In the mean time his Majesty went on boldly against the church of Rome, and published certain injunctions by his own authority, to regulate the behavior of the clergy.This was the first act of pure supremacy done by the King; for in all that went before he had the concurrence of the convocation. The injunctions were to this purpose,

1. "That the clergy should twice every quarter publish "to the people, that the bishop of Rome's usurped power "had no foundation in scripture, but that the King's su"premacy was according to the laws of God.

2, 3. "They were to publish the late articles of faith set "forth by the King; and likewise the King's proclamation "for the abrogation of certain holidays in harvest-time.

4. "They were to dissuade the people from making pilgrimages to saints, and to exhort them to stay at home "and mind their families, and keep God's commandments. 5. "They were to exhort them to teach their children "the Lord's prayer, the creed, and ten commandments, "in English.*

6. "They were to take care that the Sacraments were "reverently administered in their parishes.

7. "That the clergy do not frequent taverns and ale"houses, nor sit long at games, but give themselves to the "study of the scriptures and a good life.

8. "Every beneficed person of 201. a year that did not "reside, was to pay the 40th part of his benefice to the poor. 9. Every incumbent of 1001. a year to maintain one "scholar at the university; and so many hundreds a year "so many scholars.

10. The fifth part of the profits of livings to be given ❝to the repair of the vicarage-house if it be in decay."

Thus the very same opinions, for which the followers of Wickliffe and Luther had been burnt a few years before, were enjoined by the King's authority.

This year a very remarkable book was printed by Batchelor, the King's printer, cum privilegio, called the Institu tion of a Christian Man. It was called the Bishops' Book, because it was composed by sundry bishops, as Cranmer

*"And every incumbent was to explain these, one article a day, un"til the people were instructed in them." Maddox's Vindic. p. 299. ED.

archbishop of Canterbury, Stokesly of London, Gardiner of Winchester, Sampson of Chichester, Repps of Norwich, Goodrick of Ely, Latimer of Worcester, Shaxton of Salisbury, Fox of Hereford, Barlow of St. Davids, and some other divines. It is divided into several chapters, and contains an explanation of the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, the seven Sacraments, the ten Commandments, the Ave Maria, Justification and Purgatory. "The book maintains the lo"cal descent of Christ into Hell, and that all articles of faith "are to be interpreted according to scripture and the four "first general councils. It defends the seven sacraments, "and under the sacrament of the altar affirms that the bo

"dy of Christ that suffered on the cross is substantially pres"ent under the form of bread and wine. It maintains but "two orders of the clergy, and avers that no one bishop "has authority over another according to the word of God. "The invocation of saints is restrained to intercession, for "as much as they have it not in their own power to bestow "any blessings upon us. It maintains, that no church "should be consecrated to any being but God. It gives "liberty to work on saints days, especially in harvest-time. "It maintains the doctrine of passive obedience. In the "article of justification it says, we are justified only by the "merits and satisfaction of Christ, and that no good works on our part can procure the divine favor, or prevail for "our justification."*

This book was recommended and subscribed by the two archbishops, nineteen bishops, and by the lower House of Convocation, among whom were Gardiner, Bonner, and others, who put their brethren to death for these doctrines in the reign of Queen Mary; but the reason of their present compliance might be, because all their hopes from the succession of the princess Mary were now defeated, Queen Jane being brought to bed of a son October 12th 1738, who was baptized Edward, and succeeded his father.

The translation of the Bible already mentioned, was this year printed and published. Cromwel procured the kings' warrant for all his Majesty's subjects to read it without controul; and by his injunctions commanded one to be set up * Strype's Mem. of Cranmer, p. 51. 10

VOL. I.

publicly in all the churches in England, that the people might read it. His Majesty farther enjoined the clergy, to preach the necessity of faith and repentance, and against trusting in pilgrimages and other men's works; to order such images as had been abused to superstition to be taken down; and to tell the people, that praying to them was no less than idolatry: But still transubstantiation, the seven sacraments, the communion in one kind only, purgatory, auricular confession, praying for the dead, the celibacy of the clergy, sprinkling of holy water, invocation of saints, some images in churches, with most of the superstitious rites and ceremonies of the popish church, were retained.

