[326] Oswald Myconius of Lucerne, the distinguished philologist and
theologian, disciple of Glarean and of Erasmus. He taught literature
at Zurich in the lifetime of Zuingli, who honoured him with his
friendship; was then called to Basle, where he discharged the office
of theological pastor, and was elected first pastor on the decease
of Œcolampadius, (1531.) Zealous partisan of the Lutheran dogma
of the Sacraments, in his relations with the Swiss churches, he
was ever animated by a spirit of moderation and gentleness, which
procured him the constant affection of Calvin. He died October 15,
1552, at the age of sixty-three years, and was succeeded by the
minister Sulzer in the direction of the Church of Basle.--Melch.
Adam, _Vitæ Theologorum Germanorum_, pp. 223-226.
Restoration of the Church of Geneva--wise and moderate behaviour
of Calvin--obstacles to the establishment of ecclesiastical
discipline--duty of the magistrates--information regarding an
adventurer named Alberg.
GENEVA, _14th March 1542_.
On my first arrival here I could not, as you have requested, write
you with certainty as to the state of this Church, because I had
not then myself sufficiently ascertained what was the condition
of it. Since that time also I have not ventured to say anything
for certain, while matters were not very settled, that I might not
shortly have occasion to repent of having praised it too soon. And
this was also the reason why I abstained from writing when the
deputies of our republic set out for Basle. Now, however, since,
notwithstanding my delay, your kindness has anticipated me, I feel
that I can no longer put off my reply to your request. The present
state of our affairs I can give you in few words. For the first
month after resuming the ministry, I had so much to attend to, and
so many annoyances, that I was almost worn out: such a work of
labour and difficulty has it been to upbuild once more the fallen
edifice. Although certainly Viret had already begun successfully to
restore, yet, nevertheless, because he had deferred the complete
form of order and discipline until my arrival, it had, as it
were, to be commenced anew. When, having overcome this labour, I
believed that there would be breathing-time allowed me, lo! new
cares presented themselves, and those of a kind not much lighter
than the former. This, however, somewhat consoles and refreshes
me, that we do not labour altogether in vain, without some fruit
appearing; which although it is not so plentiful as we could wish,
yet neither is it so scanty but that there does appear some change
for the better. There appears a brighter prospect for the future
if Viret can be left here with me; on which account I am all the
more desirous to express to you my most thankful acknowledgment,
because you share with me in my anxiety that the Bernese may not
call him away; and I earnestly beseech, for the sake of Christ, that
you would do your utmost to bring that about;[327] for whenever
the thought of his going away presents itself, I faint and lose
courage entirely. I do hope that the brethren will aid you in this
arrangement, (I mean the ministers of Berne,) for we entertain that
love towards each other, that I can venture to engage they will do
their utmost for me, as I would do for them. I am afraid, however,
that the Senate will not very readily agree to the proposal.
Whatever shall be the result, let us strain every nerve to bring it
to bear. Do you also strive to the utmost with the brethren, as you
have undertaken to do; for while there is no doubt that they would
be willing of their own accord, it will be of advantage at the same
time, nevertheless, to have your exhortation. Our other colleagues
are rather a hindrance than a help to us: they are rude and
self-conceited, have no zeal, and less learning. But what is worst
of all, I cannot trust them, even although I very much wish that
I could; for by many evidences they shew their estrangement from
us, and give scarcely any indication of a sincere and trustworthy
disposition. I bear with them, however, or rather I humour them,
with the utmost lenity: a course from which I shall not be induced
to depart, even by their bad conduct. But if, in the long-run, the
sore need a severer remedy, I shall do my utmost and shall see to it
by every method I can think of, to avoid disturbing the peace of the
Church with our quarrels; for I dread the factions which must always
necessarily arise from the dissensions of ministers. On my first
arrival I might have driven them away had I wished to do so, and
that is also even now in my power. I shall never, however, repent
the degree of moderation which I have observed; since no one can
justly complain that I have been too severe. These things I mention
to you in a cursory way, that you may the more clearly perceive
how wretched I shall be if Viret is taken away from me. What you
observe, from the example of your Church, of the great injury which
is inflicted by the noisome plague of discord among the ministry,
I can confirm, from my own experience, to the fullest extent, in
the calamity which has befallen this Church. No persons could be on
closer terms of intimacy than we were here with one another. But
when Satan had stirred up that deplorable misunderstanding between
these brethren and ourselves, you know yourself what followed
thereupon. My determination was therefore made at once, that unless
with the evidence of an entire reconciliation, I would never
undertake this charge, because I despaired of any benefit from my
ministry here, unless they held out a helping hand to me. Meanwhile,
many in their assembly are not over friendly, others are openly
hostile to me. But this I carefully provide against, that the spirit
of contention may not arise among us. We have an intestine seed
of discord in the city, as I have already mentioned; but we take
special care, by our patient and mild deportment, that the Church
may not suffer any inconvenience from that circumstance, and that
nothing of that kind may reach the common people. They all know very
well, by experience, the pleasant and humane disposition of Viret: I
am in no way more harsh, at least in this matter. Perhaps you will
scarcely believe this; it is not the less true, however. Indeed,
I value the public peace and cordial agreement among ourselves so
highly, that I lay restraint upon myself: those who are opposed to
us are themselves compelled to award this praise to me. This feeling
prevails to such an extent, that from day to day those who were once
open enemies have become friends; others I conciliate by courtesy,
and I feel that I have been in some measure successful, although not
everywhere and on all occasions.
