Page images
PDF
EPUB

most heroic virtues. The death of Socrates philofophifing. coolly with his friends, is the eafieft that can be defired; that of Chrift expiring in the midft of torments, abufed, fcorned, detefted by a whole people, is the most dreadful that can be apprehended. Socrates taking the poisonous draught, rcturns thanks to the perfon, who with tears in his eyes prefents it to him; Chrift, in the midft of the most exquifite torture, prays for his bloody executioners. Yes, if Socrates lived and died like a philofopher, Chrift lived and died like a God. Shall we fay that the evangelical history was invented at pleasure? My friend, inventions are not made after this manner, and Socrates's hiftory, of which no body entertains any doubt, is not fo well attefted as that of Chrift. Upon the whole, it is removing the difficulty further back, without folving it; for it would be much harder to conceive, that a number of men fhould have joined together to fabricate this book, than a fingle perfon fhould furnish out the fubject to its authors.. Jewish writers would never have fallen into that

flyle, or that fyftem of morality; and the gofpel hath fuch strong and fuch inimitable marks of truth, that the inventor would be more furprising than the hero.

natural tafte, he faw the evidence and was forced to confefs the excellence of thefe fcriptures, which his heart wished to difcredit; and the amiableness of that divine character and religion, which the current of his writings tend to debafe. O truth, how great is thy power, even over the wicked and doubting! If Rouffeau remained a difbeliever to the laft, the conviction he hath acknowledged, and the pangs of an accufing confcience will form a state of future mifery, equal to the highest defcriptions of the Chriftian fcriptures.

Sketches of the Life and Death of
THOMAS CRANMER, Archbishop
of Canterbury, martyr, burnt at
Oxford, for the confeffion of
Chrifl's true doctrine, under
Queen Mary, March 21, 1556.

T

an ancient family in the HOMAS CRANMER, was of county of Northamptonshire, in from his infancy, and received his England. He was kept at fchool first degrees in the univerfity of Cambridge. Having by marrying loft his fellowship in Jefus College, ham College, where he first dil he became a reader in Buckingcovered his piety, attachment to the pure doctrines of the scripture, and eminent theological knowledge. His wife dying prematurely, he was again chofen fellow of Jefus College, and made doctor of divinity, reader of the principal divinity lecture, and one of the learned examiners, on whofe opinion the univerfity gave its highest degrees, which were then bestowed on ftrict principles of merit. this high ftation he arrived to great and eminent reputation, both for learning and religion. At this time the great caufe of divorce between Henry the VIII. and Cath

Remarks on the above. THERE are times in which the moft fceptical and vicious are forced to confefs the truth. It was fuch a moment with Roffeau when he wrote the above. It is unqueftionable that he was in the number of thofe infidels, who prepared the way for that lofs of moral principle to which the prefent convulfions of Europe, may be in part attributed; but infinite wifdom ordered that through the power of confcience and an elegant and correctarine of Spain his wife, was a

In

[ocr errors]

Jane was declared queen, through the influence of the Proteftant party, but the commons prevailed and Mary actually came to reign. Cranmer, in faithfulness to the oath he had taken, at first was on the fide of Mary, but through the influence of cafuifts had consented that Jane fhould be proclaimed; ftill he never oppofed Mary's actual acceffion to the throne. In this whole affair he acted like a man eminently confcientious, but Mary never forgave him, and being in principles a Papist did from the first determine his destruction. The

principal fubject both of civil and
religious difcuffion. The incon-
ftancy of the capricious monarch,
and the oppofition he met in the
papal court (by whom divorces
were then granted) through the in-
Aluence of the court of Spain be-
came the political cause of the
reformation in England. Henry
had in anger difmiffed Campeius
and Cardinal Wolfey, the pope's
legates, for their tardy proceeding
in the matter of the feparation. It
was now that Cranmer was acci-
dentally introduced to Dr. Gardi-
ner and Dr. Foxe, the king's
principal managers in this impor-whole papal party, knowing him
tant affair. To these he gave the
firft hints of denying the Papal
fupremacy, and committing the
cause to be judged, to the princi-
pal and learned men in England
and the univerfities of Cambridge
and Oxford. Cranmer wrote a
book vindicating the principles of
the divorce, which actually took
place, and went on an embaffy to
the pope and the principal parts of
Europe, by which he gained the
eternal enmity of all the popish
party.

to be a principal obstacle to the accomplishment of their defign, and an object of bitter vengeance in the mother court of Rome, levelled their fhafts against his reputation and life. Many were the attempts made to destroy him and many to gain him to the popish party, but he generally was inflexible to his faith and his own understanding of the fcriptures.

