On the accession of the pious King Edward, the tyrannical cruelties were relaxed, the prison doors were thrown open, and those who had been driven into exile returned home; among whom was Miles Coverdale. Not long after this event, he was appointed Chaplain to Lord Russell, in his expedition to suppress the insurrection in Devonshire, which gained him no ordinary degree of reputation. For his worthy services on this occasion, he was highly extolled by the famous Peter Martyr; and, in the year 1551, he was made Bishop of Exeter, being preferred "on account of his extraordinary knowledge in divinity, and his unblemished character." He was consecrated at Lambeth by Archbishop Cranmer.

The diocese of Exeter, by the late insurrection and the prevalence of popery, was in a most deplorable state; and some courageous and excellent preacher was highly necessary for that important situation; therefore Coverdale was judged a most fit person to be invested with the episcopal charge. Cranmer had the highest opinion of him; was intimately acquainted with him; and ever ready to do him acts of kindness. Coverdale had, indeed, submitted to wear the clerical habits in the late reign, but, from this time, he considered them as useless and superstitious, and laid them aside.

Many persons, at this early peNEW SERIES, No. 8.

riod, scrupled conformity to the Established Church; they refused to have their children baptized, and differed in some points of doctrine from the established creed. Others administered the sacraments in a way different from that prescribed by the Book of Commonprayer; but, to prevent them from propagating their opinions, and to bring them to conformity, a commission was issued to thirty-one persons, empowering them to correct their scruples. Among these commissioners were Cranmer, Latimer, Parker, and Coverdale; but we have not found whether any of these nonconformists were arraigned before them. Coverdale, being a man celebrated for peace and moderation, could not approve of promoting religion by the use of oppressive measures.

We find, in one instance, however, that he took an active part in these ecclesiastical proceedings; but whether what he did was inconsistent with Christian moderation, is perhaps not so easy to determine. In the reign of Edward, one Campneys rendered himself particularly odious to the government; being "of a sharp and eager spirit," and "not well weaned from some points of popery, in the first dawn of the reformation." His opposition and insolence against the reformation laid him open to the penalty of the laws; and, as a common punishment in those days, he was made to bear a faggot at

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Paul's Cross, and Coverdale preached the sermon when this punishment was inflicted upon him.

While our venerable divine was Bishop of Exeter, he conducted himself in a manner worthy of his high office. Like a true primitive bishop, he was a constant preacher, given to hospitality, sober and temperate, holy and blameless, friendly to good men, liberal to the poor, courteous to all, void of pride, clothed with humility, abhorring covetousness, and every other vice. His house was a little church, in which was exercised virtue and godliness; and he suffered no one to abide under his roof, who could not give a satisfactory account of his faith and hope, and whose life did not correspond with his profession. But he was not without his enemies. Because he was a constant, faithful preacher, a decided enemy to superstition and popery, and a most upright, worthy man, his adversaries sought, by secret backbiting, by open raillery, by false accusation, to have him disgraced; indeed their malice was carried to so great a length, that they endeavoured at last to poison him; but, through the good providence of God, their snares were broken, and he was delivered out of their hands.

His wife was a discreet and pious matron, to whom he committed the management of his domestic and other concerns, that he might devote himself to his studies, and promote religion in his diocese. Though he was not very conversant with ecclesiastical affairs, yet he gave wise and excellent directions for the government of his diocese; and, being anxious that every thing should be equitably conducted, he obtained Dr. Weston, afterwards Lord Chancellor of Ireland, to be his chancellor; to whose wisdom and fidelity he committed the affairs of his consistory, and of his ecclesiastical jurisdiction, allowing him, in ad

dition to all the fees of the court, a very handsome stipend. It is added, that "the Bishop was not more godly and careful in performing his office of preaching, than his Chancellor was diligent, strict, and just in the discharge of his office, without bribery or partiality."

Coverdale had continued in the episcopal office nearly three years, when it pleased God to remove, by death, the excellent King Edward. By the mournful accession of his sister Mary, the face of religion, and the general aspect of society, were soon changed; the Archbishops Cranmer and Holgate, with the Bishops Ridley, Poynet, Scory, Taylor, Harvey, Bird, Bush, Hooper, Farrer, Barlow, and Coverdale, and twelve thousand clergymen, were silenced, and many of them cast into prison. Coverdale was carried twice before the council, and, after examination, committed to prison. On the infliction of these severities, a certain popish priest exclaimed of him, "Where is that heretic knave now, and other of his companions, vagabonds, apostates, and runagates ?"

During their confinement, Coverdale and his brethren subscribed their confession of faith, several leading points of which are stated as follows:

"We confess and believe all the canonical books of the Old Testament, and all the books of the New Testament, to be the very true word of God, and to be written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and are, therefore, to be heard, accordingly, as the judge in all controversies and matters of religion.

"We confess and believe, that the Catholic Church, which is the spouse of Christ, as a most obedient and loving wife, doth embrace and follow the doctrine of these books in all matters of religion, and therefore is she to be heard accordingly: so those who will not hear this church thus following and obeying

the word of her Husband, we account, as heretics and schismatics, according to this saying, If he will not hear the church, let him be to thee a heathen.

