Tracts & Letters (Vol 5) - Calvin - VII - Letters CCL to CCLXVII

Required reading
Tracts and Letters (Volume 5) by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Letters CCL to CCLXVII.

My summary
Today we read letters from 1549 and 1550 addressed to Bullinger, Farel, Viret, John Haller, Wolfgang Musculus, Monsieur De Saint Laurens, the Protector Somerset, Francis Dryander, Nicolas Colladon, the Seigneury of Geneva, Melancthon and William Rabot.

The content of today's letters included:
(i) persecutions of Protestants;
(ii) books (by Calvin and others);
(iii) the Bernese church;
(iv) the reformation in England;
(v) the reformation in Germany, particularly Melancthon's actions;
(vi) settlement of people in Geneva;
(vii) heretics in Geneva.

What grabbed me
I liked Calvin's counsel to Somerset in light of his loss as Lord Protector of England: 'Moreover, seeing that the Lord has directed the issue so much better than many expected, keep in mind, Monseigneur, the example of Joseph. It would be difficult to find in our day such a mirror of integrity. For he, seeing that God had turned to good the evil which they had plotted against him, is unwearied in showing himself the minister of the goodness of God towards his brethren who had persecuted him. This victory will be more glorious than that which God has already given you, when he saved and secured your person, and your property, and your honours. However, Monseigneur, you have also to consider that if God has been pleased to humble you for a little while, it has not been without a motive. For although you might be innocent in regard to men, you know that before this great heavenly Judge there is no one living who is not chargeable. Thus, then, it is that the saints have honoured the rod of God, by yielding their neck, and bowing low their head under his discipline. David had walked very uprightly, but yet he confessed that it had been good for him to be humbled by the hand of God. For which reason, as soon as we feel any chastisement, of whatsoever kind it may be, the first step should be to retire into ourselves, and well to examine our own lives, that we may apprehend those blessings which had been hidden from us: for sometimes too much prosperity so dazzles our eyes, that we cannot perceive wherefore God chastises us. It is but reasonable that we should do him at least as much honour as we would to a physician, for it is his to heal our inward maladies, which are unknown to ourselves, and to pursue a course of healing, not according to our liking, but as he knows and judges to be fitting. What is more, it must needs happen sometimes that he makes use of preservative remedies, not waiting till we have already fallen into evil, but preventing it before it comes.'

Very healthy advice for anyone who is suffering.

Next week's reading
Read Letters CCLXVIII to CCLXXXIII.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.