the received doctrine, on which account he was. committed to prison, where he held a dispute with Calvin, on the 15th of July, who answered him in writing. Being convicted of perjury and of voluntary heresy, he was condemned to be beheaded. Having, however, abjured his heresies, his sentence was commuted for an ignominious punishment, to which he submitted on the 2d of September.

When it is considered that the right of private judgment was the leading principle implied and acted upon in the reformation, it is scarcely possible to read these repeated instances of intolerance without regretting the inconsistency of the protestant churches. No privilege appears to have been more variously contested than that of the right of private judgment; a privilege, founded in the nature, and responsi ble circumstances of man, and recognized by the impartial spirit and high authority of christianity. The individual right, as well as the right of communities, is frequently claimed and acted upon by those, who are prepared to resist the same claim when asserted by others, whom interest makes it convenient to oppose. To say that the reformers possessed this right, and were justified in employing it in the establishment of the reformation, and that their protestant brethren were not entitled to the

same privilege, is an assumption which no friend to religious liberty can consistently allow. It is true that the reformation had chiefly to do with the worship and discipline of the church, though not exclusively; and that the heresies of the protestants were doctrinal: but if the right of private judgment be allowed in one instance, it must be admitted in all; since the New Testament knows of no limitation or exception, but considers every man as exclusively responsible to God, and rests the right and the exercise of it upon that responsibility. In unison with which principle, we must understand the words, "One is your master, even Christ." If there could possibly be any difference with respect to the importance of the exercise of the right, it must apply to doctrinal subjects, which, on account of their extensive importance, require the utmost freedom of investigation, and the most unbiassed determination; but though the application of the right is in these circumstances pre-eminently important, the right itself is independant of any considerations of a comparative nature. The denial of the exercise of this rational and christian right, seconded by influence sufficient to prevent it, would necessarily have the effect of throwing us back again into the darkness and barbarity of the middle ages. With the papists, an opposition to this privilege was part

of a policy by which a corrupt hierarchy was long supported. This principle, enforced by secular authority and superstitious awe, would have rendered the reformation impossible. A slight acquaintance with the history of persecution might be sufficient to teach its abettors not only its incompetency to enforce conviction, but its uniform tendency to strengthen opposition, and confirm prejudices. But it should seem that there is connected with the act of persecution, a certain undefinable pleasure, which is at once the luxury and reproach of a bigoted and malignant mind. The real ground of persecution, whatever specious forms it may assume, is the native depravity of human nature; in decidedly wicked characters, it selects for its object vital christianity; but where it unhappily obtains amongst religious persons, it must certainly be ascribed to illregulated zeal, and a mistaken apprehension of the genius of christianity.

Calvin being convinced that the best method to preserve the purity of religion, was to enlighten men's understandings, used his utmost exertions to found a college, in which youth might be well instructed. In the year 1556, he proposed the establishment of one; but foreign affairs prevented the council from attending to the object at that time; at length,

in the year 1559, he had the satisfaction of seeing his wishes accomplished, a college being founded, and furnished with enlightened teachers; an academy was also erected, which acquired the esteem of foreigners by the celebrity of its professors. Calvin desired that Theodore Beza should be the principal rector of this promising academy, and was contented himself to be the chief professor of Theology.

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SECTION, V.

Calvin presented with the freedom of the city of Geneva-Revises and republishes his Institutes in Latin and in French-Replies to several heretics-Though greatly afflicted by disease is unremitting in his exertions-Is carried to the church and I receives the sacrament from the hands of Beza.

It is difficult to conceive that it was only in this year, 1559, that Calvin was presented with the freedom of the city; no citizen, however, had ever earned so well this honourable title as he had done by his services; few have so well deserved it, or rendered it so celebrated.

Calvin was this year attacked with a quartan ague, which laid the foundation of his subsequent illness, and death; for though he recovered his health eight months afterwards, he was so much reduced, as never again to be perfectly restored.

During his illness, though his physicians and his friends conjured him to be careful