could hold it up with my legs.' But at that very moment a leaf fell down from the tree, and the bird flew away in terror, screaming out, Oh! St. Martin! St. Martin! come and help your little bird!' By some singular train of reasoning, this bird is supposed to be typical of St. Peter, who, after much boasting of faithfulness, denied his Saviour. But Master Odo suddenly interrupts himself to introduce another interpretation. "It may also be adapted," he says, "to certain knights of England, when they have their heads well armed with wine or ale, they say they can each stand against three Frenchmen, and that they can vanquish anything; but when they are fasting,. and see swords and spears about them, they cry out, 'Oh! St. Martin, come and help your little bird.'

The writer to whom we are indebted for these examples of medieval fables and tales, says, that the fables and tales which formed the staple material of the preaching of the friars became more and more absurd as the period of Reformation and of the revival of ancient learning approached, and that when that period arrived the mediæval fables were banished at once from our literature. This statement is too absolute. In the best preaching of the age of the Reformation, and of the succeeding age, fables were employed in the pulpit to a considerable extent, but stript of their coarser and absurder features, and with a spirit and earnestness put into them quite foreign to their proper nature. We shall give some examples from Thomas Adams, the rector of St. Benet's, Paul's-wharf, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

VOL. I. NEW SERIES.

Let it be premised that Thomas Adams was a racy and pungent, and at the same time a deeply and scripturally spiritual preacher, There were two things he hated with all his heartPopery and Dissent. But we forgive the honest man, who was what men would call a real good fellow, and who held that "Elizabeth by her feminine virtues deserved to be Queen of women, and by her masculine virtues to be Queen of men."

Let us hear how this brave good man could turn even fables to account, sometimes using fables that were old and well known, and sometimes intermingling the parable with the fable.

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In a discourse entitled, "Politic Hunting," he describes flatterers as of all dogs the best likened to spaniels, but that" they have a more venemous tongue;" and then, "The golden ass, got into sumptuous trappings, thinks he hath as many friends as he hath beasts coming about him. One commends his snout for fairer than the lion's; another his skin for richer than the leopard's; another his foot for swifter than the hart's; a fourth his teeth for whiter and more precious than the elephant's; a last, his breath for sweeter than the civet beast's. And it is a wonder if some do not make him believe he hath horns, and those stronger than bull's, and more virtual than the unicorn's. All this while they do but hunt him for his trappings; uncase him, and you shall have them baffle and kick him. This doth Solomon insinuate (Prov. xix. 4)

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In a sermon on Luke xix., 10, entitled, "The Lost are Found," Thomas Adams says, 'Many still have such Jewish hearts. What! believe on a crucified man? But Paul determines to know nothing but this Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. ii. 2). They can be content to dwell with Him on Mount Tabor, but not to follow Him to Mount Calvary. They cleave to Him so long as He gives them bread, but forsake Him when Himself cries for drink (John xix. 28). Oh! Christ, they like well Thy robes of glory, but not Thy rags of poverty. They love Him while the people cry Hosanna!' but shrink back when they cry Crucify Him.' All pleaseth them but the Cross; all the fair way of delights they will accompany Him, but at the Cross they part. They will share with Him in His kingdom, but they will none of His vassalage. The lion (in a fable) had many attendants, and he provided for them good cheer. They like well of this and are proud of their master, to whom all the other

beasts gave awe and obedience.

But it chanced that the lion fell into the danger of the dragon, who had got him down, ready to devour him. His followers seeing this, quickly betook themselves to their heels, and fell every beast to his old trade of rapine. Only the poor lamb stood bleating by, and though he could not help, would not forsake his lord. At last the lion gets the victory, and treads the dragon under his feet to death. Then he punisheth those revolting traitors with deserved destruction, and sets the lamb by his own side.

"The great 'Lion of Judah' (Rev. v. 5) feeds many of the Jews at this day, profane wretches; whilst His bounty lasts, Christ and none but Christ.' But when the red dragon hath got him under, nailed him to the cross, crucified him dead, away go these renegades. No more penny, no more paternoster.' If affliction come for Christ's cause, they know where to find a kinder master. Back to the world. One to his fraud; and he will overreach others with the sin of deceitfulness, though himself be overreached with the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. iii. 13). Another to his usury; and he chymically projects money out of the poors' bowels. A third to his covetousness; and he had rather that the very frame of the world should fall than the price of A fourth to his idols; and he hopes for cakes from the queen of heaven,' as if the King of heaven was not able to give bread. If the Lord pinch them with distress, they run to Rome for succour, expecting that from a block which they would not tarry to obtain from the God of mercy. they cry like the Israelites, make us gods to go before us; for as

corn.

Then Up,

for this Moses, we know not what is become of him' (Exod. xxxii. 1). But at last this lion conquers the dragon, overcomes Satan and his damnation; what shall he then say to those rebels that would not have Him reign over them,' but 'Bring those mine enemies, and slay them before 'me?' (Luke xix. 27). But the poor and innocent lambs that suffer with Him shall reign with Him' (Rom. viii. 17.) 'Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven' (Matt. v. 10)."

