his crown, by an attempt to bind it on a human brow. From this interference of the secular power with sacred things, intolerance, in its various forms, has sprung here, as in other lands. The ecclesiastical and civil history of Britain is, in this respect, darker than even that of Geneva; and the active intolerance of past ages still exists among us in many a statute and canon, and in the spirit and bearing of too many living ecclesiastics.

4. There is no lesson which Britain requires more to learn from Geneva, than the sacred duty of guarding the admission of members into the communion of the church. To a great extent, I fear, it is not possible that admission, without discrimination of character, could ever have been more prevalent there than it has been, and is, here. By the very theory of the constitution of the Church of England, the nation and the church are co-extensive and identical-over the whole land, connection with a church, on the part of the greater number, is a mere affair of birth, education, or usage millions of our people believe, what thousands of their clergy teach, that the water of baptism, canonically applied, regenerates the soul; to which must be added, that among the mischiefs of division, and of consequent ecclesiastical rivalry and partizanship, beyond the pale of our establishments, parties are too ready to swell their numbers, by inconsiderate and unwise admissions. Who shall estimate the evils resulting from this state of the British churches, to the cause of religion, and to the souls of men? What gain can accrue to any man from an ignorant or false profession

94

THE DECLINE OF RELIGION, &c.

of the religion of Christ? What can any church gain by a crowd of such professors? What it gains in number, it is evident, it must lose in character and strength-a united body in name, its members are as widely separated, and as antagonistical in truth, as Christ and Belial -the standard of character, of living religion, is depressed or confounded the spirit of the true members of the church is vexed and discouraged, and their efforts cramped and impeded, by the presence and resistance of these false brethren within,-the life of the church languishes, her glory fades-her enemies laugh among themselves at the discordant spectacle she presentsher Divine Lord is dishonoured and offended, because his temple is defiled-and his professed subjects, deceiving or deceived, or both, are miserably unprepared for the day of his coming, and their great account when he appeareth. "Who may abide the day of his coming, and who may stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

CHAPTER IV.

THE BEGUN REVIVAL OF RELIGION IN GENEVA.

WE cannot enough admire the long suffering, and the mercy of God, manifested towards his church, even in her periods of greatest declension. The history of the Jewish church abounds with such displays of divine tenderness. Who can reflect on the records of that people in the desert, without being struck with their unbelief, perversity, and ingratitude, on the one hand, and with the patience and loving kindness of Jehovah, on the other? Even when they provoked him to just anger by their inventions, when they so quickly forgat his mighty works, and followed not his counsel, when they remembered not God their Saviour, who had done such great things for them, and refused to believe his word, he would not cast them off. While righteous judgments descended upon many, and the great oath was fulfilled, that the unbelievers should not enter into his rest, in his great mercy he pitied them;

regarding their affliction, and hearing their cry, remembering for them his covenant, and repenting him, according to the multitude of his mercies.

Similar reflections are forced upon us by his dispensations towards the same people after their settlement in the land of promise. A perpetual tendency on their part to corrupt religion, to depart from God, and to involve themselves in those miseries which were denounced and inflicted for disobedience, appear in contrast with faithful warnings, compassionate relentings, and gracious deliverances by their God. How did Jehovah manifest that he hateth putting away! Even when faithfully declaring in his holiness, "My people are bent to backsliding from me; though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt him," with all the bowels of a father averse to reject a froward child, he thus addresses that unwise and disobedient people, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me; my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee." Hos. xi. 7-9.

If the church of Geneva has too much resembled Israel in her sin, it has pleased God to remember her like Israel in his mercy;-to remember her, the kindness of her youth, and the love of her espousals. I trust a great work of God has begun there, which, in answer

to the prayers of many, shall advance, until Geneva shall again be raised to its once high position among the churches of the saints.

I shall endeavour to relate such facts as were brought to my knowledge, in the order in which they occurred.

And, first, it appears that piety was never suffered to become extinct in Geneva. The succession of good men both among the pastors and the flocks was unbroken. There were in all periods some faithful among the faithless. The excellent Benedict Pictet, to whom I have already referred, lived till 1736. During the period of scepticism and darkness that followed, there were some pastors who taught the truth; and four or five such are mentioned, as living at the time of the proceedings against Dr. Malan. Of the extent to which their labours were blessed, and their sentiments embraced, among the people, I had no means of definite information; but the conviction of the best informed to whom I had access was, that genuine godliness never altogether disappeared among the people. Indeed, it is rare, if it ever happens, that the gospel of salvation is administered long without some saving fruit, or that the whole flock of a faithful pastor remains in unbelief. The Lord gives testimony to the word of his grace; it does not return to him void; and some believe the things that are spoken. Even under an unsound ministry, piety may linger, and be nourished either by other means than those which the pulpit supplies, or by such scanty parcels of truth as even an unsound minister, who must read and quote the Bible, may be obliged to impart. But

H