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not happen to be present at the time of its delivery. By fome means or other, however, it was foon made known to his Pruffian majefty at Berlin; in confequence of which the king's attorney-general at Neufchatel received the following letter, from the Lord Marshall:

The king is difpleafed that your fellow-countrymen fhould be irritated against a man whom he protects; and hath declared that he will highly refent any farther perfecution of Mr. Rouffeau. This I have from his Majefty's own lips; you may report it to whom you pleafe.'

This intimation of the King's pleasure, in behalf of Mr. Rouffeau, although immediately made public, was difregarded by the Affembly of the Clergy; who precipitately proceeded, in open defiance of fuch intimation, as well as in direct oppofition to the laws and conftitution of this country, to pass sentence of excommunication upon him. They were prevented, however, from carrying their fentence into execution, by the remonftrance of one of their own body. The letter-writer inferts this remonftrance at length; we fhall only extract the latter part of it; from which our Readers may not only learn fomething of the legal jurifdiction of this clerical affembly; but alfo fome of the fecret motives for their proceedings.

The only point in this bufinefs, fays this remonftrant, in which the Affembly can with propriety interfere; is an examination into the works of the Writer; the difperfion and propagation of which, it is its duty to oppofe, by prudent admonitions addreffed to the Author, by means of his pastor; exhorting him to write and publish no more; and also by making earneft remonftrances to the government, in order to obtain a repeal of the privilege granted for the projected edition of his works. If the affembly act prudentially they will infist no farther than to obtain these ends which will be very confiderable *. It is undoubtedly of dangerous confequence to extend the privilege of toleration indifcriminately to all foreigners that may accept of it as this would be, in a manner, to give an invitation to the authors of all pernicious books to feek an azylum in this country, and would risk the making it a general rendezvous for thofe paultry fcribblers, whofe fceptical difpofitions principally induce them to make their attacks on the doctrines of religion and morality. There is yet another reason why the affembly, convened to deliberate on this bufinefs, should act with caution. It is publickly reported that the first-mover of all its proceedings, refides in a neighbouring capital, in the perfon of an apoftate ecclefiaftic; one whofe fole view in profe

Yet thefe, as the letter-writer remarks, Mr. Rouffeau had voluntarily offered, if they would have admitted of them,

cuting

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cuting this affair is to do himself credit with a D'Alembert and a Voltaire, the rivals and enemies of Rouffeau. Would it not be justly deemed fcandalous for an affembly of divines, fo greatly diftinguifhed in the reformed part of Europe, to permit themselves to be actuated, in a matter of religious importance by an intriguing ecclefiaftic given up to worldly pursuits and perfonal profpects? How can they think of liftening to the infinuations of fuch a perfon; when the matter in queftion relates to the means of filencing or reclaiming a poor and honeft, though mistaken, unbeliever? How can they think of being advised or directed by a man, who is known to have the stricteft connections with an inventor of bawdy tales, defamatory hiftories, and the reviver of exploded fyftems of materialism and impiety? How can they bear to be influenced by one, who piques himself, on being the favourite and creature of the ambaffadors of a crown, which is daily imprisoning or hanging up his countrymen and brethren, for preaching the gofpel in its genuine purity; rendering himself by fuch fervility even an accomplice in the anti-chriftian cruelties of Popery? Of what influence, I fay, fhould be the fuggeftions of fuch a cabal over an affembly of Proteftant divines?"

We are very forry to think there fhould be any room, for fufpecting either a D'Alembert or a Voltaire of being, in any wife, acceffory to Mr. Rouffeau's perfecution; and we hope, notwithstanding what is here advanced by the letter-writer, that fuch infinuations are groundlefs. Be this as it may this remonftrance, it seems, occafioned fresh deliberations in the affembly; in confequence of which, they referred the matter of excommunication to the proper convocation, viz. that of a confiftory of elders of the church at Motiers. To influence the confiftory, however, to effect more legally what they had already conceived, the paftor of the church charged himself with a commiffion to the elders, directing them to cite Roufseau before them, and to afk him the following queftions :

1. Whether John James Rouffeau doth not believe in Jefus Chrift, who died for our fins and rofe again for our justification?

2. Whether he doth not believe a revelation, and refpect the Holy Scriptures as of divine authority?

The very officious paftor was farther commiffioned and directed, in cafe Mr. Rouffeau did not make very fatisfactory answers to the above queftions, to proceed immediately to excommunicate him; doubtlefs fays the letter-writer, à quelque prix que ce fût. There is good reafon at least, continues he, to conclude as much, by the oppreffive and unprecedented measures, taken in the confiftory, to intimidate or cajole the elders, by telling.

them

them that Rouffeau was the antichrift; that the safety of the country depended on his excommunication, that the different members of the state were for it; that the allied Cantons, particularly that of Berne, had threatened to renounce its ancient alliance if Rouffeau was not excommunicated. Nay reports were even spread about, among the females in Motlers and its neighbourhood, that Rouffeau had afferted, in his last book, that women had no fouls: a circumftance, fays the writer, that put the poor philofopher in danger of fharing the fate of Orpheus. Nor, fays he, is this an exaggerated ftate of the cafe'; there being a great number of fanatic zealots who would have been glad to furnish a faggot, had Rouffeau been at the stake: fo that his friends thought it a lucky circumstance that the feverity of the feafon confined him to his houfe; as he would elfe have been in actual peril from the fury of these modern Bacchants, whofe termagánt fpirits were irritated to the higheft pitch in behalf of their fufpected fouls.

Matters were in this fituation, when this pretended antichrift addreffed a letter to his friend the attorney-general; from which we shall make a fhort abstract:

Motiers, March' 23, 1765.

