[465] A letter without address and without date, probably written
to one of the friends of the Reformer in France,--perhaps Louis du
Chemin, or Francis Daniel,--who, while sincerely adhering to the
doctrine of the Reformed, kept up in appearance their connection
with the Roman Catholic Church. It is to this enlightened but
timid class of men that two writings, submitted by Calvin to
the approbation of Luther, were specially addressed. See two
preceding Letters. "These writings," says Beza, "were the cause
of a great blessing, several persons having resolved to devote
themselves to God's service, who had formerly been asleep in their
uncleanness."--_Hist. Eccl._, tom. i. p. 49. But we know not who
is the individual to whom Calvin addresses warnings against the
seductions of the Court of Rome, and in the absence of certain
knowledge, we are only left to conjecture.
Difficulties in the way of a reunion, and doubts of the efficacy
of a General Council under present circumstances--deplorable
state of the Church--motives which prevented him from going to
confer in person with the German Reformers--his proposals to
them.
_January 1545._
And so, just as if the day for holding the Council had been
appointed for the next month, you make already arrangements for your
departure.[466] This, however, is of itself a proof how rashly and
at haphazard everything is done among you, and nothing set about
prudently or after deliberation, that when the most able persons in
the whole kingdom should be selected, the matter has been entrusted
to such incapables; except, perchance, that while on other occasions
they are the most sluggish of all, they are not the less on all
occasions but too well prepared for mischief. Besides, I have an
opinion that the expectation of a Council, which is said to be at
its height among you, will prove to have been unfounded. The Diet of
the Empire will meet in February. No serious deliberation, however,
will begin before March. I know by experience the German method of
doing business. Of this I can as certainly assure you, as if I had
been actually present. Our friends will insist from the first that,
excluding Antichrist, they may at length establish somewhat of order
among themselves. On the other hand, those who are enchained in
willing bondage to their Romish idol, will deny that this is lawful
or allowable for them to do. The Emperor, that he may in part give
some sort of satisfaction to our side, will promise fair, that he
is ready to do everything, and may, perhaps, make a show of doing
somewhat; but as soon as possible after having made a beginning,
upon some pretence or other, which is never wanting to men of that
sort, he will break away altogether. This will certainly be the
final decision, that it is not lawful to determine anything in the
matter of religion except by authority of the Pope. As for the
calling of a Synod, when that shall have begun to be mooted, by and
by our side will begin to remonstrate, that it is disgraceful that
the settlement of religion should be entrusted to the professed
enemies of God. They will cite Antichrist as a criminal and
defendant: certainly, they will never permit him to be the judge.
But by what means do you think they can be induced to come to Trent?
If even there were to be no let or hindrance on our side, since
there is nothing that would be more agreeable to the Emperor, than,
having turned the attention of every one to the Turkish war, to
leave the state of the Church for a while in suspense,--will he not
then, in this matter which accords so perfectly with his own views,
be only too well inclined to make concessions which will gratify
the Pope? Even were we to suppose, for instance, that a Council
has been summoned, that already every thing is in readiness and all
prepared, do we reckon that the idol[467] will be any way at a loss
for some artifice or other, whereby he may interrupt and throw all
into disorder? What will then become of religion, torn and rent
asunder and laid waste? what will become of the wretched Church
rushing forward apparently to destruction? what will become of the
Christian name? what will become of the glory of God? Assuredly, we
must ask of him, that himself alone would take the entire charge of
all things, and uphold the Church. Our friends are drowsy, nor is
there any hope of their more vigorous and cordial action, unless the
Lord awaken them from some quarter or another. Howbeit, the ungodly
give them occasion enough of beginning to think of taking some heed
to themselves. The canons of Cologne, with the whole rabble of the
clergy, have done their utmost to get their Archbishop degraded[468]
from his station. They have called meetings of the States, that they
might have their allowance to substitute another in his place. This
has been refused. They made the same application to the Emperor; his
answer was that he would not be found wanting on occasion, provided
they themselves did their duty. He was unwilling to grant their
request openly. However, one may easily prognosticate from these
roundabout proceedings, that he would not be at all unwilling that
they should make some disturbance about it, and should they proceed
to any greater length, war is certain, in which the whole of Germany
throughout will be much weakened and shaken to the foundations; for
this, also, the Lord will provide and see to. This to my mind is
the only consolation, that death can never be a misfortune to a
Christian man. In the meanwhile, I will lament as I ought for the
calamities of the Church, and make myself wretched when I think of
the condition of the godly; only, however, in so far as not to be
in despair. Were we only well agreed among ourselves, I would be
much less anxious; but in the midst of those hostile preparations
on the other side, that certain persons should find leisure enough
for senseless quarrelling with one another, looks rather portentous.
