Tracts & Letters (Vol 7) - Calvin - VI - Letters DCI to DCXVI

Required reading
Tracts and Letters (Volume 7) by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Letters DCI to DCXVI.

My summary
Today we read letters from 1561 addressed to the Church of Sauve, the King of Navarre, Peter Martyr, Sulcer, Beza, Admiral De Coligny, Madame De Coligny, the Comtesse De Roye, Comte of Erbach and Salignac.

A lot of the letters today were addressed to Beza who travelled to France to represent the Reformers at the Colloquy of Poissy with the Roman Catholics.  Thus a lot of the letters were about this conference.  Calvin was particularly keen to prevent any agreement to the Confession of Augsburg which the Lutherans had signed.

What grabbed me
Today there was a clear statement from Calvin against iconoclasm, particularly a pastor's participation in such activity: 'If every one practised rightly the rule which the Holy Spirit has given us by the mouth of St. Paul, to walk circumspectly and with all modesty, so as not to give to others any handle for offence, you would not be in your present distress, nor should we be at a loss how to counsel and exhort you to remedy a scandal which has already taken place, and provide that such acts should not occur for the future. We speak of the foolish deed which was performed at Sauve in burning idols and pulling down a cross. We are very much surprised at such temerity in a man whose duty it was to moderate and restrain others. For, as we have heard, he not only gave his consent to the deed (which was already too bad a thing), but he stirred up the people, being the most mutinous of them all. Now, if he had forgotten himself, being surprised by some thoughtless ardour, the least thing he could do was to acknowledge his fault and profess himself sorry for it, especially as he had been warned and exhorted. But to maintain that he acted so with a good conscience is an instance of intolerable obstinacy. If he will have us believe such a thing, let him prove from the word of God what grounds he had for this proceeding. But we know quite the contrary. God has never given commandment, except to each one in his own house, and in public to those he arms with authority, to cast down idols. Now it is not without cause that it was expressly said to the people of Israel, when thou shalt have come into the land which thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, then, etc. Thus let this firebrand show us by what title he is lord of the land where he has issued his order for burning. Now, inasmuch as God has not authorized him to do this, his good conscience, as he calls it, is nothing else than the good intention of the Papists. In expressing ourselves thus, we are not become the advocates of idols, and would to God they were all banished from the world, even should it cost us our lives. But since obedience is better than sacrifice, we have to consider what is lawful, and restrain ourselves within bounds. For it is to act like a horse that has broke loose from the reins to attempt more than what our vocation warrants. We verily believe that Daniel and his companions, and Ezekiel, and many others, were quite as zealous as this poor man who boasts himself in the extravagance of his self-conceit. One thing is certain, as long as they were at Babylon they contented themselves with showing their contempt of idol worship, without usurping any power which did not belong to them. It were high time that this poor man, having so greatly forgotten himself, should hold down his head. But it is astonishing that he should be so stupid as not to think of the handle which he has given to the crafty to ruin every thing. But it is the height of pride and stubbornness obstinately to persist in vindicating himself, and not to yield to good counsel. Now, since such is the case, dear brethren, we entreat you, having compassion on the poor churches, in order not to expose them to massacre with your eyes open, that you would disavow this act, and declare openly to the people that have been led astray, that you have separated yourselves from him who was the principal instigator of it, and that for his rebellious conduct you cut him off from your society. Had he submitted and deigned to listen to reason, he might have been treated with more indulgence. But since he is stiff-necked, you cannot spare him without a violation and infraction of all order. It is possible, however, that God may tame his stubbornness, as we humbly supplicate him to do, as also to have you in his keeping, to fortify and govern you by his Spirit, while we heartily commend ourselves to you and to your fervent prayers.'

We have no authority from Scripture to destroy someone else's idols. 

In fact, I think we have enough spiritual idols of our own to conquer without chasing after other people's physical idols.

Next week's reading
Read Letters DCXVII to DCXXXIV.

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