very honourable the Duchess of Ferrara, which he left with you. Seeing that I received a letter from Gualter not long since, in which he makes no mention of such a thing; and seeing, moreover, that John Liner, a merchant of Saint Gall, on passing through this place a short while before, alleged that you had written me through a certain Jew, I am really suspicious that you have been deceived by him. He was not seen by any one here; and indeed I have no doubt but that he has betaken himself to one who is likely to bring him greater gain. If it should turn out accordingly that this letter has been lost, I am anxious that the Duchess should be informed of it. Inasmuch, therefore, as this nobleman, whom she has now employed for many years as a messenger to the French king, was about to make a journey thither, I have requested him to ask you whether anything was done with the packet which Paulus left with you, in order that he may inform his mistress of it.

The messengers regarding the death of the English king are more numerous than I could wish.[436] We are therefore mourning him just as if we were already certain of his death, or rather mourning over the fate of the Church, which has met with an incalculable loss in the person of a single individual. We are held at present in anxious suspense as to whether matters are to go to confusion. It is meanwhile very greatly to be lamented that Germany is being torn by intestine strife, by wounds inflicted by each on the other. But it is nothing wonderful that the Lord should employ violent remedies for such hopeless diseases. All we can do is to pray earnestly and unceasingly that he may not permit his Church to be utterly overwhelmed, but rather that he may guide her safe through the general wreck.

[436] King Edward VI. died a very pious death on the 6th of
July preceding. See Burnet's _History_. Bullinger verified this
mournful event to Calvin in the following words:--"I have received
intelligence from England of a very sad occurrence. That most pious
king departed to the Lord on the 6th of July; and he departed very
happily indeed with a holy confession. The book which I here send
you was written by him, and published in the month of May. You
will see from it how great a treasure the Church of Christ has
lost."--Bullinger to Calvin, August 1553. _Eccl. Archives of Berne._

Adieu, most distinguished sir, and most revered brother in Christ. Salute courteously your fellow-ministers, your wife, your sons-in-law, and your daughters. May the Lord shield you all by his protection and guide you by his Spirit. My colleagues salute you earnestly.--Yours,

JOHN CALVIN.

[_Lat. orig. autogr._--_Library of Zurich._ Gallic. Scripta, p. 19.]

CCCXXII.--TO FAREL.[437]

[437] We have already read at p. 30, of the present volume of
Calvin's first connection with Servetus, and of the rupture of that
connection as attested by the letter of Calvin to John Frellon (13th
February 1546). Wandering by turns in France, Germany, and Italy,
Servetus had taken up his residence at Vienne in Dauphiné, where he
at once exercised the profession of a doctor, and persisted in his
daring attacks on Christianity, for which he aspired to substitute
a rational philosophy. Such is the drift of his book entitled
_Christianismi Restitutio_, which he published anonymously in 1553,
after having two-and-twenty years before directed his bold attacks
against the doctrine of the Trinity, in his book _De Trinitatis
Erroribus_, published at Haguenau in 1531. Accused by a Genevan
refugee before the Inquisition of Lyons, as the author of these
writings, Servetus was arrested, cast into the dungeons of Vienne,
and condemned by Catholic judges to be burnt, from which he only
escaped by flight. Hear how Theodore Beza recounts, in his letter
to Bullinger, the preparations for the trial of Servetus, of his
escape from prison, and of his arrival and arrest at Geneva:--"You
have heard doubtless of that impious blasphemer Servetus. He caused
a book, or rather volume of his blasphemies to be secretly printed
at Lyons. Certain good brethren at Lyons informed the magistrate
of this deceitful action. Persons were despatched to Vienne, where
he was practising as a physician, to bring him bound [to Lyons].
He was seized, but soon after effected his escape by deceit. At
length he came to Geneva, where he went skulking about. He was
forthwith recognized, however, by a certain person, and cast into
prison. Calvin also, whom he treated very unhandsomely by name in
thirty printed letters, pled the cause of the Church against him in
the Council, in the presence of a great assemblage of the pious.
He continued in his impiety. What will come of it I know not. Let
us pray the Lord to purge his Church of these monsters."--_MSS.
of Zurich._ Letter of the 27th August 1553. Such was the opening
of the process which terminated so fatally for Servetus. Born in
an age not disposed to show mercy to errors of faith, he seems,
says a historian, to have fled from Spain--the native country of
the auto-da-fé--only to see his effigy burnt in a strange land by
the torch of a Catholic executioner, and to come afterwards to
expire amid flames kindled by Calvinistic justice.--Albert Rilliet,
_Relation du Procès Criminel intenté contre Servet_. Genève, 1844.
8vo.--[Translated into English by the Rev. Dr. Tweedie.]

Arrest of Servetus, and institution of the process against him.

GENEVA, _20th August 1553_.

