Page images
PDF
EPUB

a proceeding, to induce her to listen Your Highness for the present to the petition. He also drew up necessity may take such sums of another paper in order, if possible, them as they may be most able to to check the system of spoliation give, and so likewise at other times. which her Majesty's ministers were Your Highness's ancestors and disposed to encourage, in which he noble progenitors, yea, your father argues as follows:

and brother of most able memory, “Bishops heretofore have brought have maintained honourably the up to be learned a great number ministers of God's holy work: we of scholars in the Universities, trust your Highness will do the which they shall not be able here- same. The fame of the contrary after belike to do. Bishops here. all true Christians would be sorry tofore have builded Colleges in the to hear. For as much as your Universities for the increase of Majesty doth so fervently tender learning, which hereafter they shall God's holy word and true religion, not be able to do. Men are men, we hope assuredly that your Highand have not always a spiritual eye. Dess will by all means tender and And when they see the reward of encourage all godly ministers of learning decay; they will not set the same. It is evident, what came forth their children to that kind of to King: Belshazzar, because he did learning. And thus shall learning bring forth the holy plates and decay in this realm ; and shortly vessels, and used them in banquetJesus Christ be utterly forgotten, ing, wbich Nebuchadnezzar had and darkened as much or more as taken out of God's temple. He in the time of Papistry.

was slain the same day. Whereby To break the will of the testator, it may appear, That God willeth when the will is made to a godly not that things appointed to a use, it may appear against nature godly use should be otherwise and godliness. King Henry the ordered."* Eighth, of noble memory, erected On account of the earnestness new bishoprics and new colleges, exhibited by the diocesan of Ely and endowed them, and never took on this and similar occasions, his any land from any of them. To character has been called in question alter his godly will cannot be good. as to piety and sincerity. “He Queen Mary restored again to the has indeed (observes the historian bishoprics such lands as were taken of the church of Ely) been reprefrom them in king Edward's time, sented as one who had more regard Because she thought such taking to secular concerns, and to his priaway to be sacrilege. Reason vate advantage, than to the true would, that the true ministers of interests of his church; and that, the church should find as much

merely on account of those estates favour at your Highness's hand, as

that were alienated from his See, the false ministers found at the on his first coming to it. But if hand of your Grace's predecessor. that matter be set in a fair light, it Farther, the fact will be ill spoken of must appear that he was in no wise through Europe—and will be slan

blameable for it.” + derous to the gospel. For all men

He enjoyed the episcopal dignity will say, that the gospel is set forth

about twenty-one years and seven to this end, that the Bishops should

months, reckoning from the time lose their lands. When the Bishops'

of his consecration: and by his lands are gone, the Kings and Queens of this realm shall never

• A copy of the Latin petition is in

Bennet College Library.-The two papers have such present relief any where

here quoted are from Strype's Annals, pp. else, as they may have of the 99–102. Bishops, if need should require.

+ Bentham, p. 194.

prudence and industry, co-operating Fathers, but was content to stand with Parker and Grindal, contri- to their judgment and determination buted to restore the establishment in matters of religion. I trust to the same beauty and order, which your great wisdom and godly zeal it had enjoyed in the reign of King towards your realm will weigh and Edward. He was offensive how- consider the great peril which may ever to the Queen on two accounts, ensue through the heart-burning in which he opposed her sentiments: about this matter :-the Protestants, he defended the lawfulness of the as they term them, on one side, and marriage of the clergy, and ob the Papists on the other. Tender jected to the retention of a crucifix my suit, I beseech you, in the and tapers in the royal chapel. On bowels of Jesus Christ, my dear the latter subject he addressed to Sovereign and most gracious Queen her Majesty a truly protestant Elizabeth. epistle.

“ Certain considerations which “Most gracious Sovereign ! move me that I cannot yield to

“Whom I above other divers ways have images set up in churches. am bound to love and honour, since 1. The second commandment conGod by your Majesty hath placed taineth two prohibitions. The one, me; and placed me to admonish, “ Thou shalt not make,” &c. The to exhort, and to call upon, in second, " Thou shalt not adore season, out of season.

