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imposture, in their grossest forms, gained an easy admission among a rude and ignorant people. By means of these, the clergy attained to an exorbitant degree of opulence and power; which were accompanied, as they always have been, with the corruption of their order, and of the whole system of religion. The full half of the wealth of the nation belonged to the clergy. Avarice, ambition, and the love of secular pomp, reigned among the superior orders. Bishops and abbots rivalled the first nobility in magnificence, and preceded them in honour, having long engrossed all the principal offices of state. The bishops never on any occasion condescended to preach; indeed I scarcely recollect an instance of it mentioned in history, from the erection of the regular Scottish episcopacy down to the era of the Reformation. Monasteries, those nurseries of superstition and idleness, were notoriously become the haunts of lewdness and debauchery, and it was deemed impious and sacrilegious to reduce their number, abridge their privileges, or alienate their funds. The ignorance of the clergy was as gross as the dissoluteness of their morals. Even bishops were not ashamed to confess that they had never read any part of the sacred Scriptures, except what they met with in their missals. Learning was branded as the parent of heresy; and if any person began to hint dissatisfaction with the conduct of the clergy, he was stigmatized as a heretic; and unless he secured his safety by flight, he was immured in a dungeon or committed to the flames."*

Evangelical light, however, derived from the German reformers, penetrated the darkness of Scotland. "Patrick Hamilton, a youth of royal lineage, obtained the honour, not conferred upon many of his rank, of first announcing its glad tidings to his countrymen, and sealing them with his blood."+ Born in the year 1504, he was designed for the church, and made abbot of Ferne while yet a child. As early as 1526, divine truth, by some theology imported from Germany, penetrated his mind, when he set out to confer with the famous Luther. By the recommendation of him and Melancthon, he repaired to Marpurg, to prosecute his studies under Francis Lambert, an eminent divine of that university; and thus receiving the knowledge of the Scriptures, he determined on returning, to preach the gospel to his countrymen, notwithstanding the danger of death.

Hamilton's zeal was soon rewarded: for being decoyed by the clergy to St. Andrew's, under pretence of a conference, in a consistory of bishops and abbots, with archbishop Beatoun at their head, he was summoned, condemned, and burnt, on the same day, Feb. 28, 1528! Though not twenty-four years of age, he was a Christian of rare piety and uncommon attainments, as appears by his theological writings, published since his martyrdom.

Hamilton was reputed a martyr for Christ, and many cherished the principles for which he died. "Strict inquisition was made after heretics; the flames of persecution were kindled in all quarters of the country; and from 1530 to 1540, many innocent and excellent men suffered the most inhuman death. Henry Forrest, David Straiton, Norman Gourlay, Jerom Russel, Kennedy, Kyllor, Beveridge, Duncan Sympson, Robert Forrester, and Thomas Forrest, were the names of these early martyrs, whose sufferings deserve a more conspicuous place than can be given to them in these pages."

The good seed of divine truth had thus been effec

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tually sown in Scotland; and the writings of the reformers, and copies of the Scriptures, were imported and circulated. "One copy of the Bible, or the New Testament," says Dr. M'Crie," supplied several families. At the dead hour of night, while others were asleep, they assembled in one house. The sacred volume was brought from its concealment, and while one read, the rest listened with mute attention. In this way the knowledge of the Scriptures was diffused, at a period when it doth not appear that there were any public preachers of the truth in Scotland." Several noblemen of piety and zeal now arose, affording protection to those who embraced the reformed doctrine. Among these was the famous John Knox, whom the priests sentenced as a heretic in 1542, and pronounced his degradation from the priesthood: but he was preserved in the family of Douglas, as tutor, and in this situation his labours were useful in forming the characters of several men of future fame. The earl of Arran, being appointed regent to the infant queen Mary, consented to a translation of the Scriptures, and their use was allowed by parliament in 1543.

