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If the accounts of Mr. Mitchell and Sir J. Carr be true, we may now compare the Calvinists of Holland with the Genevese heretics, and I think there will be little difficulty in deciding their respective claims. If we are to judge of their faith by their deeds, even Dr. S. must, if he be just, give the palm to that of Geneva: but, alas! nothing that the Genevese can do is at all pleasing in his sight, and he will, I am sure, decide in the words applied by a satirist to the female

sex

"We have many faults;
You have only two:
There's nothing good you say,
There's nothing good you do."

Dr. S. says I entirely omit all consideration of "the increase of true Christians;" but I knew that he would not admit that a heretic, however virtuous and conscientious, can be a true Christian; therefore such consideration was useless. I believe the number of these men to be as great, in proportion, in Geneva, as in any Calvinist city whatever, if the scripture test be a true one, "By their deeds ye shall know them."

It is intimated by Dr. S. that his Calvinist friend, Mr. Haldane, of Edinburgh, bestowed more time and pains in one week to learn the state of religion, than I could or would bestow in two winters. I am not disposed to make any boasting of my own talents for observation; perhaps Mr. Haldane, aided by the second sight with which his countrymen are gifted, might see more in one week, than I could see in a year; but the specimen Dr. S. has given us of his information, is rather unfortunate, as it proves that he was totally incapacitated by his prejudices from forming a just judgment of the Genevese. Deeply tinctured with high Calvinism, not to call it Antinomianism, he visits the college founded by Calvin, where, finding that the theological students were not imbued with the faith of their founder, he boldly declares that "they are ignorant of the doctrines of the gospel-to the Bible and its contents their studies had never been directed." This misrepresentation could only arise from the grossest ignorance or prejudice. I have before stated, that the youth, both of the rich and poor citi

zens, go through a complete course of religious instruction, which Dr. S. himself admits comprises a respectable sketch of scripture history. Can any reasonable person then believe, that of all the citizens, those devoted to the ministry should alone be excluded from religious information? So much for Mr. Haldane. His statement is palpably erroneous and absurd. Dr. Smith is greatly mistaken if he supposes that the religious instruction of the Genevese youth consists in the common and inefficient mode of getting a catechism by heart. The catechism and the Bible form the textbooks of the catechumens, which are explained by the pastors verbally, and their explanations are written down from memory by the young people when they return home, and are afterwards examined by the pastors, and corrected if necessary. I know that in many instances the explanations which a catechumen writes down during the year, fill several quires of paper.

After having occupied so many pages of the Monthly Repository, it is but justice to your readers to inform them what were my opportu nities of observation at Geneva. I will readily grant to Dr. S. that some persons may learn more of the real state of society in a month than others would do in a year, if even their talents and knowledge of the language were equal. An English family taking a house in Geneva, and having their own servants, may reside there a long time, and see only the surface of society at grand soirées and public assemblies.

To gain an intimate knowledge of the manners, morals and tone of feeling of the people, it is advisable to board with an intelligent family, where nothing but French is spoken. I arrived at Geneva, with Mrs. B., in the Autumn of 1820, on our return from Piedmont. When we had determined to pass the winter in that city, we placed ourselves in the family of two well-informed elderly ladies, to whom we had been recommended: they were deservedly esteemed by a great many respectable families, who frequently visited them in a friendly way, without any form. We thus saw their minds in their natural, every-day dress.Mrs. B., who has always felt a deep

interest in whatever contributes to the improvement of society, was indefatigable in her inquiries; and, as a lady, she had opportunities of learning much respecting the state of information, morals and religious feeling of females in the different classes of society, comprising both rich and poor, as well as domestic female servants. This knowledge, which gentlemen cannot easily acquire, is absolutely necessary when we would form a just estimate of the character of a people. He must know little of human nature and society, who is not aware that the moral character and religious feeling of men owe more to the early care of virtuous and intelligent mothers, than to all the after-teaching of masters or priests in schools or colleges, or chapels or churches. It is true, that in England the good effects of the most judicious maternal care are too often obliterated by the hard-hearted immorality of public schools, and the impious piety and frequency of public prayers in schools and colleges, which make religion appear a contemptible farce, even to children, and tend more to deaden the soul to all religious feeling in after-life, than the writings of all the infidels that ever existed. The result of Mrs. B.'s inquiries, as well as of my own, continued during two winters, were highly favourable. Among females in the higher classes, the education being chiefly domestic, is devoted to the acquisition of useful knowledge, as well as of household duties, which precludes that high finish given to our English ladies in fashionable boarding-schools, where the physical, intellectual and moral energies are frittered down and wasted away, in the acquisition of what are called accomplishments. The Genevese are more practically wise than we are on the subject of female education; and I hope they may never be seduced to follow our example. The females in the humbler walks of life are much better informed than those of the same class in England, and their manners and their morals are entitled to high praise, if strangers would do them justice. Now I appeal to Dr. Smith himself, whether in a small state, where the moral character and information of the females are what I have described, it is at all probable, that "dissoluteness of morals,