[327] "I will write concerning Viret to Berne as soon as I am able,
but in the name of the brethren, that it may come with greater
authority, if the object can be accomplished at all. For we also
desire that the Church of Geneva may be as well supplied as possible
for the good of other churches."--_Oswald Myconius to Calvin, 10th
February 1542._
On my arrival, it was in my power to have disconcerted our enemies
most triumphantly, entering with full sail among the whole of that
tribe who had done the mischief. I have abstained: if I had liked,
I could daily, not merely with impunity, but with the approval
of very many, have used sharp reproof. I forbear; even with the
most scrupulous care do I avoid everything of the kind, lest even
by some slight word I should appear to persecute any individual,
much less all of them at once. May the Lord confirm me in this
disposition of mind. It happens, however, sometimes, that it is
necessary to withstand our colleagues; but we never do so unless
they either compel us by their unseasonable importunity, or some
weightier consideration demands our interference. I will relate an
instance to you, which the complaint you make in your letter, owing
to the similarity of the case in point, brought very forcibly to
my recollection. When we were considering about the introduction
of ecclesiastical censure,[328] and the Senate had given us a
commission to that effect, these worthy persons appeared in public
to assent; doubtless because they were ashamed to offer direct
opposition in a matter that was so plain and evident. Afterwards,
however, they were to be seen going about secretly, dealing
separately with each of the senators, exhorting them not to lay at
our feet the power which was in their own hands, (as they said,)
not to abdicate the authority which God had intrusted to them,
and not to give occasion to sedition, with many other arguments
of a like nature. We dared not close our eyes to such perfidious
conduct. We endeavoured, however, to arrange the matter in such
a way as not to stir up strife among us. We at length possess a
Presbyterial Court, such as it is, and a form of discipline, such
as these disjointed times permit. Do not, however, allow yourself
to suppose that we obtained so much without the most vigorous
exertion. And besides, those troops of unclean spirits break forth
in all directions, who, in order that they may escape from healthy
discipline, which they can in no way submit to, seek every sort of
pretext for slipping away from the authority of the Church. The
world, moreover, holds this laxity to be an established custom,
which, for the sake of its lust, must reign paramount, because it
cannot endure to resign the dominion of the sensual appetites to
Christ. But however impostors of this kind may plead the plausible
case of the world and the flesh, the Lord will consume them with
the breath of his mouth, provided we go forward to the assault with
united courage and resolution, and fight manfully, with a stout
heart and unwearied zeal, for that sacred authority and power of
spiritual jurisdiction over the members of the Church which ought
ever to be held inviolable. For, indeed, the truth of God shines
more brightly of itself in this evangelic order of discipline, than
to allow of its being easily overlaid with such lying devices. They
adduce Moses and David as examples: as if, forsooth, these two
rulers had exercised no other charge over the people than to rule
them in the ordinance of civil government. Let those insane pleaders
for the authority of the magistrate give us such men for magistrates
as were Moses and David, that is, excelling in the singular spirit
of prophecy, and sustaining both characters, not at their own
mere will and pleasure but by the calling and commission of God,
we shall then willingly concede to such persons that authority
which they demand. I have no doubt that Moses himself discharged
the functions of priesthood before the consecration of Aaron to
the office: afterwards he prescribes, by the command of God, what
was to be done. David, also, did not proceed to take order in the
settling the administration of the Church, before he was invested
with that power by the permission of God. Other pious godly kings
defended and protected the established order by their authority, as
became them; they let the Church alone, however, in the exercise of
her peculiar jurisdiction in spirituals, and left to the priests
the charge assigned to them by the Lord. But am I not foolish to
enter upon so complicated a question, when the letter-carrier is
just upon the eve of setting out? whence it happens that we have
not at present sufficient leisure for going fully and particularly
into the long story of Alberg. I shall make a beginning, however,
and follow it forth until the messenger shall arrive to snatch away
the half-completed letter out of my hands. You must understand,
in the first place, that this individual has now, for many years,
been engaged in nothing else than constantly running about hither
and thither, to shuffle money out of some, clothes from others,
