from all unrighteousness-that is to say from all sin, both original, mortal, venial, or any other-so that we repent, believe, ask mercy, and amend our sinful living; and to purge us a peculiar people unto himself, to do him service and none other; and even such as without any feigned or cloaked holiness, should be earnest followers, not of their own wills, fancies, and fleshly pleasures, but of good works, even such works as God commandeth and are accepted before him, and not such as dame Good-intent and her sister Blind-zeal imagine and invent of their own brains without the authority of God's word.

Thus have ye, neighbours, in few words, that which ye received before in many. What now remaineth, but that, seeing God the Father hath showed us so great kindness by his Son Jesus Christ, we do as the New Year's Gift teaches us, that is to say, deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present -world, and be earnest followers of good works, that we may, with a good conscience and joyful heart, look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Remember then, that to be called a Christian man availeth nothing, except we live according to our name and profession. Remember that to read the Scriptures, and to have the knowledge of them, profiteth nothing at all, except we fashion our life according to the doctrine thereof. Remember that to boast of faith and of our justification by it, is nothing to the purpose, except we bring forth the fruits of faith. Remember that to glory of our salvation purchased by Christ availeth nothing, except we change our old living and become new men. Remember that all the benefits of Christ serve only for those who repent, believe, and lead a godly and innocent life. All others, as they have no part in Christ, so they remain still the bond-captives of Satan, and shall, if they amend not, be committed to hell fire for evermore. Therefore, neighbours, take heed, refuse not to walk in the light of God's word. Walk while ye have light, lest darkness overwhelm you. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. While ye have time do good unto all men. Night shall come when no man shall be able to work. Now is the time of grace, now is the time of health. Therefore, neighbours, stand not idle all day; work manfully in the Lord's vineyard. Be not like unto that unprofitable servant, who hid up the treasure of

his master in the ground, lest ye be cast into the outer darkness, where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be; but apply the talent that ye have received, unto the glory of God and the profit of your neighbour. Be not barren and unfruitful as the fig-tree was, lest ye also be cursed. Be not like the five foolish virgins, who had lamps and no oil in them, and therefore they could not enter into the marriage feast with the bridegroom, but were barred out. Be not like the gross and unthankful Jews, who, when they were delivered out of Egypt, the house of bondage, desired to be there again among the greasy flesh pots. Be not like to Lot's wife who looked back unto the filthy people of Sodom. But be like unto Christ, and so many as are followers of him; as St. Paul saith, Be ye the followers of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Cor. xi.) Be earnest followers of good works. Walk worthy the gospel of Christ, and so show yourselves faithful in all things, that ye may garnish the doctrine of God our Saviour. What should I say more unto you? Be faithful unto the death, that the crown of life may be given unto you. For he that continueth unto the end, he shall be safe.

And here also I make an end, desiring you, by the tender mercies of God, and by the precious blood of Jesus Christ our Saviour, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain, but so behave yourselves in all things, as it becometh the servants of God. So may ye be sure to receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to so many as love him. Amen.

Now, neighbours, here have ye your New Year's Gift, although homely, yet godly. If it had lain in my power to have given you better, better you should have had. But I pray you accept my good will for this time. If God at another time give me better, be ye sure that you shall not want your part of it.

Eu. Neighbour Philemon, we thank you right heartily; and we again unto the utmost of our power, give both ourselves and all that ever we have unto you, not only to desire, but also to your commandment.

I

Ph. I know the good hearts of you all toward me. pray you vouchsafe to come with me into my hall, and we will be joyful together in God, as the time of the year and common custom require.

Th. We follow you gladly. Blessed be God for our NEW YEAR'S GIFT.

BECON.

Give the glory to God alone.

11

The following is a brief account of Becon's tracts, entitled "The Christmas Banquet," and "The Pleasant Nosegay," which contain much that is excellent, although intermixed with many of the quaint peculiarities of the times in which they were written.

THE CHRISTMAS BANQUET,

Garnished with many and dainty dishes.

This is a dialogue between Philemon and his neighbours, in which he sets before them" a Christmas Banquet to sustain and feed their hungry souls with the word of God." The first dish is, (Gen. iii. 17, 18,) Cursed is the earth in thy work. It shall bring forth unto thee thorns and brambles. From hence Bécon shows that the sin of Adam is the cause of man's condemnation, which he proves by many passages of scripture. The second dish is, (Gen. iii. 15,) I will set enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed, and that same seed shall tread down thy head. This shows God's free mercy towards man, and how all good things are given to us for Christ's sake, who is the beginning and ending of all our salvation. The third dish is, (Mark i. 15,) Repent and believe the gospel. Becon here shows what is repentance, what it worketh in man-that repentance and faith must be joined together-and that faith in Christ alone saveth. The fourth dish is, (Ephe sians ii, 10,) We are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them. Here is shown, what is the duty of the faithful-that good works are commanded by God, and that true faith in Christ is the mother of all good works.

