fulfil every task which is required of them, and to endure whatever trials may befall them: they are made happy in themselves, and often honourable in the sight of men; and thus they are rewarded openly.—Thornton's Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount. Poetry. NATIONAL BALLADS.-No. I. The Gunpowder Treason, Nov. 5, 1605, and the Arrival of (For the Church of England Magazine.) That tells of other days: I cannot look with eye of scorn The plotted train was laid; Silent and still her chain she wound Twice peril'd and twice rescu'd, Lord, The things which from our sires we've heard A spirit works-dark, restless, proud; And smile not, friends, if with glad eye I call to mind what God's right hand It will be remembered, that when the Prince of Orange, afterwards William III., landed in England, he was for several days not joined by any one; the county of Devon having been terrified by the executions which had ensued upon Monmouth's rebellion. MR. PERCEVAL. -O wonderful power of Christianity! Never can it have been seen, since our Saviour prayed for his murderers, in a more lovely form than in the conduct and emotions it has produced in several on the occasion of poor, dear Perceval's death. Stephen, who had at first been so much overcome by the stroke, had been this morning, I found, praying for the wretched murderer; and thinking that his being known to be a friend of Perceval's might affect him, he went and devoted himself to trying to bring him to repentance. He found honest Butterworth trying to get admittance, and obtained it for him; and Mr. Daniel Wilson, whom, at my recommendation, he had brought with him. The poor creature was much affected, and very humble and thankful; but spoke of himself as unfortunate, rather than guilty, and said it was a necessary thingstrange perversion!-no malice against Perceval. Poor Mrs. Perceval, after the first, grew very moderate and resigned; and, with all her children, knelt down by the body, and prayed for them, and for the murderer's forgiveness. O wonderful power of Christianity! Is this the same person who could not bear to have him opposed by any one ?-Wilberforce's Journal. SANTA CASA AT LORETTO.-The Casa Santa is placed under the dome of the principal church at Loretto. It is magnificently encased in white marble, but is in itself nothing better than a mere hovel, divided into two compartments, in one of which is a log of wood carved into the figure of the Virgin Mary: this is said to have been done by St. Luke. The history of the Casa Santa is, that it was the house of the Virgin Mary at Nazareth, and was first transported by angels to a wood not far from Loretto, and, after a short time, to its present situation, where, soon after its arrival, the cathedral was erected over it. The pilgrims who go to Loretto are innumerable; and as each makes a present to the treasury at parting, it is in consequence immensely rich. Among a few of the principal offerings may be quoted a very large pearl, with a carving of the Madonna and child on it, presented by a poor fisherman, who (as the legend goes) vowed that the first pearl he found he would dedicate to the virgin, and to his astonishment fished up this with the carving on it. There is also another very curious present in the sanctuary, which was presented by the King of Saxony, viz. a very splendid pair of white satin inexpressibles; but what this has to do with the Santa Casa, I cannot say. The people are so very superstitious that they bring loaves of bread, and rub them on the walls of the house, in order to give them to the sick. There are two grooves, nearly an inch deep, worn in the marble pavement round the Santa Casa by people doing penance by walking so many times round on their knees. The church itself is very handsome, particularly the doors, which are of sculptured bronze. From the M.S. of H. H. ABUSE.-Nothing is more hostile to the investigation of truth than the use of harsh language and illiberal appellations.—Dr. Zouch. LONDON:-Published by JAMES BURNS, 17 Portman Street, Portman Square; W. EDWARDS, 12 Ave-Maria Lane, St. Paul's; and to be procured, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country. PRINTED BY ROBSON, LEVEY, AND FRANKLYN, 46 ST. MARTIN'S LANE. DEGREES OF GLORY. BY REV. H. S. PLUMPTRE, M.A. Minister of St. Mary's Chapel, Lambeth. No. II. I SHALL now endeavour to prove on scriptural grounds the doctrine I am desirous of establishing. I am not aware of any thing in the volume of inspiration directly bearing upon this subject; but much collateral evidence may be adduced in support of our argument. First of all, then, we learn that there are different orders of beings already existing in heaven: I allude now to the angels, who rank the highest of all intelligent creatures. We are led to conceive that they are continually occupied in the service of manexercising over him an invisible guardianship, attending him day and night, administering to his wants, and shielding him from danger, according to that particular station which has been assigned them. Thus we read of some angels appearing visibly to men-warning, teaching, ministering unto them; that when the beggar Lazarus died he was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom; and Michael was called the archangel by way of distinction, which implies superiority; and at the last great day the dead are to be summoned from the tomb by the voice of the archangel; and in the book of Revelation the four living ones are exhibited as the representatives of the angelic host, manifesting their exalted love to their Redeemer by celebrating with an unceasing voice his glorious perfections. If, then, there appear to be gradations in heaven among the highest order of intelligent beings, it is only legiti VOL. V.