The reader who is conversant with the writings of the venerable Hooker, will perceive a great co-incidence between this statement by Grotius, and that given in the Preface to the "Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity." It must also again be observed, that the term REFORMED is assumed by the Calvinists on the Continent, in the same manner as the epithet EVANGELICAL is claimed by their brethren in England.

Rivet, Professor of Divinity at Leyden, wrote an answer to these statements; and Grotius thought it necessary, for the defence of truth, to expose the quibbling of his adversary, which he did in his Discussion of Rivet's Apology, from which the following is a very instructive extract containing another allusion to the case of Cameron: "It is the duty of the man who is studious of the peace of Christians, to destroy those dogmas which disturb the peace of society. A man must become a good citizen, before he is a good Christian. Subversive of civil peace is the dogma of those who call themselves THE REFORMED, which declares it to be lawful for subjects to rise in arms ' against their Kings or rulers;' which that most noble man, Philip Mornai Lord du Plessis Marli, inserted in his last will as a sentiment agreeable to piety. From this source arose the insurrection at Amboise, when the Reformed Renaudiere convened some persons like himself to a private conclave, and delivered to them the power over the States of the realm. From the same source arose Beza's seditious and warlike orations. * This also

The phrase in the text is, Hinc Bezæ conciones pro classico; which was an allusion well understood at that period. It will be illustrated by the subjoined quotation from the History of Thuanus, (lib. 53,) who, in giving an account of the letter of the Protestant Charpentier concerning the causes which conduced to the bloody French tragedy of St. Bartholomew's Day, says: "Charpentier declares,that there were two parties amongst the Protestants,-the one consisting of peaceable persons, who acted with sincerity and from a religious principle, and who followed the maxims of the religion which they professed,-the other consisting of persons who acted from a spirit of faction, and who were seditious men and enemies to the public peace and tranquillity; that each of those parties had at its head particular pastors; and that the 'moderate leaders were obnoxious to the more violent, and especially to Beza,' whom he calls the trumpet of Seba, and against whom he utters in his book the most bitter exclamations.-Charpentier not only excuses the massacre, but likewise proves, at great length and in a very artful manner, that it was 'just and necessary, in order to subdue an impious faction, whose sole design was to subvert the royal authority, to withdraw the chief cities of the realm from the allegiance which was due to their sovereign, and to disturb the public tranquillity;-a faction that seemed to have been formed for the ruin of "the Protestant religion itself, by some seditious individuals who were the ene'mies of their country.'

SEBA, in the phrase The trumpet of Seba, is an anagram upon the name of BEZA, and refers to the following passage of Scripture: "And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bilcri, a Benjamite: And he blew a trumpet, and said, 'We have no part in David, 'neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, 'O Israel !'-So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed

gave origin to the impudence of the Convention of Rochelle, which declared that all the Papists in the Kingdom, and even those among the Reformed who adhered to the authority of the King, were to be removed from all public honours and offices; it likewise appointed to the government of the provinces throughout the kingdom whatever persons it thought proper. Theophilus Milletiere, a nobleman who is exceedingly well-inclined

*

Sheba," &c. (2 Sam. xx, i.) This allusion to the political meddling of the early divines of the Genevan School, but particularly to those of them who adopted the platform as well as the doctrine of Calvin, was peculiarly appropriate, and became a standing proverb in all countries in which such injudicious pastors endeavoured to excite seditious movements, for the purpose of introducing what they called THE LORD'S DISCIPLINE. With what degree of justice this charge was preferred against them, the reader may easily learn, by the various apologetical or palliative writings published by the offending parties themselves, were there no other equally valid documents in existence.

The memory of Theophile Brachet Sieur de la Milletiere has been greatly traduced by the French Calvinists. He was the intimate friend of Cameron, after whose death he published some of the enlarged religious views of the man whom he admired. In the book which Du Moulin wrote against Amyraut, he speaks thus of Milletiere: "After Cameron's removal from things terrestrial, an affair happened which brought a grievous stain upon that great man's reputation. For a short time after his decease, Milletiere, his Achates and sole companion, who always paid the most devoted attention to what he spoke, produced those monsters which he had conceived under Cameron's tuition. For he published a book against Du Moulin, who expected nothing of that description, in which he defends merits and justification by works, and speaks in such a manner about the Sacrament of the Eucharist as betokens a person far too much inclined towards transubstantiation. He also makes honourable mention of the Church of Rome, and declares she has preserved all the capital articles of the christian faith pure and untainted, although in some things she may have wandered from the right path. All these novelties he professes to have received from that incomparable man, Mr. Cameron ;"&c.

