The Vallenses of Piedmont, in the year 1542, presented to the King of France a document, preserved by Crispin, to which there is a peculiarity attached which renders it eminently valuable.

In the year 1342, a date brought out by the specification of two centuries before the year 1542, a colony of the Vallenses of Piedmont planted themselves at Merindol and Cabriere, on the western side of the Cottian Alps, and there, by dint of hard labour, brought an uninhabited desert into a state of such high cultivation, that they supplied all Provence with corn, wine, oil honey, almonds, flocks, and herds.*

Such being the case, their confession may justly be viewed, as connecting the latter part of the middle ages with the times of the Reformation: for it may be considered as exhibiting the faith of the Vallenses on either side of the Cottian Alps, through a period of two entire centuries; or, from the year 1342, when the emigration took place, down to the year 1542, when the confession was drawn up and delivered to the French king by Cardinal Sadolet.

Of this confession the following is an extract:

"We believe and confess,† that our Lord Jesus Christ afterward ordained the sacrament of the supper, which is the giving of thanks, and the remembrance of the death and passion of Jesus Christ, rightly celebrated in the assembly of God's people. There

Crispin. Act. et Moniment. Martyr. lib. iii. fol. 88, 100, 110.

+ Credimus et confitemur, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum deinde ordinasse sacramentum Cœnæ, quæ gratiarum est actio, et memoria mortis ac passionis Jesu Christi, in cœtu populi Dei rite celebrata. In quo quidem panis et vinum distribuuntur et sumuntur, ut visibilia signa et monumenta rerum sacrarum corporis videlicet et sanguinis Jesu Christi suspensi atque in cruce oblati pro peccatorum nostrorum remissione, et generis humani cum Deo reconciliatione. Quisque credit Jesum Christum, tradidisse corpus suum, et profudisse sanguinem, ad remissionem peccatorum ; ille comedit carnem e bibit sanguinem Domini, et utriusque fit particeps: considerans convenientiam earum rerum quæ oculis subjiciuntur et cibi quo corpus istud sustentatur, cum iis, rebus quæ non videntur atque cibo, spirituali. Etenim, ut corpus in hac vita pane corroboratur, vinumque cor hominis recreat; ita etiam corpus Jesu Christi morti traditum, ejusque sanguis pro nobis effusus, nutrit, confirmat, et reficit animam tristem et afflictam. Caeterum nequis existimet, signum visibile, cum re per id significata quæ est invisibilis, adeo conjungi aut conglutinari, ut disjungi aut dissolvi nequeant, quin unum sine altero esse possit. Nam Judas signum quidem cepit, rem

the bread and wine are distributed and taken, as visible signs and representations of holy things; that is to say, of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, offered upon the cross for the remission of our sins, and for the reconciliation of mankind with God. Whosoever believeth that Jesus Christ delivered His body and shed His blood for the remission of sins, he eats the flesh and drinks the blood of the Lord, and becomes a partaker of both, considering the agreement of those things which are subjected to the eyes, and of the food by which the body is sustained, with those things which are not seen, and with spiritual food. For as the body, in this life, is strengthened with bread, and as wine recreates the heart of man, so likewise the body of Jesus Christ, delivered unto death, and His blood shed for us, nourish and confirm and refresh the sad and afflicted soul. But let not any one imagine, that the visible sign is so conjoined or conglutinated with the invisible thing signified, as to be incapable of separation; insomuch that the one cannot be received without the other: for Judas, indeed, received the sign; but the thing signified he did not receive, nor was he ever made a partaker of the body and blood of Christ. The opinion of some, therefore, is not to be received, who believe, that the true and natural body of Christ, His flesh and His bones, exist and lie hid in that bread of the supper, or that any transmutation of the one into the other is effected. For this opinion is repugnant to the word of God and contrary to the articles of our faith, in which it is clearly set forth, that Christ ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right

vero significatam et fructum non percepit, nec unquam corporis et sanguinis Jesu Christi particeps factus est.-Atqui istud non eo modo accipiendum quo nonnulli opinati sunt, verum Christi corpus et naturale, carnem et ossa, in pane illo Cœnæ esse ac delitescere, aut in eum converti; nam hæc opinio pugnat cum verbo Dei, et fidei nostræ articulis est contraria, in quibus clarè habemus, Christum ascendisse ad cœlos, sedere ad dextram Dei Patris omnipotentis, unde et venturus est ad judicandum vivos et mortuos; sed Dominus Jesus Christus sacramento Coenæ adest, potentia, virtute, atque præsentia, Spiritus sui, in cordibus electorum suorum et fidelium.Errant etiam, qui affirmant, in Coena Christi corpus comedi corporaliter: caro enim nihil prodest; Spiritus est, qui vivificat. Fideles igitur verè Jesu Christi carnem edunt et sanguinem bibunt spiritualiter in ipsorum cordibus. Confess. Vald. in Crispin. Act. Martyr. lib. iii. 106-108.