-NO. CXXXIII. PRICE 1d. mate to conclude that the same distinction may be preserved among those of subordinate character. Again: Our Lord says, "In my Father's house are many mansions." Of course, this expression is figurative; but attaching to it its simple meaning, why may we not imagine that these mansions, vast and numerous, are intended and reserved for the different ranks and degrees of those who are to be admitted into their Father's house; and that the word many signifies not only many in number, but also many in degree of excellence? The parable of the talents also illustrates our position. The Lord of the servants is represented as committing to each of them certain talents, according to their several capacities; and at the end of a certain period a day of reckoning arrives, when each is called upon to give an account of his stewardship, and each is rewarded according to the diligent improvement of the talent entrusted to his custody; while the whole is summed up by a narration of that event which is to take place when the Son of man is to come in all his glory to preside as Judge over the assembled world, to apportion to each individual servant his respective station. From whence we conclude, that in proportion to our cultivation of the talents committed to our superintendence, so will be our state of blessedness; that he who has been faithful over much, and he who has been faithful over a little, shall each have what is mercifully called a reward-still, it will probably differ in degree and excellence. Take, also, the account of the servant who was said "to be beaten with few stripes, because he did not know his Lord's will, and therefore prepared not himself, neither did according Z observe he does not say of these characters that they shall simply attain heaven; but a great reward when admitted there. They shall have bestowed upon them a higher meed of approbation than any of the succeeding characters which he had mentioned. Again: our Lord says, "He that receiveth a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward;" implying thereby that the prophet's reward is greater than that of those who are not prophets. to his will." This leads us to conclude that | there will be a diversity of punishment, and a distinction made between wilful sins and those of ignorance; that a discrimination will be made by the unerring Judge between the offences of an unenlightened heathen and an enlightened Christian; the latter being committed against knowledge-the other in the absence of knowledge. If, then, we are led to conclude that the punishment inflicted on the wicked will vary in degree and intensity," Verily," says Christ, "I say unto you, I see no reason why we may not lawfully conclude that the reward of the righteous will also bear a reference to the production of "those fruits which are by faith to the glory of God." Although the happiness and punishment of the righteous and wicked will be alike eternal, still we can conceive that the one may be augmented and the other mitigated, according to those circumstances which the disclosure at the great day may warrant at all events, we know that it will be a just and righteous judgment. In the next place, I refer to that chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Corinthians, which, from forming so prominent a feature in our burial-service, is particularly familiar to every member of our venerable Church. After having established the general doctrine of a resurrection by an illustration drawn from the vegetable kingdom, the apostle proceeds to shew, that although it will be simultaneous, yet the circumstances of each individual made the subject of this resurrection will not be precisely similar; which he also illustrates by a comparison familiar to all. There is, said he, a difference in terrestrial bodies; the flesh of men is more excellent than that of beasts and birds: and not only is this distinction perceptible between terrestrial bodies, but even among the celestial, one excelling another in glory; the sun surpasses that of the moon, the moon that of the stars; and one star differs from another star,-so also is the resurrection of the dead. This seems to convey an idea that one body raised from the grave will differ from another body in the degree of glory to which it will attain. Of course, the apostle here speaks of the resurrection of the righteous, whose bodies alone will undergo that delightful change here exemplified; but as one star differs from another star-still, however, being a star-so the body of one righteous man may differ from that of another righteous man, yet still be righteous. I turn next to our Lord's sermon on the mount, where he "Blessed are ye, says, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven." We may Among them that are born of women, there Without, then, unnecessarily multiplying quotations, I trust it is apparent on scriptural grounds that we are warranted in asserting that there will be degrees of glory in heaven, as there have been degrees of holiness upon the earth. The righteous, as well as the wicked, are said to be rewarded according