perfect and lively mirror of true nobility and sincere godliness --was not the taking away of him (alas for sorrow !) a sure sign and an evident token that some great evil hung over this realm of England ?"

That Becon was an eminent preacher of the reformed doctrines appears from his having been committed to the Tower, with Bradford and Veron, within a fortnight after the accession of queen Mary. He was at that time rector of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, in the city of London. After a severe imprisonment of seven monthș, he was released, but was deprived of his living by the early proceedings of the queen against the married clergy; it is indeed most surprising that he should have been liberated, while many persons far less distinguished as preachers of the truth, were detained in prison under different pretences until popery was fully restored, when they were burned. These early proceedings, however, warned him of his danger, and after remaining in concealment for some time, he escaped to the continent, where he continued till the death of queen Mary—he was, to use Strype's expression, “a man mightily tossed about.”

Becon's writings were included by name in the proclamation of Philip and Mary against the writings of the principal reformers, and many copies doubtless were destroyed. While upon the continent he was not idle, but wrote several of his tracts. In an epistle to the persecuted brethren in England, he directed them to their only refuge and deliverer; it was read in the private meetings of the protestants, and, with similar writings of other reformers, imparted edification and comfort to many.

In the preface written in 1563, Becon says, “ The cross of Christ was laid upon the true christians of this realm not many years past, so that divers of our countrymen were most grievously persecuted, most cruelly apprehended, imprisoned, stocked, chained, manacled, brought forth, accused, condemned, and burnt to ashes. Divers were secretly famished, and murdered in prison, spoiled of all their goods, exiled and banished into strange countries.-I, at that time being partaker of exile and banishment, after long and that most miserable imprisonment, (to let pass my other afflictions, wherewith I was daily encumbered, besides the deceitful assaults of satan and his ministers, wherewith I was without ceasing troubled and disquieted, not only outwardly, but also inwardly;) oftentimes called unto

remembrance the most wretched and pitiful state of England, sometime flowing with the knowledge of God's word, as the sea with waters, but then wrapped full of blind ignorance and ignorant blindness, I considered with myself what I might do to help the miseries of my poor countrymen, especially such as were afflicted for the gospel's sake. Not knowing how otherwise to gratify them, I wrote an epistle and sent it to certain godly brethren, declaring in it the causes of all the miseries and calamities which were fallen upon England: again, how they might be redressed; and finally, what a merciful Lord our God is to all faithful penitent sinners that unfeignedly turn unto him. This epistle was not read of the brethren without fruit. I added a humble supplication unto God for the restoring of his holy word unto the church of England, wherein the devout christian complains his grief and sorrow unto the Lord for taking away the light of Christ's gospel, and most humbly acknowledging his fault and deserved punishment, most heartily wishes for the subversion of Antichrist's kingdom, and the restitution of Christ's most glorious kingdom to the realm of England.”

At this period several of Becon's tracts relative to the Romish controversy were written; among them an epistle to the popish priests, showing the difference between the Lord's Supper and the mass, which he declares to be “ a wicked idol."

When queen Elizabeth came to the throne, Becon returned to England, and again laboured zealously and successfully to promote the truth. In 1560, he was appointed to the rectory of Buckland, in Hertfordshire, and subsequently to that of Christ Church, Newgate, which he afterwards resigned; and in 1563, was appointed to the living of Dionis Backchurch, in London. Like many of the exiles and most excellent characters of that day, he desired that greater liberty as to uniformity should be permitted than was then allowed ; and he was one of the large minority in the convocation, which supported a petition for greater freedom with respect to some rites and ceremonies.*

In January 1564–5, the clergy of London attended at Lambeth : they were required to subscribe to the recent ecclesiastical regulations, but several declined. Strype relates in his

See Strype's Annals. Fifty-eight, including proxies, supported the petition, fifty-nine opposed it; the majority of the inditiduals present voted for it.

life of Grindal, “ Many upon this were sequestered, and afterwards some deposed and deprived – Whittingham and Becon refused at first, but afterwards subscribed and were preferred." It does not clearly appear what preferment he obtained after this; but he was appointed to preach at Paul's cross in the following year, and the lord mayor petitioned archbishop Parker, requesting his grace to prevail upon Becon to preach one of the Spital Sermons. After this time he seems to have resided chiefly at Canterbury, where he held a prebend, and from whence he dated the preface to his collected works, and to his Postills, or plain sermons upon the gospels appointed to be read throughout the year. In that city he died about 1567.