Having been for a long time perfecuted by his enemies, in an unguarded moment, he was influenced by thofe who called themfelves his friends, to fet his name to a recantation in which he renounced the doctrines of the reformation and declared, his belief in the principles of popery. His having made this recantation af

Being thus introduced to the king's favor he was foon made Archbishop of Canterbury, and principal prelate of the realm. He was a good man, eminently pious, and faithful in the high office he fuf tained. Henry while he lived, protected him againft all the mach-fords a ftriking proof of this truth, inations of a wicked court and the popífh party. In the fhort reign of young Edward the VI. he was refpected as a good man and a fervant of the Lord.

After the death of Edward a controverfy arofe concerning the fucceffion; whether it fhould be Lady Mary, the daughter of Henry, and nearest by blood to the throne, but a papift; or Lady Jane his niece, but a proteftant. VOL. I. No. 2.

that the firmeft men may at times be fhaken in their refolution, whèn not guarded againft temptation from their worldly interefts. From the time of figning this paper the good Archbishop relented. He felt that he had done wrong, and he never after enjoyed that peace and quietnefs of confcience with which a full confidence in his own integrity had before this infpired him. And while this at gave K

him difquiet in his own mind, it did not at all abate the malice of

and one God, have mercy upon me, a moft wretched and mifer

his enemies. His death was de-able finner. I have offended

termined upon. The offence which he had given to a haughty and im

both against heaven and earth, more than my tongue can ex

placable Queen, fhe could not for-prefs. Whither then may I go,

give, notwithstanding he had publicly recanted the errors of which The and her party pretended to accufe him. He was thrown into prison and treated with great feverity and cruelty. A fecret commiffion was made out by authority of the Queen for putting him to death, and feveral perfons entrusted with the execution of that com miffion. A day was appointed for exhibiting him to the view of the public, and the better to carry on the impious farce, a Dr. Cole was appointed by the Queen to preach a fermon on the occafion, in which he was directed to cenfure Cranmer and attempt to prejudice the people against him. On the day appointed, the venerable Archbishop was brought from prifon to the Church, where, like a criminal, he was expofed to public view, habited in mean apparel, and every circumftance contrived to degrade him in the estimation of those who had formerly looked up to him with refpect. During the preaching of Cole, Cranmer appeared with the humble and patient dignity of a true martyr. Poffef fing the fpirit of his great mafter, he received revilings without even a difpofition to revile again, and during the fervice he twice lifted up his hands to Heaven imploring a bleffing on his perfecutors. After this mock folemnity the pious martyr received a fentence of condemnation, on hearing which he addreffed the throne of grace in the following prayer :-

"O father of heaven, O Son of God, Redeemer of the world, O Holy Ghoft, three perfone

or whither fhall I flee? To ' heaven I may be afhamed to lift " up mine eyes, and on earth I find no place of refuge or fuccor. To thee therefore, O Lord, do I run; to thee do I humble myfelf, faying, O Lord my God, my fins be great, but yet have mercy upon me for thy great mercy. The great mystery that God became man, was not wrought for little or few of' fences. Thou didst not give

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

thy Son, O Heavenly Father, unto death for small fins only, but for all the greateft fins of the world, if the finner returns to thee with his whole heart, as I do at this prefent. Wherefore have mercy upon me, O God, whofe property is always to have mercy, have mercy upon me, O Lord, for thy great mercy. I crave nothing for mine own merits, but for thy name's fake, that it may be hallowed thereby, and for thy dear Son Jesus Christ's fake. And now therefore, O father of heaven, hallowed be thy name," &c.

Having clofed his prayer, he addreffed the people and exhorted them to the practice of every Chriftian duty. In the courfe of his exhortation he was infulted by his enemies, and speedily dragged to the ftake where he was to die as a witnefs to the truth. The wood being kindled and the fire beginning to burn near him, he ftretched forth his right hand which had figned his recantation, into the flames, and there held it, till the fpectators faw it burn to a coal before his body was touched. So

patient and constant was he in the | Jefus Chrift. He believed in a midst of the most extreme tortures, that he appeared to move no more than the ftake to which he was bound. His eyes were lifted up to heaven, and he often ufed the words of the bleffed martyr St. Stephen, "Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit." till the fury of the Aames extinguishing his life, he gave up the ghoft.

The opinions of RUBRICUS changed in the hour of death; a late fat in the fate of Connecticut.

R

UBRICUS died in the beginning of his twenty-fecond year. He was the fon of pious parents who were wounded in the highest degree by the death of their child. Although, as parents they wished his falvation, they were ever ready to acknowledge that it would be just in God to leave him in unhappiness. For they had feen, that being feduced by the amusing company of an old man in the neighbourhood, whofe early days were paffed in debauchery and his latter ones in trying to difbelieve, their child was in danger of perishing by this temptation.

