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Its singular adaptation to this great end, has been demonstrated by the wonderful results which have already attended its progress. Already has there taken place "a shaking;" the dry bones have heard the word of the Lord; symptoms of vitality appear in the unexampled spirit of union which has been excited; and the breath scems about to re-enter the exanimate forms from which the spirit had departed.

The fact itself to which we have adverted, stands, unhappily, in no need of verification, and it is one in which no Protestant, by whatever ordination he may hold, ought to feel himself otherwise than personally concerned-that there has taken place, to a most alarming extent, a tacit or more open abandonment of the doctrines of the Reformation, among the Reformed Churches of France and Germany. The poison of infidelity has indeed tainted the sources of instruction, and has thus insinuated itself through every vein of society. Deism, either in the garb of infidel Philosophy, or disguised under the specious form of Socinianized Christianity, is found serving at the altar, presiding in the college, and lecturing from the professor's chair. As the necessary consequence, the tone of Christian morality has suffered a corresponding relaxation, the Lord's day is openly violated, and in Protestant cities, once characterized by the good order and decorum which reigned in them, the state of public morals has become notorious, while all indications of zeal for the circulation of the Holy Scriptures and the promotion of the kingdom of Christ, on the part of even the clergy, have long since disappeared.

If there is one spot, on which, longer than on any other, the indignant spirit of the Reformation might be supposed to linger, as loth to take its departure, one spot more interesting than another, from the remembrance of its former glory, or more important, on account of its local advantages, as the citadel of Protestantism on the Continent, that spot is Geneva. The church of Geneva was once the glory of the Reformation: how has that glory departed! It is here, more especially, that, during eighty years, Arianism and Socinianism have been gaining ground, and their de-christianizing influence has been most unequivocally manifested. It is here, that Protestant zeal has suffered so complete extinction, that although, provoked by the example and the incitements of the British Parent Institution, a Bible Society has been established, it exists only in name and in the titles of its officers, its operations being absolutely paralyzed by the spirit of infidelity. The progress which Socinianism had made among the pastors of Geneva, so long ago as when the French Encyclopedists were engaged in their infernal labours, was such as attracted the complacent attention of those malignant cou.. spirators against the best interests of society. Plusieurs ne croyent plus la divinité de Jesus Christ,' writes the Author

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of the article Genève, dont Calvin leur chef était si zélé défenseur, et pour laquelle il fit brûler Servet.' In another part of the same article, it is remarked, that it was not surprising that the progress of Infidelity should be less deprecated at Geneva than elsewhere, since religion was there almost entirely reduced to the worship of one God, at least among all above the lowest class; reverence (le respect) for Jesus Christ and the Scriptures, being all perhaps that remained to distinguish the Christianity of Geneva from pure Deism. It was at this period that M. Vernet, one of the pastors of Geneva, a professor of Divinity, betrayed, by a phrase which Voltaire cites with sarcastic triumph, what advances had been made towards the surrender of the essential peculiarities of Christianity. Vernet,' writes Voltaire to D'Alembert in 1757, the professor of Divinity, who printed that Revelation is useful, is at the head of the Committee.' In the same letter, that malignant foe of his Redeemer writes, 'The magistrates and the priests come to dine with me as usual. Continuer à me laisser avec Tronchin, le soin de la plaisante affaire 'des Sociniens de Genève ;' and in another to the same correspondent, in the same year, It cannot be otherwise than 'that in Calvin's own town, with a population of four and twenty ' thousand thinkers, there should still remain a few Calvinists; 'but they are extremely few, and are well abused. All honest folks are Deists.' Six years after, in a letter to the same friend, he declares with high satisfaction, Il n'y a plus dans la ville de Calvin que quelques gredins qui croient au consubstantiel'.*

