national poetry was for the most part swept away. The Bible had pervaded the souls of men. The mind of the age could no longer be satisfied with semi-barbarous rants. The clergy, besides their ordinary routine of jugglery, had other work on hand than plays and blasphemous mysteries. We date nearly all that is valuable in civilization from this era, though we must not forget the vast and needful preparatory struggles of all kinds, by which European society conquered its way through the ages of darkness.

The history of the abuse of psalmody before the Reformation, would be a curious and profitable speculation; but the practice was not sufficiently attended to by the reformers. Inasmuch as the reform was an appeal from popes and priests to the truth and the people, more attention should have been paid by them to psalmodical composures and their universal diffusion. It is remarkable that "nothing was done by authority among us." The Reformation in England speedily went into the hands of mere aristocratical politicians, and it was not their object that it should spread wider than spoliation. Let us just glance at the revival of psalmody abroad and at home.

The singing of psalms was even a test of attachment or enmity to the Reformation. Papist and Protestant were distinguished by their love or hatred of psalm-singing. When England began to shake off the Roman yoke, "men's affections to the work of reformation were everywhere measured by their singing or not singing translated psalms." John Huss and Martin Luther's Metrical Psalmody, in Germany, were followed, in 1540, by Clement Marôt's Translations, in France, where their popularity soon led to versions here. Marôt was a valet of the bedchamber to Francis I. (Our Sternhold was groom of the robes to Henry VIII.) He was the favourite poet of France at that time, and eminent for his pastorals, ballads, fables, elegies, epigrams, and translations. At length he became infected with Lutheranism, and attempted a version of David's Psalms into French rhymes, which he dedicated to Francis, and to the ladies of France. He translated about fifty of them; Beza added a hundred more; Lewis Guadiniet, the Asaph of that age, set them to those melodious tunes which are sung to this day. Marôt's translation was allowed by the Sorbonne, as containing nothing contrary to sound doctrine, and not aiming at any innovation in the public

worship. He concludes the poetical dedication by supposing "that the golden age would now be restored, when we should see the peasant at the plough, the carman in the streets, and the mechanic in his shop, solacing their toils with psalms and canticles." So charmed were all at the proposal that it gave no small impulse to the Reformation. The Catholics were the first to adopt these songs as serious ballads, an allowable expression, as the word ballad was formerly used to signify a religious song. Warton, who was more vexed at their piety than their poetry, says that they were the common accompaniment of the fiddle, for which the admirers of that instrument will not think any the worse of them. The printers could not supply the public with copies fast enough. These psalms of Clement Marôt were the delight of the whole court. By each of the royal family, and the principal nobility, a psalm was chosen and fitted to the ballad tune which each liked best, (after the same fashion of adaptation as the "godly and spiritual songs" printed in Edinburgh in 1597, and reprinted there in 1827.) The Dauphin Prince Henry delighted in hunting, and was fond of, and would constantly sing, "like as the hart panteth after the water-brook," when he went out to the chase. The court ladies had each their favourite psalms, set to fashionable jigs or tunes. "Devotion had little to do in this matter, at least with these court puppets. Heads of churches now-a-days patronize a different sort of opera. The version was fashionable, but it had become popular. Calvin introduced them into his congregation at Geneva. The verses were intelligible to the meanest capacity, they were really ballads, and this simplicity indicates a good deal as to the true character of a hymn. "The melodies to which they were set rivalled the words in plainness and simplicity." They who could read the one would find little difficulty in learning to sing the other. As, therefore, it was his aim to open the scriptures entirely, so long shut up in a dead language, nothing could come more opportune than this version of the Psalter, which united with prayer in their own tongue, would enable his congregation to understand and join in the one, and become choristers of the other.

R. F.

51

THE EVILS LEFT UNTOUCHED BY THE

REFORMATION.

[Paper the First.]

More than three centuries have elapsed since the reformation began; and it might naturally be concluded that during the interval new and enlarged views of truth have been acquired, which put us in a position to judge more correctly than even the reformers themselves, respecting the merits or demerits of the cause which they advocated. Though revealed truth be ever the same, yet human conceptions respecting it are ever varying; and the studious investigation and actual experience of three centuries ought to prepare us for taking a better view of the world's wants, and the Bible's remedy for them, than those who lived so long before us.

