answered, "You, most worthy prince, I am always willing and ready to obey, forasmuch as I know you to be the minister of God, bearing the sword for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; unto you, next to my eternal God, I owe all obedience, and submit all that I have unto you, being ready at all times to do whatever you shall, in the Lord, command me. But as touching the pope, I owe him no suit nor service, knowing him, by the Scripture, to be the son of perdition.'

The king, hearing this Christian-like answer, dismissed him. He was at last cited before the archbishop and the council'. Amongst the contemptuous looks of fiery zealots, he came forward firm and undaunted. The archbishop accosted him with great mildness, and said that he expected to see him suing for absolution; but that the door was still open, if reflection had brought him to himself. "I have transgressed against you in nothing," said he; "I have no need of absolution." Then kneeling down and lifting up his hands to heaven, he broke out, "I confess myself here, before the Almighty God, to have been a grievous sinner; how often have my ungoverned passions misled my youth! How often have I been drawn into sin by the temptations of the world! Here absolution is wanted; O my God, I humbly ask thy mercy." Then turning to the assembly, with tears in his eyes, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lo, these are your guides, good people! For the most flagrant transgressions of God's moral law, was I never once called in question by them; I have expressed some dislike to their arbitrary appointments and traditions, and I am treated with unparalleled severity. But let them remember the denunciations of Christ against the Pharisees; all shall be fulfilled." He was then asked his opinion with regard to the Holy Sacraments, which

1 The account of Lord Cobham's trial is very instructive, as it affords a remarkable and very satisfactory example of the faith of the Gospel being brought into practice. While he zealously protests against the sin and idolatry of the times, he showed deep humility and penitence for sin, and at the same time a firm reliance on the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, thus proving whose servant he was, and in whose strength he was enabled to bear up against the malice of his persecutors.

occasioned a violent discussion; after which, amidst great disorder, he said, “ Before God and man, I here profess, that before I knew Wickliffe, I never abstained from sin, but after I was acquainted with that virtuous man, I saw my errors, and I hope reformed them." The resolution with which Lord Cobham behaved on this occasion, with the quickness and pertinence of his answers, so much amazed his adversaries, that they had nothing to reply. After some time one of the doctors broke silence, and questioned him concerning the sacrament of confession, the authority of the pope, and the worship of images; these he severally answered with boldness of language. How strikingly was the promise of the Saviour to his faithful followers here fulfilled-“I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist.” At length, the bill of condemnation against him as a heretic was read. Lord Cobham exclaimed, "You may condemn my body; but I am well assured, you can do no harm to my soul, any more than could Satan to the soul of Job. He that created it will of his infinite mercy save it. Of this I have no manner of doubt. And in regard to these articles of my belief, I will, by the grace of the eternal God, stand to them, even to my very death;" and turning to the people said,* "Good Christian people, for God's sake, be well aware of these men; they will otherwise beguile you, and lead you to destruction." Having said this, he fell upon his knees, and raising his hands said, "Lord God eternal, I beseech Thee of thy infinite mercy to forgive my persecutors." He was sent to the Tower; but he made his escape, and fled into Wales, where he continued four years, till Lord Powis, under pretence of friendship, betrayed him. The House of Lords confirmed the sentence of the bishops, that he should be drawn through the streets of London, to the gallows of St. Giles-in-theFields; there he was hung up in chains, as a traitor and a heretic, and fire being put under him, he was burnt to death.

Thus perished a nobleman, who was in every way qualified to be an ornament to his country; who became a Christian upon conviction; and though surrounded by

enemies, and living in the midst of temptation, from his high rank, and exalted position, was not ashamed to profess himself a humble follower of the Lord Jesus, but continued stedfast to the end, and at last laid down his life, a martyr to the cause which he had so boldly supported.

This excellent man, by a slight degree of dissimulation, might have softened his adversaries, and have escaped a troublesome persecution, and a cruel death. But sincerity is essential to a true servant of Jesus Christ; and Lord Cobham knew, that had he yielded to the opinions of his enemies for the sake of saving his life, he would have been denying his Lord, and showing that he feared man more than God; he was sustained by the blessed promises of the Redeemer, "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is heaven," and "whoso loseth his life for my sake shall find it," and "keep it unto life eternal:" thus he died, as he had lived, in the faith and hope of the Gospel; and bearing to the end a noble testimony to its genuine doctrines; "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a M. D.

season.'

