[182] This family had not yet quitted France. See the letters, pp.
90, 119. They received this new letter of Calvin, on the occasion of
the death of one of its members, perhaps Mathieu de Budé, who had
corresponded with the Reformer in 1546, and of whom, subsequent to
this period, all trace is lost. There exists (MSS. of the Library of
Geneva, vol. 109) a letter of Mathieu de Budé to Calvin, relative to
the assassination of John Diaz at Neubourg. We remark the following
passage:--"I have received your letter ... which was most welcome to
me, as well because I recognize in it your disposition of goodwill
and love, as on account of the ordinary consolation which I have
received from it...."--26th April 1546. The author of that letter is
not mentioned by M. Galiffe.--_Notices Généalogiques_, tom. iii. p.
83. He had died, no doubt, before the establishment of his family at
Geneva.
Consolations on occasion of the Death of one of its Members.
[1547.[183]]
[183] Dated, on the back of the letter, in a foreign hand.
MESSIEURS AND WELL-BELOVED BRETHREN,--Although the present is
addressed particularly to two of you,[184] I nevertheless write
in such wise, that if you think fit it may serve for the whole
household. If the account which I have heard of the death of your
good brother and mine have been the occasion of joy to me, as,
indeed, there was good reason for it, you who have known better the
whole matter, have, assuredly, far more ample matter for rejoicing,
not for that you have been deprived of so excellent a companion, on
which account both you and I have good ground for regret--all the
more that the number of those who in the present day walk constantly
in the fear of God is so small and rare, but because of the singular
grace which God had conferred upon him, of perseverance in the
fear of his name, the faith and patience which he has manifested,
and other tokens of true Christianity. For all that is as a mirror
wherein we may contemplate the strength wherewith our kind heavenly
Father assists his children, and most of all, out of their greatest
difficulties. Then, also, we may conclude that his death was indeed
happy and blessed, in the face of him and of all his angels. At
the same time, you must reflect that it is a fine example for
you, lest it be converted into a testimony against you, to make
you inexcusable before God, the great Judge. For inasmuch as he,
dying as a Christian, has shewn you how you ought to live, it is
certain that God would not have such a testimony to be useless.
Know, then, that the death of your brother is as God's trumpet,
whereby he would call upon you to serve him alone, and this far more
loudly than if your brother had lived ten years longer to exhort
you: while, besides, the pious exhortations which he addressed to
you are ever sounding in your ears, that his zeal may glow in your
hearts, that his earnest and instant prayers may quicken you, to
draw you towards Him to whom he has been gathered and restored as
one of his own. I do not doubt that his expressed condemnation of
the abuses and superstitions which exist in Christendom, may have
given occasion of murmuring to many, and that it may have somewhat
aroused the rage of the adversaries of the Gospel against the whole
family; but it is not fitting that the plots and threatenings of
the wicked should have more power to discourage our hearts than so
effectual a call from God to uphold us. In short, you must take
heed that the blessing become not an occasion of evil to you;
wherefore, if hitherto ye have begun well, which, indeed, ought to
prove a help to you in going forward, do not slacken, but rather
redouble your ardour, so as to run with greater diligence. I am not
ignorant of the dangers which environ you, and am not so devoid of
fellow-feeling, as not to have that sympathy which I ought. But you
are aware, that will not excuse such a degree of timidity as there
is among those who mingle in the world, disguising themselves in
every way; and so much the more that there are few who are quite
exempt from it, our duty is to urge and provoke one another forward;
and inasmuch as every one ought to do his utmost to walk according
to the measure of knowledge vouchsafed to him, you should examine
the more narrowly whereunto ye have attained. For you cannot pretend
the common excuse wherewith the most part cover themselves, as with
some moistened rag of a palliative, namely, that God has not yet
bestowed so much grace upon them. For besides that God has opened
your eyes to make you understand with what zeal you ought to glorify
him before men, above all, the profession you have made obliges
you to it as well. Nought remains, therefore, except that you
disencumber yourself of worldly anxieties, to seek in good earnest
the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. And if it be not
possible to confess him as your Saviour where you are, you should
far rather prefer to be removed for a little while from the country
of your birth, than to be for ever banished from that immortal
inheritance to which we are called. Whether willingly or no, we
must needs be strangers in this world; shall we then refuse even to
stir from the nest? Happy, indeed, are they who declare, not merely
by empty profession, but effectually, that they are so, and rather
than decline from the faith, are quite ready at once to quit their
home, and, in order to dwell in union with Jesus Christ, make no
difficulty about parting with their earthly comforts. These are hard
sayings to those who have not tasted the worth of Christ; but to you
who have felt his power, all else ought, after the example of Saint
Paul, to be counted but as filth and dung. Indeed, it is not enough
that you yourselves keep steadfast, but if there be others who are
weaker, you ought to strengthen them by your admonitions, and to
look well to it that there be no falling away.
[184] Doubtless these were John de Budé, Sieur de Vérace, and Louis,
Sieur de la Motte, his brother.
I myself am far from the dealings of the present time; whether that
will be of long continuance I know not. But I speak of a thing known
and experimentally ascertained. It is a great shame that with such
a measure of knowledge as God has vouchsafed us, there is so little
heart, compared with the ardour of the martyrs who have gone before
us, who were ready to go to death so soon as God had enlightened
them with a far less amount of understanding. We learn somehow to
make shift while we ought rather to be learning to live; but there
are others in worse plight than we; for, to speak the truth, there
are many who dare not venture to breathe a word, but are content
to dream apart, and to feed upon their fancies, instead of rather
seeking, as they ought, to be continually exercised, as well by
reading together as by conference and godly conversation, the more
to confirm and enkindle holy zeal. I have no reason to distrust
you; but you will pardon my anxiety, which proceeds from an upright
love, if I am moved to warn you in the name of God, not to let such
a blessing be lost, as that which God has sent to your family; and
that you may not lessen it, take heed to grow in grace; that you may
not draw back, determine to go forward; that you may not come short,
resolve to go on unto perfection.
Wherefore, Messieurs and beloved brethren, after hearty
commendations to all of you who desire the kingdom of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and serve God with a good conscience, I beseech this kind
Father to have you in his protection, and to make you feel it, so
as you may lay hold upon him with such boldness as should belong to
you, that he would guide you by his Spirit in the obedience of his
will, and glorify himself in you, even unto the end.