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about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning and craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." They are to be prepared at all points. So he tells the Hebrews-" Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace." "Grace" there means the Gospel, the truths of the Gospel: it is a good thing for the heart to be established with these. You cannot take away some parts of the body without destroying it; and you cannot take any of them without injuring and defacing it. There are no preachers but will preach parts of the Gospel. You cannot help this. This is not preaching the Gospel however: it is the bringing forward the whole of it in connexion with the person, the mediation, the work, and the sufferings of Christ, or, as the Apostle says, "the truth as it is in Jesus," that deserves this name, or that is effectual for the purpose either of breaking the whole heart or of binding up a broken one.

And as these peculiarities injure the efficacy of the Gospel, so they mar its beauty. This arises from the connexion and harmony of the whole. "As to cloth," says Lord Bacon, " a small pattern may enable us to judge fairly and safely of the whole piece; but the Bible is like a fine arrass or tapestry, which though a remnant may assure us of the colours and the richness of the stuff, yet the hangings never appear to their true advantage but when displayed in their full dimensions, and seen together." Let every minister remember this maxim. The Apostle knew that without this he could not have discharged his obligation. He knew that he was not answerable for his acceptance, nor answerable for his success; but for the use of means, for diligence and fidelity, he knew he was, and thus states that he should be "a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are a savour of death unto death, and to the other the savour of life unto life." Hence his comfort in the work: for though there is nothing meritorious in any thing we do, yet pleasure always arises from discharging the will of God. Therefore the Apostle in another instance says, "Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward." And he knew that this satisfaction of his would bear attestation: "I call God," says he, "to witness that I am pure from the blood of all men:" and the blood of souls is the most defiling, and cries out the most for vengeance. He knew that none would be able in the great day to come forward and say, "You deceived me, and thereby slew me: you preached Peace, peace, when destruction and misery were before me. You were blind, and I was blind, and now we are both fallen into the ditch." He knew that he should be acquitted then by every conscience; and he knew that the Judge also would say, "Well done, good and faithful servant! enter thou into the

Joy of thy Lord."

In the conclusion of this subject we may learn two things.

First, here is the rule to guide and justify ministers. Considering the mixture there is always in every congregation, and especially large ones, it is probable, if not certain, that the preacher who declares all the counsel of God will give some offence. But must he on this account decline it? Is he to do any thing by partiality? "If I seek to please men," says the Apostle, "I

should not be the servant of Christ." Daniel therefore reproved Belshazzar as if he had been a common man, and exhorted him to "break off his sin by righteousness, and his iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; and it might be a lengthening of his tranquillity." John's doctrine was as rough as the garments he wore, and he dared to tell majesty to its face that it was not above law any more than one of his subjects: "It is not lawful for thee to have her." Paul knew the character and the conduct of Felix and Drusilla, but "reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come." He knew how the Corinthians regarded him, but says he, "It is a light thing with me to be judged of you or of man's judgment: he that judgeth me is the Lord." A minister therefore should be able to say,

"Careless, myself a dying man,

Of dying men's esteem;
Happy, O God, if thou approve,

Though all besides condemn."

He must, from his knowledge generally of the congregation, conjecture what will be acceptable to some, and what will even be disagreeable to others: and there he does not willingly offend. But in my studying of a subject alone I never think whether such and such persons will like it or dislike it: the thought never enters my mind. I endeavour to ascertain what is the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the text, what I am to proclaim from it, and to pray that I may not handle the Word of God deceitfully, but " by manifestation of the truth commend myself to every man's conscience, whether they will hear, or whether they forbear." "It is a poor sermon," says George Whitfield," that gives no offence that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher." It was a noble eulogium that Louis the fourteenth passed on one of his preachers, Masillon: "I don't know how it is: when I hear my other chaplains I admire them; but when I hear Masillon I always go away dissatisfied with myself." There could not be a finer encomium.

Then, lastly, we see what is the duty of hearers. For if we are not to shun to deciare all the counsel of God, you are bound to hear and to welcome all. However mysterious to your reason, however mortifying to the pride of your heart, however it may reprove or censure you, you are not to deem the minister vour enemy because he tells you the truth; but rather to lay open your bosoms to e admission of his whole admonition and reproof, remembering what Solomon says, that "faithful are the wounds of a friend;" to approach a place of worship in the disposition of Eli towards Samuel-" What hath the Lord said unto thee? Tell me, I pray thee: withhold not a whit from me." Or as Cornelius and his family said to Peter when he came, "We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God." You are not to hang down your heads and go away dissatisfied because you have not been comforted. Is comfort every thing you want in the divine life? You are not to say, "I have had no new information." Is knowledge all you want? or is that all you come for? If the subject be not adapted to yourself, it may be the very subject another wants. If you are familiar with it, another in the assembly may never have heard it before. If you retain the truth, and repetition may seem irksome, you should remember that there are others who are forgetful, and who need to have their minds stirred up by way of remembrance. You should, therefore, instead of wishing to limit the preacher,

encourage him to go with you through the land in the length and in the breadth of it-encourage him not only to plant, but water-not only to found, but to build.

