every touch of a political wand creates a bishop, and the once famous nolo episcopari is become obsolete. While turning over the accumulation of many years, some of which had long lain in a corner of my "stall," the following caught my eye; and, though fully aware it would not fit, as an "underlay," the shoes of any modern bishop, they having worn theirs to the very "welt," yet it struck me it might answer the purpose of laying a foundation, in showing what bishops were in those days of England's glory, when the Episcopal bench was adorned with men who feared God, and hated covetousness. It was during one of those perambulations in which I oft indulged myself when younger than I now am, while strolling in the "lap of earth" sacred as the resting place of the rustic villagers, impressed with the passing thought that even from those flattened hillocks "the dead in Christ shall arise;" unacquainted as I was with even a solitary one who was there awaiting the sound of the trump, a solemn awe struck me, and I seemed to ask of each narrow cell who and what inhabitant dost thou contain? Is it the precious dust of one of the Lord's saints, born to be unseen, or is the detained prisoner one who, being driven away in his wickedness, it would be well for him could the grave for ever hide him? The footsteps of a passer by aroused my musing heart, and in surveying the stranger, the armorial bearings upon a rudely-inscribed stone drew my attention, upon which I read, with no small feeling of pleasure Depositum Roberti Leightovni Qui obijt xxv. die Junij, Though unable to trace the exact spot where this gold dust of the Heavenly Refiner's care was sleeping, my heart glowed with gratitude, in holy admiration, at the remembrance when so godly a bishop as Robert Leighton adorned the mitre. Through the courtesy of the smiling villager, whom it turned out was churchwarden, admission was granted me to enter the plain and simple building, endeared unto me from the consciousness that beneath its humble roof had "sounded out the word of the Lord," and there the souls of the poor and needy had been refreshed; yet, notwithstanding all the pleasure afforded from the review of the past, a death-like chill struck through my frame, in reference to the present. Dead formality, or modern innovations, were the only things to be observed; and, as it appeared some alteration in the edifice had caused the exclusion of the good archbishop's body from the interior, so also had the turtle's voice ceased to be heard. I felt inclined to make further search amongst the " shreds," and, if successful in finding any which properly belong to the order of bishops, arrange them in contrast with those of the present day, in which will be easily perceived the difference between a bishop in substance, and what they are in shadow. Burnett, who himself was a hishop of the free-will school, in his History of his own Times," has given us the character of this worthy prelate. "He was (says he), a bishop that had the greatest elevation of soul, the largest compass of knowledge, the most mortified and most heavenly disposition that I ever saw in mortal; that had the greatest parts, as well as virtues, with the most perfect humility, that I ever saw in man; that had so sublime a strain in preaching, with so grave a gesture; and such a majesty, both of thought, of language, and of pronunciation, that I never once saw a wandering eye when he preached, and have seen whole assemblies often melt in tears before him, and of whom I can say, with great truth, that, in a free and frequent conversation with him, for about two-and-twenty years, I never knew him say an idle word, or that had not a direct tendency to edification; and I never once saw him in any other temper but that I wished to be in in the last moments of life." 66 The same historian shows the manner of his exercising his labours in his parish. Every one that lived in his parish (saith he) had a very high esteem for him, and he proved himself to be a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. He was most assiduous in discharging the various duties of his office; his preparation for the pulpit was very exact; he diligently visited the poor, the sick, and the afflicted of his flock, and promoted personal, domestic, social, and public religion to the utmost of his power, by precept, example, and many prayers, and was never happier than when engaged in the duties of his office, or in his closet, storing his comprehensive mind with sacred knowledge, communing with his own heart, and praying to his God." He lived ten years in retirement in the almost secluded village where his dust now lies, yet not altogether useless in his profession, as he not unfrequently preached and read prayers in this and other parishes; and the close of his life was in a most remarkable way. He had often said that, if with himself was left the choice where to die, it should be at an inn; and this was the reason he gave for it :- Every one (he observed) was so engaged at an inn, in attending to their own personal wants, that he thought here, if