this point, the doctrine of the Word of God is too plain to be misapprehended; "Though wE, or an ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." If we must follow GoD's TRUTH rather than an APOSTLE or an ANGEL FROM HEAVEN; how much more must we abide by the truth, rather than by a persecuting murderous teacher of falsehood, even though he should wear a mitre, and claim to be official successor of the Apostles?

These pious brethren continued to assemble wherever they could hope to escape the bishop's spies; till at length a false brother, who perhaps had joined them for the purpose of treachery, betrayed them. The minister, the deacon and many others were seized. Sympson was put upon the rack three times in one day, because he would neither discover the register of the Church, nor the names of its members. He was sent to Bonner. "You see," said Bonner to the spectators, "what a personable man this is; and for his patience, if he was not a heretic, I should much commend him; for he has been three times racked in one day, and in my house has endured some sorrow, and yet I never saw his patience moved." Sympson, Rough, and others of the congregation ended their lives in the flames.

The exiles at Frankfort also organized themselves into a Congregational Church, electing their ministers and deacons. Deliberately considering the order of worship to be used, they laid aside the litany, the surplice, the responses, and many things in the communion service. The order of their worship was first a prayer, then a psalm, a prayer, a sermon, a prayer, at the close of which was joined the Lord's prayer, a rehearsal of the articles of belief, a psalm, and last the benediction. "Other exiles set up another Church of like descriptions at Embden in East Friesland; others did the same at Wesel in Westphalia." [Prince, N. England Chronology.]

The exiles were not, however, in all places of the same mind. The Church at Frankfort sending to certain divines at Strasburg to come to their aid and ministry, these refused except on condition that the Church should restore the Liturgy. The Church at Frankfort refused, saying that the Liturgy had been altered in King Edward's time as far as circumstances would permit, and that "If God had not in these wicked days hindered it by his Providence, they would have altered more;-and in our case," said they, "we doubt not but they would have done as we do." The Strasburg divines urging a compliance, the Church gave their decided answer in the negative. This answer was signed in behalf of the Church, by John Knox, the famous Reformer of Scotland, by Fox the martyrologist, and by several more.

In this juncture, willing to receive light, and wishing to follow the path of duty, the Church resolved to ask advice of Calvin,

who was at that day in the highest repute in England and throughout all countries where the Reformation had extended. Calvin having carefully examined the Prayer-Book, gave it as his opinion, that "There were many endurable weaknesses in it; which, because at first they could not be amended, were to be suffered. But it behooved grave and godly ministers of Christ to enterprise further, and set up something more filed from rust, and purer. If religion had flourished till this day in England, many of these things would have been reformed. But since the Reformation is overthrown, and a Church is to be set up in another place, where you are at liberty to establish what order is most for edification, I cannot tell what they mean who are so fond of the leavings of popish dregs."

The next year brought Dr. Cox to Frankfort, who broke through the order established in the Church, created a great disturbance, and caused Knox to be accused of high treason against the emperor, on account of some expressions in a book which Knox had some years before published in English, in which he had said that the emperor was not less an enemy to Christ than Nero. The magistrates, fearful of difficulty with the emperor, desired Knox to leave the city. The party of Cox, now strengthened by accessions from abroad, set up the Liturgy, and organized the church anew. Most of the old congregation left the city. It is remarkable that the new church, made up of men so strenuous for the Liturgy, gave the very first exhibition of a conflict between the clergy and the people, as to where lies the power of ultimate appeal; whether in the clergy or in the brethren of the church. The rector summoned one of the members to appear at the vestry before the officers of the church. The member appealed to the body of the church, who ordered the cause to be brought before them. The rector and officers chose rather to resign than to admit these rights of the church. The church maintained their ground, and formally determined that " In all controversies among themselves, and especially in cases of appeal, the last resort should be in the church."

Such was the strange issue of the contentions at Frankfort. Those who had strenuously opposed the Liturgy, went and submitted themselves to the Presbyterian discipline at Geneva. Those who had been ready to turn everything upside down før a Liturgy, remained and asserted the strongest principle of Congregationalism. So gradually dawned the light. So surely does abuse of power teach the injured their rights. Discussion-and even dissension-is made to lead to the discovery of truth. Old principles, though established in ancient precedents and ratified by law, are sifted. What can be shaken is laid aside. Truth is eternal; its opposers are mortal. Contests may await it; imes of declension may leave it for a season depressed and ob

scured; but in spite of all it holds on its way; commending itself to right reason; approving itself always simple and glorious; the friend of freedom, of knowledge, and religion; till at last it is established, never to be overthrown. Though angry controversy in trivial matters is always to be deprecated, I cannot be of the opinion of those who dread the issue of a temperate though earnest discussion of questions lying at the foundation of the great matters of truth and order, and of human rights. I know not to what stagnation and tyranny the world and the Church would have been given over, but for such conflicts of principle. Certain it is, that whatever evils may have resulted from such conflicts, much darkness and much corruption would have encumbered the Church without them; much that is fairest in truth would never have been discovered, or being discovered, would have been undervalued and of little use. "There must be heresies," says an Apostle, "that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." There must be discussion—perhaps at times dissension-that what is true and useful and important may be made known. Only it should be remembered that truth and duty-not party ends nor party spirit-should govern the discussion; for "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." Save for the conflicts of Puritanism, freedom would never have been known; and a sort of religion scarcely in advance of Romanism would have reigned unbroken in England, if not throughout the Christian world.

