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it was for her vigorous and all comprehensive protest against the doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome: her most ancient standards are a beautiful illustration of this, and her subsequent ones are not wanting in force. It was just as she maintained a bold and consistent testimony against Popery, that she flourished; just as she relaxed in her testimony, that she became weak for good. The great Head of the Church honours those who honour him; and it seems to be His will that the best state for his Church in this world, like the best state for the individual believer, shall be a militant one.

The reader may be interested in the following brief antipopish notices which I have collected. They indicate, that the vigorous protest which was lifted up against Popery by the Reformers, and their immediate successors, was maintained with greater or less energy through all the period which we are contemplating, and that in spite of the repeatedly adverse influence of the Crown. It appears that, in 1593, the General Assembly, with a maternal regard for the merchants of Scotland, forbade any of her people to go to Spain, "where the Inquisition still is, until the king has got the promise of security for them from the king of Spain." In 1612, orders are given to obliterate all idolatrous figures from the Church of Foulis. The repeated directions which are given in regard to so minute a matter, prove how completely the most prominent Popery of the country had been subdued. In 1639, one of the heads of examination for Presbyteries is, "Whether there be any Papist within their bounds;" and the answer from the Synod of Fife, two years after, is, that there is no excommunicated Papist in all the provinceone of the leading provinces of the kingdom. A general order is given by the Synod, that all idolatrous monuments be defaced; and "the Church of Dairsie is to be visited, to see that the idolatrous arms and paintings be removed." About the same period, the people of Dunfermline are forbidden to observe New Year's day "by feasting and the cessation of ordinary work;" and the observance of Yule Day, in a similar manner, is also forbidden. The origin of such observances was, doubtless, superstitious. One John Morrice is called before the Presbytery of St. Andrews, for pretending miraculously to heal disease," as the seventh son of a woman." And another Presbytery forbad superstitious resorting to wells "for the cure of sick and distracted persons." The latter is a well known Popish practice to this day, as

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the sacred wells of Ireland can testify. To prevent also the Popish mode of conducting funerals, as they are still conducted in that country, the following good rules were framed in 1664. It would seem that the house where the corpse lay was sometimes kept open, and that a sort of wake was held "dishonouring to God, scandalizing to the Gospel, and fostering superstition." Therefore it is ordered, that the doors be kept close as at other times, and no admittance allowed to the confused multitude. None are to go to the funeral uninvited, and none are to be asked to the house to bear the dead, except three or four grave kinsfolk or friends whom they think most meet. It is not to be a time of eating and drinking; but the people are to carry themselves Christianly, as men professing godliness. The heathenish custom, with a Popish name, of drinking dirges after the corpse is interred, is to be utterly abolished. What is left by the deceased to the poor, is to be sent for, and distributed by the session, who know the necessities of the people, and not to be given at the grave, where there is a great tumult of beggars, and those "that cry most, and have least need, come often best speed." Among the reasons for fast-day appointments, the increase, or rather the efforts after the increase of Popery, are repeatedly assigned. The Church was peculiarly sensitive on the subject of Popery, and seems to have apprehended progress where there was none. At the same time, there can be little question, that Jesuits and trafficking priests insinuated themselves into the country, under the guise of the nondescript sects-Quakers of the age of Cromwell; and that the unhappy divisions among the Presbyterian ministry then furthered the interests of a Church which always gains by disorder and confusion. In 1647, the General Assembly direct the Presbytery of St. Andrews" to take inspection of Lord Paisley (second earl of Abercorn) and his attendants, as also of his education, considering that he is a nobleman come of Popish parents.' Three years after he is excommunicated for his Popery; and Lord Linton is subjected to the same discipline for marrying a daughter of the Marquis of Huntley, an excommunicated Papist. Thus strongly did the Church testify against Popery, and thus strictly and impartially did she exercise her discipline over high and low.

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SECTION VII.

THE CHURCHES OF FRANCE AND SCOTLAND SOUND IN DOCTRINE, AND THE ENEMIES OF ERROR.

