[508] Joachim Wadian, Burgomaster of Saint Gall, one of the most
learned men of the 16th century. Educated at the University of
Vienne, he there distinguished himself by an extraordinary aptness
in the cultivation of literature and the sciences, and cultivated
with equal success, poetry, eloquence, medicine, and mathematics;
he travelled the principal countries of Europe, and returning to
Saint Gall his native country, corresponded with some of the most
illustrious persons of his time who honoured his genius and his
virtues. United by the ties of friendship to the Swiss and German
Reformers, he powerfully contributed to the establishment of the
Reform in his country. An upright magistrate, a conciliatory
theologian, an able statesman, he formed the connecting link of
important negotiations between the different Swiss Churches, and
died in 1550, leaving an illustrious name and revered memory. His
books and his manuscripts, carefully preserved in his native town,
form the principal basis of the Town Library of Saint Gall, called
sometimes after his name, the _Library of Wadian_. See Melchior
Adam, _Vitæ Germanorum Medicorum_. Edit. 1706, p. 24.
Excuses for the long silence which he had observed
towards Wadian--allusion to the controversy regarding the
Sacraments--lively entreaties in behalf of the Provençal
brethren.
GENEVA, _24th July 1545_.
Although for some time I have often proposed to write you, yet I
was hindered by this one thing, that after such a long interval
I felt almost ashamed to begin. Lately, when I was at Zurich an
opportunity offered itself, certainly by no means happy, but still
convenient. But there again Dr. Bullinger stood in the way, for
owing to the very great hurry of business, he prevented me from
accomplishing it. Then at Arau, when I had put off writing until I
had arranged something definitely with the legates concerning the
business about which I had set out, so sudden was our departure
after the answer had been returned, that I had considerably less
time there than at Zurich. Only I begged your deputy to carry my
salutations to you, and to promise that I would write on the very
first opportunity. Before I knew you personally, my dear Wadian,
I always loved and respected you; for you had become known to me
by your excellent writings, in which both a wonderful candour,
rare among learned men of the present day, and a pious zeal of no
common character, as well as your solid erudition, shine forth.
But when at Basle, many testified to your astonishing love to me,
and when you yourself, too, in receiving me, gave me such abundant
proofs of it, how could it be otherwise than that there should be
some accession to my former feelings towards you? For, as before, I
should have been a wicked man had I not regarded with love, as well
as reverence, one who had deserved so well of the Church of God,
so I should have been heartless had I not returned the love of one
by whom I had been so courteously and kindly treated. Add to this,
that I saw that your friendship would be no small honour to me, and
those very virtues, which when I merely pictured them to my mind
had bound me to you, the more they became known and manifested by
converse with you, the more they tended to increase my love. This
relationship, consecrated, as it were, by such auspices, I have
hitherto religiously cherished. But how I have so little fostered
it by writing, and attested it to you by other common offices, I
will here briefly explain. When wicked men drove us out by violence
and sedition from Geneva, and we had set out for Zurich in order to
report upon the condition of this Church, or rather its unfortunate
dispersion, of which some traces still remain, I had no difficulty
in perceiving that you had been induced, by the unfavourable
language of certain persons, to suspect us of something which was
not the case. But neither did I think that your mind was alienated
from us, whatever might be whispered into your ears by those who
endeavoured by every means in their power to render us odious. But
rather I remember that I perceived how anxiously you wished that our
interest should be consulted, nor have those friendly exhortations
of yours, which you employed in your _Epitasis_, fallen from my
memory. But the event shewed with what unjust prejudices we were
loaded.
But wherefore this old story now? you will say. In sooth, just that
I may excuse my neglect of the duties of friendship in the past, and
that you may not reasonably accuse me either of sloth, or pride,
or ingratitude, if you think me to have been so negligent without
cause. Nay, when the same reason, which had led me to withdraw from
your intimacy, had induced me also to abstain from correspondence,
because I feared you might not think very well of our cause, and
when afterwards access to you seemed to be precluded to me by the
very length of my silence, until some fresh opportunity should open
it again, now, after such a silence, so far from having nothing to
write about, more subjects offer themselves than could be easily
comprised in a letter. Waiving others, I may surely be allowed to
deplore with you the ruinous mischief of internal strife[509] which
has broken out afresh. I know what sorrow you feel. But since the
wound is of such a kind that it can scarce be touched without being
further irritated, what resource have we but with continual prayers
to invoke the aid of the Physician from heaven? As regards the
alleviation of the French persecution,[510] there is great danger
that I have in vain lately spent much labour and been troublesome
to you, unless those, who desire the safety of Christ's kingdom
with their whole heart, put their hands to the work afresh. I am
given to understand that there is not much zeal, not to use stronger
language, at Berne and Basle. For, as the old proverb runs, _Tears
soon dry up_, so we see many for a moment moved by the calamities
of the righteous, and soon after begin to grow cold. Then a serious
report affecting the brethren has got abroad, that the King is
violently inflamed against them, because they refused to pay the
tithes of the bishops. When this was made known to me at Arau, I
boldly, and without any hesitation, asserted that it was an impudent
fabrication. For they never denied their penny to the priests even
when they remitted their former duties. Now, if the King, to satisfy
us, says that he has sent the commissary, I reply, that he lately
cajoled the Germans at Worms with the same reply; and know that it
is a pure fiction. For our brethren are persecuted continually by
freebooters whom the Legate of Avignon fosters in his domains. But
it is surer than certainty itself that they are playing into each
other's hands. The officials of the King relax nothing of their
usual cruelty. The King may send commissaries as he will, but there
is no one who dares to open his mouth for the truth, such terror
is inspired into all; and besides, it is not allowed to any one to
present himself and hear what the decree really is. Application
must be made for the liberation of those who are prisoners, and for
the reinstatement of exiles in their possessions: then let the King
begin to make an inquiry, as he had promised long ago to them to do.
Since, owing to your high authority in your senate, this may be very
easily obtained by you, and I am indeed convinced that you are of
yourself inclined to this cause, I shall be content with this humble
exhortation, lest, if I advised more particularly, I should seem to
distrust you.
[509] Alluding to the quarrel about the Sacraments. While he freely
admitted an interpretation opposed to that of Luther in regard to
the Supper, Joachim Wadian had always shewn great deference for
the Reformers of Germany, and animated by the desire of bringing
about an accommodation between the Churches divided upon that fatal
question, he published in 1536, a book entitled, "_Aphorismorum
Libri Sex de consideratione Eucharistiæ_," which he sent along with
a respectful letter to Luther.--See Hospinian, _Hist. Sacrament._,
tom. ii. pp. 270, 271.
[510] See the preceding letters.
Farewell, most illustrious sir, most highly honoured friend; may the
Lord long preserve you to his Church, and continue to govern you
by his own Spirit. I beg you will not think it too much trouble to
salute the ministers in my name.