science is grounded upon the word of God; the word of God worketh this effect by preaching. So as generally where preaching wanteth, obedience faileth. No prince ever had more lively experience hereof than your Majesty hath had in your time, and may have daily. If your Majesty come to the city of London never so often, what gratulation, what joy, what concourse of people is there to be seen? Yea, what acclamations and prayers to God for your long life; and other manifest significations of inward and unfeigned love, joined with most humble and hearty obedience are there to be heard? Whereof cometh this, madam, but of the continual preaching of God's word in that city? Whereby that people hath been plentifully instructed in their duty towards God and your Majesty? On the contrary, What bred the rebellion in the North?

Was it not papistry and ignorance of God's word, through want of often preaching? And in the time of that rebellion, were not all men of all states that made profession of the gospel, most ready to offer their lives for your defence? Insomuch, that one poor parish in Yorkshire, which by continual preaching had been better instructed than the rest (Halifax I mean) was ready to bring three or four thousand able men into the field to serve you against the said rebels. How can your Majesty have a more lively trial and experience of the contrary effects of much preaching, and of little or no preaching? The one working most faithful obedience, and the other most unnatural disobedience and rebellion. But it is thought of some, that many are admitted to preach, and few be able to do it well. That unable preachers be removed is very requisite, if ability and sufficiency be rightly weighed and judged; and therein I trust as much is, and shall be done, as can be.

For both I, for mine own part

(let it be spoken without any ostentation) am very careful in allowing such preachers only, as be able and sufficient to be preachers, both for their knowledge in the scriptures, and also for testimony of their good life and conversation. And besides that, I have given very great charge to the rest of my brethren, the bishops of this province to do the like. We admit no man to the office, that either professeth papistry or puritanism. Generally the gra

duates of the university are only admitted to be preachers, unless it be some few which have excellent gifts of knowledge in the scriptures, joined with good utterance and godly persuasion. I myself procured above forty learned preachers and graduates within less than six years to be placed within the diocese of York, besides those I found there; and there I have left them. The fruits of whose travel in preaching, your Majesty is like to reap daily by most assured, dutiful obedience of your subjects in: those parts. But indeed this age judgeth very hardly, and nothing indifferently of the ability of preachers of our time; judging few or none in their opinion to be able. Which hard judgment groweth upon. divers evil dispositions of men. St. Paul doth commend the preaching of Christ crucified without excellency of speech. But in our time many have so delicate ears, that no preaching can satisfy them, unless it be sauced with much fineness and exornation of speech; which the same apostle utterly condemneth and giveth this reason, 'lest the cross of Christ be made of none effect." "Some there be also that are mislikers of the godly Reformation in religion now established; wishing indeed there were no preachers at all; and so by depraving the ministers impugn religion-not by open war, but by secret undermining. Much like to the Popish Bishops in your father's time, who

would have had the English translation of the Bible called in, as evil translated; and the new translating thereof to have been committed to themselves; which they never intended to perform. A number there is, and that is exceeding great, whereof some are altogether worldly-minded, and only bent only bent covetously to gather worldly goods and possessions; serving mammon and not God. And another great sum have given over themselves to commit all uncleanness with greediness and because the preaching of God's word, which to all Christian consciences is sweet and delectable, is to them, having seared consciences, bitter and grievous. For as St. Ambrose saith, how can the word of God be sweet in his mouth, in which is the bitterness of sin ? Therefore they wish also, that there were no preachers at all. But because they dare not directly condemn the office of preaching, so expressly commanded by God's word (for that were open blasphemy) they turn themselves altogether; and with the same meaning that the others do, to take exceptions against the persons of them that be admitted to preach. But God forbid, Madam, that you should open your ears to any of these wicked persuasions; or any way go about to diminish the preaching of Christ's gospel. For that would ruinate altogether at the length. "When prophecy shall fail, the people shall perish," saith Solomon.

"Now where it is thought that the reading of the godly Homilies set forth by public authority, may suffice, I continue of the same mind I was, when I attended last upon your Majesty. The reading of the Homilies hath his commodity; but is nothing comparable to the office of preaching. The godly preacher is termed in the gospel a faithful servant, who knoweth how to give his Lord's family their apportioned food in season : who can apply his speech according to the diversity of times, places, and hearers: which

