"Heard your grace ever the details of that conference? Nay. Then I will tell you somewhat of it. Reginald Pole is a good man, a right excellent pillar of the church, but he is no tower of defence. What think you he said? Even this: 'I could wish that every bishop in his diocese would try the winning methods of gentleness and persuasion.' To which I answered, 'I care not for the poor, and the mean, and the ignorant. To shake the leaves is of little avail, I would have the axe laid to the root of the tree: the bishops and most forward preachers ought certainly to die; the rest are of no consequence!"

"Those

“You were right to strike high," cried Norfolk. that should fall to-day are birds such as you would bring down. But what said the others?"

"Some thought with Pole, and some with me; but my lord of London, who ever takes the clue from me, and then leaves me far behind, without waiting for other men's judg ment, cried vehemently, 'I cannot, my lords, act canonically anywhere but in my own diocese, and there I shall desire no man's help or countenance. And for those who are not in my jurisdiction, let them only be sent up to me, and lodged in any of my prisons, and when I have got them there, God do so to Bonner, and more also, if one of them escape me!' The rest joined in approvingly.'

A domestic entered the hall, and announced the arrival of the messenger, whose presence was instantly desired by the bishop. "Martin," he said, when the man stood before him, "is the deed done?"

"It is, my lord," replied the servant, with a humble obeisance. "With my own eyes I have seen the fire lighted, and ere I was well on my journey the condemned must have been dead."

“The pestilent heretics," muttered Gardiner. “But tell us shortly how things went."

The messenger again bowed and answered, "By the queen's command, Lord Williams of Thame, with a body of armed men, environed the place of execution, which is on the north side of the town, lest the people should rise to rescue the prelates, for they were much beloved." Gardiner frowned, and the man perceiving his mistake, continued rapidly, "The vice-chancellor was there, with others of distinction; and then my lord of London advanced, and after a brief space Latimer was led forward, and the bishop that is and he that was were near together, the one in his robes, and the other in his prison garments; whereat the people wept to think that so great harm should have befallen so good a man." An

Dr.

angry ejaculation from his listeners warned the narrator that his sympathy showed more humanity than prudence, and he went on confusedly: "Dr. Ridley was also present, and he and his old friend waited together at the stake, while some one, whose name I know not, discoursed largely to the bystanders, on their lives and doctrines. Dr. Ridley would have defended himself against the charges, but the vice-chancellor prevented him; and so he said only, 'We commit our cause, then, to Almighty God;' and, methinks, that if they who heard the words had been judges, the fire would never have been lighted that should burn the bishops."

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"The people, then, pitied the heretics?" asked the duke. Ay, in truth did they," was the answer; "and I marvel not at it, for it was a sight to touch all hearts. The old man said somewhat to his companion, but I know not what, though well I ween that it was of encouragement; for when he laid aside his torn and soiled garments, he seemed to have thrown off age and weakness with it, and he was as comely a father as one might lightly behold. But may it please you, my lord, and your grace, to hold me excused, for I am somewhat faint and weary."

"Ay, go, go, Martin," said the bishop. "Let us to dinner; I trust your grace's appetite hath not waned by reason of long waiting, and that the wines of Spain may meet your liking.'

"There is little doubt, since they are to be found on my lord of Winchester's table."

"Nay, my lord of Norfolk," replied the prelate; "you should be more learned on such matters than a poor churchman."

"Yet, if report speaks true, churchmen know somewhat more than is needful of such secular affairs," laughed the peer.

"Pure scandal, my lord, pure scandal, invented by the heretic dogs. We will put it down soon.'

"It were expedient to do so."

"It shall be done," said the bishop, as he led the way to the chamber where the feast was served.

Merrily the meal went on; but even as the wine sparkled in the goblets, and host and guest drank together to the downfall of Protestantism, and to the perfect re-establishment of Popery throughout the country, the hand of Him who avengeth the cause of his saints was stretched forth, and the exulting Gardiner was struck by a terrible and fatal disease. His brow flushed with sudden pain, and his cheek paled again with intense agony. At last he was taken from the table,

writhing in torture. And so for fifteen days he lay, till death terminated his bodily sufferings.

