beacon lights of history-iii-2-第55章

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that　Calvin　was　obliged　to　publish　his　Genevan　Catechism　in　Latin。

He　also　offended　many　by　his　outspoken　rebuke　of　sin；　for　he　aimed

at　a　complete　reformation　of　morals；　like　Latimer　in　London　and

like　Savonarola　at　Florence。　　He　sought　to　reprove　amusements　which

were　demoralizing；　or　thought　to　be　so　in　their　influence。　　The

passions　of　the　people　were　excited；　and　the　city　was　torn　by

parties；　and　such　was　the　reluctance　to　submit　to　the　discipline　of

the　ministers　that　they　refused　to　administer　the　sacraments。　　This

created　such　a　ferment　that　the　syndics　expelled　Calvin　and　Farel

from　the　city。　　They　went　at　first　to　Berne；　but　the　Bernese　would

not　receive　them。　　They　then　retired　to　Basle；　wearied；　wet；　and

hungry；　and　from　Basle　they　went　to　Strasburg。　　It　was　in　this　city

that　Calvin　dwelt　three　years；　spending　his　time　in　lecturing　on

divinity；　in　making　contributions　to　exegetical　theology；　in

perfecting　his　〃Institutes；〃　forming　a　close　alliance　with

Melancthon　and　other　leading　reformers。　　So　pre…occupied　was　he

with　his　labors　as　a　commentator　of　the　Scriptures；　that　he　even

contemplated　withdrawing　from　the　public　service　of　religion。



Calvin　was　a　scholar　as　well　as　theologian；　and　quiet　labors　in　his

library　were　probably　more　congenial　to　his　tastes　than　active

parochial　duties。　　His　highest　life　was　amid　his　books；　in　serene

repose　and　lofty　contemplation。　　At　this　time　he　had　an　extensive

correspondence；　his　advice　being　much　sought　for　its　wisdom　and

moderation。　　His　judgment　was　almost　unerring；　since　he　was　never

led　away　by　extravagances　or　enthusiasm：　a　cold；　calm　man　even

among　his　friends　and　admirers。　　He　had　no　passions；　he　was　all

intellect。　　It　would　seem　that　in　his　exile　he　gave　lectures　on

divinity；　being　invited　by　the　Council　of　Strasburg；　and　also

interested　himself　in　reference　to　the　Sacrament　of　the　Lord's

Supper；　which　he　would　withhold　from　the　unworthy。　　He　lived

quietly　in　his　retreat；　and　was　much　respected　by　the　people　of　the

city　where　he　dwelt。



In　1539　a　convention　was　held　at　Frankfort；　at　which　Calvin　was

present　as　the　envoy　of　the　city　of　Strasburg。　　Here；　for　the　first

time；　he　met　Melancthon；　but　there　was　no　close　intimacy　between

them　until　these　two　great　men　met　in　the　following　year　at　a　Diet

which　was　summoned　at　Worms　by　the　Emperor　Charles　V。；　in　order　to

produce　concord　between　the　Catholics　and　Protestants；　and　which

was　afterwards　removed　to　Ratisbon。　　Melancthon　represented　one

party；　and　Doctor　Eck　the　other。　　Melancthon　and　Bucer　were

inclined　to　peace；　and　Cardinal　Contarini　freely　offered　his　hand；

agreeing　with　the　reformers　to　adopt　the　idea　of　Justification　as

his　starting　point；　allowing　that　it　proceeds　from　faith；　without

any　merit　of　our　own；　but；　like　Luther　and　Calvin；　he　opposed　any

attempt　at　union　which　might　compromise　the　truth；　and　had　no　faith

in　the　movement。　　Neither　party；　as　it　was　to　be　expected；　was

satisfied。　　The　main　subject　of　the　dispute　was　in　reference　to　the

Eucharist。　　Calvin　denied　the　real　presence　of　Christ　in　the

Sacrament；　regarding　it　as　a　symbol；though　one　of　special　divine

influence。　　But　on　this　point　the　Catholics　have　ever　been

uncompromising　from　the　times　of　Berengar。　　Nor　was　Luther　fully

emancipated　from　the　Catholic　doctrine；　modifying　without

essentially　changing　it。　　Calvin　maintained　that　〃This　is　my　body〃

meant　that　it　signified　〃my　body。〃　　In　regard　to　original　sin　and

free…will；　as　represented　by　Augustine；　there　was　no　dispute；　but

much　difficulty　attended　the　interpretation　of　the　doctrine　of

Justification。　　The　greatest　difficulty　was　in　reference　to　the

doctrine　of　Transubstantiation；　which　was　rejected　by　the　reformers

because　it　had　not　the　sanction　of　the　Scriptures；　and　when　it　was

found　that　this　caused　insuperable　difficulties　about　the　Lord's

Supper；　it　was　thought　useless　to　proceed　to　other　matters；　like