anywhere, a man might be permitted to die quietly." And this wish was granted, as his death took place at the Bell lun, Warwick Lane, adjoining Amen Corner; though I have never been able to ascertain the exact room in which the good man breathed his last. It has been also stated that this remarkable circumstance attended it; the authenticity of it however is not so clear as to exclude all question upon the point, yet the whole demeanour of this luminary of our Church strongly favours it. While sitting at the table, after supper, with his man servant standing near him, he suddenly cried out, "John, I hear my Master's voice," and instantly dropped his head on the chair, and died. I shall be forgiven the breach, in point of order, as those great men ministered in the golden age of our church, nor will it detract from the lustre and grace which must always accompany the mention of Archbishop Usher, to be here placed, after the estimable Leighton; for who that values the blessedness of baving such godly men as these called of God to fill the episcopal bench, will feel any displeasure in which an old man might exhibit his "shreds" connected with them? And indeed he can attempt no more; yet such was the great grace that on them was by the Lord bestowed, that even their "shreds cast a shadow over modern bishops. Archbishop Usher was born about the same time that the University of Dublin was founded, and of which he in after days proved the greatest ornament; and his biographer informs us that at the early age of ten years he was led captive by the sovereign grace of God taking possession of his young and tender heart, and this was ever conspicuous in the whole of his long and very useful life. But our present object is more with him as "Primate of all Ireland," or the good bishop of olden times. Being by means of his translation to the Archbishopric of Ireland, promoted to the highest dignity his profession was capable of in his uative country, he was so far from being elated or puffed up with the rank; and so far from ceasing to preach the gospel, that he became so very lowly among men as to put pride out of countenance wherever he met with it; and so laborious was he in the ministry as to overtoil himself, even to the wasting of his spirits; was a full and pithy preacher, who, though he was master of excellent language, when he pleased to use it, yet his matter for the most part excelled his words; and what he said had more divinity than philosophy. He would continue, upon some occasions, at least two hours in preaching, and at those times more than ordinarily extend himself in prayer, and yet his matter was always as large as his time. The wine at the end of the feast would equal if not exceed that at the beginning. His language was studiously plain, but graceful, and usually attended with the Spirit and with power; for though, like Moses, his temper was naturally meek and gentle, yet such was the longing of his soul for the everlasting welfare of the people, his words were not unfrequently like thunder; and his countenance glowing like flashes of lightning. As his preaching was thus fervent, so was it constant, even to the close of his life, which was extended to 75 years. But the day of his death drew near, and, dismissing his chaplain, the Archbishop desired for a little space to be left alone, the Lord shortened his bodily pains, for it was but a little past one of the clock at the noon, when he breathed his last. The attendants heard his dying expressions, which, though low, were raised in great earnestness, for pardon and mercy in the Lord. Thus on the 21st of March, 1655, after having enriched the world by his presence for 75 years, died the great Archbishop Usher, for more than fifty years a most laborious and successful preacher of the gospel of Christ, and one-and-thirty years Primate of Ireland. His death was lamented by the whole religious world which had grace or understanding to respect greatness of talent, amiableness of mind, and real godliness. The great foreign divines of the age could not hear of his death for years afterwards without regret and emotion; and all the British divines of the orthodox in the faith fully subscribed to what one of the order said of him~ "That he was indeed a divine and truly apostolical bishop, and, next to the apostles, evangelists, and prophets, as great a pastor and teacher, and entrusted with as much of the mind of God, as perhaps any had ever been; a man so famous as never to be named without some preface of honour." And Morus, in his oration at Geneva, eulogized him after this 66 manner Magnum Usserim, excellentissimum, Dei servum, reverendissimum virum Dei, seculi nostri Athanasium, maximum Britanniæ decus." "Usher the great, the most excellent servant of God, the most revered man of God, the Athanasius of our age, Britain's greatest glory." Truly in those days we had giants in our church, and it was the day of England's glory, as the true defender of the faith; bnt ere these good men were gathered to their fathers, the "Laudian tide" of freewill had set In, which