It is not for us to limit the mercy of God. We know not whether He, who accepted the repentance of the dying thief, may have looked with compassion on the misery of His people's bitter foe; but there is something heart-rending in the last words of Gardiner, words which showed that, by the light of conscience, which ever burns more brightly when death is holding back the curtain of earthly vanities, he saw with fearful distinctness the errors of his life; and, no longer seeming to himself to be the champion of the church, he saw now he had been the truth's determined adversary. "I have sinned with Peter, but I have not wept with Peter," was the cry less of penitence than of remorse.

A monument, known as the Martyrs' Memorial, is erected on the spot where the three illustrious victims suffered. May it stand there to the end of time, a silent yet unceasing witness for the truth; and may the spirit which animated those to whose memory it is raised, yet dwell in the hearts of their countrymen in these days of latitudinarianism, falsely called toleration, that the prophetic hope of the aged Latimer may continue to be realized-the candle, which was by their death lighted in England, and which has not yet been extinguished, may never be put out!

CARLA MEREX.

CHRIST'S APPEARANCES AFTER HIS
RESURRECTION.

THE Occasions on which our Lord was graciously pleased to make a distinct revelation of Himself, during his risen life, before he ascended into the heavens, were, as far as they are recorded in the four gospels, nine. St. Paul, indeed, in his first epistle, speaks of these appearings of Christ to his disciples, which probably, though by no means certainly, were distinct from these-one to Peter by himself-one to James-and one to five hundred brethren at once. If we add these to the incidents narrated by the evangelists, we shall have twelve express exhibitions of the risen Saviour to his church. Even of these

twelve it would be wrong to infer, because no more are mentioned, that they are the only occasions on which Jesus showed himself. But we must confine our attention now to those nine instances, which have been set before us in the history with a greater detail.

The first appearance of Christ was to Mary Magdalene in the garden. The second was, as related in the 28th of St. Matthew, to all the women; that is, to the three Marys, who came together to see the sepulchre, when He commanded them to go and tell his brethren to go into Galilee, and there they should see Him.

The third occasion was to two disciples, Cleopas, and probably Simon Peter, on their memorable walk to Emmaus. The fourth was to the ten disciples, when they were assembled together, without Thomas. All these four appearances occurred on the day of the resurrection. The fifth appearance took place on the following Lord's-day to the disciples assembled with Thomas. The sixth is very briefly mentioned by St. Matthew, as having taken place in Galilee. The seventh is the one described with the greatest fulness, and is that which occurred on the lake of Galilee, when our Saviour held his touching conversation with Simon Peter. The eighth finds Him again at Jerusalem, and comprises, according to St. Luke, our Lord's last words to his disciples, when he opened their understanding to understand the Scriptures, just before He led them out to the Mount of Olives. And the ninth is the Ascension.

Over all these appearances of our blessed Lord there hangs a cloud of mystery. They are quite unlike his usual mode of holding intercourse with his followers before his death. They are so many distinct, unconnected acts, each for some express purpose, and all abrupt. He comes, we know not whence, and he generally stands in the midst, we know not

how. His body has in it the freedom of a spirit, and is untrammelled by the laws of material substances. His person is identical, and is always identified, and yet it appears to need some sign before the recognition can take place. A tone of power pervades the whole, and while the spirit which He breathes is, if possible, more affectionate than ever, his words are evidently more authoritative and commanding.

We necessarily ask, Is there any key of thought which unlocks the mystery? Are there any particular intentions of comfort or instruction which God had in view for his church in these manifestations? And are they so revealed that we may reach them ?

Beyond the purpose, then, though that purpose is as evident as it is great, of establishing the fact of the resurrection, by actual ocular demonstration oft repeated, in the minds of those who were appointed to be its witnesses and publishers to the world, our Lord appears to have had other wise and tender designs in this period of his return for a little while to the earth.

And first in respect to His body. And here there are two things to be much observed.

It is of immense importance that we connect the crucified body of Christ with his glorified state. Accordingly, these forty days are made the strong link of identification. All the disciples are made abundantly conscious that it is the same man, Christ Jesus, with all his physical characteristics, with whom they have to do after the resurrection, whom they loved and consorted with before it. The very wounds are all there, and by a series of exhibitions, under various circumstances, this proof of the entire identity of the body is carried on until He is seen, as far as the human eye could reach, soaring with it into the heavens.

Now see what this single fact contains.