and some others, to examine and search after all anabaptists, heretics, or contemners of the book of common prayer.'

In consequence of this bloody commission Joan of Kent and Van Paris were burnt alive. Cranmer, who was probably one of the best men in the kingdom, was the primate who was at the head of these black proceedings; but it was not long before he in his turn shared a similar fate under the reign of Mary. The delusive opinion that it is right to put men to death for heresy, was in that age common to both papists and protestants; and as each regarded the other as heretical, which ever party was in power the other was sure to be persecuted.

During the minority and life of Edward VI. considerable blood was shed both on account of politics and religion, by public executions, as well as by insurrection. The protector himself was finally degraded and beheaded by the violence of his rivals. But the ourse of heaven seemed to follow the principal agents in these sanguinary measures, whether of the nobility or the clergy:-And the denunciation, "Whoso sheddeth mau's blood by man shall his blood be shed," was remarkably verified in a multitude of instances.

The law of the "six articles," passed in the reign of Henry VIII. was abolished in the time of Edward VI.

In 1553 Edward VI. died, and Mary ascended the throne. She wss a papist, and as such she retaliated with seven-fold vengeance the wrongs done to her party in the preceding reign. The protes

tant clergy were made to feel the evil of that intolerant spirit, which they had indulged while the power was in their hands. The law of the "six articles" was revived, and much was done to reestablish popery in Great Britain. "It is computed that in that time 277 persons were brought to the stake, besides those who were punished by imprisonment, fines and confiscations. Among those who suffered by fire were 5 bishops, 21 clergymen, 8 lay gentlemen, 34 tradesinen, 100 husbandmen, scrvants and laborers, and 4 children."

The reign of Mary was short and terrible. She was raised up as a scourge to chastise a bloody and wicked people, and to try the faith and patience of the real friends of God. Having answered these purposes, God in mercy removed her from the world. She reigned five years and four months, and died Nov. 17th, 1558.

Queen Elizabeth succeeded Mary. She favored the protestant cause in opposition to that of the papists; but like her father, Henry VIII. she assumed the supremacy of the church of England, and in many respects, acted the part of a pontiff. Mr. Hume regarded her as one of the most accomplished sovereigns that ever reigned in England. She had unquestionably remarkable talents for government, and as she favored the protestant cause, she has been made the subject of extravagant eulogies and panegyrics. Many things in her administration were commendable. There were also some things deserving of the severest censure. She possessed

the spirit and adopted the principle of persecution, but in a less degree than her bloody predecessor. Elizabeth "pretended that in quality of supreme head or governor of the church, she was fully empowered, by her prerogative alone, to decide all decide all questions which might arise with regard to doctrine, discipline or worship; and she never would allow her parliament so much as to take these points into consideration."

This queen had the address to obtain a remarkable ascendancy over the minds of the parliament, and to keep them in a state of subjection to her own will. As a specimen of the submissive character of the parliament in 1601, an instance may be mentioned. On the queen's giving information to the speaker that she would cancel a patent which was very grievous to the people, and which was then under discussion in the House of Commons, he with the other members were admitted to the presence of the queen. "They all flung themselves on their knees, and remained in this posture a consider able time, till she thought proper to express her desire that they should rise.' The speaker then expressed the gratitude of the House of Commons, and acknowledged that "her preventing grace and all-deserving goodness watched over them for good"-that she was "more ready to give than they

could desire, much less deserve." He added in conclusion-Neither do we present our thanks in words or any outward sign, which can be no sufficient retribution for SO great goodness; but in all duty and thankfulness, prostrate at your feet, and present our most loyal and thankful hearts, even the last drop of blood in our hearts, and the last spirit of breath in our nostrils, to be poured out, to be breathed up for your safety."What would be thought of the British parliament at this day, if they should thus deify a woman!

It will however be admitted that the state of society in England was considerably improved during the long reign of Elizabeth; and there was doubtless a considerable number of men of that age who were eminent for talents, virtue and piety. But it may be presumed that this was not the age in which those ancestors lived, in comparison with whom the present race may be called degenerate.

Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, in the 70th year of her age and 45th of her reign. We have therefore but two centuries more to examine prior to the present. In the two remaining centuries, we may hope to find more to commend, if not less to censure, than in those which have already been examined.

THERE is one Almighty Being at the head of the universe, who is incomparably the most im

portant object which can employ our thoughts or interest our affections. In comparison with him

other beings, whether visible or invisible, near or remote, angels or men, are mean and inconsiderable. Wherever we are, whatever we do, with whatsoever we are connected, our connection with God must ever remain most intimate, eternal and indissoluble. In him we live, and move, and think, -and not an act, or thought, or change, or motion exists, within, around, past, present or future, in which he is not present to support, observe, control and judge. To live then in the world as though he were not its head-to neglect him, to leave him out of our habitual thoughts, or to think of him only with indifference, is not, cannot be the part of wisdom, prudence, gratitude, morality or rationality.

But notwithstanding the infinitely important relation in which we stand to this Almighty Being, how numerous are those men who live without God in the world !men whose actions have no refer ence to his existence-whose thoughts never voluntarily direct themselves to him as their observer and their Judge. It cannot be denied that the number of those who have any express regard to God in their conduct, though they may not deny him in their belief, is not very large.

