of his health and to remit his usual labours, he continued to dictate and to write several letters. And though so continually occupied, that he could not fulfil all the duties of his charge, he used to remark that idleness was extremely irksome to him. It was at this time, however, that he revised and republished his Institutes, in Latin and in French; and corrected his Commentary on Isaiah, in such a manner as to render it a new work.

At this period, two of the most powerful monarchs of Europe terminated their differences

by an alliance. This peace would probably

have been fatal to the protestant churches, had not a divine Providence counteracted the designs of the catholics, who had obtained an entire influence over Henry II. and who abused his compliance to excite a persecution against the protestants. With this view they induced that prince to publish several severe edicts against them, and to imprison some of the counsellors of the parliament of Paris, who were suspected of favouring their cause; and inspired him with the design of destroying the New Sect, a name by which they were then called.

But while the church was overwhelmed with consternation, and engaged in imploring

divine succour with all imaginable ardour, Henry II. was mortally wounded at a tournament, by one of his captains of the guards; who, by his orders, had a few days before arrested the counsellors; this event changing the face of affairs, the reformed were delivered from a danger which appeared inevitable.

After the death of Henry II. Calvin was accused of having raised a conspiracy against Francis II. although he had disapproved of the enterprize, and employed his efforts to subdue it.

Stancarus Mantoüan began at this time to teach, that Jesus Christ was mediator only with respect to his humanity, accusing those of Arianism, who thought him mediator in respect of his divinity, and asserting that they made the Son less than the Father. Melancthon and Martyr wrote against this sentiment, and Calvin refuted it briefly; foreseeing at the same time, what afterwards happened, that to avoid the errors of Stancarus, many persons would be in danger of falling into those of the Tritheists; he, therefore, expressly cautioned them to be upon their guard with respect to Blandrata, and his party, and instructed them to maintain that Jesus Christ was mediator according to both his natures, without multiplying the divinity

The Vaudois of Bohemia having deputed two persons to wait upon Calvin, to ask his advice on several points of religion, he received them with great affability, answered all their questions, and exhorted them earnestly to join the reformed churches.

After the death of Francis II. Charles IX. wrote in 1561, to the Council of Geneva, to complain of their receiving into the town, the enemies of France, and fostering those public disturbers. Calvin was accordingly summoned with his colleagues before the council; and admitted that the pastors had sent into France several pious men, to regulate the churches there, which the had been solicited to do; but that they were too deeply occupied about the advancement of religion to be employed in sowing troubles in the kingdom; and that he was ready with his colleagues, to answer their accusers before the king. Charles acknowledged apparently the innocence of Calvin, and his colleagues, for nothing farther was heard upon the subject.

Soon afterwards Calvin replied to Tileman Heshusius; and published a work shewing the blasphemies with which the work of Gentilis, against the creed of Athanasius, was filled. He also published at this time his work on

Daniel, which he dedicated to the churches of France; and while in his Commentary he appears the intepreter of the prophet, in his dedicatory epistle he appears himself almost a prophet, predicting the tempests which were shortly to arise, though the conference then held at Poissy gave reason to expect the entire destruction of the catholic religion.

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The disputes in which Calvin was interested were not yet finished in 1561, a fresh discussion arose between him and Baldwin, who had published during the conference of Poissy, a book of Cassander's, under the title, De Officio pii ac publicæ tranquilitatis vere amantis in hoc religionis studio. To this work Calvin replied; a controversy ensued, in the course of which, a warmth of temper was betrayed on both sides, which reflected no honour on the disputants; but which is far from being singular in theological controversies.

Calvin was at this time exceedingly afflicted by the state of the protestants in France; for after having obtained an edict, which put an end to the sufferings to which they had been long exposed, and which granted them the free exercise of their religion, the artifices of their enemies succeeded in withdrawing the King of Navarre from the protestant interest, and the

Duc de Guise had made a cruel slaughter in Vassi, and had begun a civil war which long desolated that kingdom.

His disorders were now visibly increasing daily, and it was evident that he was making rapid advances towards a better world. His afflictions, however weighty, never dejected him. His usual duties of visiting the sick and afflicted, of preaching, and giving theological lectures, were punctually discharged; and knowing that the churches of France were not only openly attacked, but secretly defamed to the German princes; he drew up their confession of faith, which was presented to the Diet of Francfort.

On the 19th of December, Calvin being confined to his bed with the gout, and the wind having been unusually high for two days, made use of the following expressions to some friends present: "I have thought I heard an alarming noise all night, and I could not help thinking, that it was occasioned by a great number of drums. I cannot understand it. We shall certainly soon hear of some important event. Let us beseech God to have pity upon his church." This was thought very remarkable, when soon after, by news brought from France it appeared that on the same day a bloody