grace; and of consequence his call to the ministry never sanctioned by the great bishop of souls: what calamity in common life, among the other situations of church, could be contemplated with equal awfulness!

It was the felicity of the age to which I refer, that the holy men which wore the mitre put it on with the greatest humbleness and diffidence of spirit. And as they began their episcopacy, so they went through the whole of their life in the exercise of it, with reverence and godly fear. Good old bishop Cowper's modest report of his elevation to the mitre, may serve as a sample of those times, in forming the picture and general features of character. Noli episcopari, was then indeed with truth spoken.

"God was pleased,' said the bishop, to open for me a door, in calling me to the charge of the churches in the southern part of the kingdom. For being named with others, by the general assembly, of such as they thought meet to be preferred to the episcopal dignity, (whereof I ever acknowledged myself unworthy,) and recommended by the fathers of our church; it was his majesty's pleasure to present me to that benefice due to the office whereunto the church had called me. God knows that this was done without my knowledge or seeking, directly or indirectly. For I could have been content all my days with a private life, resolved to give honour and obedience in God, to such as were called to those places. Here I was neither guilty of ambition nor of haste in embracing it. For between the date of his majesty's presentation and my acceptance, there intervened eighteen weeks. Yet, as the calling to this work was greater than any before whereunto I had been led, so the greater opposition was made unto me by men, whose lying libels and carnal contradictions forced me to spend time more unprofitably than I had done before, since my first entrance into the ministry.' And the bishop added; In this estate,' meaning the episcopal function,

'do I now live, with my soul in my hand always ready to be offered to my God, whensoever the Lord shall call me.'

I must not swell this chapter further in speaking only to the general features of character of the bishops of that age, having proposed to enter somewhat more largely in the succeeding pages into the more particular parts, by which their venerable walk of life was distinguished. But I cannot take leave of those faithful servants of the Lord, under the view we have here marked of them, without observing that beautiful sameness and uniformity in their whole deportment, as manifested the grace which dwelt in their minds. They lived, what they professed to be, the servants of Christ: and seemed to have kept their eyes on Him, for every copy they wrote, however faint, and far short their imitations were; as Tertullian in his days observed, so they in their's. Non loquimur magna, sed vivimus,' 'We would not speak great things, but live them.'

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CHAPTER IV.

THE BISHOP OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY IN HIS PUBLIC CHARACTER AND MINISTRY.

We have seen the general features of character which for the most part marked the English bishops of the sixteenth century. We would now follow up this view in beholding somewhat of the same, in the personal and public part of his ministry. From men so exalted and dignified, we naturally expect to find a proportioned elevation of mind and manners. And when the man of God comes forth to officiate in any of the departments of the sanctuary, when we thus behold him, he commands our profound reverence and respect. The atmosphere of his person brings with it a sanctity

not unlike what is painted of the holy apostles and prophets, with a glory encircling their heads. And the effect induced on every beholder is in correspondence. They strike all that see them with an holy awe. Every thing around is solemnized. They silence into sacredness. It is storied of Valence, the heathen emperor, that when he came in the fury of his indignation, to seize upon the person of Bazil, such was the majesty of that saint of God in his countenance, the tyrant was overawed at the view, and for the moment staggered before him!

It hath been before observed of the eminency of learning, with which this age of the church abounded. But while human literature became subservient to great usefulness in the ministry, the godly of that generation perfectly well understood that their labours were not for the display of talent. Their object was solely directed to the divine glory. The tendency of their ministry was to win souls, and not to gain fame. During the season of their nonage in nature, until they had attained their majority in grace, they felt in common with others the attractions of seeking popular applause, and by studied eloquence to soar as high as possible in the esteem of men. But when they arrived to the manhood of grace, they put away childish things." The learned Bradwardene tells us, that while in the unrenewed state of a carnal mind, when he heard of Paul's epistles, he exclaimed, Dedignabar esse parvulus.' 'I disdain such little things.' But when the Lord, in the after circumstances of his life, taught him their blessedness, he esteemed them "more than his necessary food." He then understood what Paul had said, and with him could and did adopt his sentiments; to speak five words in the church with his understanding, that by his voice he might teach others also, to be more blessed than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

Among the great and leading features which marked the prelates of the sixteenth century, in their public character and ministry, was their preaching. Here they eminently excelled. Never from the days of the apostles had the church equal pastors to "feed the people of God with knowledge and understanding." They fully entered into the advice and spirit of the apostle, and "were instant in season, out of season, to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering, and doctrine!" The great truths of God, both in cause and effect, were the uniform subject of their daily discourses. The glorious plan of salvation by Christ, became the one great object they had everlastingly in view. Christ was made by them what God in his three-fold character of person made him, the Alpha and Omega of every thing blessed. With them this was the " one thing needful." This the Topy, the only work. They considered this as the articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiæ. With this the standing or falling of the church depended. So that to the accomplishment of this one great end, all the arrows in the quiver of their gospel were directed as to a centre.

In concerns of a secular nature, if at any time from their situation and rank they were necessarily called away from higher objects, here we find them in the display of the eloquence of the times. But nothing of the kind was suffered to creep in and mingle with their preaching. They considered themselves as dying men addressing dying men, on the first subject of life; and as such we never find them departing from the simplicity of the gospel. Such as the apostles preached, yea, Christ himself preached, the bishops of the sixteenth century in this kingdom preached; and the Lord greatly owned and blessed their preaching to the salvation of the people.

I must not indulge myself by bringing before the reader testimonies in proof, from the writings still

extant in many of the public characters of those days. But I venture to promise myself his thanks rather than his reproof, if I notice one, as a sample of the others, which very highly justifies my observations on this ground. There are some very interesting records of archbishop Usher, on the subject of his preaching, which are well authenticated, and which may serve by way of illustration, in speaking of the preaching of those times. And I do it the rather because I have found those records in an author of that period not very generally known; and an author, it should be observed, more remarkable for plainness, than elegance of style, who seems to have been more anxious simply to state the fact than to regard the manner of relating it.

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Archbishop Usher,' saith this author, was a full and pithy preacher; who though he was master of excellent language when he pleased to use it, yet his matter for the most part excelled his words; and what he said had always more divinity than philosophy. He would continue, upon some occasions, at least two hours in preaching; and at those times more than ordinarily extend himself in prayer; and yet his matter was always as large as his time. The wine at the end of the feast, would equal, if not exceed that at the beginning. His language was studiously plain but graceful; and usually attended with the Spirit and with power.

'One of his chaplains remarked of him, that though in himself an Apollos, an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures, yet in his sermons, and especially those delivered at Oxford, he did much deny himself that Christ might be the more glorified. And he intended thereby (said the chaplain) to rebuke every thing of affectation among the young men of the university preachers. In a sermon of his, before his patron, king James, he made this remarkable observation; 'great scholars (said he) possibly may think it not for their