church, the reformers were "thrown, by a spirit of opposition, into an enthusiastic strain of devotion ;" and in another place, that these latter "placed all merit in a mysterious species of faith, in inward vision, rapture, and ecstasy." It would be endless to quote the passages in which this representation of things is repeated in a great variety of phrases, and artfully insinuated into the mind of the reader, by dexterous strokes of a seducing pencil; which, though scattered here and there, yet gradually unite their influence on the imagination of an uninstructed and unwary reader, and form imperceptibly an unfavourable impression of that great event, to which we owe at this day our civil and religious liberty, and our deliverance from a yoke of superstitious and barbarous despotism. Protestants, in all ages and places, are stigmatized by Mr. Hume with very dishonourable titles; and it struck me particularly to see even the generous opposers of the Spanish inquisition in Holland, whose proceedings were so moderate, and whose complaints were so humble, until the barbarous yoke of superstition and tyranny became intolerable; it struck me, I say, to see these generous patriots branded with the general character of bigots. This is certainly a severe appellation; and were it applied with much more equity than it is, I think it would still come with an ill grace from a lover of freedom, from a man who lives and writes with security under the auspicious shade of that very liberty which the reformation introduced, and for which the Belgic heroes, or bigots, if we must call them so, shed their blood. I observe with pain, that the phraseology employed perpetually by Mr. Hume, on similar occasions, seems to discover a keen dislike of every opposition made to power in favour of the reformation. Nay, upon the too general principle which this eminent writer has diffused through his history, we shall be obliged to brand with the opprobrious mark of fanaticism, those generous friends of civil and religious liberty, who, in the revolution in 1688, opposed the measures of a popish prince and an arbitrary government; and to rank the Burnets, Tillotsons, Stillingfleets, and other immortal ornaments of the protestant name, among the enthusiastic tribe; it is a question, whether even a Boyle, a Newton, or a Locke, will escape a censure which is lavished without mercy and without distinction. But my present business is with the first reformers, and to them I return.

Those who more especially merit that title were Luther, Zuingle, Calvin, Melancthon, Bucer, Martyr, Bullinger, Beza, Ecolampadius, and others. Now these were all men of learning, who came forth into the field of controversy, in which the fate of future ages, with respect to liberty, was to be decided, with a kind of arms that did not at all give them the aspect of persons agitated by the impulse, or seduced by the delusions of fanaticism. They pretended not to be called to the work they undertook by visions, or internal illuminations and impulses; they never attempted to work miracles, nor pleaded a divine commission; they taught no new religion, nor laid claim to any extraordinary vocation; they respected government, practised and taught submission to civil rulers, and desired only the liberty of that conscience which God has made free, and which ceases to be conscience if it be not free. They maintained, that the faith of Christians was to be determined by the word of God alone; they had recourse to reason and argument, to the rules of sound criticism, and to the authority and light of history. They translated the Scriptures into the popular languages of different countries, and appealed to them as the only test of religious truth. They exhorted Christians to judge for themselves, to search the Scriptures, to break asunder the bonds of ignorant prejudice and lawless authority, and to assert that liberty of conscience to which they had an unalienable right as reasonable beings. Mr. Hume himself acknowledges, that they offered to submit "all religious doctrines to private judgment, and exhorted every one to examine the principles formerly imposed upon him." In short, it was their great and avowed purpose to oppose the gross corruptions and the spiritual tyranny of Rome," of which Mr. Hume himself complains with a just indignation, and which he censures in as keen and vehement terms as those which were used by Luther and Calvin in their warmest moments.

I have already insinuated, and I acknowledge it here again, that the zeal of the reformers was sometimes intemperate; but I cannot think this circumstance sufficient to justify the aspersion of fanaticism, which is cast both on the spirit of the reformation, and the principal agents concern

d See the sensible and judicious Letters on Mr. Hume's History of Great Britain, such is the title, that were published at Edinburgh in the year 1756; and in which some points, which I have barely mentioned here, are enlarged upon, and illustrated, in an ample and satisfactory manner.

ed in it. A man may be over zealous in the advancement of what he supposes to be the true religion, without being entitled to the denomination of a fanatic, unless we depart from the usual sense of this word, which is often enough employed to have acquired, before this time, a determinate signification. The intemperate zeal of the reformers was the result of that ardour, which takes place in all divisions and parties that are founded upon objects of real or supposed importance; and it may be affirmed, that, in such circumstances, the most generous minds, filled with a persuasion of the goodness of their end, and of the uprightness of their intentions, are the most liable to transgress the exact bounds of moderation, and to adopt measures which, in the calm hour of deliberate reflection, they themselves would not approve. In all great divisions, the warmth of natural temper, the provocations of unjust and violent opposition, a spirit of sympathy which connects, in some cases, the most dissimilar characters, renders the mild violent, and the phlegmatic warm; nay, frequently the pride of conquest, which mingles itself imperceptibly with the best principles and the most generous views, all these produce or nourish an intemperate zeal; and this zeal is, in some cases, almost inevitable. On the other hand, it may be suspected that some writers, and Mr. Hume among others, may have given too high colours to their descriptions of this intemperate zeal. There is a passage of Sir Robert Cotton that has much meaning, "most men," says he, "grew to be frozen in zeal and benumbed, so that whosoever pretended a little spark of earnestness, he seemed no less than red fire hot, in comparison of the other."

