ity, and equal power among themselves under Jesus Christ the only Head, the only Sovereign, and only universal Bishop; and that, therefore, it is unlawful for any Church to challenge unto itself dominion or sovereignty over another, however it is requisite that all care should be taken for the keeping up of mutual concord and brotherly love.

"ART. XXXI.-We believe that it is not lawful for any man of his own authority to take upon himself the government of the Church, but that every one ought to be admitted thereunto by a lawful election, if it may possibly be done, and that the Lord do so permit it. Which exception we have expressly added, because that sometime, (as it hath fallen out in our days,) the state of the Church being interrupted, God hath raised up some persons in an extraordinary manner to repair the ruins of the decayed Church. But, let it be what it will, we believe that this rule is always to be followed, that all pastors, elders and deacons should have a testimony of their being called unto their respective offices.

"ART. XXXII.-We believe that it is expedient, that they who be chosen superintendents in the Church should wisely consult among themselves by what means the whole body may conveniently be ruled, yet so as they do not swerve from that which our Lord Jesus Christ hath instituted. And this doth not hinder but that in some Churches there may be those particular constitutions, which will be more convenient for them than for others.

"ART. XXXIII.-But we exclude all human inventions, and all those laws which are introduced to bind the conscience under pretence of God's service. And we do only receive such as serve to keep up concord, and to retain every one, from the highest unto the lowest, in due obedience. In which we conceive that we are to observe that which our Lord Jesus Christ appointed concerning excommunication, which we do very well approve and acknowledge the necessity thereof, and of its appendages.

"ART. XXXIV.-We believe that the sacraments are adjoined unto the word for its more ample confirmation, to wit, that they may be pledges and tokens of the grace of God, and that by these means, our faith, which is very weak and ignorant, may be supported and comforted. For we confess that these outward signs be such, that God, by the power of his Holy Spirit, doth work by them, that nothing may be there represented to us in vain. Yet, nevertheless, we hold that all their substance and virtue is in Jesus Christ, from

whom, if they be separated, they be nothing else but shadows and smoke.

"ART. XXXV.-We acknowledge that there be two sacraments only, which are common to the whole Church, whereof Baptism is the first, which is administered to us to testify our adoption, because we are by it ingrafted into the body of Christ, that we may be washed and cleansed by his blood, and afterwards renewed in holiness of life by his Spirit. We hold also, that although we be baptized but once, yet the benefits which are signified to us therein do extend themselves during the whole course of our life, even unto death, that so we may have a lasting signature with us that Jesus Christ will always be our righteousness and sanctification. And although baptism be a sacrament of faith and repentance, yet, forasmuch as God doth, together with the parents, account their children and posterity to be Church members, we affirm that infants born of believing parents are, by the authority of Christ, to be baptized.

"ART. XXXVI.-We affirm that the holy Supper of our Lord, to wit, the other sacrament, is a witness to us of our union with the Lord Jesus Christ; because that he is not only once dead, and raised up again from the dead for us, but also he doth indeed feed us and nourish us with his flesh and blood, that we being made one with him, may have our life in common with him. And although He be now in heaven, and shall remain there till he come to judge the world; yet, we believe, that by the secret and incomprehensible virtue of his Spirit, he doth nourish and quicken us with the substance of his body and blood. But we say that this is done in a spiritual manner; nor do we hereby substitute in the place of the effect and truth an idle fancy and conceit of our own, but rather, because this mystery of our union with Christ is so high a thing, that it surmounteth all our senses, yea, and the whole order of nature: and, in short, because it is celestial, therefore it cannot be apprehended but by faith.

"ART. XXXVII.-We believe, as was said before, that both in Baptism and the Lord's Supper, God doth indeed, truly and effectually, give whatsoever he doth there sacramentally exhibit, and therefore we conjoin with the signs the true possession and enjoyment of what is offered to us in them. Therefore we affirm, that they which do bring pure faith, as a clean vessel, unto the holy Supper of the Lord, they do indeed receive that which the signs do there witness, that is, that the body and blood of Jesus Christ are no less

the meat and drink of the soul than bread and wine are the meat of the body.

“ART. XXXVIII.-We say, therefore, that let the ele ment of water be never so despicable, yet, notwithstanding, it doth truly witness unto us the inward washing of our souls with the blood of Jesus Christ, by the virtue and efficacy of his Spirit; and that the bread and wine, being given us in the Lord's Supper, do serve in very deed unto our spiritual nourishment, because they do, as it were, point out unto us with the finger, that the flesh of Jesus Christ is our meat, and his blood our drink. And we reject those fanatics who will not receive such signs and marks, although Jesus Christ doth speak plainly, This is my body, and this cup is my blood.'

