er.

Of the precise period of the conversion of Calvin, we are not informed, but it must have been during the first or second year of his residence at the university. No friend in warning was struck dead at his side, as in the case of Luther; no voice from heaven directed him," to the cloister!" No sudden impulse from within or influence from without caused him suddenly to break off and denounce his literary studies, and to devote himself exclusively to meditation and prayer. The spirit of the age had changed since Luther first appeared. Thirty years of such mental activity as characterized the beginning of the 16th century, with the labors of men like Luther and Zuingle, had weakened the hold of the church upon the confidence of sincere worshippers. Besides, Calvin's whole previous life and discipline would lead us to expect, that a radical change of purpose would be effected in him in a manner very different from that of the German reformIn Calvin we should expect it to be the result, under God, of sober, serious, dispassionate thought; of meditation during the night watches, amidst books and studies, upon the character and relations of the Creator and his creature man. His strong, abiding sense of the right and wrong of human conduct, would thus be brought into action and lead to correspondent emotions. withstanding this, he himself recognizes a sudden change of views, produced through the agency of the Most High God. He says, that when he was so strongly addicted to the superstitions of the papacy, that he could not easily extricate himself from so deep a mire, God overcame him by a sudden conversion.1 A passage quoted by Henry from his French works, shows the struggles which he had with himself in breaking away from a reliance upon the ceremonies of the Catholic church: "When I had performed all these [ceremonies], although I experienced some satisfaction, yet I was always far from absolute tranquillity of conscience; for as often as I descended into myself, or raised my mind to thee, extreme horror seized upon me, which no purifications, no expiations could appease. And the more closely I scrutinized myself, the more cruel were the goadings of conscience which I endured, so that I could not be undisturbed except by forgetting myself."2

1 Deus tamen arcano Providentiae suae freno cursum meum alio tandem reflexit. Ac primo cum superstitionibus Papatus magis pertinaciter addictus essem quam ut facile esset e tam profundo luto me extrahi, animum meum, subito conversione ad docilitatem subegit.--Pref. to Psalms, Opp. Omn. Tom. III. 2 P. 194. Gen. 1611.

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Law-studies at Orleans and Bourges.

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A marked difference between the internal change of Calvin and Luther seems to be that, Calvin was converted from popery and Luther to it, so that he was obliged afterwards to throw off the shackles which it had put upon him. Calvin was prepared after a few struggles to rely with unshaken confidence and unchanging certainty upon the atonement of Christ, whilst Luther took vows upon him, fasted and agonized in prayer until, having completely exhausted his physical nature, he fell sick. When in this condition, a monk pitying his low estate told him that he had a remedy for his afflictions, "faith." Luther was electrified at the word, his burden fell from his shoulders, and he went on like Bunyan's pilgrim toward the heavenly city. In ways so different did these two men commence the work which they were to perform, in a manner and by means as different as those by which they had been called to it.

Calvin's law-studies were first pursued at Orleans, under the direction of Peter de Stella, president of the Parliament at Paris, and the most acute jurist in France. The character which he sustained at Orleans is evinced by the fact, that he was considered rather as teacher than pupil; and in the absence of the professors he often took their place in the lecture-room, and acquit ted himself with so much ability, that when he left Orleans the faculty unanimously and gratuitously offered him a doctor's degree. Beza gives further testimonials of Calvin's diligence at this time, from his friends and fellow lodgers, still living when he wrote; He was accustomed after a frugal supper to pursue his studies until midnight, and after a few hours of sleep, while yet in bed in the morning, he resumed the subject which had engaged his attention during the previous day; and thus by reflecting upon and classifying what he had learned, he increased his power of acquisition, strengthened his memory, and laid the foundation for his future erudition, as well as sowed the seeds of physical disease, which subsequently caused him much suffering, and shortened his life.'

After leaving Orleans, Calvin pursued his studies at Bourges, under Andrew Alciati, an Italian lawyer, whose talents had given an enviable reputation to the university established there. He also formed an acquaintance with another distinguished man at Bourges, Melchior Wolmar,3 a German and a native of RothAudin's Life of Luther, p. 20.

2 Le plus aigu Jurisconsulte de France.

3 The sole preceptor from childhood to mature age of the celebrated Beza, the biographer of Calvin.—Calvin and the Swiss Ref. p. 322.

weil in Suabia, but at that time professor of Greek, in the University of Bourges. From him Calvin learned the Greek language, and received much aid in establishing his yet unsettled religious principles. Similar literary tastes as well as religious feeling, contributed to the formation of a pleasant and lasting friendship between them. An extract from the dedication to him of the Commentary on 2 Corinthians, dated 1546, will show the value which Calvin placed upon his friendly assistance and encouragement: "I recollect how ready you were to give me aid; and as often as the opportunity was presented to show your love, you exerted yourself to improve me. But I especially remember now the early time when my father sent me to study law at Bourges, and I learned the Greek language under your guidance. -And it was not your fault that I did not make greater proficiency; you would have given me your guiding hand through the whole course, if the death of my father had not called me away."

