which I have now drawn out to a greater length than at first I intended. It is apparent the wrath of God hangs over our heads, and is ready to break out upon us. The symptoms of our ill condition are as sad as they are visible; and one of the worst is, that each sort and party is very ready to throw the guilt of it off themselves, and cast it on others with whom they are displeased: but no man says, What have I done? The clergy accuse the laity, and the laity condemn the clergy. Those in the city charge the country, and the country complains of the city: every one finds out somewhat wherein he thinks he is least concerned, and is willing to fix on that all the indignation of Heaven, which, God knows, we ourselves have kindled against ourselves. It cannot be denied, since it is so visible, that universally the whole nation is corrupted, and that the Gospel has not had those effects among us which might have been expected after so long and so free a course as it has had in this island. Our wise and worthy progenitors reformed our doctrine and worship, but we have not reformed our lives and manners: what will it avail us to understand the right methods of worshipping God if we are without true devotion, and coldly perform public offices, without sense and affection, which is as bad as a bead-roll of prayers in whatever language they be pronounced? What signifies our having the sacraments purely administered among us, if we either contemptuously neglect them, or irreverently handle them, more perhaps in compliance with law than out of a sense of the holy duties incumbent on us? for what end are the Scriptures put in our hands, if we do not read them with great attention, and order our lives according to them? and what does all preaching signify, if men go to church merely for form, and hear sermons only as set discourses, which they will censuro or commend as they think they see cause, but are resolved never to be the better for them? If to all these sad considerations we add the gross sensuality and impurity, that is so avowedly practised that it is become a fashion, so far it is from being a reproach; the oppression, injustice, intemperance, and many other immoralities among us, what can be expected but that these abominations receiving the highest aggravation they are capable of, from the clear light of the Gospel which we have so long enjoyed, the just judgments of Heaven should fall on us so signally as to make us a reproach to all our neighbours? But, as if all this were not enough to fill up the measure of our iniquities, many have arrived at a new pitch of impiety, by defying Heaven itself with their avowed blasphemies and atheism : and if they are driven out of their atheistical tenets, which are indeed the most ridiculous of any in the world, they set up their rest on some general notions of morality and natural religion, and do boldly reject all that is revealed: and where they dare vent it, (alas! where dare they not do it?) they reject Christianity and the Scriptures with open and impudent scorn, and are absolutely insensible of any obligation of conscience in anything whatsoever : and even in that morality, which they for decency's sake magnify so much, none are more barefacedly and grossly faulty. This is a direct attempt against God himself, and can we think that he will not visit for such things, nor be avenged on such a nation? And yet the hypocrisy of those who disguise their flagitious lives with a mask of religion is, perhaps, a degree above all; though not so scandalous till the mask falls of, and that they appear to be what they truly are. When we are all so guilty, and when we are so alarmed by the black clouds that threaten such terrible and lasting storms, what may be expected but that we should be generally struck with a deep sense of our crying sins, and turn to God with our whole souls ? But if, after all the loud awakenings from Heaven, we will not hearken to that voice, but will still go on in our sins, we may justly look for unheard-of calamities, and such miscrics as shall be proportioned to our offences; and then we are sure they will be great and wonderful. Yet if, on the other hand, there were a general turning to God, or, at least, if so many were rightly sensible of this, as, according to the proportion that the mercies of God allow, did some way balance the wickedness of the rest; and if these were as zealous in the true methods of imploring God's favour as others are in procuring his displeasure; and were not only mourning for their own sins, but for the sins of others; the prayers and sighs of many such might dissipate that dismal cloud which our sins have gathered, and we might yet hope to see the Gospel take root among us: since that God who is the Author of it is merciful, and full of compassion, and ready to forgive; and this holy religion, which by his grace is planted among us, is still so dear to him, that if we by our own unworthiness do not render ourselves incapable of so great a blessing, we may reasonably hope that he will continue that which at first was by so many happy concurring providences brought in, and was by a continued series of the same indulgent care advanced by degrees, and at last raised to that pitch of perfection which few things attain in this world. But this will best appear in the ensuing History, from which I fear I may have too long detained the reader. 10th September, 1680. THE HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. born; PART II.-BOOK I. OF THE LIFE AND REIGN OF KING EDWARD THE SIXTII. EDWARD, the Sixth King of England of that name, was the only son of King IIenry 1537.Oct. 12. VIII., by his best beloved queen Jane Seymour, or St. Maur, daughter to Sir Edward VI. John Seymour, who was descended from Roger St. Maur, that married one of the daughters and heirs of the lord Beauchamp of Hacche. Their ancestors came into England with William the Conqueror, and had at several times made themselves considerable by the noble acts they did in the wars. He was born at Hampton-court on the 12th day of October, being St. Edward's eve, in the year 1537,* and lost his mother the day after he was born, who died, not by the cruelty of the chirurgeons ripping up her belly to make way for the prince's birth, (as some writers gave out, to represent king Henry barbarous and cruel in all his actions, whose report has been since too easily followed); but as the original letters that are yet extant show, she was well delivered of him, and the day following was taken with a distemper incident to women in that condition, of which she died. He was soon after