Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/152



Appended to “Shibboleth” is a copy of a speech entitled, “The thanks returned to the Lord Generall in the name of the French Church, Gathered in the Chapell at Somerset house, by John Despayne, Pastor of the said church, August 8, 1653.” The following note is appended:— “His Excellence most gratiously did answer us; and having declared that our thankfulness were due more unto the State than to his person, he did assure us alwaies to imploy his power to protect us, but most remarkably pronounced these words, which we never shall forget: I love strangers, but principally those zvlio are of our religion.” After the Author’s death there was published “An Essay on the Wonders of God in the Harmony of the times, generations and most illustrious events therein enclosed, from the original of ages to the close of the New Testament. — Written in French by John D’Espagne, Minister of the Holy Gospel. Both parts published in English by his Executor, London, 1662.” [Another publisher re-issued this book with a new title-page, dated 1682, in which it is designated, The Harmony of the Old and New Testament.] The executor signs his name Henry Browne, and describes himself as an English Churchman, who, " during these late times of horror and confusion, both in our Church and State," found a refuge in the French Church at Durham House, along with "many of the Nobility and the best of the Gentry who rendered both to God and Caesar their due."

I cannot pass from Monsieur D’Espagne without giving a specimen of his style. The following is a translation of two paragraphs in his Observations on the Creed:—

“When our Lord was going to display his divine power by a miracle, it was frequently preceded by some sign of human weakness. Previous to his rebuking the wind and the sea, he was asleep. Before he cured the deaf man he looked up to heaven and sighed. Being pressed by hunger, he caused the fig-tree to wither. When he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, he first groaned in the spirit and was troubled. Finally, when he caused the earth to quake, the rocks to rend, and the graves to open, it was after he had given up the ghost. Amidst the most glorious demonstrations of his eternal power and godhead, and even before he displayed them, he was pleased first to give a proof that he was a real man.”

“When wine was wanted for others, Jesus Christ turned the water into wine; but when He himself was thirsty, He asked water of a Samaritan woman. When others were hungry, He fed some thousands with a few loaves, but when He hungered and saw a fig-tree in the way, on which He found nothing but leaves, He did not make it produce fruit for His own use, as He might have done by a single word. When wearied with a journey, He might have commanded angels to bear Him up in their hands, or caused Himself to be carried by the Spirit, as Philip afterwards was. But He never wrought miracles for His own use or convenience; as He came into the world for the benefit of others, so for others His miracles were reserved.”

One more specimen from his “Popular Errors:”—

“To represent religion as a mere doctrine of morality is an enormous error. The doctrine of religion consists of two parts — the former shows what God has done for man; the latter