confession；　masses　for　the　dead；　and　the　withholding　the　cup　from

the　laity。　　There　was　not　so　great　a　difference　between　the

Catholic　and　Protestant　theologians　concerning　the　main　body　of

dogmatic　divinity　as　is　generally　supposed。　　The　fundamental

questions　pertaining　to　God；　the　Trinity；　the　mission　and　divinity

of　Christ；　original　sin；　free…will；　grace；　predestination；　had　been

formulated　by　Thomas　Aquinas　with　as　much　severity　as　by　Calvin。

The　great　subjects　at　issue；　in　a　strictly　theological　view；　were

Justification　and　the　Eucharist。　　Respecting　free…will　and

predestination；　the　Catholic　theologians　have　never　been　agreed

among　themselves；some　siding　with　Augustine；　like　Aquinas；

Bernard；　and　Anselm；　and　some　with　Pelagius；　like　Abelard　and

Lainez　the　Jesuit　at　the　Council　of　Trent　（a　council　assembled　by

the　Pope；　with　the　concurrence　of　Charles　V。　of　Germany　and　Francis

I。　of　France）；　the　decrees　of　which；　against　the　authority　of

Augustine　in　this　matter；　seem　to　be　now　the　established　faith　of

the　Roman　Catholic　Church。



After　the　Diet　of　Ratisbon；　Calvin　returned　to　Geneva；　at　the　eager

desire　of　the　people。　　The　great　Council　summoned　him　to　return；

every　voice　was　raised　for　him。　　〃Calvin；　that　learned　and

righteous　man；〃　they　said；　〃it　is　he　whom　we　would　have　as　the

minister　of　the　Lord。〃　　Yet　he　did　not　willingly　return；　he

preferred　his　quiet　life　at　Strasburg；　but　obeyed　the　voice　of

conscience。　　On　the　13th　of　September；　1541；　he　returned　to　his

penitent　congregation；　and　was　received　by　the　whole　city　with

every　demonstration　of　respect；　and　a　cloth　cloak　was　given　him　as

a　present；　which　he　seemed　to　need。



The　same　year　he　was　married　to　a　widow；　Idelette　de　Burie；　who　was

a　worthy；　well…read；　high…minded　woman；　with　whom　he　lived　happily

for　nine　years；　until　her　death。　　She　was　superior　to　Luther's

wife；　Catherine　Bora；　in　culture　and　dignity；　and　was　a　helpmate

who　never　opposed　her　husband　in　the　slightest　matter；　always

considering　his　interests。　　Esteem　and　friendship　seem　to　have　been

the　basis　of　this　union；not　passionate　love；　which　Calvin　did　not

think　much　of。　　When　his　wife　died　it　seems　he　mourned　for　her　with

decent　grief；　but　did　not　seek　a　second　marriage；　perhaps　because

he　was　unable　to　support　a　wife　on　his　small　stipend　as　she　would

wish　and　expect。　　He　rather　courted　poverty；　and　refused　reasonable

gratuities。　　His　body　was　attenuated　by　fasting　and　study；　like

that　of　Saint　Bernard。　　When　he　was　completing　his　〃Institutes；〃　he

passed　days　without　eating　and　nights　without　sleeping。　　And　as　he

practised　poverty　he　had　a　right　to　inculcate　it。　　He　kept　no

servant；　lived　in　a　small　tenement；　and　was　always　poorly　clad。　　He

derived　no　profit　from　any　of　his　books；　and　the　only　present　he

ever　consented　to　receive　was　a　silver　goblet　from　the　Lord　of

Varennes。　　Luther's　stipend　was　four　hundred　and　fifty　florins；　and

he　too　refused　a　yearly　gift　from　the　booksellers　of　four　hundred

dollars；　not　wishing　to　receive　a　gratuity　for　his　writings。

Calvin's　salary　was　only　fifty　dollars　a　year；　with　a　house；　twelve

measures　of　corn　and　two　pipes　of　wine；　for　tea　and　coffee　were

then　unknown　in　Europe；　and　wine　seems　to　have　been　the　usual

beverage；　after　water。　　He　was　pre…eminently　a　conscientious　man；

not　allowing　his　feelings　to　sway　his　judgment。　　He　was　sedate　and

dignified　and　cheerful；　though　Bossuet　accuses　him　of　a　surly

disposition；un　genre　triste；　un　esprit　chagrin。　　Though　formal

and　stern；　women　never　shrank　from　familiar　conversation　with　him

on　the　subject　of　religion。　　Though　intolerant　of　error；　he

cherished　no　personal　animosities。　　Calvin　was　more　refined　than

Luther；　and　never　like　him　gave　vent　to　coarse　expressions。　　He　had

not　Luther's　physical　strength；　nor　his　versatility　of　genius；　nor

as　a　reformer　was　he　so　violent。　　〃Luther　aroused；　Calvin

tranquillized。〃　　The　one　stormed　the　great　citadel　of　error；　the

other　furnished　the　weapons　for　holding　it　after　it　was