George Wishart, a brother of the laird of Pittarow in Mearns, was an eminent instrument in diffusing the knowledge of Christ. He was banished by the bishop of Brechin, for teaching the Greek Testament in Montrose, and he resided for some years at Cambridge; but returned in 1544. "Seldom do we meet, in ecclesiastical history, with a character so amiable and interesting as that of George Wishart. Excelling all his countrymen at that period in learning, of the most persuasive eloquence, irreproachable in life, courteous and affable in manners; his fervent piety, zeal, and courage in the cause of truth, were tempered with uncommon meekness, modesty, pa tience, prudence, and charity. In his tour of preaching through Scotland, he was usually accompanied by some of the principal gentry; and the people, who flocked to hear him, were ravished with his discourses." +

Wishart was soon apprehended, loaded with irons, and thrown into prison; and in a manner the most brutal, he was condemned by David Beatoun, archbishop of St. Andrew's, and burnt at the stake in 1546 before his window; the prelate, who was also a cardinal, beholding the sufferings of this servant of Christ. But this turbulent priest fell a victim to the revenge of several gentlemen, who had been vexed with his tyranny, and his carcass was thrown from the same window, and lay unburied for some months.

Evangelical truth still continued to prevail by the circulation of the Scriptures and the writings of the reformers, though every possible effort was made for its suppression. Knox entered upon the work of tuition in the castle of St. Andrew's at Easter 1547, where he found Sir David Lindsay, Henry Balnaves, and John Rough, men of distinguished influence in promoting the reformation, and at whose urgent request he commenced public preaching, and was solemnly called to the ministry by the elders in the midst of a large congregation.§ Knox triumphed in a public disputation with the popish clergy, denouncing the pope as antichrist, and maintaining "that in the worship of God, and especially in the administration of the sacraments, the rule prescribed in the Scriptures is to be observed, without addition or diminution; and that the church has no right to

* Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 33.

+ Ibid. p. 41, 42. See British Reformers, by Tract Society. M'Crie's Knox, vol. i. p. 52-58.

devise religious ceremonies, and impose significations upon them." *

St. Andrew's being taken by the French, in 1547, Knox, with many others, was made to serve in chains on board their galleys until 1549, when, gaining his liberty, he was well received in England, and made one of the six preaching chaplains of king Edward. His ministry in the north of England was crowned with the Divine blessing; and he was one of those divines by whom the Common Prayer and Articles of Religion were compiled, Knox, however, would not accept of a living in the English church, and refused a bishopric, "declaring the episcopal office to be destitute of divine authority," and that many things were retained from popery, with which he could not comply, especially the indiscriminate admission to the Lord's supper, and kneeling at that ordinance, an invention of men, contrary to the perfect example of its institution by Christ.†

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In the reign of Mary, Knox fled to Geneva, where he was received with affection by Calvin, and in a short time he was invited to become the pastor of the English exiles at Frankfort, licence being granted for them to assemble for public worship in a building allotted to the French. They were required to perform their service as nearly as possible to the manner of the French, and they agreed unanimously to "omit the use of the surplice, the litany, the audible responses, and some other ceremonies prescribed by the English liturgy, which in those reformed churches would seem more than strange, superstitious, and superfluous." Some urged the use of king Edward's liturgy, part of which was at length adopted, and unanimity was restored. "But this agreement was soon after violated, in the most wanton and scandalous manner. March 13, 1555, Dr. Cox, with others, came to Frankfort, and the first Sunday they broke through the established order, by answering aloud after the minister in the time of divine service. Being admonished by some of the elders to refrain from that practice, they insolently replied, That they would do as they had done in England; and they would have the face of an English church. On the following Sabbath, one of this number intruded himself into the pulpit, without the consent of the pastors or the congregation, read the litany, while Dr. Cox and the other accomplices echoed the responses. Knox lectured in the afternoon, and complained of their intrusions, declaring his belief, that one cause of the Divine displeasure against England, was the slackness to reform religion. He adverted to the troubles of Hooper for objecting to the ceremonies, and to the well-known fact, that three, four, or five benefices had been occupied by one man, to the depriving of the flock of Christ of their necessary food. This free reprimand was highly resented, as some of them had held pluralities in England." However, the Coxian faction prevailed, and determined to get rid of Knox. To accomplish this, they had recourse to one of the basest and most unchristian arts ever employed to ruin an adversary. Two of them, in concurrence with others, went privately to the magistrates, and accused Knox of HIGH TREASON against the emperor of Germany, his son Philip, and queen Mary of England; putting into their hands a copy of a book which he had lately published. The magistrates were satisfied of the malice of Knox's enemies, but advised his privately retiring from Frankfort."§

