a door or vine. Wherefore Christ called the bread His body by a figure."

The torrent of abuse with which this reply was met may be imagined. It was now obvious that only one thing could be done-to send such a "villain" (as he was called) up to London for examination: Bonner would soon bring him to a right mind.

To London accordingly he was brought, and before Bonner (to whom in a letter the case had been explained) the controversy was renewed. "Wilt thou not recant thy saying," asked the bishop, "how that Christ's body is not in the sacrament of the altar, the same that was born of the Virgin Mary ?” "I WILL NOT RECANT, BY GOD'S HELP."

Bishop. "I think thou art ashamed to bear a faggot, and recant openly; but if thou wilt recant thy sayings, I will promise thee that thou shalt not be put to open shame: but speak the word here now between me and thee, and I will promise thee it shall go no further, and thou shalt go home again without any hurt."

Hunter. " My lord, if you will let me alone, and leave me to my conscience, I will go to my father and dwell with him, or else with my master again; and so, if nobody will disquiet or trouble my conscience, I will keep my conscience to myself."

Bishop. "I am content, so that thou wilt go to the church, and receive, and be shriven."

Hunter. "No, I WILL NOT DO SO, FOR ALL THE GOOD IN THE WORLD." Bishop. "Then if you will not do so, I will make you sure enough, I warrant you."

Hunter. "You can do no more than God will permit you."
Bishop. "Wilt thou not recant indeed by any means?"
Hunter. "No! NEVER WHILE I LIVE, GOD WILLING.

For his faithfulness, miscalled obstinacy, he was ordered to the stocks, where, with a crust of brown bread and a cup of water, untasted, by his side, he remained two days and two nights. Again he was examined by Bonner, and being found of the same mind still, was sent to the convict prison with a charge that the keeper should "lay irons upon him, as many as he could bear." For nine months he was in prison, during which time he was examined by the bishop on five different occasions. "You will be burned," said Bonner, "ere you be twenty years old, if you will not yield yourself better than you have done yet." To this the response was- "GOD STRENGTHEN ME IN HIS TRUTH!"

Bonner's burning zeal soon burst forth; and, as is well known, Rogers was its first victim.

The date of that first martyrdom was February 4th, 1555.

On February 9th, the same day on which were burnt Bishop Hooper and Dr Taylor, William Hunter was brought (together with five others) before Bonner at St Paul's. It was to be their final examination, when they must either recant or be condemned. Need I say that one and all witnessed "a good confession before many witnesses ?"

Hunter's former replies were read over-his confession that he received Christ's body spiritually in the Communion. "Dost thou mean," said Bonner, "that the bread is Christ's body spiritually ?"-"I mean not so," was the answer, "but rather when I receive the Holy Communion rightly and worthily, I do feed upon Christ spiritually, through faith in my soul, and am made partaker of all the benefits which Christ hath

brought unto all faithful believers through His precious death, passion, and resurrection: and not that the bread is His body, either spiritually or corporally. "Dost thou not think," said Bonner, holding up his cap, "that, for example here of my cap, thou mayest see the squareness and colour of it, and yet that not be the substance, which thou judgest by the accidents ?" Replied Hunter: "If you can separate the accidents from the substance, and show me the substance without the accidents, I could believe." "Thou wilt not believe that God can do anything above man's capacity," said Bonner. "Yes," was the reply; "I must needs believe that; for daily experience teacheth all men that thing plainly: but our question is not what God can do, but what He will have us to learn in His holy Supper."

William Hunter would not recant, and so he was condemned to die. But an offer of life was once more made, even though the sentence of condemnation had been passed. "If thou wilt yet recant, I will make thee a freeman in the city, and give thee forty pound in good money to up thine occupation withal: or I will make thee steward of my house, and set thee in office; for I like thee well. Thou hast wit enough, and I will prefer thee, if thou recant."

set

And what was the answer ? how was the proposition received?

"I thank you for your great offers; notwithstanding, my lord, if you cannot persuade my conscience with Scriptures, I cannot find in my heart to turn from God for the love of the world: for I count all things worldly but loss, in respect of the love of Christ.'

"I CANNOT TURN FROM GOD!"-that was his resolve. William Hunter would not recant, and so he must be burnt.

66

Nor let us be unmindful of the story of his martyrdom, how, on Sa turday, March 23d, he was taken from Newgate down to Brentwood; and how he was lodged at the Swan Inn; and how his father and his mother went there to see him; and how he spoke to his mother of the crown of joy" which Christ had promised; and how she kneeled down and prayed that God would strengthen him to the end; and how on the Tuesday morning, when he was to be brought forth, the sheriff's son came to him speaking words of sympathy and encouragement; and how in the procession of men-at-arms, and justices, and priests, he went forth not sad but cheerfully-his step elastic, his countenance serene and joyful, his eyes gazing up towards heaven, and his lips moving in prayerhis brother walking by his side; and how, as they went, his father met him, saying, with many tears, "God be with thee, son William;" and how he answered, "God be with you, good father, and be of good comfort: for I hope we shall meet again when we shall be merry ;" and how, when the stake was reached, he took a broom-faggot, and, kneeling on it, read from his Psalter the fifty-first Psalm; and how the sheriff, offering the Queen's pardon, said, If thou wilt recant thou shalt live!" and how Hunter replied, "I WILL NOT RECANT, GOD WILLING;" and how he was then chained to the stake; and how he said to the villagers who crowded round-weeping and praying were they, many of them, for they knew him and they loved him well" Good people, pray for me while you see me alive;" and how he cried out, "SON OF GOD, SHINE UPON ME!" and how, as in heavenly response, the dark clouds parted, and the bright sun shone forth, bathing his face with radiance; and how he took up a faggot of broom and embraced it; and how, as a priest approached,