Nothing can be more foreign from my temper and sentiments than to plead the cause of an excessive zeal; more especially every kind of zeal that approaches to a spirit of intolerance and persecution ought to be regarded with aversion and horror by all who have at heart the interest of genuine Christianity, and the happiness of civil society. There may be, nevertheless, cases in which a zeal, not that breathes a spirit of persecution, but that mounts to a certain degree of intemperance, may be not only inevitable, but useful; nay, not only useful but necessary. This assertion I advance almost against my will, because it is susceptible of great and dangerous abuse; the assertion howEver is true, though the cases must be singularly important

and desperate to which such zeal may be applied. It has been observed, that the reformation was one of these cases, and all things attentively considered, the observation appears to be entirely just; and the violence of expression and vehement measures employed by some of the reformers, might have been, I do not say that they really were, as much the effect of provident reflection, as of natural fervour and resentment. To a calculating head, which considered closely, in these times of corruption and darkness, the strength of the court of Rome, the luxury and despotism of the pontiffs, the ignorance and licentiousness of the clergy, the superstition and stupidity of the people; in a word, the deep root which the papacy had gained through all these circumstances combined, what was the first thought that must naturally have occurred? No doubt, the improbability that cool philosophy, dispassionate reason, and affectionate remonstrances would ever triumph over these multiplied and various supports of popery. And if a calculating head must have judged in this manner, a generous heart, which considered the blessings that must arise upon mankind with religious liberty and a reformation of the church, would naturally be excited to apply even a violent remedy, if that were necessary, to remove such a desperate and horrible disease. It would really seem that Luther acted on such a view of things. He began mildly, and did not employ the fire of his zeal, before he saw that it was essential to the success of his cause. Whoever looks into Dr. Mosheim's history, or any other impartial account of the XVIth century, will find that Luther's opposition to the infamous traffic of indulgences was carried on at first in the most submissive strain, by humble remonstrances addressed to the pope, and the most eminent prelates of the church. These remonstrances were answered, not only by the despotic voice of authority, but also by opprobrious invectives, perfidious plots against his person, and the terror of penal laws. Even under these he maintained his tranquillity; and his conduct at the famous diet of Worms, though resolute and steady, was nevertheless both respectful and modest. But when all gentle measures proved ineffectual, then indeed he acted with redoubled vigour, and added a new degree of warmth and impetuosity to his zeal; and I repeat it, reflection might have dictated those animated proceedings, which were owing perhaps merely to his re

sentiment, and the natural warmth of his temper inflamed by opposition. Certain it is, at least, that neither the elegant satires of Erasmus, had he even been a friend to the cause of liberty, nor the timid remonstrances of the gentle Melancthon, who was really such, would ever have been sufficient to bring about a reformation of the church. The former made many laugh, the latter made some reason; but neither of the two could make them act, or set them in motion. In such a crisis, bold speech and ardent resolution were necessary to produce that happy change in the face of religion, which has crowned with inestimable blessings one part of Europe, and has been productive of many advantages even to the other, which censures it.

As to Calvin, every one who has any acquaintance with history, knows how he set out in promoting the reformation. It was by a work composed with a classic elegance of style; and which, though tinctured with the scholastic theology of the times, breathes an uncommon spirit of good sense and moderation. This work was the Institutes of the Christian Religion, in which the learned writer shows that the doctrine of the reformers was founded in Scripture and reason. Nay, one of the designs of this book was to show, that the reformers ought not to be confounded with certain fanatics, who, about the time of the reformation, sprung from the bosom of the church of Rome, and excited tumults and commotions in several places. The French monarch, Francis I. to cover with a specious pretext his barbarous persecution of the friends of the reformation, and to prevent the resentment of the protestants in Germany, with whom it was his interest to be on good terms, alleged, that his severity fell only upon a sect of enthusiasts, who, under the title of Anabaptists, substituted their visions in the place of the doctrines and declarations of the Holy Scriptures. To vindicate the reformers from this reproach, Calvin wrote the book now under consideration; and though the theology that reigns in it be chargeable with some defects, yet it is as remote from the spirit and complexion of fanaticism, as any thing can be. Nor indeed is this spirit visible in any of the writings of Calvin that I have perused. His commentary upon the Old and New Testament is a production that will always be esteemed, on account of its elegant simplicity, and the evident marks it bears of an unpreju