[232] See the note appended to the preceding French Letter. Nicolas
Parent became, at a later period, minister of the Church of
Neuchatel.
Instructions regarding the Supper, and on various points of
Ecclesiastical Discipline.
WORMS, _14th December 1540_.
I am well pleased that you have delayed the holy Supper for
another month, for at the present time you could not administer it
without neglecting that order which, for very sufficient reasons,
I earnestly desire to be carefully attended to. I am greatly
delighted, according to what I hear, that our Church holds well
together, so that no inconvenience is felt from my absence; in the
midst of my annoyances, it is especially refreshing and consolatory.
Although I only spoke incidentally and very briefly, before my
departure, what appeared to me to be worth while, I nevertheless
gave faithful counsel. I rejoice that you take it in good part, not
because it was mine, but because I am confident that it will prove
not unuseful to you and wholesome to others. I am not a little
perplexed in the devising of a method by which to give assistance
to the poor. But you see the extreme destitution of our church, nor
have I ever been able so to arrange matters that some help might be
sent to us from France. Sturm left the other key at his own house.
If only so much shall be found in the poor-box from whence you can
supply the present need until my return, we shall then deliberate
together what better can be done. There is no reason why you should
give yourself much concern about those flying reports, which you
understand are spread with no evil intent, but from mere idle folly.
I am really grieved on account of Philip, that his complaint is
of so long continuance. He is a pious young man; modest, upright,
prudent, so far as appears to me. Therefore, if the Lord shall
preserve him to us, I have conceived the best hopes of his excellent
natural disposition and understanding. Will you greet him kindly in
my name? The other person you mention, the more he is destitute of
help or comfort, the more carefully we ought to relieve him. What
you tell me about the elderly woman, because there was something
which looked so much out of the ordinary course of nature in the
account, I could not at first be brought to the belief of it. Not
that I thought you had done rashly that you had advertised me of it,
since the story had been spread abroad by the discourses of many.
Nor ought we feigningly to pass by scandals which are thus blown
about upon the breath of rumour, even although they may be obscure,
and not very well ascertained on good authority. For while it may
be our duty to put down rashly-concocted slanders, we cannot duly
distinguish between truth and falsehood, if we negligently pass
over scandals which are in everybody's mouth. Now when Charles has
given me certain information, that there are not only appearances of
wantonness, which rather lead to a suspicion that there is something
wrong, than enable us to deal with it, but has also announced the
marriage, I have been utterly stupefied. It is certainly a scandal,
which all the saints ought to hold in abomination. For what appears
even more fabulous than when we read in the poets that women of
sixty years of age are still wantons? And, indeed, this silly old
woman has already arrived at her seventieth year, and has a son of
an age which generally puts an end to the love-passages of married
women. Had she only joined herself in marriage to some man of
already declining years, she might have pretended that she sought
something else than the delights of matrimony. She has now taken
away not only every defence, but also every appearance of excuse.
They thought that they laid their plans very cleverly, when they
took advantage of a clandestine benediction. But they find by
experience, both of them, how dangerous a thing it is to trifle with
God. If you now ask me what may be your duty in this matter, I can
scarcely help you forward in it. For although I consider that they
ought to be severely reprehended, (nor can we avoid that, unless we
are willing to forego our duty,) because, however, it is not free
of danger, there is need of great caution being had, lest, being
exasperated by us, they may overleap the fences, and burst away from
each other with the same rashness by which they came together,
and with greater scandal and more offensive profligacy. Therefore,
unless some special occasion shall have been presented to you, I do
not advise that you exchange a word with her upon the subject. But
if a suitable occasion shall have presented itself, you may then
shew her how greatly you were displeased that she had so little
considered, in the conduct she had pursued, either her own character
or the edification of the Church, and that there was not one serious
or decent man who did not highly disapprove it. That you also did
not entertain a doubt that this news will be both very bitter and
very sad to me. At the same time, however, that she may not be
utterly distracted or break out into insanity, you can soften the
harshness of these expressions by kindly expressions, and exhort her
to endeavour to make up for what has been so ill begun, by bringing
the matter to a better ending. Lastly, you must use such discretion
in the matter, that all shall be in order when I return.
I am so perplexed, or rather confused in my mind, as to the call
from Geneva, that I can scarce venture to think what I ought to
do,--that whenever I enter upon the consideration of this subject,
I can perceive no outlet by which to escape. Wherefore, so long as
I am constrained by this anxiety, I am suspicious of myself, and
put myself into the hands of others, to be directed by them. In the
meantime, let us beseech the Lord that he would point out the way
to us. Adieu, dear brother. Greet for me, most lovingly, all our
friends.--Yours,