Becon was one of the most laborious and useful writers and preachers among the British reformers. His publications exceed forty in number; some are of considerable length. The earliest was printed in 1541, and the latest in 1566. They embrace a much wider range of subjects than the works of any other writer of that day. Several of them are upon the Romish controversy, and manifest a thorough knowledge of the subject, but the greater part of them do not directly relate thereto. Their contents are also exceedingly scriptural; frequently for pages together, they exhibit a collection of passages from holy writ, illustrating in a very striking manner the subjects upon which the author is treating. All the reformers were “ mighty in the scriptures,” but Becon, especially, “ abounded" therein.

Most of his publications were originally printed as separate tracts, and widely circulated in that form. Day the printer, in 1549, applied for a license, which was granted, authorizing him to reprint all the writings of Becon, which evidently shows that the demand for them was considerable. A uniform and corrected edition of his works was printed in 1564 under his own superintendence, dedicated to the archbishops and bishops of the realm. They form three volumes in folio, and are now among the scarcest of the writings of the Elizabethan reformers. Few of them have been reprinted since that time; and the numerous and excellent writings of this pious and learned divine have been suffered to fall into unmerited oblivion, although highly commended by archbishop Parker and other writers.

The most complete list of Becon's works which can be ascertained, is as follows :

1. News from Heaven. 2. The Christmas Banquet. 3. A Potation for Lent. 4. The pathway to Prayer. 5. A pleasant Nosegay. 6. The Policy of War. 7, David's Harp newly stringed; an exposition on Psalm cxv. 8. A New Year's Gift. 9. An Invective against Swearing. 10. The Governance of Virtue. 11. A new Catechism. 12. Preface to the book of Christian Matrimony. 13. The Jewel of Joy. 14. The Principles of the Christian Religion. 15. A Treatise of Fasting. 16. The Castle of Comfort. 17. The Solace of the Soul. 18., The Fortress of the Faithful. 19. The Christian Knight. 20. Homily against Whoredom. 21. The Flower of godly Prayers. 22. The Pomander of Prayer. 23. The Sick Man's Salve. 24. Dialogue between the Angel and the Shepherds. 25. An Invective against Whoredom. 26. A comfortable Epistle to the afflicted People of God. 27. A Supplication unto God for restoring of his holy Word. 28. The displaying of the Popish Mass. 29. Common-places of the Holy Scripture. 30. Comparison between the Lord's Supper and the Pope's Mass. 31. Proofs from the Fathers against the popish errors relative to the Sacrament. 32. The monstrous Merchandise of the Romish Bishops. 33. The Reliques of Rome. 34. The diversity between God's word and man's invention. 35. The Acts of Christ and antichrist. 36. Christ's Chronicle. 37. The Summary of the New Testament. 38. The Demands of the Holy Scripture. 39. The glorious Triumph of God's blessed Word. 40. The praise of Death. 41. Postills, or Sermons upon the Gospels for the Sundays and Holy Days throughout the year. There are a few other pieces ascribed to Becon, and some translations. He also assisted in the Bishop's Bible.

Only a small part of Becon's writings could be included in the present collection-a preference therefore has been given to those which are upon the subjects the least noticed by other reformers. Some omissions have been made where Becon was unnecessarily diffuse. To each of his tracts is prefixed a short preface or epistle, addressed to some individual of note at that period; a few of these have been retained.

Such is a brief sketch of this excellent reformer, who was justly celebrated for his great learning, his frequent preaching, bis manifold sermons and excellent writings"-WHEREBY HE

BEING DEAD YET SPEAKETH.

THE

NEWS OUT OF HEAVEN,

BOTH PLEASANT AND JOYFUL, LATELY SET FORTH TO THE

GREAT CONSOLATION AND COMFORT OF ALL TRUE

CHRISTIANS.

BY THOMAS BECON.

A. D. 1541.

Ob, how beautiful are the feet of them which bring the glad tidings of peace, and show good and joyful news.-Rom. x.

Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy that shall come to all people. For unto you is horn this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.—Luke ii.

My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of bimself, seeketh his own praise ; but whosoever seeketh bis praise that sent him, he is true and no uprighteousness in him.-John vii.

He that is, of God, heareth the words of God.-John viii.
Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice.- John xviii.

GABRIEL

THE

ANGEL AND AMBASSADOR OF GOD

# SPEAKETH,

WHEREFORE are ye sad, O ye mortal men? Wherefore do ye walk as persons desolate, dismayed, and altogether comfortless? Wherefore do ye sigh, weep, sob, and take thought ? Wherefore do ye wring your hands and tear your hair? Why, rather, do ye not rejoice? Why do ye not elevate and lift up your heads, walking pleasantly? Why do ye not look with smiling countenances? Why do ye net