Moreover, the circumstance, that during so many years the reforming principles have so little extended amongst fresh nations, ought to induce us to ascertain the cause of such a fact. With little exception the relative position of the two antagonist systems-Protestantism and Popery-is what it was at the close of the sixteenth century. Holding, as we do, that protestantism is in the right, and popery in the wrong; that the one has the sanction of God and his word, and that the other is reprobated; is it not natural to ask, and culpable not to ask, how it is that the one has not advanced upon the other? How is it that the light has not further diffused itself through the darkness? And asking this, to inquire further, whether there was not some defect in the principles on which the reformation commenced, accounting for so remarkable a fact? Whether something was not omitted by the reformers; some evil or evils left untouched, by virtue of which the reformation itself was eventually brought to a pause, and maintained in a false, dubious, hesitating position-as if unable to advance any further.

This view of the subject is one of great moment; one in which we are or ought to be deeply concerned. Protestantism -genuine protestantism-is the hope of the world. The powers of darkness hold whole nations in thraldom. The popish superstition is debasing many nations, and even extending its empire of degradation and formality beyond the European world into

other quarters of the globe. In protestantism alone is there light, and love, and liberty, for man. It goes forth with the own tongue, wherein he was gospel open, and in every man's " born," it speaks to the world of a gracious God, an omnipotent Saviour, and a free salvation. Who does not ardently pray that it may speed on its way with angel paces, every obstacle to its advancement and success being removed?

And yet what is the fact—the lamentable fact—as regards the position of protestantism in Europe? With trifling exceptions here and there, there has been no progress since the sixteenth century. Take the map and divide with a line those states which are under papal power, from those which have embraced the protestant faith; and you will find that it is almost the same as might have been drawn three centuries ago. Germany, England and Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, on the one side; and Italy, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal, &c., on the other! There has been a change in small portions, but nothing particularly worthy of notice. And yet during the whole of this period science has been advancing, and light has been pouring into the minds of Europe! Is it not worth while to inquire into the cause of this stationary position of reformed religion?

By way of approximating towards a solution of this important and deeply interesting problem, we propose to notice what we conceive to be the evils left untouched by the reformation—evils that were perpetuated along with the reformation, and which, in so far as they operated, hindered the work from advancing thoroughly even amongst protestants themselves, and impaired its success amongst those from whom they had separated. We propose to discuss this subject in a calm and charitable spirit. Three brief papers will be sufficient for our purpose.

RELIGIOUS CONSISTENCY.

Consistency in character has been said to be “what grace is to action”—that which makes it lovely and attractive, as well as influential. If this be true of conduct in general, it is still more so when applied to religious character. The christian law

;

of conduct is, "be not conformed to this world." Understanding by "this world" those who choose the world for their portion, and make its maxims, fashions, and approval, their end and aim we conclude that religious professors depart from consistency when their tastes, habits, and feelings accord with the worldly; leading to a preference for their society and to a participation in their enjoyments. Well would it be for religion if modern professors retained a little more of that sober singularity, by which such characters were formerly distinguished. For though exposed by it to the scorner's derisive epithet of "saint," it was no bad preservative from inconsistency; and often constituted a profession both dignified and adorned.

The widely extended and genial influence of christianity, it is allowed, has been potent for good on the surface of society. But professors are perhaps too ready to indulge in congratulations on a uniform exterior merely, too much it may be feared the result of inconsistent compliances, rather than of genuine piety. For if religion consists in humility, integrity, brotherly love, and a noble contempt of the world, where is it? It is at least not more visible in our public assemblies, or private intercourse, than it was in days gone by.

Religious consistency requires that the professors "yea" should be "yea," and his "nay, nay;" exhibiting a transparency of character the effect of christian principle, raised far above the tricking and trimming of expediency-the use of unfelt expressions of regard adopted to attain an object—the language of compliment or flattery seeking only to please the arts of cajolery aiming to deceive and all acted though unuttered falsehood, which is "an abomination in the sight of the Lord." Religious consistency implies watchfulness against seeming as well as actual deviation from truth-tending to produce entire reliance upon what is said, by making the word equivalent to the bond, and the promise the firmest security for the performance. It is widely opposed to that apparent indifference about truth, by which perhaps, more than by its flagrant violation, the times are distinguished. It demands from the christian that high-toned integrity which "having sworn to its own hurt changeth not."

M.