French Reformers before Calvin
OME years before the career of John Calvin, other reformers appeared in Paris, and although advocates of more moderate measures, they pioneered the road for something better than they had conceived.
Le Févre, a professor of philosophy in Paris, and a truly learned man, was the first to introduce measures of reform. The instincts of self-preservation, however, were sufficient to stimulate the monks and the bigoted doctors of the Sorbonne, with childish prejudice, to resist the slightest improvement.
Although our illustration, ‘Le Févre lecturing at the Sorbonne,” is but a rough sketch, it is sufficient to mark the scorn with which some heard his eloquent orations. He introduced the doctrine of ubiquitarianism, that is, the doctrine which teaches that the body of Christ is present in the Eucharist, by virtue of His Divine omnipresence, even as He is present everywhere. This enraged ~ the priests, who blasphemously arrogated to themselves the power to change the bread and wine into the divinity and humanity of Christ.
Le Févre also translated the New Testament, which was published in 1524. His learning did not escape the
y
LE FEVRE LECTURING AT THE SORBONNE,
notice of Francis I., who wished to bestow some ecclesiastical dignities upon him. He was entrusted with the education of Charles, Duke of Angouléme. But in 1515, he was banished from France, and some few years after retired to Queen Marguerite’s court at Nérac.
5 LE FEVRE AND CALVIN CONTRASTED.
While Calvin was at Angouléme he visited Le Févre. Thus, while the veteran of eighty-eight, in his retirement meditated upon the oppressed state of the people, the corruption of the priesthood, and the failure of his very limited measures of reform, our young Reformer of twenty-four stood before him, with a capacious, cultivated mind, such as the aged philosopher could well admire. His measures of reform, however, were enough to make the old man tremble.
The reformation of John Calvin and the reformation of Le Févre differed as widely as their ages.
To reform the abuses and patch up the Romish system was Le Févre’s plan. Calvin, in a matter of such infinite importance as the soul’s eternal destiny, regarded no human considerations, but tested the whole fabric by the Word of God, as by the plumbline of truth, and found it no better than a bowing wall and a tottering fence. He discovered the Papacy to be then, what she still is, a huge system of superstitious doings built upon supposed traditions and human inventions; a system which had full well rejected the commandment of God for human traditions. Calvin’s plan was to thoroughly cast away the old building with all its rotten materials, and erect a new one according to the Divine plan, with Jesus Christ, the stone which the builders refused, for a foundation, and the Bible alone for itsrule of faith. Le Févre was charmed with the interview, and grasping the young Reformer by the hand he said: ‘Young man, you will one day be a powerful instrument in the Lord’s hand. God will make use of you to restore the kingdom of heaven in France.” France was, however, too limited a sphere for the Reformer; the boundary of Europe could not limit the vibrations of his voice. His usefulness and influence have gone on increasing until now, and where there is an assembly of saints, loving the truth as it is in Jesus, there the name of Calvin is known and his doctrine loved.
This meeting of the two Reformers, it seems, was
HIS LIFE AND TIMES.. 47
commemorated by the naming of a vineyard, which bore the name of Calvin 150 years afterwards,
REASONS FOR PROTESTING AGAINST POPERY.
After about six months’ stay at Angouléme, Calvin left it for Poitiers, a town of France on the river Clain. Here he gathered around him many lovers of the truth and formed a mission for the evangelization of France. In a large cave called “ Calvin’s Grotto,” about an hour’s walk. from this town, the followers of Christ assembled in secret,’ asin days of old, when men “ of whom the world was. not worthy, wandered in deserts and in dens and caves of the eorth.”’ They met here not to contrive some diabolical gunpowder plot, nor secret means of assassination, but to worship the living and the true God in the simplicity of Sfatith, a3 in apostolic times.
Protestants should ever remember that it is not on account of the general denial of the truth by the Church of Rome, that we are called upon to protest against her: there is scarcely a doctrine of the Bible which she denies. But she has nullified the truth by surrounding it with human inventions. Truth, in the midst of her carnal pretensions, is as good seed among thorns, z.¢., unfruitful. ‘‘ Making the Word of God of none effect through her traditions ” (Mark vii. 13).
