In the article of our Saviour's sitting at the right hand of the Father, both books mention his Intercession; but the latter adds a caution, that though the intercession of Saints and of the Church militant may be serviceable, yet this is only by virtue of the mediation of Christ.-Under the head Catholic Church the Erudition refines upon the former volume. It constitutes Kings, heads of particular Churches, and gives them superintendance in the appointment of Bishops.-On Communion of Saints the Erudition is less full and explicit against the Pope's power to dispense the treasures of the Church, than the Institution; which likewise on the last article of the Creed, declares good men made happy, not so much for their own good works, as through the mercy of God and the atonement of Christ. On this the Erudition is here silent.

Under the article Sacrament of the Altar the Erudition evidently maintains Transubstantiation, which the Institution did not. But the Act of the six Articles had been passed, and Cromwell was executed. If Cranmer was not now com pelled to bend to the law, if he now ventured to speak either against transubstantiation, or the sufficiency of receiving only in one kind, he was out-voted.

Under the fifth Commandment, in both books, sufficient stress is laid upon the duty of unlimited passive obedience in the subject, in all cases, without exception.

Between the two books, I shall notice only one more dif ference. The latter does not give to Baptism, the Eucharist and Penance, the decided preference, which had been given by the former; and it may be observed in general, that the Erudition inclines to the doctrine of the six Articles and, on controversial points, occasionally favours the Romanists more than the Institution had done*.

I long wondered at Strype's saying, (Mem. Vol. I. page 381) that the Erudition was so changed, that it may seem to be another book,

*Towards the close of this reign, some Injunctions, which appear not unfavourable to the principles of the Reformation, were published; such are the orders about putting down Images, &c. and more especially we may notice the direction which invests the officiating Minister with a discretionary power of omitting the mention of the Saints in the public Service. The severities of the Act of the Six Articles were also softened by moderation in its execution. The English Bible was again set up in Churches; and, on Sundays and holidays, the Curate was directed to read to the people a Chapter of the New Testament. In 1544, about the time of the King's expedition against Boulogne; Cranmer drew up a Litany in the English tongue. This Litany, or Procession, as it was then termed, was appointed to be sung in the choir on every fourth and sixth day in the week, that the people might" in becoming harmony, and with one voice, holily and piously, not only with their lips, but with purity of heart, adore the Almighty God of Hosts, the sole Giver of all victory *." Prayers and suffrages in English, on account of immoderate rains, and on other occasions, were likewise ordered to be read throughout all the Churches, more frequently than had formerly been done. In promoting this practice Cranmer is supposed to have had the principal merit. About this period, Gardiner had the ascendancy at court, and the Popish party carried all before it. Still the Archbishop hoped that the people,

rather than a new edition of the Institutions; but it is evident that he mistook the Articles of 1536, mentioned in the fifth page of this Introduction, for the Institution. The Institution he fancied was printed in the Addenda to Burnet's first volume, page 305. But that is a copy of the Articles given by Fuller, book v. page 213. and by Collier, Vol. II. page 122. The Articles of 1536, and the Institution of 1537, are indeed very different books: as different, as two didactic treatises on similar subjects, by the same persons, can be supposed to be.

• Archbishop Cranmer's Letter to the Bishops, and the Order of the Council.

by understanding only a small part of their Prayers, might in time be desirous to have the whole Service rendercd intelligible.

.

These are the principal advantages, so far at least as the Liturgy and public worship are concerned, that Cranmer, Cromwell, and the friends of reformation were enabled to gain in the time of Henry; and it must be acknowledged, that they appear inconsiderable and almost contemptible, when compared with the great work that was accomplished in the short reign of his successor. But Cranmer had to contend with one of the strongest popular prejudices, and was supported by only a small number of adherents. They were indeed honest and conscientious; and several of them were learned; yet amidst the weakness and imprudence of the greater part, a few only are known to have rendered any éssential service to the cause in which they had engaged. When to the imbecility of Cranmer's instruments, we see opposed the address and influence of Gardiner, the treachery of Bonner, the desertion of others, the rancour too common both to the leaders and followers of the Popish party, together with the notorious prostitution of the courtiers in general, we may form some conception, how arduous must have been the post, held by the Archbishop, from the fall of Cromwell to the death of Henry. The conduct of this violent and capricious Monarch, and the servile obsequiousness of his Parliament, shew, that by virtue of his new title Supreme head of the Church he was supposed to possess, or at least permitted to exercise, the same enormous powers that had been formerly usurped by the Roman Pontiffs. Though, principally for political purposes, he renounced the jurisdiction of the See of Rome, he remained attached to the greater part of its worst errors *; and to the contemplative

