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without, he had a peculiar eye to that, and took all occasions of warning the Church to beware of heretics and seducers, those beasts in the shape of men, whose wild notions and evil manners began even then to debase religion, and corrupt the simplicity of the faith. Indeed, he duly filled up all the measures of a wise governor, and an excellent guide of souls: and St. Chrysostom runs through the particular characters of the Bishop delineated by St. Paul, and finds them all accomplished and made good in him. With so generous a care (says he), so exact a diligence did he preside over the flock of Christ, even to the making good what our Lord describes, as the utmost pitch and line of episcopal fidelity, " to lay down his life for the sheep;" and this he did with all courage and fortitude; which is the last consideration we shall remark concerning him.

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As a martyr he gave the highest testimony to his fidelity, and to the truth of that religion which he both preached and practised. He gloried in his sufferings as his honour and his privilege, and looked upon chains as his jewels and his ornaments: he was raised above either the love or fear of the present state, and could with as much ease and freedom (says Chrysostom) lay down his life, as another man could put off his clothes. The truth is, his soul was strangely inflamed with a desire of martyrdom; he wished every step of his journey to meet with the wild beasts that were prepared for him. though the death he was to undergo was most savage and barbarous, and dressed up in the most horrid and frightful shapes, enough to startle the firmest resolution, yet could they make no impression (as the Greeks say of him,) upon his impregnable adamantine mind, any more than the dashes of a wave upon a rock of marble. "Let the fire," said he, “and the cross, and the assaults of wild beasts, the breaking of bones, cutting of limbs, battering the whole body in pieces, yea, and all the torments which the devil can invent, come upon me, so I may but attain to be with Jesus Christ;" professing he thought it much better to die for Christ, than to live and reign the sole monarch of the world. Expressions certainly of a mighty zeal, and a divine passion wound up to its highest note. And yet, after all, this excellent person was humble to the lowest step of abasement.-Cave.

RIDLEY.

THE evening before his martyrdom, Ridley prepared himself for his departure with joy and triumph. He washed himself, and invited his friends and relations to be present at his "marriage" in the morning. His discourse melted into tears one of his most obdurate enemies who was present. Ridley said, “You love me not now, I see well enough; for in that you weep, it doth appear you will not be at my marriage, neither be content therewith. But quiet yourself; though my breakfast shall be somewhat sharp and painful, yet I am sure my supper shall be more pleasant and sweet."

In the morning he approached the place of execution, arrayed in a handsome black gown; and as he passed the prison of Bocardo, he looked to the chamber where Archbishop Cranmer was imprisoned, hoping to have seen and spoken to him; but he was engaged in disputing with Friar Soto and others: but shortly behind him he saw and spoke to Latimer, who came clad in his shroud, to be ready for the fire. When they came to the spot, he ran to Latimer with a joyful countenance, embraced and kissed him, and comforted him, saying, "Be of good heart, brother; for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it." Then, turning to the stake, he kissed it, and kneeling down, prayed earnestly, as did Latimer likewise. Then rising, they conferred together for a little while. Dr. Smith preached the sermon usual on such occasions, to which the martyrs besought permission to reply; but were informed, that unless they recanted, they should not speak. Well," replied the illustrious martyr, "so long as the breath is in my body, I will never deny my Lord Christ and His known truth. God's will be done in me." He then said, with a loud voice, "I commit my cause to Almighty God, Who will judge all indifferently."

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They were then ordered to make ready for burning, which they mildly obeyed. Ridley gave away several small things to persons standing by, many of whom were weeping. Latimer now stood in his shroud; and he who before, in an old coat and cap, seemed a withered and

crooked old man, now roused to play the man, stood upright, and appeared a venerable and comely person. Ridley, standing in his shirt at the stake, lifted up his hands toward heaven, and prayed, "O heavenly Father, I give unto thee most hearty thanks for that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee even unto death.

I beseech thee, Lord God, take mercy upon the realm of England, and deliver the same from all her enemies." Then the smith fastened an iron chain round the bodies of both the

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martyrs, tying them to the stake. A faggot was now lighted, and laid at Ridley's feet, when Latimer said, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as, I trust, shall never be put out." When Ridley saw the fire flaming towards him, he cried with an exceeding loud voice, "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit; O Lord, receive my spirit." Latimer, on the other side, exclaimed, "O Father of heaven, receive my soul." Then he received the flame, as if he were embracing it, and soon died, with but little appearance of pain.

