the cathedral. The canopy of the pulpit is the same under which Calvin preached. Here also John Knox, who was made a citizen of Geneva in 1558, and other illustrious reformers, lifted up their voices against the abominations of Rome-papal, "drunk with the blood of the saints."

Yours,

J. H.

My dear Sir,

At the close of my last letter I referred to that illustrious reformer, John Calvin. His influence in Geneva was extraordinary. On being recalled from banishment in 1541, the first measure he set about was to settle the presbyterian form of church government. The rigour of the system which he established was compared by many to the tyranny of the Inquisition. But, however much he may be admired or condemned, he was a mighty man of valour; and as a commentator stands in the first rank. While at Strasburg, where he and Favel were banished by the magistrates, for refusing to administer the sacrament indiscriminately, &c., he married Idoletta de Bure, widow of an anabaptist, whom he had converted. She bore him one son, who

died in his infancy; but what became of the children she had by her first husband I know not.

By the by, ought not those who are so mad against Calvin for his theological system, to be consistent with themselves, to direct a portion of their fury against Paul? For if he did not teach the doctrine of election, what did he teach? and if this doctrine does not involve the irrespective decrees of the Almighty, without any regard to the will or merits of man, what does it involve? To say that God elected those unto eternal life whom he foreknew would be pious, is to confound the order of the divine proceedure, to substitute the effect for the cause, and the cause for the effect. But it has never been proved from scripture, no, nor philosophy either, which is always in harmony with scripture, that the favour and approbation of God are the effect of human worthiness foreseen.

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The cause is the pre-approbation, and free choice of God; and the end is obedience and true holiness. Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father," says St. Peter, "through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." "It is a foolish inference of those disputants," says Calvin in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, translated by F. Simson, p. 341, "who say, that God has elected such only as he foresaw would be worthy of grace. For Peter does not flatter believers, as if they were elected for their own individual merits, but refers their election to the eternal counsel of God, and entirely abandons all idea of dignity." What then? is not our damnation of ourselves, while our salvation is of grace? Assuredly. And this is the doctrine, if I rightly interpret his language, which the inspired apostle taught, and which the fallible but

eminently gifted and godly John Calvin, so to speak, resuscitated. Let us hear this great divine and accomplished scholar once more. "Such is the reasoning which a believer must adopt, (p. 319), and not, as some blasphemers are accustomed to do, speak foolishly, and babble about spending a life of idleness and inactivity, because we have nothing in our own power. By adopting such a line of conduct, we wage war, as it were with God, since, by contempt and negligence, we extinguish his grace offered for our acceptance." ...."It is, indeed, true, that we are justified in Christ by the alone mercy of God; but it is equally true and certain, that all who are justified, are called by the Lord to live worthy of their vocation. Let believers, therefore, hence learn to embrace Christ, not only for justification, but sanctification, as he is given for both purposes, that they may not tear their Redeemer by a mutilated faith of