himself; and more than once, Luther's liberty and his very life were in danger from them; but that God, who, in the early days of Christianity, had protected his apostles, and who, in after-times, had shielded Wickliffe and others from persecution and death, took care of Martin Luther also; brought him safely through all his dangers; and gave him courage and strength to do the work appointed him, even to his life's end. Often would he say, in the words of his favourite psalm, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge."

But we must not forget the affairs of England in those of Germany; so we will turn now from Martin Luther to King Henry VIII. and see what part he took in the Reformation.

The account of what had been done in Germany soon reached England, and the king himself became interested in the controversy now going on between Luther and the Pope. Henry had been educated as a papist, and he had none of that love for truth, for its own sake, which distinguished the noble reformer, and

others who, like him, earnestly desired to be guided in the right way. He took up the matter merely as one of party, and as might be expected, joined the Pope's side. He even wrote a book in opposition to Luther, and this so pleased Leo, that be bestowed upon Henry the title of "Defender of the Faith;" a title which is still given to the sovereigns of England, though with a meaning very different from that which it had as applied to Henry. The fact of a king having written a book on the doctrines of Luther, turned the attention of the people to the subject still more than before; so that Henry rather served the cause of truth than injured it, by the part he took in the controversy.

But though Luther's doctrines did not meet with much favour in Henry's court, there were some persons in England prepared to receive them, and to make them known to others. The Reformation was not to be confined to Germany, as you will see from what I am going now to tell you of one who may well be ranked amongst our English reformers.

In the town of Sodbury in Gloucestershire, there lived about this time a family much noted for their hospitality. The heads of this family were Sir John and Lady Walsh; they had several children, for whom they engaged a private tutor, a young man named Tyndale; and

it is to him chiefly that our story refers. Tyndale had been a student in the university of Cambridge; and it seems that he learnt, during his residence there, what Luther had learnt at his monastery in Germany,-to read and to love the Bible; to find out, while studying it, the errors of the Romish church, and to determine, by God's help, to renounce and oppose them. At the house of Sir John and Lady Walsh, Tyndale frequently met some of the neighbouring Roman Catholic priests,men who knew little of the truth, and were quite opposed to the doctrines of Luther It happened one day, that Tyndale was holding an argument on the subject now so frequently talked of, with some of these visitors; and he supported his opinions, as he was accustomed to do, by appeals to Scripture. His opponents did not at all like this; and one of them, wishing perhaps to put an end to the conversation altogether, angrily interrupted Tyndale, saying, "We had better be without God's laws than the Pope's." Tyndale could not hear such words as these without giving a reply, and entering his protest against them, and he warmly answered, "I defy the Pope and his laws; and if God spare my life, I will, in a few years, make the boy who drives the plough know more of Scripture than you do.' No doubt his companion was surprised to hear

the young student talk in this way, and perhaps he might have been inclined to contradict, or to scoff at the remark just made. What further passed between them, I do not know; but certainly Tyndale had not spoken without thought, nor without intending to follow up his words by actions. He had long ago desired to make the word of God more fully known among the people, and now he determined that he actually would do so. He resolved to undertake a new translation of the Holy Scriptures, which was much wanted, and to circulate it through the country. But then where could he do this? Not in the house of Sir John Walsh; for he would meet with opposition there, and perhaps be prevented from undertaking the work at all. So he looked about for some person who would give him protection, and enable him to prosecute his labours in safety. At last he was kindly received by a citizen of London named Monmouth, and in his house he remained a year. But Tyndale found it difficult, and impossible indeed, to carry out his plans there. He soon saw that the work could not be safely performed in London, nor even in England, so he left the country, and went to the city of Cologne on the Rhine. There he laboured so diligently, that in the course of two or three years, he had actually translated the gospels

of Matthew and Mark, and published them, and had nearly prepared the whole of the New Testament for printing; for it was now, you remember, no longer necessary to write out with pen and ink every book that was to be read and circulated. By means of the happy art which had been invented, as I told you, in the last century, books could be put forth much more quickly, and in much larger numbers than formerly; and how nobly was that art applied, in multiplying copies of the word of God, to be sent through the length and breadth of our land!

For a while, Tyndale went on with his work in Cologne, patiently and successfully. But it always happens that, when good is attempted, the enemies of the truth are busy too, and try to do what they can to stop its progress; and so it was now. Tyndale, or rather the gospel which he was endeavouring to make known, had secret enemies in Cologne, who were watching all his movements; and when they found out the plan he had formed for translating, printing, and sending over 3000 copies of the New Testament in order to convert the people to Luther's opinions, they determined, if possible, to put a stop to it at once. So they made known the matter to the government authorities of the place, and prevailed on them to forbid the printer to proceed with the