§ 124. Calvin and the Nicodemites. 1544.
Calvin : Petit traicte monstj-ant que c'est que doit faire un homine Jidele, coynoissant la verite' de I'Evangile quand il est entre les papistes, 1543. Excuse de Iehan Calvin a Messieurs les Nicodemites, sur la complaincte qu'ilfont de sa trop grand rigueur. (^Excusatio ad Pseudo-Nicodemitas.') 1544. Embodied in the tracts De vitandis superstitionibus qucp ctim sincera Jidei confessione pugnant. Genevae, 1549, 1550, and 1551. This collection contains also
^ "'Hocjacite.' Facere autem est sacrijicare, justa illud Vergilii : ' Quum faciam vitula pro frugibus, ipse venito.'" (Verg. E. III. 77.)
2 This refers to the mediaeval legend which has found its way into Dante's Divina Comedia (Purg. X. 75; Par. XX. 109-111), that the Emperor Trajan, nearly five hundred years after his death, was disinterred, and his soul translated from hell to heaven by the prayers of Pope Gregory I., who had learned that he was a just emperor, although he persecuted the Christians. But the pope was punished for his interest in a heathen, and warned by an angel never to make a similar request. Trajan is the only pagan in Dante's Paradise.
§ 124. CALVIN AND THE NICODEMITES. 154:4. till
the opinions of Melanohtlion, Bucer, and Peter Martyr on the question raised by the Nicodeniites. Keprinted in Opera, VI. 5;J7-644. A German transhition appeared at Herborn, 1588; an Engiisli translation by R. Gelding, London, 1548. See the bibliographical notes in Henry, IIL ; Beilage, 208 sq. ; Proleg. to Opera, VI. pp. x.\x-xx.\iv; and La France Protest., IIL 584 sq. Dyeu, 187 sqq. Stahehn, I. 542 sqq.
A great practical difficulty presented itself to the Protestants in France, where they were in constant danger of persecution. They could not emigrate en masse, nor live in peace at home, without concealing or denying their convictions. A large number were Protestants at heart, but outwardly conformed to the Roman Church. They excused their conduct by the example of Nicodemus, the Jewish Rabbi, who came to Jesus by night.
Calvin, therefore, called them " Nicodemites," but with this difference, that Nicodemus only buried the body of Christ, after anointing it with precious aromatics ; while they bury both his soul and body, his divinity and humanity, and that, too, without honor. Nicodemus interred Christ when dead, but the Nicodemites thrust him into the earth after he has risen. Nicodemus displayed a hundred times more courage at the death of Christ than all the Nicodemites after his resurrection. Calvin confronted them with the alternative of Elijah: " How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: if Baal, then follow him" (1 Kings 18 : 21). He advised them either to leave their country for some place of liberty, or to absent themselves from idolatrous worship, even at the risk of their lives. The glory of God should be much dearer to us than this transitory life, which is only a shadow.
He distinguished several classes of Nicodemites : first, false preachers of the gospel, who adopt some evangelical doctrines (meaning probably Gerard le Roux or Roussel, for whom Margaret of Navarre had procured the bishopric of Ol^ron) ; next, worldly peoj^le, courtiers, and refined ladies, who are used to flatterv and hate austerity ; then, scholars
612 THE EEFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
and literary men, who love their ease and hope for gradual improvement with the spread of education and intelligence ; lastly, merchants and citizens, who do not wish to be interrupted in their avocations. Yet he was far from disowning them as brethren because of their weakness. Owing to their o-reat danger thej^ could better expect pardon if they should fall, than he himself who lived in comparative security.
The Nicodemites charged Calvin with immoderate austerity. " Away with this Calvin ! he is too impolite. He would reduce us to beggary, and lead us* directly to the stake. Let him content himself with his own lot, and leave us in peace ; or, let him come to us and show us how to behave. He resembles the leader of an army who incites the common soldiers to the attack, but himself keeps out of the reach of danger." To this charge he replied (in substance) : ^ If you compare me with a captain, you should not l)lame me for doing my duty. The question is not, what I would do in your condition, but what is our present dut}' — yours and mine. If my life differs from my teaching, then woe to me. God is my witness that my heart 1)leeds when I think of your temptations and dangers, and that I cease not to pray with tears that you may be delivered. Nor do I condemn always the persons when I condemn the thing. I will not boast of superior courage, but it is not my fault, if I am not more frequently in danger. I am not far from the shot of the enemy. Secure to-day, I do not know what shall be to-morrow. I am prepared for everj^ event, and I hope that God will give me grace to glorify him with my blood as Avell as with my tongue and pen. I shall lay down my life with no more sadness than I now write down these words."
The French Protestants were under the impression that Luther and Melanchthon had milder and more practicable views on this subject, and requested Calvin to proceed to Saxony for a personal conference. This he declined from