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of Nantz, it acquired also a form of civil polity as a security for the maintenance of its religious liberty. The preservation of the peace of the kingdom was impossible without the protection of the rcformed. The state, therefore, protected them; but the implacable souls of the state clergy never gave up the idea of blood-shedding; tigers they were created, tigers they continued; but for three and twenty years tigers in chains. The god at Rome, that made them, created them in his own image, the image, said an inspired prophet of a beast!

During this necessary cessation of ecclesiastical arms, that very bad man Cardinal Richlieu first invented a new mode of attacking the reformed. He thought-pacifick operations became christians -that it was high time to put a period to dissention-yea that an union of protestants and catholicks was very practicable.-Why could it not be effected? They were all children of the same parent, and brethren in Christ Jesus-their differences in opinion were less considerable than the over zealous on either side imagined-their systems indeed had some apparent inconsistencies; but, however, cool and candid explications might reconcile them. In this sophistical manner did this first born of deceit attack the reformed; and although he persuaded his master, or rather his slave, the deluded Lewis XIII. to deprive his protestant subjects of first one civil privilege, and then another, till he had stripped them of all, by reducing Rochelle, and had brought them to an absolute

dependence on the mere clemency of the crown, yet he kept preaching concord and union all the time, and beguiled many protestants into the

snare.

Whether it were want of capacity, ignorance of regal courts,unacquaintedness with the true ground of separation from a papal hierarchy, love of the world, or whatever were the cause, it is certain, many pious persons were duped by this ecclesiastical artifice; and, surprising to tell! gave episcopal hirelings credit for religious liberty, and actually concerted measures for a projected union. Three sorts of persons were concerned in this ruinous enterprize. The first were bad men; a bribe did their business. The second were credulous pietists; specious pretences, soft words and silken nooses caught these woodcocks. The third were wise and good men ; but prejudiced in prospect of seeming usefulness, and dazzled with the splendour of the great names of such as patronized the plan. Dury, Ferri, Amyraut, and Beaulieu, were all too deep in this scheme.* It was an observation of this usual flexibility, which induced a great statesman to affirm, that every man was purchasable, if his price were bid.

Richlieu and Lewis XIII. went each to his own place, while Claude was a student at Montauban : but their polity survived them, and fell into the hands of Lewis XIV. that is to say, into the hands of cardinals, confessors, jesuits, queens, and pros

* See Bayle. Amyraut 1-Beaulieu C-Ferry D.

titutes. It is a manifest solecism in history to affirm that all kings reign. Their majesties are slandered; one great soul now and then reigns, the rest allow their names to authorize the imperious passions of those, who gull them and govern their kingdoms.

In this state of affairs, while coalition was all the cry, the disinterested Claude, as wise a politician as any of them all, now pastor of the church of Nismes, was chosen moderator of the Synod of Lower Languedoc. He was a man eminently qualified to preside in such assemblies. He knew the world, as able physicians know poisons; the insidious artifices of bad men were transparent before the penetrating eye of his judgment, and he knew how to counteract them. He esteemed all good men; but he never thought of making their weaknesses maxims of church government. He was absolutely master of his own temper, and dexterous at catching the happy moment, in which the most stubborn and boisterous declaimers are manageable. His abilities were so well known, that he was listened to with attention, and his upright attachment to the reformed religion obtained a general confidence in all he said. He visited the nobility, dined with Messieurs the Intendants, paid pretty com pliments to my lords, the prelates; but in matters of religion and conscience, he was ever known to be the inflexible, invariable, inconvertible John Claude.

In this synod he broke all court measures of coalition, and dismounted the machine of re-union

in this province. This rendered him obnoxious to some, less upright than himself, and presently came a decree of council prohibiting the exercise of his ministry throughout the whole province of Languedoc. Supported by a good conscience, he forbore preaching, and went to court; where after prosecuting his cause for six months, he was given to understand, that the decree was irrevocable, and that reformed ministers, not agreeable to the governors of the provinces, must be removed. We shall have occasion again to call over the project of re-union, and we defer a justification of Mr. Claude's conduct till then.

During Mr. Claude's residence in Paris, several persons of the first quality, and of exemplary piety informed him, that Marshal Turenne, who had resolved to quit the reformed religion, pretended to do so on conviction that the doctrine of transubstantiation had always been held by professing christians, into which persuasion he had been led by a book written either by Dr. Arnaud, or Dr. Nicolle, entitled The Perpetuity of the Faith. Had Mr. Claude acted on his own principles, he would have declined all attempts to fix a man of the marshal's character. He knew mankind too well to waste his theological treasure on men susceptible of the stronger impressions of character, fortune, and worldly glory. However, he yielded to the solicitations of his noble friends, and published a complete answer to the Perpetuity, in thirty anonymous pages. He traced the sophister through all his doublings, maintained the argu

ments brought by Blondell and Aubertine, and vigorously pursued the fox, till he seemed to expire on the spot. The Jansenists were ready to go mad, so were all the Parisian catholicks; for, could they have found out the author, their friends the jesuits would soon have prevailed with the head of their party to have answered his arguments.*

Mr. Claude, not being able to get his prohibition taken off, left Paris, and repaired to Montauban, entirely resigned to the providence of God. He could not but be happy, wherever he went, for he carried along with him a mind, that could reflect with approbation on the past, a will submissive to the supreme will of God, a conscience unstained with guilt, a heart free from tormenting passions, and an undaunted confidence in the future protection of his Lord.

He arrived at Montauban on the Saturday, and the church insisted on his preaching next day. Contrary to his expectation, this people offered to employ him, the synod confirmed their choice, and he was again restored to his beloved pastoral labours. Here, the worthy man often said, he spent the four happiest years of his life. He loved Montauban, it was the place of his education. He lived in the most perfect union with his col

Lewis XIV. told the Duke of Orleans, he was displeased with him, because he took the part of Cardinal de Noailles, and spoke against the jesuits: that, said the king, is declaring against a party, at the head of which I myself am. What a glorious thing is it, exclaims Bayle, for a king to own himself at the head of a party!

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