4A*} THE P.EFOK\LATIO:S^ ZS FRENCH SWITZF.KT. AXD.
^cvc-ixil sa-ered Kx>ks with most learned eommeniaries. besides answering The enemies of religion, and mainTaining an extensive correspondence on matters of great importance. Anv one who reads these auentively, will be astonished howone little man (^m*uVm* hontHH^uln^^ could be nt for labors so numerous and great- He availed himself much of the aid of Farel and Viret,^ while, at the same time, he confeired crreater benefits on them. Their friendship and intimaej was not less hateful to the wicked than delightful to all the pious ; and. in truth, it was a most pleasing spectacle to see and hear those three distinguished men cariying on the work of Grod in the Church so harmoniously, with such a varietv of orifts. Farel excelled in a certain sublimity of mind, so that nobody could either hear his thunders without tienftbHnij, or listen to his most fervent prayers without being almost carried up to heaven. Viret possessed such suavity of eloquence, that his hearers were compelled to hang upon his lips. Calvin filled the mind of the hearers with as many weighiy sentiments as he uttered words. I have often thought that a j»reacher compounded of the three would be absolutely perfect. In addition to these emplovments, Calvin had manv others, arising out of circumstances domestic and foreign. The Lord so Uessed his ministry that persons flocked to him fn:>m all parts of the Christian world; some to take his advice in matters of religion, and others to heai him. Hence, we have seen an Italian, an English, and, finally, a Spanish Church at Geneva, one city seeming searcelv sufficient to entertain so many guests. But though at home he was courted by the good and feared by the bad. and matters had been admirably arranged, yet there were not wantinsT individuals who gave him great annoyance. We will unfold these contests separately, that posterity may
1 WIm came to GeneTa occasKwllT, tbe faswmet from Xmrhitf;!, tbe laoer from Laasune.
$ 97. siKVEY OF Calvin's Acnvirv. 447
be pi^^ienied with a siugular extuuple of fortitude, Nvhich each may imitate aooonliug to his ability." *
We shall now consider this astounding activity of the Reformer in detail : his Church polity, his theological system. his controversies, and his relation to, and influence on, foreign churches.
1 TTJti GWr- in (>fvnj. XXI. 1S2.
CHAPTER XIII.
CONSTITUTION AND DISCIPLINE OF THE CHURCH OF
GENEVA.
§ 98. Literature.
I. Calvin's Institutio Christ. Relir/ionis, the fourth book, which treats of the
Church and the Sacraments. — Les \ ordinances | ecclesiastiques de \ I'^glise de Geneve. ( Item | I'ordre des escoles | de la dite cite'. \ Gen., 1541. 92 pp. 4°; another ed., 1562, 110 pp. Reprinted in Opera, X. fol. 15-30. (Pr-jet d'ordinances ecclesiastiques, 1541). The same vol. contains also Uordre du College de Geneve; Leges academicce (1559), fol. 65-90; and Les ordinances eccle'siastiques de 15G1, fol. 91-124. Comp. the Prolegomena, IX. sq., and also the earliest document on the organization and worship of the Church of Geneva, 1537, fol. 5-14.
II. Dr. Georg Weber : Geschichtliche Darstellung des Calvinismus im Verhdltniss zum Staat in Genf ttnd Frankreich bis zur Anfhehung des Edikts von Nantes, Heidelberg, 1836 (pp. 372). The first two chapters only (pp. 1-32) treat of Calvin and Geneva; the greater part of the book is a liistory of the French Reformation till 1685. — C. B. Hundeshagen: Ueher den Einjiuss des Calvinismus aiif die Ideen von Staat, und staats-bilrgerlicher Freiheit, Hern, 1842. — *Amedee Roget : LVglise et I'e'tat a Geneve du vivant de Calvin. Etude d'histoire politico-eccle'siastique, Geneve, 1867 (pp. 92). Comp. also his Histoire du peuple de Geneve depuis la reforme jusqu'a I'escalade (1536-1602), 1870-1883, 7 vols.
ni. Henry, Part II. chs. III.-VI. Comp. his small biography, pp. 165-196. — Dyer, ch. III. — Stahelin, bk. IV. (vol. I. 319 sqq.). — Kamp- SCHULTE, I. 385-480. This is the end of his work ; vols. II. and III. were prevented by his premature death (Dec. 3, 1872), and intrusted to Professor Cornelius of Munich (a friend and colleague of the late Dr. Dollinger), but he has so far only published a few papers on special points, in the Transactions of the Munich Academy. See p. 230. — Merle d'Aubigne, bk. XI. chs. XXII.-XXIV. (vol. VII. 73 sqq.). These are his last chapters on Calvin, coming down to February, 1542; the continuation was prevented by his death in 1872.