Let us conclude with the language of the Apostle to the Hebrews: "I have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore leaving (comparatively) the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unte perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." And this will me do, if God permit.

JOHN WICKLIFFE.

JOHN WICKLIFFE, the morning star of the reformation,' was born et a village of the same name in Yorkshire, A.D. 1324. He became a commoner of Queens College, and afterwards of Merton College, Oxford, where, in 1360, he distinguished himself by asserting the rights of the university against the friars who inveigled the students to their convents. Wickliffe wrote some tracts against those mendicants, for which he was chosen master of Baliol College; and soon afterwards Archbishop Islip appointed him warden of Canterbury hall. On the death of that prelate, his successor, Langham, issued a mandate, depriving Wickliffe of the wardenship, which the scholars refused to obey. Wickliffe himself appealed to the Pope, who confirmed the decree of the archbishop. About this time Wickliffe having gained the favour of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, he was appointed the king's chaplain, and presented to the living of Lutterworth, in Leicestershire. In A.D. 1372, he took his doctor's degree, and read lectures in divinity. Not long after this he was appointed one of the king's commissioners, to require of the Pope that he would not interfere in ecclesiastical benefices. This treaty was carried on at Bruges ; but nothing was concluded; upon which the Parliament passed an act against the papal usurpations. This encouraged Wickliffe to go on in exposing the tyranny of the Pope, who, in 1377, denounced the reformer as a heretic, and required the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London to proceed in judgment against him. Wickliffe, however, was supported by the Duke of Lancaster and Earl Percy, who appeared with him at St. Paul's, February 19th, 1378; and the example of Richard, the Archbishop of Armagh, animated him to protest against the encroachments of his own order. Being thus countenanced, he undertook a translation of the Scriptures into English, which work he accomplished, and thereby increased the number of his enemies. In 1381 he ventured to attack the doctrine of transubstantiation, in a work, entitled, "De Blasphemia;" which being condemned at Oxford, he went thither and made a declaration of his faith, and professed his resolution to defend it with his blood. The marriage of the king with Anne of Luxemburg proved very advantageous to Wickliffe; for she was a most exemplary princess, and a great friend to scriptural knowledge. By her means, the writings of the English reformer were sent to Germany, where they afterwards produced an abundant harvest. On leaving Oxford, Wickliffe received a citation from the Pope to appear before him at Rome; but he answered, "that Christ had taught him to obey God rather than man." He died of the palsy at Lutterworth, A.D. 1384; but his bones were taken up and burned as the bones of a heretic, thirteen years after his death. He was publicly condemned as a heretic at the Council of Constance, A D. 1415, thirty-one years after his decease.

"About this time the Waldenses were very zealous in diffusing their principles, and opposing Popery. Persons travelled as hawkers, and, on entering the house, proposed their articles for sale; if these were not wanted, and a friendly disposition appeared, an offer was made to read part of the New

Testament. As they were encouraged, so they proceeded, and gave a ful. account of their principles, and exposed the errors of the Church of Rome, and expounded at large the Word of God. A full and very interesting account of their labours is given by Mr Robinson. The Wickliffites of that day also continued to increase; they were generally called Lollards, from Walter Lollard, a very celebrated preacher, who was burnt at Cologne about 1350. A society of these persons was formed at Antwerp, whose zeal, piety, bene volence, and general excellence of Christian character, had very great influence; they grew and multiplied both in England and on the continent. Great numbers were destroyed by the Church of Rome; but God was with them. The works of Wickliffe obtained very great influence; and the day was dawning, in the light of which we rejoice. Sir John Oldcastle, who is also called Lord Cobham, which title he obtained by marrying the heiress of the nobleman of that name, was a zealous adherent of Wickliffe, for which he incurred the hatred of the clergy. He was a great favourite of Henry V. The purity of his religious principles, and the ardour of his zeal, exposed him also to many painful persecutions. At length he was sent to the Tower, but escaped thence; and soon afterwards, in the night, when a company of Lollards, about one hundred, were met for worship in St. Giles's Fields, which at that time was an uncultivated tract of ground, overgrown with bushes and trees, he was condemned to death, as one of the rebels. It was said by their enemies that twenty thousand Lollards were met there, with Lord Cobham at their head; a troop of men was hastily brought to the spot; some were immediately slain by the soldiers; about sixty were taken prisoners, of whom thirty-four were hanged, and seven others hanged and burned. Sir John, however, was not at this meeting, but it sealed his doom; a bill of attainder was passed on him, and a thousand marks was set on his head, and a perpetual exemption from taxes promised to any town that should secure him. After a concealment of nigh four years, he was apprehended in Montgomeryshire, conveyed to London, and received sentence of death: he was executed in St. Giles's Fields, December 25th, 1417. Echard says, that he was suspended over the fire by a chain fastened round his middle; he was thus roasted to death over a slow fire. This was done whilst his patron, Henry V. was meeting his enemies in France, otherwise he had probably been preserved."

MANN'S LECTURES ON ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY AND NONCONFORMITY.

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