Calvin, Luther, And Melancthon.
Calvin In Search Of A Wife.
Calvin's presence at these religious congresses was not devoid of
pleasure and valuable result to himself. He was brought into
personal relation with almost all of the most eminent men in the
different reformed churches; and he soon obtained such a high
place in their esteem that with one consent they called him
_The Theologian_, being struck not only by the extent of his
knowledge, but by the clear insight and courage which he
displayed, in dealing with the difficult questions which they had
to discuss. There was one important meeting--perhaps the most
important of any for the Reformation--which did not, however,
take place at these conferences--Calvin did not meet Luther; the
two great reformers never once saw each other and talked
together. Calvin, no doubt, regretted it keenly, for he ardently
desired the unity of the reformed churches. He wrote to the
learned Bullinger of Zurich: 'Nothing is more important, not only
for us but for the whole Christian Church, than the maintenance
of true harmony between those men to whom the Lord has confided
great powers. This is the point on which Satan has fixed his
eyes; he desires nothing so much as to excite quarrels among us,
and to isolate us from each other.'
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Calvin was especially troubled at the controversy between Luther
and Zwingli on the subject of the eucharist: 'Although I have the
highest opinion of Luther's piety,' he wrote to his friend Bucer,
'I do not really know what I ought to think of him; even his
friends acknowledge that there is a good dose of self-esteem in
his firmness, and it does not seem to me at all improbable. The
Swiss may therefore be excused if they distrust the attempts at
re-union; Luther's offensive pride compels them to do so.'
A message, and a few words uttered by Luther, modified these
impressions. Calvin wrote to Farel: 'Craton, one of our
engravers, has just come from Wittenberg; he has brought a letter
from Luther to Bucer, in which Luther says, "Greet Calvin--whose
little works I have read with remarkable pleasure--
affectionately." Philip (Melancthon) also writes: "Calvin is in
high favour here." He also desired the messenger to say that
certain persons, wishing to irritate Martin (Luther), had pointed
out several passages in my works in which I alluded to him and
his followers in very bitter terms. Luther examined the passages,
and saw that he was undoubtedly the person referred to; he ended
by saying, "I hope Calvin will think better of me one day; we
ought to bear with something from so excellent a man." If we are
not melted by so much gentleness,' adds Calvin, 'we must be
stones; as for me, I am melted.'
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The controversy concerning the eucharist still raged as fiercely
as ever between the two schools, but Calvin's feelings had
evidently undergone a change. 'I implore you,' he wrote to
Bullinger, who was a Zwinglian, 'never to forget how great a man
Luther is. Think with what courage, what constancy, what power he
has devoted himself to spreading the doctrine of salvation far
and near. As for me, I have often said, and I say it again,
though he should call me _devil_, I would still give him due
honour, and recognise him as a mighty servant of the Lord.' A
little later Calvin went beyond even this. He wrote to Luther:
'If I could only fly to you and enjoy your society, even for a
few hours! But since this happiness is not granted to me here
below, I hope that it may soon be granted me in the kingdom of
God. Farewell, then, most illustrious man, eminent minister of
Christ, father for ever venerable to me! May the Lord continue to
direct you by his Holy Spirit for the common good of his Church!'
Melancthon was charged to give this letter to Luther, but finding
no doubt that his master was not in the right humour to receive
it, the timid disciple kept the letter, and Luther never knew of
it. I do not know if it would have had the effect of calming his
irritation, but it remains as a noble expression of the
sentiments which Calvin entertained for him, and which he
continued to express even after Luther's death.
During the Diets of 1539 and 1542, Calvin frequently met
Melancthon, and they became close friends. When men are earnest
and sincere, they are drawn together, and united by their points
of difference almost as powerfully as by their common sympathies.
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Melancthon attracted Calvin by the cultivation and fertility of
his intellect, by its comprehensiveness as well as its subtlety
and elegance; he was at the same time philosophical and literary,
as well versed in the ancient Greek and Latin literature as in
Christian history and theology. He belonged quite as much to the
Restoration of literature in the sixteenth century as to the
Reformation. All these things influenced Calvin, who was keenly
alive to the charm of great learning and fine language. Moreover
Melancthon shared the greater number of his own views on the
principal religious questions which were at that time in dispute,
especially his views on free-will and predestination. He was
older than Calvin, and a man of much greater renown, and yet he
showed him marked esteem and affection. During their early
intercourse Calvin was the disciple, welcomed and treated with
great favour by the celebrated man whose amiable nature was as
great an attraction as his rare intellect and acquirements, so
that he was no less honoured than delighted. He was not slow to
perceive that these fine qualities were allied in Melancthon to
defects which his own character and personal instincts caused him
to feel keenly. Calvin was a man of great intellectual precision
and courage, energetic, and of passionate intensity of character;
Melancthon was gentle, open to many influences, easily moved and
intimidated either by friends or enemies, and inclined to make
concessions in order to avoid a contest. Although Calvin was
impressed by these characteristics, which were unfavourable to
the common cause, yet he was no less alive to Melancthon's rare
and attractive merits; he remained faithful to his master, but
the pupil soon became an independent and candid critic, and
during the whole of their friendship he made it a duty to warn
Melancthon, and put him on his guard against his weakness: 'You
complain,' he wrote, 'of Luther's violence and blind intolerance;
but must not this defect increase and grow from day to day, if
every one trembles before him and gives way to him in everything?
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I gladly acknowledge that by your gentle and conciliatory manner
you have kept many from quarrelling, or made peace between them.
