66 rebellious purposes. The bold spirit of the man," he observes, provoked by persecution, and sti mulated by zeal, was urged to attempt the most criminal enterprises; and his unlimited authority over the new sect proved that he well merited the attention of the civil magistrate. He formed in his retreat very violent designs against his enemies; and despatching his emissaries to all quarters, appointed a general rendezvous of the party, in order to seize the person of the King at Eltham, and put their persecutors to the sword *." To this hasty statement of the Edinburgh philosopher may be seasonably opposed the honest narrative of an old chronicler : "The King therefore in person himself, after midnight, with a great army, came into these fields, where (if we will believe their professed enemies) fourscore of that faction were apprehended, who said they came to seek the Lord Cobham. But as the answerer of Cope†, from more ancient times, hath observed, that in days of persecution, such assemblies often had been made to hear the Gospel preached; so in this place, then overgrown with bushes and unfit for battle, those few were in likelihood assembled unto John Beverley, a godly man, their preacher, without any intent of treason, having for their chieftains no greater persons than Sir Roger Acton, a knight of no great account, a minister, and a maltman ." The affair, however, was made so serious, that Cromer, Lord Mayor, ordered the aldermen to apprehend all suspicious persons in their several wards, and himself seized eight men in Bishopsgate §. Of these and others, it is reported by some writers, that they confessed themselves in con * Hist. of England, ch. xix. + See Fox, p. 547. Speed, ubi supra. § Daniel, Cont. p. 96. federacy with Cobham. Some were executed, and others imprisoned. It is probable, that professing an accordance with the Knight in religious sentiments, they were indiscriminately charged with treason. It would also appear that some ambitious characters, wishing to take advantage of the troubles of the times, would have gladly availed themselves of the patronage and talents of Cobham; but there was no evidence that he had countenanced their designs. A bill of attainder, however, passed against him in the Commons, and Henry set a price of a thousand marks upon his head, with a promise of perpetual exemption from taxes to any town that should secure him. The calumniated veteran continued in his retreat among the Welsh mountains for four years. Meantime the clergy omitted no occasion of irritating the populace against him. As he had defaced the pictures of the saints in the illuminated Romish missals, the Abbot of St. Albans officiously sent some of these injured drawings, which were found in his jurisdiction, with a dolorous complaint to the King. The King sent them to the Archbishop, and the Archbishop to the preacher at Paul's Cross, who exhibited them to the congregation, aggravating the offence by insinuating, that this was done to pour contempt on the triumphant saints in heaven. At length, they prevailed on Lord Powys, who had hitherto afforded him an asylum on his estates, to apprehend him; who executed his commission in a base and deceitful manner, and sent his prisoner, much wounded, to London. On Tuesday, the thirteenth of December 1417, being outlawed in the King's Bench, and excommunicated in the Ecclesiastical Court, he was brought before the Lords, where his convictions were read to him; but he thought proper to make no reply. Having been a second time confined in the Tower, and undergone the tedious process of a double trial since his apprehension, he now considered silence, after the example of his blessed Master, the best reproof of their injustice. He was sentenced to be hanged as a traitor, and burnt as a heretic; while he rendered thanks to God that he was counted worthy to suffer for his name's sake. On the day of execution, he was brought out with his hands bound behind him, but with a cheerful expression in his countenance, laid on a hurdle, and drawn to a new gallows erected in St. Giles's Fields. Arrived at the spot, he fell on his knees, and with great devotion entreated God to pardon his enemies. Then standing up, he affectionately and seriously exhorted the multitude to follow the laws of God, written in the Scriptures, and amongst other admonitions, instructed them to beware of such teachers as they saw contrary to Christ in life and conversation; while the friars, who stood by, told the people not to pray for him, for he did not depart in the obedience of the Pope. He was then suspended from the gallows by chains round his waist over a large fire, singing the praises of God till released by death from his torture, to join, it is trusted, that whiterobed company, beheld in vision by the exile of Patmos, "who were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held." THE CHRISTIAN PARENT. THOUGH years have pass'd since she who gave me birth Yet can I trace the mercies and the fears But God she found, so runs the promise true, Her heart was right, her anxious doubts remov'd. A like impression to her kindred bore; Remembrance dwells with tranquillizing thought 66 Sure 't is the Christian's privilege to die, To quit the body and to Jesus fly; Methinks I hear the wish spontaneous rise, 66 Be mine at death, the Christian's glorious prize!” In goodly order stretching far and wide. FILIUS. ON THE VALUE OF THE SOUL*. Matt. xvi. 26.