to their works. It is impossible to evade the declaration, though the minds of many religious persons do recoil from the idea of a reward; but it should ever be remembered that the reward is not of debt, but of grace; that we are not only justified, but glorified, through the obedience of Christ. But there is a real and considerable difference in the degrees of excellence to which the righteous attain, and exhibit; and this difference, as we are taught by the Scriptures, will become the foundation of a distinction in their future allotments. Their own works are merely the proportional measures of their reward,although in reality the rewards are vastly disproportioned to any worth which can be attached to human exploits. Still, however, it is called a reward; and the sentiment is re-echoed in our Liturgy; for in the collect of the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity, we pray that "God would stir up the wills of his faithful people, that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of him be plenteously rewarded through Jesus Christ our Lord." The Redeemer himself tells us, that "the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he reward every man according to his works." Destroy this notion, and you at once destroy man's responsibility as a moral agent. You also destroy the distinction between virtue and vice, if one cannot benefit, nor the other injure us. It is a scriptural maxim, that to whom much is given, of them will much be required. The man with the ten, and the possessor of only one talent, must alike give an account of his stewardship, and receive the just recompence of reward, according to his diligence in the improvement of all that has been entrusted to his spiritual cultivation, whether it be much or little. What, then, is the use which we should make of this doctrine-or is it merely speculative? No. It is decidedly practical. It should teach us to be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord with redoubled energy; to be diligent in the exercise of all our energies and talents in the service of our Master. It should lead us to aim at the highest prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, although unworthy of the least-deserving nothing but to be rejected by God. But if it is our Father's good pleasure not simply to give us the kingdom, but to assign us different stations in that kingdom, it is an object of lawful ambition to desire to possess the highest. And how is this to be effected? Let the apostle answer this question: "Furthermore, then, brethren, we beseech you, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and please God, so ye would abound more and more." "He who soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly." THE LIFE OF CELIO SECUNDO CURIO. he makes to say, "If the Lord shall continue, as he Russia is his; Poland and the whole of Sarmatia are heaven and earth, and Jesus Christ whom he has Here, then, I leave the subject, which, in While the reformed doctrine was thus gaining enjoyment of privileges, we can little realise the trials of those terrible times. In the course of the same year, however, Curio ground in Italy, the court of Rome seemed little careful to resist the advancing tide. It is probable that the engrossing character of foreign politics diverted in some degree their attention from trans-judged that he could convey his wife and children to actions at home. They might also believe the representations made to them of the inroads of heresy exaggerated; and, imagining that a domestic evil could be at any time eradicated, they contented themselves with mere prohibitory bulls, and addresses to different bishops to increased watchfulness and zeal. But we must trace in all this the restraining hand of God, who would gather some of the lambs safely into his fold before he permitted the wolf to break fiercely out upon them. And though it did not appear to be his will that Italy, as a whole, should then shake off the papal yoke, yet doubtless by the delay of persecution many individuals had the opportunity, which otherwise they could not have had, of listening to and embracing the pure Gospel of Jesus. His people were thus brought out of Babylon that they might not be partakers of her plagues. the same place of safety which he had himself found. He therefore returned for them into Italy; but not choosing to enter Lucca, he remained at the neigh bouring town of Pessa until they could join him. His steps had been tracked by the spies of the Inquisition, who were anxiously desirous of apprehending a man of such celebrity; and here they imagined they had secured him. As he was sitting at dinner in the inn, a captain of the papal band, called in Italy barisello, unexpectedly appeared, entered the room, and in the pope's name required him to surrender himself a prisoner. His ruin now, even to himself, appeared certain; but God can throw around his people a wall of fire, and cause their enemies to flee when no man pursueth. As he rose from table to deliver himself to the officer, he retained, almost unconsciously, in his hand the knife with which he had cut his meat. The barisello, when he saw a powerful man approach him, armed, as he thought, with a dangerous weapon to assault him, was seized with a sudden panic, and retreated into a corner of the apartment. Curio, when a way of escape was thus singularly opened, walked firmly out of the house, passed with no interruption the