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DRESS.

We need not to cry out against Bethlehem, but let us cry out on ourselves, for we are as ill in all points as they were.

I warrant you, there was many a jolly damsel at that time in Bethlehem, yet amongst them all there was not one found that would humble herself so much as once to go see poor Mary in the stable, and to comfort her. No, no; they were too fine to take so much pains. I warrant you they had their bracelets, and fardingales, and were trimmed with all manner of fine and costly raiment, like as there be many now-a-days amongst us, which study nothing else but how they may devise fine raiment; and in the mean season, they suffer poor Mary to lie in the stable; that is to say, the poor people of God they suffer to perish for lack of necessaries.* But what was her swaddling clothes wherein she laid the king of heaven and earth? no doubt it was poor gear, peradventure it was her kerchief which she took from her head.†

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† Burnet, in his History of his Own Times, when speaking of Sir H. Grimstone, says,—

"His second wife, whom I knew, was niece to the great Sir Francis Bacon, and was the last of that family. She had all the high notions for the church and the crown, in which she had been bred; but was the humblest, and devoutest, and the best tempered person I ever knew of that sort. It was really a pleasure to hear her talk of religion. She did it with so much elevation and force. She was always very plain in her clothes. And went oft to jails to consider the wants of the prisoners, and relieve or discharge them; and by the meanness of her dress she passed but for a servant trusted with the charities of others. When she was travelling in the country, as she drew near a village, she often ordered her coach to stay behind till she had walked about it, giving orders for the instruction of children, and leaving liberally for that end. With two such persons, I spent several of my years very happily."-"Virtue," says Lord Bacon, "is like a rich stone, best plain set. Cleanliness, and the civil beauty of the body was ever esteemed to proceed from a modesty of behavior, and a due reverence in the first place towards God, whose creatures we are: then towards society, wherein we live: then towards ourselves, whom we ought no less, nay much more to revere. But adulterate decoration by painting and ceruse, is well worthy the imperfections which attend it; being neither fine enough to deceive, nor handsome enough to please, nor wholesome to use. We read of Jesabel that she painted her face: but there is no such report of Esther or Judith."

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye shall love one another." So that he maketh love his cognizance, his badge, his livery. Like as every lord most commonly giveth a certain livery to his servants, whereby they may be known that they pertain unto him; and so we say yonder is this lord's servants, because they wear his livery. So our Saviour, who is the lord above all lords, would have his servants to be known by their liveries and badge, which badge is love alone. Whosoever now is indued with love and charity, is his servant; him we may call Christ's servant: for love is the token whereby you know that such a servant pertaineth to Christ; so that charity may be called the very livery of Christ. He that hath charity is Christ's servant he that hath not charity is the servant of the devil. For like as Christ's livery is love and charity, so the devil's livery is hatred, malice, and discord.

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION.

ST. LUKE hath OBSERVANTS, observants; that is, watchers, tooters, spies, much like the observant friars, the barefoot friars that were here; which indeed were the bishop of Rome's spies, watching, in every country, what was said or done against him. He had it quickly by one or other of his spies, they were his men altogether; his posts, to work against the regalita. In the court, in the noblemen's houses, in every merchant's house, those observants were spying, tooting, and looking, watching and praying, what they might hear and see, against the see of Rome. Take heed of these observants.*

I was once in examination before five or six bishops, where I had much turmoiling every week thrice I came to examination, and many snares and traps were laid to get something. Now God knoweth I was ignorant of the law; but that God gave me answer and wisdom what I should speak. It was God, indeed, for else I had never escaped them. At the last I was brought forth to be examined, in a chamber hanged with arras, where I was wont to be examined, but now at this time the chamber was

* Serm. xii. vol. 2, p. 236, ed. 1758.

somewhat altered. For whereas before there was wont ever to be a fire in the chimney, now the fire was taken away, and an arras hanging hanged over the chimney, and the table stood near the chimney's end; so that I stood between the table and the chimney's end. There was among these bishops that examined me, one with whom I have been very familiar, and took him for my great friend, an aged man, and he sat next the table's end. Then among all other questions, he put forth one, a very subtle and crafty one, and such a one indeed as I could not think so great danger in. And when I should make answer, I pray you, Master Latimer, saith he, speak out; I am very thick of hearing, and here be many that sit far off. I marvelled at this, that I was bidden to speak out, and began to misdeem, and gave an ear to the chimney. And, sir, there I heard a pen walking in the chimney behind the cloth. They had appointed one there to write all my answers, for they made sure work that I should not start from them, there was no starting from them. God was my good Lord, and gave me answer, I could never else have escaped it.* At the trial of Bishop Latimer in the 76th charge was read by the Bishop of Lincoln. Hugh Latimer, first, that thou in this University of Oxford, in the year 1554, in April, May, June, July, or in some one or more of them, hast affirmed, and openly defended and maintained, and in many other times and places besides, That the true and natural body of Christ, after the consecration of the priest, is not really present in the sacrament of the altar." Whereupon Lincoln, with the other Bishops, exhorted Master Latimer again to recant and revoke his errors. But on his refusal the Bishop of Lincoln called aloud to Master Latimer, and bid him hearken to him; and then he pronounced on him the sentence, and delivered him over to the secular power.

year
of his age, the
"We object to thee,

About eight of the clock Ridley and Latimer were conducted from the Mayor's house to the place of execution, which was a spot of ground on the north side of the town over-against Baliol College. In their way thither Ridley outwent Latimer some way before; but he looking back espied Latimer coming after, and

* Serm xii., vol. 1, p. 247, ed. 1758.

said to him, " O, be ye there?" "Yea," said Master Latimer, "have after as fast as I can follow." Bishop Ridley first entered the lists, dressed in his episcopal habit; and soon after, Bishop Latimer, as usual, in his prison garb. Master Latimer now suffered the keeper to pull off his prison-garb, and then he appeared in a shroud. Being ready, he fervently recommended his soul to God, and then delivered himself to the executioner saying, to the Bishop of London these prophetical words: "We shall this day, my lord, light such a candle in England, as shall never be extinguished."

SECTION III.

DR. SOUTH.

WHO can tell all the windings and turnings, all the depths, all the hollownesses and dark corners of the mind of man? He who enters upon this scrutiny, enters into a labyrinth or wilderness, where he has no guide but chance or industry to direct his inquiries, or to put an end to his search. It is a wilderness, in which a man may wander more than forty years; a wilderness through which few have passed to the promised land. Sermon on Prov. xxviii., 26.

1. In general.

PLEASURE.

2. In particular.

1. Sensual compared with intellectual pleasures.

2. Pleasure of great place.

3. Pleasure of amusement compared with the pleasure of

industry.

4. Pleasure of meditation.

5. Pleasure of religion.

PLEASURE IN GENERAL.

PLEASURE in general, is the apprehension of a suitable object, suitably applied to a rightly disposed faculty; and so must be conversant both about the faculties of the body and of the soul respectively.*

* Does not happiness consist in a due exercise of all our faculties? The harp in tune and properly played.

Strange that a harp with many strings
Should keep in tune so long.

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