have looked for gain from this quarter, but had their eye stedfastly fixed, both in their own acceptation of benefices, and in the giving to others, to promote the glory of God.

And it was this detachment from the things of this world which made them so much alive to the great objects of another. Like that great man Augustine speaks of, in his De civitate Dei, Paulinus, bishop of Nola, who counted nothing of the goods of his hands, but of the Lord's grace in his heart. in his heart. So that when the Goths plundered the city, he had nothing to lose that he valued. And the prayer which is still upon record of him, plainly shews that he could and did say with the apostle, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."

CHAPTER IX.

THE CLOSE OF THE CHARACTER OF THE BISHOPS OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

We have now gone over the principal features, which, for the most part, marked the life of the bishops of the sixteenth century. And from the whole, I venture to persuade myself that a correct and faithful portrait hath been given, and that the character appears truly lovely. No doubt it might have been drawn more full, and upon a larger scale. But it was a portrait only which was originally proposed, and not a whole length painting. And if what is here sketched be considered but as so many outlines, every beholder which is pleased with the representation, may, in his imagination, fill in all that is necessary to form the more finished character. Very blessed must have been the times, and highly

favourable to true godliness, when men so earnest in religion, moved in those high spheres, and so laboured in the word and doctrine. And a writer who lived at this period, hath given a short but comprehensive statement, how those servants of God were esteemed; and the veneration the people had of their persons and character. For speaking of the bishops in their general deportment, he saith, that in the gentleness and meekness of conversation, and their accustomed sweetness in instructing the people, they seemed to vie with each other in an holy emulation, how to recommend religion with episcopal dignity.'

And, certainly, the times in which they lived demanded that the bishops should be men of sound erudition, blended with true godliness. What the apostle charged upon Timothy, seems to have been felt, and closely followed by those God-fearing men. "Watch thou in all things: endure afflictions: do the work of an evangelist: make full proof of thy ministry." These objects were always in their view. They lived what they preached. They held the torch to their own hearts before that they invited others to benefit by the light. And in the faithful and unremitting discharge of all the high duties of their high calling, as well by example as precept, they obtained the just and unreserved veneration and love of every beholder. And their praise is still in the church; for their writings continue to benefit mankind now they are no more. Neither will their names cease to be memorable as long as England shall remain a nation; but to the remotest period of the christian world, in the true church of Christ, be ever mentioned and accompanied with the most distinguished honour.

It is somewhat difficult to particularize the last acts of godly men, when there is of necessity a general uniformity pervading the whole character. And so much of sameness indeed ran through all the departments of

conduct, among those faithful and good men, that what is said of one may be, more or less, said of all. The close of life in the bishops of the sixteenth century, speaking of them in general was, as might be supposed, not only in peace, but, for the most part, triumphant. They died, as they had lived, praising God. The Cranmers, and Ridleys, and Latimers, who were carried in chariots of fire to the kingdom, left behind them the most blessed monuments, that God's grace shined with great lustre in their deaths. But the Parkers, and Whitgifts, and Ushers, who died on their beds in peace, though less dignified, for want of the martyr's crown, were not less sanctified in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; but went out of life" rejoicing in hope of the glory of God!"

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It is not the privilege of all the Lord's servants, however eminent in their life, to be permitted to speak of God's faithfulness in their death; and to sing their epicedium, as David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, did in his last words, 2 Sam. xxiii. 1, &c. No doubt every redeemed child of God, as well as every faithful minister of Christ, would desire that his close of life might be such as should best minister to the Lord's glory. Nevertheless, it is a gracious act of the Lord to any one, and every one of his faithful servants, when permitting them to sit up in their beds, as the patriarch Jacob did, and rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, both in providence and grace. It must have been a very animating scene, to have seen the dying father, amidst his family, and to have heard him giving his last testimony to the Lord's faithfulness, when he said, "The God which fed me all my life long-the Angel which redeemed me from all evil." Gen. xlviii. 2, 15, 16. And in all ages we are compelled to consider it as a highly dignified departure in the servant of God, when going in a few days, or in a few hours, to join the church above, to behold him taking an affectionate farewell of the church

below. Who would but wish to be present at the last scene of a godly minister, and hear him bless God, and blessing the church with his parting breath!

We have some few scattered fragments handed down to us, of the dying testimony of those great and good men, which serve to shew how eminently the Lord's presence was with them at the last. It is a wellknown principle of philosophy, that, according to the laws of motion, the nearer any thing moving approacheth the centre of attraction, the greater will be the velocity. But this doctrine is infinitely heightened in divine philosophy, in the case of the faithful moving towards the Lord, the centre of all their attraction. He who hath long known the Lord, and had his mind continually tending towards him, when approaching the boundary of time, and the opening of eternity, will feel his affections drawn out in greater desires after the Lord. Like streams, whose course are all verging towards the sea, when arrived to the mouth of the ocean, pour themselves more rapidly into it; so the people of God going out of life gather strength to their faith, and in the hour of departure pour themselves with greater assurance into the bosom of their Lord.

Some of the most interesting parts in the records of those men, are those which inform us of the views they then had, in relation to themselves, as ministers of Christ, and their past services in the church. One general feature on this ground marked the whole :they made Christ To Tay, the all of acceptance. And the ideas they entertained of their own insignificance, cannot more strikingly be shewn, than in what one of them observed to a friend who was near to him, just before his departure. I had thought,' said he, that very · often my warmth had carried me too far; but now, in looking back, and considering the importance of the ministry, it seems as if my words had been frozen. Could I go from this bed once more to the church, I

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should now speak as I ought always to have spoken, with the earnestness of a dying man to dying men, on the great truths of salvation.' And when the friend remarked, that he had been not only eminently engaged, but eminently useful in the ministry; he exclaimed, Auferte ignem! Take away the fire!' He dared not to admit the most distant thoughts of profitableness towards God.

Though we have no documents from whence to gather the charges given to the younger clergy, by those ancient servants of God in their last hours, we cannot but conclude from the eminency of their characters, that few of them went out of life without adding this testimony to their ministry. The last words of dying saints are for the most part very ponderous and striking; and yet more so of dying ministers. And some of the Lord's faithful servants have sought it, as a special favour from the Lord, that they might then be enabled finally and fully to record the divine faithfulness to his people. What a lovely example of the kind the history of the patriarch David affords. "O God (said he), thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now then (said he), O God, when I am old and grey headed, forsake me not until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come," Ps. lxxi. And when the apostle Paul had given his final direction to his son Timothy, and had an immediate prospect of his martyrdom, he added, by way of conclusion, “I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine." And to animate him the more, he reminds him of himself, and his labours, and the sure prospect of eternal happiness which awaiteth