But Ridley had to undergo dreadful and lingering tortures; for the fire on his side was so smothered by the quantity of faggots, that his legs were slowly consumed, while he cried to his tormentors to "let the fire come at him." But in all his agony, he still called on God, “Lord, have mercy upon me." At length the faggots were removed by one of the by-standers; and when the tortured martyr saw the fire flaming up, he wrenched himself to that side. And when the flame reached a bag of gunpowder which hung round his neck, he was seen to stir no more, but burned on the other side; and either from the chain loosing, or by the overpoise of his body after his legs were consumed, he fell over the chain, down at Latimer's feet.

Thus died this illustrious martyr-or rather, thus did he enter eternal life; and it may be said with truth, that never, since the days of the apostles, was there a nobler manifestation of Christian faith and heroism. It was worthy of the brightest days of the primitive Church; and not even Polycarp, in the amphitheatre of Smyrna, -exceeded the glory of Nicholas Ridley.-Palmer's History of the Church.

CHARACTER OF ALFRED KING OF ENGLAND.

THE merit of this prince, both in private and public life, may, with advantage, be set in opposition to that of any monarch or citizen, which the annals of any age or any nation can present to us. He seems, indeed, to be the complete model of that perfect character, which, under the denomination of a sage or wise man, the philosophers have been fond of delineating, rather as a fiction of their imagination, than in hopes of ever seeing it reduced to practice; so happily were all his virtues tempered together; so justly were they blended; and so powerfully did each prevent the other from exceeding its proper bounds.

He knew how to conciliate the most enterprising spirit with the coolest moderation; the most obstinate perseverance, with the easiest flexibility; the most severe justice, with the greatest lenity: the greatest rigour in command, with the greatest affability of deportment; the highest capacity and inclination for science, with the most shining talents for action.

Nature also, as if desirous that so bright a production of her skill should be set in the fairest light, had bestowed on him all bodily accomplishments; vigour of limbs, dignity of shape and air, and a pleasant, engaging, and open countenance. By living in that barbarous age he was deprived of historians worthy to transmit his fame to posterity; and we wish to see him delineated in more lively colours, and with more particular strokes, that we might at least perceive some of those small specks and blemishes, from which, as a man, it was impossible he should be entirely exempted.-Hume.

ALFRED'S THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE.

In the meantime, the king, during the frequent wars and other trammels of this present life, the invasions of the Pagans, and his own daily infirmities of body, continued to carry on the government, and to exercise hunting in all its branches; to teach his workers in gold, and artificers of all kinds, his falconers, hawkers and dog-keepers; to build

houses, majestic and good, beyond all the precedents of his ancestors, by his new mechanical inventions; to recite the Saxon books, and especially to learn by heart the Saxon poems, and to make others learn them; and he alone never desisted from studying, most diligently, to the best of his ability. He attended the Eucharist, and other daily services of religion; he was frequent in psalm-singing and prayer, at the hours both of the day and the night. He also went to the Churches, as we have already said, in the night-time to pray, secretly, and unknown to his courtiers; he bestowed alms and largesses on both natives and foreigners of all countries; he was affable and pleasant to all, and curiously eager to investigate things unknown. Many Franks, Frisons, Gauls, Pagans, Britons, Scots, and Armoricans, noble and ignoble, submitted voluntarily to his dominion; and all of them, according to their nation and deserving, were ruled, loved, honoured, and enriched with money and power. Moreover, the king was in the habit of hearing the divine scriptures read by his own countrymen, or, if by any chance it so happened, in company with foreigners, and he attended to it with sedulity and solicitude. His bishops, too, and all ecclesiastics, his earls and nobles, ministers and friends, were loved by him with wonderful affection, and their sons, who were bred up in the royal household, were no less dear to him than his own; he had them instructed in all kinds of good morals, and among other things, never ceased to teach them letters night and day; but as if he had no consolation in all these things, and suffered no other annoyance either from within or without, yet he was harassed by daily and nightly affliction, that he complained to God, and to all who were admitted to his familiar love, that Almighty God had made him ignorant of divine wisdom, and of the liberal arts; in this emulating the pious, the wise, and wealthy Solomon, king of the Hebrews, who at first, despising all present glory and riches, asked wisdom of God, and found both, namely, wisdom and worldly glory; as it is written, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." But God, who is always the inspector of the thoughts of the mind within, and the instigator of all good intentions, and a most plentiful aider, that good desires may be formed, for he would not in

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