and open immorality," should prevail among the men: nor do they; for no account was ever more erroneous than that which he has given of the state of morals in Geneva.-The prevailing defects of character in the Genevese are of a different description: they arise from peculiar circumstances in their situation.-Geneva, till lately, has been treated as the enfant guté of the Reformation; it may also be called the Athens of Switzerland; and perhaps an overstrained opinion of their own knowledge and importance may be the "easily-besetting sin" of the inhabitants. I have heard the young Genevese studying at Paris censured by their fellow-students for their conceit. But these are defects which liberal persons, who have a more extensive acquaintance with mankind, will be rather disposed to smile at, than censure severely. Dr. Smith appears to deem it presumptuous in me to touch upon the state of religion. He would have it to be believed, that I am too much occupied with the study of rocks and stones, to feel any interest about my fellow-creatures;-like Milton's Mammon, I am ever "regarding more the pavement" of the earth, than the beings that tread upon it. I know he has not said this with ill nature, nor will I receive it as such; but I can assure him, I have long considered that the nature of man and his future expectations form the most interesting of all inquiries; infinitely exceeding in importance all physical researches whatever. To these subjects I have devoted much time from very early life; with what profit I will not determine.

One of the principal motives which induced me to winter at Geneva, was to observe the influence of a republican democratic government, and a liberal faith, on the morals and character of the people. I conversed with persons of both parties in religion, and endeavoured to keep my mind open to receive the truth. The dispute in the English Church occasioned by the attempt of a few evangelical persons to supplant the Rev. G. Rooke and bring in a friend of Mr. Zacariah Macaulay, occurred the first winter I was at Geneva; and as I lived under the same roof with Mr. R., and saw him every day, the state of religious parties in Geneva was a subject of

daily discussion.-What I have stated in Letter I. respecting M. Malan having evinced a persecuting spirit in his religious discourses, was founded on my own knowledge. I have attended the services of that gentleman, both his preaching and the examination of his catechumens; - a circumstance which occurred during the latter, I have stated in my Travels. The conversation between M. Malan and Mr. Rooke, given in Letter I., was repeated to me by the latter gentleman almost immediately after it took place, and I carefully noted it down. It was also repeated by him to many, if not all the leading members of the English Church then at Geneva. I consider it as rather disingenuous in Dr. Sunith to say, that the young gentleman mentioned did frequently attend the ministry of Mr. Rooke, and that this throws a shade of discredit upon my account. Dr. S. knows very well that a gay, high-spirited young man as M. M-t―d was, would not be restrained by female dictation to attend a Methodist meeting only, for such M. Malan's chapel was considered by many of the English. But he might attend both services the same day with perfect convenience, as the hour of assembling admitted it. That he attended M. Malan, I am certain, having seen him there. With respect to M. Malan's declaration, that he was perfectly assured of his own salvation," is there any thing extraordinary in it? Does not every true Calvinist, who feels himself justified and in a state of grace, believe the same? It was only on the peculiar tenets of Calvinism that M. M. had to examine Mr. Rooke; on other tenets he knew him to be orthodox, as they were on friendly terms with each other. It is quite futile in Dr. S. to bring forward passages from M. Malan's sermons, in which he does not censure the pastors and people in a violent manner: it was not likely, while he considered himself a pastor of the Genevese Church, that he would publish any thing particularly offensive: this negative evidence proves nothing. It reminds me of an Irishman who was accused of taking a shirt from a hedge in the day-time. When the fact was proved by the testimony of four persons, who saw him take it, he replied in his defence, Please your honour, I can bring forty persons who did not see me take it." Dr.

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Smith would justly smile at such logic, if used by his opponents.