Notwithstanding the progress made by Calvin in his legal studies, it seems that his best thoughts and hours were not devoted to them even when he was at Orleans. Direct preparation for his great work, and indeed its actual performance was already commenced. Beza says of him during this time, "There were already some men at Orleans who knew the truth, e. g. F. Daniel an advocate, and Nicolas Chemin,' but this was as nothing, until Calvin, yet very young, but already chosen as a special instrument for the work of the Lord, came there to study law. By the grace of God he devoted the best of his hours to theology, and in a short time so united wisdom with zeal for the kingdom of God, that he advanced it astonishingly in many families, not with formal language, which he always avoided, but with so great depth and so much dignity of speech, that even at that time no man could hear him without astonishment.-When at Bourges also Calvin strengthened all the faithful who were found in the city, and preached in the cloisters around. Among others the Seigneur of the little town Lignieres, who with his wife was accustomed to hear him, said of him: “ This man teaches us at least something entirely new."2

Of his course whilst at the University he himself says, in the

1 The friend to whom the first letter written by Calvin was directed. Many letters to the Daniel mentioned here yet remain.

2 Beza, Hist. Cal. Lib. I. p. 9, 16.

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Earliest Writing of Calvin.

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preface to the Psalms: "So soon as a desire for true holiness was awakened in me, I so longed for advancement, that I pursued my other studies with indifference, although I did not entirely lay them aside. Before a year had passed all those who loved the pure doctrine were accustomed to come to learn of me, as yet but poorly instructed in it. Naturally timid, I always loved meditation and retirement, and especially desired some quiet retreat in order to pursue my studies without interruption, but all my hiding places became like public schools."

While Calvin was at Orleans or Bourges in 1530, the universisities were consulted with reference to the divorce of Henry VIII. It shows in what consideration he was held even then, that although not much more than twenty-one years old, his opinion was asked upon the question, and his answer given in a letter which is yet preserved.2

The Death of his Father.

Mr. Henry supposes that Gerhard Calvin died very soon after his son commenced the study of law, and quotes in proof of it the earliest writing which remains of the young Calvin. It is a letter dated 6th of May, 1528, (when he was about nineteen years of age,) at Noyon, where he had gone from Paris or Orleans, and is interesting not only as a youthful production, but as exhibiting traits of character which are so conspicuous in his subsequent correspondence, especially strong attachment to his friends, and conscientiousness: "The promise which I made you at my departure, to be with you again soon, has kept me a long time in suspense; for as I was thinking of returning to you, the sickness of my father caused me to delay. But when the physician gave encouragement that he would soon recover, I saw nothing else in the delay, but that my desire to see you, which was before very strong, was much increased by the interval of a few days. In the meantime day after day has passed until there is no long

1 Opp. Omn. Vol. III. Epist. at the beginning: Nec dum elapsus erat annus quum omnes purioris doctrinae cupidi ad me novitium adhuc et tyronem discendi causa ventitabant, etc.

2 See Burnet's Hist. of the Ref. and Calvin's Epist. Ed. Lusanne, 1576, Epist. 384. It is true that Schroeckh (Kirchenges. s. d. Reformation S. 537) and some others suppose, that this letter was written later, but without giving any satis factory reasons. All the circumstances favor the supposition that it was written when the university, where he resided, was consulted. Compare Henry, das Leben u. s. a. S. 6.

er any hope of his recovery, and the danger of death is certain. Whatever the event may be I shall see you again. Have you yet enrolled your name among the professors of literature? See to it that your diffidence do not make you negligent. Farewell dear Chemin, my friend, dearer to me than my life."1

Beza, and other biographers place his father's death three years later, while he was a student at Bourges, and a passage in the dedication of his Commentary upon 2 Corinthians to Melchior Wolmar, where he speaks of being called away from Bourges by the death of his father, seems to indicate that the earlier biographer is correct, and accordingly that his father probably recovered from the sickness spoken of in the letter to Chemin. We should be glad to know something of the feeling of the son at the loss of such a father, but we are left entirely to our own conclusions from the general characteristics of the Reformer. It cannot be doubted, we think, that he felt deeply the loss of one to whom he owed so much, since he ever shows so strong a feeling of gratitude to others who bestowed favors upon him. There is good reason to believe that both of his parents died, (no notice of the death of his mother has been found), as they had lived, good Catholics; and it is natural to suppose, that the son was restrained by regard for them from openly seceding from the church while they lived. At least, as we shall see, he did not long conceal his sentiments, after the interruption of his University course, as we suppose, by his father's death.3

The Reformation in France before 1530.

The date of the commencement of Calvin's influence as a Re. former is placed at 1530-1532. In order to a just view of his character, it is necessary to give a brief sketch of the progress of the Reformation in France until that time. No country seems to have been so well prepared for the introduction of the tenets of the Reformers as France. It is indeed probable, that the doctrines of the Gospel had been cherished with a considerable degree of purity, in the valleys of Piedmont, from the earliest ages of the Christian church. The Reformation which commenced in Germany and Switzerland found here, very soon, a considerable number of adherents; yet nowhere has it been obliged to struggle against so violent opposition, and endure such cruel persecuMss. in the Genevan Library. Opp. Omn. Tom. VII. p. 217.

3 See Calvin and the Swiss Reform. p. 323.