Calvin overcame these storms with the greatest fortitude. Though persecuted in a very severe manner by the wicked at Geneva, he did not move a step from the high station of constancy and integrity which he had taken.

To return to Calvin's domestic disputes,-when his whole time was employed in proving that the gospel he preached was not a mere speculative doctrine, but consisted in a pious Christian life, he necessarily incurred the enmity of those, who had proclaimed war not only against all piety and virtue, but even against their very country. Perrin, as already stated, still continued their leader, for his own condition and the state of his associates were so bad, that it was evident they must make the most desperate efforts; and the abandoned openly declared it was necessary for the cognizance of all questions under discussion, that they should be removed from the presbytery to the senate. The presbytery, on the other hand, insisted that the laws established concerning church discipline were agreeable to the word of God, and they implored the aid of the senate to prevent the church from receiving any injury. The senate determined it necessary to ratify the laws of the church, and confirmed them accordingly. After Perrin had exposed himself to very great danger by his own audacious conduct, the whole affair was settled by expelling him from the senate, depriving him of his captaincy, and reducing him to a mere private station. Though all these transactions were carried on before the magistrates, yet it is impossible to state how much trouble they occasioned Calvin. On one occasion there was great danger of blood being shed in the court itself, where the council of two hundred was assembled, by the swords of the contending parties. Calvin coming up with his colleagues, at the risk of his own life, since the faction of the wicked was chiefly aimed against him, quelled the riot. He still persisted to hold up to detestation, in the most solemn manner, their criminal conduct, and to rebuke them in the strongest terms according to their deserts. Nor was his denunciation of God's judgment vain, since a certain person

was then apprehended for writing a libel, and fixing it to the pulpit, in which he produced many base charges against the ministers, and declared, in a written document, that Calvin himself ought to be cast into the Rhone. He was summoned to trial, convicted in an unexpected manner of a great variety of other blasphemous proceedings, and beheaded. After his death a paper was found professedly written with his own hand against Moses, and consequently Christ, and his impious conduct left no doubt of his having also infected some others.

Calvin wrote, this year, in the midst of all these contentions, his "Antidote against the seven Sessions of the Council of Trent." He also sent an epistle to the church of Rouen, fortifying them against the artifices of a certain Franciscan preacher, who was disseminating the poison of the errors of Carpocrates, that were renewed by the libertines.

The following year, 1548, the disorders of the factious again broke forth in Geneva by the device of Satan, who made Farel and Viret instrumental to this result; a fact scarcely credible, because they were most desirous to cure all the evils. These ministers came to Geneva in the beginning of the year, and addressed the senate in a very solemn manner on the necessity of healing their contentions, since Calvin only demanded reformation of manners. Perrin, with his associates, that he might recover his former situation, pretended to agree to whatever was proposed. Every thing now appeared to be amicably arranged, but the result afterwards showed that he had only imposed upon the pious. On Perrin's restoration, the wickedness of the abandoned citizens went to such a height, that they openly used certain breastplates, cut in the form of a cross, as a mark for distinguishing each other; some called their dogs Calvin, others transformed Calvin into Cain; a considerable number declared they refrained, in consequence of their hatred of Calvin, from the Lord's Supper. Our reformer and his colleagues rebuked all this conduct with much boldness, summoned them to the senate, and the innocence of the pious was easily victorious.

An amnesty was finally again ratified on the 18th of December by a solemn oath. The event proved that Perrin had been dissembling in the whole of his late conduct, and the only object he had in view was to rise to the syndicate, for the purpose of more completely opening to himself and his associates a still more certain access to these offices, which might enable them to involve all in one common ruin.