The practical atheists are far more numerous than the speculative. By practical atheists I mean those men who are wholly engrossed in providing for their present comfort, wealth, fame, power or sensual satisfactions. They live precisely as they might do with a belief that God and christianity, and a future state

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were mere nonentities, or as if they had only to provide like a superior order of brutes, for a comfortable existence on earth.

The idea of God may indeed at sometimes enter into their minds. They hear of him as they would of some invisible energy of nature, and have little more practical relation to him than they have to the principle of gravitation. He is not associated with their private thoughts, nor do they regard him as a being whom it is important to please in all their actions. They are creatures only of the habits which they have happened to form by circumstances, into which they have happened to be thrown; and by these they are unconsciously impelled, without admitting the idea of a supreme controller to disturb their worldly progress. In short, the practical atheist is the man who hears of God with indifference; who thinks all fear of him a chimera to frighten weak minds,-all love of him an enthusiastic passion-all religious habits, conversation, ordinances, or meditations, uncongenial with his pursuits. If he appears to live and die an honest man, it is not because he wishes to approve himself to God, but because it is the best policy in business, or most reputable in society.

Between this character and that of a thoroughly devout man, are almost as many shades of difference as there is between the darkness of midnight and the brightness of noonday. Some men can never entirely forget the impres sious of youth, the instructions of their catechisms, their infant prayers and their childish notions.

The idea of God returns to them upon extraordinary occasions to excite some feelings of awe or religious restraint, some have intervals of consideration, when they perform a few actions with express reference to God's knowledge and observation. Others reserve all their consideration of God for those seasons when they go up with others to the temple to pay a customary homage; and think the ideas which they cannot then avoid admitting, quite sufficient for the purpose of life. They go away perhaps with resolutions of amendment, which pleasure or business soon drives from their minds; and they wait till the first day of the next week comes round to throw the idea of God again into their minds.

Many are awakened to think of God by some unusual calamity. For a while they stand aghast. But the tremendous voice of admonition soon perhaps dies away, and the din of the world drowns their serious meditations. Others admit the idea of God so far as to keep up certain formalities which they think agreeable to him. In the hearts of some persons more piety exists, than appears to men in external acts. In others the outward appearances of religion are more promising than the state of their hearts really confirms.

*

The character of the man of habitual devotion is far superior to any of the varieties which have been described. He is accustomed to see God in every thing. Not an object arrests his attention, or interests his hopes or his fears, but he descries the agency of God. All the beauty, grandeur, wisdom,

complex uses, structure and operations of the material world, give him hints of omnipotence. The calm and soothing serenity of the sky impresses him with the mild character of the Deity. The happiness of the inferior creation invites him to rejoice in the Dispenser of so much life and alacrity. The tremendous changes of the elements, thunder, whirlwinds, earthquakes, eruptions, seem the mightier movements of irresistible power. The various adaptation of means to ends, the complex structure of animal bodies, their growth, progress, tendencies, and distinctions, fill him with unaffected admiration of the Supreme Intelligence.

But the peculiar characteristic of a man of piety is, that he looks upon God in the character of a parent. Events as they occur are considered by him as arising under the direction of parental wisdom. In his own life he acknowledges the moderating hand of an omnipotent, heavenly father. He is convinced that nothing of evil befalls him but under the direction of one who is able to make all things work together for good to them that love him. He feels that he is a creature in the hands of a being, who has destined him to live forever, and that nothing in creation can snatch him out of the hands of this gracious God. He never feels so happy, as when he has the most intimate communication with his heavenly Friend; and the sense of his dependence, so far from being irksome, is in truth one of the most soothing sentiments which he can entertain. The consciousness of having aim

ed to please his greatest and best Friend, is a recompense for any thing which he may have unmeritedly suffered from erring mortals. No important event occurs to him without leading his thoughts to God. Sickness, pain, reverses, disappointments, bereavements and joys are all associated in his mind with God as the disposer of all things.

He looks upon his children as God's children, his family as a part of God's family. He makes no friends, allows himself in no pleasures, engages in no pursuits, incumbers himself with no cares without considering whether God looks down with complacency. He is never alone, never destitute, never insensible of his dependence,

The idea of God accompanies him in his pleasures, in his business, as well as in his devotional exercises. Acts of devotion are congenial to the state of his feelings, for God is in all his thoughts.

This state of mind is the parent of christian intrepidity and habitual cheerfulness. Such a man is as far superior to the common description of busy or ambitious men, as the finest mind in a civilized society is to a rude and sen. sual savage. To associate all our feelings, objects, thoughts and con duct with the idea of God as a kind parent-to coalesce, as it were, with him as the great Governor of the world, is the highest perfection of the human character, B.

Mr. Hall aims to establish this principle-"That no man, or set of men, are entitled to prescribe as an indispensible condition of communion what the New Testament has not enjoined as a condition of salvation." Pref. p. 4.

This principle we believe to be both scriptural and reasonable. But in view of it we may candidly ask-Which of the many doctrines or opinions that have been the subject of controversy, or which have divided christians into different sects, does the New Testament make "a condition of salvation?" After all the "bitterness, and wrath, and clamor, and evil speaking" of one sect against