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Knox withdrew to Geneva, and soon afterwards returned to Scotland to visit his wife, where he found that the cause of Christ had considerably advanced, and by his counsels several of the reformers made a formal separation from popery. Their cause increased under the patronage of Archibald, lord Lorn, earl of Argyle; lord James Stewart, earl of Murray; and John, lord Erskine, of Mar, with whom others soon united; and early in 1556, a great number made profession of the reformed religion, by sitting down at the Lord's table; and entered into a solemn and mutual covenant, renouncing the popish communion, to maintain under Providence the faithful preaching of the gospel. This was the first of those engagements, which are known in the history Scotland, by taking THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVE

NANT.*

France had a powerful interest in Scotland, as a princess of Guise had been wife of James V., and his daughter Mary, the celebrated queen of Scots, was married to the dauphin. Popery, therefore, had the support of that nation to preserve it, under the influence of some powerful nobles. Knox being persecuted, and burnt in effigy by the papists, withdrew again to Geneva, and laboured with others in the improvement of the translation of the Bible. But the cause of Christ increased even through persecution. Walter Mill sealed the truth with his blood, Aug. 28, 1558, uttering in the flames,-" As for me, I am fourscore and two years old, and cannot live long by course of nature; but a hundred better shall rise out of the ashes of my bones. I trust in God I shall be the last that shall suffer death in Scotland for this cause."†

Knox, being earnestly invited by the "lords of the congregation," as the Protestant nobles were called, returned to Scotland in May 1559, where he continued his zealous apostolical labours, and by his well-earned authority succeeded in establishing the Reformation in his native country. The national church of Scotland, disallowing episcopal prelacy as unscriptural, was formed according to the Presbyterian model, and similar to the churches of the Protestants on the continent.

The first general assembly of this national church, consisting of twelve ministers, and thirty-two ruling elders, met Dec. 20, 1560; but it was a long period before the form of ecclesiastical polity was perfected in Scotland, as many attempts were made to reestablish prelacy, or to retain the popish dignities with the more scriptural system.

Dr. M'Crie remarks, the reformation of religion, it is well known, was established on very different principles in England and in Scotland, both as to worship and ecclesiastical polity. In England, the papal supremacy was transferred to the prince; the hierarchy, being subjected to the civil power, was suffered to remain; and after removing the grosser superstitions, the principal forms of the ancient worship were retained: whereas in Scotland, all of these were discarded, as destitute of divine authority, unprofitable, burdensome, or savouring of popery; and the worship and government of the church were reduced to the primitive standard of scriptural simplicity. The influence of Knox, in recommending this establishment to his countrymen, is universally allowed; but, as he officiated for a considerable time in the church of England, and on this account was supposed to have been pleased with its constitution, it has usually been said that he afterwards contracted a dislike to it during his exile

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on the continent, and that, having then imbibed the sentiments of Calvin, he carried them along with him to his native country, and organized the Scottish church after the Genevan model. This statement is inaccurate. His objections to the English liturgy were increased and strengthened during his residence on the continent, but they existed before that time. His judgment respecting ecclesiastical government and discipline was matured during that period; but his radical sentiments on these heads were formed long before he saw Calvin, or had any intercourse with the foreign reformers. At Geneva he saw a church, which, upon the whole, corresponded with his idea of the divinely-authorized pattern; but he did not indiscriminately approve, nor servilely imitate, either that or any other existing establishment."*

Knox died Nov. 24, 1572, exhibiting the genuine spirit of his profession as a believer in Jesus Christ; and leaving behind him the character of a man of extraordinary powers, alike distinguished for intrepidity, zeal, and disinterestedness; of uncommon sagacity, of sound theological knowledge, and considerable biblical learning, sanctified by eminent scriptural piety. His life was an illustration of his holy doctrine; in which he substantially agreed with all the reformers. Regardless of the distinctions of rank, in matters of religion, he uttered his admonitions from the Word of God, with a vehemence suited to the genius of that unpolished age, and to his own peculiar circumstances.