hand of God the Father Almighty; whence, also, He will come to judge the quick and the dead. But the Lord Jesus Christ is present in the sacrament of the supper, by the power, and virtue, and presence of His Spirit in the hearts of His elect and faithful. They, also, who affirm that in the supper the body of Christ is eaten corporally, do err: for the flesh, when eaten, profiteth nothing; it is the Spirit which quickeneth. Therefore, the truly faithful of Jesus Christ eat His flesh and drink His blood spiritually in their hearts."*

I shall now proceed to consider the mighty change which took place, in the early part of the sixteenth century, in the state of the Christian Church throughout Christendom. It was one of the most extensive revolutions of opinion which the world ever saw brought about in so short a time, and by such unlikely means. But "man's extremity is God's opportunity," and the feebleness and unsuitableness (to human eye) of the instrumentality, only demonstrates the more clearly the origin of the potent influence. The use of "earthen vessels" teaches that the power is of God, and not of man.

CHAPTER IV.

THE HARMONY OF PROTESTANT CONFESSIONS ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

WE have now arrived at that epoch in the Church's history, when, being blinded by the darkest errors in her faith, she had sunk into the lowest depths of viciousness and infamy in her practice. But the hour of Nature's deepest obscurity-when "Night is in the zenith of her dark domain "-is that wherein the sun begins his return journey to gladden our hearts, and enlighten our eyes. Nor was it otherwise with the night of the Church. When it might have seemed to the superficial ken that all was lost, then did it please God that the discovery of printing should give wings, as it were, to banished knowledge, that she might fly to and fro, and bless the soul of man. That "solitary monk, who shook the world," was, perhaps, the least likely of all instruments to work such a vast change as that which he was the means of accomplishing; or, at least, in the advance of which he led the way. No one can now look back upon the history of those days, and not feel that Luther was just the man for the emergency, though singled out from amongst those whom he afterwards so strenuously opposed. He was unlikely, considering his profession, his position, his probable opportunities. But wherein he lacked any of these things, the pope opened the way for him. His suitableness is seen, in the steady coolness with which he braved all hostility and danger, and the unflinching firmness with which he held to the opinions which he was led to adopt. The suitableness of the instruments used, will generally be seen by

:

imagining any two prominent individuals transposed. If Cranmer had been in Luther's place, the Reformation would have been swamped if Luther had occupied Cranmer's position, he would, probably, soon have forfeited it, or have shaken too violently the Church in so much more limited a sphere. We see the suitableness-we admire the adaptation. A wise Head, and a powerful Hand, are here plainly seen to be at work: one less wise, less powerful, would mar the whole, and throw it into confusion. With regard to all God's works, we may safely say, not only "whatever is, is right," but "whatever is, is best."

But it would have been impossible for even Luther to have created such a wide-spread, deeply-rooted perturbation of opinion, had it not been that men's minds were prepared, nay, longing for the change. The train was laid, and it needed only the match to produce the explosion. The testimonies which have been presented to us of the foregoing centuries, prove this clearly enough. Means, at the thought of which the soul shudders, had been unscrupulously used to stem heresy and silence heretics, as the dominant party phrased it, but in fact to get rid of opposition and crush the truth. Now, that one dared to speak out, as well as think, others took courage, and imparted what they took. Alone, undoubtedly, even Luther would have been overwhelmed, but when thousands were heard to re-echo his words, the adversary was staggered as well as intimidated.

And the identity of the movement proves the unity of its source. There has never yet been a controversial writer or speaker, on the side of Rome, but has always upbraided the Protestants with the variations of their creed; but this opprobrium is much more imaginary than real. In fact, the Reformation was the same work wherever it was entered upon. In the different nations of Europe, and even in the same nation among different bodies, the degrees varied to which the Reformation was pushed. But in no case has Rome ought to boast of in this; for she is equally condemned by all, though not quite to the same There is, however, scarcely a shadow of disparity in the

extent.