or wherever it has any hope of introducing its doctrines amongst Protestants. When Popery flags or languishes, it is the Jesuit who is commissioned to give it new life and energy. No doubt, as we have seen, this has often stirred up envy and opposition from the secular and monastic clergy of the other orders. But such times have now passed away, and the Jesuits work harmoniously with the rest. This arises in a great measure from the loss of their riches, and from their extinction as a public body, taking a visible station in civil affairs. This external change greatly conduces, however, to their invisible and spiritual influence. Whilst the Jesuits were quarrelling and conflicting with other orders, the public attention was roused, and it generally terminated in their banishment. But the danger now goes on unnoticed and unperceived. They exert their energies in schools and colleges, without attracting any opposition. It is thus that they are now clandestinely busy and active in every part of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

How many amongst the working Romish clergy in England are Jesuits, it is impossible to assert with any accuracy. That numbers are of that order there can be no question. But it is the effect of Jesuitism, as it now exists in harmonious union with the rest, to render the whole body essentially, though not officially, Jesuitical. There is no leaven. so active and diffusive, as the doctrines of the Jesuits. It results from the very genius of their order. A Jesuit is secular, insinuating, ever on the watch to avail himself of any opportunity to carry out his designs. The alarm and opposition which he formerly created, have now passed away. He moves in vacuo, without any resistance from the other orders. He moves also in secret, so that he is often unknown and unsuspected by those who might wish to counter act his efforts.

It is always pleasing, however, to find a character, in which even the principles of Loyola have not been sufficient to close the mind and conscience against the evidence of Christian truth. Such a character was James Reihing. Born at Augsburg, 1579, he was educated at Ingolstadt. He made a vow, that if he recovered from a dangerous illness, he would take the habit of a Jesuit. Accordingly, he made his novitiate at Landsberg, taught the classics at Inspruck, and divinity at Ingolstadt. Aquaviva, the general, was so much pleased with Reihing, that he created him doctor of divinity. He studied day and night to confute the Lutherans. But, being obliged to answer their Scriptural arguments, he became convinced of the badness of his cause. He embraced Lutheranism, and became professor of divinity at Tubingen, preacher in ordinary, and director of the college. The Jesuits tried hard to bring him back, but all was in vain. knew the men, and their communications.' 1628, six years after his conversion. He has left several learned books, some composed when he was a Romanist, and others after he became a Protestant.* But such examples are extremely rare. It is only once or twice in an age, that a Jewish rabbi, a Hindoo Brahmin, or a Romish Jesuit, can be brought to unlearn his errors, and to accept the gospel in its simplicity. Nothing but Almighty grace can humble the pride of learning, or unravel the deceits of sophistry.

* Bayle.

'He

He died May,

CHAPTER VIII.

THE JESUITS IN POLAND, SAVOY, SWITZERLAND,

VENICE, &C.

THEIR ARRIVAL IN POLAND-OCHINUS, HIS CONVERSION, CHARACTER INTERFERENCE IN POLITICS THEIR EXPULSIONS

-THEIR

PIEDMONT AND SAVOY-THE WALDENSES-THEIR EARLY PERSECUTIONS-THEIR PERSECUTION BY THE JESUITS-THEIR ARRIVAL AT VENICE-THEIR INTERFERENCE IN CIVIL AFFAIRS-ABUSE OF THE CONFESSIONAL-DISMISSED BY THE SENATE THEIR

INTRIGUES FOR A RETURN-FINAL

EXPULSION-ARRIVE

AT

GENOA-SKETCH OF THEIR NUMEROUS COLLEGES IN ITALY

THEIR SODALITIES, RETREATS-THEIR CONDUCT IN THE GRISONS -THEIR EXPULSION-REFLECTIONS.

THE introduction of the society into Poland was the last expedient attempted by Lainez, A.D. 1565. It was accomplished under the reign of Stephen Battor. They commenced at Pultowa. In 1582, he presented them with a church at Riga; but, as usual they soon embroiled themselves in disputes with the other orders. In 1596, the whole city of Riga rose up against them.

The cause of the Reformation had been warmly embraced by the Poles. It rolled along the southern shores of the Baltic, through the Prussian dominions, and entered Poland.

H

In 1558, the principal towns had the free exercise of the Protestant worship confirmed to them by charters. Even in Poland, numbers of the nobility had previously embraced the Protestant opinions, as more in accordance with the love of freedom. It was a common saying amongst them; "A Polish noble is not a slave to the king; shall he be a slave of the pope ? "

The aged Bernard Ochinus had just arrived in Poland. He was one of the ecclesiastics of Italy, who fled that country in the fifteenth century, to espouse the faith of the reformed. Born at Sienna, he had been first a Franciscan, and afterwards a Capuchin. In 1542, he was elected general of the Capuchins. Some have affirmed he was the pope's confessor, but Bayle does not credit the assertion. Be that as it may, we have the authority of a Romish cotemporary (Bzovius) for the following character; "Ochinus was at that time in such high esteem, that he was reputed the best preacher in Italy. He was able to affect his hearers as he pleased with his action and eloquence, and the more, because his life was in agreement with his doctrine." A favourite with all, he practised every kind of mortification, he lived on the sparest diet, and never tasted wine. Nothing was further from his thoughts than quitting his church and order, when he fell into the hands of a Spanish civilian, who had been favourably impressed with the opinions of Luther, and who raised some doubts in his mind. It was at Naples that he met with this Spaniard, and he began at once to declare his change. He was suspected, and summoned to Rome. On his way, at Florence, he met with his friend Peter Martyr, to whom he communicated the mandate which he had received. Martyr felt that they were both in the same perils. They resolved to retire to some place of safety. Ochinus took the road to Geneva, Martyr went into Switzerland. The flight of Ochinus caused

great uneasiness to Paul III., who was so incensed, that he could scarcely be prevented from abolishing the order of the Capuchins. Ochinus went to Augsburg, where he published some sermons. In 1547, he made a voyage to England, in company with Martyr, and was received in the most friendly manner by Cranmer. The death of Edward VI. soon followed, and they were obliged to retreat to Strasburg. In 1555, Ochinus became the minister at Zurich. Bullinger was his intimate friend, and there he remained till 1563; but was ordered to quit on account of some singular opinions in his "Dialogues." They related to Polygamy, which Ochinus erroneously defended. Nor was he permitted to stay at Basil, so cautious were the reformers of abetting any unscriptural doctrines. Ochinus was seventy-six years of age when he reached Poland. The pope's nuncio, Commendone, drove him out of the kingdom. He died soon in Moravia. Though a man of splendid abilities, and unquestionably sincere in his conversion to Protestantism, we cannot regard him as an honour to the Reformation.

Commendone, however, did not expel the aged Ochinus on account of his errors in the matter of Polygamy, but simply because he was a heretic. He had induced the senate to pass a decree for banishing all foreign heretics. But this was no specific against the Protestant plague which infected Poland. Canisius was then sent to the Polish diet to prevent any decree prejudicial to the Romish church. But all his efforts were fruitless. The cause of Protestantism advanced with rapidity. To counteract its progress, the Jesuits, A.D. 1605, took part in the political struggles between Poland and Muscovy. They obtained the favour of Sigismund, by aiding the pretended Demetrius in his designs on the Russian diadem.* All their intrigues ended in their discomfiture. After

* See Russell's History of Modern Europe, vol. iii. lett. lxxvi.