Here his Majesty made a stand; for after this the Reformation fluctuated, and upon the whole went rather backwards than forwards; which was owing to several causes, as, (1) To the unhappy death of the Queen in childbed, who had possession of the King's heart, and was a promoter of the Reformation. (2) To the King's disagreement with the Protestant Princes of Germany, who would not put him at the head of their league, because he would not abandon the doctrine of transubstantiation, and permit the communion in both kinds. (3) To the King's displeasure against the archbishop, and the other bishops of the new learning, because he could not prevail with them to give consent in parliament, that the King should appropriate all the suppressed monasteries to his own use. (4) To his majesty's unhappy marriage with the lady Anne of Cleves,a protestant; which was promoted by the reformers, and proved the ruin of the lord Cromwel, who was at that time the bulwark of the Reformation. (5) To the artifice and abject submission of Gardiner, Bonner, and other popish bishops, who by flattering the King's imperious temper, and complying with his dictates, prejudiced him against the reformed. And, (lastly) To his majesty's growing infirmities, which made him so peevish and positive, that it was dangerous to advise to any thing that was not known to be agreeable to his sovereign will and pleasure.

The King began to discover his zeal against the Sacramentaries, [and Anabaptists*] (as those were called who

In the Articles of Religion set forth in 1536, the sect of Anabaptists is

denied the corporal presence of Christ in the eucharist) by prohibiting the importing of all foreign books, or printing any portions of scripture till they had been examined by himself and council, or by the bishop of the diocese; by punishing all that denied the old rites, and by forbidding all to argue against the real presence of Christ in the sacrament, on pain of death. For breaking this last order he condemned to the flames this very year that faithful witness to the truth, John Lambert, who had been minister of the English congregation at Antwerp, and afterwards taught school in London; but hearing Dr. Taylor preach concerning the real presence, he offered him a paper of reasons against it: Taylor carried the paper to Cranmer, who was then a Lutheran, and endeavored to make him retract; but Lambert unhappily appealed to the King, who after a kind of mock trial in Westminter-Hall, in presence of the bishops, nobility, and judges, passed sentence of death upon him, condemning him to be burnt as an incorrigible heretic. Cranmer was appointed to dispute against him, and Cromwel to read the sentence. He was soon after executed in Smithfield in a most barbarous manner; his last words in the flames were, None but Christ, none but Christ!

The parliament that met next spring disserved the refor mation, and brought religion back to the standard in which it continued to the king's death, by the act [31 Hen. VIII. cap. 14.] commonly known by the name of the bloody statute, or the statute of the six articles; it was intituled an act for abolishing diversity of opinions in certain articles concerning Christian religion. The six articles were these:†

1. "That in the sacrament of the altar, after the conse"cration, there remains no substance of bread and wine, mentioned and condemned. Fourteen Hollanders, accused of holding their opinions were put to death in 1535, and ten saved themselves by recantation. In 1428 there were in the diocese of Norwich 120, who held that infants were sufficiently baptised, if their parents were baptised before them; that Christian people be sufficiently baptised in the blood of Christ, and need no water; and that the sacrament of baptism used in the Church by water is but a light matter, and of small effect. Three of these persons were burnt alive. Long before this it was a charge laid against the Lollards, that they held these opinions, and would not baptize their new-born children. See Fox, as quoted by Crosby, vol. i. p. 24,40,41. +Cranmer alone had the courage to oppose the passing these articles. W.

"but under these forms the natural body and blood of "Christ is present.

2. "That communion in both kinds is not necessary to "salvation to all persons by the law of God, but that both "the flesh and blood of Christ are together in each of the "kinds.

3. "That priests may not marry by the law of God.

4. "That vows of charity ought to be observed by the "law of God.

5. "That private masses ought to be continued, which "as it is agreeable to God's law, so men receive great "benefit by them.

6. "That auricular confession is expedient and neces"sary, and ought to be retained in the Church."

It was further enacted, that if any did speak, preach, or write, against the first article, they should be judged heretics, and be burnt without any abjuration, and forfeit their real and personal estate to the King. Those who preached or obstinately disputed against the other articles were to suffer death as felons without benefit of clergy; and those who either in word or writing declared against them were to be prisoners during the King's pleasure, and to forfeit their goods and chattels for the first offence, and for the second to suffer death. All ecclesiastical incumbents were to read this act in their churches once a quarter.

As soon as the six articles took place, Shaxton bishop of Salisbury, and Latimer of Worcester, resigned their bishoprics, and being presented for speaking against the act they were imprisoned, Latimer continued a prisoner to the King's death, but Shaxton being threatened with the fire turned apostate, and proved a cruel persecutor of the protestants in Queen Mary's reign. Commissions were issued out to the archbishops, bishops, and their commissaries, to hold a sessions quarterly, or oftner and proceed upon presentments by a jury according to law; which they did most severely, insomuch that in a very little time 500 persons were put in prison and involved in the guilt of the statute; but Cranmer and Cromwel obtained their pardon, which mortified the Popish clergy to such a degree that they proceeded no farther till Cromwel fell.