But it must be recollected, that these are the exaggerated statements of a violent adversary, who hated him for his approaches towards Arminianism, which had formerly been an object of his greatest aversion. In quality of elder of the Reformed Church of Paris, Milletiere was deputed as the representative of that church at the seditious assembly at Rochelle, to which he was appointed secretary, and wrote an answer to Tilenus, who had reprehended the conduct of the Calvinists on that occasion. He was afterwards seized at the Court of France as one of the most outrageous partizans of the Duke de Rohan; after having been put to the rack and suffered a long imprisonment, he was at length liberated. Like his friend Cameron, he became more moderate in his politics and more charitable in his religious principles; and, placing Cameronism as the basis of his scheme, he tried by it to effect a union between the Protestants and the Papists. This attempt only tended to increase the hostility of the French Calvinists against him. Several of his writings were condemned by the National Synod of Alençon in 1637; and "a letter was addressed to him by this assembly, informing him, that, unless he gave a satisfactory declaration of his penitence to the Consistory of Paris within six months, he would not be accounted a member of the Reformed Church. After several warnings, which proved of no service to him, the Synods declared him to be no longer a member of the churches, and not one of them would admit him into its communion: So that he became a Catholic of necessity, that he might be of some religion." He was rejected from the bosom of the Reformed Church in 1645, during the session of the National Synod of Charenton. It is related of him, that, when he began to attend the service of the Romish Church, he heard a sermon preached by a Popish Bishop, who, in

towards those who call themselves the Reformed,' testifies that Peter du Moulin was the author of such counsels. But, because the King pardoned the criminality of those very wicked attempts, let not M. Rivet suppose, that on this account historical and other writers are deprived of all the right of recording such transactions, even when their sole purpose is to teach people to avoid Divines of this description.

"With regard to the decrees of the Pope, it is the opinion of both the [French] King and Parliament, that they are not bound by those of them which are repugnant to the Holy Scriptures as interpreted by the common consent of the Ancient Fathers, or if they be contrary to those constitutions of Councils or of the Fathers which have been received in France. The man who inspects the Acts of the French Parliament, will perceive several decrees of this kind to have been rejected both now and formerly, by the Parliaments at the advice of Bishops and Divines, when such rejection was required by circumstances. No reason therefore exists for any one to veil his encouragement of party-disputes under a pretended dread of the Pope's omnipotency. Grotius has not made mention even of local constitutions without some design: For when many speak of them as of burdens oppressive beyond measure to the conscience, it was necessary to shew the estimation in which real Catholics hold such constitutions, and the nature of the obligation arising from them, which is by no means intolerable.

"The Pastors of the Church, whatever may be the title which they bear, act contrary to the Canons, in the opinion of "Grotius, when they are in warlike actions: This opinion he recorded long ago in writing, at the close of his First Book On the Laws of War and Peace. He also thinks, that it is the duty of ministers, not to excite the flame of new wars between Christian princes,-a practice which too many of them pursue, drawing a parallel between Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, adjudged the superiority to the Virgin: This gave Milletiere such a shock, that he declared, with his usual frankness, rather than be frequently compelled to hear sermons of that kind he would return to the bosom of the Protestant Church.-In favour of his plan of pacification and re-union between the two churches, he continued for some years to write books, which are commended by many of the moderate members of both communions. Some further account of him will be found in the subsequent extracts from the letters of Grotius.

* But what good effects did all these checks produce on "the omnipotence of the Pope," when the realm was governed by an imbecile Monarch, whose prime minister was a Cardinal? The horrid massacre of the Protestants of France on St. Bartholomew's day, aud the cruel as well as impolitic Revocation of the Edict of Nantz, are, of themselves, sufficient answers to this question.