It is as you say, my dear Farel. Although we may be severely buffeted hither and thither by many tempests, yet, seeing that a pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness. We have now new business in hand with Servetus. He intended perhaps passing through this city; for it is not yet known with what design he came. But after he had been recognized, I thought that he should be detained. My friend Nicolas summoned him on a capital charge, offering himself as security according to the _lex talionis_.[438] On the following day he adduced against him forty written charges. He at first sought to evade them. Accordingly we were summoned. He impudently reviled me, just as if he regarded me as obnoxious to him. I answered him as he deserved. At length the Senate pronounced all the charges proven. Nicolas was released from prison on the third day, having given up my brother as his surety; on the fourth day he was set free. Of the man's effrontery I will say nothing; but such was his madness that he did not hesitate to say that devils possessed divinity; yea, that many gods were in individual devils, inasmuch as deity had been substantially communicated to those, equally with wood and stone. I hope that sentence of death will at least be passed upon him; but I desire that the severity of the punishment may be mitigated.[439] Adieu. My colleagues again salute you. Budé does the same, and Normandie, who has now recovered. Present my regards to my brother Claude.

JOHN CALVIN.

[_Calvin's Lat. Corresp._ Opera, tom. ix. p. 70.]

[438] Nicolas de la Fontaine, a servant of Calvin's, was made,
conformably to the judicial usages then in operation at Geneva,
criminal prosecutor against Servetus.--_Registers of the Council_,
14th August 1553.

[439] It is curious to read on this point the reply of Farel to
Calvin:--"In desiring to mitigate the severity of his punishment,
you act the part of a friend to a man who is most hostile to you.
But I beseech you so to manage the matter that no one whatever
may rashly dare to publish new dogmas, and throw all things into
confusion with impunity for such a length of time as he has done."
In his relentless rigour against heresy, Farel did not hesitate to
pronounce himself even to be worthy of death if he should teach any
dogma opposed to the faith. His words deserve to be recorded:--"When
I read Paul's statement that he did not refuse to suffer death if he
had in any way deserved it, I saw clearly that I must be prepared to
suffer death if I should teach anything contrary to the doctrine of
piety. And I added, that I should be most worthy of any punishment
whatever, if I should seduce any one from the faith and doctrine of
Christ."--8th Sept. 1553. Calv. _Opera_, tom. ix. p. 71.

CCCXXIII.--TO DENIS PELOQUIN AND LOUIS DE MARSAC.[440]

[440] Occupying the same cell during the last days of their
captivity, the two prisoners were only separated to die. Denis
Peloquin was taken from his prison the 4th September, and conducted
to Ville Franche, where his heroic constancy at the stake excited
the wonder and tender sympathy of the spectators. Louis de Marsac,
with two other victims, Etienne Gravot of Gyen, and Marsac, his
cousin, who had followed him into his dungeon, "gave thanks to God
for the inestimable honour which he conferred upon them of suffering
for his name." At the moment when the three condemned were about to
be led to the place of execution, a rope was put about their neck,
according to custom. "Louis de Marsac, seeing that they spared him
in that particular, out of some regard to his quality, asked in
a loud voice if the cause of his two brethren was different from
his, adding these words, 'Alas! do not refuse me the collar of so
excellent an order.' The lieutenant agreed to his wish, and the
three martyrs, chanting with one voice the song of deliverance,
shortly after mounted the pile prepared on the Place des Terreaux,
and expired in the midst of the flames."--_Hist. des Martyrs._ Lib.
iv. p. 254. _Hist. Eccl._ tom. i. p. 92.

Information regarding various controverted points--exhortation
to fidelity, even unto martyrdom.

_This 22d of August 1553_.

VERY DEAR BRETHREN,--Although when writing your letter you thought that the enemies of truth were about to sacrifice you soon, I do not omit writing to you, so that if it please God that this should arrive in time, you may again have some words of consolation from me. It is very well and very prudently determined by you to give thanks to God, since you know that he has confirmed you anew in his promises, giving you such constancy as you have lately felt in your last replies. It is indeed of him alone that you have remained steadfast and unflinching. Hence I feel well assured that this seal, which bears the true mark of the Holy Spirit, will never be effaced. Elsewhere he has wrought so powerfully upon Michael Girard,[441] that his former weakness gives all the greater lustre to the strength which he has received from above. I have no doubt that even the enemies themselves must be convinced that this change did not proceed from man. Consequently there is stronger reason why we should have our eyes open to contemplate the hand of God which is here put forth after a wondrous manner, to withdraw his frail creature from the horrible confusion into which he had fallen. At the time that he followed his own devices, he fancied that he had gained much in redeeming for a short period this fading miserable life, by plunging himself into the abysses of eternal death. It is then a divine work, that of his own goodwill he should have again returned to death, that he might attain to a life of uprightness, from which he had not merely strayed, but absolutely excluded himself as far as in him lay. For the goodness of God has been the more richly displayed, by having raised up his creature out of a fall which seemed fatal, yea, so as even to triumph by it, and to magnify his glory, as he has begun to do, and will I hope carry out to perfection.

[441] Michael Girard. _In a note in the History of the Martyrs_,
this Michael Girard did not persevere.

I have seen the confession drawn up by him, which is pure and frank, and worthy of a Christian man. Nevertheless, I think it right that he should be warned as to some points, in order that the adversaries may be the more confounded by his making a more distinct reply;--not that what he says be not true, but because the malignant always lay hold of the slightest occasions to calumniate and pervert what is right.