Knox, as well as Luther, has been charged with almost every bad quality, by his enemies: but Dr. M'Crie, in his valuable "Life" of that great reformer, has demonstrated his integrity, piety, and Principal benevolence, against every slanderer.

Smeton testified, "I know not if ever so much piety and genius were lodged in such a frail and weak body. Certain I am, that it will be difficult to find one in whom the gifts of the Holy Spirit shone so bright, to the comfort of the church of Scotland. None spared himself less in enduring fatigue of body and mind: none was more intent on discharging the duties of the province assigned to him." Earl Morton, regent of Scotland, attended the funeral of Knox, and pronounced his eulogium in these words, "Here lies he who never feared the face of man!"

REVIEW.

Christian Melodies. Home and its Scenes. 32mo. cloth, pp. 82, with four engravings. London: Ward and Co.

HOME, Sweet home," is exhibited in this elegant little volume in a most engaging and instructive point of view; and we have no doubt but it will be the means of promoting that elevation and that happiness which are so beautifully described in its pages.

This small work contains a choice collection of pieces under the following heads. Home-Marriage -Infancy-Family Intercourse-Family Worship -Bereavement-The Heavenly Home. From the last we give the following:

THE HEAVENLY HOME.

Thus the dying Christian spoke :— "I wish I were at home,

My faith can pierce the darkened veil, And spirits beckoning, come!

* M'Crie's Knox, vol. i. p. 100-102. + Ibid. p. 238.

I see; I must, I must away

To those bright realms of endless bliss
Those courts of lasting day,

Earth's barren waste, and desert shore,
For many a year I've trod;

But now my race, my journey 's o'er,
I must to mine abode.

Bid me not stay, my spirit longs
To haste away, and sing

With those bright seraphs near the throne,
Who praise their heavenly king.
Farewell, farewell, a long farewell!
'Till earth shall pass away,

'Till the last trumpet's solemn sound,
'Till that more solemn day"—
His voice was hush'd, his spirit fled;
His soul, redeem'd by Jesus' blood,
Rose from these paltry things of earth,
To the calm presence of his God.

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CATHEDRAL AT MILAN.

MILAN is a great and splendid city in the north-east of Italy, now forming a part of the Austrian empire. Its antiquity, its magnificence, its importance in the ecclesiastical annals of the Roman Catholic church, and some of its distinguished prelates, render it a subject of interesting contemplation to the inquisitive Christian.

Milan is said to have been founded by the Insubrian Gauls, about 584 years before the advent of Christ. It rose to be the capital of a considerable territory, and for some time set at defiance the power of Rome: but it at length fell under the imperial authority, and flourished under its shade. Its various history cannot be traced in the Christian's Penny Magazine: though it may be instructive to notice, that Milan has been besieged forty-two times, taken twenty times, and destroyed four times. It is still a splendid city eleven miles in circumference; and though for the last century its population has greatly fluctuated, it has much increased within the last forty years. In 1805, it was estimated to contain 120,000 persons; and in 1820, between 135,000 and 140,000.

Milan is the seat of an archbishop: it is divided into seventy-one parishes, and contains eleven collegiate churches, thirty monasteries, eight colleges of regular clerks, thirty-six nunneries, thirty-two of the same kind for discipline, and 120 schools for religious instruction in the Catholic faith. But besides those above-mentioned, Milan contains 200 other churches, and many stately buildings both public and private. Among these, the cathedral of this city claims the pre-eminence. Inferior only to St. Peter's at Rome, it equals in length, and in breadth surpasses, the cathedrals of Florence, and St. Paul's, London; but, in interior elevation, it yields to both. Its double aisles, its clustered pillars, its lofty arches, the splendour of its white marble walls, its numberless niches filled with figures of the same materials, give it a novel and singularly majestic appearance. The pillars are ninety feet high, and eight in diameter. The length of the cathedral is 490 feet, its breadth 298, its interior elevation under the dome is 258 feet, and 400 in exterior, that is, to the summit of the tower. The pavement is formed of marble of various colours, and curiously disposed and figured; and there are 4000 statues in as many niches, and said to be of great beauty. From the top of the tower, is an extensive and delightful view of the rich plain of Milan, and as far as the distant Alps.