In the last section I directed the reader's attention to the bold protest which the early French Protestant Church lifted up against the errors and corruptions of the Church of Rome. Were it necessary, I might appeal to additional evidence, in proof of the wisdom as well as the duty of this course. I might refer to the success which attended the public discussions of one of the most eminent controversialists on the Protestant side-De Moulin, and that so early as 1602. It is related of him that he held a discussion for a fortnight, that there were scribes on both sides present, and multitudes of hearers, and that it resulted in the great satisfaction of many faithful souls, and the instruction of many ignorant Papists, who since gave glory to God by an open profession of the truth." The same author remarks that, by his instrumentality, in the way of public discussion, "God was glorified, his truth confirmed, and the Church edified and increased with many converts." From this and similar cases one may see how unwarranted are those general charges which are frequently brought against the agitation of the Romish controversy, as, at best, useless, if not fitted to confirm the Romanist in his But we have not time to pursue such inquiries, nor is it necessary. Let me only quote what the author of the Status Ecclesiæ Gallicanæ says of De Moulin. "A Jesuit came to the Doctor's study to dispute with him. M. de Monginot, a famous physician, was present at the conference, whereby he was converted, and set forth an excellent book of the reasons why he abjured Popery. He, viz. De Moulin, had many encounters; and to relate all his conferences might fill a great volume. Scarcely was he a week without one while he lived in Paris, and some of them were very long. He was the object of the public hatred of the Romanists. His name was the general theme of libels cried about the streets, of railing sermons in the pulpits, and of the curses of ignorant zealots;" and yet we have seen he was honoured of God to be very useful in the trying and difficult course which he followed. Various and similar cases might be quoted.

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But it was not only against the errors and corruptions of the Church of Rome that the early Church of France pro

tested. She lifted up the same testimony against error wherever it appeared, though within her own borders, and countenanced by names which Protestants could not fail to respect: thus she proved her faithfulness. So early as 1603 she guarded her people against the error of those who denied the imputation of the active and passive obedience of Christ in order to the justification of sinners, and decreed that the minister who taught such doctrine should be deposed. These "new-fangled opinions" being warmly advocated by Piscator, a foreign divine, letters were appointed to be written to the Universities of England, Scotland, Leyden, Geneva, Heidelberg, Basil, and Herborne, requesting them to join in the censure; and should Piscator continue in his error, two members of the French Synod are directed to write an answer to his book. At a later day, in 1620, the Protestant Church of France adopted the judgments and canons of the celebrated Synod of Dort, against the many errors of Arminianism. Indeed, she incorporated them into her own Confession of Faith; the mode in which she did so is interesting. "This Assembly," says the Synod of Alez, after invocation of the name of God, "decreed that the articles of the National Council, held at Dort, should be read in full Synod; which being done accordingly, and every article pondered most attentively, they were all received and approved by a common unanimous consent, as agreeing with the Word of God and the Confession of Faith in these our churches-that they were framed with singular prudence and purity that they were very meet and proper to detect the Arminian errors, and to confound them; for which reason, the pastors and elders deputed to this Assembly have sworn and protested, jointly and severally, that they consent unto this doctrine, and that they will defend it to the utmost of their power, even to their last breath." Part of the solemn adjuration runs in these words, which it may not be unsuitable to record, at a period like the present, when so many are afraid to avow the higher doctrines of theology: "I declare also and protest that I reject and condemn the doctrine of the Arminians, because it makes God's decree of election to depend upon the mutable will of man, and doth extenuate and make null and void the grace of God. It exalteth man and the powers of free will to his destruction. It reduceth into the Church of God old ejected Pelagianism, and is a mask and vizard for Popery to creep in among us under that disguise, and subverteth all assurance of everlasting life and

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happiness." But while the dangerous errors of Arminianism are boldly condemned, and the great doctrines of election and predestination, of free grace and the assurance of salvation, as fearlessly avowed, the Protestant Church is not insensible to the injudicious manner in which good men may treat the Divine decrees; and so she subjoins some admirable counsels, not unlike those which the Church of Scotland addresses to her ministers for the treatment of the same subject. "Moreover, this Assembly conjureth, by the bowels of Divine mercy, and by the blood of the everlasting covenant, all ministers, pastors of churches, to whom the care of precious souls is committed, that they would walk together evenly and harmoniously in one and the same way; that they abstain from all idle, unprofitable, and curious questions; that they do not pry into the sacred acts of God's hidden and unrevealed counsels and decrees, above or beyond what is recorded in his written Word, the Holy Scriptures of truth; but rather that they would humbly own and acknowledge their ignorance of those profound and unfathomable mysteries, than intrude themselves into things unlawful; and that they would so order their discourses and sermons concerning predestination, that it may promote repentance and amendment of life, console wounded consciences, and excite the practice of godliness; that, by this means, all occasions of disputes and controversies may be avoided, and we may abide united in one and the same faith with our brethren of the Netherlands, and other Churches of our Lord Jesus without the kingdom, as maintaining together with them, and contending for one and the same faith, assailed by the same common enemy, and called to one and the same hope, through our Lord Jesus Christ-to whom, with the Father and Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.'

Three years after the Church of France had thus adopted and homologated the doctrines of the Synod of Dort, she published a series of canons and decrees 66 on Predestination, Election, and Reprobation," consisting of a full and able statement of the truth upon these points, and a not less successful exposure of the corresponding errors. The document extends to twenty-six pages folio; and, without approving of every expression, we may safely say it is one of the finest expositions of the higher doctrines of theology which we have met with. We need scarcely add, that it remarkably harmonizes with the Confession of Faith of the Church of

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