the direction of popish priests, and agents of the bloody Inquisition? No, 'tis at Geneva ! protestant Geneva! where Calvin's influence is paramount to the civil authority. Protestants are the actors in this tragedy. Protestants who so lately exclaimed against the church of Rome for her persecuting spirit and conduct. But they have drank of the wine of her fornication, and are imitating her bloody deeds. Who is he that attends the poor sufferer to his funeral pile? It is William Farel, whom Calvin calls his brother minister, the man who said Servetus ought to die a thousand times. Has he at length relented? Is he come to console him in his dying agonies: No, he manifests no sympathy, he discovers no compassion for the reputed heretic. He acts the part here which popish priests have often acted when they attended the burning of protestants. It is rather to tease the dying martyr he is come, to see if he will recant. He is come to behold the awful spectacle, which he can witness without any emotions of pity, without regretting that he had prompted his friend Calvin to proceed in the bloody work of persecution. And does he call himself a disciple, and even a minister, of the mild and merciful Jesus? But where is Calvin? Decency forbids his

being present at the last act of the cruel tragedy which he has instigated. Perhaps he is in

his closet meditating on the conduct of a vindictive God whose wrath could not be appeased without the blood of an innocent person, or on the flames which he supposes the Almighty has kindled to torment those he is pleased to call heretics to all eternity.

How unmoved the people stand around! Have they lost all feeling for a suffering fellow creature? Is the milk of human kindness dried up in their breasts? Bigotry hath steeled their hearts. They believe the dogmas of John Calvin to be divine truth, and they know that Servetus has opposed those dogmas. They believe master Calvin to be an eminent servant of God, and he has pronounced Servetus a heretic, a blasphemer, and a dog: therefore they think he ought to be burnt to death.

He

See the flames ascend around the martyr, but he stands firm in the midst of them: he speaks not, nor shows any signs of repentance. dies fully persuaded of the truth of his doctrine. He confirms the testimony he has borne, against the errors of papists and protestants, by the firmness with which he endures the devouring flames.

O bigotry thou monster! what hast thou done? To consign to the most cruel death, in the prime of life, a person of a character so irreproachable, of talents so rare, of attainments so extraordinary, who might have been so useful to mankind, merely for his opinions. Infernal deed! O Calvin! what hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth from the ground.

But see, the blessed martyr is fallen down in the midst of the fire, his life is departed, the conflict is over, his sufferings are for ever terminated. We weep, feel indignant at the conduct of Calvin, and retire.

NOTES.

Page 22, line 17, below the christian standard. Persecutors are, in the scripture sense of the term, reprobates, ados, below proof. Jesus Christ, by the influence of his holy doctrines. and precepts, by his loving spirit or temper, and by the imitation of his perfect example, is not in them. 2 Cor. 13: 5. Yet alas

they have too frequently thought them

selves the only elect, and have dealt damnation round the land,' on all who have differed from them.

Page 23, line 20. modern catholics &c.

The catholics of the present day are many of them steady friends to christian liberty, and men of excellent character: indeed a spirit of liberality seems to pervade that body of christians in general, at least those of them who live under the British government. The French catholics seem also to be imbued with no small