So

They were masters of the strongest places in France, Mountauban, Rochelle, &c. that the king's authority was become wholly precarious, and his crown, was, in a manner, at the mercy of the Huguenots, who, he knew by past experience, would lay hold of the very first pretence to break the treaty, when they should find it to their advantage to do it.

Under these hard circumstances, he resolved upon the destruction of his enemies to prevent his own. For things were come to such an height, that the question was not barely, whether the ancient religion of France or Huguenotism was to be uppermost? but whether Charles the IXth. was to be king or not? Just as at the treaty of Uxbridge, it was not barely the question, whether episcopacy or presbytery was to be the established religion of England? but whether Charles I. was to be a real king or not? Add to this, that the Huguenots themselves had set the example of massacring in cold blood, before they felt the smart of it in their own persons; for the prince of Condé (who had been condemned to lose his head for rebellion, under Francis II.) was no sooner released out of prison, by the death of that prince, and liberty of conscience granted to the Huguenots, but (as Davila tells us) they became so insolent, that they massacred people in Paris, burnt the church of St. Madard, rifled monasteries, and committed many other outrages. But Davila will perhaps not be believed, though he be highly esteemed by Protestants themselves for an impartial writer.

Let us then hear the account given of these Huguenots by Dr. Heylin. "A greater diflidence," says he, "was raised against the Huguenots by the unseasonable zeal of the queen of Navarre, who, not content with settling the Protestant religion in the country of Berne, where she was absolute and supreme, suffered the Catholics to be infested in the provinces, which she held immediately of the crown; insomuch, that at Pamiers (the chief city of the earldom of Foix) the Huguenots, taking offence at a solemn procession held upon Corpus Christi day, 1566, betook themselves presently to arms, and falling upon those whom they found unarmed, not only made a great slaugh ter among the churchmen, but, in the heat of the same fury, burnt down their houses; which outrage being suffered to pass unpunished, gave great encouragement and example to some furious zealots to commit the same in other places; as, namely, at Mountauban, Calion, Rodez, Perjeaux, Valence, &c." Thus Dr. Heylin, Hist. Presb. L. 2, p. 70.

Now all this was six years before the massacre of the Huguenots. And let any man judge whether these persons were innocent, and whether they did not draw on themselves the just vengeance of God, though executed upon them in an illegal manner, by the rage of a provoked and revengeful king? It appears at least, from what has been said, that religion had the least share in the motive of this bloody execution. For the whole business was a cabinet plot, contrived (as Davila tells us, L. 5,) by the king

and queen mother. And neither of these were ever famed for zealots in religion, especially the queen; who always acted the part of a complete trimmer between the Catholic and Protestant party; sometimes leaning to the one, sometimes to the other, as they best suited her ambitious desires of ruling.

In a word, as it was not religion, but revenge and state policy, that determined Henry III. to take off the heads of the Guisian party, (for they were most zealous Catholics;) and as the same politic motive has determined many other princes to destroy their domestic enemies, when they could not do it by the regular course of justice; so it was that determined Charles IX. to the destruction of the Huguenots, whom he could neither bring to justice, nor reduce by force of arms. Not that I intend to draw any argument from thence to justify the thing, but only to shew that men, but especially princes, who generally make state interest their gospel, will do strange things for self-preservation, without consulting religion or conscience in the matter, when they are pushed too far, and are in danger of losing all; which was the very case of Charles IX.

The massacre, however, very far exceeded the wishes of the court; and orders were instantly despatched to the great towns in the provinces, to prevent similar scenes; but, though by some Protestant writers the whole number of persons killed, has been made to amount to a hundred thousand, yet the account published in 1582, and made up from accounts

collected from the ministers in the different towns, made the number for all France, amount to only 786 persons!

Dr. Lingard, (Note T. Vol. V.) with his usual fairness, says "if we double this number we shall not be far from the real amount." The Protestant writers began at 100,000; then fell to 70,000; then to 30,000; then to 20,000; then to 15,000; and at last to 10,000! All in round numbers! One of them, in an hour of great indiscretion, ventured upon obtaining returns of names from the ministers themselves; and then out came the 786 persons in the whole!

The massacre also of the Protestants in Ireland, in 1641, has been often objected against the Catholic church. When people are driven to despair by excessive hardship and oppression, and even threatened with utter extirpation, what wonder if an insurrection follows? Such was the case with the Irish Catholics. The insurgents even were not the body of Catholics; they were no more than an exasperated rabble in the province of Ulster, who acted against the inclination of the community, and in opposition to the exhortations of their clergy; and, indeed, all such violences are utterly condemned by the Catholic doctrine. It is also clear from authentic records and testimonies, that this massacre has been exceedingly exaggerated, and that not one hundred part of the number were murdered, that were reported. These particulars are proved at length, by a learned Protestant writer of the kingdoms

of Ireland, in a book, entitled: "The trial of the cause of the Roman Catholics.-Dublin, 1761."

The nature of Calvinism being opposite to the Catholic religion, it produced in its proselytes a rancorous aversion to every thing belonging to the latter communion. The consequence of this could be no other, when once they had arms in their hands, but to spread desolation, and exercise cruelties upon those whose religion they hated. And such was the real fact. It is impossible to read the history of the Calvinists, without being shocked at the disorders and barbarities committed by them.

SECTION III.

John Knox-Murder of Cardinal Beaton-Duke of Alva's Wars-The Reformers complain of their disciples -Testimony of Erasmus and other writers-Luther's contempt of the ancient Fathers--His scurrility.

It is computed, that in the course of these wars, they destroyed twenty thousand churches. In the province of Dauphiné only, they killed two hundred and fifty-five priests, and one hundred and twelve monks and friars, and burnt nine hundred towns and villages. If the maxims of Calvinism warranted such proceedings, could its gospel be the gospel of Christ? As Beza had been the chief instrument of pro