be no reason to question the truth of it. The plain habits of life and manners, the homely fare of the noblest tables, compared to modern times, might well be supposed to have been very differently marked with guests also, in those days, from what they now are. And in respect to the subject on divine things, which, for the most part, occupied their conversation; the truths of God, defended by those venerable men, as well clergy as bishops of the sixteenth century, very fully prove that their general discourse tended to godly edifying. Their common rooms, from what passed in them, might well have been called ' ecclesia colentum.'

Independant of every other consideration, it would form a well-grounded argument, that the bishop and his clergy, in every diocese in the realm in the sixteenth century, had frequent conferences on divine subjects, to strengthen them against the common enemy of the faith. Disputations in those days with the abettors of popery, were very common. The great Usher was violently attacked, while young in the ministry, by a famous jesuit, of the name of Fitz-Simonds. And daily disputes took place, more or less, between the clergy of the reformed church and the papistical party. So that the interest of christendom brought the learned among the faithful frequently together, to strengthen each other's hands and hearts, "in the faith once delivered to the saints."

It was at this period, that God, in his providence, directed the mind of the prelate, just before mentioned, to procure at a vast expense of cost and labour, a Syriac version of the new testament, in order to rescue from the imputation of being spurious, that part of the gospel according to St. John, which is recorded in the first eleven

'Mr. Cole,' said he, a master of arts, of eight years standing, and of as great towardness, as any of the university in his time, after he had been a traveller at Geneva, and other universities in France, I took him, his wife and servants, into my house, and gave them their tables almost two years. And the archdeaconry of Totness falling void, I gave it to him.'

verses of the eighth chapter. Grotius had ventured to call its authenticity in question. And Papias, a disciple of John himself, was said to have deemed the whole account of the woman taken in adultery, as circumstantially related in the opening of that chapter, apocryphal. And the enemies of the truth taking advantage of these things, added, that in the Syriac version of the new testament it was not found. These assertions roused the attention of the incomparable Usher, and he actually employed certain Turkish merchants in the Levant, to purchase for him all the old Syriac books which they could procure. This was done. And to the great joy and consolation of the true church of God, the faithful record of this transaction of Christ, with the woman taken in adultery, was found in the Syriac testament, verbatim et literatim. He immediately sent a Copy of it to the great oriental critic, Ludovicus de Dieu, written with his own hand. And so convinced was this eastern divine of its genuineness, that he inscrted it in his latin translation upon the evangelists, pages 443-5.*

I must not swell the body of this portrait too large by drapery; yet by way of making it more full in texture, I would beg in this compartment of the piece to strengthen some of the more prominent parts of it. Certain it is, that the clergy, as well as the bishops, were often engaged in the controversy of the times, and not unfrequently opposed by the advocates for popery.

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Bishop Hall, while rector of Halsted, being importuned to accompany his friend, Sir Edmund Bacon, to the Continent, in the suit of the Earl of Hertford, then going ambassador to the Archduke Albert, at Brussels, he accepted the invitation. I had,' said he, a great desire to inform myself, by ocular proof, of the state and practise of the Roman church, the knowledge whereof might be of no small use to me afterwards in my holy station. Upon my arrival, I availed myself of the first opportunity; I sought out for conversation among the different orders of the priests in that persuasion. And one day, by invitation, I went to visit father Costenus, the most learned as was reputed of all the jesuits. As I entered the door, the porter shut it upon me with saying, Deo gratias! When the father came in, he instantly began with an eulogy upon the Romish church, out of which he said there was no salvation. And he would have proceeded to have lost his breath and labour had I not very civilly interrupted him with saying-Sir, I beseech you mistake me not. My nation tells you of what religion I am. I came not hither to change it; neither have I any doubt of its truth. But I have heard of certain miracles of the Lady Virgin, and which I am told you aver. I am come hither, therefore, to have it from your

One distinguishing excellency which marked the era of the sixteenth century, and which we find, more or less, was in the daily observance both of the higher and inferior departments of the clergy, was the catechizing the people on the great and leading points of divinity. This was a period eminently blessed for the instruction imparted by this means among all ranks and orders. Indeed, it appears from the history of those times, that few families, if any, but were brought up in it. An historian of undoubted veracity, in his account of one of the bishops, hath said so much in his praise, that I promise myself the thanks of the reader if I give it to him in his own words: In catechizing,' saith he, 'which the bishop set up in his own family, he found it, as he declared, to be made a profitable way for the instruction of the people; and that none were more sound and confirmed christians than those who had been thus taught. So very earnest was this great man, in the recommendation of it through his diocese, that he drew up a form, by way of helping the younger students in divinity; and affectionately entreated them to accept it, as a token of love for them and their flock.'

