He might boast, but he could not pretend.

His oscillation between the reformed and the Romish church can hardly have had other cause than a vacillating conviction.

It could not have served any prudential end that we can see, to turn catholic in the reign of Elizabeth, while in prison for killing in a duel a player who had challenged him.
THE SINNER'S SACRIFICE.
1 .-- TO THE HOLY TRINITY.
O holy, blessed, glorious Trinity Of persons, still one God in Unity, The faithful man's believed mystery, Help, help to lift Myself up to thee, harrowed, torn, and bruised By sin and Satan, and my flesh misused.
As my heart lies--in pieces, all confused-- O take my gift.
All-gracious God, the sinner's sacrifice, A broken heart, thou wert not wont despise, But, 'bove the fat of rams or bulls, to prize An offering meet For thy acceptance: Oh, behold me right, And take compassion on my grievous plight! What odour can be, than a heart contrite, To thee more sweet?
Eternal Father, God, who didst create This All of nothing, gav'st it form and fate, And breath'st into it life and light, with state To worship thee! Eternal God the Son, who not deniedst To take our nature, becam'st man, and diedst, To pay our debts, upon thy cross, and criedst _All's done in me!_ Eternal Spirit, God from both proceeding, Father and Son--the Comforter, in breeding Pure thoughts in man, with fiery zeal them feeding For acts of grace! Increase those acts, O glorious Trinity Of persons, still one God in Unity, Till I attain the longed-for mystery Of seeing your face, Beholding one in three, and three in one, A Trinity, to shine in Union-- The gladdest light, dark man can think upon-- O grant it me, Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, you three, All co-eternal in your majesty, Distinct in persons, yet in unity One God to see; My Maker, Saviour, and my Sanctifier, To hear, to mediate,[82] sweeten my desire, With grace, with love, with cherishing entire! O then, how blest Among thy saints elected to abide, And with thy angels placed, side by side! But in thy presence truly glorified, Shall I there rest! 2 .-- AN HYMN TO GOD THE FATHER.
Hear me, O God! A broken heart Is my best part: Use still thy rod, That I may prove Therein thy love.
If thou hadst not Been stern to me, But left me free, I had forgot Myself and thee.
For sin's so sweet As minds ill bent _that._ Rarely repent Until they meet Their punishment.
Who more can crave Than thou hast done?
Thou gay'st a Son To free a slave, First made of nought, With all since bought.
Sin, death, and hell His glorious name Quite overcame; Yet I rebel, And slight the same.
But I'll come in Before my loss Me farther toss, As sure to win Under his cross.
3 .-- AN HYMN ON THE NATIVITY OF MY SAVIOUR.
I sing the birth was born to-night, The author both of life and light; The angels so did sound it.
And like the ravished shepherds said, Who saw the light, and were afraid, Yet searched, and true they found it.
The Son of God, the eternal King, That did us all salvation bring, And freed the soul from danger; He whom the whole world could not take, The Word which heaven and earth did make, Was now laid in a manger.
The Father's wisdom willed it so; The Son's obedience knew no _No;_ Both wills were in one stature; And, as that wisdom had decreed, The Word was now made flesh indeed, And took on him our nature.
What comfort by him do we win, Who made himself the price of sin, To make us heirs of glory! To see this babe, all innocence, A martyr born in our defence!-- Can man forget this story?
Somewhat formal and artificial, no doubt; rugged at the same time, like him who wrote them.

When a man would utter that concerning which he has only felt, not thought, he can express himself only in the forms he has been taught, conventional or traditional.

Let his powers be ever so much developed in respect of other things, here, where he has not meditated, he must understand as a child, think as a child, speak as a child.