to obscure graves, without a monument to record their virtues, or even to preserve their memories. Were honour to be awarded to them only whose holy motives and worthy deeds will abide the scrutiny of Heaven, the records of glory and of shame would present a different appearance from that in which they are exhibited to us by the distributors of earthly fame.

Multa renascentur quæ jam cecidere; cadentque,

Quæ nunc sunt in honore vocabula.-'

In the number of those persons who have deserved well of mankind, and whose names are worthy of being had in everlasting remembrance, the Puritans are to be reckoned; nor should they take the lowest rank among those by whose exertions the world has been enlightened, and the state of society improved. By their just opposition to arbitrary power, and their unyielding struggles in favour of civil and religious freedom, they rendered themselves deserving of the gratitude and veneration of posterity. They laboured, and we have entered into their labours. They bequeathed to us a valuable legacy. They left us a rich and noble inheritance. The tree under whose shade we repose in peace, and the fruits of which are so pleasant to our taste, was planted by their hand. The superiority of which we boast, in our civil institutions, and in our religious advantages, is the result of their arduous and persevering conflicts. Had these men not resisted the encroachments of despotic rulers on the rights of conscience; had they not withstood the oppressive and cruel measures of the ecclesiastics of their times; the civil and religious prosperity of Britain had been less conspicuous in subsequent periods of its history. To them, more than to any other class of men, are we, under God, indebted for our constitutional rights, and for the blessings of religious liberty. Not less than this is the sum of our obligations, enemies themselves being judges. Hume, who uses every variety of contemptuous epithet in speaking of the Puritans, calling them Enthusiasts, Zealots, Fanatics, &c. admits that Puritanism and the love ' of liberty arose and advanced together*.' So absolute,' he observes, was the authority of the crown, that the precious spark of liberty had been kindled, and was preserved by the Puritans alone; and it was (is) to this sect that the English 6 owe the whole freedom of their constitution !†'

6

Mr. Brook, in the copious volumes before us, has taken laudable pains to preserve the memory of the Puritans, and has furnished the lives of nearly four hundred of these early

* Hume's History of England, ch. 42.

+ Ibid. ch. 40.

assertors of religious liberty, and has added some brief notices of some others, of whom no detailed account could be obtained. To some readers, the work may perhaps appear too large, and some of the memoirs, deficient in interest; but we feel ourselves inclined to receive with candour, and with thanks, this valuable accession to our biographical collections. To all who feel interested in the rise and progress of religious freedom, who wish to become acquainted with the character and actions of men who were the instruments of restoring to the mind the possession and exercise of its native rights, and who revere the memory of eminent benefactors, we cordially recommend these volumes. They form a very suitable companion to Palmer's "Nonconformist's Memorial," on the model of which they are composed. After a Preface, explanatory of his design, the Author gives us an Introduction, containing a Sketch of the History of Nonconformity, from the Reformation, to the passing of the Act of Uniformity, in 1662. A. D. Besides the common sources of information afforded by printed works, Mr. Brook, in compiling "The Lives of the Puritans," has availed himself of the assistance of several valuable MS. collections, preserved in public and private libraries, a list of which is given in an Appendix. He has very carefully cited his authorities in the margin, and is entitled to the praise of a diligent and faithful memorialist. The following extract from the Preface will make our readers acquainted with the nature of this work.

The Author of these volumes has spared no labour nor expense in the collection of materials, and has used the utmost care to retain whatever appeared interesting, curious, and useful Not writing to please any particular sect or party, he has observed the strictest impartiality In the lives of these worthies, he has not suppressed their imperfections, nor even the accusations of their adversaries; but has constantly stated their faults, as well as their excellencies without reserve Neither has he connived at bigotry and persecution whether found among Prelates, Presbyterians, or any others. Whoever were the persecutors or aggressors, their case is represented, as nearly as possible, as it is found in the faithful pages of history. His sole object has been to give a lucid and impartial statement of fact. Indeed the documents are frequently transcribed in the very words of the authors.

Through the whole he has invariably given his authorities. These might easily have been multiplied; but, when two or more authors have given accounts of the same facts, he has invariably chosen that which appeared the most authentic; or, when they have at any time contradicted each other, he has always either given both, or followed that which appeared most worthy of credit. In the Appendix, a correct list is given of the principal books consulted; and for the satisfaction of the more critical reader, the particular

edition of each is specified. In numerous instances, referenc will be found to single lives, funeral sermons, and many other interesting articles, of which the particular edition is mostly given. In addition to the numerous printed works, he has also been favoured with the use of many large Manuscript collections, a list of which will be found at the close of the Appendix. From these rare documents he has been enabled to present to the public a great variety of most curious and interesting information never before printed.

After all, many lives will be found very defective, and will leave the inquisitive reader uninformed in numerous important particulars. Such defect was unavoidable at this distance of time; when, after the utmost research, no further information could possibly be procured. The author has spent considerable labour to obtain a correct list of the works of those whose lives he has given, and to ascertain the true orthography of the names of persons and places. Though in each of these particulars he has succeeded far beyond his expectations, yet, in some instances, he is aware of the deficiency of his information. He can only say that he has availed himself of every advantage within his reach, to render the whole as complete and interesting as possible.