This writer of his memoirs adds to this account, that the bishop made a point to have his own household go through those exercises frequently in the week, but especially on the Lord's day evenings. And upon those occasions, he not only admitted, but encouraged any from the neighbourhood to join with his family.

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own mouth.' Hereupon, saith the rector, the father and I settled our places at the table, and buckled to, as in a way of further discourse. The jesuit proceeded to relate a very wretched account of reputed miracles wrought by the Lady Virgin, which he firmly believed; but none of which had come within his own knowledge. And when I questioned the veracity of such things, he became very angry, and vented great abuse against the church of England, which, he said, could not produce a single miracle. I calmly replied, that though it was very true we could not pretend to such stories of reliques and prodigies, as the church of Rome boasted, and which required more faith than fell to the lot of most men to credit; yet we could assert what was far better in miracles of grace, in the dispossession of evil spirits by prayer and faith. The jesuit rose up in great wrath, and denied the whole of it. And here our conference ended.'

would, saith this biographer, as soon and with as much cheerfulness have admitted into his chamber, and enter into discourse with any that had the life and power of godliness in them, though of the lowest rank, as the highest. And when abroad, if at any time invited to preach by the way, where in his travels he lodged, he would as readily comply with the poor man's request as with those in authority. He possessed the art of persuasion by those means, without appearing to intend it. And his whole life, in this particular, became what Osiander termed suavissima concio, the most persuasive sermon.

And if we may credit the history of those times, it is said, that the reformers from popery all laboured in this way, and attributed the firm establishment of the pure faith under God's blessing among the people, to the general use of it. Nay, it is said to have been the complaint of the jesuits; they conceived but little hopes of bringing back to the Romish error, and unsettling the minds of the romish church, while attending with earnestness to the use of catechizing.

It seems to have been on this account, that the apostle in his epistle, besides sending a general salutation to the church, sent a special one to certain persons who stood in the character of parents or masters of families, for their exemplary conduct in this particular to their households. Thus, to Aquila and Priscilla, “with the church that was in their house." 1 Cor. xvi. 19.

So,

in like manner, to Archippus, a godly minister, for the church in his house. Philem. 2. And one of our bishops of the sixteenth century, Davenant, bishop of Salisbury, makes his observations upon it to this amount; that this special salutation by the apostle was, because of the godly order and discipline manifested in the government of their families. His words are: Adjungit specialem salutationem ob specialem et eximiam hujus viri pietatem, equum enim est extraordinarium illis deferre

honorem quorum egregia virtus præ cæleris eminet et effulget in ecclesia.

Upon the whole, then, without enlarging on this feature in the portrait, I venture to believe, that whoever contemplates the picture with due attention, will readily and cheerfully confess, that the bishop of the sixteenth century was as truly amiable and lovely in his private life and deportment, as in his public ministry and calling; and in both truly great. In his person there was a gravity discoverable suited to the dignity and exaltedness of his high character; and with a meekness no less calculated to condescend to men of low estate. The grace the Lord had planted in his soul, sent forth the blessed fruits of it to all within the sphere of his influence. And having in himself felt the power of godliness, he attempted to diffuse the same to others.

In his family, as well as in the church, the man of God appeared. Whatever tended to promote the interest of Christ, evidently took place in all the parts of conduct to every other consideration. Dignity, rank, and consequence were for ever lost sight of, that by a gracious condescension he might win over to the cause of Christ. The great outline of the bishops' conduct seemed to have been formed upon the apostle's model: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly ; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but as ensamples to the flock." And, indeed, it must be acknowledged, that these godly men laboured in the word and doctrine, in season and out of season; neither counted they their lives dear to themselves, so that they might finish their course with joy, and the ministry they had received from the Lord. And as Luther remarked, so very generally it should seem was the exceeding zeal of those venerable servants of the Lord, that the labours of the ministry will exhaust the very marrow from

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