christened, the archbishop of Canterbury and the dukes of Norfolk and and Chris- Suffolk being his godfathers, according to his own journal, though Hall says the tened. last was only his godfather when he was bishopped; he continued under the charge and care of the women till he was six years old, and then he was put under the government of Dr. Cox and Mr. Check; the one was to be his preceptor for his manners, and the knowledge of philosophy and divinity; the other for the tongues and mathematics; and he was also provided with masters for the French, and all other things becoming a prince, the heir of so great a crown. He gave very early many indications of a good disposition to learning, and of a most wonderful probity of mind, and above all, of great respect to religion, and everything relating His Dispo- to it. So that when he was once in one of his childish diversions, somewhat being to be reached at, that he and his companions were too low for, one of them laid on the floor a great Bible that was in the room to step on, which he beholding with indignation, took up the Bible himself, and gave over his play for that time. He was in all sition. • The queen died on the 14th, say Hall, Stow, Speed, and Herbert; on the 15th, saith Hennings; on the 17th, if the letter of the physicians be true in Fuller's Church Hist. p. 422, Cott. lib. [The king's journal says" within few days after her son died." George Lilly, who lived at the same time and near the place, says Duodecem post VOL. I. die moritur-Chron. And so the continuation of Fabian. These seem to be the best authorities.-ANON CORRECT. Queen Jane died on the 24th October, according to a journal written by Cecil, that was in twelve days after king Edward's birth: so it is in the Heralds' office.STRYPE'S CORRECT.] things subject to the orders laid down for his education, and profited so much in learning, that all about him conceived great hopes of extraordinary things from him, if he should live. But such unusual beginnings seemed rather to threaten the too early end of a life, that by all appearance was likely to have produced such astonishing things. He was so forward in his learning, that before he was eight years old he wrote Latin letters to his father, who was a prince of that stern severity, that one can hardly think those about his son durst cheat him by making letters for him. He used also at that age to write both to his godfather the archbishop of Canterbury, and to his uncle, who was first made viscount Beauchamp, as descended from that family, and soon after earl of Hartford. It seems queen Catherine Parr understood Latin, for he wrote to her also in the same language. But the full character of this young prince is given us by Cardan, who wrote it after his death, and in Italy, where this prince was accounted an heretic, so that there was nothing to be got or expected Collection. by flattering him; and yet it is so great, and withal so agreeing in all things to truth, that as I shall begin my collection of papers at the end of this volume with his words in Latin, so it will be very fit to give them here in English. Numb. 1. him. "All the graces were in him: he had many tongues when he was yet but a child; together Cardan's with the English, his natural tongue, he had both Latin and French; nor was he Character of ignorant, as I hear, of the Greek, Italian, and Spanish, and perhaps some more. But for the English, French, and Latin, he was exact in them, and apt to learn every thing. Nor was he ignorant of logic, of the principles of natural philosophy, nor of music. The sweetness of his temper was such as became a mortal, his gravity becoming the majesty of a king, and his disposition suitable to his high degree. In sum, that child was so bred, had such parts, was of such expectation, that he looked like a miracle of a man. These things are not spoken rhetorically, and beyond the truth, but are indeed short of it." And afterwards he adds :- Ile was a marvellous boy; when I was with him, he was in the 15th year of his age, in which he spoke Latin as politely and as promptly as I did. He asked me what was the subject of my books, de rerum varietate, which I had dedicated to him? I answered, that in the first chapter I gave the true cause of comets, which had been long inquired into, but was never found out before. What is it? said he. I said, it was the concourse of the light of wandering stars. He answered, 'How can that be, since the stars move in different motions? How comes it that the comets are not soon dissipated, or do not move after them according to their motions?' To this I answered, They do move after them, but much quicker than they, by reason of the different aspect, as we see in a crystal, or when a rainbow rebounds from the wall; for a little change makes a great difference of placo. But the king said, 'How can that be, where there is no subject to receive that light, as the wall is the subject for the rainbow?' To this I answered, that this was as in the Milky-way, or where many candles were lighted, the middle place where their shining met was white and clear. From this little taste it may be imagined what he was; and indeed the ingenuity and sweetness of his disposition had raised in all good and learned men the greatest expectation of him possible. He began to love the liberal arts before he knew them, and to know them before he could use them and in him there was such an attempt of nature, that not only England, but the world, has reason to lament his being so early snatched away. How truly was it said of such extraordinary persons, that their lives are short, and seldom do they come to be old? Ile gave us an essay of virtue, though he did not live to give a pattern of it. When the gravity of a king was needful, he carried himself like an old man ; and yet he was always affable and gentle, as became his age. He played on the lute; he meddled in affairs of state, and for bounty, he did in that emulate his father; though he even, when he endeavoured to be too good, might appear to have been bad; but there was no ground of suspecting any such thing in the son, whose mind was cultivated by the study of philosophy. It has been said in the end of his father's life, that he then designed to create him Prince A design to of Wales; for, though he was called so, as the heirs of this crown are, yet he create him was not by a formal creation invested with that dignity. This pretence was Prince of made use of to hasten forward the attainder of the duke of Norfolk; since he Wales. had many offices for life, which the king intended to dispose of, and desired to |