[35] Christopher Libertet or Fabri, of Vienne in Dauphiny, a worthy minister of the Church of Neuchatel. At an early period he entered into friendly relations with Calvin, was in 1536 pastor of the congregation at Thonon, took part the same year in the disputation at Lausanne, and was recalled in 1546 by the Church of Neuchatel, which he served until the time of his death, in 1563, with equal wisdom and faithfulness.
[36] Without year. This letter, written before the publication of the Bible of Robert Olivetan, refers evidently to the year 1534. Under the necessity of leaving France in order to escape persecution, Calvin had retired to Basle, where, in the year following, he composed his book, "De l'Institution Chrétienne."
[37] Peter Robert Olivetan, related to Calvin, and translator of the Bible into the French language. Banished from Geneva in 1533, he had retired to Neuchatel, where he published successively (1534-1535) his translation of the New and of the Old Testament. This work, undertaken at the request of the Vaudois of Piedmont, had been revised by Calvin.
[38] This is the treatise which is entitled, "Psychopannychia, qua refellitur eorum error qui animas post mortem usque ad ultimum judicium dormire putant."—Paris, 1534, 8vo. This treatise, translated into French by Calvin himself, has been inserted, with a preface of the author, "à un sien amy," in the "Recueil des Opuscules," p. 1.
[39] A pseudonyme which Calvin sometimes made use of in his Latin correspondence.
[40] This is the first letter of the Reformer after his settlement at Geneva. Having left his retreat of Basle in the end of the year 1535, he had made a rapid tour in the north of Italy, and revisited France, which he had left in the month of July on his return to Switzerland. Not being able, without danger, to traverse Champagne and Lorraine, he went back to Basle by the way of Geneva, (August 1536,) when he was detained in that town by the entreaties of Farel. Afterwards he accepted the office of Professor of Theology, and attended the disputation of Lausanne on the 1st of October, which was followed by the establishment of the Reformation in the Pays de Vaud, conquered by the Seigneury of Berne from the Duke of Savoy.
[41] Calvin had left Noyon accompanied by his brother Antony and his sister Mary, who went to settle at Basle. Bèze, Calvini Vita.
[42] The book here referred to is no other than the Institution Chrétienne, first published in Latin, (Basle, 1536, in 8vo.) Calvin thought of giving a translation of that work. The first known edition of the Institution Chrétienne in French bears date 1540.
[43] The disputation of Lausanne, in which Farel, Viret, and Calvin took part began the 2d October, and lasted seven days. The narrative of what took place may be found in Ruchat, Histoire de la Réformation en Suisse, edit. 1836, vol. iv. pp. 161-163.
[44] Edict of July 16, 1536. Ruchat, Histoire de la Réformation, vol. iv.; Pièces Justificatives, No. II.