No considerate Protestant can approve of all the palliations which Grotius offers in behalf of Popery. On this point he was evidently misled by his great learning, by which be traced soine of the originally innocent observances of the Romish Church up to the purest ages of Christian Antiquity. At that period, too, he saw the Catholic Religion assume a milder aspect, and supported by such moderate reformers of it as Thuanus, Cassander, &c.

to the great injury of nations; but, on the contrary, to extinguish those which have already arisen: This topic likewise he has briefly noticed in the Second Book of the work just mentioned, chap. 23.—If M. Rivet entertains a different opinion, he gives a demonstration that he either is or has been in the number of those pastors who excite wars; if his opinion is not different, then why does he carp at expressions uttered with a pious intent? Though M. Rivet is sufficiently audacious when fortune favours him, yet we could not have conceived that he would venture to deny those facts which have transpired in the view of all men, and the recollection of which is still vivid in the minds both of Governors and People.- Who are the individuals that compelled sixteen thousand men to perish by famine at Rochelle, rather than experience the clemency of their King?' They were ministers who called themselves Reformed.- Who are they that inflamed all Languedoc and the contiguous provinces with addresses and libels?' They were the same ministers. Who are they that brought down the hatred of the populace upon CAMERON, because he was not equal to them in madness and extravagance, and thus caused him to be treated in such a cruel manner as produced disease and death?' They were men who call themselves Ministers of the word of God. The chariot steeds have heard too many of the smacks of these [exciting whips.

*

"But the dogmas of Paræus are injurious to M. Rivet for this reason-because he attempts to defend them by interposing the person of Paræus junior; those dogmas will likewise injure the reputation of that society into which he has been adopted, since he denies that the extracts were made in every instance with fidelity. But the colour with which the younger Paræus paints his father's writings, is evidently false and adulterated. He says, his father was there treating about 'those potentates who were admitted to the exercise of sovereign power under conditions.' But the elder Paræus was not discussing the laws of Germany. Yet even that country contains many princes who denied that they were admitted [to the sovereignty under limitations: But the knowledge of this matter is not the occupation of a Divine, but of lawyers. Paræus did not engage in the interpretation of PAUL the Professor of Law, but of PAUL the Apostle, who treats about all the higher

Philip Paraus was alive, and Principal of the College of Hanau in 1646, when Rivet wrote a most virulent reply to these animadversions, interspersed with the most gross slanders concerning the life and death of Grotius. Like a dutiful son, he tried various methods to vindicate the memory of his pious father. In doing this, particularly with respect to his father's Exposition on the Romans, he vindicated the positions of the old gentleman, according to M. Arnaud's statement, "in the saine manner as the Jesuits defend themselves when accused of corrupting Christian Norals, by shewing that they are neither the first nor the only persons who have inculcated any particular doctrine."

powers. The elder Paræus, in his explanations, by various methods overturns the expressions of the apostle; and he allows to Christian subjects, even to those in private stations, the very things of which the apostle deprives such subjects. This has been demonstrated correctly and with the greatest fidelity by the University of Oxford, and by King James himself, who declares, that he was always hated by the Puritans for no ' other reason than that of his being a King.'

*.

"But granting that Grotius during former days may, in some instances, have exceeded the bounds of moderation,—either through the inexperience of youth, the influence of his great attachment to the station in which he was born and educated, or through his adherence to other writers of great reputation,— and granting also, that he may have spoken some things in too general a manner, which ought on the contrary to have been uttered with restrictions, or that he has employed examples which have not been at perfect agreement with each other; yet, after all these concessions, Grotius may now surely be permitted to amend and grow better, after he has by a more extensive course of reading and continued meditation become older, and attained to a state of life that is uninfluenced by party-interests. He undoubtedly always disapproved of the violence used in breaking images and altars, of warlike assemblies, and of those armed forces that were raised among the Dutch prior to any decree of the States, and merely by private enterprize. Yet these were the deeds which are called the commencement of this reformation,'-a kind of commencement with which neither Christ, his apostles, nor the Christians of the best ages were acquainted. Such actions as these accord most completely with the writings not only of Philip Mornai Lord of Plessis Marli, Hottoman, and Buchanan, but also with those of Peter Vermilius surnamed the Martyr, (on the third chapter of the Book of Judges,) Casman, Althusius, Lambert Danæus in the passages quoted by Arnisæus, and of as many more of this description, whose writings have never been contradicted by any of that tribe. From the words and deeds of these men we understand what is the signification of that part of the Confession, belonging to those who style themselves THE REFORMED, which says, Tribute and obedience are due to kings, pro'vided God's supreme authority remains safe and secure. For by this phrase God's supreme authority, they understand the liberty of their own religion,'-but such a liberty as, when they are the prevailing party, they do not grant to others.

"And for this cause, there never rose faction in the time of my minority, nor trouble sen-syne, but they that were upon that factious part, were ever careful to persuade and allure these unruly spirits among the ministry, to spouse that quarrel as their own: Wherethrough I was oft-times calum· niated in their popular sermons, not for any evil or vice in me, but because I was a King, which they thought the highest evil.”—Basilikon Doron, lib. 2.