Before I conclude, allow me to remark, that the Genevese have sufficient reason for wishing to exclude the doctrines of the Trinity and Predestination, with the leading tenets of Calvin, from their pulpit-discourses, and for confining their preachers to scripture language. The cruel murders and persecutions which the enforcement of these doctrines occasioned in Geneva for one hundred years after the Reformation, naturally directed the attention of the pastors to inquire more fully into the grounds of a faith which produced such bitter fruits. The attempt of Calvin to take away the life of Bolsec for denying the predestination of infants to eternal torments, was an instance of intolerance almost unequalled in history. The Moloch of Pagan worship was appeased by the occasional suffering of a few children expiring in the flames, whose momentary torments might be rewarded with a happy immortality; but the Being whom Calvin worshiped can only be appeased by the everlasting burning of myriads of infants, whose unutterable anguish will endure through the countless ages of eternity. At the sight of their never-ending tortures, the elect will sing forth rapturous hallelujals to celebrate the triumph of sovereign justice-all "creaturely affections" will be lost and swallowed up in the contemplation of this astonishing proof of the goodness of their God. Nothing engendered by the superstitious idolatry of the most barbarous nations appears to me half so horribly impious as this doctrine, and yet its denial was deemed by Calvin to deserve death! *

We have seen with what warmth Dr. S. defends the passage in The Refuge where it is stated" that the man in whom concentres all the moral evil committed since the fall, and the man in whom resides all the moral excellency that ever dignified human

Calvin's persecution of Castalio for denying Predestination, was carried on by calumny, as he was not in his power; but he proclaimed Castalio to be a blas iality and impudence, an impostor, a phemer, reviler, full of ignorance, bestmocker of God, a contemner of all religion, a filthy dog, a knave, a vagabond and beggarly rascal, (balatronem,) &c.— Bayle Dict. Hist.

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nature since that period, stand on a perfect level in point of justification before God." I am willing to admit that neither the author of The Refuge nor Dr. J. Pye Smith would wish this doctrine to be productive of crime, but it appears to me that such is its direct tendency; for after a man has added crime unto crime to the end of a long life, according to this doctrine, he will still stand on the same perfect level in point of justification, as the most virtuous of human beings. Let us suppose a wretch, like Thurtell, tempted to commit another murder, but alarmed by some compunctions of conscience; let him open on the above passage in The Refuge; after musing upon it, he might break forth into the following soliloquy :-"Yes, 'It must be so;' Calvin, thou teachest well.' Yes, John Thurtell, thou mayest commit this murder without further endangering thy salvation; for, after its commission, thou canst not be in a worse condition than the man in whom concentres every crime committed since the world began.' Thou wilt therefore stand on the same perfect level before God in point of justification, as the man in whom resides all the excellence that ever dignified human nature since the fall.' What canst thou desire more than this? Oh consoling and comfortable doctrine! Away with childish fears! Now Thurtell's himself again.' But hold, John Thurtell (he might add) is this doctrine true? Before thou committest the additional murder, go and inquire of some learned and holy man whether it be true or not." Let us suppose him to go to Homerton; there Dr. J. Pye Smith will tell him, that the doctrine_contained in this passage in The Refuge is eternal truth, and to oppose it "is to aim poisoned arrows against the high and holy dictates of Inspiration itself." Who can doubt that, after this, Thurtell would feel his uncomfortable fears removed, and be nerved up to his purpose? Here is no fallacy, no forced construction in this statement. If the doctrine in The Refuge be true, John Thurtell draws from it a strict logical inference; for it is as true of moral conditions as of numbers or magnitudes, that what are equal to the same, are equal to each other; and he would stand on the same perfect level in point of justification, as the

most virtuous man, both before and
after the additional murder. It would
be useless in Dr. Smith to tell Thur-
tell there are other passages in The
Refuge where the necessity of a holy
life is enforced; he would probably
reply, "Thank you, Sir; but this
passage is sufficient for my purpose.
I cannot endanger my justification by
any additional crime; I shall still stand
on the same perfect level as before its
commission." Are the Genevese pas-
tors to be blamed for attempting to
cry down a book in which such a pas-
sage occurs? In what light can it be
regarded but as forming the founda.
tion of Antinomianism?

his definition of religious toleration, if
I totally disagree with Dr. Smith in
it adn.it of passing a sentence of con-
demnation on all who may differ from
each other on what they are pleased
to call essentials. This I hold to be
downright intolerance. A persecuting
spirit may be as clearly shewn by words
as by acts; indeed, history too well
proves that where the fences and re-
straints of civil power are wanting, the
descent from religious rancour to the
blood-stained path of persecution has
ever been short and slippery.

