"of their liberty, and the founder of their church" This year was remarkable for a stricter league between Bern and Geneva; as also for the establishment of the gospel at Lausanne, where a free disputation was held between the Papists and Protestants, at which Calvin was present.

In 1537, Calvin successfully opposed the Anabaptists in a public conference, and confuted Peter Caroli, who had accused him and his brethren, of holding particular opinions concerning the Trinity. He also wrote two letters into France, to confirm the Protestants in their faith: One of them, directed to Nicholas Cheminus, was an exhortation to avoid idolatry; and the other was to Gerald Roussel, lately made bishop of Oleron, against the popish priesthood. He made all the people solemnly swear to a form of faith, and abjure popery. He also drew up a catechism, which he caused to be taught in Geneva; and he endeavoured to reconcile the principal families which had been divided into several factions.

Hooker has given the full character of Calvin, as head of the Genevan discipline. A founder it had, whom for mine own part, I think incomparably the wisest man that ever the French church did enjoy, since it enjoyed him. His bringing up was in the study of the civil law. Divine knowledge he gathered not by hearing or reading so much, as by teaching others: For though thou. • sands were debtors to him, as touching knowledge in that kind; yet he to none, but only to God, the author of that blessed fountain, the book of life; and of the admirable dexterity of wit, together with the helps of other learning, which were his guides; till being occasioned to leave France, he fell at the length upon Geneva, which city the bishop and clergy thereof had a little before forsaken, as some do affirm; being of likelihood frighted with the people's sudden attempt, for the abolishment of the Popish religion. At the coming of Calvin thither, the form of their civil regi'ment was popular, as it continueth to this day; neither king, nor duke, nor nobleman of any authority or power over them; but officers chosen by the people, yearly out of themselves, to order all things with public consent. For spiritual government they had no laws at all agreed upon; but did what the pastors of their souls hy persuasion could win them unto. Calvin considered how dangerous it was, that the whole estate of that church should hang still on so slender a thread, as the liking of an ignorant multitude, if it have power to

⚫ change

change whatsoever itself liketh. Wherefore taking unto him two of the other ministers for more countenance of the action, albeit the rest were all against it, they moved and persuaded the people to bind themselves by solemn • oath, first, never to admit the papacy amongst them again; and, secondly, to live in obedience unto such orders, concerning the exercise of their religion, and the form of their ecclesiastical government, as those their true and faithful ministers of God's word, had, agreeably to Scripture, set down to that end and purpose.' Hence it appears, how extremely false and unjust the exclamations of the Papists against Calvin are, that he subverted the government, and turned the state of Geneva into confusion; whereas the truth is, the bishop of Geneva, who, like some other prince-bishops in Germany, claimed the office of ruler, was expelled long before Calvin's arrival; and as the government was modelled into its democratic form, previous to his residence, he did not believe that he had any divine authority to alter the civil constitution, if it had ever been in his power.

This reformation of doctrines had not removed that corruption of manners which had prevailed in Geneva; nor that factious spirit which had so much divided the principal families. Therefore Calvin, assisted by his colleagues Farel and Caroldus, declared, that as all their remonstrances had proved ineffectual, they could not celebrate the holy sacrament while those disorders continued. They also agreed, that they would no longer submit to the constitutions that the synod of Bern had made; and they desired to be heard in the synod which was held at

Zurick.

The church of Geneva made use of leavened bread in the communion: They had removed the baptismal fonts out of the churches; and abolished all festivals except Sundays. But the churches of the canton of Bern disapproved of these three things; and, by an act made in the synod of Lausanne, required that the use of unleavened bread, the baptismal fonts, and the festivals should be reestablished in Geneva. These were the regulations with which Calvin refused to comply. It was the manner of those times, says Hooker, that every particular church did that within itself, which some few of their own thought good, by whom the rest were all directed. Such num'bers of churches then being, though free within themselves, yet small, common conference before-hand might have eased them of much after-trouble. But it bred a C greater

greater inconvenience; because every later endeavoured to be certain degrees more removed from conformity with the church of Rome, than the rest had been: Whereupon grew marvellous great dissimilitudes; and, by reason thereof jealousies, heart-burnings,, jars, and discords among them; which notwithstanding might have been easily prevented, if the orders that each church did think fit and convenient for itself, had not been so peremptorily established under that high commanding form which tendered them to the people, as things everlastingly required by the law of that Lord of Lords, against whose statutes there is no exception to be taken. For by this mean it came to pass, that one church could not but accuse and condemn another of disobedience to the will of Christ, in those things where manifest difference was between them: Whereas the same orders allowed, but established in a more wary and suspense manner, as being to stand in force till GOD should give the opportunity of some general conference, what might be best for them afterwards to do; this had both ⚫ prevented all occasion of just dislike which others might take, and reserved a greater liberty unto the authors themselves of entering into a farther consultation afterwards; which, though never so necessary, they could not easily now admit, without some fear of derogation from their credit; and therefore that which once they had done, they became for ever after resolute to mainstain. Calvin, therefore, and the other two his associates, stiffly refusing to administer the holy communion to such who would not quietly, without contradiction and murmur, submit themselves unto the orders which their so• lemn oath had bound them to obey, were, in that quarrel, • banished the town.'