I am at a lofs, Sir, tó know whether I ought not to rejoice at misfortunes, that are accompanied with fo many confolations. Those l'experienced from the receipt of your letter were very agreeable; though what I received from the packet it contained, was much more fo. I communicated to my Lord Marfhall, fome time ago, the reafons which made me defirous of quitting this country, in order to feek peace for myself, and to leave it with others behind me. I have the fatisfaction to find he approves of those reasons, and is of opinion that I ought immediately to depart. Thus Sir, my refolution is taken; and, though it is taken with regret, is irrevocable. Is it poffible that any of my friends can difapprove of the defire of a man in my prefent melancholy fituation, the natural defire of finding fome peaceful spot, where my bones may be deposited and reft in tranquillity! Had I a fufficient share of health and fpirits, I fhould gladly have confented, for the public good, to meet my adverfaries face to face; but, debilitated by unexampled misfortunes, and worn' out with infirmities, I am very unfit to act a part which it would be cruelty to impose on me. Harraffed almoft to death with difputes and altercations, I can no longer fupport their perplexity. Let me go hence, therefore, and die in peace; for here it is impoffible; though lefs from the ill-will of the inhabitants than from its vicinity to Geneva an inconvenience which all the good-will in the world will not enable them to remove,

The

The refolution of leaving this country, being what my enemies have endeavoured to reduce me to, ought naturally to prevent their farther proceedings against me. I am as yet in too poor a state of health to undertake a journey, and it will require fome little time to fettle my affairs here before I go. In, the mean time, I hope not to be treated worse than a Turk, a Jew, a Pagan or an Atheift; flattering myself I may be permitted, for a few weeks at leaft, to enjoy that hofpitality, which is not refused to the most abfolute ftranger."

To return to the proceedings of the confiftory. Mr. Rouffeau was formefly cited to appear before them, and promifed al to obey the fummons; but finding himfelf in an indifferent ftate of health, and taking advice of his friends, he judged it more expedient to decline a perfonal attendance, and to fend in writing what he proposed to say on the occafion. He accordingly wrote them the following letter inclofing the declaration he had made to Mr. De Montmollin, his paftor, when he was received to the Holy Communion in 1762.

Gentlemen,

Motiers, March 29, 1765.

On receiving your citation of yesterday, I determined to attend you to day; but finding myself extremely indifpofed, can. not pretend to rifk the fatigue of a long and tedious audience. Having confidered alfo that, with regard to the matter of faith, which is the fingle object of that citation, I may as well explain myself in writing. I doubt not alfo that the charity, which muft ever accompany your zeal, will induce you to admit of the fame reply by letter as I fhould give, were I perfomally prefent. Give me leave to tell ye, then, gentlemen, it appears to me, that the feverity, with which the affembly of the Clergy hath proceeded against me, fhould have been founded on fome pofitive law; which I am affured does not now exift in this country. Nothing indeed can be more novel, more irregular, or, more deftructive to civil liberty, and above all more contrary to the true fpirit of our Holy religion, than fuch violent proceedings in a matter of pure faith..

For let me beg of you to confider that, having been long received into the bofom of the Church; and being neither paftor, nor profeffor, nor in any manner invefted with the authority of public inftruction, I ought, not, as a fimple individual among the number of the faithful, to be fubjected to any examination or inquifition concerning matters of belief. Such an inquifition, tends indeed to fap the foundations of the reformed religion, at once infringing both on, Gofpel liberty and Chriftian charity; as well as on the authority of the Prince, and the

rights:

rights of the fubject; whether confidered as a member of the Church or of the ftate. An account of my actions, or moral conduct, is certainly due, at all times, to the magistracy and to my fellow-citizens. But thefe, not admitting of any infallible Church, that has the authority to prefcribe what their members fhall believe; and as I have been once received into their communion, I am refponfible only to God Almighty, for the particular articles of my faith.

To this let me add that, when I was admitted to the Holy Communion in this parifh, after the publication of Emilius, about three years ago, I gave to Mr. de Montmollin, my paftor, a declaration in writing; with which he feemed fully fatisfied; requiring no farther explanation of me, with regard to matters of belief; but even promifing he would never require any other.

The remaining part of the letter is not very important; we fhall proceed therefore to give our Readers the fubftance of the déclarations above-mentioned.

"I declare to you, Sir, with all due refpect, that, ever fince my reunion to the Church, in which I was born, I have always made profeffion of the reformed religion; a profeffion the lefs known or fufpected, as in the country where I refided, nothing more was required of me than to keep filence; even fome doubt of fuch profeffion, indeed, was purposely fuffered to remain, in order that I might continue to enjoy fome political advantages, of which I fhould otherwife have been deprived, on account of my religion. It is to this true and holy religion that I now profefs myself alfo fincerely attached, and fhall continue fo to the latest hour of my life*: I defire, therefore, to be externally united to the Church, as I am internally from the very bottom of my heart. And this, I proteft to you, Sir, I defire not only from the confolation which I promise myself from a participation in the communion of the faithful; but even as much with a view to the public edification as my own private advantage, for it is by no means proper that a fincere and ingenuous reafoner fhould not be openly a member of the Church of Chrift.-"

It appears that it was with fome difficulty, the proper officer prevailed to have the above letter and declaration read to the members of the Confiftory †; which at last was done in a very

Was not this going rather too far, Mr. Rouffeau? A man may anfwer for his prefent opinions; but we know not how he can be fa very peremptory with regard to thofe he may entertain in futuro.

the pattor feeming determined that Mr. Rousseau should make his perfonal appearance or be proceeded against for contempt; notwithftanding the good priest knew he ran in danger of his life by coming abroad; not only on account of his ill ftate of health; but also from the ill will of the populace, whom he had irritated against him.

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