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sorrowing around him, he sometimes lifted up his eyes towards heaven, and looked so cheerfully on such as he knew, that they thought his countenance never seemed more composed and lively than at that moment. Having reached the place of execution, which was near to a great elm tree which stood over against the College of Priests, where he was wont to preach, he smilingly viewed the stake and the preparations. The place round about the houses, and the boughs of the trees, were filled with people, and in the chamber over the college-gate stood the Priests of the college. He then kneeled down to prayer, beckoning to Sir Edmund Bridges, whom he knew well, to listen to his prayer, that he might report it afterwards-who attentively obeyed his request. In this prayer, which turned upon the whole creed, he continued half an hour, weeping profusely in the intensity of his devotion. After he had commenced it, a box, asserted to contain his pardon, was brought and laid before him, to tempt him to recant-at the sight of which he cried; "If you love my soul, away with it-if you love my soul, away with it."-The box being taken away, the Lord Chandos said: "Seeing there is no remedy, dispatch quickly." Hooper only begged that he might have leave to end his prayers.

The Lord Chandos then spoke to Sir Edmund Bridges (who was his son), saying, "Edmund, take heed that he do nothing else but pray: if he do, tell me, and I shall quickly dispatch him." Whilst these words passed, some persons drew near and heard the following portion of the prayer:

"Lord, thou art a gracious God and merciful Redeemer. Have mercy therefore upon me, most miserable and wretched offender, after thy great mercy, and according to thine inestimable goodness. Thou art ascended into heaven; receive me to be partaker of thy joys, where thou sittest in equal glory with thy Father. For well knowest thou, Lord, wherefore I am come hither to suffer, and why the wicked do persecute this thy poor servant: not for my sins and transgressions committed against thee, but because I will not allow their wicked doings, to the contaminating of thy blood, and to the denial of the knowledge of thy truth, wherewith it did please thee by thy Holy Spirit to instruct me: the which, with as much diligence as a poor wretch might, (being thereto called) I have set forth to thy glory; and well seest thou, my Lord and my God, what terrible pains and cruel torments be prepared for thy creature: such, Lord, as without thy strength none is able to bear, or patiently to pass. But all things that are impossible with man, are possible with thee. Therefore strengthen me of thy goodness, that in the fire I break not the rules of patience, or else assuage the terror of the pains, as shall seem most to thy glory."

This was all that could be heard of the prayer, for the Mayor discovering those who had approached to listen to it, ordered them to retire. After the prayer, Hooper immediately prepared himself for the stake. Taking off the gown first, he delivered it to the Sheriffs, with strict charge to restore it to the owner-and so proceeded to take off the rest of his clothes, except his doublet and hose, in which he wished to have burned; but the Sheriffs would not permit it. He was then stripped to his shirt, in which he had the presence of mind himself to fasten, with a point of his hose, a pound of gunpowder in a

bladder between his legs, and the same quantity under each arm. This he obtained through the kindness of the Guard. Then desiring the people to say the Lord's Prayer with him, and to pray for him, he went up to the stake-to which they were proceeding to secure him with three irons-one for his neck, another for his middle, and a third for his legs-when he observed to them, "Ye have no need thus to trouble yourselves: for I doubt not but God will give strength sufficient to abide the extremity of the fire without bands. Notwithstanding, suspecting the frailty and weakness of the flesh, but having assured confidence in God's strength, I am content ye do as ye shall think good." They then secured him with the iron hoop round the middle; they would still have fastened the other irons round his neck and legs, but he prevailed with them to omit these-adding further, "I am well assured I shall not trouble you."

The preparations being completed, he stood elevated on a stool above the spectators-a situation which, added to his tall figure, enabled him to take a survey of the assembled multitude, amongst whom there was nothing to be seen but weeping and sorrow. Then lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, he prayed in secret. The executioner came up to him to ask his forgiveness. Learning on what account his forgiveness was sought, he said, "Thou doest nothing to offend me :-God forgive thee thy sins, and do thine office, I pray thee." Then the reeds were heaped up, and he received two bundles of them in his own hands, embraced, and kissed them, and having disposed them under his arms, with an undisturbed fortitude pointed out how the rest should be placed, and where they were most needed.

