One of the birds who saw him, said to his comrades, "Let us take courage." "Oh," said the oldest, and most experienced among them, "do not look at his eyes, my children,-look at his hands."

XX. THE TESTAMENT OF THE DOG.

A Priest in Tuscany, possessed of some property, had a dog which was a particular favourite with him, and which, when dead, he buried in the church. The Bishop happened to hear of it, and having an eye to the Priest's money, immediately called him before him to answer to the charge of sacrilege. The Priest, who had a tolerable idea of the Bishop's motives, put fifty gold pieces in his pocket, and went to the Bishop, who, after charging him with the funeral of the dog, ordered him to prison. "Holy Father," said the Priest, "if you only knew the admirable qualities of the dog, you would not be surprised that I thought him deserving of Christian burial;-for in his life, and still more in his death, he was more excellent than most men." "How so?" said the Bishop. "Why," replied the Priest, "while he was making his will, recollecting your poverty, he has left you fifty pieces of gold, which I have brought with me."The Bishop immediately ratified both the will and the funeral, took the money, and dismissed the Priest.

LUTHER'S COLLOQUIA MENSALIA.

[The singular work from which the following Extracts are taken, contains the record of the familiar conversations of the Reformer with his friends Melanchthon, Cruciger, Jonas, Eberus, and others, on points connected with Theology and Church Government. It is said to have been originally collected from the mouth of Luther himself, by Dr Anthony Lauterbach, and afterwards digested into its present form by Dr John Aurifaber. The main subjects of discussion are Idolatry, Auricular Confession, Mass, Excommunication, Clerical Jurisdiction, General Councils, the Nature of Spiritual Beings and of the Devil in particular, Celibacy of Churchmen, and all the other topics agitated by the reformed Church in those early periods. With these are intermixed many diatribes against Antichrist and Cardinals, and much sarcasm on popish miracles and relics. But the book is principally valuable, not on account of its merits, which, though they appear at one time to have procured for it the title of Divine Discourses, are sufficiently doubtful, but for the singular light which it casts on the character of the great reformer; and the picture of mingled superstition and daring speculation; of abject credulity on some points, and the boldest spirit of investigation on others, which it presents. The short extracts which we have selected from the chapters on angels and the devil, will enable our readers to judge how far Luther was entitled to smile at the superstitious observances of the Romish Church, retaining, as he did, a belief in many opinions more absurd and monstrous than those he rejected. The translation from which these extracts are taken, was executed under circumstances as singular as the character of the book itself; and the account of the matter given by the translator, Captain Henry Bell, is so curious, that we must make use of the words of the gallant captain himself. The work had been nearly suppressed by Rodolph the Second, at the instigation of Gregory XIII., from the extensive effects it had been supposed to produce in the propagation of the

The translation bears the date of 1659.

it.

Lutheran doctrines. It was even declared, that any one who should be found with a copy of the obnoxious work in his possession, should be liable to capital punishment. Notwithstanding the vigilance of Rodolph, however, one copy escaped the flames in a singular manner. A German, named Caspar Van Sparr, a friend of Captain Bell, happening to dig on the foundation of an old house, found a copy carefully wrapped up in a strong linen cloth, covered over with wax, and perfectly uninjured. Sparr was unwilling to run the risk of publishing the work in Germany, during the reign of Ferdinand II., whose enmity to the Protestants was too well known, and accordingly he transmitted the book to his friend the captain, in England, requesting him to translate "Whereupon," says Captain Bell," I took the said Book before mee, and manie times began to Translate the same, but alwaies I was hindered therein, beeing called upon about other business; insomuch, that by no possible means I could remain by that work. Then, about six weeks after I had received the said Book, it fell out, that I beeing in bed with my wife one night, between twelv and one of the clock, shee beeing asleep, but my self yet awake, there appeared unto mee an antient man, standing at my bed's side, arraied all in white, having a long and broad white beard, hanging down to his girdle-steed, who, taking mee by my right ear, spake these words following unto mee: Sirrah! Will not you take time to Translate that book which is sent unto you out of Germanie? I will shortly provide for you both place and time to do it.' And then hee vanisht away out of my sight. Whereupon, beeing much thereby affrighted, I fell into an extreme sweat, insomuch, that my Wife awaking, and finding mee all over wet, shee asked mee what I ailed? I told her what I had seen and heard; but I never did heed nor regard visions nor dreams, and so the same fell soon out of my mind.

"Then about a fortnight after I had seen that Vision, on a Sundaie I went to White-hall to hear the Sermon, after which ended, I returned to my lodging, which was then in King's Street at Westminster, and sitting down to dinner with my Wife, two Messengers were sent from the whole Council-board, with a warrant to carrie mee to the keeper of the Gatehous, Westminster, there to bee safely kept until farther Order from the Lords of the Council, which was don without showing mee any caus at all wherefore I was committed. Upon which said Warrant I was kept there ten whole years close Prisoner, where I spent five years thereof about the Translating of the said Book: insomuch as I found the words very true which the old man in the foresaid Vision did saie unto mee, I will shortly provide for you both time and place to Translate it.""]

COLLOQUIA MENSALIA.

XXI. THAT FAITH OVERCOMETH THE DEVIL.

THE devil (said Luther) is a spirit, and a founder of presumption; he will not be driven away by an unbelieving, a wild, or a rude Christian, but it is faith that overcometh him. I knew a doctor of physic (said Luther) who beheld the baptising of a child in the church, and diligently hearkened to the words of the institution in baptism, out of which he drew a strong faith, insomuch, that with great joyfulness, he said, "If I knew that I was baptised with these words, like as this child is, then I would stand no more in fear of the devil." Now, as the godfathers, and the rest standing by the christening, told him, that he was even so baptised, and that the same words were also spoken at his christening; then the said doctor apprehended so great a courage and spirit, that he feared no misfortune. Now, not long after this, it happened that the devil appeared to this doctor in the shape of a goat with long horns, and showed himself in such manner upon a wall. The doctor well marked, that it was the devil, plucked up a good heart, took the goat by the horns, and pulled him from the wall, struck the goat upon a table, kept the horns in his hands, and the body vanished. Another person, beholding the same, thought with

himself, Hath the doctor done this? so will I also do it. I am baptised as well as he. Now, as the devil, in the shape of a goat, met and appeared likewise unto him, he attempted also to do this miracle, and out of presumption flew upon the horns of the goat, but the devil wrung his neck asunder, and slew him. In such, sort goeth it (said Luther) with them that presumptuously will imitate those examples, that only pertain to faith, without which the like is not to be accomplished.

Anno 1521, as I departed from Worms, (said Luther,) and not far from Eisenach, I was taken prisoner. was lodged in the castle of Wartburg in Pathmo, in a chamber far from people, where none could have access unto me, but only two boys, that twice a-day brought me meat and drink; now, among other things, they brought me hazelnuts, which I put into a box, and sometimes I used to crack and eat of them. In the night time, my gentleman, the devil, came and got the nuts out of the box, and cracked them against one of the bedposts, making a very great noise and rumbling about my bed; but I regarded him nothing at all: when afterwards I began to slumber, then he kept such a racket and rumbling upon the chamber stairs, as if many empty hogsheads and barrels had been tumbled down; and although I knew that the stairs were strongly guarded with iron-bars, so that no passage was either up or down, yet I arose and went towards the stairs to see what the matter was, but finding the door fast shut, I said, "Art thou there? So be there still." I committed myself to Christ my Lord and Saviour, of whom it is written, Omnia subjecisti pedibus ejus, and then laid me down to rest again.