Tracts and Letters (Volume 4) by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Letters XV to XXV.
They are written to Grynee, ministers of the church at Basle, Louis du Tillet (a friend who left Protestantism for Roman Catholicism), Bullinger, Viret, Farel and the church in Geneva.
The subjects of today's letters included:
(i) discussions of the relationships between Reformers and attempts to bring about reconciliation;
(ii) the matter of Calvin being forced out of Geneva.
What grabbed me
I especially liked his exhortation at the close of his letter to the church back in Geneva: 'Above all, take heed that you watch unto prayer ; for if your whole expectation rests upon God, as it ought, there is good reason to infer that your heart should be daily lifted up to heaven in calling upon the Lord, and earnestly supplicating the mercy which you hope to obtain from himself. Understand, moreover, that if he delays to grant the desire of his children, and does not immediately manifest himself in the time of need for their deliverance, it is generally because he wishes to stir them up and urge them on to supplicate his favour. However confident we may be in making a vain-glorious boast of putting our trust in him, it will be of no avail while we do not offer any proof of it, by flying to him as our refuge, in prayer. Besides, it is a matter of tried experience, that there is never such an earnest fervency of stayed affection and ardour in our prayers as there ought to be, save when we persevere therein without ceasing. '
If your desires are not granted, pray more!
Next week's reading
R
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