Glimpses of Christian History Presents Pastwords #156: The "Final Answer" of Four Famous Individuals: Cardinal Wolsey, John Selden, Hugo Grotius, Isaac Watts ©2007

CARDINAL WOLSEY

homas Wolsey, a distinguished person in the reign of Henry VIII was born in the year 1471; and it is said he was the son of a butcher at Ipswich. Being made chaplain to the king, he had great opportunities of gaining his favour; to obtain which he practised all the arts of obsequiousness. Having gradually acquired an entire ascendency over the mind of Henry, he successively obtained several bishopricks; and, at length, was made archbishop of York, lord high chancellor of England, and prime minister; and was, for several years, the arbiter of Europe. The emperor Charles the fifth, and the French king Francis the first, courted his interest, and loaded him with favours. As his revenues were immense, and his influence unbounded, his pride and ostentation were carried to the greatest height. He had eight hundred servants; amongst whom were nine or ten lords, fifteen knights, and forty esquires.

From this great height of power and splendour, he was suddenly precipitated into ruin. His ambition to be pope, his pride, his exactions, and his opposition to Henry's divorce, occasioned his disgrace. This sad reverse so affected his mind, as to bring on a severe illness, which soon put a period to his days. A short time before he left the world, the review of his life, and a consciousness of the misapplication of his time and talents, drew from him this sorrowful declaration: "Had I but served God as diligently as I have served the king, he would not have given me over in my gray hairs. But this is the just reward that I must receive for my indulgent pains and study, not regarding my service to God, but only to my prince."

With these painful reflections this famous cardinal finished his course. He affords a memorable instance of the variety and inconstancy of human things, both in his rise and fall; and a striking admonition to those who are abusing the talents and opportunities, which God has given them to promote his honour and the happiness of men.

JOHN SELDEN

John Selden, a native of Sussex, was born in the year 1584. He was profoundly learned, and skilled in the Hebrew and Oriental languages, beyond any man of his time: Grotius styles him the glory of the English nation. His mind also was as great as his learning. He was hospitable, generous, and charitable; he took great delight in doing good, and in communicating his knowledge: above all, he was a serious Christian.

This celebrated man, when he was near the end of his days, declared, in a conference with Archbishop Usher, that, "though he had been very laborious in his literary inquiries, and had possessed himself of a great number of valuable books and manuscripts upon all ancient subjects; yet he could rest in happiness of his soul on none of them, except the Holy Scriptures. He said that the following passage, in a very particular manner, affected his mind: "The grace of God which bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men; teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world: looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." This is, indeed, a most interesting declaration. It sets forth the universal love of God; the duties of men, with the means of performing them; the redemption from sin through Jesus Christ: and a glorious reward to the faithful hereafter.

HUGO GROTIUS

Hugo Grotius was born in Holland, in the year 1583. He possessed the most happy disposition, a profound genius, a solid judgment, and a wonderful memory. These extraordinary natural endowments had all the advantages that education could give them; and he was so happy as to find in his own father a pious and an able instructer, who formed his mind and his morals. Before he was fifteen, he maintained public theses in mathematics, philosophy, and law, with the highest applause: and he ventured to form plans that required very great leaning, but which he executed in so finished a manner, that the republic of letters were struck with astonishment.

He strenuously engaged in the controversies respecting religious opinions, which, at that time, occupied the learned men of the United States: and the part which he took, in these disputes, involved him in great trouble and perplexity. He afterwards became the queen of Sweden's ambassador at Paris. This dignity, however, was not agreeable to a man of his turn of mind. His sentiments respecting it, are contained in a letter which he wrote to his father from Paris. "I am," says he, "really quite tired out with honours. A private and a quiet life alone has charms for me; and I should be very happy, if I were in a situation, in which I could employ myself upon works of piety, and works that might be useful to prosperity."

To one who admired his great industry, he returned an answer, to this effect: "Ah! I have consumed much of my life, in laboriously doing nothing." And to another, who inquired of him what course of life he would advise him to take, he solemnly answered, "Be serious."

In his last sickness, which was of short duration, he appears to have been tranquil, and resigned to the will of God. He expressed his faith in Jesus Christ, and declared that his hope rested upon him. To one who mentioned to him the publican spoken of in the gospel, he humbly replied, "I am that publican;" and soon after expired.

