[63] Ville Affranchie (Genève.)
MONSIEUR,--Eight days before I received the letters which you left
at your departure to be forwarded to me, John had arrived,[64]
so that some weeks before I had any news of you the rumour of
your departure had taken wing hither. Although such a state
of uncertainty was very great occasion of annoyance to me,
nevertheless, I held my judgment in suspense as much as was
possible; what troubled and tormented me most was the fear I
entertained of having offended you by my imprudence, as I know
and acknowledge that I have not observed towards you the due
consideration which I ought. It is indeed true, that I derived such
advantage from your society and conversation, that absence could
not be joyous to me; but inasmuch as I saw you were in a somewhat
languid state, I bore my loss patiently, considering your comfort as
a sufficient recompense. Finally, since the arrival of your letters
from two different quarters, by them I have partly understood your
intention. While I consider, however, that my company could not be
very agreeable in such rudeness and incivility as I used towards
you, notwithstanding, I feel confident that that circumstance has
neither estranged nor alienated you from us, for which we may
certainly rather thank your prudence, which I have had to sustain me
in regard to that, than because I conducted myself as became me.
[64] John du Tillet, brother of Louis, raised at a later period to
the honours of the Episcopate. Accomplished in the knowledge of the
ancient languages and in sacred archæology, he was charged with
various scientific missions by Francis I., and in the course of his
travels had visited Geneva.
I cannot conceal from you that I have been very much astonished on
hearing of your intention, and even the reasons which are put forth
along with the declaration of it in your letters. What occasions
me the greatest surprise is, that I considered you so settled
and resolved in that affair, that it would no way be possible to
dislodge you from your purpose; and although you could not have
had in the course you have been following very solid reasons, yet
this so sudden change has appeared very strange to me, seeing
the constancy and firmness which you manifested. May God grant,
nevertheless, that your change of opinion may be as benignly
construed by others as I endeavour to take it.
As for the reasons which have swayed you in arriving at that
determination, I cannot perceive them to be very peremptory. I know
well that my conscience before God is sufficiently assured of the
contrary, and I hope that it will be so until the day when we must
appear to give in our account. Besides, I am much misunderstood if
I have not manifestly proved the justice of my cause in such a way
that every one ought to be content, were it not that the one party
pardon themselves too easily, while the others would readily give
entrance to Jesus Christ, but only by ways wherein he will in nowise
walk. I have never doubted that the eminent persons[65] you mention
might in some degree have helped, without intending it, to land you
in such a conclusion, while in touching on this point in letters
written to me, they concealed it. Certainly their great learning
and piety may well lend authority to their consultations. But I am
well assured that in this matter, besides substantial grounds, I
shall have more colour of reason than they, if I assume a mask to
make myself look like them. Both the one and the other constrain me
by their conduct to desire in them greater firmness and constancy.
However high our reputation may be, it is never well to be so very
liberal in bestowing another's property; and if we must beware of
being bountiful at the expense of men, what caution ought to be
exercised in dispensing the truth of God, which he does not commit
to our trust that we may lessen it in anything? I pray the Lord
that himself would give us so much understanding as that we may
clearly comprehend that he will not be served by halves, and as our
foolishness would divide his portion, but entirely according to his
own will.
[65] Bucer and Capito, the Reformers of Strasbourg.
If you do acknowledge for churches of God those who hold us in
execration, I cannot help it. But we should be in a sad plight if
it indeed were so. For certainly you cannot give them this title,
unless you hold us to be schismatics, in which case you will have
to consider how your opinion will agree with the deliverance of our
Master, "whatsoever ye shall bind on earth," &c. If you consider
that there always remains some remnant of the blessing of God, as
St. Paul affirms of the Israelites, you may well understand that I
agree with you, seeing that I have sometimes declared to you that
such was my opinion even as regards the Greek churches. But it does
not follow as a consequence from that, that in the assembly we are
bound to acknowledge the church; and if we do there acknowledge
her, she will be our church, not that of Jesus Christ, who marks
his own by other tokens, when he says, my sheep hear my voice; and
St. Paul, when he calls her the "pillar of truth." You will answer
me that she will be found nowhere, seeing that everywhere there is
ignorance. Yet the ignorance of the children of God is of such a
nature, that it does not hinder them from following his will.