66

cannot be done in Homilies. Exhortations, reprehensions, and persuasions are uttered with more affection, to the moving of the hearers, in sermons than in Homilies. Besides, Homilies were devised by the godly Bishops in your brother's time, only to supply necessity, for want of preachers; and are by the statute not to be preferred, but to give place to sermons, wheresoever they may be had; and were never thought in themselves alone to contain sufficient instruction for the Church of England. For it was then found, as it is found now, that this Church of England hath been by appropriations, and that not without sacrilege, spoiled of the livings, which at the first were appointed to the office of preaching and teaching. Which appropriations were first annexed to abbies; and after, came to the crown; and now are dispersed to private men's possession, without hope to reduce the same to the original institution. So as at this day, in my opinion, where one church is able to yield sufficient living for a learned preacher, there are at the least seven churches unable to do the same: and in many parishes of your realm, where there be seven or eight hundred souls (the more is the pity) there are not eight pounds a year reserved for a minister. In such parishes it is not possible to place able preachers, for want of convenient stipend. If every flock might have a preaching pastor, which is rather to be wished than hoped for, then were reading of Homilies altogether unnecessary. But to supply that want of preaching of God's word, which is the food of the soul, growing upon the necessities afore-mentioned, both in your brother's time, and in your time, certain godly Homilies have been devised, that the people should not be altogether destitute of instruction; for it is an old and true proverb, Better half a loaf than no bread."

It is a pleasing though melancholy duty, which Christian friendship sometimes imposes, to bear testimony to the power of divine grace, as exemplified in the experience of some with whom we once took 66 sweet counsel together, and walked to the House of God as friends," who, in the inscrutable dispensations of heaven, have been removed by a premature death, at a time when we thought they were fair and fruitful plants, which under the nurture of the divine Husbandman, and watered with the dews of his Spirit, would grow up in his vineyard, as "trees of righteous"trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified." Memory retraces past intercourse-with such friends with grateful remembrance, and hope enables us to anticipate the delightful hour when we shall meet again, to spend with them a blissful immortality.

It is very encouraging to know that in God's family there are some of every age, from the infant of days," to such as "Paul the aged." And consequently they are of every degree of divine attainment; whilst some are scarcely able to credit the promises of truth, others are strong in faith, giving glory to God; each of whom he tries as his infinite wisdom sees best.

He knows how much the weak can bear,
And hears them when they cry;
The strongest have no strength to spare,
For such he'll strongly try.

Among the many dear and beloved friends, from whom death has caused only, I trust, a temporary separation, I purpose relating to my readers some particulars respecting a dear little girl, whom God has seen it good to take from the fond embraces of her family, at the interesting period of fourteen. years of age.

Eliza CAUGUST 1827.

was the youngest

daughter of a large and affectionate family; and, from a remarkably sweet and obliging disposition, had acquired a very considerable influence over the affections of her friends. And here it may be remarked, that though nature does much to endear us to man, she does nothing to recommend us to God; for so long as the carnal mind remains at enmity against him, such as are only in the flesh cannot please God. This distinction it is important to remember; for many things which are well pleasing before men, are abomination in the sight of Him who regards the affections of the heart more than the expression of the lips.

It pleased God, in the wisdom of his providence, to appoint the writer of these remarks as the minister of the parish in which she resided. Soon after he had entered on the duties of his charge, he proposed to meet a few of the eldest Sunday School girls on Saturday evenings, to endeavour to prepare their minds profitably to engage in the duties, and enjoy the privileges of the Christian Sabbath. In this humble work of faith and labour of love," though he was particular in selecting those only who appeared to be most seriously disposed, he found an anxiety in several to join his little party; these Eliza was one of the among first, and though the place that knew her once shall now know her no more for ever, it is a source of grateful remembrance that the instances were very few in which she was absent on such occasions to the time of her death, embracing a period of more than three years. In obedience to the command of the great Shepherd of the flock, it was the writer's prayer and effort to feed the lambs as well as the sheep in attempting this duty, it was his practice to read the Scrip

2 P

tures, pray, sing, and then explain a portion of some interesting tract, in the most easy and familiar manner, as suited to the capacities of his infant flock. It was some time before he could find a subject sufficiently simple and interesting; but at length he decided on the beautiful and impressive history of the Young Cottager.' No sooner had he commenced his exposition of this affecting narrative, than he was encouraged by observing that it excited a very lively interest among the children. It was truly gratifying to mark the glow which animated their countenances at one time, or to see their eyes swelling with the sparkling tears which rolled down their cheeks at another. Although with some it is comparatively an easy thing, so to describe an affecting narrative, as to move the tender affection of children, and though in many instances there is reason to fear that even tears are as treacherous as the "r morning cloud and the early dew," still in other cases, we may hope that it is the time when God by his gracious Spirit is softening the soil of the infant heart, and preparing it for the imperishable seed of eternal life; and as God does not despise the day of small things, we must plough and sow in faith, and in due season we shall reap, if we faint

not.