Error is most dangerous when it comes, not as an axe in the hand of the woodman to fell the tree, but when, like the little creeper rata, of New Zealand, it grows up, by its side and twines around it until by its might it destroys the life of the tree. Failing to observe this fact, many sincere persons have, by the show of truth, been entangled in the: meshes of Popery.:
CALVIN ADMINISTERS ‘THE LORD’s SUPPER IN BOTH ani,
The Lord of life and glory, who condescended to come out of little Bethlehem Ephratah; He who, without the modern millinery and trumpery, styled ecclesiastical vestments, proclaimed the Word of life with holy fervour from. a fisherman’s boat, did not disdain to meet His humble, ardent, persecuted followers in Calvin’s Grotto. Here, hidden from the strife of tongues, our young Reformer preached what he had tasted, and handled, and felt of the Word of life. And here, for the first time in Franco, as far as the education of Charles, Duke of Angouléme. But in 1515, he was banished from France, and some few years after retired to Queen Marguerite’s court at Nérac.
LE FEVRE AND CALVIN CONTRASTED.
While Calvin was at Angouléme he visited Je Févre. Thus, while the veteran of eighty-eight, in his retirement meditated upon the oppressed state of the people, the corruption of the priesthood, and the failure of his very limited measures of reform, our young Reformer of twenty-four stood before him, with a capacious, cultivated mind, such as the aged philosopher could well admire. His measures of reform, however, were enough to make the old man tremble.
The reformation of John Calvin and the reformation of Le Févre differed as widely as their ages.
To reform the abuses and patch up the Romish system was Le Févre’s plan. Calvin, in a matter of such infinite importance as the soul’s eternal destiny, regarded no human considerations, but tested the whole fabric by the Word of God, as by the plumbline of truth, and found it no better than a bowing wall and a tottering fence. He discovered the Papacy to be then, what she still is, a huge system of superstitious doings built upon supposed traditions and human inventions; a system which had full well rejected the commandment of God for human traditions. Calvin’s plan was to thoroughly cast away the old building with all its rotten materials, and erect a new one according to the Divine plan, with Jesus Christ, the stone which the builders refused, for a foundation, and the Bible alone for itsrule of faith. Le Févre was charmed with the interview, and grasping the young Reformer by the hand he said: ‘‘ Young man, you will one day be a powerful instrument in the Lord’s hand. God will make use of you to restore the kingdom of heaven in France.’ France was, however, too limited a sphere for the Reformer; the boundary of Europe could not limit the vibrations of his voice. His usefulness and influence have gone on increasing until now, and where there is an assembly of saints, loving the truth as it is in Jesus, there the name of Calvin is known and his doctrine loved..
This meeting of the two Reformers, it seems, was
HIS LIFE AND TIMES.; 47
commemorated by the naming of a vineyard, which bore the name of Calvin 150 years afterwards.
REASONS FOR PROTESTING AGAINST POPERY.
After about six months’ stay at Angouléme, Calvin left it for Poitiers, a town of France on the river Clain. Here he gathered around him many lovers of the truth and formed a mission for the evangelization of France. In a large cave called ‘‘ Calvin’s Grotto,” about an hour’s walk from this town, the followers of Christ assembled in secret,’ asin days of old, when men “ of whom the world was. not worthy, wandered in deserts and in dens and caves of: the earth.” They met here not to contrive some diabolical gunpowder plot, nor secret means of assassination, but to worship the living and the true God in the simplicity ‘of faith, as in apostolic times.
Protestants should ever remember that it is not.on account of the general denial of the truth by the Church of Rome, that we are called upon to protest against her: there is scarcely a doctrine of the Bible which she denies. But she has nullified the truth by surrounding it with human inventions. Truth, in the midst of her carnal pretensions, is as good seed among thorns, z.¢., unfruitful. ‘Making the Word of God of none effect through her traditions ” (Mark vii. 13).
Error is most dangerous when it comes, not as an axe in the hand of the woodman to fell the tree, but when, like the little creeper rata, of New Zealand, it grows up, by its side and twines around it until by its night it destroys the life of the tree. Failing to observe this fact, many sincere. persons have, by the show of truth, been entangled i in tHe; meshes of Popery.:
CALVIN ADMINISIERS THE LORD'S SUPPER IN BOTH since. a
The Lord of life and glory, who condescended to come out of little Bethlehem Hphratah; He who, without the modern millinery and trumpery, styled ecclesiastical vestments, proclaimed the Word of life with holy fervour from. a fisherman’s boat, did not disdain to meet His humble, ardent, persecuted followers in Calvin’s Grotto. Here, hidden from the strife of tongues, our young Reformer preached what he had tasted, and handled, and felt of the ‘Word of life. And here, for the first time in Franco, as far as CALVIN; HtS LIFE AND TIMES. 49
is known, the Lord’s supper was administered, after the Protestant order, Iv rwo KINDS: bread and wine.
