in Spiritum Sanctum;" that is, "He (the apostle of Moravia) turned into ridicule the Holy Ghost, saying, he would rather return into the cloister than believe in him."

testant unity will reap a fresh laurel'

"I would to God," says Melancthon, "it were in my power to restore the government of the bishops. For I see what kind of a Again, my friends, the Baptists church we have, such ecclesiastical will furnish my learned antagonist polity being dissolved."-He goes with another transcendent proof of on to say, "Video postea multo the glorious inspiration of Protest- intolerabiliorem tyrannidem futuram antism, and its admirable unity-quam antea unquam fuit;" that is, the Baptists, I say, who ipso facto omit baptism towards children as unprofitable.

But now, a few words on the Rule of Faith that produces this wondrous unity among the choice of God's faithful, who shone as lights among their respective admirers, all of them being, as ye see, likeminded in the fellowship of the Spirit! [Laughter.]

Joannes Dietenburgius, the Protestant, has collected in Luther's translation of the Bible 874 corruptions!!!

Esmerus, who succeeded Luther and Melancthon, has discovered in it 1,400 falsifications!!!

Broughton, to the Lords of the Council, affirmed that the Bibles of England were foully corrupted!!

I perceive that hereafter there will be a far more intolerable tyranny than has ever yet existed."

This was in regard to bishops; for Calvin, as you know, had abolished bishops, maintaining that they were unapostolical, and not to be found in the Gospel. Nay, Calvin himself thus writes to his friend Farel:-"Deus nunc dat videre, quantum præcipiti judicio, vehementiaque inconsulta abjiciendi ita Pontificis nocuerimus." That is, "God now shows us most eviIdently what harm we have done by thus, in our headlong inconsiderateness and rash precipitancy, casting off the Pope."-Ep. ad Farel. 6.

The Calvinists, however, still continue, as ye well know, to cry out stoutly-and my reverend antaDr. Reynolds required, "That gonist will, beyond all doubt, be there may be a new translation of amongst the most clamorous of the Bible, because the former were them," No imposition of hands!" corrupt! What a beautiful Rule" No bishops!" I say, will my learned friend exclaim, most ferThe Puritans cried out, that the vently, unless, perchance, he should translations of the Bible cause have a mitre in view,—a glittering millions to reject the New Tes- species of object in the eyes of tament, and to run to eternal Protestantism, of a most irresistible flames.

of Faith!

Calvin declares, talking of Philip Melancthon, "Si Philippus declaret, verbo tantum me a sua mente deflectere, protenus desistam." That is, "If Philip should but intimate that I am in the least point at variance with his conceptions, I will immediately desist."

Well, see now what are the conceptions of Melancthon, and Pro

nature. [Laughter.]

But why, after all, should any scruple be entertained on this ground? since Junius, a celebrated Calvinist, lays it down, that imposi tion of hands properly means, shaking the elected into the assembly by his right hand." [Laughter.]

a

The true Scotchman, however, to this day, is most uncompromising upon that subject. His language

is still that of his forefathers, | by God's impulsion or impelling, dal namely, "Bishops are not members kill, and is ofttimes constrained is of Christ, but of antichrist." "All kill.” — Zuinglius de Providentu this proud generation must down: Dei, tom. i. fol. 365. bishops, deacons, archdeacons, are no members of the Church."

Now, my friends, judge ye whether the Spirit of God was hovering over your Church in its infancy. Listen to Calvin, and shudder when I explain his words. My learned friend, I perceive, already begins to tremble, knowing well what is forthcoming, at least foreboding it. [Sibilation.]

Listen earnestly, my friends, most earnestly, I do beseech you. Calvin is about to teach theology to this assembly: surely, where Protestants are all united in one fraternal bond, Calvin is worth hearing. Speaking of crimes and their fountain head, his very words are these :

Quando facimus adulterium aut homicidium, Dei opus est, motoris, auctoris, atque impulsoris." That is, my friends, translated with the utmost literality: "When we commit adultery or murder, it is the work of God, the mover, author, and impeller."

Again, Calvin, 1st Institute, liber 1, chap. xiii., ever orthodox, as reverend friend will verify, wishe that the name of the Trinity were buried, rejecting out of his prayer books the clause, "Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost."

