this bloody murderer cleft his head with the hatchet; and taking horse they both rode away. This cruel act was perpetrated in the year 1546. Alphonsus, another inhuman Cain, was highly applauded by the papists for his deed. But God did not suffer this unnatural cruelty to go unpunished; for, not long after, he was so exceedingly tormented with horrors and dread of conscience, that being at Trent, when the general council was held there, he died, like Judas, by hanging himself. We thought this account of a Spaniard, though short, might be the more desirable, as the country of his birth was eyer famous for bigotry and superstition, and hath been remarkably barren in the real profession of the gospel. Indeed, it hath not, of late ages, been much distinguished for men of great liberality or learning, and at this day, partakes less of civil and religious liberty than any other kingdom in Europe. The people there know still less of that spiritual and heavenly liberty, with which Christ makes his people free: And their bloody and horrid inquisition will do what it can to keep them ignorant of it. All the acts of faith (as they shamefully call the executions of this abominable tribunal) are begun in ignorance and infamy, and end in cruelty and blood. Spain has, however, produced some few learned men of the first class, within the three past centuries: But these have, almost without exception, been bigots of the church of Rome, and employed their talents in supporting the papal jurisdiction. It is a pleasure to see an example to the contrary; and, therefore, our Readers will not think it an impertinent digression to relate, that Cyprían de Valera was of this country, became a sincere, as well as learned protestant, made a voyage to England for improvement, and returned with the bible translated into Spanish; copies of which, with copies of a Spanish translation of Calvin's institute, he dispersed among his countrymen.The word of God is indeed a pearl of great price; but the grace of God alone can make it precious to the soul, and render those who read it wise unto salvation. Happy for his countrymen, if the same light, which blessed his mind, had illuminated their's! CASPAR CASPAR CRUCIGER. CA he was ASPAR CRUCIGER, was born at Leipsick in Misnia, 1504, of religious parents, who brought him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, as well as in all useful learning. He was naturally inclined to melancholy, loved retirement, was much in meditation, and of few words. In the midst of company frequently absent, and collected within hiniself. The discovery of this temper in him, in his childhood, gave his parents occasion to conclude, that he would be dull in understanding, and of a slow capacity. But judgments of this kind have been very frequently erroneous; for some, who have promised but little in their infancy, have turned out the first of men; while others, who have made an early shew, have yielded only disappointment to the fond expectation of their friends. Cruciger, when put under the tuition of an able master, soon afforded proofs of a reach and strength of genius, which surprized every body who knew him. Nothing was too difficult, in human science for his comprehension; and his industry equalled the clearness of his judgment, and the penetration of his mind. Having acquired the Latin language, he studied the Greek, together with Camerarius, under Richard Croke, an Englishman. At this time it was said of him, That though he seemed dull to every body, he acquired more knowledge than all his fellow-students · put together.' Yet, with all his attainments, he was meek, modest, and humble in his deportment, tinctured with no arrogance or ostentation; patient, chaste, and pious. He was beloved by his tutor, as though he had been his son, and indeed had the affection and esteem of the whole academy, where he studied. Having made great proficiency in letters, he went to the university of Wittenberg, to study divinity, with a view of being more useful to the church: There he acquired acquired the Hebrew language, and became very skilful in it; for whatever he studied he studied profoundly. He then was called from Wittenberg to govern the school of Magdeburg, where he taught with great success and applause till the year 1527, when he was invited back again to Wittenberg, to preach and expound the scriptures; which he did with so much judgment and use, that they conferred upon him the degree of doctor in divinity. At that university, he also studied and practised physic and botany, both of which he greatly delighted in. He was very helpful to Luther in his translation of the bible. To Luther he was extremely dear, both for the probity of his manners, and the soundness of his doctrine. He is said to write so swiftly, that he was requested to take down the disputation at Worms, in 1540, which he did with so much ease and exactness, that at the same time, he suggested to Melancthon many things which he had not answered to his adversary, and several hints with which he confuted the arguments of Eckius his opponent. This being observed by Granvel Bane, who there personated the emperor, it caused him to say, That the