When great talents and learning are, from pure motives, and in true humility, consecrated to the service of truth and religion, they become acceptable offerings in the Divine sight, and often eminently promote the good of mankind. But when we misapply these qualifications, suffer them to nourish pride and vanity, or attribute to them an efficacy in producing virtue and happiness, that does not necessarily belong to them; they occasion an unhappy waste of our time, and lay the foundation for bitter regret in the winding up of life.

The worth and importance of those advantages are lamentably over-rated, if our estimation of them is so high, and pursuit so ardent, as to dispose us to undervalue, or disregard, that most solemn injunction of our Lord: "Seek ye first" (early, and in preference to all other things,) "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness:" remembering that this is "the one thing needful."

Whilst the mind is occupied with the variety and intricacy of speculation and literary engagements, and the heart elated with the flattering distinctions which they produce, we may not sufficiently perceive the importance of this Divine injunction: but when the close of our day approaches, and the retrospect of life is made; when the ardour of pursuit has abated, and the delusions of vanity and passion are at an end; we shall form a true estimate of the worth of all sublunary attainments and possessions. We shall then, if not before, perceive that, to have our conversation in the world with simplicity and uprightness; to receive the truths of the gospel with meekness and cordiality; to be pure and humble in heart: to love our neighbours as ourselves, and God above all things; and, by these means, to secure an incorruptible and immortal inheritance; are attainments of infinitely greater moment, than all the accomplishments of mind and body, and all the possessions and honours, that this world can bestow.

DOCTOR WATTS

Isaac Watts, a learned and eminent dissenting minister, was born at Southampton in the year 1674, of parents who were distinguished by their piety and virtue. He possessed uncommon genius, and gave early proofs of it. He received a very liberal education, which was rendered highly beneficial to him by his own unwearied efforts to improve himself. After the most serious deliberation, he determined to devote his life to the ministry; of the importance of which office he had a deep and awful sense. He laboured very diligently to promote the instruction and happiness of the people under his care; and, by his Christian conduct and amiable disposition, greatly endeared himself to them.

Soon after he had undertaken the pastoral office, his health sustained a severe shock, by a painful and dangerous illness; from which he recovered very slowly. But in the year 1712, he was afflicted with a violent fever, that entirely broke his constitution, and left such weakness upon his nerves as continued with him, in some measure, to the day of his death. For four years, he was wholly prevented from discharging the public offices of his station. Though this long interval of sickness was, no doubt, very trying to his active mind, yet it proved ultimately a blessing: for it drew upon him the particular notice of sir Thomas Abney, a very pious and worthy man, who, from motives of friendship, invited him into his family; in which he continued to the end of his life; and, for the long space of thirty six years, was treated with uniform kindness, attention, and respect.

The virtue of this good man eminently appeared, in the happy state of his mind, under great pains and weakness of body, and in the improvement which he derived from them. Of those seasons of affliction, he says, with a truly elevated mind and thankful heart; "I am not afraid to let the world know, that amidst the sinkings of life and nature, Christianity and the Gospel were my support. Amidst all the violence of my distemper, and the tiresome months of it, I thank God, I never lost sight of reason, or religion, though sometimes I had much difficulty to preserve the machine of animal nature in such order, as regularly to exercise either the Man or the Christian."

And now, how amiable does he appear, when the shadows of the evening were stretching over him! Two or three years before his decease, the active and sprightly powers of his nature gradually failed; yet his trust in God through Jesus the Mediator, remained unshaken to the last. He was heard to say, "I bless God I can lie down with comfort at night, not being solicitous whether I awake in this world or another." And again, "I should be glad to read more, yet not in order to be further confirmed in the truth of the Christian religion, or in the truth of its promises; for I believe them enough to venture an eternity upon them."

When he was almost worn out, and broken down by his infirmities, he said, in conversation with a friend; "I remember an aged minister used to observe, --that the most learned and knowing Christians, when they come to die, have only the same plain promises of the Gospel for their support, as the common and unlearned:' and so, I find it. It is the plain promises of the Gospel that are my support; and, I bless God, they are plain promises, that do not require much labour and pains to understand them."

At times, when he found his spirit tending to impatience, and ready to complain that he could only lead a mere animal life, he would check himself thus: "The business of a Christian is to bear the will of God, as well as to do it. If I were in health, I ought to be doing it, and now it is my duty to bear it. The best thing in obedience, is a regard to the will of God; and the way to that is to have our inclinations and aversions as much mortified as we can."

With so calm and peaceful a mind, so blessed and lively a hope, did this resigned servant of Christ wait for his master's summons. He quietly expired in the 75th year of his age.