THE PLEASANT NEW NOSEGAY,

Full of many godly and sweet flowers, lately gathered.

This tract also is a dialogue between Philemon and his friends, in which he presents them with " a nosegay full of most redolent and odoriferous flowers, which may expel all pernicious and hurtful savours, and conserve and keep health both of body and mind." The first flower is called UNFEIGNED HUMILITY, (1 Peter v. 5,) Have humility and lowliness of mind engrafted in you. For God resisteth the proud, but to the humble he giveth grace. Hence is shown that pride is the headspring of evil. The second is PURE INNOCENCY, (Gen. xvii. 1, 2,) I am the almighty God. Walk before me and be perfect; and I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee beyond all measure. From this is shown the duty of man towards God. The third flower is FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE, (Rom. xiii. 1,) Let every soul be subject to the powers that bear rule, &c. Thence is enforced obedience to the lawful authorities. The fourth flower is called READY ASSISTANCE, (Phil. ii. 4,) Let every man look not for his own profit, but for the profit of others. Thence is shown our duty towards our neighbour. The fifth is CHRISTIAN CHARITY, (1 John iii. 18,) Let us not love in word or tongue, but in work and truth. From thence Becon shows the effects of love to God and to our neighbour.

These tracts contain many excellent and pithy observations, and especially show that Becon was a man "mighty in the scriptures."

AN INVECTIVE

AGAINST

THE MOST WICKED AND DETESTABLE VICE

OF

SWEARING.

Extract from the Preface.

I EXHORT all men charitably to admonish one another, when they see any offend, and to rebuke him by the Scriptures, that we may shine in the midst of a froward and crooked nation, as great lights in the world, pure, faultless, and such as no man can complain of, holding fast the word of life. (Phil. ii.) Let us suffer no sin to reign in this our mortal body, (Rom. vi.) but mortify all things that strive against the Spirit. Let us hate, detest, and abhor sin as the most grievous pestilence and pestiferous poison that can befall us. But above all things, LET US NOT SWEAR at all, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor yet by anything that is contained in them. (Matt. v. James v.) If any of us at any time shall hear another swear, and pollute the name of our Lord God by vain, idle, and unlawful oaths, let us charitably admonish the offender, exhort him to cease from his swearing, and move him unto the praise of God, and of his most holy and blessed name. For surely if there were no more sins committed in England, than the blaspheming of God and his creatures by vain swearing, it were enough to bring final destruction unto this realm; from the which I beseech God long to preserve it, and to give the inhabitants thereof grace to correct and amend their sinful manners. And to the intent that men may know how great an offence it is before God, vainly to swear, I have made this Invective against swearing, wherein as in a clear mirror they shall unfeignedly perceive and see, what great damnation hangeth over the heads of all swearers, and that it is not possible for them to escape the vengeance of God, except with all haste they repent, forsake their detestable manner of swearing, and earnestly fall into the hearty praises of God.

THE

INVECTIVE AGAINST SWEARING.

A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with wickedness, and the plague, that is to say, the vengeance of God, shall not go away from his house.-Eccl. xxiii.

WHENCE shall I take my beginning, while I lament the corrupt manners of this most wretched world, more aptly and fitter for the purpose than from the prophet Jeremiah, and with weeping tears and sorrowful heart cry out with him, Oh! who shall give my head water enough and a well of tears for mine eyes, that I may weep night and day for the slaughter of my people. (Jer. ix.) The prophet doth not here bewail them that have their bodies slain with the sword, or with any other kind of violence; but he lamenteth the wretched and damnable state of such as are slain in their souls, by the multitude of sins. For whatsoever the sword is to the body, even the very same is sin to the soul, as manifestly appears by his words that follow. For he calleth them adulterers, and a company of wicked transgressors. They bend their tongues like bows, saith he, to shoot out lies. As for the truth they cannot endure it. For they go from one wickedness unto another, and hold nothing of God. They are so false and crafty, that every one had need to keep himself from another. No man may safely trust his own brother, for one brother undermines another, and one neighbour beguiles another, yea, one dissembles with another, and they deal with no truth. They have practised their tongues to speak lies, and have taken great pains to do mischief. They have set their stool in the midst of deceit, and for very dissembling falsehood they will not know the Lord. Their tongues are like sharp arrows to speak deceit, with their mouth they speak peaceably to their neighbours, but privily they lay wait for him.

These words of the prophet declare evidently that he bewailed them that are slain in their souls by reason of the manifold wickedness wherewith they are wounded inwardly and slain, that is to say, cast away from the favour