The Syndics of Geneva summoned the people in 1538; and Calvin, Farel, and Courant, presented themselves before the council, offering to make good their confession of faith. The Syndics favoured the discontented party, and were catholics in their hearts. The council, under pretence of preserving the liberties and privileges of the city; and because Calvin and his friends would not conform to the custom of Bern in celebrating the communion, made an order to enjoin those three members to leave the city in three days. When this decree was brought to Calvin, he said, "Truly, if I had served men, I should have had an

ill reward; But it is well that I have served him, who

"doth

doth always perform to his servants what he hath once "promised."

Calvin had no maintenance from the city, and lived at his own expence. He went to Basil, and from thence to Strasburgh, where Bucer and Capito gave him every mark of their esteem. He was also caressed by Hedio, and other learned men, who procured him permission from the magistrates to set up a French church, of which he became the pastor, and had a competent maintenance allowed him there. He was also made professor of divinity, which frustrated the expectation of the see of Rome; as Calvin settled in a new place, and a new church was erected, for the former, subverted.

While Calvin was absent from Geneva, cardinal Sadolet wrote an eloquent letter to the inhabitants of that city, to exhort them to return into the bosom of the Romish church. Calvin answered that letter in 1539; in which he manifested his affection for the church of Geneva, and disappointed the views which the bishop of Carpentras had entertained in his fine artful letter to that state.

So far would the popes and the ecclesiastics have been from abandoning their beloved interests, founded upon ignorance and superstition, that a bloody inquisition would have been established, not only in Italy and Spain, but in all Christian countries, which would have smothered and extinguished for ever those lights which then began to sparkle. Lutheranism gained such strength and stability, that it prevented the tyranny of an inquisition in Germany, and the Reformation of Calvin secured the liberty of other countries.

Peter Castellan, great almoner of France under Francis I. was so scandalized at the corruptions which he observed in the court of Rome, that he could not think, or speak of them without indignation. He pushed the matter so far, that he believed religion was but a mere farce at Rome, which they made use of to deceive the world, to preserve dominion. Calvin has not said much more of it; Calvin, says Bayle, who has been so much insulted, and so often called an egregious calumniator, for having made use of these words regarding the popes and cardinals: "The "first article of their sacred theology is, that there is no "God: The second, that all that is written, and preached, "of Jesus Christ, is but falsehood and idle talk: The third, that all that is contained in scripture concerning "eternal life, and the resurrection of the body, are fables." Castellan said much the same; for when he was describing

describing the wanton lusts, avarice, and rapaciousness, ́of the Roman pontiffs; their contempt of religion; the pride, luxury, and laziness of the cardinals, their riotous feastings, and other vices, which he had observed in the court of Rome, while he was there with the bishop of Auxerre the French ambassador, he would be moved with so much indignation, that not only the colour in his face, but the very motions and gestures of his body would be changed: Insomuch, that he would often say, he was fully persuaded that the popes themselves, the supreme heads of religion, contaminated with so many vices of their own, and those about them, did not sincerely, and from their hearts, worship Christ.

Luther, Bucer, Calvin, and other bright stars which shone in the reformed church, were to enlighten this gloom. The divines of Strasburgh desired Calvin to assist at the diet the emperor had called at Worms and Ratisbon in 1541, to see if it was possible to reconcile the differences in religion. He appeared there with Bucer, and conferred with Melancthon, who called him his divine. The time was now come for establishing the church at Geneva, by recalling Calvin. The Syndics who had promoted the decree of banishment were dead or banished; and the people were not before so willing to be rid of their learned pastor, as now importunate to obtain him again from them who had given him entertainment, and were unwilling to part with him, if irresistible solicitations had not been used.

One of the town ministers, who saw in what manner the people were inclined for the recalling of Calvin, gave him notice of their affection in this sort. The senate of two hundred being assembled, they all desire Calvin. The next day a general convocation; they all cry, we will have Calvin, that good and learned man, the minister of Christ.' When Calvin understood this, he praised God, and judged it was the call of heaven. He said, It is marvellous in our eyes for the stone which the builders refused, was made the head of the corner. In his absence he had persuaded them, with whom he was able to prevail, that though he more approved of common bread to be used in the eucharist; yet they should rather accept the other, than cause any trouble in the church

about it.

The people saw that the name of Calvin increased every day greater abroad; and that, with his fame, their infamy was spread, who had ejected him with such rashness and

folly.