"We believe and confess, concerning justification, that, as it cometh only from God's mercy through Christ, so it is perceived and had of none, which be of years of discretion, otherwise than by faith only which faith is not an opinion, but a certain persuasion wrought by the Holy Ghost in the mind and heart of man, whereby, as the mind is illuminated, so the heart is suppled to submit itself to the will of God unfeignedly, and so showeth forth an inherent righteousness; which is to be discerned in the article of justification, from the righteousness which God endueth us with, justifying us, although inseparably they go together. And this we do not for curiosity or contention's sake, but for conscience sake, that it might be quiet; which it can never be, if we confound without distinction forgiveness of sins, and Christ's justice imputed to us, with regeneration and inherent righteousness. By

this we disallow papistical doctrine of free will, of works of supererogation, of merits, of the necessity, of auricular confession, and satisfaction to God.

"We confess and believe, concerning the exterior service of God, that it ought to be according to the word of God; and, therefore, in the congregation all things public ought to be done in such a tongue as may be most to edify, and not in Latin, where the people do not understand.

"In the mean season, as obedient subjects, we shall behave ourselves towards all that are in authority, and not cease to pray to God for them, that he would govern them all, generally and particularly, with the spirit of wisdom and grace. And we do heartily desire, and humbly pray, all men to do,

in no point consenting to any kind of rebellion or sedition against our sovereign lady the Queen's highness but where they cannot obey, but they must disobey God, there to submit themselves with all patience and humility to suffer as the will and pleasure of the higher powers shall adjudge: as we are ready, through the goodness of the Lord, to suffer whatsoever they shall adjudge us to, rather than we will consent to any doctrine contrary to this which we here confess, unless we shall be justly convinced thereof, either by writing or by word, before such judges as the Queen's highness and her council, or the parliament houses, shall appoint. The Lord of Mercy endue us all with the spirit of his truth and grace of perseverence therein unto the end. Amen. This 8th day of May, in the year 1554."

This important document was subscribed by Bishop Farrar, Bishop Hooper, and ten others; after which was annexed the subscription of the subject of this memoir, declaring," To these things above said, do I, Miles Coverdale, late of Exon, consent and agree with these my afflicted brethren, being prisoners."

The confession of these venerable divines contains the fundamental principles on which they laboured to promote the reformation from popery; which were precisely the same principles as those on which the Puritans afterwards endeavoured to promote a purer reformation of the Church of England. Coverdale's fellow-prisoners suffered the cruelties of martyrdom; and the barbarous Catholics intended him for the fire; but the Lord delivered him out of their hands. The pious King of Denmark, with whom he had formed an acquaintance when he was in Germany, became his worthy friend, warmly espoused his cause, and addressed a letter to Queen Mary, earnestly soliciting his re

lease; in reply to which, her majesty neither denied, nor granted his request; but, as an excuse for putting the matter off, she declared that Coverdale was in captivity, not on account of religion, but for certain debts on which the king addressed another letter to Mary, concluding as follows:

"Wherefore, seeing your majesty writeth, that Coverdale is in danger for certain accounts of money, and not for any other grievous offence, we have cause on his behalf to rejoice; and, therefore, we doubt so much the less, that, at our request, he shall graciously have his deliverance given him, and be out of danger. For, as touching his bishopric, by reason whereof he became in debt, we understand he yielded it up, that no payment thereof might be required, especially seeing he is reputed neither to have enjoyed it long, nor to have had at any time so great commodity of it. Though it be possible to find some perplexity in the account, or happily some other cause; yet your majesty's letters, offering such favour and benignity, have taken from us all carefulness and doubt: in so much, that we think your majesty, as much as may be, will have more respect to our honour, than to that which might of him be required. We purpose not to trouble your majesty by repeating our petition, but to declare how greatly we esteem it, that your majesty would gratify us herein; whereof we plainly hope for an end, that Coverdale himself shall shortly in our presence make declaration concerning the benefit of his welfare obtained of your majesty. This we desire your majesty to be especially assured of again, that we will not only omit no occasion or opportunity to requite this benefit, but also to establish and amplify our mutual love and amity between us and our realms on either side. Almighty God preserve your ma

jesty in prosperous health and felicity. Given at our city of Otten, the 24th of September, in the year 1554."

By this princely importunity, yet as a signal favour, Coverdale was permitted, after waiting nearly eighteen months, to go into banishment. Burnet, by mistake, calls him a Dane; and, for this reason, he says, some allowance was made for him, and a passport was granted him, with two of his servants, to retire to Denmark.

Coverdale was a man of superior excellence, of whom the world was not worthy; and, during his long imprisonment, Bishop Ridley, writing to Hooper, gave this high character of him:- I pray you, brother, salute in my name your reverend fellow-prisoner, and venerable Father, D. C. (Dr. Coverdale) by whom since the first day that I heard of his most godly and fatherly constancy, in confessing the truth of the Gospel, I have conceived great consolation and joy in the Lord. For the integrity and uprightness of that man, gravity and innocency, all England, I think, hath known long ago. Blessed be God, therefore, which, in such abundance of iniquity, and decay of all godliness, hath given us, in his reverend old age, such a witness for the truth of his gospel. Miserable and hardhearted is he, whom the godliness and constant confession of so worthy, so grave, and innocent a man, will not move to acknowledge and confess the truth of God."

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Coverdale, having obtained his release from prison, retired first to his kind friend, the King of Denmark; next to Wezel, in Westphalia; then to his worthy patron, the elector of the Rhine, by whom he was cordially received, and again presented to the benefice of Burghsaber. At this place he was employed some time as a zealous and laborious preacher, and a careful shepherd of the flock of Christ,