:

From the first, E. appeared to be deeply interested in what she heard, and frequently on leaving the room she would retire to her chamber, to pray to her " Father which seeth in secret," that he would make her a partaker of the spirit and privileges of Little Jane and now there is good reason to hope, that He whose ear is ever open to the prayer of penitence, has heard and answered her request. It appears that from her earliest years she manifested an unusual anxiety about spiritual things, and when the delicate state of her health obliged her parents to forbid her attendance at our Sunday

School, she found it the heaviest external cross she had been called

to take up. But having learned to honour and obey her parents, she acquiesced in their request, though evidently at the expense of her own feelings; and by bearing the yoke in her youth, she was enabled to exchange the heavier cross of disobedience for the lighter one of selfdenial, and in taking it up aright, she found it such a "burden as

66

wings to a bird, or sails to a ship." ship." Her general conduct in the family presented a pleasing instance of the superior excellence of spiritual and moral principles, to those which mere carnal policy or worldly motives suggest; for though nature taught her to obey her relatives, and amiableness disposed her to oblige her friends, it is the general conviction of those who are best able to judge, that the Lord had taught her to love him, and others for his sake. It was very pleasing to see her a constant attendant at the house of God, where, instead of being satisfied with the cold unmeaning expression of lip or bodily worship, she sought the favour of an offended God, in the pardon of her sins, through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ; and with the simplicity of a child and the anxiety of a penitent, joined in the Scriptural confessions and prayers of our pure and apostolical church; and when directed by the change of service, to lift up her voice and present the acceptable incense of thanksgiving and praise, her countenance was lighted up with the rays of heavenly hope, when" singing and making melody with grace in her heart to the Lord." Nor was she less attentive to the ministrations of the pulpit for when the fallen state of man, as a miserable and helpless sinner, was described, she felt deeply convinced of her guilt and danger; this was expressed by many a penitential tear and when Christ, in the dignity of his person, the riches

of his grace, and the depth of his humiliation and love, was exhibited before her, and her weeping eyes were directed to behold by faith the slaughtered Lamb, whose "blood cleanseth from all sin," she found pardon and peace, as all convinced and anxious sinners do, who stand trembling at the foot of the Cross, and looking to him who died thereon with the eye of faith-a flood of light, above the brightness of the sun, has often illuminated the gloom of despondency and tranquillized the tumults of the soul.'

'A bleeding Saviour seen by faith,
A sense of pardoning love,
A hope that triumphs over death,
Give joys like those above.'

And when she had left the outward service of the sanctuary, she often sought, in the retirement of her chamber, a blessing on the preached Word; and in comparing what she heard with the "law and the testimony," and being satisfied of its truth, and feeling its importance, knowing that as 'digestion is to the body, so is meditation to the soul,' she prayed to be enabled inwardly to digest it, that, by patience and comfort of God's holy word, she might embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life.' Her Bible and Hymn Book were favourite companions, and as she had committed much of each to memory, she unquestionably derived the most important instruction and consolation from these exhaustless springs of wisdom and comfort. In repeating her weekly portion to her minister, she had often rejoiced his heart with a lively hope that she felt a deep interest in secret exercises. At the monthly missionary and other meetings, Eliza was thankful when enabled to attend, for she, who knew the value of her own soul, could not be indifferent to the spiritual necessities of a "world lying in wickedness;" and when joining in prayer, that "God would have mercy on all Jews, Turks, In

fidels, and Heretics," having felt her obligations to him who, "though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich," she entered into the spirit of his missionary prayer, "Thy kingdom

come."

It has been a cause of sincere regret to the writer, that he was from home when she was taken seriously ill, and he did not return until he found her, as the event proved, on her dying bed. He visited her frequently during the few days she survived, and was extremely sorry to find her in such a state of insensibility, from extreme suffering, as to prevent her recognizing him, or giving a satisfactory answer to any question which he proposed to her. Still it was a painful relief to his feelings to see her again in the flesh, and to assemble with her afflicted family, around her dying couch, and pray that she might enjoy the felt presence of her Saviour, who has "destroyed him that has the power of death," and that her redeemed and liberated spirit, might be safely conducted from the gloomy confines of mortality to the presence and enjoyment of her God: nor can he doubt but that the prayer of faith was answered; for on Tuesday the Sth of May, 1827, she was delivered

out of the miseries of this sinful world," and, sweetly falling asleep in Jesus, has entered on her perfect consummation and bliss, in his eternal and everlasting glory.

It is rather a remarkable circumstance, that it should have pleased God to have called the pious author of 'The Young Cottager' from the church militant to the church triumphant, on the same day that he took unto himself the soul of our dear sister. The writer had often anticipated the pleasure he should feel, if ever he was permitted to introduce these brethren in the faith and hope of the gospel to each other in the flesh: but now he is