The pile was then ordered to be kindled, but it was some time before it took fire, there being a quantity of green faggots which retarded the flame, so that it did not quickly communicate to the reeds. The morning also was lowering and cold with wind, which blew the flame from him, so that at first the fire only burned about him, and scarcely touched his person. Some dry faggots were then brought and the pile was rekindled-but still the fire was kept under on account of the direction of the wind, and only tortured him by scorching his skin, and burning his hair. During all this he repeated mildly, as if he felt no pain, "O Jesus, the Son of David, have mercy upon me, and receive my soul."-The second fire failing, he wiped his eyes with his hands, and called out: "For God's love, good people, let me have more fire." His lower extremities, however, were all the time under the action of the fire, which continued to burn below though it did not flame upwards. A third fire was kindled a little while after, which succeeded better, for then the bladders of gunpowder burst, but they had little effect in shortening his sufferings. The torments which he now endured are too dreadful to be adequately told. So long as he had power of speech he cried aloud, "Lord Jesu have mercy upon me-Lord Jesu have mercy upon me-Lord Jesus receive my spirit :" -which were the last words he was heard to utter. Soon he became black in the mouth, and his tongue was swoln that he could not speak, yet his lips moved until they were shrunk to the gums. He beat his breast with his hands until one of his arms dropped off, and then con

tinued the motion with the other, whilst the blood started from his fingers' ends, until that also, from the fire being renewed, became motionless, cleaving fast to the iron upon his breast. Then bowing forwards, his bowels having gushed out, he yielded up his spirit; having endured the agony of the flames for three quarters of an hour, or more, yet without any signs of impatience, dying "as quietly as a child in his bed *." Thus was that foreboding, which dwelled on the mind of this truly brave Martyr when he took leave of his friends at Zuric, accomplished in this scene of exemplary suffering: thus was a life of extraordinary exertion and travail, to him, not a passport to rest in old age, but only the prelude to a death of no common agony.

The protracted miseries which he had undergone in the long imprisonment which preceded his execution, had prematurely broken the healthy vigour of his body, (for he was not more than sixty years of age when he was cut off,) but his mind in the mean time had strengthened under the pressure which had been laid on it. In the afflicted sufferer for the Gospel's sake, we see nothing of that too impetuous zeal, which had before led him to resist the authorities both of the Church and the State, in so trivial a point as that of the ministerial vestments. The spirit, which was then bowed down in entire submission to the cross of Christ, no longer glowed with an ardour unworthy of the holy cause to which it was unreservedly devoted. The reconciliation which took place between Ridley and himself, while both of them were imprisoned in the common cause of the Gospel, marks the improved temper of Hooper, who first invited it by letters of kindness, as well as the frank generosity of Ridley, who as cordially received him into his affection.

Let it not, however, be understood, as if it were meant to pass too severe a censure on Hooper for his conduct in that matter, Intemperate and injudicious as his behaviour was, his motives were purely conscientious-while he refused to conform to the established ceremonial, he begged also that he might be allowed to decline the proffered bishopric. And if the Church has cause to blame him for originating a controversy, which proved afterwards a fruitful source of division among her members, let her place as an offset to this disparaging cir. cumstance, the triumphant evidence which he gave to the purity of the reformed doctrine, in the display of its sustaining and consolatory efficacy under the sorest temptations of worldly adversity. Let the indiscretion by which he did her hurt, be buried in oblivion in the sincerity of that love with which he loved her, and in the excess of the good which he conferred on her by the abundant usefulness of his holy life and death. And let the error of this faithful servant be a warning to all, that, however conscientious their zeal may be, it is not sufficient, alone, to warrant their conduct in matters of religious exertion; but that, on the contrary, the more assured they are of the sincerity of their opinions, the more cautiously should they examine themselves, lest they be betrayed into an extravagant mode of defending and asserting them, to the detriment of the Church.

Fox,-whose simple and admirable account of this blessed martyr's last suffer. pgs has been implicitly followed.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Observations on the System of Wesleyan Methodism, in a Letter to the Rev. R. Johnson, Superintendent of the Hull Circuit. By Mark Robinson.

