Death of Courault--Calvin's discouragement and trust in
God--answers a question of Saunier regarding the Supper--the
faithful at Geneva exhorted not to separate from the new
preachers--affectionate advice given to Farel.
STRASBOURG, _24th October 1538_.
The death of Courault has so overwhelmed me, that I can set no
bounds to my grief.[105] None of my daily occupations can so avail
to engage my mind as that they do not seem to turn upon that one
thought. Distress and wretchedness during the day seems only to
prepare a lodging for the more painful and excruciating thoughts of
the night. It is not merely the want of sleep, to which custom has
so inured me, by which I am harassed, but I am utterly exhausted by
these melancholy thoughts all night long, than which I find there
is nothing more destructive of my health. But that atrocious deed
chiefly rankles my mind, if indeed the suspicion is well founded,
to which, whether I will or nill, I am constrained to allow some
weight. To what a degree of wickedness must our posterity at length
arrive, when in the very commencement such monstrosities rise up
before our eyes? I much fear lest this great wickedness may speedily
be punished by some great affliction of the Church. Moreover, it
is no slight evidence of the anger of God, that, amid so great a
scarcity of good ministers, the Church should be deprived of one who
stood in the foremost rank of the good. What else, therefore, dear
brother, can we do than lament our calamity? although, nevertheless,
we are not lacking in solid consolation. This of itself is a great
comfort when all do thus testify, by affectionate sorrow as for
their own loss, the high esteem in which they held him for courage
and uprightness. So neither does the Lord suffer the wickedness of
our enemies to remain concealed upon earth. They have not gained
the worth of a single hair by his death. For there stands before
the judgment-seat of God a witness and avenger of their villany,
whose voice will proclaim their destruction more loudly than if it
shook the earth. We, the survivors whom the Lord has left behind
for a while, let us persevere in the same path wherein our deceased
brother walked, until we have finished our course. Whatsoever
difficulties may be thrown across our path, they will not prevent
our arriving at that rest into which he has been already admitted.
Unless this sure hope held us firm and steadfast, what ground of
despair encompasses us round about! But since the truth of the
Lord remains firm and unshaken, let us stand resolutely upon the
watch-tower even to the end, until the kingdom of Christ, which is
now hidden and obscured, may shine forth.
[105] The aged monk, Augustin Courault, a zealous preacher of the
Reformation at Paris and at Geneva. He took part with Calvin and
Farel; after a short imprisonment was banished from Geneva, found a
retreat with Christopher Fabri at Thonon, and was appointed pastor
at Orbe, where he died, 4th October 1538. Courault was advanced
in years, and had become blind. ("Illuminant les âmes, dit Bèze,
combien qu'il fust devenu aveugle quant au corps."--_Hist. Eccl._
tom. i. p. 15.) His death, which was at first attributed to poison,
caused the deepest regret both to Farel and Calvin, who were his
colleagues in the ministry.
Our opponents have already sounded the trumpet on account of the
sentence pronounced against the town of Minden.[106] As the interest
of religion is concerned in the matter, our friends are necessarily
implicated. It will be our surest and invincible defence if the
Lord of Hosts shall defend us by his own strength. Otherwise we are
scarcely strong enough to repel the assaults of our enemies. Let us
therefore take refuge in that one asylum, which, even although the
whole earth may be shaken, can never be moved.
[106] As one of the cities in league with Smalkald for the defence
of the Gospel, the town of Minden had just been placed under the ban
of the empire. The Roman Catholic princes of Germany confederated
at Nuremberg prepared to execute the sentence against which the
Protestant princes had solemnly protested.--Sleidan, _Commentarii_,
lib. xii. p. 338, édit. de 1612, in 4to.
We do not slacken our endeavour, and continue to cry incessantly
for a conference until it shall have been obtained. Saunier[107]
wished another question to be discussed by us,--Whether it is
lawful for himself, and others similarly situated, to receive the
sacrament of the Lord's Supper from the hands of the new ministers,
and to partake of it along with such a promiscuous assemblage of
unworthy communicants. In this matter I quite agree with Capito.