In a sermon on the "Taming of the Tongue," we find the preacher saying, "I cannot omit the moral of that old fable. Three children call one man father, who brought them up. Dying, he bequeaths all his estate only to one of them, as his true natural son; but which that one was, left uncertain. Hereupon every one claims it. The wise magistrate, for speedy decision of so great an ambiguity, causeth the dead father to be set up as a mark, promising the challengers, that which of them could shoot next his heart should enjoy the patrimony. The elder shoots, so doth the second; both hit. But when it came to the younger's turn he utterly refused to shoot; good nature would not let him wound that man dead that bred and fed him 'living. Therefore the judge gave all to this son, reputing the former bastards. The scope of it is plain, but significant. God will never give them the legacy of glory, given by His Son's will to children, that like bastards shoot through and wound His blessed Name. Think of this, ye swearing and cursing tongues."

One instance more. In his "Medi

tations on the Creed," remarking on how fearfully and wonderfully man is made," he says, "Man being made in so goodly proportion, and so far excelling all other creatures, how comes it to pass that he is so mortal and momentary, a flower so quickly vanishing? This hath been an old philosophical complaint, that nature to man was a step-dame, allowing him least time that could make best use of his time. The stag, the raven, treble the age of man. He only can understand, and he is kept from improving it by the shortness of his time. Let me answer this by an apologue. When Jupiter had made the world, and all the beasts in it, they no sooner opened their eyes, and beheld this glorious frame, but they were jocund and merry.. But yet they knew not their employment, and therein desired to be satisfied. The ape went first to know his office. It was answered that he was to serve man, to skip and play and make him sport, in sundry tricks and imitations; to be bound to a chain, and do as man would have him. This relished somewhat harsh, but there was no remedy. He demands how long he must éndure this; it was told him thirty years. He thought that too tedious, and begged a shorter time; Jupiter was contented and bated him ten. Then came the ass to know the fortune of his condition, which was also to serve man, in a laborious life, carrying burdens, bearing stripes, and not seldom wanting his sustenance, and the term of his service was also thirty years. Discontented with this long slavery, he desires Jupiter to take off some of his time, and to bestow it on those that desire it. This was granted, and he was likewise

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eased of ten years. Then comes the dog, and his office was to run a hunting, to kill hares, but not to eat a bit of them; when he was weary to be glad of scraps; to wait in the dark and keep the house, and this for thirty years. But petitioning for the like abatement it was granted, and ten years cut off. Last comes the ox to know what he should do, which was also to serve man, in drawing the yoke and other carriages for his use, with the galling pricks of many a goad to rouse his dulness. He also craves abridgment of his thirty years, and, lo! twenty was abated to him, provided that when he had laboured to do man service ten years with his living body, he should then be killed to feed him with his dead flesh.

Now comes man, and finding himself of so immortal and discursive a soul, usufructuary lord of all the world, a potent prince in so fair a dominion, he demanded his office, which was to serve his Maker in a cheerful obedience. He likes it well, but how long was he to live? Jupiter answers that he had deter mined to every one thirty years. Man thought this too short a time for so pleasant a dwelling, therefore begs that the years which were taken from the others might be added to his. It was granted, but with this condition, that having first lived his own thirty years, he should enjoy the rest in their order. First, the life of the ape, full of fancies and wanton imitations then the life of the ass, moiling and toiling, carrying and recarrying, labouring for the riches of this world, but withal, eating little part of his own gains. So till fifty. From that to sixty, the life of the dog-snarling at one, barking at

another, hunting about for preys, and scarce eating a morsel of them, but in a foolish covetousness leaving them all for others. The remainder, like the ox-lazy, unwieldy, full of pains and aches, till at last death comes to take him out of the pasture. This fable teacheth us that long life, if it be not sanctified from these bestial qualities, is an unhappiness rather than a favour; and that man need not grumble at the shortness of his time, seeing other creatures live but for a time and then perish; whereas after this short life of misery, God hath provided for us an eternal life of glory."ta

Happy those who glorify God with their bodies, as this good man teaches. Let us hear him. "As our head is nearest to the heaven, so let the thoughts of our head be most fixed on heaven. As our feet are lowest, so let the things under our feet be held vilest. The joints of our knees have a facility in bowing; let them do daily homage to their Maker. Our hands are nimble instruments, let them act the duties of our calling; an idle hand is as improper as an heavy air. Let our foreheads be smooth and calm like heaven, without the frowns and furrows of wrath. Our faces are the seat of majesty, let us not make them the snares of iniquity. Our eyes are the body's light, let them not purvey for the soul's darkness. Our tongue is the instrument of music and melody, it is never in tune but when it sings the praises of God. The God of order requires that every part keep the order of God. Lord, Thou hast made our bodies in harmony, preserve them in sanctity, and crown them in immortal glory."