and thus to live from hand to mouth, maintaining a livelihood by
imposture, as is the practice of those vagabonds who wander to
and fro. He had come hither more than once before our expulsion:
and had asked for a situation, but did not find one to suit him,
because he wished a school of some standing, which is nowhere to be
found in this quarter, and with a large salary. In a little while
after he returns, deploring as usual that he had been plundered by
highwaymen. He repairs to a neighbouring small town, goes round
canvassing for the mastership of the school, which he does not
obtain. This repulse he charges upon us, who were so destitute of
influence there, that had it been known that his appointment would
not have been pleasing to us, on that account alone he would have
obtained it; and yet, God is our witness, that at that time we
had endeavoured nothing else than that he might find somewhere or
other a situation fit and suitable for him. He came afterwards to
Strasbourg, where he extorted twenty batzen from me, which I myself
was obliged to borrow in another quarter; for I had sold my books,
and was then entirely without funds. He had promised that he would
return them within a few days. A box, of no value, he deposited
with me as a pledge. Having returned after an interval of some
months, laughing in his sleeve, or rather making game of it, he
asked whether I would not let him have some crowns by way of loan,
and my reply was, that I needed the small sum which he had already
got. The rascal, in the meantime, having stealthily conveyed the box
away out of my library, consigns it to the care of Bucer's wife. She
would have nothing to do with it, and gave me intimation. Thereupon
I reprimanded his impudence, in the presence of several witnesses.
In half a year after, or perhaps a whole year, he coolly wrote me
that he was shut up at Baden, that all the gentry of the district
had combined against him, that he could not otherwise escape, unless
I sent him a travelling merchant, who might bring him away in his
basket of goods. Bedrot received one, couched in similar or nearly
the same terms. We had a laugh. I wrote a few words also in reply;
for we had reason, from many circumstances, to conjecture that he
was all the while in that city. From that time he has never made his
appearance. A year and a half has elapsed in the meantime. As I was
aware that the little box contained many trifling articles of no
value, I opened it, in the presence of many witnesses. It contained
mouldy apples, and all sorts of trash, some books, tattered and
torn, and these quite commonplace, such as Despautier, and the like.
I found also a letter, which he had surreptitiously carried off
from me. This Sturm is well aware of, whom I called to be present.
We replaced every thing, not without much laughter. When Grynée,
of worthy and revered memory, came to Worms, he brought word that
Alberg was then at Basle. On coming away from Strasbourg I requested
my friends to send him back the box. The rascal, having received it,
went about proclaiming that I was a thief, that I had taken out of
it many incomparable books. He came to Lausanne,--related the same
story to Viret. When lately he had betaken himself hither again,
he was for ten days in the city before I was aware of it. A while
after, at the suggestion of Viret, I went to him, asked whether it
was his intention to raise an action of theft against me, when he
said that he had lost some remarkably rare books. I told him he was
a most impudent scoundrel. The day after, he attacked me in my own
house, not only with the most abusive language, but also making a
furious assault; hereupon he was given into custody. When I was
afterwards interceding earnestly for him with the magistrate, and he
was about to be called and sent away without any further trouble,
the jailer brought word that he had spoken still more outrageously
against me there. In this manner he would not suffer himself to be
benefitted; and yet he is punished less than he deserves. It is his
old song, that something has been taken away from him. He could not
formerly go three miles' distance but he must fall among robbers.
Everywhere he boasts that he has a great store of invaluable books;
even as he offered books in pledge to me, which he had at Basle,
when he sought my aid in getting out of durance at Baden. In like
manner, at Berne, when he sought ten crowns from me and Farel, he
said that he had at your house a large package of books, and fifty
Bohemian ducats. Lately, also, in the taverns, he talked of nothing
else than the noble library which he had left at Basle. But, in
truth, it is somewhat offensive that I should have to speak a word
to clear myself, for I reckon that I have so lived as to be beyond
the suspicion of theft. The letter has now been twice called for.
Adieu, most excellent and very much esteemed brother. May the Lord
Jesus direct you continually by his Spirit in his own work, and
govern your household. Viret particularly and reverently salutes
you.--Wholly yours,