History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin. Vol. 3 (of 8)Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
History
History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin. Vol. 3 (of 8)
Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
Reformation
When the day arrived, many persons went out of the city and quietly
directed their steps towards D'Adda's garden, situated in a place called
Pré l'Evêque, because the bishop had a house there. A table had been
prepared in a room or in the open air. The believers as they arrived
took their seats in silence on the rude benches, not without fear that
the priests should get information of the furtive meeting.[634] Guerin
sat down in front of the table. Just at the moment (we are told) when
the ceremony was about to begin, the sun rose and illumined with his
first rays a scene more imposing in its simplicity than the mountains
capped with everlasting snow, above which the star of day was beginning
his course. The pious Guerin stood up, and after a prayer he distributed
the bread and wine, and all together praised the Lord. The communicants
quitted D'Adda's garden full of gratitude towards God.
It was not long, however, before their peace was troubled. Their enemies
could not contain themselves, and threatened nothing less than
excommunication and imprisonment. There were disputes. The priests
shrugged their shoulders at the sight of those paltry assemblies. They
said that the reformed, by busying themselves so much about _Christ_,
deprived themselves of the _Church_; while Olivetan and Guerin
maintained that the catholics, by speaking so much of the _Church_,
deprived themselves of _Christ_. The meeting of a few souls endowed with
a lively faith, who came to glorify Jesus Christ, was (they believed) a
truer church than the pope, cardinals, and all the pomps of the Vatican.
The exasperated priests vented their anger specially on Guerin, and the
danger which threatened him was so great, that he had to leave the city.
Hurrying quickly away, he took refuge at Yvonand with his friend
Froment, from whom he had received so much enlightenment.[635]
Thus Farel, Froment, and Guerin were compelled, one after another, to
quit Geneva; but the catholics laboured in vain: 'the reformed met every
day in houses or gardens to pray to God, to sing psalms and christian
hymns, and to explain Holy Scripture. And the people began to dispute
with the priests, and to discuss with them publicly.'[636]
Thus there were two winds blowing in different directions at Geneva—one
from the north, the other from the south. They could not fail to come
into violent collision and to engender a frightful tempest.
[619] Ruchat, iii. p. 186.
[620] Berne MS., ascribed to Bonivard, _Hist. helv._ v. 12.
[621] Froment, _Gestes_, p. 47.—'Domatim conventus habere.'—Turretini MS.
[622] 'In Domonovani Baudichonii ædibus, quæ concionum ordinariarum
_crypta_ erant.'—Spanheim, _Geneva restit._ p. 58.
[623] Council Registers, 4th and 26th March. Froment, _Gestes_, p.
47.
[624] Olivetan's Bible, _Dedication_.
[625] Olivetan's Bible, _Dedication_.
[626] 'Comme l'un des plus petits orteils des humbles pieds du corps de
l'église.'—Olivetan's Bible, _Apologie du translateur_.
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