rity, they have contrived by their fubtle "practices to draw into their affiftance the "civil power in almost all the states of chrif"tendom. In this nation especially, they have "long impofed upon your fubjects by their "delufions, and kept them in awe by their "fpiritual cenfures; and when they faw the "truth likely to prevail, and gather strength "from their oppofition, they have at length "obtained your Majefty's proclamation in "their favour, and have got it declared trea"fon to read the Scriptures in English. Hear

me, I beseech your Majefty, a few words, " and let me intreat you to call to mind the example of Chrift and his Apoftles, their "manner of life, their preaching, and whole "behaviour; that comparing them with the fpiritual guides of this day, your Majesty

may the better judge who are the true fol"lowers of Christ. And firft it is evident, "that fimplicity of manners, and hearts fe

queftered from the world, were the striking "characteristics of the firft preachers of the "gofpel, and of our bleffed Lord himself. Poverty in fpirit was then practifed as well as

preached. Alas! it is fince those days that "chriftian teachers, mafking their worldly "hearts under the pretence of voluntary poverty, and an exclufion from carnal things, "have wormed themselves into more than regal wealth; and have wickedly kept what they have craftily obtained, by fomenting foreign or domeftic ftrife, in all places, as "their purposes were beft ferved; and by blafphemously dealing out even the punishments

" of

"of heaven against all who had refolution e

nough to make any stand against their cor"ruptions. By what arts they have evaded a "late act of parliament against their encroach"ments, your Majefty well knows. Think "not, gracious fovereign, that I exceed the "bounds of charity in what I fay: I only offer " to your Majefty's confideration a rule, which " was once prescribed by a greater Master, By "their fruits fhall ye know them. Another mark "of the true difciples of Chrift, is their being " at all times expofed to perfecution. It would "be endless to quote all the paffages of Scrip"ture in which this burden is univerfally laid

upon good Chriftians. Contempt and re"proach is their common lot, and often the "most violent perfecutions, even to death it"felf. Wherever, therefore, the word of God "is truly preached, you must expect to fee per"fecution in one shape or other. On the con"trary, wherever you fee cafe and luxury, and

a quiet poffeffion of worldly pleafures, there "the truth cannot poffibly be. For the world "loveth only fuch as are worldly; and the "favourers of the gofpel can expect nothing " in it from reason, and are promised nothing "in it by Scripture, but vexation and trouble. "From this diftinction again, your Majefty, by "the affiftance of the above-mentioned rule,

By their fruits ye shall know them, will be able

to judge, who are the true followers of Chrift: "wherever you obferve perfecution, there is "more than a probability that truth lies on "the perfecuted fide. As for a notion, which "has been infused into your Majefty, that the

Scrip

"

Scriptures in the hands of the people might move them to rebellion, your Majesty may judge of the falfhood of this likewife by "the fame rule: By their fruits fhall ye know "them. How is it poffible, that a book, which "inculcates obedience to Magiftrates with the greatest earnestness, can be the cause of se"dition? The thing speaks itself, and discovers

only how their malice is at a lofs for topics of "invective. When King David fent ambaffa"dors to the young King of the Ammonites "to condole with him upon the death of his "father, your Majefty may remember what "unadvised counfel was given to that rafh « Prince. His councellors put it into his "head, contrary to all reason, that David's meffengers came only as fpies and that "David certainly meant an invafion. The young King, upon this, without farther ce

"

remony, wantonly fhaved the heads of the "ambaffadors, and treated them with other « inftances of contempt. But the following

verfes inform us how the affair ended. The "deftruction of the whole land, we read, was "the confequence of liftening to imprudent "counfel. Let not, great King, this fact find "its parallel in English hiftory. The ambaffa"dors of a great Prince are now making fuit to you; the holy Evangelifts, and Apostles of "Chrift. Be upon your guard; and believe "not the idle tales of those who would per"fuade you, that these meffengers of peace

are coming to foment fedition in your land. "Would your Majesty know the true cause of "this confederacy, as I may well call it, against

"the

"the word of God; examine the lives of those "that are the leaders of it, and confider whether "there may not be fome private reafons in

ducing fuch perfons to keep a book in con"cealment, which cries out loudly againft all "kind of vice. And if your Majefty wants to "know the fource of rebellions, I think a much "fairer one may be conjectured at, than the use "of an English Bible. For my own part, I "have long been of opinion, that a greater en"couragement of civil diforder could hardly "have been invented, than the church-trade of

pardons and indulgencies; to which may be " added the bad examples of the Clergy, and "the little care they are generally thought to "take in the discharge of their duty. As for "those who are now in question about your

Majefty's late proclamation, I am creditably "informed, there is not one among them, "who hath not in every respect, demeaned «himself as a peaceable and good fubject; "excepting only this one cafe, in which they

thought their religion and confciences con"cerned. In this particular, however, I excuse "them not; nor will I take upon me intirely "to defend the books for which they fuffer "for indeed, many of them I have never read; "only this your Majesty must give me leave to

fay, that it is impoffible the many inconveni"encies can follow from these books, and efpecially from the Scripture, which they would perfuade mankind will follow. Accept, gra"cious fovereign, without displeasure, what "I have written. I thought it my duty to mention these things to your Majesty. No

"per

*perfonal quarrel, as God fhall judge me, have I with any man; I wanted only to induce your Majefty to confider well what kind of perfons you have about you, and the ends for which they counfel; indeed, great Prince, many of them, or they are much flandered, "have very private ends. God grant your Majefty may fee through all the defigns of evil men, and be in all things equal to the high "office with which you are entrusted? Where"fore, gracious King, remember yourfelf; have pity upon your own foul; and think "that the day is at hand, when you fhall r give account of your office, and of the blood that hath been shed by your fword. In the "which day, that your grace may stand sted*faftly, and not be afhamed, but be clear

and ready in your reckoning, and have your pardon fealed with the blood of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, which only ferveth at "that day, is my daily prayer to him who fuf"fered death for our fins. The Spirit of God preferve you!"

This honeft letter had but little visible effect on Henry, but ftatesmen are seldom governed by other motives than thofe of policy and felfintereft; it was therefore the King's intereft to oblige and hearken to the whole body of the English Clergy rather than to the remonftrances of one fingle man; though Henry might in his own confcience be fatisfied of the truth and rectitude of what Latimer had afferted. And, I think it is not to be doubted, but the above letter was of future use to its author.

Master Latimer now at his cure, pursuing his preaching, in the manner already obferved, his d dili