Calvin was not diverted from his labours by these disputes, but he illustrated six epistles of St. Paul, by very learned commentaries, as if he had enjoyed the utmost leisure. He refuted what was termed the "Interim," that was published with a view to ruin the German churches, by a work written with great force, which pointed out the true method for restoring the church. He exposed, in a very elegant paper, the falsehood and vanity of judicial astrology, of which many at that time entertained a high opinion. Having received an obliging letter from Brentius, banished to Basle, he consoled him with much tenderness and friendship, and I wish Brentius had not broken the bonds of this union. He then also candidly exhorted Bucer, when banished to England, to speak and write his opinion more openly concerning the Lord's Supper, and comforted him in a very friendly manner. At the same time he took great pains to give advice, by letter, to the Duke of Somerset, protector of England, who afterwards very unjustly suffered an ignominious death; and had Calvin's plans been followed, the church of England would in all probability have escaped many storms. (i)

The church of Geneva wonderfully increased in the midst of these disputes, and this grieved Satan and bad men to a very great degree. Calvin's zeal on the other hand was very much increased, by entertaining, in the kindest manner, those who were banished from their country on account of religion. The faction of the seditious, though not entirely extinguished, was much subdued the following year, and afforded him more leisure for attending to the distresses of the suffering protestants. He required, indeed, a cessation

from such disputes, for he now sustained a very severe domestic affliction in the loss of his wife, who was distinguished by a most excellent and choice character. He endured his trial on this occasion with such constancy as to leave a singular example of fortitude to the whole church in a similar dispensation of Providence. (k)

The churches of Saxony not being agreed respecting the nature and use of indifferent things, Calvin was this year consulted and gave his opinion frankly on this subject; he also admonished Melancthon of his duty, who was unjustly accused by some of too much gentleness in his views on this question, as Calvin afterwards more fully discovered.

It was not then known what spirit actuated the evil genius of Flaccius, and the whole tribe of his followers, by which they afterwards caused such disturbances, and to this day so subvert the work of the Lord, that they could not have done it more audaciously and furiously had they been hired to it by the gold of the Roman pontiff. But the Lord, while this wound was inflicted upon the German churches, granted a contrary blessing to the Swiss; for Farel and Calvin made a visit to Zurich, that, as certain persons considered the latter in some measure to favour consubstantiation, all protestants might be entirely satisfied concerning the unanimous agreeinent of all the Helvetic churches in this important article. It was not difficult to unite good men devoted to the truth. An harmony was drawn up with the unanimous approbation of all the Swiss and Grison churches, which had the effect of still more closely uniting Bullinger with Calvin, and the church of Zurich with that of Geneva, to which we still adhere, and hope by the blessing of God to do so to the end. The conclusion of this year was productive of happiness to the church, when it is contrasted with the preceding; and I state this with greater pleasure, because I was now first introduced into the sacred office on the call of the church of Lausanne, and at Calvin's instigation.

About this time Calvin wrote two letters, abounding with

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profound erudition to Lelius Socinus, of Sienna, who died at Zurich after a long-continued residence.

These letters evidently prove the scepticism of Socinus, which was not fully known until many years had elapsed, and death itself had closed his labours. He visited the various churches, and deceived even the most learned, and among the rest particularly Melancthon, Calvin, and Caar merarius, who bears in his life of Melancthon a very honourable testimony to his character, which he does not deserve. It is ascertained beyond doubt, that he was afterwards in a great measure the author of the confused Bellian controversy, and a favourer of the wild opinions of Servetus, Castellio, and Ochinus, an account of which we shall give in its proper place. His commentary also upon the celebrated first chapter of John is yet extant, in which he has much surpassed the impiety of all the heretics, who ever corrupted that very divine passage.

The year 1550 was remarkable for its tranquillity with respect to the church. The consistory resolved that the ministers should not confine their instructions to public preaching, which was neglected by some, and heard with very little advantage by others, but at stated seasons should visit every family from house to house, attended by an elder, and a decurion of each ward, to explain the Christian doctrines to the common people, and require from every one a brief account of their faith. These private visits were of great use to the church, and it is scarcely credible how much fruit was produced by this plan of instruction.

The consistory gave directions that the celebration of the birth of Christ should be deferred to the following day, and that no festival should be observed as holy, excepting the seventh, which is called the Lord's day. This proceeding gave offence to many, and for the purpose of reproaching Calvin, there were some who circulated an unfounded report of his abrogating the Sabbath itself: though this subject was discussed before the people, and the decree passed with

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