ly account himself, Farel
solemnly prayed that the curse of God might descend on Calvin's leisure
and studies, if purchased at the price of neglecting the duty to which
the voice of the Almighty Himself, by His providence, distinctly called
him.[409]

The amazed and terrified student felt--to use his own expression--that
God had stretched forth His arm from heaven and laid violent hold upon
him, rendering all further resistance impossible. He yielded to the
unwelcome call, and became the first theological professor of Geneva.
Somewhat later he was prevailed upon to add to his functions the duties
of one of the pastors of the city.

[Sidenote: Farel's own recollections.]

If the scene impressed itself ineffaceably on the memory or one of the
principal actors, its effect, we may be sure, was no less lasting in the
case of the other. More than a quarter of a century after, Farel, on
receiving the announcement that his worst apprehensions had been
realized, in the death of his "so dear and necessary brother Calvin,"
wrote to a friend a touching letter, in which he referred in a few
sentences to the same striking interview. "Oh, why am not I taken away
in his stead, and why is not he, so useful, so serviceable, here in
health, to minister long to the churches of our Lord! To Whom be
blessing and praise, that, of His grace, He made me fall in with him
where I had never expected to meet him, and, contrary to his own plans,
compelled him to stop at Geneva, and made use of him there and
elsewhere! For he was urged on one side and another more than could be
told, and _specially by me_, who, in God's name, urged him to undertake
matters that were harder than death. And albeit _he begged me several
times, in the name of God, to have mercy on him and suffer him to serve
God in other ways_, as he has always thus occupied himself,
nevertheless, seeing that what I asked was in accordance with God's
will, in doing himself violence he has done more and more promptly than
any one else has done, surpassing not only others, but himself. Oh, how
happily has he run an excellent race!"[410]

[Sidenote: Calvin becomes the head of the commonwealth.]

[Sidenote: His view respecting church and state,]

[Sidenote: and the punishment of heresy.]

For twenty-eight years the name of Calvin was inseparably associated
with that of the city which owes its chief renown to his connection with
it. Excepting the three years of exile, from 1538 to 154