In conclusion of this year, as a striking illustration of the times, and as one proof that we have not been magnifying the importance of the labours of our first Translator of the Sacred Volume, the miserably destitute state of England, with regard to oral instruction by preaching, so far as men nominally called to it were concerned, now deserves to be specially observed.

The "ministry of the Word of God," so clearly enjoined in Scripture, was a subject not comprehended by men in official power; and though it had, the men who were in charge of what were termed benefices, or cures, glaringly did not understand it ; nay, they were the determined adherents of a system, diametrically at variance with that imperative commission which the Saviour at His ascension left to be obeyed. Instead of taking up Christianity, therefore, as a system of belief, to be drawn fresh from the Oracles of God alone, and received into the heart of man-instead of recognising the absolute necessity of heartfelt repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus. Christ, in the first instance, and in all cases, but above all, in men denominated Ministers of Christ: to enforce the reading of what was not beloved, and the preaching (if they could preach) what was not believed, the Vicegerent of Henry had conceived to be the only expedient. It was not the public sanction of the Scriptures last year, that would ever have induced these official underlings throughout the Counties of England, even to have looked into the Sacred Volume. To pray with the spirit and with the understanding also, was beyond their power; and to preach that Gospel which they did not themselves believe or comprehend, might have seemed a hopeless task to enjoin. Such, however, was the actual condition of the country, with regard to the governors and the governed, generally speaking; and had there not been now, as we have traced all along, a sacred cause independent altogether of both parties, nay, in spite of them, there would have been no reason whatever, in the year 1538, for any exultation over the progress of events.

Meanwhile, the injunctions of Crumwell, already quoted, as to the Bible itself, (p. 320,) had been thought necessary, on account of the indifference of these official men to the sanction of the Sacred Volume; but how many there were who were qualified to obey them, it is impossible to say. Few they must have been,

and far between. But supposing that the orders had been literally fulfilled, how far did the injunction itself reach? Only to the minimum of having "for every cure, one sermon every quarter of the year, at least, wherein ye shall purely and sincerely declare the very gospel of Christ!"

Such was the deplorable state of the people at large, and such the miserable provision proposed for their instruction, when addressing those Bishops; among whom we have seen the deadliest enemies of a cause, which they could not destroy, nor even retard in its progress.

Happily, however, there had long been certain other men in the country, and readers not a few, besides these slumberers whom Crumwell was now striving to rouse; nay, and other listeners too, who, far from looking to official men, who could not teach, and would not learn, had tarried not for Henry the Eighth, nor waited for his Vicegerent. No sooner do we turn to them, though long despised, than a very different prospect rises to view; the vivid contrast to four sermons in the course of a year! The free permission of the Scriptures now rendered this scene more visible and striking. It is from a contemporary document that Strype has drawn it.

"It was wonderful to see with what joy this book of God was received, not only among the learneder sort, but generally all England over, among all the vulgar and common people; and with what greediness God's Word was read, and what resort to places where the reading of it was! Every body that could, bought the book, or busily read it, or got others to read it to them, if they could not themselves. Divers more elderly people learned to read on purpose; and even little boys flocked, among the rest, to hear portions of the Holy Scripture read."

The modern reader may now once more very naturally exclaim―" Oh, could these men in power then have only been persuaded to have let such people alone! Could they have only understood the doctrine of non-interference!" Yes, and instead of encumbering a willing people with help, or tormenting them by interposition, have stood aloof in silence, and permitted these groups or gatherings to have heard the unambiguous voice of their God, and to have gazed upon the majesty and the meaning of Divine Truth!

The Sacred Scriptures, however, were now to be printed in England; nor was there to be another foreign edition of the volume entire for more than twenty years, or till the year 1560. We have come, therefore, to a memorable epoch or point of time. The time when the line of distinction is to be drawn between foreign books and those printed at home; between the Scriptures printed beyond seas for importation, and those to be prepared within our own shores; and in that metropolis, which, fifteen years ago, Tyndale had left in a state of general and burning hostility to any thing of the kind.

But in glancing over all that we have witnessed, and before entering upon a new era, with regard to the Bible itself, who can forbear looking back, for a moment, to the dining-hall in the mansion-house of Little Sodbury, in Gloucestershire? To the eager conversation or discussions there held, below a roof still standing? And to the deep-seated feeling of one man at the table, when the mitred Abbots of Winchcombe and Tewksbury were near at hand? And the Chancellor of Worcester "reviled him, as though he had been a dog?" And the hierarchy reigned triumphant, and Wolsey was in all his glory? And not one such printed page of inspiration was to be found in all England over? The unbending resolution, however, had been formed, and the memorable words in which, on one occasion, it was expressed, will bear to be repeated at such a time as this-" If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that drives the plough to know more of the Scriptures than you do."