guards who were standing at the door, mounted his horse, and made good his flight. It may be perhaps regretted that so many of the leading reformers of Italy preferred quitting their country to sealing their testimony at home with their blood. As far as that land alone was concerned, this was perhaps one reason why the Gospel was there eradicated. When the principal teachers were gone, the rest were more easily scattered and destroyed. But as we must acknowledge that those who fled had Christ's especial permission (Matt. x. 23), de In the course, however, of the year 1542, the Vatican became seriously alarmed. Vigorous measures it was seen must be speedily adopted. The clergy in general, and particularly the friars, poured in their complaints of the danger to which the Catholic faith was, as they said, exposed. Among these, Cardinal Caraffa (afterwards Pope Paul IV.), a man of rigid and ambitious temper, was the most prominent. He had made strict investigations through the kingdom of Naples, and some other parts of Italy, and he laid the fruit of his inquiries before the sacred college. The result of their deliberations was, that in the first place proceedings should be taken against those ecclesiastics who were supposed to favour the new opinions. Several of the more eminent of these, among whom was the celebrated Peter Martyr, found it necessary to consult their safety by flight. Curio was also in extreme peril. He had visited, after his departure (pre-livered under similar circumstances to his immediate viously mentioned) from Venice, Ferrara and Lucca. In the university of this last place he held an appointment; and though the clergy were very desirous to have him apprehended, the senate for some time resisted their importunities, and resolved to protect him. But his difficulties may be judged of by an extract from one of his letters at this time. "I meant," says he, "to have added more; but a message has just been sent me, that I am in danger of my life, by the information of certain adversaries of the truth, who plot, and think, and dream of nothing else but abolishing the memory of Christ from the earth." The patronage of the senate of Lucca did not very long avail him. In 1513 the pope sent letters to the magistrates, complaining of the harbour which was afforded to such a heretic, and commanding them to send him forthwith to Rome, to answer there the accusations that had been made against him. Private intimation was then given him to consult his safety by choosing some securer retreat, and accordingly he retired to Ferrara; and then, having been furnished by the Duchess Renée (the daughter of Louis XII. of France, married, 1527, to Hercules II., the reigning sovereign of Ferrara,) with letters of recommendation to the authorities of certain of the Swiss towns, he quitted Italy, and took up his residence at Lausanne. His flight necessarily severed him from his family; and he had therefore to prove the force of our Saviour's words, that neither wife nor children, houses nor lands, nor even the love of his own life, must cause a man to falter in his allegiance towards him. Doubtless the heart of Curio was filled with grief as he parted from those so dear to him; but doubtless he experienced that strengthening presence of his Lord, which enabled him to triumph over every fleshly principle. He raised his eye with believing hope to the time when they should meet around the throne of God, to be separated and distressed no more. In our calm followers, for their warrant, so we cannot help seeing that, by the exiles and flights of many eminent men of that age, the reformation was more widely and rapidly spread than would have been otherwise the case. The effect, therefore, of their conduct, though partially injurious, was generally beneficial. The waters of divine knowledge were not confined to the spot in which they took their rise; they went forth to refresh other lands, and flowed into many a spiritual desert, making the solitary place to blossom as the rose. And thus the persecuting rage of the Romish Church was over-ruled by God to the more abundant dissemination of the doctrines they meant to destroy. It must not, besides, be forgotten, that though, as I have remarked, a strange remissness seemed at first to palsy the papal arm in its actings against the Italian reformers, yet, when its attention was aroused, it used the means best calculated by subtlety and force to recover its ascendancy. The Inquisition had on its first establishment in the twelfth century been introduced into Italy; but it had soon sunk, chiefly by the opposition of the free government, into a very lukewarm and ineffectual state. The tremendous power which the same tribunal wielded in Spain was denied to it here; its forms of process were slow, and many opportunities of escape were afforded to the accused. It was thus little fitted to cope with the new opinions which were rapidly advancing and influentially upheld. On this account some of the most zealous papists, headed by Caraffa, urged the institution of a tribunal of more decided character, as the only means of preserving Italy from the triumph of heresy. Accordingly, by a bull bearing date April 1, 1543, Pope Paul III. established at Rome "the Congregation," as it was called, " of the Holy Office." Six cardinals were invested with the title and authority of inquisitors-general of the faith, and were empowered to try all causes of heresy on both |