from that day to the present has flowed so strong as to have quite inundated the whole bench, and we have ceased to be what the learned of all countries styled us-Clerica Anglicani Stupor mundi-The English Clergy are the world's wonder. My "thread" is too lengthy, and my "shreds" almost large enough for "soleing." Were I appointed "cordwainer to the bishops," I would gladly do it, or seek new ones at once, which should require no mending; but of this I see no prospect, therefore must reserve those "shreds" of our good bishops who are held in remembrance until you kindly tap at my little window, and say, "We have room for a few more shreds,' gathered from the bishops of the former times; for, having tasted the old vintage, we desire not the new;" and, if the "stall" be not shut up by the power of Rome in England, none more ready to attend than From my Stall, Amen Corner. CRISPIN. "NEVERTHELESS HE SAVED THEM FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE, THAT HE MIGHT MAKE HIS POWER TO BE KNOWN." Ps. CVI. 8. IV. (Continued from page 332, vol. vii) Christ enduring the wrath of God. It is said by Paul, that "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteous of men" (Rom. i. 18), and as all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of God's elect was laid on Jesus, consequently all the wrath of God due to such crimes fell on him -he stood responsible to pay the whole debt-and the consequence was, that when pay-day came, he had to "endure the cross, despise the shame," and offer unto God a sacrifice, sufficient to satisfy unbending justice. It is said of the wicked, in their eternal misery, that they "shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb" (Rev. xiv. 10); this is the desert of every sinner under the sun, but as Jesus stood up in the room of his people, and took their sins upon himself, he had therefore to "bear our griefs, and carry our sorrows," and as those torments which are quoted above, are the deserved griefs and sorrows, which we are entitled to, Jesus had to bear them for us in his own precious breast, and endure them under the afflicting hand of God. And be it ever remembered, that though the Lord Jesus was God's "only begotten Son," yea, he in "whom his soul delighted," yet his sufferings were no more ameliorated, than, though the whole elect of God had to bear them eternally in hell; it expressly states, that though he was the Son of God in whom he was "well pleased," yea, even his "well-beloved Son," yet he "spared not his own Son," but afflicted him for his people's sake, till he cried out, "Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves (Psalm lxxxviii. 7): yea, he even afflicts him further still, till he cries out from the bottom of his holy breast, "Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up, while I suffer thy terrors, I am distracted" (Psalm lxxxviii. 14, 15). And is not this enough for this "man of sorrows to bear? even to feel the withdrawal of his Father's face, with whom he had lived in godly union from all eternity, so that he cries, Why hidest thou thy face from me?" and to suffer from his father "his terrors," even till he is “distracted!" No, he must bear more than all that he must still feel the sword of justice sharper yet-so that he cries out, not only Thy wrath goeth over me," but "thy fierce wrath;" yea, even the fiercest that Deity can produce, even "thy fierce wrath goeth over me, thy terrors have cut me off;" here is an experience for our incarnate God to feel, even so much of his Father's terrors that they make him "distracted," and that he feels "cut off;" well may he "Thou say, hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deep," and again, "mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction." But let none infer that I mean the wrath of God is on Jesus eternally, although his people would have to endure it eternally, if he had not suffered—no; Jesus made a "short work" (Rom. ix. 28) of it, but still bore the same weight of suffering-congregated in one great mass-that his people would have to bear in a never-dying hell. Jesus must indeed have felt the "wrath" of divine justice sharp in his soul; to feel that the Lord had "cast off" his soul, and “hid his face" from him, yea, and even to feel the "terrors" of God upon him -what are we to understand by these terrors but the wrath of Jehovah ? that it was even the wrath of God which he felt so keenly, as to cry out, that he was distracted," while he suffered these terrors-yes, while he suffered them-for they were no light matter with him, nor did they beat as a feather upon his head-he cries out in his agony, "Thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves," yea, even all; not a wave in vindictive wrath, but that beat with pitiless terror upon his divine and holy head. The sufferings of our blessed Lord are beautifully spoken of by the Evangelists. Luke says, that " He came out and went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples also followed him, and he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and he kneeled down and |