* He severely persecuted those who dissented from it: and died, though excommunicate, in that faith and doctrine, which he had as it

mind, it must ever afford matter of surprise, that in this reign, so much, rather than so little, was effected in favour of the Reformation.

On the accession of Edward VI. a more favourable prospect was opened to the Reformers. The young Monarch having been educated in the principles of Protestantism, and few members of the Regency retaining much attachment to the interests of Popery, there no longer existed in govern ment any material obstacle to the progress of the Reformation; and measures as active and vigorous, as circumstances would admit, were accordingly pursued for its establish ment *.

were sucked in with his mother's milk, and of which he shewed him self so strenuous a champion against Luther. (See Pref. to Heylin's Reform.)

* Somerset, Lord Protector, and many of the courtiers; as well as Cranmer, a few of the Bishops, and other Protestants, were industrious in promoting the Reformation: but from motives totally different. The object of Cranmer was to rectify abuses in the public worship; that of the courtiers, to enrich themselves with the spoils of the Church. The members of parliament, who differed in their religious sentiments, agreed in the principle" of striking in with the juncture, and taking care of themselves." Some of the members of the House of Commons who had supported the doctrines of the late reign, and were still cordially affected to them, became apprehensive that the near approximation of these doctrines to those of the Romish Church, might eventually terminate in an union with the Pope and such a coalition they foresaw might endanger their quiet possession of the "goodly patrimony" lately pillaged from the Church. Others, who wished to improve or repair their fortunes, would naturally vote for any reform, likely to be subservient to their own views. The acts of Edward's parliament concerning religion, wear a strange and motley aspect. In some instances it is but too evident that the spoliation of ecclesiastical estates, and the enrichment of particular families, were, both by the Regency and Parliament, more attended to, than either "the good of Christ's Church, or the glory of God." However solicitous Cranmer might be to correct abuses practised by the Priests be

In order to qualify the Clergy * to instruct the people in the principles of religion, and the terms of salvation, according to the Gospel, the Archbishop, probably with the occa→ sional assistance of Ridley and of Latimer, composed those twelve Discourses that now stand in the former part of the book of Homilies t. To diffuse the knowledge of Holy Scripture, the Paraphrase of Erasmus on the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, was translated into English, and printed; his paraphrase on the Epistles not being yet published. For the instruction of children and young persons, the Archbishop published a Catechism in English ‡. He

longing to the colleges, free-chapels and chauntries, he shewed himself a strenuous opposer of the abolition of these rich foundations, during the minority of the King; but his council was over-ruled, and in the space of a very few years, ninety-two colleges, (the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were spared) and two thousand three hundred and seventy-four chauntries and free-chapels were devoured by the greater harpies of the court. Many of the inferior lords, and others, who had disguised their private aims, under pretence of doing good to the public, preferred their complaints, upon the attainder of the Protector, in the hope of sharing a part of the offices or property engrossed by him, that they had not had their equal dividend, when the lands of the colleges, &c. were given up for a prey. (Our ecclesiastical Historians in general, Heylin in particular.)

*Heylin, Burnet, Fuller, Collier, Strype.

The Homilies were immediately translated into Latin, and were highly gratifying to the foreign protestants. Bucer, in a congratulatory letter to the Church of England, written in this year, extols the Homilies, and indirectly admonishes the governors of the Church of the propriety of proceeding further in the Reformation, and in particular of what related to the Sacraments. "The foundations," he says, 66 were so rightly and judiciously laid in England, that nothing could be wanting towards building sound doctrine and discipline."

This he translated from a Lutheran work in Latin, written in Germany and though he made some additions accommodated to the English Church, yet he adhered so far to his original, as to retain some things that seemed not perfectly in unison with his own sentiments, as they appear in his other works.