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For a long time, the pastors of Geneva were anxious to decline the honours of an acknowledged fraternity with infidelity. The charges brought against them by the Encyclopedists, they endeavoured to explain away or evade. Their public formularies still remained irreconcileably at variance with the sentiments they were supposed to cherish, and both prudence and the decorum of outward consistency, rendered it advisable

By this term, le consubstantiel, Voltaire means the Deity of Christ. The Pastors of the church of Geneva,' writes Rousseau,' are asked if Jesus Christ is God: they dare not answer. They are asked what mysteries they admit, they dare not answer. A philosopher casts upon them a hasty glance; he sees through them; he discovers them to be Arians, Socinians; he proclaims it, and thinks that he does them honour. Immediately, alarmed, terrified, they assemble, they consult, they are agitated; they know not what saint to call upon; and after manifold consultations, deliberations, conferences, the whole terminates in a nonplus, in which is said neither yes, nor no. These clerical gentlemen of yours are in truth singular beings. One knows not either what they believe or what they disbelieve; one does not even know what they pretend to believe; their only method of es tablishing their own faith, is by attacking that of others.'

to refrain from the open promulgation of opposite doctrines. The lower classes, the gredins, were not as yet prepared for the language of avowed Socinianism; besides which, when the object is to make unbelievers rather than believers, the suppression of truth, and the gradual lowering down of the import of evangelical phraseology, are found the most effectual means of producing the negative character. Names and phrases are the last things which undergo a change; nor can they be with safety laid aside, till long after the dissolution has taken place of that living principle which they once imbodied. This new Genevese Catechism, however, is a proof, that the lamentable period has arrived, when it is found no longer expedient to conceal the deterioration of religious sentiment, or to submit to the restraints of the antiquated phraseology of orthodoxy. In the New Genevese Catechism, remark our English Socinians, 'there is not only no exposition or defence of the doctrine of the Trinity, but not even an allusion to it.' The Genevese pastors, it is added, are on the high road of reformation, and their 'next Catechism may not merely omit, but openly expose pretended orthodoxy. Such is the language of triumph held by the illuminés of our own country, in reference to the very circumstances, the anticipation of which gave so much satisfaction to the patriarch of Ferney' and his worthy compeers.

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*

One would have thought, that when it was decided to venture upon such a publication as the present, there would be at least an end put to all equivocation and evasion on the subject, and that the Church of Geneva might henceforth be written Socinian at full length. Yet, since this point has been boldly controverted, and it is still thought necessary, whether from policy or from the characteristic timidity of Socinianism, to attempt to involve the matter in some uncertainty, we shall lay before our readers a few specimens of the alterations in this improved version of the Geneva Catechism. This last catechism,' it has been boldly affirmed, does not differ much from many of the ancient catechisms edited by Osterwald, De Roches, Vernes, Vernet, &c.'; and again; The mention of God and Jesus Christ, is exactly 'the same as in the catechism of Osterwald.'+

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In Section viii, we meet with this question:

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Why is Jesus Christ called the only Son of God?

A. On account of his miraculous birth, of the excellence of his nature, and of his intimate union with God.'

The following is the corresponding passage in Osterwald's Catechism, according to the edition of 1747.

* Monthly Repository, April 1816, p. 235.

+ See a Letter in the Morning Chronicle of Oct. 24, 1817, from Rev. Theoph. Abauzit, a Swiss minister resident in London, who has distinguished himself as the opponent of the Bible Sooiety.

Why do we attribute to Jesus Christ the rank (qualité) of the only son of God?

A. Jesus is the only Son of God, not only on account of 'his miraculous birth and his resurrection, but also principally because he is of the sume nature with God his Father. References are subjoined to John i, 1, and to Rom. ix, 5, in proof of this position, which, in the Geneva Catechism of 1814, are of course omitted.