Upon the other hand, too, some one or other, in an elegy, has
attacked Osiander,[469] a person who is himself rather wanting in
good sense. In desiring to clear himself, he has so besprinkled his
book with rancour, that for myself I was mightily ashamed of him;
but nothing has given me more vexation, than that he insults the
Zuinglians in every third line. It is even after such a sort as this
that we seem to have hired ourselves, both hand and tongue, to the
ungodly, that we may afford them sport and pastime by tearing one
another to pieces. Who is there that would not lose heart entirely
where so many stumblingblocks are thrown in the way? I do most
readily acknowledge, that there is no one so iron-hearted who would
not be utterly cast down, unless he look continually unto the Lord.
And, therefore, I so read the meaning of all this, that it appears
to be the Lord's will, by every possible means, to try us whether
our dependence is placed on men; and, for my own part, it is so far
from overwhelming me, that, on the contrary, no slender confirmation
thence arises of my faith. For while I see the Church marvellously
steered by the Lord in the midst of those mighty waves, so that
it cannot be overwhelmed; while these very tempests are at their
height, until everything would seem as if about to mingle in wild
disorder, yet I see that the noise of the waves is stilled, and in
a moment they are calm; wherefore, then, may I not thence conceive
good hope of the future? Let us therefore haste forward in the race
of our calling, leaning upon this confidence, that the Church,
which has God for the perpetual Guardian of her safety, will at
length surmount these perils; but because every one has not the same
strength of mind, the more familiarly I repose these matters in
your confidence, all the more on that account you will be careful as
to the few to whom you may communicate them.
[466] See note 1, p. 438.
[467] It is the same thought confirmed by the events which the
Reformer expressed six years later, in the preface of the Commentary
on the Canonical Epistles, dedicated to the King of England.--"But
although the venerable fathers had begun to dazzle the eyes of
the simple with some Will-o'-the-Wisp stories about the sitting
of a Council, all this shining deceptious appearance having been
dissipated by a secret whisper suddenly mooted by the See of Rome,
vanished in smoke, except, that in order to keep up the excitement,
a little cloud hovered for a season over Bologna."--_Dedication to
King Edward VI._, _26th January 1551_, édit. de Genève, 1562.
[468] See Sleidan, lib. xvi., pp. 455, 456.
[469] See the note 1, p. 437.
With regard to what you asked in your last letter, I felt some sort
of hesitation whether I ought to undertake the matter; for the
journey is long, rugged, and toilsome. The post on horseback does
not reach Wittemberg in less than twenty days. To send any one, as
it might happen, without choosing a fit person, would be dangerous.
On light-headed fellows and vagabonds one can place no dependence,
and few others are to be found. To a person unacquainted with the
language the road will prove very toilsome, and there is scarcity
everywhere on account of the late dearth. I myself am altogether
unfurnished as to money; besides, although the season is not
inconvenient, I am unable to sustain the burdens which already press
upon me without being entirely exhausted. For in this time of the
dearth, with which for the last two years we have had to struggle, I
found the incurring of debt was unavoidable; however, I do not speak
of this for the sake of complaining. God hath dealt very kindly
with me, so much so, that I am quite content with what I have. But
I mention it that you may understand that it is not easy for me to
find persons here from whom I can take up money upon loan: they are
indeed all of them merchants, and themselves almost starving. Add
to this what I have already said, that the time is unseasonable for
consulting Luther, because his anger has scarce settled down from
the heat of contention. Since, however, you insist so earnestly, and
press me with so many protestations that I would do so, my first
and chief desire was to comply with your wishes. I have accordingly
requested and obtained of an honourable, and a not unlearned young
man,[470] that he would take this trouble on my account. My two
treatises I have translated word for word into Latin, which have
been sent along with my letters, that so they might be able to form
an opinion. Nor have I asked any other favour, except that they
would express freely and without reserve whatever they may think
upon the question: only adding, that it would be noway agreeable to
me, should they feel any delicacy in so far as concerned myself. The
messenger will scarcely have returned before two months; for he
must be forty days upon the road: I assign four days for rest, the
remainder of the time for consultation.--Adieu.
[_Calvin's Lat. Corresp._, Opera, tom. ix. p. 235.]
[470] See the note 2, p. 434.