Rogers, "Contra Familiam Londinensem," A.D. 1579, art. 24-25, says, Such is the Family of Love, rejecting the Trinity and Divinity of Christ as Papistical fictions."

And indeed, my friends, to speak truth, I declare that they had a right to be suspicious, after the manner, the distorted manner, in which you attempt to prove the systematic corruption of Christianity by popes and councils. They were perfectly right, I say (supposing the picture my friend draws of the allcorrupting Papist to be true), in suspecting those dogmas to be a invention of one of the dark ages.

Again, in Luther we find his soul did detest the word ὁμοούσιον

Rev. J. CUMMING-[quickly]—that is, consubstantial, between the Give me the authority.

Mr. FRENCH.-Oh, to be sure. Calv. Turciem, volume as above.

Rev. J. CUMMING.-The page? Mr. FRENCH.-Page! I really wish you'd furnish me with some of those texts you quoted so rapidly in exchange. [Laughter.] But you shall have the page-it is p. 691 ad 701.

persons of the Holy Trinity.-Lather, Enchiridio Precum, 1543.

And to prove to you, my friends, that the plenteous effusion of Divine grace at the period of the Reformation (as your historians uniformly call it) was producing on this subject at least something like ity, listen to the following fact, with its

attestation:

66

Zuinglius says (for there is, I The Servetians, that is, the perceive, upon grand points, some-followers of Servetus-whom that thing like unity among the prime meek, that lamb-like Christian, good boys of the Reformation), Calvin, procured to be burned at a stake,-these Servetians, if we may believe Beza, called the Blessed Trinity (great God, whom I adore with all the powers of my soul. forgive me if I give it utterance!)

Latro, Deo impulsore occidit, et sæpenumero cogitur ad pecandum."

That is, and my learned antagonist will warrant that I translate with strict fidelity, " The robber,

a three-headed Cerberus, or hellhound."-Beza, ep. 81.

Now mark, my friends, how this unity of opinion, as to fundamental points, spread widely among the ever-blessed Reformers. A solemn embassy was sent by all the Calvinists in Poland, to Zurich and Geneva, importuning them to have the mystery of the Trinity abolished. Whilst the Calvinian synod at Vilna, A.D. 1589, May 2nd, issued a public decree, forbidding ministers in sermons to mention the name of Trinity.

Again, let me give you another impious dogma of this innocent Reformer, Calvin. He affirms, in his Institutes, the name of God peculiarly to belong to God the Father.-Calv. Inst. c. 14, n. 3, and Contr. Valentin. lib. 2.

Again, he affirms Christ our Lord to be but a second king next to God, and a second cause of life. -Calo. in cap. vi. in Joann. v. 57.

And yet, my friends, if this your illustrious reformer had ever studied St. Paul, he must have known that Christ, "the Lord of Glory" and "the Prince of life," "thought it not robbery to be equal to God."

maxime vos ministri omnes verbi Dei, à verbis Calvini cavete, et præsertim in articulo de Trinitate." That is, "Beware, Christian reader, and especially all ye ministers of the word of God, beware of the books of Calvin, and especially ON THE ARTICLE OF THE TRINITY."Stancharius in Epist. cont. Calv. No. 4-5.

Again, here is Joannes Schutz, another Protestant writer of those times.

I am endeavouring, remember, to substantiate the position of my learned friend, which he so seriously lays down without the least flickering of a smile on his countenance, that there is perfect unanimity, perfect like-mindedness still among Protestants.

Well! let us hear the testimony of Joannes Schutz. His words are:

Arianismus, Mahumetismus, Calvinismus, tres fratres et sorores, tres caligæ ejusdem panni." That is, Arianism, Mahometism, and Calvinism, are three brothers and sisters, three pair of breeches of the same cloth." [Laughter.]

I did not wish to keep all this Latin as a "bonne bouche," [turnBut again, after having thus ing to Mr. Cumming,] for, my dear impiously dogmatized, he launches and esteemed friend, [laughter] I into fresh blasphemies. He main- thought it but fair to let the bulk tains, (in c. 1, Coloss. v. 20,)- of the audience enjoy it also in "that God in heaven is not dutifully plain English. [Laughter.] and sincerely served without sin, Rev. J. CUMMING.-Give the reeven by the angels themselves;"ference. and yet methinks he might have Mr. FRENCH.-Yes! you shall learned from the Book of Reve- have it-all regularly "cut and lations that "nothing defiled can dried"-all ready to afford fresh enter into the kingdom of heaven." gratification, when you take the And now, my friends, having trouble of consulting the original thus exhibited to you a drawing of sources from which my learning Calvin's mind from his own pencil, flows. Note down, then, ad confirlet us see what his contemporary mationem rei, Joannes Schutz, in Protestants thought of him. Lib. 50, causarum. Causa 40; and you will be sure to find it.