Thus, before ever this Sacred Volume entire came to be printed upon English ground, Tyndale's energetic efforts had been signally crowned with success. His "labour in the Lord" had not been in vain. That labour, indeed, once involved nothing more than the solitary purpose of a single Christian; and viewed only in its bud, or budding, it has had little else than a bitter taste; but whether the flower has been sweet, millions can testify.

It becomes, therefore, not unworthy of remark, that without straining, this cause actually admits of a survey on the widest scale. The three great monarchs of the day were Henry VIII., Francis I., and Charles V.; never forgetting the Pontiff at Rome; but certainly they have not played their several parts,

beyond the verge of God's providence, in His determined purpose towards this favoured Island. The licentious and indomitable monarch, for whom Tyndale prayed with his dying breath, though still wilfully blind, has been overruled. His Vicegerent or Vicar-General, guided only by expediency, and clothed with more power than Wolsey ever possessed, must lend all his constitutional energy, and go along with the stream of the Divine purpose. Cranmer, however timid and cautious, though too long silent, must speak out at last. On the other hand, we have Cuthbert Tunstal, after denouncing the translation at Paul's Cross, and tormenting all who possessed it, as far as he could reach them, who being constitutionally silent, must be silent now. As for Stokesly, the Bishop of London, the lion was bearded in his own den; for they have finished one Bible, and are preparing to print many more in London itself, nay, in London alone. And last, though not least, we have Stephen Gardiner, perhaps the ablest politician of the age, completely outwitted, but now come home, and triumph; though, as Foxe says, he malign the printing of this Bible." as England, had been invaded, and from the beginning; nor was the triumph confined to the shores of Britain. Even Charles V., by the way, had met with his greatest personal humiliation; and as for the King of France, that inveterate enemy, and ally of Rome, he has been overruled in his own capital, and the Inquisition itself is thwarted; for now, when the Bible is about to be printed in the English metropolis, we have printing presses from Paris, besides types in store from the same city, nay, and Frenchmen, who "became printers in London, which before," says John Foxe truly, "they never intended."

just in time to see the final "mightily did stomach and But then Scotland, as well

In England, indeed, they may tamper injuriously, to a limited degree, with the first translation imported; and there are battles still, which remain to be fought upon English ground; though after Henry VIII. has left the stage, the version will be reprinted again and again, many times, and precisely as Tyndale gave it to his country.

But at present, that is to say, in 1538, if the Emperor Charles, and the French King, and the Pontiff himself, with Cardinal

Pole in his train, were all grouped together at Nice, intending, among other business, to alarm or overreach the King of England; then it was fit, that all the while, certain men from London should be busy in printing the English Bible in the capital of France; and after bringing over the materials and Parisian workmen to England, proceed on their way, and in far better style, than they could otherwise have done. Such was the crowning achievement, in a series of conquests, in favour of all that Tyndale had accomplished! A man, in regard to whose character and exertions, the British Christian especially may now well exclaim—

Thine is a fragrance which can never waste,
Though left for ages to the charter'd wind.

MDXXXIX.

EVENTFUL YEAR-STATE OF PARTIES-PARLIAMENT AND CONVOCATION-ROYAL MESSAGE-NEW ARTICLES-BILLS OF ATTAINDER-THE SIX ARTICLES APPLIED IMPRISONED-ALES ESCAPES -FRUSTRATED CRANMER SAFE-LATIMER

CONSTANTYNE IN DANGER-THE SCRIPTURES PRINTING IN VARIOUS EDITIONS -CRUMWELL'S REMARKABLE ENERGY IN THIS DEPARTMENT THE KING SWAYED ONCE MORE THE CAUSE IN PROGRESS CRANMER BUSY IN PROSPECT OF HIS FIRST EDITION, NEXT SPRING-DISTINCTLY SANCTIONED BY HENRYSINGULAR PROCLAMATION-HENRY NOW COMMANDING ALL HIS SUBJECTS TO USE THE SCRIPTURES IN ENGLISH,

s if it had been to render the triumph of last year still more conspicuous, the present stands distinguished in Henry's reign, for the number of editions of the Sacred Volume entire. Not fewer than four editions of the Bible issued from the press, and a fifth was almost ready; besides three editions of the New Testament separately. The compositors and printers in London had never before been so engaged, nor so hard at work in any department, since the invention of printing had been introduced into England.

All this too is the more worthy of notice, as Cranmer, however busy with his first edition, did not make his appearance