This, in brief, was the sum of our discussion: that among Christians
there ought to be so great a dislike of schism, as that they may
always avoid it so far as lies in their power. That there ought to
prevail among them such a reverence for the ministry of the word
and of the sacraments, that wherever they perceive these things
to be, there they may consider the Church to exist. Whenever
therefore it happens, by the Lord's permission, that the Church is
administered by pastors, whatever kind of persons they may be, if
we see there the marks of the Church, it will be better not to
break the unity. Nor need it be any hindrance that some points of
doctrine are not quite so pure, seeing that there is scarcely any
Church which does not retain some remnants of former ignorance. It
is sufficient for us if the doctrine on which the Church of God is
founded be recognized, and maintain its place. Nor should it prove
any obstacle, that he ought not to be reckoned a lawful pastor who
shall not only have fraudulently insinuated himself into the office
of a true minister, but shall have wickedly usurped it. For there
is no reason why every private person should mix himself up with
these scruples. The sacraments are the means of communion with the
Church; they must needs therefore be administered by the hands of
pastors. In regard to those, therefore, who already occupy that
position, legitimately or not, and although the right of judging
as to that is not denied, it will be well to suspend judgment in
the meantime, until the matter shall have been legally adjudicated.
Therefore, if men wait upon their ministry, they will run no risk,
that they should appear either to acknowledge or approve, or in any
way to ratify their commission. But by this means they will give
a proof of their patience in tolerating those who they know will
be condemned by a solemn judgment. The refusal at first of these
excellent brethren did not surprise nor even displease me. In truth,
at a time of so great excitement, which could not fail to produce an
ebullition in the minds of men, a schism in the body of Christ was
the infallible result. Besides, they were still uncertain whither
at length this tempest would drive them, which for the time put
everything in confusion and disorder.
[107] Antony Saunier, countryman and disciple of Farel, was honoured
to be his companion in announcing for the first time the simple
Gospel in Geneva, (September 1532.)--(See Spon, _Hist. de Genève_,
tom. i. p. 215, Note P.) Having been appointed Regent of the college
of that town, he offered, in 1538, a determined opposition to the
pastors who were elected in room of Farel and Calvin, and along
with his colleague Mathurin Cordier was banished, on account of his
refusal--notwithstanding the advice of Calvin himself, to receive
the sacrament at the hands of the new ministers. He retired to the
Pays de Vaud, and at a later period became pastor of the church at
Morges.
Saunier then proceeded to speak of himself, but with so much
contention, that it seemed as if he would never have an end until
he had extorted what he sought. There was evident ground of reason
why we should deny. For prudence in making a due distinction is
required from the minister to whom the dispensation of this sacred
mystery belongs. Moreover, he who has not from the first repudiated
their fellowship plainly approves their ministry. Lastly, the
question having been reduced to these conditions,--whether it were
better to yield or to refuse, I forced him into this dilemma:--If
the minister does his duty, all will at once go well; if not, it
will beget a scandal which must not be endured, whatever supposed
advantages might arise therefrom. But when he perceived that I was
firmly determined to accomplish what I sought to effect, he readily
acquiesced therein, whatever it was. We know by our experience how
difficult it is to keep within due bounds those who are puffed
up with a silly opinion of their own wisdom. When we all thought
this particular time very unseasonable for discussing the points
in dispute among the brethren, the Lord has surpassed our utmost
expectation. Whatever we sought has been obtained. Saunier at first
seemed to dislike that any formula of confession should be required.
He supposed that our friends would be satisfied for this alone,
because they had been taught by himself. Afterwards, however, he
relaxed his opposition and approved without further controversy,
such as I have drawn it in their name. I fear that the person will
give you most trouble whose business it ought to be to help you;
however, by patient sufferance you will struggle through. I entreat
of you, my dear brother, in so great iniquity of the time in which
we live, that you will use your utmost endeavour to keep together
all who are any way bearable. As to the trifling ceremonies,
strive to induce the brethren not to dispute the point with those
of their neighbourhood with so much of stiffnecked obstinacy. It
will then come to pass that we may carry our point, ourselves
free from all, that we may only serve the interests of peace and
Christian agreement. If I omit any important points, it is because
your letter, which I had given to Capito to read, has not yet been
returned to me. May the Lord preserve and strengthen you by his
Spirit, confirm you in the enduring of all things, my most beloved
brother in the Lord. Your anxiety on my account admonishes me in my
turn to recommend your taking care of your health, for all accounts
report that you appear very much worn out. I beg and entreat of you,
my dear brother, have such regard to others as at the same time to
keep in mind that the Church of Christ cannot yet spare you. Greet
a thousand times for me all the brethren who are with you; Viret,
Francis also, and James, when you write to them. Capito, Sturm, and
Firmin, desire to salute you in the most friendly way.
[_Lat. orig. autogr._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 106.]