them, nor worship them." And “In the trembling fear of God, in this second appeareth to be the the bond of duty toward your High- cause of the first. For images are ness, in the zeal of God's truth forbidden for fear of adoration. which burdeneth and bindeth my And to the intent we should under, conscience, I most humbly sue unto stand the Law thus to be meant, your like godly zeal, prostrate and and to have no images in the church with wet eyes, that ye will vouch- where God is chiefly to be honoured, safe to peruse the considerations, God himself saith, “ When ye were which move that I dare not minis gathered together to honour me, ter in your Grace's chapel, the lights and to learn my law in the Mount and cross remaining. The Scrip- Sinai, ye saw no image, nor liketure saith, In the place where God ness of any thing, lest being gave his commandments, he suffered deceived ye should have worshipped no similitudes nor likeness of any them,” which giveth me to underthing to be seen. And in his second stand, that in place of worshipping, commandment he forbad both the there should be no images. 2. I making of images, and the wor. ought to do nothing touching relishipping of them also; and that gion which may appear doubtful, upon a grievous plague. How whether it pleaseth God or not. durst man, dust and ashes, for For our religion ought to be certain, any respect set up an image in the and grounded upon God's word and temple of God ? Your Majesty's will.“Whatever is not of faith, learned and godly clergy of your is sin.” The matter of images realm do think this commandment hath always been a gainsay since of God indispensable. And your they entered first into the church. Highness knoweth, that in this And the Greeks have refused thing, and in all other matters of images, because of God's comreligion, the judgment of the minis- mandment. 3. The holy Scriptures ters of God's word ought to be universally do vehemently detest heard. “He that heareth you, them, and have horribly plagued heareth me.” Neither would godly the maintainers of them, and comConstantine, in the Council of Nice, mended and prospered those godly take upon him to be judge over the kings, who did utterly abolish them, 4. Images in the church of Christ And therefore I was content, albeit have been foully abused, not only God he knoweth, with a trembling of the ignorant people with vows, conscience to minister and commupilgrimages, offerings, clothing, nicate, as appeareth, upon other gilding, incensing, and other kinds great and weighty considerations. of honour; but also of the learned Bear with me, most gracious Fathers and pillars of the church, Sovereign; for the tender mercy of who have taught and do yet main God; force not my conscience so tain, the honouring, adoration, and sore! Your Highness knoweth, He invocation of images. I therefore, that acteth against conscience builds a miserable man, dust and clay, for hell.” * having these and such like conside. Dr. Cox used bis utmost endearations before mine eyes, cannot vour to obtain, by authority of parwithout offence of God and con- liament, the confirmation of a body science yield to the setting up of of ecclesiastical laws, which had been images in the temple of my God drawn up at the close of King Edand Creator.

ward's reign by himselfand thirty one “And these examples and warn- other divines, under the presidency ings that follow, cause me to trem of Cranmer ; but through the oppoble and quake at God's terrible sition of some principal statesmen, judgments. The prophet Balaam, this measure for the third time was because he was desirous to gratify overruled. In the years 1574 and king Balak somewhat otherwise 1575, Sir Christopher Hatton strove than God willed him, he was rebuked to dispossess this worthy prelate of of his own ass. And the angel Ely-house in Holborn; which incharged him, saying, “Only the volved him in a long and chargeword that I shall speak unto thee, able suit in chancery to preserve it that shall thou speak.” A lion slew to his See. The Lord North also the man of God, by whom God had tried to oblige him to part with the sent a notable message to king manor of Somersham, in HuntingJeroboam, and that, because he had donshire, and with Downham Park, transgressed God's commandment which he refused to yield; and subonly in eating and drinking with jecting himself to that pobleman's another man of God. St. John displeasure, a party endeavoured to writeth thus, “I testify unto every irritate the Queen against him, and man that heareth the words of the actually drew up a large body of prophecy of this book, If any man articles, accusing bim of a long shall add unto these things, God course of mismanagement, which shall add unto him the plagues he was required to answer before that are written in this book : and the privy council; but his vindicaif any man shall take away from tion was so satisfactory, that his the words of this prophecy, God Sovereign was forced to acknowshall take away his part in the book ledge his innocence. Wearied, of life.” Since it is so dangerous a however, with the implacable mamatter to add to or diminish from this lice of the Lord North and other Book, how dangerous were it for adversaries, he desired leave, in me to presume to diminish or add 1577, to resign his bishopric; but any thing to the express command the Queen would not accede. and eternal will of my Lord and Though disappointed in his first God ? Yet my meaning is not attempt, North brought three achereby to enter into consideration tions against him for felling wood, of such as are otherwise minded, on which, in 1579, he offered to much less of your Majesty, (God resign again, provided he had a forbid !) who I believe meaneth not to use the thing to any evil end. * Strype's Annals : App. No. 23.

yearly pension of two hundred no respectable divine would accept pounds out of his See, and Don the bishopric on the terms proposed nington (the least of five country by the party in power, that its best houses) for his residence during manors should be surrendered ; life. The Lord treasurer Burleigh, so that he enjoyed it till his death, at his earnest desire, obtained leave which occurred on the twentyfor his resignation, and the neces- second of July, 1581, in the eightysary papers were drawn up; but second year of his age.