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In Osterwald's Catechism, the question, Is it necessary to believe in Jesus Christ-is thus answered. Faith in Jesus Christ is necessary, because it is only by him that we can be saved.' To the succeeding question, Did men stand in need ' of a Saviour,' the answer is, Yes, because they were sinners.' And to believe in Christ, is defined as believing that he is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, and resting upon ' him all our hope of salvation.' Let us turn to the Reformed Catechism of 1814. Faith in Christ is there stated to be

a belief that he is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, and our only Saviour; and a reception of his religion as divine.' It is said to be necessary to believe in him,

because it is he alone who has taught us to know and to serv God aright; and it is by him alone that we can be saved.'

Again we have the question,' How has Jesus saved us from our sins? The answer is,

First, by proclaiming and confirming to us by his death the pardon of our sins on condition of repentance; secondly, by offering us in his doctrine and his example, and in the aids of the Holy Spirit, the means of becoming sanctified and of meriting salvation.'

In like manner, in Osterwald's Catechism, Jesus Christ is déscribed as sustaining the offices of King, and Priest, and Prophet, because (1) he reigns over all things, and especially over the Church; (2) he offered up himself a sacrifice for our sins, and intercedes for us in heaven; and (3) he has taught us the will of God in the most perfect manner. The corresponding passage in the Socinianized work before us, is as follows:

Q. In what manner was Jesus Christ King, Priest, and Prophet? A. Jesus Christ was a King, because he gave us laws; a Priest, because he offered himself up in sacrifice for us; a Prophet, because he taught us the will of God, uttered many prophecies, and performed many miracles.

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Q. What reflection arises from all that we have said concerning the person of Jesus Christ?

A. That his character ought to inspire us with respect, submission, confidence, and love.'

Thus, this Catechism takes deliberately into its style the identical term, on the application of which by Vernet to Jesus Christ, Voltaire founded such unmeasured exultation.

Our readers are now fully enabled to appreciate the honesty and the discretion of the assertion we have referred to, that the mention of Jesus Christ in the present Geneva Catechism, is exactly the same as in the Catechism of Osterwald. Our quotations are from what appears to be an abridgement of the original Catechism. In an edition of the Catechism published at Geneva, in 1768, which is quoted by M. Empaytaz, there occur several passages of a still more decided cast, on the subject of our Lord's Divinity. Jesus Christ is said to be God, because he himself declared that he was before Abraham; because the Scriptures ascribe to him the perfections of the Godhead, omnipresence, omniscience, almighty power; and 'because they teach us to adore and call upon his name; which we could not do, were he not infinite and every where 'present.'

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It is scarcely necessary to advert to other points of Christian belief, on which the present Catechism differs from those of Osterwald and Superville, which were formerly in use. XIIIth Section of Osterwald's, On the Holy Spirit and his Gifts, expressly acknowledges as the doctrine of the Scriptures respecting the Holy Spirit, that His essence is infinite and Divine, and that Ile is the Almighty Power of God; that He is called the Holy Spirit, as being holy in himself, and the author of boliness in us; and that it is necessary to believe in Him, because we are baptized in His name, and because He is the source of all saving grace. The whole of this confession is, as might be expected, suppressed in the New Catechism, and the following interrogatories and replies are substituted.

What is believing in the Holy Spirit?

It is believing that God has poured out his Spirit on the Apostles, in consequence of which the doctrine left by them in writing, in the New Testament, is really the doctrine which comes from God.

Is it necessary to believe in the Holy Spirit?

Yes; for if we did not believe that the apostles had received the Spirit of God, we should not regard their doctrine as divine, nor consider it as obligatory on us: Jesus Christ has therefore enjoined us to be baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost; and this article of belief has been put into the creed, I believe in the Holy Ghost.'

Once more on that fundamental article of Protestantism, Justification by Faith, these new Reformers, the men who sit in Calvin's chair, thus expound the doctrines of the New Testament.

What must we add to faith and repentance, in order to fulfil the conditions of our salvation?

• We must add sanctification, or the performance of good works; that is to say, we must labour incessantly to improve our characters, by abstaining from all sin, and rigidly observing all the precepts of the Gospel.

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