and in 1551 he does the same to the King, the Council, and the Archbishop, and takes upon himself to complain of, and direct the conduct of affairs here, but with as little effect as before, except perhaps he might be the remote cause of a review of the Liturgy, which was submitted to the judgments of * PETER MARTYR, who came into England in the year 1548, and of MARTIN BUCER, who did not arrive till some time after. Being thus disappointed, he felt the impression of it upon his mind, so late as the 22d of January, 1555. In that year disputes arose at Frankford between the English, who fled from Queen Mary's persecution, concerning the use of Edward's liturgy. JOHN KNOX and WILLIAM WHITTINHAM took upon them to make an abstract of it, and send it to CALVIN for his judgment upon it. In his answer he signifies his dislike of it with great freedom, though it had been reviewed. He gives his advice, however, to both parties for their conduct under their present disputes; and then concludes in this desponding manner t

* Ib. p, 107.-Plaifere's Appello Evangelium, Ed. 1719. p. 15, note.

+"Sed ego frustra ad eos sermonem converto, qui fortè “non tantum mihi tribuunt, ut consilium a tali auctore pro"fectum admittere dignentur."

Calvinus Anglis Francford, S. D.-Epist. p. 213.-And a Discourse of the Troubles of Francford, republished in the Phoenix, vol. 2. p. 70.

-"But

-"But I speak in vain to them, which per"ohance esteem me not so well, as they will "vouchsafe to admit the counsel, that cometh "from such an author." This, from the turn of the preceding sentence, is addressed to the patrons of the English liturgy.

The situation in which CALVIN was with MELANCTHON is next to be considered. In the year 1552, when our articles were just finished, MELANCTHON expunges, with his own hand, the article de Electione out of a rescript of CALVIN'S. An offence this of such a nature, as was sufficient, one would have thought, to have kindled all the fire of so ardent a spirit. In other cases, where difference of opinion only arose on his favourite points, from those who maintained the doctrines of MELANCтHON, both the persons and doctrines were arraigned. The first

were PERFIDI ET IMPIJ NEBULONES.-STULTI

HOMINES virulenti isti canes.-The secondDeliria-IMPIJ ERRORES-INSULSITAS. But the venerable character of MELANCTHON, in this instance, restrained his impetuosity, and though he stiffly keeps to his own opinions, and expresses some resentment upon what MELANCTHỌN

Epistolæ, Col. 142.

Institut. Lib. iii. cap. 23. sect. 2,

had

had done, yet he does it in so gentle a manner, and with such high encomiums on his character, that it is worth while to produce part of the letter at least; as well for ascertaining the fact, as a specimen of the delicacy of CALVIN'S address upon the occasion.

Calvinus Melancthoni, S. D. Geneve 4 Cal, Dec. 1552, Col. 146.

"Me non levitèr pungit quæ in nostrâ docendi ❝ratione nimis palàm conspicitur repugnantia. "Equidem non ignoro si quid detur hominum "auctoritati, longè æquius esse ut tibi sub"scribam, quàm ut tu in sententiam meam "descendas. Verùm id non argitur; neque " etiam a pijs Christi ministris optandum est, "Hoc scilicet quæri utrinque decet, ut consen❝tiamus in puram Dei veritatem. Me autem, "ut ingenuè fatear, religio impedit ne tibi in "hâc doctrinæ parte accedam: quòd nimis phi"losophicè de libero arbitrio disputare videris; ❝ in electione tractandà nihil aliud habere pro"positum, nisi ut te ad communem hominum 66 sensum accomodes. Neque enim halluci

nationi tribui hoc potest, quòd homo acutus,' "et prudens, et in scripturâ probè exercitatus, ❝ electionem Dei cum promissionibus confundis,' quæ sunt universe. Nihil enim magis notum

"esta

est, quam verbi prædicationem omnibus "promiscuè esse communem, sed fidei spiritum, "solis electis singulari privilegio donari. Uni

66

versæ sunt promissiones. Qui fit igitur ut "non peræquè apud omnes vigeat earum effica "cia? Nempè quia non omnibus brachium

suum Deus patefacit. Nec verò apud homines

mediocriter in scripturâ versatos ea res dispu"tatione indiget: cùm pariter omnibus Christi gratiam offerant promissiones; et externâ voce "invitet Deus quoslibet in salutem; peculiare

66

esse fidei donum. Et mihi videor totam hanc "quæstionem quamvis impedita sit ac spinosa, proximè edito libello dilucidè explicàsse. Cùm res adeò plana sit te ex animi sensu prorsus “diversum tradere, nemo erit sani judicij cui persuadeas. Curam simul et dolorem mihit auget quod te video in hâc re propemodùm esse tui dissimilem: audio enim, CUM TOTA OBLATA ESSET FORMULA NOSTRA CUM TIGURINA ECCLESIA CONSENSIONIS PROTINUS AR-` (: REPTO CALAMO SENTENTIAM UNAM, QUÆ "DEI ELECTOS A REPROBIS PARCE ET SOBRIE

66

66

DISCERNIT, ABS TE ESSE CONFOSSAM. Quod "certè ab ingenij tui mansuetudine, valdè ab"horret. Itaque ut meum libellum legere, vel, "saltem gustare sustineas, non rogo: quia id "frustrà mihi facturus videor. Utinam his de "rebus coràm aliquandò colloqui liceret. Notus

"est

"est mihi tuus candor, perspecta ingenuitas et "moderatio: pietas verò angelis et toti mundo

testata est. Ergò facilè ut spero tota ea res "inter nos expediretur."

We have seen nothing thus far that has shewn any attachment to CALVIN'S rigid doctrines, either in MELANCTHON OF CRANMER, but much to the contrary.、

III.

IN ORDER TO CONFIRM THE SENSE OF THE XVIITH ARTICLE, AS TO ITS CONTAINING A CAVEAT AGAINST THE RIGID DOCTRINE, AND THE ABUSES TOO NATURALLY FOLLOWING FROM IT, WE SHALL PRODUCE UNDER THIS THIRD HEAD, FROM THE REFORMATIO LEGUM, THE CHAPTER LE PREDESTINATIONE. As the book itself is in few hands, we shall give it at full length.

By an Act of Parliament the 3d of Edward VI. (ann. 1549), The King was empowered, for the space of three years, to nominate thirty-two persons; sixteen of the clergy, four whereof to be bishops; sixteen of the tem

• V. Gibson's Codex, Vol. 2. ed. 1761. p. 951.

porality,