The lives of these worthies are arranged in chronological order, according to the time of their deaths. These volumes present to the reader a particular detail of the arduous and painful struggle for religious freedom, during the arbitrary reigns of Queen Elizabeth, King James, and King Charles the First, to the Restoration of King Charles the Second.'

These volumes are replete with instruction of the most important and salutary kind. They completely prove not only the iniquity of persecution in all its varieties and degrees, but also the futility of every restraint on the conscience; and they furnish a demonstration of the absurdity of attempting to effect any change in the religious opinions of mankind by other means than mild and convincing persuasion. Gentle expostulation may reach the heart, and argument may prevail on the mind to discard its errors; but menaces and torture have no tendency to enlighten the understanding, and to promote the interests of truth. They may, indeed, in some cases, awe the mind to the reception of any given dicta, and thus confirm men in ignorance, or make them hypocrites; but they are never the instruments of conveying knowledge, or of producing cordial assent to the sentiments of him who employs them. They frequently aid the circulation of the obnoxious opinions. In a very ignorant and superstitious age, men may gaze on the burning heretic, without feeling such interest in his case as shall lead to any imitation of his religious character. But when inquiry is awakened, suffering for conscience' sake, powerfully excites the sympathy of mankind;

and the fortitude and constancy of the sufferer, become recommendations of his sentiments. At the fires which consume the martyr, the extinguished lamps of truth are relighted, and shed their illuminating rays around. The spectators of his death depart from the pile to reflect and examine; to believe, and become his followers. The burnings of Smith-field, and the sufferings of the Puritans, produced effects which have never yet resulted from the Autos da Fé of the Romish Church. Fines, imprisonment, banishment, and death, were the means employed, without scruple, and without mercy, by Protestant bishops and Protestant princes, for the purpose of suppressing Puritanism. But this cause was advanced by their severities, and made rapid progress through the land. The insolent and cruel prelates, whose zeal for the external order of the Church, kindled the flames in which many excellent men were tormented, and others were consumed, instead of contemplating the accomplishment of their favourite scheme of Uniformity, witnessed increasing defection from the Church, and by their violent measures, gave stability to separation.

What a sad anomaly in religion, is a persecuting Christian Minister! This odious character is fully portrayed in the volumes before us; and here are to be found ample reasons for keeping separate civil and religious interests, that all means of inflicting penalties and pains on men's property and persons, may be kept out of the hands of Christian Teachers. What a strange comment on those words-" The "Servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves," is a bishop sitting in judgement on faithful and laborious preachers; putting ensnaring questions to their consciences; ordering their separation from their nearest relátives, and their dearest friends; passionate and overbearing; breathing out threatenings and slaughter; and deliberately putting his signature to a warrant for execution! Whatever

latitude of interpretation may be given to Christ's declaration, "My kingdom is not of this world," it is impossible to shew that it comes within its meaning, for the ministers of his religion to sit as judges on the lives of men. What a contrast to the character of the Apostles of Christ, who in all things approved themselves as the Ministers of God, " by "pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by "the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned," is presented by the bishops in Elizabeth's reign, presiding in the court of High Commission! Harshness, it has lately been affirmed, is the peculiar character of Sectarianism. How much of "the meekness and "gentleness of Christ," we would ask, was possessed by Parker and Whitgift, by Aylmer and Bancroft? The principles of

religious liberty which we assert, effectually provide against the oppression of mankind by any and by every description of ecclesiastics, since they do not permit any man to be questioned on account of his faith, and restrict all religious responsibility to God.

It was the great object of the English princes and ecclesiastics, during the periods to which these volumes relate, to establish Uniformity of Religion, especially in the rites and ceremonies of the Church, and the habits of the clergy.— Visionary and useless project! What cruelties have been inflicted, what miseries have been endured, what blood has been shed, in vain and wicked attempts for its accomplishment! Proclamations and Acts of Parliament prescribed the manner of performing the service of the Church, and the dress in which her ministers were to officiate; when copes were to be worn, and when surplices. How it can be for the advancement of God's glory, and the edification of his Church,' as the Act of Uniformity of Elizabeth expresses it, that an exact order and uniformity of dress should be observed by the ministers of religion, it is impossible to conceive. Neither the commands nor the practice of Christ's Apostles, nor the customs of the primitive Church, afford any sanction to sacerdotal garments. In our apprehension, it would be more for the advancement of the glory of God, to leave the regulation of Divine worship to the sole arbitration of the New Testament, as understood by each particular society of worshippers. Sincerity and peace would thus be promoted. Had the Apostolic maxim" Let every man be fully persuaded in "his own mind,"-been admitted in the practice of the English Reformers, much evil had been prevented.

It is, indeed, humiliating to recollect what has been suffer'ed for no weightier ground of dispute in the beginning than 'the surplice and the sign of the cross in baptism:' but the shame, and the blame, belong to them who rigidly enjoined these and other unscriptural rites and ceremonies. They who sternly refused to concede the scruples of good men on these points, are justly chargeable with all the consequences which followed. The Puritans did right in objecting to the 'sur'plice and the sign of the cross,' if they believed them to be unlawful but their adversaries did wrong in imposing them, and in punishing those persons who conscientiously refused to use them, since they admitted them to be indifferent. As the surplice, the sign of the cross, and the other usages, against which the Puritans objected, had been practised in the Romish Church, they apprehended that their adoption of them might cherish the superstition of the people, that it was symbolizing with Antichrist, and ought not to be required of