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Daybreak in France
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revealed in the Bible, and which teaches man to look for salvation
solely from the free grace of God.”
“I will have none of your new doctrines,” exclaimed Calvin;
“think you that I have lived in error all my days?
But alone in his
chamber he pondered his cousin’s words. He saw himself without
an intercessor in the presence of a holy and just Judge. Good works,
the ceremonies of the church, all were powerless to atone for sin.
Confession, penance, could not reconcile the soul with God.
Witness to a Burning
Chancing one day to visit one of the public squares, Calvin
witnessed the burning of a heretic. Amid the tortures of that dreadful
death and under the terrible condemnation of the church, the martyr
manifested a faith and courage which the young student painfully
contrasted with his own despair and darkness. Upon the Bible, he
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knew, the “heretics” rested their faith. He determined to study it and
discover the secret of their joy.
In the Bible he found Christ. “0 Father,” he cried, “His sacrifice
has appeased Thy wrath; His blood has washed away my impurities;
His cross has borne my curse; His death has atoned for me. ... Thou
hast touched my heart, in order that I may hold in abomination all
other merits save those of Jesus.
Now he determined to devote his life to the gospel. But he
was naturally timid and desired to devote himself to study. The
earnest entreaties of his friends, however, at last won his consent to
become a public teacher. His words were as dew falling to refresh the
earth. He was now in a provincial town under the protection of the
princess Margaret, who, loving the gospel, extended her protection
to its disciples. Calvin’s work began with the people at their homes.
Those who heard the message carried the good news to others. He
went forward, laying the foundation of churches that were to yield
fearless witnesses for the truth.
Paris was to receive another invitation to accept the gospel. The
call of Lefevre and Farel had been rejected, but again the message
was to be heard by all classes in that great capital. The king had
7
Wylie, bk. 13, ch. 7.
8
Martyn, vol. 3, ch. 13.