Smith should have been so late in
Very sincerely do I regret that Dr.
discovering the impropriety of using
irritating language, which he says "he
most of all disapproves in religious
controversy." But what can be more
irritating and offensive than his own
language to M. Chenevière and the
Genevese pastors? I know that it
has produced a very unfavourable idea
on the Continent of the manners and
feelings of English divines, who ap-
pear, from Dr. Smith's letters, to have
made little progress in candour or
courtesy since the period when Arch-
deacon Philpot published a defence
invective against Arians, the very na-
"for spitting on an Arian, with an
tural children of Antichrist." I repeat
it, I sincerely regret that Dr. Smith
should have thought it necessary to
use language which I am sure he can-
not approve, and which, I am willing
to hope, is foreign to his general habits
and feelings, and I regret it the more,
as it has occasioned me to address him
in terms less respectful than what I
should otherwise have done.

ROBERT BAKEWELL.

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tide, throws out an excellent hint that the prophecies of Daniel and St. John particularly relate to the Jews and their affairs, and to their future fortunes. On this idea, I cannot help supposing but that the seven thunders of St. John have a particular reference to the affairs of the Jew ish people, rather than to the antichristian powers warring against each other. The symbol, "as when a lion roareth," appears to point to the tribe of Judah, as being connected with the seven thunders. Four of these thunders have been inflicted on their enemies by the Greeks, who have now so gloriously finished their fourth campaign. If this be so to be understood, there yet remain three other grand conflicts ere the restoration of the Jews to Palestine takes place. This remark would seem to strengthen Mr. Brown's explanations of the Prophecies.

I

SIR,

PHILALETHES.

York, Nov. 19, 1824. SHALL feel obliged if you will insert in your very valuable publication the following remarks on the communication of Mr. Jevans, inserted in the Repository for October, pp. 581-584.

Mr. J. has collected a number of passages to prove that the writer of Romans viii. 9, "If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his," intended in these words the miraculous gifts of the Spirit. After reading this portion of scripture in the connexion in which it stands, there does not appear to me to be any thing to warrant the idea which Mr. Jevans defends.

The Apostle, in chap. viii., is evidently contrasting the two dispensa tions, viz. the Jewish and the Christian, and he represents one by the term "flesh," and the other by the term "spirit." Hence the Apostle says, (ver. 1,) "There is no condemn nation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit:" and, in ver. 4, he says, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after things of the spirit." Again, in ver. 8, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please

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God" i. e. they that are in the law cannot please God, because it has Christianity. "But," continues he, ye are not in the law, but in Christianity, if Christ be in you." And, ver. 10, "The body is dead because of the law (i. e. sin); but the spirit is life because of righteousness." "In the passages which follow, the Apostle evidently keeps up the same idea: "If ye live in the flesh, ye shall die.The law brought death only, but life and immortality came by the gospel.-But if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."Which is a proof to me, Sir, that Paul could not mean the miraculous gifts of the spirit.

Mr. J. remarks, that the miraculous gifts of the spirit being in general imparted to none but sincere Christians, the possession of them proved the piety of those who had them. I think, Sir, there is no great proof of either piety or sincerity manifested in the Corinthian Christians, although they possessed the gifts of the Spirit in a very splendid manner; for the Apostle says of them," Whereas there is among you envying and strife, are ye not carnal?" And again, when they met to celebrate the Lord's Supper, "Ye come together not for the better, but for the worse."

Mr. J. has also stated, that the apostles who went to Samaria baptized the converts and then laid their hands on them, and they received the gifts of the Holy Spirit ;-which is an error: for the account as recorded is, that Philip preached Christ and work ed miracles; and the people with one accord gave heed to what Philip did, hearing of and seeing the miracles which Philip did. And when they believed the things which Philip preached concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women. (Acts viii. 5, 6, 12.) And when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John, not to preach or baptize-for this Philip had done-but to confer on them the miraculous gifts. Nor does it appear that any, except the apostles, were capable of bestowing the miraculous gifts of the Spirit. If this be true, it is incumbent on Mr. J. to prove that

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