The natural difpofitions of Rubricus appeared to be amiable, and all admired the benevolent actions, which were daily occurring in his life; but those who had opportunity for more intimate obfervation, faw the young difbeliever, even in the goodness of his life. The fact was, that being early admonished of his danger by his father, but not believing, he had determined to be as good on his own principles, as Chriftians were on theirs. He was philofophically benevolent and juft to men, but had no piety and repentance towards God or faith in our Lord

heaven, for on his own principles it was for his intereft thus to believe; but in a flate of future mifery he had no belief, faying that a God of almighty power could have no motive to punish finners. He was in the cafe of other finners, who fee nothing of the glory or the beauty of justice. He treated all, both the ferious and profane, with an apparent civility, but faying of one "they are too gloomy," and of the other "they are unenough to preferve them from civil and have not benevolence paining the feelings of people, whom they ought to refpect."

Thus Rubricus was philofophi. cally going to peace, for he tho't God to be fuch an one, as he determined he would be, if he were on the throne of the univerfe. He had refolved never to form the most endearing connexion of life; left his own heart, or the hearts of others, fhould be pained by a feparation, and he had determined never to be inftrumentally acceffary to pain. Pleafed with his own notions of perfection and efpecially of benevolence, it is not proba ble that he ever had a true idea either of the goodness or justice of God.

His first decay took place in confequence of extreme exertion, and he died because men muft die, rather than by any difeafe which phyficians could regularly name. Through the first months of disease he was penfive and gloomy, becaufe as he faid, he was deprived of the focial and benevolent pleafures of life; but after he saw his cafe to be dangerous, he refumed a calmness, which continued until the two or there laft days of his life. He de'ighted to fee a cheerful countenance by the fide of his fick bed, and appeared to make

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

and one God, have mercy upon me, a moft wretched and mifer⚫able finner. I have offended both against heaven and earth, more than my tongue can exprefs. Whither then may I go, or whither fhall I flee? To heaven I may be afhamed to lift up mine eyes, and on earth I find no place of refuge or fuccor. To thee therefore, O 'Lord, do I run; to thee do I humble myfelf, faying, O Lord my God, my fins be great, but yet have mercy upon me for thy great mercy. The great mystery that God became man, was not wrought for little or few of ' fences. Thou didst not give thy Son, O Heavenly Father, unto death for fmall fins only, but for all the greateft fins of the world, if the finner returns to thee with his whole heart, as I do at this prefent. Wherefore have mercy upon me, O God, whose property is always to have mercy, have mercy upon me, O Lord, for thy great mercy. crave nothing for mine own mer

[ocr errors]

him difquiet in his own mind, it did not at all abate the malice of his enemies. His death was determined upon. The offence which he had given to a haughty and implacable Queen, fhe could not forgive, notwithstanding he had publicly recanted the errors of which fhe and her party pretended to accufe him. He was thrown into prifon and treated with great feverity and cruelty. A fecret commiffion was made out by authority of the Queen for putting him to death, and several perfons entrusted with the execution of that com miffion. A day was appointed for exhibiting him to the view of the public, and the better to carry on the impious farce, a Dr. Cole was appointed by the Queen to preach a fermon on the occafion, in which he was directed to cenfure Cranmer and attempt to prejudice the people against him. On the day appointed, the venerable Archbishop was brought from prifon to the Church, where, like a criminal, he was expofed to public view, habited in mean apparel, and every circumftance contrived to de-its, but for thy name's fake, that grade him in the estimation of those who had formerly looked up to him with refpect. During the preaching of Cole, Cranmer appeared with the humble and patient dignity of a true martyr. Poffef fing the spirit of his great mafter, he received revilings without even a difpofition to revile again, and during the fervice he twice lifted up his hands to Heaven imploring a bleffing on his perfecutors. After this mock folemnity the pious martyr received a fentence of condemnation, on heating which he addreffed the throne of grace in the following prayer :-

"O father of heaven, O Son of God, Redeemer of the world, O Holy Ghoft, three perfone

[ocr errors]

I

it may be hallowed thereby, and for thy dear Son Jefus Chrift's fake. And now therefore, O father of heaven, hallowed be thy name," &c.

The

Having clofed his prayer, he addreffed the people and exhorted them to the practice of every Chriftian duty. In the course of his exhortation he was infulted by his enemies, and speedily dragged to the flake where he was to die as a witnefs to the truth. wood being kindled and the fire beginning to burn near him, he ftretched forth his right hand which had figned his recantation, into the flames, and there held it, till the fpectators faw it burn to a coal before his body was touched.

« PreviousContinue »