TO THE COUNT D’ERBACH.
f42OFFERS HIM CHRISTIAN CONGRATULATIONS, AND CONSULTS HIM ABOUT A PROJECT OF DEDICATING TO THE
ELECTOR PALATINE THE BOOK OF THE INSTITUTION.
GENEVA, 1st July, 1559.
When the preceding year Theodore de Beza and John Bude, on their return from a visit to you, most noble and illustrious seigneur, among your other rare virtues highly extolled your courtesy; they could not hold their tongues, at the same time, respecting your affection towards me, and as they were fully persuaded that should I write to you, my letter would be very acceptable, they warmly pressed me to acquit myself of this duty.
As, however, I was already of my own accord sufficiently disposed to undertake this task, not so much out of deference for them as for the sake of testifying my profound respect for you, I know not what cause has hitherto occasioned my delay or my sluggishness, so that laying aside all ideas of excusing myself I am forced to entreat your pardon for my dilatoriness. But now a new opportunity having most providentially presented itself, I have mustered up courage, most excellent seigneur, not only to congratulate you on your accession of honor and dignity, but also to express to you the unfeigned pleasure which I have lately conceived therefrom. For I had heard long ago from trustworthy witnesses how disinterested your integrity and constancy were, in the defense of the sound and pure doctrine, and I again hear what all pious men in your country expect from you. Though then I wish and pray for all prosperity and happiness to you, as an individual, yet I rejoice more for the public cause of the church than for your own sake, that you have been raised to this high post of honor, and assuredly you are a great ornament to that dignity which would itself have adorned any other sprung from a less illustrious family. I doubt not but the Elector Palatine counts it not the least part of his good fortune that he has found a count among the highest
ranks of the nobility, fitted above all others to have this charge confided to him, and who will not hesitate, from his well-known feelings of modesty, to undertake it. But as the prudence of the prince is to be lauded in this choice, so I doubt not but that you have been commended to this post of eminence by the hand of God, first that by your ability, equity, diligence, and activity the state of the principality may flourish in inviolate and well- established order, that the laws and public ordinances should be vigorously administered, temperance and moderation prevail; next that religion, the spots which still adhere to it being wiped out, should regain its unalterable purity and be thoroughly purified from the corruption’s of Popery. That despising the spite and murmurings of the ill-affected, you should ply courageously and strenuously this holy and pious task, as I deem it unnecessary to exhort you, most noble seigneur, I shall confine myself to vows and prayers that the Spirit of God would animate you to invincible constancy, that by virtue of the same, all obstacles being happily
overcome, you may ‘triumphantly fulfill the course of your calling.
How rooted a hatred of all sincere piety exists in the heart of the French king, and how implacable is his cruelty towards the servants of Christ, was lately made very manifest by one example. When he had heard that the Parliament of Paris was deliberating about relaxing their former severity, he immediately flew thither, and having heard three judgments pronounced, he ordered the two judges to be arrested, who had given it as their opinion that milder measures should in future be adopted with regard to those who had hitherto been too cruelly oppressed. And to these two persons he also afterwards added some others suspected by him of similar lenity. If you should chance to feel any wish for making yourself more fully acquainted with the chief points of this affair, I have thought proper to send to you the letter which was written from Paris. As he is of opinion that the doctrine which has been disseminated over all parts of his
kingdom, emanated from here; with what ardor he is inflamed for razing and destroying this city is evident, though he himself indeed dissembles it.
Assuredly we are not standing safe and sound up to this moment, unless by the marvelous protection of God. In the mean time as my Institution re-written and so altered as to have almost the appearance of a new work, is now in the press, and will be brought out at the.. time of the fair, some of my friends have suggested to me that the apology prefixed to it
and the son. They think, however, that I should dedicate to your
illustrious Elector the book itself, which holds the principal and far most conspicuous place among all my lucubrations. I, however, did not dare to adopt a measure of this importance, unless you should give me some token of your approval of such a resolution, and now, if I have. been
inconsiderate in mentioning the matter to you, I beg you will excuse my presumption. If, however, you shall have no objections to communicate anything to me on that subject, Herman the jurisconsult who lives at Strasbourg will take care to have it transmitted to me.
Farewell, most excellent and illustrious seigneur. May the Lord continue to govern both you and your noble brothers along with your families, to protect; you and enrich you with every blessing, and to foster between you a holy and blessed unity. — Yours,
John Calvin.
[Lat. orig. autogr. — Library of Geneva. Volume 107 a.]