Were it a question of comparison of such meetings with the
synagogues of the Jews, I should fear to injure the latter in
not preferring them to the other, or at least placing them in
the background, for their idolatry is not so great, nor their
abomination so horrible. What one can see of good, it is common to
both, except indeed that it appears to be a great advantage that
the name of Jesus Christ is avowed in the one and not in the other.
But its influence is not the less abolished. Or if we would find a
more suitable comparison, it is such a state as existed among the
people of Israel under Jeroboam, or rather under Ahab, at a time
when the spirit of the people had been corrupted by long usage. I do
not mention these things without good cause, for I perceive how many
begin to flatter themselves under the title of The Church, strongly
condemning whatsoever is not like their own, for which they will
have to render account. Let them consider by what right they do so,
for I know well that our assurance is too certain to yield merely to
frivolous objections. As regards yourself I do not think that you
can look upon us otherwise than as if you held intercommunion with
us, but it is a step towards separation from the Church of God when
any one joins that which is opposed to him.
Moreover, I think that I perceive such a fear of God to be in you
that I must see great arguments to move me from the persuasion which
I have entertained. Be assured, then, that the first slight reports
will not have such power over me as to overturn the experience I
have had of you for many long years. But although I may tolerate
that infirmity, offering you no more opposition than if you were
one of ourselves, I can by no means approve your conduct; and would
choose rather that I should be taken out of the world by a bitter
death, than approve your deed, which I know to be damnable in
itself, and besides that, fraught with ruin, or at least marvellous
offence towards many, as well as because I see the readiness with
which we justify ourselves, in order to encourage others to follow
our example. However, concerning those matters of which at present
you are resolved, I will make no long dispute. I would rather
entreat the Lord that it may be his pleasure to deliver you from
all scruples, so that his way may be quite plain and open in that
direction, waiting an opportunity when such shall offer itself.
As for the departure of Lois Dartois, I never had a suspicion that
it proceeded from you, inasmuch as I have been lately informed
to the contrary. But it has been a poor stratagem on his part to
conceal things from me in which he could not deceive God; for it is
no light thing to tempt God, which those do who voluntarily bring
themselves again under bondage. The miserable excuses with which
we are wont to cover even our moral nakedness before men,[66] will
never be able to endure the heat of God's judgment.
[66] In the French original: _Les sacs mouillés_ dont nous avons
coutume de nous couvrir devant les hommes.
You have long ago graciously permitted me to consider all things in
common between us. Would that it pleased God I could make you a due
acknowledgment. My companions charge me to commend them to you, who
are of the same mind with me, although I have striven to the utmost,
without shewing your letters, to prevent their taking offence. I
could give no other counsel to John than that which my conscience
warranted, unless I would turn traitor to the truth of God, and to
his personal salvation. You will not take it amiss. I entreat you to
have special remembrance of us in your prayers, to which although
the knowledge you have of our weakness ought sufficiently to stir
you up, nevertheless, the difficulties which press upon us ought
yet more to arouse you, as they are now greater than ever.[67]
After humbly commending myself to your kind remembrance, I pray the
Lord to keep you in his holy protection, and so to direct you that
you may not go astray in that slippery path whereon you are, until
himself shall have manifested to you his complete deliverance.
[67] The opposition which the establishment of the ecclesiastical
discipline drawn up by Farel and Calvin met with at Geneva, became
every day more intense and lively. The newly-elected Syndics made
common cause with the malcontents, and already gave signs of the
forthcoming crisis which was to lead the way to the triumph of the
party of the Libertins and the banishment of the Ministers.--Spon,
_Histoire de Genève_, edit. 1730, tom. i. p. 276.
You will pardon me if this present is very confusedly written,
shortness of time is in part the cause, and partly our troubles,
besides that the argument was not very easy to handle.
Your very humble servant and brother,