ON THE MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES AND FISHES.

ST. JOHN vi. 1-14.

THE miracle of feeding the five thousand with five barley loaves and two small fishes, is recorded by all the Evangelists. The relation of it by St. John being rather more full than the rest, is appointed to be read as the Gospel for the Sunday immediately preceding Advent Sunday, because it was so great a display of power as to draw forth from the multitude the acknowledgment"This is of a truth that prophet which should come into the world." St. John tells us, that when this miracle was performed, the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. He mentions this fact, to account for the great number of people who were at this time assembled round Christ.

At the Passover, Jews from all quarters of the world were in the habit of meeting at Jerusalem, in order to

commemorate there, as God had commanded them, the signal mercies they had received when the destroying angel smote all the first-born of the Egyptians, and passed over them. The multitude miraculously fed by Christ, consisted, no doubt, of parties coming on this errand from different quarters to Jerusalem. They had heard of the fame of Jesus; and it appears that they had witnessed some wonderful cures which He did by a word from his mouth on them that were diseased; they had therefore followed Him in the hope of seeing and hearing something more of Him. In reading the history of this miracle with attention, there are some points which cannot fail particularly to strike us, and they are full of useful instruction if we are disposed to profit by them. The first thing that we remark is the compassion of Jesus Christ. He knew that this multitude had travelled a long way, and were wearied-that the time of their principal meal was at hand, and that they had nothing to eat; neither were they near any place where so great a multitude could have procured refreshment. Pitying their condition, He appears on this occasion to have stepped out of his usual course. In general his power was shown in curing diseases, casting out devils, and even raising the dead; but here He condescended to perform a special miracle to supply the bodily wants of these wearied travellers, who had loitered on their journey, to see Him, and to hear his gracious words, so kind is He to all who show the least desire to listen to his invitations of mercy, and who follow Him to learn his will. Here then Christ teaches us, that, whilst we are to be particularly anxious and careful about the spiritual wants of our brethren, we are not to neglect their earthly wants, but, after his example, to supply their necessities, and add to their comforts, as far as our means permit us. We remark also that our blessed Lord, before distributing the food, "blessed it," that is, He offered up thanks to his Almighty Father for the supply, and prayed that it might be for the comfort and refreshment of those about to partake of it, thus admonishing us never to sit down to our meals, without having our hearts filled with gratitude to the bountiful Giver of all good things, and

praying for his blessing upon them; so may we hope that our food shall nourish us, and keep us in bodily health and strength, and enable us to perform the duties of our various stations in life. Whatever those stations may be, it is one and the same God who places us all in them; and to Him alone it is owing, that health and cheerfulness, domestic happiness and contentment, are around our boards. These are the great mercies which make any station in life full of peace and joy; without them none can be so. We must therefore never forget to thank God in our blessed Saviour's name, for our daily supply of food, and to pray for his continual blessing upon it. By so doing, we obey the holy precept of St. Paul-" Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." But if we live in the habitual neglect of this duty, we show ourselves to be ungrateful servants, and our unthankful conduct must, sooner or later, bring down upon our heads the severe displeasure of God. There is yet another point in our Saviour's conduct on this occasion, well worthy of our notice and imitation. We see how careful He was that there should be no waste the fragments that remained after all were satisfied, were not to be left on the ground as useless; but to be gathered up and put by for some future occasion, "that nothing should be lost. Now as Christ teaches us to be liberal and kind to others, He here shows us how we may be so, and that is by being careful and frugal, and allowing no waste of the good things He gives us. By being thus prudent, we take the surest means, under God's blessing, of keeping want from our own doors, and also of having something to spare for the wants of others. True liberality and discreet carefulness always go together. The Jews, in this matter, afford us an excellent example; they thought it a very great sin to waste bread, or to suffer it to be trodden upon, and it was a favourite proverb of theirs-"He that despiseth bread falleth into the depths of poverty." Here, then, in reading the history of this miracle with attention, we are taught by our blessed Saviour, though it is by no means all that we are taught, these excellent lessons, of "being kind and compassionate to our brethren-of being grateful to