SECTION VI.

Calvin's will-His farewell address to the syndics-His composure in the prospect of death-His death-Burial, epitaph, and

character.

THE will of the Genevian reformer, made on the 25th of April, and which contains an epitome of his sentiments and experience, cannot fail to be interesting to the reader, and is here inserted verbatim.

THE WILL OF JOHN CALVIN,

"In the name of God. To all whom it may concern; be it known that in the year 1564, and on the 25th day of the month of April, I, Pierre Chenelat, citizen and sworn notary of Geneva, having been called in by John Calvin, minister of the word of God, in the church of Geneva, and citizen of the said Geneva; who, being indisposed in body, but of sound and disposing mind, hath declared to me his wish to make his last will and testament; desiring me to write what he should dictate

and pronounce; which at his said request I have done, and written what he hath dictated to me, and pronounced word by word, without omitting, or adding any thing thereto, according to what followeth. In the name of God. I, John Calvin, minister of the word of God, in the church of Geneva, finding myself so much reduced by various maladies, that I cannot but think, that God will shortly remove me out of this world, have ordered to be made and written my testament, and declaration of my last will, in form and manner following:

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First, I give thanks to God, that, taking pity on me, whom he hath created and placed in this world, he hath delivered me out of the thick darkness of idolatry, into which I was plunged; and hath brought me into the light of his gospel, and made me a partaker of the doctrine of salvation whereof I was most unworthy. And he hath not only gently and graciously borne with my faults and sins, for which I deserved to be rejected of him and cast out, ut hath vouchsafed to use my labours in preaching and publishing the truth of his gospel. And I declare it is my wish and intention to continue in the same faith and religion, having no other hope or refuge but in his gratuitous adoption of me, upon which is founded all my salvation: embracing

the grace which he has given me in Jesus Christ, and accepting the merit of his death and passion, that so all my sins may be buried: and beseeching him so to wash and cleanse me in the blood of that great Redeemer which was shed for all poor sinners, that in his image I may appear before his face. I declare also, that, according to the measure of grace bestowed upon me, I have endeavoured to teach his word in its purity, as well in sermons as in writings, and endeavoured faithfully to expound the holy scriptures: and that in all the disputes which I have had with the enemies of truth, I have never used either craftiness or sophistry, but have fairly maintained the truth. But alas! my zeal, if it deserve the name, has been so cold and unworthy, that I feel myself highly indebted in all, and through all: and if it were not for his infinite bounty, all the zeal I have discovered would appear light as smoke, and the graces which he has bestowed upon me would only render me more guilty. So that my only refuge is, that He being the Father of mercy, I trust he will be and appear the Father of so miserable a sinner. Further, I desire that my body after my decease, may be interred in the customary manner, awaiting the day of a blessed resurrection. With respect to the property which God hath given me to dispose of, I name and appoint as my only heir,

crowns.

my well-beloved brother Antony Calvin; nominally leaving to him only the cup which I received from Monsieur de Varennes, begging him to be content therewith, which I am persuaded he will be; knowing that I have no other motive than that what little I leave may descend to his children. Further, I leave to the college, ten crowns, and to the purse for poor strangers, the same sum. Also to Jane, daughter of Charles Castan and of my half sister on the paternal side, the sum of ten crowns. Further, to Samuel and to John, sons of my said brother, my nephews, each forty And to my nieces, Ann, Susanna, and Dorothy, each thirty crowns. As to my nephew David, as he hath proved but light and trifling, I bequeath to him only twenty crowns, for chastisement. This is in sum, all the property which God hath given me, as far as I am able to ascertain it in books, furniture, and other things. Should it, however, prove more, I desire it may be distributed between my nephews and nieces aforesaid, not excluding my nephew David, should God give him grace to be more circumspect. But, I believe that with respect to this, there will be no difficulty, especially when my debts are paid, which I have given in charge to my brother, upon whom I can depend; naming him executor of this testament,

with Laurent de Normandie, giving them full power and authority to make an inventory of, and to sell my goods, to procure money in order to comply with the contents hereof. Dated this 25th of April 1564. So be it.

JOHN CALVIN."

"On the morrow, being the 26th day of April 1564, the said John Calvin did also direct me to assemble Theodore de Beza, Raymond Chauvet, Michael Cop, Louis Enoch, Nicolas Colladon, Jacques de Bordes, ministers of the word of God in this church, and also Henry Scringer, professor of arts, all citizens of Geneva, in the presence of whom he hath de clared, that he desired me to write from his words, the said will in the form and words above: desiring me to read it in his presence, and that of the said witnesses, which I have also done word by word. This being done, he hath declared this to be his last will and testament, desiring that it might be faithfully observed. In further approbation of which, he hath requested the aforenamed witnesses to subscribe it with me: which hath also been done on the day and year aforesaid, at Geneva, in the street called the Canons, in his own house. In proof of which, I have affixed the common seal of our highly honoured seigneurs