"FAS est et abhoste doceri ;"-but indeed Mr. Mark Robinson scarcely deserves to be called an enemy; he is a true Wesleyan -a primitive Methodist by principle, though in connection with the Conference Methodists :-the nature of this distinction being not well understood in general out of their own body, a concise explanation of the parties into which they are divided, may be not unacceptable. John Wesley, their founder, having divided the whole country into districts, appointed a travelling preacher for each. The annual assembling of these preachers, to render an account of their charge, and especially of the contributions levied in their respective circuits, forms the Conference: no arrangement could be more natural, or better calculated to serve his purpose, while the Society was yet in its infancy, and its organization not complete. But if Wesley could have foreseen the vast augmentation of wealth and numbers which it has since acquired, he would probably have founded his institution on a broader basis; for now the local preachers, and the leaders of class meetings, consider themselves of no mean importance, and consequently grow more and more impatient of their exclusion from Conference; it is in truth, as one of their own writers confesses, the most singular Aristocracy that ever yet existed: a permanent body of travelling preachers, not in any way chosen by the Society, govern it with absolute and despotic sway. "The Conference," says our author, "retains to itself the whole and sole power of making any law it pleases;" (P. 16.) the only apparent exception to this sweeping prerogative, is a permission given to the quarterly circuit meetings to object to any law which they think injurious to the district.-Vox et præterea nihil-for the operation of the law cannot be suspended, unless the preachers, who have already concurred in making it, concur also in the objection; and even then, if the next Conference persist in it, there is no remedy. And as arbitrary governments are not contented with the enjoyment of despotic power, but they must secure themselves against all risks by suppressing freedom of discussion, so Conference muzzles all its loving subjects, and forbids the expression of their opinions. "The chairman of the quarterly meeting can prevent any subject being discussed of which he thinks Conference will disapprove,” (P. 11.) so that every circuit preacher,

presiding at these meetings, is in fact a Dictator, who clothing his own opinions with the majesty of Conference, proscribes at his discretion the subjects of debate: but the prerogative of Conference ends not here; it stretches far beyond the Quarterly meetings themselves; for if they should reject (it should rather be, object to) any new rule, they are prohibited from making it matter of discussion by publications, public meetings, or otherwise." (P. 12.) It is hard to say what number of radicals have at any time belonged to the Wesleyan Methodists; but it may fairly be assumed that they had their full share in proportion to their members; and there cannot well be a better proof, that the reforming mania was only an unnatural excitement, produced by some mischievous demagogues, than this fact, that, while the radicals in the Methodist Connexion were raving like madmen against political authority, which is so much controlled by popular opinion and other checks, they suffered themselves to be ridden by Conference with a hook in their nose, and a bridle in their mouth, and bore without murmuring a tyranny which levied heavy exactions upon their purses, shackled their opinions, and left them not the shadow of a right to interfere in their own concerns. "The people," says Dr. Coke, "have no power-we (i. e. the Conference) the whole, in the fullest sense which can be conceived." Long before the period we now speak of, this objection was felt so strongly, that in 1797 a large party separated from the Society, and formed what is called the New Connexion.

In process of time other exceptions were taken to the established discipline: in 1811 the Ranters, as they are commonly called, became a separate community; they maintained, that they best followed the example of their founders, by emancipating themselves from the restraints of buildings and circuits, and preaching wherever they found it expedient, or to use their own language, wherever they had a call, in the open air; and therefore they assumed the title of Primitive Methodists. They also have a representative Conference. Since that time many local preachers, ejected from the Connexion for non-conformity, have established congregational societies, who style themselves Independent Methodists; to this class probably may be referred a considerable party, who in the year 1820 began to be distinguished by the name of Tent Methodists, because they preached in tents, which was deemed by their brethren subversive of all established rules, and contrary to the allegiance which they owed to Conference. All these denominations of Methodists are dissenters from the Established Church; but there is a considerable body of them in Ireland, who call themselves Church Methodists, because they are in communion with the Establishment, or, Primitive Wesleyans, because Wesley, to the

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