"ART. XXXIX.-We believe that God will have the world to be ruled by laws and civil government, that there may be some sort of bridles by which the unruly lusts of the world may be restrained; and that, therefore, he appointed kingdoms, commonwealths, and other kinds of principalities, whether hereditary or otherwise. And not that alone, but also whatsoever pertaineth to the ministration of justice, whereof he avoucheth himself the Author; therefore hath he even delivered the sword into the magistrate's hand, that so sins committed against both the tables of God's law, not only against the second but the first also, may be suppressed. And, therefore, because God is the Author of this order, we must not only suffer magistrates, whom he hath set over us, but we must also give them all honour and reverence, as unto his officers and lieutenants, which have received their commission from him to exercise so lawful and sacred a function.

"ART. XL. Therefore, we affirm, that obedience must be yielded unto their laws and statutes, that tribute must be paid them, taxes and all other duties, and that we must bear the yoke of subjection with a free and willing mind, although the magistrates be infidels, so that the sovereign government of God be preserved entire. Wherefore, we detest all those who do reject the higher powers, and would bring in a community and confusion of goods, and subvert the course of justice."

I shall allude next to a few of the points of church discipline in the Church of France. That discipline, as might have been expected, from the strong views of doctrine, was strict and comprehensive. Ministers, on pain of deposition,

were required actually to reside beside their churches, and to be entirely devoted to the work of the ministry. This, at a period when there was so much distraction from persecution, and when a pastor's temporal provision was so slender and precarious, shows how high was the sense entertained of the importance of the ministerial office, and how great was the anxiety that the people should reap its full advantages.

"No minister, together with the holy ministry, shall be a practitioner in law or physic; yet out of charity he may give counsel and assistance to the poor of his flock and of his neighbourhood-provided always, that he be not thereby diverted from his calling, nor derive any gain from his practice, unless in times of trouble and persecution, and when he cannot exercise his calling in his church, and cannot be maintained by it. And those who shall thus employ themselves in law or physic, or in any other worldly distracting business, shall be exhorted wholly to forbear it, and totally to devote themselves unto the duties of their calling as ministers, and to the study of the Scriptures. And all colloquies and synods are admonished to proceed according to the canons of our discipline against the refractory, and such as be willingly disobedient; as also against those who spend so much of their time in teaching youth, that it is an hindrance to them in the principal duties of their ministerial office. And all consistories, colloquies, and provincial synods, shall have a most especial care and regard that this canon be punctually observed, and to suspend such as do transgress it from their exercise of the ministry."

The anxiety was not less for a well educated ministry. It I would not have been wonderful, in the circumstances in which the Protestant Church stood, that she had contented herself with pious, though illiterate men; but she knew what it was to fight with Popery-how needful are good training and learning for the contest-and how well entitled the Great Head of the Church is to the best gifts, and qualifications and services of his people; and so she made provision for a well educated ministry. Candidates for the holy office were required to compose a brief confession of their faith in Latin, and to be able to defend it, when assailed, in the same language.

"That our churches may be always furnished with a sufficient number of pastors, and of other persons fit to govern them, and to preach the word of God unto them, they shall

be advised to choose those scholars who be already well advanced in good learning, and be of the most promising hopeful parts, and to maintain such in the universities, that they may be there prepared and fitted for the work of the minis try, ever preferring the children of poor ministers, if ingenious, before all others; of which the colloquies shall take a most especial care. Kings, princes, and lords, shall be exhorted and petitioned particularly to mind this important affair, and to lay by some part and portion of their revenues towards their maintenance; and the richer churches shall do the like. Colloquies and provincial synods shall, as they see meet, notify and solicit this affair, and take the best courses that matters of so great necessity may be successful; and if single churches cannot do it, their neighbours shall join with them, that one poor scholar at the least may be maintained in every colloquy; and rather than this design should miscarry, the fifth penny of all our charities shall be set apart, if it may conveniently be done, to be employed in this service."

The education and learning thus received were not to be allowed to remain dormant. They were to be used for the defence and propagation of the truth. "They who are endowed with gifts for writing, shall be chosen by the provinces; and if it happen that any books be published against the true religion, they shall be sent unto them, that they may be answered; and there shall be a colloquy in each province, appointed unto this peculiar business, carefully to peruse all MSS. before they be printed, and what is published, and to disperse the copies."

While so much was required of ministers, their outward provision was not neglected. Judicious steps were taken for their comfortable subsistence" while they lived; and an express canon secures "that the church in whose service a minister dieth, shall take care of his widow and orphans; and if the church cannot do it, through want of ability, the province shall maintain them." This was kind and considerate, worthy of a Christian Church which had but recently come forth from the furnace of persecution. Other regulations were not less wise. With regard to education, the Protestant Church of France, like all other Presbyterian Churches, was its warm friend. She was not afraid of knowledge. It is ordained, "the churches shall do their utmost endeavour to erect schools, and take care of the instruction of their youth;" and "all ministers shall endea