Stancharius, in Epistola contra Calvinum, N. 4-5, has these words: "Cave, Christiane lector, et

But, my friends, I have not yet done with Master Calvin; I must

66 Qui timet ne incidat in Arian-by the chinks of the door. ismum, caveat Calvinismum." That Thalman says that his body dimi is," He who has a dread of falling nished one-third, and so passed into Arianism, let him beware of through. Calvinism."-Adam Newser, apud Sclussenl. c. 13, citato, fol. 9, et in catal. hiæat. Lib. i. p. 4.

Upon Christ's entering amongst his disciples after his crucifixion, Rev. J. CUMMING.-[The learned the doors being shut, Calvin says gentleman read these extracts so that he knocked and so obtained very rapidly, that Mr. Cumming entrance. Afterwards he affirms was obliged to interrupt him, sagthat by his Divine virtue he opened ing:]-The last reference, if you

Mr. FRENCH.-I really have not | it to be of a very loquacious, luxuritime. I will if you give me time ating, and unbounded descriptionfor it.-[Nothing further ensued.] could have operated upon me so as Mr. FRENCH-(in continuation). to induce me to quit the Old Rock, Both Beza and Calvin teach that covered as it is with such unangood works are nugatory, that man swerable glories and soul-inspiring, was saved by faith alone. And never-to-be-obliterated associations Luther had the daring impiety to add the word "alone" to the words "saved by faith" in his translation of the Bible.

Yes, my friends, this is the man inspired by God, forsooth, to illummate mankind, and become the Father of that blessed Reformation that has engendered all the different sects which now stand around me and take part with my antagonist; though with him they are as vitally, as fundamentally at variance in points of the highest moment to salvation, as they are with me.

Again-for it is time to advert to another subject-Calvin tells us that the books of the Bible are to be recognised by the inward spirit alone!

of spiritual delight; for "my dove, my undefiled, is one," say the Canticles, " and her voice is sweet, and her face comely;"—but should I, I say, in an evil hour be allured by thy syren tongue to quit her whom " my soul loveth," and "begin to wander after the flocks of thy companions," tell me, I adjure thee, my reverend friend, into the porticos of which of your conflicting churches should I enter? Tell me, after having thrown away the light of ages, the lamp of Catholicity, in which of your dismal habitations, your howling wildernesses, shall my soul find a secure harbour, so as never to be tossed about again by any new wind of doctrine? In which, I say, of your motley conventicles, does the Spirit of Truth inhabit by the promise of its God, so that the finger of history, with clearness and perspicuity, shall point out its existence from age to age, and thus rescue it from the imputation of being a mere modern edifice, an upstart invention of yesterday?

Here is the great and illustrious master of my learned friend telling me that the way to prove the authenticity of canonical writing is by "the inward spirit!" And what does not this "inward spirit" prompt men to do? What odious, repulsive doctrines does it not prompt both men and women to broach? How comes it, I ask, By what test is this inward spirit that this "internal spirit" inspires to be tried amongst you? What such opposite deductions? Luther, uniform settled principle of judging out of his spirit, gave judgment prevails amongst you? By what that the Epistle of James was a bond of sympathy do ye stand this strawy or chaffy epistle, unworthy day united against the Catholic, of an apostle. Calvin, by his in- save and except unrelenting hatred ward spirit, was led to doubt, as I to your ancient mother? My friend have before proved, the sixth chapter the Quaker tells me (and he is the of St. John; and Beza was moved best and most moral of you all) by his inward spirit to call in ques-that baptism by water is not necestion the eighth of the same Evan- sary; nay, that it is superfluous. gelist. Now, my friends, even if The Baptist (and I candidly confess, the eloquence of my learned friend, that if, spurning away tradition, I -and I have always acknowledged took the Bible for my sole Rule of