§ 109. THE LEADERS OF THE LIBERTINES. 513
the Consistory in 1551 for abusing Calvin, for not going to church, and other offences, and for refusing to make any apology. Calvin was absent during these sessions, owing to sickness. Berthelier appealed to the Council, of which he was the secretary. The Council at first confirmed the decision of the Consistory, but afterwards released him, during the syndicate of Perrin and the trial of Servetus, and gave him letters of absolution signed with the seal of the Republic (1553). i
Calvin was thus brought into direct conflict with the Council, and forced to the alternative of submission or disobedience ; in the latter case he ran the risk of a second and final expulsion. But he was not the man to yield in such a crisis. He resolved to oppose to the Council his inflexible non possumus.
On the Sunday which followed the absolution of Berthelier, the September communion was to be celebrated. Calvin preached as usual in St. Peter's, and declared at the close of the sermon that he would never profane the sacrament by administering it to an excommunicated person. Then raising his voice and lifting up his hands, he exclaimed in the words of St. Chrysostom : " I will lay down my life ere these hands shall reach forth the sacred things of God to those who have been branded as his despisers."
This was another moment of sublime Christian heroism.
Perrin, who had some decent feeling of respect for religion and for Calvin's character, was so much impressed by tliis solemn warning that he secretly gave orders to Berthelier not to approach the communion table. The communion was celebrated, as Beza reports, " in profound silence, and under a solemn awe, as if the Deity himself had been visibly present among them." ^
1 See extracts from the Registers, March and April, 1551, and in September, 1553, Anna!. XXI. 475-479, 551 sq.
2_ Comp. the Reg. of the Council, and of the Venerable Company, Sept. 2, 1553, in Annal. 551.
514 THE REFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
In the afternoon, Calvin, as for the last time, preached on Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian Elders (Acts 20 : 31) ; he exhorted the congregation to abide in the doctrine of Christ, and declared his willingness to serve the Church and each of its members, but added in conclusion : " Such is the state of things here that this may be my last sermon to you ; for they who are in power would force me to do what God does not permit. I must, therefore, dearly beloved, like Paul, commend you to God, and to the Word of his grace." ^
These words made a deep impression even upon his worst foes. The next day Calvin, with his colleagues and the Presbytery, demanded of the Council to grant them an audience before the people, as a law was attacked which had been sanctioned by the General Assembly. The Council refused the request, but resolved to suspend the decree by which the power of excommunication was declared to belong to the Council.
In the midst of this agitation the trial of Servetus was going on, and was brought to a close by his death at the stake, Oct. 27. A few days afterwards (Nov. 3), Berthelier renewed his request to be admitted to the Lord's Table — he who despised religion. The Council which had condemned the heretic, was not quite willing to obey Calvin as a legislator, and wished to retain the power of excommunication in their own hands. Yet, in order to avoid a rupture with the ministers, who would not yield to any compromise, the Council resolved to solicit the opinions of four Swiss cantons on the subject.^
BuUinger, in behalf of the Church and magistracy of Ziirich, replied in December, substantially approving of Calvin's view, though he admonished him privately against undue severity. The magistrates of Bern replied that they
1 The sermon was taken down by a stenographer, and translated into Latin by Beza.
■■^ Reg. da Conseil, Nov. 7, 9, 2o, 28, 1553, in Annul. 559-562.