TOUR THROUGH THE COUNTRIES BORDERING ON

THE RHINE.—No. III. Sir,-As I may hereafter have tended to apply this giant of its occasion to advert, with your leave, kind, was the transport of troops once more to Rotterdam, I quit it from Holland to the Dutch East for the present, and proceed on our Indian Possessions, where it was to trip up the river. On Tuesday the be detained, in order to keep up a 25th we embarked on the Steam constant and vigorous communicaPacket called “The Town of Nyme- tion between their different colonial guen,” belonging to the Nether- establishments, and thus contribute lands Steam Packet Company. She to suppress all insurrection, from is a convenient vessel, and the same which those distant possessions have which a few weeks after conveyed lately suffered so considerably. But the Queen Dowager of Wurtenberg are there no other means to be used as far as Mentz. On that occasion than those which force supplies ? Is her majesty presented the captain not an equitable administration-are with a gold watch in token of her not just laws—is not the diffusion satisfaction. The engineer was an of a pure faith, and the word of Englishman, who gave us the assu. God, the best means for preserving rance that the boiler was inspected public peace. Exaction, extortion, every night and cleaned. I own tyranny, and lust, will always fire a that I wanted some such assurance, flame which no power of man can to remove a residue of apprehension ever extinguish. If Holland and which had more or less accompanied England will keep their colonies, all my movements by this convey- let them deal with them as a wise ance. There is nothing interesting father deals with a beloved child : to engage the attention of the ensure authority by honouring the voyager, during the three days command of God, and respecting which, at this time of the year, are the nature, and wants, and rights required to traverse the distance of man. It was expected that this between Rotterdam and Cologne vessel would convey a thousand I allude here to natural objects, for troops. As a work of art we could the banks of the river are perfectly not but admire her; but there was flat, and no distant hills bound the no beauty. The proportions which horizon. The works of art, how- make a ship in full sail so pleasing ever, must not be left unnoticed. an object, found here no place. One of these was passed on our On the same side of the river lie right hand soon after we had com- the yards of the Steam Navigation menced our ascent. It was a steam Company, where we understood vessel of unusual dimensions, hav- that much activity and no ining a length, if I mistake not, of considerable skill prevailed. The 240 feet, and the assistance of three extensive water communication engines, each in proportion to its that exists throughout the kingbulk. The use to which it was in. dom of the Netherlands must make this invention invaluable to by a perverted Gospel. The truth, them,

the whole truth, and nothing but Proceeding up the river we the truth, as it is in Jesus, can de. passed, on our right hand, the city liver the soul of man, defeat the of Dort, It is a commercial place, machinations, and lay open the and from its insular situation, de. wiles of the God of this world. rives in this respect many impor. An adulterated Gospel exposes its tant advantages. The island of teachers to a curse. Light, without Dordrecht owes its origin to one any mixture of wilful darkness, is of those awful calamities with the only weapon of successful which Almighty Providence sees warfare. Lord, send out thy light good to visit mankind from time and thy truththese be the guides to time, in order that the inhabi- of thy pastors and their people! tants of the earth may learn his At Nymeguen was concluded fear. A stiff-necked race like ours the peace of 1678: in the Townneeds the rod. It was in the hall are the portraits of the Amfifteenth century that inundations, bassadors of the different conflicting caused by violent storms and the powers. At this period, the head lowness of the country, formed, of the states was that prince who south-east of Dort, a great salt afterwards became king William water lake, which overwhelmed of England, the husband of Mary, seventy-two villages, and not fewer daughter of James the second. In than one hundred thousand inhabi. the war which preceded this peace, tants! Men, women, and sucklings the Dutch bad availed themselves found on their own native soil, a of that peculiarity of their country, watery grave! It is one God, who whereby it can be easily flooded by is mighty to save and mighty to opening the sluices and dams, destroy ! The Synod which as- which confine the waters, by which sembled in this city, for the settling it is every way intersected. The of disputed points of faith, and at French advancing towards Amsterwhich our good Bishop Hall was dam, with the expectation of makpresent, was held in the years ing a capture, found, instead of 1618-19.

roads and pastures, an expanse It was seven o'clock, and quite of water spreading far and wide, dark, before we reached Nymeguen. and were obliged to relinquish the Here were our quarters for the attempt. The same mode of denight. Though late, we rambled fence was resorted to in the war through the streets to make such of the French Revolution, but not observations as we could. On our with the same success. For it return down the river, our curiosity being the winter season, the flooded was better satisfied. Here is still meadows were converted by the preserved the blade with which frost into fields of ice, and the the heads of Counts Egmont and invading enemy effected his purHoorne were severed from their poses: The Stadtholder and his shoulders. They were the com- family were obliged to take refuge panions in arms of Prince William, in England. of whom mention is made in my . Very early on the Wednesday former letter. Having been be- morning we embarked again and guiled, by fair promises, to visit soon approached the frontiers, the Spanish Camp, the Spanish where the Prussian Rhenish States general forfeited his word, and adjoin the Netherlands. We had inhumanely brought these noblemen hitherto been navigating the Wahl, to the scaffold. What else is to for that is the name which the river be looked for from human nature, bears from Nymeguen to the sca. when its maladies are increased A little higher up, the stream

« PreviousContinue »