Tracts & Letters (Vol 6) - Calvin - IX - Letters CCCCLII to CCCCLXIX

Required reading
Tracts and Letters (Volume 6) by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Letters CCCCLII to CCCCLXIX.

My summary
Today we read letters from 1557 addressed to the Seigneury of Berne, Peter Martyr, Farel, Bullinger, the Nobles of Poland, the Church of Paris, John Utenhoven, the Count of Montbelliard, Matthew Pfarrer, Conrad Hubert, James Andre, Melanchthon and the Amabassadors of Geneva.

A good portion of today's letters was taken up with the rapidly deteriorating relationship between Geneva and Berne over the Genevan refugees.

But we also heard about:
(i) the church in Poland and Paris;
(ii) controversy over the Lord's Supper, including ongoing mention of Melanchthon and Westphal;
(iii) a confession of faith by Beza.

What grabbed me
Last week I was pleased to see Calvin rebuke a church for calling a minister from a place where the minister was much needed.

But this week Calvin himself appears to be guilty of the same problem in his desire to have Peter Martyr at the Italian church in Geneva: 'And now I have to plead a cause of greater importance, namely, to exhort you to accept a new call. I see as long as you fill your present office, how far the usefulness of your labours extends, of what importance it is that from a distinguished school should come forth ministers of the word, having received a right education, how many places thirst for the books that flow from the fountain of Zurich. So that partly from a scruple of conscience, partly from shame, I durst hardly venture to throw in a word in favour of your call. But on the other hand, when your countrymen represent to me their necessity, pardon me if I incline to their side; my own personal affections too on this question have too much influence over me, and therefore I had rather play the part of one who demands than of one who exhorts, though I do not think that my private predilections blind me to such a degree, as to make me believe that it is my duty to abstain from exhorting you to come in aid to the men of your nation, since it is a matter of great importance also that the state of this church should be maintained unimpaired, and no other fitting person for that purpose besides yourself occurs to my mind. I am not ignorant indeed how much beneath your merits this situation is, but we shall have another occasion for calling for your services, if you would not make any difficulty in giving to the French also the benefit of your interpretation of the Scriptures, for we too shall either read by turns, or, what would please me more, and be, in my judgment, of greater utility, I will resign the whole task to you, as far as your convenience will permit; nor is there anything in the difficulty which should make you hesitate, since the manner should be left entirely to your own choice. But as the matter does not altogether depend upon you, it remains that you should leave it entirely to the judgment of the church to which you owe your services. Only this I entreat of you, that if you obtain permission, you will not hesitate to grant us this favour. '

I do like the second last sentence.  The call is not only a matter for Peter Martyr to decide, it is a matter for the church that he currently serves to decide. 

In considering a call, it is of great importance to consult one's current church and seek their wisdom.

Next week's reading
Read Letters CCCCLXX to CCCCLXXXIII.

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