THE DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE FOR WITHHOLDING THE CUP FROM THE LAITY.
In the Counetl of Constance, which was called at the end of the year 1414, it was decreed in the thirteenth session, that no priest, under pain of excommunication, shall communicate unto the people under boru Kinds, that is, of bread and wine. J rom that time, therefore, it has been the custom for the priest to drink the wine, and to give the bread to the laity. The reasons given in the ‘Catechism of the Council of Trent” (page 248, Buckley’s translation) for this remarkable dividing of the Lord’s ordinance are as follows:
“Ta the first placa, the greatest caution was necessary to avoid spilling the blood of the Lord on the ground.... In the next place... .that it might turn acid. Besides, there are many who cannot at all bear the table or even smell of wine... .that in many countries, wine is extremely scarce... .incurring heavy expenses and very tedious difficult journeys.
“ Finally, a circumstance of the utmost importance, means were to be taken to uproot the heresy of those who denied that Christ, whole and entire, is contained under either species.”
These five reasons are given by the Church of Rome herself for thus laying aside the commandment of God for her tradition.
LET US EXAMINE THEM BY THE WORD OF GOD AND REASON, -
First, there is the dread of spilling the wine, or blood, as they call it, upon the ground. May we not reasonably ask why there is such a horror of this wine being spilled upon the ground seoing that the real blood of Jesus Christ fell in great drops to the ground! (Luke xxii.44). Next there is the possibility of this wine turning acid. But may not this and all the other reasons given for thus withholding the cup from the laity, apply with equal force to the clergy? May they not leave the wine till it turns acid? Then there are many who cannot at all bear the taste or even the smell of wine. Does this apply only to the laity? Are there no priests who cannot bear the taste and smell of it? The difficulty of obtaining it and the expense attached to it will apply as much to the clergy as to the laity. Itis generally found in countries the most remote from wine growing districts that that article can be too easily obtained and is tuo freely used.
The fifth reason assigned for thus setting aside the commandment of God is supposed to be of the “ utmost importance.” It was to uproot the idea of ‘ Christ whole and entire’”’ not being “contained under either species.” By Christ ‘‘ whole and entire,” the Church of Rome means the body and blood, the soul and Divinity of Christ after consecration, and that nothing but Christ remains, although He has the appearance of bread and wine.
Here let us pause and ask, Is this Christ, which is supposed to be offered in the sacrament, dead or alive? If the answer be ‘“‘ He is dead,” we ask, “Can Divinity die?” Tf the answer be that ‘He is a living Sacrifice,” we again ask, Can this living Christ, whole and entire, Divinity and humanity, by being left in the cup, turn acid? Thus by Calvin administering the Lord’s supper in beth kinds he laid himself open to excommunication with those fearful curses in which Rome so freely deals. Yet it was his satisfaction to know that he was in company with Paul and Jesus, for they both administered the Lord’s supper in two kinds, and therefore are both under the curse of the Church of Rome.
Paul said to the church at Corinth, “I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks He brake it, and said: Take, eat, this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying: This ovr is the New Testament in My blood: this do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cur, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Cor, xi. 23-26).
Thus the apostate church lightly sets aside the commandment of God, and curses, and when she has the power, burns those who do not follow her. What if the curses should fall upon her own head, and the fire return to her own bosom!
CALVIN RESIGNS HIS LIVINGS AND SECEDES FROM THE CHURCH. Calvin had not yet openly broken from the church of
Rome, but still held the two livings which were conferred upon him in youth. But, unlike. our modern ritualistic dissemblers, he, having separated in heart from the church, could no longer remain in her communion or receive her pay. On May 4th, 1534, he returned to Noyon, and formally resigned his livings, and sold his paternal inheritance. He next visited Paris. Here the fires of persecution were scarcely out and errors of various kinds were fast spreading. The latter was not to be wondered at considering that by the mighty spread of Lutheranism men were roused to think, many of whom took not the Bible as their rule of thought. Without the Bible as the rule of religious thought, the opinions of men would be as numerous and various as their countenances.
Servetus, of whom we: have yet to speak, was then in Paris warring against the Divinity of Christ. Others were reviving the old Arabian error that the soul on leaving the body falls into a state of sleep; against these Calvin published a valuable work, and then retired to Basle, a canton of Switzerland.