CCCXXIII.—To Denis Peloquin and Louis de Marsac.[440]

Information regarding various controverted points—exhortation to fidelity, even unto martyrdom.

This 22d of August 1553.

Very dear Brethren,—Although when writing your letter you thought that the enemies of truth were about to sacrifice you soon, I do not omit writing to you, so that if it please God that this should arrive in time, you may again have some words of consolation from me. It is very well and very prudently determined by you to give thanks to God, since you know that he has confirmed you anew in his promises, giving you such constancy as you have lately felt in your last replies. It is indeed of him alone that you have remained steadfast and unflinching. Hence I feel well assured that this seal, which bears the true mark of the Holy Spirit, will never be effaced. Elsewhere he has wrought so powerfully upon Michael Girard,[441] that his former weakness gives all the greater lustre to the strength which he has received from above. I have no doubt that even the enemies themselves must be convinced that this change did not proceed from man. Consequently there is stronger reason why we should have our eyes open to contemplate the hand of God which is here put forth after a wondrous manner, to withdraw his frail creature from the horrible confusion into which he had fallen. At the time that he followed his own devices, he fancied that he had gained much in redeeming for a short period this fading miserable life, by plunging himself into the abysses of eternal death. It is then a divine work, that of his own goodwill he should have again returned to death, that he might attain to a life of uprightness, from which he had not merely strayed, but absolutely excluded himself as far as in him lay. For the goodness of God has been the more richly displayed, by having raised up his creature out of a fall which seemed fatal, yea, so as even to triumph by it, and to magnify his glory, as he has begun to do, and will I hope carry out to perfection.

I have seen the confession drawn up by him, which is pure and frank, and worthy of a Christian man. Nevertheless, I think it right that he should be warned as to some points, in order that the adversaries may be the more confounded by his making a more distinct reply;—not that what he says be not true, but because the malignant always lay hold of the slightest occasions to calumniate and pervert what is right.

On being questioned as to whether the body of Christ exist not under the appearance of bread, he answered that this was mere blasphemy, annihilating the death of Jesus Christ. Now there were two things which he ought to have especially reproved in the Mass: the one is idolatry, seeing that they make an idol of a bit of bread, worshipping it as God; the other that they make of it a sacrifice to reconcile men to God. Now as Jesus Christ is the only priest ordained of God the Father, so likewise has he offered himself once for all, and his death is the sole and perpetual sacrifice for our redemption. Even on the first head, it would have been well to protest his belief, that in the Supper we communicate in the body and blood of Jesus Christ, but that we do so by rising to heaven through faith, and not by making him descend here below, taking care to add, that this is no argument in favour of their Mass, which is altogether opposed to the Supper of Jesus Christ.

Being questioned as to whether the Virgin Mary and the saints intercede for us, he answered, that there is but one only intercessor and advocate, Jesus Christ; which is true, for there are neither men nor angels who have access to God the Father save by this Mediator alone. But it would have been well to add, that the office of intercession is not bestowed upon the dead, God commanding us to intercede, the one for the other, in the present life: nevertheless, because it is not lawful to pray to God except in assurance of faith, that nothing remains for us but to call upon God in the name of Jesus Christ, and that all those who seek to the Virgin Mary and the saints as their advocates, act extravagantly, and turn aside out of the way.

Being questioned as to free-will, in order to show that of ourselves we have no power of well-doing, he alleges the expression of Saint Paul in the 7th of the Romans: The good that I would, I do not, &c. Now it is certain, that Saint Paul does not speak there of unbelievers who are wholly destitute of the grace of God, but of himself and of other saints to whom God had already given grace to aspire after well-doing. On such points he confesses that he felt such a struggle within himself, that he could not attain to a full performance of duty. Accordingly this further statement should have been made: If the faithful feel their whole nature opposed to the will of God, what must be the case with those who are full of pure malice and rebellion? Just as he says in the 8th chapter, that all the affections of the flesh are only so much enmity against God. And in Ephesians ii., he shows clearly what is in man. Item, in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, chapters i. ii., and in Romans iii.; whence it follows, that it is God who works in us to will and to do, according to his good pleasure.

Being questioned concerning vows, he answered, that all our promises are but lies. Now, it would have been well to specify that a part of their vows being impossible, they are nothing but an insult to God: as, for instance, when the monks and priests renounce marriage; and that generally the whole of these vows are nothing but false inventions in order to bastardize the service of God, and that we are not permitted to promise or offer to him except in accordance with his word. I believe that the said brother will be well pleased to be informed of these things, so that the truth of God may be the more victorious in him.

For the rest, as in the midst of this life we are in death, you have now need to be well persuaded that in the midst of death you are in life. And thus we see that we must not be governed by sense merely in following Jesus Christ, for there is nothing more alien to our nature than to plunge ourselves into disgrace, and abase ourselves unto death, in order to be elevated to the glory of heaven. But in the end we shall feel, experimentally, that the Son of God has not disappointed us in promising that whosoever shall lay down his life in this world shall recover it to enjoy it for ever. Wherefore, my brethren, if hitherto you have known by experience the value of the consolations which this kind Lord Jesus Christ vouchsafes to his own, to enable them to welcome all that they suffer in his cause, and the value of the help of his Spirit in giving them such courage that they faint not, beseech him to continue both the one and the other, and in so praying rest in him, assured that he will fulfil your holy desire. On our part, while you are fighting, we shall not forget you. All my brethren salute you. The God of grace and Father of mercy have you under his protection; and if it please him that you should endure death for the testimony of his Gospel, as seems likely, may he show that he has not forsaken you, but rather that while appointing you his martyrs, he dwells and reigns within you, to triumph in you to the confusion of his enemies, and the edification of the faith of his elect; and may he lead us all until he gathers us together into his kingdom.

Excuse me that I have not sooner replied to you, for I only yesterday received your letter which is dated of the twelfth.—Your humble brother,

John Calvin.

[Fr.—Printed in Histoire des Martyrs, lib. iv. p. 244.]