I547.

CHAT. with the ancient fuperftition. But as the magiftrate XXXIV. took the lead in England, the tranfition was more gradual; much of the ancient religion was still preferved; and a reasonable degree of fubordination was retained in difcipline, as well as fome pomp, order, and ceremony in public worship.

THE protector, in his fchemes for advancing the reformation, had always recourfe to the counfels of Cranmer, who, being a man of moderation and prudence, was averfe to all violent changes, and determined to bring over the people by infenfible innovations, to that fyftem of doctrine and difcipline, which he deemed the most pure and perfect. He probably alfo forefaw, that a fyftem, which carefully avoided the extremes of reformation, was likely to be most lafting; and that a devotion, merely fpiritual, was fitted only for the first fervors of a new fect, and upon the relaxation of thefe, naturally gave place to the inroads of fuperftition. He feems therefore to have intended the establishment of a hierarchy, which, being fuited to a great and fettled government, might stand as a perpetual barrier against Rome, and might retain the reverence of the people, even after their enthusiastic zeal was diminifhed or entirely evaporated.

THE perfon, who oppofed, with greatest authority, any farther advances towards reformation, was Gardiner, bishop of Winchester; who, though he had not obtained a place in the council of regency, on account of late difgufts, which he had given to Henry, was entitled, by his age,

1547. Gardiner's

pofition.

experience, and capacity, to the highest trust and CHA P.
confidence of his party. This prelate ftill con- XXXIV.
tinued to magnify the great wisdom and learning
of the late king, which, indeed, were generally
and fincerely revered by the nation; and he in-
fifted on the prudence of perfevering, at least till
the young king's majority, in the ecclefiaftical
model, established by that great monarch. He
defended the ufe of images, which were now
openly attacked by the proteftants; and he re-
prefented them as ferviceable in maintaining a
fense of religion among the illiterate multitude""
He even deigned to write an apology for holy
water, which bishop Ridley had decried in a
fermon; and he maintained, that, by the power
of the Almighty, it might be rendered an inftru-
ment of doing good; as much as the fhadow of
St. Peter, the hem of Chrift's garment, or the
fpittle and clay laid upon the eyes of the blind ",
Above all, he infifted, that the laws ought to
be observed, that the conftitution ought to be
preserved inviolate, and that it was dangerous to
follow the will of the fovereign, in oppofition to
an act of parliament 3.

I

BUT though there remained at that time in England an idea of laws and a conftitution fufficient at leaft to furnish a topic of argument to fuch as were difcontented with any immediate exercise of authority, this plea could scarcely,

II

13

Fox, vol. ii. p. 712.
Collier, vol. ii. p. 228.

12

Ibid. p. 724.

Fox, vol. ii.

1547.

CHA P. in the prefent cafe, be maintained with any platt XXXIV. fibility by Gardiner. An act of parliament had invested the crown with a legiflative power; and royal proclamations, even during a minority, were armed with the force of laws. The protector, finding himself fupported by this ftatute, was determined to employ his authority in favor of the reformers; and having fufpended, during the interval, the jurisdiction of the bishops, he appointed a general vifitation to be made in all the diocefes of England". The vifitors confifted of a mixture of clergy and laity, and had fix circuits affigned them. The chief purport of their inftructions was, befides correcting immoralities and irregularities in the clergy, to abolish the ancient fuperftitions, and to bring the difcipline and worship somewhat nearer the practice of the reformed churches. The moderation of Somerfet and Cranmer is apparent in the conduct of this delicate affair. The visitors were enjoined to retain. for the prefent all images which had not been abused to idolatry; and to inftruct the people not to defpife fuch ceremonies as were not yet abrogated, but only to beware of fome particular fuperftitions, fuch as the fprinkling of their beds with holy water, and the ringing of bells, or ufing of confecrated candles, in order to drive away the devil.

BUT nothing required more the correcting hand. of authority, than the abuse of preaching, which Mem. Cran. p. 146, 147, etc. Burnet, vol. ii. p. 28.

34

1543.

was now generally employed, throughout Eng- c H A P. land, in defending the ancient practices and fuper- XXXIV. titions. The court of augmentations, in order to eafe the exchequer of the annuities paid to monks, had commonly placed them in the vacant churches; and these men were led by intereft, as well as by inclination, to support those principles, which had been invented for the profit of the clergy. Orders therefore were given to reftrain the topics of their fermons: Twelve homilies were publifhed, which they were enjoined to read to the people: And all of them were prohibited, without express permiffion, from preaching any where but in their parish churches. The púrpofe of this injunction was to throw a restraint on the catholic divines; while the proteftant, by the grant of particular licences, fhould be allowed unbounded liberty.

BONNER made fome oppofition to these measures; but foon after retracted and acquiefced. Gardiner was more high spirited and more steady. He represented the peril of perpetual innovations, and the neceffity of adhering to fome fyftem. "'Tis a dangerous thing," said he, "to ufe too much freedom, in researches of this kind. If you cut the old canal, the water is apt to "run farther than you have a mind to. If you indulge the humor of novelty, you cannot put a stop to people's demands, nor govern "their indifcretions at pleasure. For my part, faid he, on another occafion, my fole concern "is to manage the third and laft act of my "with decency, and to make a handfome exit

life

Н А

GHA P. off the ftage. Provided this point is fecured, "I am not folicitous about the reft. I am already

XXXIV.

1547.

by nature condemned to death: No man can "give me a pardon from this fentence; nor fo "much as procure me a reprieve. To speak my "mind, and to act as my confcience directs, are two branches of liberty, which I can never

part with. Sincerity in fpeech, and integrity "in action, are entertaining qualities: They will "ftick by a man, when every thing elfe takes "its leave; and I must not refign them upon any confideration. The best on it is, if I do not throw them away myself, no man can force "them from, me: But if I give them up, then CC am I ruined by myself, and deserve to lose all my preferments This oppofition of Gardiner drew on him the indignation of the council; and he was fent to the Fleet, where he was used. with fome severity.

ONE of the chief objections, urged by Gardiner against the new homilies, was that they defined, with the most metaphyfical precifion, the doctrines of grace, and of justification by faith; points, he thought, which it was fuperfluous for any man to know exactly, and which certainly much exceeded the comprehenfion of the vulgar. A famous martyrologift calls Gardiner, on account of this opinion, "An infenfible afs, and one that "had no feeling of God's fpirit in the matter of

16

Collier, vol. ii. p. 228. ex MS. Col. C. C. Cantab. Bibliotheca Britannica, article GARDINER.