Milan cathedral is entirely built, paved, vaulted, and roofed, with the whitest and most resplendant marble; and the windows are finely painted. Among the numerous statues in it, those of St. Bartholomew, representing the flaying of him alive, with his skin hanging over his shoulders; and of Adam and Eve, over the main portal, are reckoned the finest. This church contains treasures of great value, particularly a shrine of rock crystal, in which is deposited, in pontifical robes with the crown and mitre, the body of St. Charles Boromeo, who was a cardinal and archbishop of Milan, and a great benefactor to the city.

Milan possesses a valuable collection of books in the Ambrosian library, founded by the nephew of the canonized archbishop. It contains 72,000 volumes, and 15,000 manuscripts, and a gallery of pictures, paintings, statues, antiques, and medals; where are to be seen Raphael's famous design of the school of Athens, and a manuscript collection of various works of Leonardo da Vinci, presented to the library by a private citizen of the name of Galias

Arconati, who generously refused vast sums for this precious deposit, and consigned it to this library as to an inviolable asylum. The grateful citizens erected a marble statue to the donor, and enrolled his name among the public benefactors of the city. But this relic, along with the library, manuscripts, and gallery of paintings, &c. were all carried off by their good friends and protectors the French, to be deposited under the care of the good people of Paris, there to be kept for the benefit of Europe! It is probable, however, that as the allies did not exactly harmonize with the French, in their notions of the utility of Parisian guardianship, the above articles have been restored to their rightful owners.

The hospitals and charitable institutions of Milan are numerous, amounting in all to thirty. The Ospedale Maggiore, or great hospital, is an immense edifice capable of containing 1200 patients, besides working convalescents. This superb edifice the French converted into cavalry stables. The great foundling hospital receives about 4000 children. The lazzaretto, outside of the city, is likewise on a vast scale, but is opened only in case of an epidemic disease. There is a spacious college, founded by the above mentioned benevolent archbishop, formerly attended by about 1200 students: also an university constituted by the empress Maria Theresa, 1766, its classes and sittings are held in the fine edifice built for the Jesuits. În fine, Milan may be regarded as the most elegant and stately city in Italy, being inferior only in point of population to Naples.

CARDINAL BOROMEO AND HIS SUNDAY SCHOOLS AT MILAN. CARDINAL Boromeo was an extraordinary character; and, making allowance for his education as a Roman Catholic, he appears to have been truly illustrious as a benefactor of Milan. He was a son of Gilbert Boromeo, count of Arona, born in the year 1538, and he died in 1584, aged only forty-six years, greatly lamented by the whole province.

Notwithstanding his corrupt creed, and consequent superstition, if we may believe what is delivered in the history of this eminent man, cardinal Boromeo appears to have been a pious, humble, charitable, and self-denied Christian, and, in some measure, entitled to the name of saint.

Born to a princely fortune, he consecrated himself and his substance to acts of religion and beneficence; he founded schools, hospitals, and churches, in every part of Italy: attended his flock during a destructive pestilence; erected a poor's house, and served the forsaken victims with his own hands. He, besides, bestowed annually 30,000 crowns upon the poor; and added to it, during various seasons of distress, 200,000 crowns. He founded ten colleges, five hospitals, and a great number of schools, at Parma, Bologna, Milan, and in all the towns of the diocese. His food was plain, his dress coarse and common; his bed was of straw, his repose was short, and he showed an utter contempt of personal ease and indulgence; and of the income derived from his own estates, and the revenues of his archbishoprics, he directed an account to be submitted annually to the diocesan synod. Many of his institutions still remain at Milan, and among others, Sunday-schools which are extended to all parts of the diocese of Milan..

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