MONSIEUR,--Although I rely with confidence in our gracious God,
that as he has guided you hitherto, bestowing grace to overcome
many difficulties, which might have turned you aside out of the
straight road, he will also in time coming vouchsafe you strength
to resist all the assaults which Satan can muster up against you,
nevertheless, when I consider the danger wherein you now are,
already harassed by so many temptations, as I see them arrayed and
set in order, I could not refrain from reminding you, that the
benefits which God hath bestowed upon us, indeed require that we
should prefer his honour to all the world besides, and that the
hope of salvation which we have by his Evangel is so precious,
that we ought readily to forego all meaner considerations, in so
far as they hinder us from reaching forward to that hope, and that
we ought to have such contentment in conforming ourselves to his
will, that whensoever the question arises of our displeasing the
whole world, that we may obey his pleasure, it is good for us. Not
that he does not put you in mind of this without my warnings; for
I am well assured, that foreseeing the occurrence of temptations,
you have taken good care to arm and furnish yourself beforehand by
meditation upon these things. And can you not say as much, moreover,
that you have that imprinted on the heart? But well do I know how
profitable it will be for you to hear a word or two of exhortation
from your friends, for that will serve very much to confirm you. I
have sometimes experienced this myself. On the other hand, had this
only been the point in consideration, that in this manner I might
express the anxiety which we entertain about you in this quarter,
that of itself were quite a sufficient reason for me. That, besides,
such as it is, ought to be an argument to persuade you of our desire
to have good accounts of you, that we may have occasion to return
thanks to God, having understood that you are spared, or rather
that he shall so have tried you, that he will, notwithstanding,
have given you courage to overcome all the wiles of the devil. If
you have to fight, and that should be the will of God, reckon that
it is but a passing tempest, and that you can betake yourself to
a covering shelter from the storm--for we have no other retreat
than that of our God--let us then hide ourselves there, and we
shall be in security. The hope of our being able to reform by the
instrumentality of human means is very small. Wherefore, we must not
repent of having come forward, nor of our on-waiting in following
of God, even should the whole world pass on before us. And even now
we must not draw back on that account; for whosoever shall do so
will find himself deceived. Let us firmly hope that at length the
Lord will take pity upon his Church. But let every one proceed just
according as he is called, and let him who has more grace shew the
way to others. This is what ought to make you bethink yourself, that
is to say, that you are so much the more obliged to run quicker than
many others, on account of our Lord having given you the power, and
having also brought you to the spot, from whence it is not allowable
for you to withdraw to the rear. And in fact, when a man has once
withdrawn himself from that abyss of the spiritual captivity, or
rather, has been delivered by the hand of God, should it so happen
him to be engulfed anew, and to depart from the liberty which the
Lord had vouchsafed him, he is quite overwhelmed when he finds
himself in a state of confusion, from whence it is not possible to
come forth.
I say this, not because I think it shall happen, or that I distrust
you, for, as I have protested from the beginning, I feel well
assured that nothing will shake your resolution; but we must not be
wanting in stirring up one another, however well disposed we may
be; and all the more that we have been deliberating with ourselves,
we are the more glad when our friends hold out a helping hand to
strengthen us. In short, I just do what I would desire you to do to
me were I in your situation, and I never doubt but that you will
take it with the same heart as that from which it proceeds.
Wherefore, Monsieur, after my humble commendation to your kind
favour and to that of Madame, I beseech the God of grace always to
manifest himself for your protection, and to defeat the wiles of
Satan; so that, having full hope in him, you may not have any other
motive but to glorify his name, and that he would so strengthen
you in constancy that you may never be disturbed by the fear of
man, nor stunned by the uproar which they shall make, but he would
so sanctify you that himself may be the place and palace of your
sanctification.
Your humble brother and servant always,
CHARLES D'ESPEVILLE.
[_Fr. orig. autogr._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 194.]