I approve of this moderation and prudence; but is it a reason for
shrinking in terror from every contested question as from an
abyss, for fear of opposing and offending some one? Do you not
thus leave in uncertainty and perplexity a large number of
friends who look to you and rely upon you as the man in whom they
put their trust? Truly, as I have already told you more than
once, it is not to our honour that we refuse to sign with our ink
the doctrines which so many saints are sealing with their blood.
You know why I address you with such earnestness: I would rather
die with you a hundred times over than see you outlive your
divine and native nobility. I am not afraid of that, but I am
afraid that you will give our enemies a pretext that they have
long desired for injuring you in one manner or another. Forgive
these bitter complaints, which can do no good. May God guard
thee, excellent man, whom I carry always in my heart! May the
Lord still guide thee by his Holy Spirit, and sustain thee by his
strength!'
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It is possible that Calvin sometimes felt a secret pleasure in
thus assuming towards Melancthon the attitude and language of an
independent and severe judge; the noblest of human beings do not
entirely escape from the small and ignoble defects of human
nature, but, in spite of this, their nobility and rectitude are,
on the whole, the true motives of their conduct. It was love of
truth, sincere friendship for Melancthon, and zeal for their
common cause, much more than a secret pleasure in the
gratification of his own self-esteem, which led Calvin during the
whole of their intercourse to address Melancthon in frank and
dignified language. This was the tone of the last words--words
imbued with the deepest tenderness--which he wrote concerning
his friend when in 1560, having himself only a few more years to
live, he heard of his death.
'O Philip Melancthon! for it is upon thee that I call, upon thee
who now livest with Christ in God, and art waiting for us, until
we shall also be gathered to that blessed rest! A hundred times,
worn out with fatigue, and overwhelmed with care, thou hast laid
thy head upon my breast and said, "Would to God that I might die
here, on thy breast!" And I, a thousand times since then, have I
earnestly desired that it had been granted us to be together.
Certainly thou wouldst have been more valiant to face danger, and
stronger to despise hatred, and bolder to disregard false
accusations. Thus the wickedness of many would have been
restrained, whose audacity was increased by what they called thy
weakness.'
It would be difficult to reconcile truth, piety, and friendship
more tenderly.
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Calvin had now lived at Strasburg for more than two years--years
of incessant work and arduous struggle. He had no other domestic
enjoyment than his books, and occasionally the society of one or
two young students who were invited to his humble home, no other
relaxation than conversation from time to time with his friends,
and journeys upon the different missions with which he was
entrusted. He was scarcely thirty, and yet his health was already
delicate and uncertain. He occasionally contemplated marriage,
but entertained neither romantic nor worldly notions on the
subject. On the 19th of May, 1539, he wrote to his most intimate
friend Farel, and no doubt alluded to some suggestion which had
been made to him: 'I will now speak more openly on the subject of
marriage. I do not know if, before the departure of Michael, any
one mentioned the person about whom I have written to you.
Remember, I pray you, what I look for in a wife. I am not one of
those idiotic lovers who can even adore defects when once they
are captivated by beauty. The only beauty I care for in a woman
is that she shall be modest, gentle, unobtrusive, economical,
patient, and that I may expect her to look after my health. If
you think that I do well to marry, pray see about it at once,
lest some one else should be beforehand with you. If you do not
think so, then let us give it up.' Some months later, on the 6th
of February, 1540, he wrote again to Farel: 'In the midst of all
these labours I have leisure enough to think of taking a wife. A
young girl of noble birth and good fortune--far beyond my
position--has been proposed to me. But there were two reasons
against the marriage. She did not understand our language, and I
was afraid that she might think too much of her birth and
education.
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Her brother, a very pious man, urged the marriage strongly, from
no other motive than his affection for me, which blinded him so
that he forgot himself; his wife entreated as earnestly as he
did, and I should have been compelled to give my hand, if the
Lord had not delivered me. I answered that I would do nothing
unless the young lady promised at once to devote herself to the
study of French. She asked for time to consider. I immediately
sent my brother, and a worthy man whom I know, in search of
another person; and if she is as good as her reputation, she will
bring me an ample marriage portion without any money, for all who
know her speak of her with admiration. If the thing succeeds
according to our hopes, the marriage will take place not later
than March 10th. God grant that you may be present to bless our
union! I shall feel rather foolish if my expectations come to
nothing, but I fully believe that the Lord will help me, and so I
act as if the thing were certain.' Three weeks later, on the 26th
of February, 1540, Calvin wrote once more to Farel: 'I am afraid
that if you wait for my wedding it will be a long time before you
come. My wife is not yet found, and I am afraid that I must look
again for her. Three days after my brother's return, I received
certain information about the young lady in question which
compelled me to send him back at once, in order to break off the
engagement.'
His friend Bucer now came to his aid, spared him the trouble of a
fresh search and saved him from further uncertainty. John
Störder, an Anabaptist from Liege, had been converted to the
orthodox faith by Calvin, and had since died of the plague; his
widow now lived at Strasburg.
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Her name was Idelette, and she was born at Buren, a little town
in Gueldres; she had been left with three children, and in her
humble position had gained the esteem and affection of all who
knew her. Beza says: 'She was a grave and virtuous woman.' On
Bucer's recommendation Calvin saw her and conversed with her, and
was convinced, as he afterwards wrote to his friend Viret, 'that
whatever sharp trial might be sent him, she would willingly be
his companion in exile, poverty, and even unto death.' Their
wedding was celebrated in September 1540, with considerable
solemnity. Many of his friends, and deputies sent by different
consistories in French Switzerland, were present at the marriage
of an already celebrated reformer; a man from whom the members of
the reformed faith in western Europe, in the midst of their
struggles, expected much greater things than any that he had yet
done.
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