the youthful martyr shouted, "Away, thou false prophet! Beware of them, good people, and come away from their abominations, lest that you be partakers of their plagues; and how the fire was then kindled; and how he then threw his Psalm-book to his brother, who said, "William, think on the holy passion of Christ, and be not afraid of death;" and how he answered, "I am not afraid;" and how he then lifted up his hands towards heaven, and said, "LORD, LORD, LORD, RECEIVE MY SPIRIT !" Thus fell-thus TRIUMPHED, WILLIAM HUNTER !

"Servant of God, well done! well hast THOU fought

The better fight!"

Thy faith enabled thee to overcome the world; it "quenched," as it were, "the violence of" the "fire." The flames were but as a chariot of salvation by which thou didst ascend, Elijah-like, to glory; passing from earth to heaven, to receive "the recompense of the reward," from death to life, to inherit the " crown of joy."

Some of you, perhaps, are ready to inquire, Why has this subject been brought before us?

Sirs, is there not a cause ?

Does not the crisis of to-day demand of every faithful son of England's Church that he be true to the great principles of the Reformation, and true to the memory of our martyred forefathers-" slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held ?" *

THE

THE MYSTERIES OF THE CONFESSIONAL.

HE attack made on Mr Mackay and Mr Steele, and the refusal of the Home Secretary to interfere, are all likely to be overruled for good. It is found, and it was always known, that the Latin lessons for the confessional at Maynooth, when translated into English, are too disgusting for general circulation. Yet these are the very lessons for the teaching of which we are paying. And although they are taught to the young priests in Latin, they are poured by them in plain English into the ears of the wives and daughters of Romanists. It is well that this should be clearly understood, as it is now likely to be.

* From an excellent lecture entitled "William Hunter; an Example for Young Men," by James R. Jordan, one of the Prizemen of the Scottish Reformation Society in London. London: William Macintosh.

ATTACK ON THE OLD POPERY OF ENGLAND. "EVERY monastery and every parish church had in those days its special image, its special relics, its special something, to attract the interest of the people; above all, roods and crucifixes of special potency, the virtues of which had however begun to grow uncertain in Protestant or sceptical minds. From doubt to denial, and from denial to passionate hatred, is only a few steps. One of the most famous miracle-working roods was that at Dovorcourt in Essex. This image was of such power that the door of the church was open to all comers at all hours, day and night, and no human hands could close it; so it became a place of great and lucrative pilgrimage, much resorted to in all difficulties; until four young men, to whom the virtues of the rood had become very questionable, decided that, if it could work miracles, it could protect itself. Accordingly, Robert King and Nicholas Marsh of Dedham, Robert Debenham of East Bergholt, and Robert Gardiner of Dedham, their spirits being burdened that the honour of Almighty God should be so blasphemed by such an idol, started off on a wondrous goodly night in February, with hard frost and a clear full moon, ten miles across the wolds to the church. Nothing daunted, they entered bravely, and lifting down the idol from its shrine, with its coat and shoes, and the store of tapers, they carried it on their shoulders a quarter of a mile without any resistance of the said idol.' There setting it on the ground, they fastened the tapers to the body, struck a light, and sacrilegously burnt it to a heap of ashes, the old dry wood burning so brimly, that it lighted them a full mile on their way home."

"For this night's performance, which, if the devil is the father of lies, was an honest piece of work against him and his family, the world rewarded these men after the usual fashion.

"Robert Gardiner escaped the search which was made until better times. The remaining three were six months afterwards seen swinging in chains on the scene of their exploit. Men who dare to be the first in any great movements, are always self-immolated victims; but it were better for them to be bleaching on gibbets, than crawling at the feet of a wooden rood.

"These were the first Paladins of the Reformation, the knights who slew the dragons and enchanters, and made the earth habitable for common flesh and blood."-Froude's History of England.

SIX LECTURES DELIVERED BEFORE THE PROTESTANT EDUCATIONAL CLASSES OF LONDON.

RE

By the Rev. ROBERT MAGUIRE, M.A., Vicar of Clerkenwell.

No. V.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION.

ELIGION may be defined as "the relationship which has been established between God and man, and the intercourse founded on that relationship." We have already reviewed this, in at least one of its phases, in our Lecture on Mariolatry. We now proceed to review it in another phase, as to that element of intercourse with God