But these heats of controversy between those who had for conscience sake fled from their native land, could not last for ever. These were transient fires; the principle of love was deep seated within them, an unquenchable flame. The short reign of Mary had not passed away, before these grudges seemed nearly forgotten. In this respect the "sun" did not "go down upon their wrath." Letters of mutual esteem and love passed between the exiles of Geneva and those of Frankfort. With the accession of Elizabeth all promised to forget their former displeasure, and to strive together for a further reform. "We trust," said those who had been so strenuous for the Prayer-Book, " that true religion shall be restored, and that we shall not be burdened with unprofitable ceremonies. And if any shall be obtruded that shall be offensive at our meeting in England,-which we trust will be shortly, we will brotherly join with you to be suitors for the reformation and abolishing of the same." "And I find," says Prince, in his N. England Chronology, “that soon returning to England they were as good as their word."

Having seen Puritanism in its first endurance of suffering, we come now to view it in its activity, girding itself for its first encounters with the spirit of formalism and despotism in the long and rigid reign of Queen Elizabeth.

VI.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Reformation conducted on principles of State policy. Papists to be kept in the Church. High Commission. Things offensive to Papists stricken out of the Liturgy. Plan of keeping Papists in the Church successful. Foresight of the Puritans. Their predictions verified. Original complaints of the Puritans. Progress of their inquiries.

THE accession of Queen Elizabeth, 17th November, A.D. 1558, was regarded by all parties as the signal for a return from Popery to the Reformation. There were circumstances, however, which rendered it difficult to make the change either sudden or complete, had the queen ever so heartily desired it. The offices of the Church were filled with popish bishops and popish priests. A large share of the people were still popish. The Pope had pronounced the queen illegitimate, and incapable of inheriting the throne. In the failure of Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots was the undoubted heir, and both she and the popish sovereigns wanted only a favorable opportunity to assert her title to the throne.

Elizabeth saw the difficulties of her situation, and was too politic to risk any commotions by attempting too sudden or too wide a departure from the rituals then in use. This caution arose from a due survey of the dangers, and was deliberately made the rule of the policy to be pursued. Maddox, who, a hundred years ago, attempted to justify her conduct towards the Puritans, transcribes a state paper "of considerable consequence," as he says, laying down "a plan of a Reformation," and containing a survey of the "dangers that were likely to follow." The following are the dangers specified in that survey:

"1st. The Bishop of Rome will be incensed; will excommunicate the queen's highness; interdict the realm, and give it a prey to all princes that will enter upon it.

2d. The French king and his people will be encouraged to persist more vigorously in the war against declared heretics. "3d. Scotland will have some boldness, and by that way the French king will soonest attempt to invade us.

"4th. Ireland will be very difficult to be stayed in their obedience by reason of the clergy that are associated to Rome.

"5th. Many people of our own will be very much discontented, especially these sorts; (1) Such as governed in the late Queen Mary's reign, and were chosen thereto for no other cause, or were then esteemed for being hot and earnest in the other religion; and now remain unplaced or uncalled to credit;-these will study all the ways they can to maintain the former doings. (2) The Bishops and all the clergy will see their own ruin; and in confession and preaching, and all other ways they can, will persuade people from it. (3) Men which be of the papist sort, who late were in manner all the judges of the law, and justices of the peace,—are like to join with the bishops and clergy. (4) Many such as would gladly have the alterations from the Church of Rome, when they shall see, peradventure, that some old ceremonies shall still be left, or that their doctrine which they embrace is not allowed and commanded only, and all other abolished and disapproved, shall be discontented and call the altered religion a cloaked papistry, a mingle-mangle.'”

These were the prudential reasons avowed, for not being governed solely by the truth and purity of the Word of God in the proposed Reformation, but by considerations of State policy. What sort of standards for doctrine and rituals such a heartless politician as Queen Elizabeth was likely to establish under such circumstances, may be readily conjectured.

There was still another plea for conducting the Reformation rather with a regard to keeping the Papists quiet, than with regard to truth and purity of worship; which plea is thus stated by Maddox, and which, though I have already quoted it, is of sufficient importance here to repeat: "Besides, as the nation in general was popish, it plainly appeared an act of great compassion to many thousand souls, as well as necessary to the queen's safety, and the success of the Reformation, to contrive, if it were possible, such a form of worship, without idolatry, which might KEEP THE POPISH PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH."

Thus the ground of defence and justification relied upon by Bishop Maddox in his work against the Puritans, is the unblushing avowal that the offices of the Church of England were finally settled, not on the ground which Protestants consider purest and most scriptural, but upon the designed and avowed policy of "keeping the Papists in the Church;" by retaining just as much of the popish cast, and spirit, and forms, as was "not idolatry;" having due "regard to the essentials of religion;" which were still to be judged of by the politic queen!

Can there be any wonder that there should arise a BAND OF PURITANS, bold enough to express their discontent at being compelled not only to conform in all particulars to rituals and Liturgies established on these principles; but compelled also to sub