not to hear the sound of the gospel which was about to be preached in that house of prayer, but left the house of God to enter it, alas, no more for ever! And, Christian friends, where is his soul?

'Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all:

Close up his eyes, and draw the curtain close;

And let us all to meditation.'

We can conceive nothing more awful than death under such circumstances. How fearful the thought, that as the tree falls, so must it lie; as death finds us, so must judgment overtake us!' But some one may perhaps be ready to say, Why does God permit such awful visitations ? But what says the Scripture, "Shall not the Judge of all the world do right?" Gen. x, 25. "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker: let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth," Isai. lxv. 9. Let no one suppose this man was more wicked than others, as we read in the thirteenth of St. Luke, of some who told Jesus of certain Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, "And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans wer sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you nay. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwell in Jerusalem? I tell you nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." These are the words of our blessed Lord, and I hesitate not to say, that there are numbers among us, even among those who read this paper, that are much greater sinners than this man was: they may not be drunkards, or murderers, or thieves, or swearers, or liars; but, reader, can you

say that you are not a Sabbath-breaker, in thought, word, or deed? Can you say that you indulge no secret sin? unseen indeed by man, but open to God. Do you not strive against the influence of God's Holy Spirit? Do you not live in the constant neglect of private, family, and public prayer? Do you never take God's name in vain, if not by open swearing, yet by lightly or irreverently using it? Do you not neg lect the study of God's word which should be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path? Dɔ you love God with all your heart, soul, and strength? Do you love your neighbour as yourself? Let me tell you, that any one sin unrepented of will sink you into eternal ruin: and can you say you do not indulge one sin? rather search into your heart and see if you have ever forsaken one.

Reader, think, I beseech you, of this sad story: and let the thought, that what was his case may be yours, haunt you from morning to night, and from night until morning, until you repent you of your sins and turn unto the Lord. Reader, you have, or might have, the word of God in your house; there is a Church in your parish, where you might attend every Sabbath day. Oh, believe me, every neglected opportunity will add to the torments of hell. Every conviction stifled or trifled with will sink you lower in the bottomless pit. And, beloved reader, make what excuse you may after reading this account, you can never say you have not been warned. Take it then as a call from God, and if you heed it not, it will be brought up in judgment against you at the last day, when the dead, both small and great, shall stand before God, and the books be opened, and the dead be

judged out of those things which are written in the books; and "whosoever shall not be found written in the book of life shall be cast into the lake of fire."

E.

FATHERS OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH.

THE LIFE AND MARTYRDOM OF
JOHN FRITH.

As related by John Fox, in his Acts and Monuments of the Christian Martyrs.

(Continued from page 270, Vol. X.)

There was at that time in London a tailor, named William Holt, who, feigning great friendship toward this party, instantly required of him to give him license to read over that same writing of Frith's. Which, when he unadvisedly did, the other, by and by, carried it unto More, being then chancellor. Which thing afterward was occasion of great trouble, and also of death unto the said Frith. For More having gotten a copy of this book, not only of this sycophant, but also two other copies, which at the same time in a manner were sent by other promoters, he whetted his wits, and called his spirits together, as much as he might, meaning to refute his opinions by a contrary book.

When More (as is aforesaid) had gotten a copy of this treatise, he sharpened his pen all that he might,

to make answer to this young man, (for so he called him throughout his whole book,) but in such sort, that when the book was once set forth and shewed unto the world, then he endeavoured himself, all that he might, to keep it from printing, peradventure lest that any copy thereof should come unto Frith's hands. But, notwithstanding when at the last Frith had gotten a copy thereof, by means of his friends, he answered him out of the prison, omitting nothing that any man could desire, to the perfect and absolute handling of the matter. And as it were a great labour, so do I think it not much necessary to repeat all his reasons and arguments, or the testi monies which he had gathered out of the doctors: specially, forasmuch as the Archbishop of Canterbury (Cranmer) in his Apology' against the Bishop of Winchester, seemed to have collected them abundantly, gathering the principal and chiefest helps from thence that he leaned unto against the other and I doubt much whether the Archbishop ever gave any more credit unto any author of that doctrine, than unto this aforesaid Frith.

What dexterity of wit was in him, and excellency of doctrine, it may appear not only by his books which he wrote of the Sacrament, but also in them which he entitled of Purgatory. In the which quarrel he withstood the violence of three most obstinate enemies; that is to say, of Rochester, More, and Rastall, whereof the one by the help of the doctors, the other by wresting of the Scripture, and the third by the help of natural philosophy had conspired against him. But he, as a Hercules, fighting not against two only, but even with them all three at

once, did so overthrow and confound them, that he converted Rastall to his part.

Besides, all these commendations of this young man, there was also in him a friendly and prudent moderation in uttering of the truth, joined with a learned godliness. Which virtue hath always so much prevailed in the Church of Christ, that without it all other good gifts of knowledge, be they never so great, cannot greatly profit, but oftentimes do very much hurt. And would God, that all things in all places were so

that there was no

free from all kind of dissention, mention made amongst Christians of Zuinglians, and Lutherans; when as neither Zuinglius, neither Luther died for us; but that we might be all one in Christ. Neither do I think that any thing could happen more grievous unto those worthy men, than their names so to be abused to sects and factions which so greatly withstood and strove against all factions. Neither do I here discourse, which part came nearest unto the truth: neither so rashly intermeddle in this matter that I will detract any thing from either part, but rather wish of God, I might join either part unto other.

But now, forasmuch as we intreat of the story of John Frith, I cannot choose but must needs carnestly and heartily embrace the prudent and godly moderation which was in that man, who, maintaining his quarrel of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper no less godly than learnedly (and so as no man in a manner had done it more learnedly and pithily,) yet he did it so moderately, without any contention, that he would never seem to strive against the Papists, except he had been driven to it even of necessity.