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

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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 diyinity, which frustrated the expectation of the sees 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 en.tertained 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 fa "bles." 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. 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.

In his

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.

folly. Besides, it was not unlikely, (says Hooker) but that his credit in the world might many ways stand the 'poor town in great stead: As the truth is, their minister's foreign estimation hath been the best stake in their hedge. • But whatever secret respects were likely to move them, for contenting of their minds, Calvin returned, as it had been another Tully, to his own home.'

He re-entered Geneva, (leaving Brulius to succeed him in the French court at Strasburgh) on the thirteenth of September, 1541, to the infinite satisfaction of the people and magistracy; and the first thing he did, was to establish a form of discipline, and a consistorial jurisdiction, with power to exercise canonical censures and punishments, even to excommunication exclusive. This displeased many, who urged, that it was restoring the Roman tyranny : However, the thing was executed, and this new canon passed into a law, in a general assembly of the people, on the twentieth of November, 1541.

He rightly considered how gross a thing it was for men of his quality, wise and grave men, to live with such a multitude, and to be tenants at will under them, as their ministers, both himself and others, had been. For the remedy of this inconvenience, he gave them plainly to understand, that if he became their teacher again, they must be content to admit a complete form of discipline, which both they, and also their pastors, should be solemnly sworn to observe for ever after. Of which discipline the principal parts were these: A standing ecclesiastical court to be established; perpetual judges in that court to be their ministers, others of the people annually chosen, twice so many in number as they, to be judges together with them in the same court: These two sorts to have the care of all men's manners, power of determining all kind of ecclesiastical causes, and authority to convent, controul, and punish, as far as with excommunication, whoever they should think worthy; none, either small or great, excepted. This device, (says Hooker) I see not how the wisest, at that time living, could have bettered, if we duly consider what the state of Geneva did then require. For their bishop and his clergy being • departed from them, to choose in his room any other bishop had been a thing altogether impossible. And for their ministers to seek that themselves alone might have ⚫ coercive power over the whole church, would perhaps have been hardly construed at that time. But when so frank an offer was made, that for every one minister,

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there should be two of the people to sit and give voice in the ecclesiastical consistory, what inconvenience could they easily find, which themselves might not be able always to remedy? They were brought to so streight an issue, that of two things they must choose one; namely, whether they would, to their endless disgrace, with ridiculous lightness, dismiss him, whose restitution they had in so impotent a manner desired; or else condescend into that demand, wherein he was resolute either to have it, or to leave them? They thought it < better to be somewhat hardly yoked at home, than discredited for ever abroad: Wherefore these orders were on all sides assented to; with no less alacrity of mind, than cities unable to hold out longer, are wont to shew when they take conditions, such as it liketh him to offer them, which hath them in the narrow streights of advantage.'

·

The city of Geneva is situated on the river Rhone, at the west end of the lake Lemain, seventy miles south-west of Bern, and sixty miles north-east of Lyons in France. It is about two miles in circumference, and contains about thirty thousand inhabitants. The Republic of Geneva, exclusive of the city, is but of small extent, not containing above eleven parishes. The city of Geneva is considerable for its situation, as well as its commerce; it being the key, and the most flourishing city of Switzerland. Doctor Burnet says, It is surprising to see the learning that is here, not only among the professors of it, but the very magistrates and trading citizens are well versed in the Latin-tongue, mighty well acquainted with history, and generally men of good sense.' They have an university; but the language of the common people is the Savoyard, or a very bad dialect of the French tongue : Though people of condition speak French in greater purity. Their bishop was formerly their sovereign: But when they became a Republic, the legislative authority was placed in a council of two hundred, and a senate of twenty-five, who have the executive power, or adminis tration of the government. The territories of France and Savoy come up to the very walls of Geneva; and they must have been reduced under the dominion of one or the other, if they had not been protected by their allies, the cantons of Friburg, Bern, and Zurick, against the attacks of both.

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Both the clergy and laity of Geneva engaged themselves to a perpetual observance of the new institution made by Calvin,

Calvin, whose inflexible severity, in maintaining the rights of his consistory, raised him a great many enemies, and occasioned some disorders in the city. However, he surmounted all opposition, and also governed the Protestants in France, who almost all held the doctrine of Calvin, and received ministers from Geneva, who presided in their congregations.

An eminent Calvinist was against popular government; because the universal kingdom hath one king, and the government of the world is monarchial. There is nothing more clear and certain, than that the ultimate end puts the due estimate on all the means of government: But, that is the best form of government, which most 'powerfully conduces to the spiritual and everlasting wel'fare of the people, their holiness, obedience, and pleasing of God. If government be no means to this end, it is not good, desirable, nor of God: For if it be not to, and for God, it is not from him, The nearest end of go'vernment is order; the next is the maintenance and pro'motion of the prosperity and security of the people together with the honour of the governor. The more principal end is our present pleasing and honouring of God: The ultimate end is our more perfect everlasting pleasing him in our fruition of him in glory. The good of the world, and the whole body of the faithful subjects of God require more attention than the wel'fare of a particular commonwealth. The same principles that prove it sordid and impious to value our < private personal prosperity before that of the commonwealth, prove it as bad to value the benefit of one com'monwealth before the universal kingdom of God on earth. If a people could live most prosperously to themselves in the state of some petty republics and free cities; but are hereby incapable of doing much for the safety or welfare of their brethren abroad, it is not the 'most desirable government. Civil order is the nearest end of civil polity: But church order, for holy com'munion in God's worship, is the nearest end of church polity. Yet he says, That though variety of outward states, and the neglects of either magistrates or pastors, may be an exception, as to inward qualifications, the same persons are generally fit to be members of church and commonwealth.'

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Dupin says, The doctrine of Calvin concerning the sacrament, is not fundamentally different from that of the Zuinglians; though he uses very positive words to

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