he now very much regrets. Farewell, most learned and ho

ly man.

STRASBURG, November 1, 1536.

LETTER IV.

CALVIN TO PETER CAROLI.

Grace and peace to you from the Lord, who can inspire both you and us with a good understanding and a right heart. Since your situation is such, we should have prefer red to have you presented yourself in person, to treat in our presence concerning a reconciliation, rather than that you should attempt this by a letter. You vehemently labour to prove, that you did not excite disturbances in the Church without just cause; as if there could be some good reason for exciting those disturbances. Grant that you were not treated in that manner, by the brethren, which you ought to have been. Would this indeed furnish you with a right to raise such a tumult? Will you say, that it was the Spirit of God that influenced you to declare war upon us all? I do not say this to upbraid you; I wish I was permitted to be wholly silent. But while you connect all those with Satan, who did not, at least according to your opinion, treat you with sufficient equity, you certainly suppose them to be very stupid, if you imagine that this business can be passed over in silence.-You still glory in this, that

you have attempted nothing against the Gospel even at Metz. But by what method will you prove this to us? If any one carries on a warfare with a profound servant of Christ, and instead of aiding, obstructs, in every possible manner, the kingdom of Christ, would it not be strange if you should declare such a man to stand on the side of the Gospel? Look, I beseech you, again and again, to the end

of your course. We hold a ministry in no manner separated from Christ. If you doubt this, we still have the certain and confident testimony of our conscience. You may flatter yourself as you will; you will at last find, that it is hard kicking against the pricks. In the mean time, how are you able to injure us? You will call us hereticks. Where? Among those, for instance, who hold you as a heretick, and at this very moment expose your falsehoods. Among the pious and the learned, I fear no injury from your reproaches. They see all these things in that light, in which I would have you receive them, and call them to mind before that God whose presence you begin to acknowledge. And I beseech you do not meditate your de fence by the condemnation of that injustice in others, for which you want not only a foundation, but even a pretext. If you will still persevere in this way, I shall be satisfied. I would not, by any means, have you cast away all hope and courage. For if you will exhibit to us the true and substantial index of a right mind, we are sincerely prepared to have you return immediately into our favour, and have all things buried, forgiven and erased wholly from the memo ry. I wish you were able, Caroli, to inspect my breast; for there is nothing I more desire, than that you should in the first place be reconciled to God, that a lasting union might be formed between us. But, believe me, you will never acceptably serve the Lord, unless you lay aside your haughtiness and bitterness of tongue. If you have then a mind to return into favour with us, we are prepared to embrace you, and to render you every office of kindness in our power. But we are not able to enter into that compact which you demand; for how shall we at this time promise you a Church? In the first place, you know, that Churches are not at our disposal; besides, with what conscience should we promise that to you, before it is evident, that we agree

in doctrine. You do not dissemble but that as yet you differ from us; and yet you would have us designate a place for you as a teacher. Weigh, yourself, the extreme impropriety of this. Were we to be so obsequious to you, you would correctly judge us to be something more than stupid. But to conclude, I beseech you to examine thoroughly the whole cause, by yourself, with a composed and sedate mind, and weigh this letter in the scales of candid and impartial judgment. You certainly know, that it is the highest wis dom to turn from the evil course into which you have entered. If you will make the experiment, no office of friendship shall be wanting to you, when restored, from me, and Farel seriously promises the same for himself. You will remember, that the charity which you so severely demand of others, must be shewn, in some measure, towards others. If I seem to be somewhat too severe, think what your letter deserves. I mention this only to profit you; what I have written, is for the purpose of calling up your sins to your remembrance. Farewell, my brother in the Lord, if you suffer yourself to be esteemed and to hold the place of a brother. The Lord Jesus Christ guide you by the spirit of counsel and prudence, that from those dangerous rocks, against which you have broken, and that tempestuous sea on which you are tossed, you may be received safe into the haven of rest.

Your sincere friend,

STRASBURG, August 10, 1540.

JOHN CALVIN.

P. S. Farel bids you to be in health, and wishes that you may be sincerely converted to the Lord, and so may you be prepared to return to our friendship and fraternal union, as we ourselves are prepared to embrace you.

LETTER V.

CALVIN TO Farel.

I am so overwhelmed, by the death of Coraud, that I cannot put any limits to my sorrow. My daily occupations have no power to retain my mind from recurring to the event, and revolving constantly the impressive thought. The distracting impulses of the day are followed by the more torturing anguish of the night. I am not only troubled with dreams, to which I am inured by habit, but I am greatly enfeebled by those restless watchings, which are extremely injurious to my health. But what wounds my mind so deeply, is the heinousness of the circumstances, if the suspicions are true, and I am forced, in opposition to my wishes, to give them some credit. To what length, will posterity go, when such monstrous things are perpetrated in the very commencement of our labours. I fear, and not without reason, that this wickedness will be shortly punished by some dreadful calamity of the Church. It is in fact no small token of divine displeasure, which we now experience, that amidst the scarcity of good men, the Church should be deprived of Coraud, whose talents and piety placed him among the first of that character. Shall we not then, my brother, mourn this distressing calamity, and be in bitterness under the chastisement of our Father? But however oppressed with grief we still have the light of consolation, springing up from those testimonies of affection and respect, by which his acquaintance amply prove their exalted opinion of his ability and integrity." And the Lord will not permit the iniquity of our enemies to remain concealed even from the eyes of men. They have not gained a single hair by his death. He still bears testimony against their wickedness, at the tribunal of God; and his

accusing voice will more clearly sound destruction in their ears, than if the Almighty himself should shake the earth.

The Lord has spared us, to survive Coraud. Let us be diligent to follow his example; and watchful to tread in the path of increasing light, till we shall have finished our course. Let no difficulties dismay us, or any weight of earthly suffering impede our progress towards that rest into which, we trust, he is received. Without the hope of this glory to cheer us in our way, we shall be overcome with difficulties, and driven to despair. But as the truth of the Lord remains firm and unshaken, so let us abide in the hope of our calling, until the hidden kingdom of God be made manifest.

Our adversaries have sounded the alarm, by an open declaration of war at Minden, which being merely on a religious account, we are all implicated. If the God of armies guards us by his strength, we shall have a firm and invincible protection; otherwise we can make but a feeble defence, and shall be easily overpowered. To this asylum let us unitedly have recourse; for it will remain unmoved though the earth should be shaken to its centre. We shall not cease to solicit a Council until it is obtained.

t

Sonerius has presented another question for our discussion, whether it is lawful for him and others in like circumstances, to receive the Lord's Supper, from the hands of such polluted men, or even to communicate with them? On this question, there was no difference between Capito and myself. We answered, that Christians ought to have an aversion to schisms, and if possible avoid them. Such should be their reverence for the ministry, and the sacraments, that wherey. er these are perceived to exist, there the Church should be acknowledged. Let the Ministers, therefore, by whom God permits the Church to be governed, be what they may, if the signs of the true Church are perceived, it will be better not to separate from the communion. Nor is it an objection,