- What is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? HOWEVER the precepts of the Gospel may approve themselves to our understanding, yet, generally speaking, they oppose our natural inclinations, and are many times adverse to our worldly interests. In fact, the whole scheme of Christianity is a system of self-denial, requiring its disciples to renounce every pursuit and pleasure inconsistent with its spirit, whatever the sacrifice may cost. Hence none cordially embrace the Gospel till they have learned to take eternity into their estimate of present things. Our Lord, therefore, having, in the preceding verses, prescribed the line of duty to be observed by all his followers, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," urges the observance of it from the consideration of eternity; "For whosoever," says he, "will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." He then proceeds to enforce this duty yet farther, by the pointed interrogatories contained in the text: "What is a man profited," &c. The meaning of these awfully important questions may be elucicidated by, First, Instituting a comparison between the things which are here set in competition with each other; and, Secondly, Attending to the highby interesting result of this comprison. I. Let us first draw a comparison between those things which our Lord, in the text, places in competition with each other, in order * See Simeon's Skelćions, No. X. SEPTEMBER 1822. to show their respective value, viz. "the world" and "the soul." 1st. By "the world," we are to understand pleasure, riches, and honour. For the beloved Apostle says, "All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." These things, if considered in themselves, are of no value; for they are altogether earthly in their nature, unsatisfying in their use, and transitory in their continuance. Such is the opinion of the best judges, even of the inspired men of old, with our blessed Lord at their head, who have unanimously concurred in pronouncing worldly pleasures, riches, and honours, utterly undeserving the attention of Christians. So thought Abraham "the friend of God," who, though in possession of great wealth, left all at his command to sojourn in a strange land, where he dwelt in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Similar was the opinion entertained by Moses, that eminent prophet, to whom the Lord allowed the high privilege of talking with him "face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend." He relinquished the splendour of a court, with all its luxuries, to participate the lot of God's people. As soon as he was capable of judging for himself, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches, than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Solomon, also, who is emphatically styled "the wise man," to UU whom the Lord said, "Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understand ing heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee;" this eminent man, after all his experience and research, declared, that all earthly things are only vanity. "I have seen," says he, "all the works that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit." 66 To the same effect are the recorded opinions of the New Testament saints. St. Paul, who was caught up to the third heaven," to receive divine instruction, bears testimony to the worthlessness of the pleasures and profits of the world. Before his conversion, he took delight in these vanities; but no sooner were his eyes opened, than he was "content to suffer all things, that he might win Christ, and be found in him." Hear his animated declaration to the Philippians: "Yea, doubtless; and I count all things but loss for the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord:" and again, to the Galatians; "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." 66 Were any further proof necessary to confirm this representation of earthly possessions, we could refer to the very Fountain of wisdom itself, to our blessed Saviour, who spake as never man spake." He has expressly affirmed, that "his kingdom is not of this world;" and has charged his disciples not to lay up treasures upon earth;" at the same time warning them, that "where their treasure is, there will their heart be also." His own conduct was in strict agreement with this declaration; for we find, that when he had miraculously fed the five thousand in the wilderness, and the multitude, convinced that he was "that Prophet which should come into the world," were about "to take him by force and make him their temporal king," he rejected the proffered dignity, withdrew from them, and " departed again into a mountain himself alone." These are the sentiments of all true Christians. Like their blessed Master, they despise worldly pleasures, honours, and riches; and, according to his own description, ર are not of the world, even as he is not of the world." They conform to the apostolic injunction, and "set their affections on things above, and not on things on the earth." Esteeming earthly grandeur beneath their notice, they seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God;" and are fully convinced, that a man is nothing" profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul." 2. But, on the other hand, how inestimable is the value of " the soul!" While the world and all its glories are, by unerring wisdom, pronounced unworthy of the Christian's attention, the care of the soul is called "the one thing needful." And though the nature of this immortal principle is, at present, very imperfectly known, yet its immense worth is obvious from a variety of considerations. If considered in itself, how admirable does the soul appear! With what noble and capacious powers is it invested! How exalted is its origin! For "God himself is the Father of our spirits." When the Lord God had formed man of the dust of the ground," he breathed into their nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul," destined to enjoy everlasting happiness in the realms of glory, or to endure endless misery in the regions of darkness and despair. From these considerations, the superior importance of the soul abundantly appears; and there are many other points of view in |