Lutherans had a clerk that was more learned than all the papists.' And the following lines of Martial were frequently applied to him, upon account of this extraordinary faculty. Currant verba licet, manus est volocior illis: Though words can swiftly run, He frequently made notes of Luther's sermons, while he was preaching them, and could recite them per extensum, or as they were delivered afterwards. He always opposed the errors of the fanatical Anabap, tists of that day, and was very careful to preserve the truth from corruption: He had a great aversion to sophistical and ambiguous phrases, which had often caused much trouble in the church; and he took such frequent delight in contemplating the, foot steps of God in the creation, that he would often say with St Paul, That God was so near unto us, that he might be almost felt with our hands.' In the latter part of his time he studied the mathematics, in which he made so great a progress that few excelled him. He was also a most accomplished op tician: tician: In short, he mastered almost the whole compass of human learning, and, what was better, applied all he learned to the use of those about him. To the sick, he was a physician, under God, both for body and soul; and a friend to all men. At length, by intense and incessant application to study, he brought upon himself a disease, which, though it wasted his body away, did not impair his intellects. He lay sick three months, all which time, he gave the most lively demonstrations of his faith, patience, and piety. Every thing he said spoke the deepest resignation to the divine will, and that full assurance of faith, with which he waited for glory. Nor did he give up his studies during his sickness, but turned into Latin Luther's books concerning the last words of David; and often read the psalms, and sometimes other authors. His common conversation with his friends was upon the principles of religion, the affairs of the church, immortality, and our sweet communion in heaven. A little before his death, he called to him his two young daughters, and caused them to repeat their prayers before him, and then himself prayed with great fervency, for himself, the church, and these his orphans, earnestly and often repeating these words; "I call upon thee, O om nipotent God, eternal and only Father of our Lord "Jesus Christ, maker of heaven and earth, of mankind, "and of thy church, and upon thy co-eternal Son our "Lord Jesus Christ, and upon the Holy Spirit, thou only "wise, faithful, just, true, merciful, and holy God; "have mercy upon me, and forgive me all my sins, for "Christ's sake, who was crucified and raised again for ❝us, the Word, and everlasting image of thy person, whom "thou madest to be a propitiation, and also a mediator " and intercessor for thy people, by thy wonderful and "unspeakable covenant; O sanctify me by thy Holy "Spirit, and preserve the remnant of thy church in these "lands, nor suffer the light of thine own gospel to be "put out. Make my dear orphans vessels of mercy. "Lord, I call upon thee; and though it be with a languid "and feeble faith, yet with faith notwithstanding. I "trust in thy promise, O thou Son of God, which thou "didst seal by thy blood and by thy resurrection. Help, "help me, Lord Jesus, and support and warm my bosom "with faith to the end! Having repeatedly uttered these words, he inculcated upon his children his paternal advice, respecting the welfare of their souls, and spent the remainder of his time in prayer; and so quietly ended his days days at Wittenberg, on November the sixteenth, in 1548, and in the forty-fifth year of his age. Considering the mutability of all sublunary things, he used often to say, Omnia prætereunt, præter amare deum." All things must perish, but God's love : He published some theological commentaries, upon the gospel of St John, upon the first epistle of St Paul to Timothy, upon the Psalms, and upon two controverted articles in the Nicene creed. He wrote a tract of the "Method of teaching," which has been ascribed to Melancthon. And the Christian church is obliged to Cruciger's nimble pen for many remains of Luther, which had otherwise been lost. PAULUS FAGIU S. PAULUS FAGIUS, in the German language, called Buchlin, a learned divine, was born at Reinzabern in Germany, in the year 1504, and received the founda tion of his learning in that town, under his father Peter Buchlin, who was chief schoolmaster there. He was sent to Heidelberg at eleven years of age, and at eighteen to Strasburgh; where not being properly supported, by reason of his parent's narrow circumstances, he had recourse to teaching others, in order to find himself books and necessaries. The study of the Hebrew growing into vogue in Germany, Fagius applied himself to it; and by the help of Capito's two books of rules and instructions for learning the Hebrew, and of Elias Levita, a learned Jew, became a very great proficient in it. This branch of learning led him into a strict acquaintance with Capito, Hedio, Bucer, Zellius, and other learned Reformers. In the year 1527, he took upon him the care of a school at Isna; where he married a wife, and had several children. Afterwards |