nify, that they repented of the publication of it, as it gave so fair a handle for the heretics to reproach the court of Rome, and to wound the Church of Rome through the sides of the pope. They ought to be esteemed mysteries of state, arcana imperii, not to be divulged. Are there not persons of the same opinion as to the ceremonies? I pass by many other considerations which a controversialist might allege against Mr Jurieu's adversary; but I shall not content myself with observing, that Claude d'Espence exclaimed very loudly against the abomination of these taxes; I must also remark, that the Protestant controversialists cite this in all their disputes, and that the Spanish inquisition would have this passage expunged from that doctor's book*.

ABSTRACTION (Spiritual).

ALL who have heard of Labadie, know that he recommended to his devotees, both men and women, some spiritual exercises, and that he prepared them for inward recollection and mental prayer. It is said, that having given to one of his devout women

*The French editor of the " Analyse Raisonnée" of Bayle thus observes on these accusations:-" Suppose all the alleged facts are true, to what do they amount? That John XXII, Benedict XII, Alexander VI, and others, sought to make money of every thing; that they trafficked in benefices, indulgences, and dispensations; that they even sold absolutions. Of what consequence to us are these re proaches? One word will suffice in reply; which is, that the memory and abominable practices of these popes are as sincerely abhorred by Roman Catholics as by the most zealous Protestant ministers." This is no doubt true; but what becomes of the infallibility of such pontiffs, and of the authority of the proceedings which men like them influence ? Regarded merely as wicked priests, the French editor argues soundly; but alas! these men, with the mob of Catholics, are also God's vicegerents on earth, and spiritually incapable of error. "Hinc illæ lachrymæ."-Ed.

a subject of meditation, and recommended to her earnestly an entire and close application to this great object for some hours, he came near her when he thought that she was most absorbed and put his hand into her bosom. She repulsed him briskly, and having declared her great surprise at this kind of proceeding, was preparing to censure him, when he prevented her. I perceive, my child," said he to her, without being disturbed, and with a devout air, "that you are still very far from perfection: confess humbly your weakness; beg pardon of God for having been so little attentive to the mysteries you are meditating upon. If you had had all the attention that was necessary, you would not have perceived that which was done to your bosom. But you were so little abstracted from sense, so little concentred with the Deity, that in a moment you knew when I touched you. My design was to try your fervour in prayer, whether you were raised above matter, and united to the Sovereign Being, the living source of immortality and spirituality; and I perceive with much grief, that you have made but a very small progress. Let this, my child, fill you with confusion, and excite you to perform better for the future the holy duty of mental prayer." It is added, that the maiden, having good sense as well as virtue, was no less angry at these words than at the action of Labadie, and that she would hear no more of such a guide. I do not warrant the certainty of all these facts; but I do affirm, that it is very probable, that some of these spiritual devotees, who make people believe, that a strong meditation will ravish the soul, and hinder it from perceiving the actions of the body, may be disposed to toy with their devout sisters with impunity, and to do still worse: of which the Molinosists are accused. In general, there

cal and abstracted devotion, and doubtless the body in that case runs some hazard, and many are glad to be deceived.-Art. MAMILLARIANS.

ADAM*.

Specimen of the strange and visionary Opinions concerning him.

THE stem and father of all mankind was immediately produced by God on the sixth day of the creation; his body having been formed of the dust of the earth, God breathed a spirit of life into his nostrils; that is to say, he animated him, and made the compound that is called man, which comprehends an organized body and a rational soul. The same God which produced Adam, placed him in a fine garden; and, to put him in a state to impose a name on the beasts, he made them all come to him; afterwards he caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, and took a rib from him, of which he made a woman. Adam knew that the woman was "bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh;" and they lived together without being ashamed to see themselves naked. There was a tree in the garden, of which God had forbidden them to eat on pain of death; yet the woman, seduced by a serpent, did not forbear to eat of it, and to persuade Adam to eat of it also. From that time they perceived that they were naked, and made themselves aprons with fig-leaves sewed together. God came and pro

As one of the objects in these selections is to afford a specimen of whatever the industrious learning of Bayle may supply in illustration of the eccentricities of human opinion, we here give an example of the vagaries of imagination in respect to Adam. We shall not however fatigue our readers much in this way, satisfied that while such lore ma interest in regard to a few leading traditional characters it cannot be materially extended with profit to any party.Ed.

nounced to them the punishment that he would inflict upon them, drove them out of the garden, and made them clothes of skins. Adam called his wife Eve, and consummated his marriage. He became the father of Cain and of Abel, and afterwards of Seth, and of divers other sons and daughters, the names whereof are not known, and died at the age of 930 years.

This is all the certainty we have on the subject of Adam. A great number of other things that have been said of him, are either very false or very uncertain; it is true, some of them are not contrary to the analogy of faith, or to probability. I place in that last rank what is asserted of his vast science, of which we read nothing in Genesis but what is less fit to promote that idea than to discourage it. According to the common opinion, Adam knew more, the very first day of his life, than any man besides can learn by long experience. Scarce any thing beside future events, the thoughts of the heart, and one part of individual beings, escaped his notice. Cajetanus, who ventures to rob him of the perfect knowledge of the stars and of the elements, was much censured for it. Some, having made it a question whether Solomon ought not to be excepted out of the general position which gives the preference to Adam's knowledge above that of all other mortals, have been reduced to acknowledge that Adam was more knowing than Solomon. It is true that Pinedo excepts politics; but no regard is paid to his particular opinion; and it is determined, that the speculative understanding of the first man was endowed with all the philosophical and mathematical knowledge which human nature is naturally capable of; and that his practical understanding possessed a consummate prudence with respect to every thing that men

and besides contained all the moral sciences and all the liberal arts.

The Beauty of Adam.

If some authors had been contented to say, that he was a fine person, and well made, they would have said nothing but what was probable; but instead of this they have fallen into the gaieties of rhetoric and poetry, and even into visionary notions of this matter. It has been fabled that God. intending to create man, assumed a perfect and beautiful human body, and that he formed the body of Adam on that model; whence God might say, in relation to this body, that he made man after his own image. They add, that this apparition of God. under a human form was the first prelude to the incarnation; that is, that the second person of the Trinity clothed himself with the appearance of the same nature which he was one day to assume in the flesh, and that, under the likeness of the finest man that ever was, he laboured in the production of Adam, whom he made a copy of that great and divine original of beauty which he had assumed. "The most clement and fair, assuming this divine form and beauty, which he was in process of time to clothe himself withal, even to flesh and bones, created man, bestowing on him this noble form, himself the original archetype, the most beautiful creator of a most beautiful creature." It is not wonderful that exclamations should be made"How great must be the beauty of the first man! And what charms must dwell in his countenance !" In short, the form which the Word assumed was like that which was seen by St Peter on mount Tabor, and by Moses on mount Sinai, and which appeared with Moses and Elias on the day of transfiguration. What is still more surprising Adam himself saw his own Maker, and the manner in