按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
particular aversion was Bonner；the violent； blood…thirsty；
narrow…minded Bishop of London； who was deprived of his see and
shut up in the Tower； put out of harm's way； not cruelly treated；
he was not even deprived of his good dinners。 She appointed； as
her prerogative allowed； a very gentle； moderate； broad； kind…
hearted man to be Archbishop of Canterbury；Parker； who had been
chaplain to her mother； and who was highly esteemed by Burleigh and
Nicholas Bacon； her most influential ministers。 Parliament
confirmed the old act； passed during the reign of Henry VIII。；
making the sovereign the head of the English Church； although the
title of 〃supreme head〃 was left out in the oath of allegiance； to
conciliate the Catholic party。 To execute this supremacy； the
Court of High Commission was established；afterwards so abused by
Charles I。 The Church Service was modified； and the Act of
Uniformity was passed by Parliament； after considerable debate。
The changes were all made in the spirit of moderation； and few
suffered beyond a deprivation of their sees or livings for refusing
to take the oath of supremacy。
Then followed the Thirty…nine Articles； setting forth the creed of
the Established Church；substantially the creed which Cranmer had
made；and a new translation of the Bible； and the regulation of
ecclesiastical courts。
But whatever was done was in good taste；marked by good sense and
moderation；to preserve decency and decorum； and repress all
extremes of superstition and license。 The clergy preached in a
black gown and Genevan bands； using the surplice only in the
liturgy； we see no lace or millinery。 The churches were stripped
of images； the pulpits became high and prominent； the altars were
changed to communion…tables without candles and symbols。 There was
not much account made of singing； for the lyric version of the
Psalms was execrable。 For the first time since Chrysostom and
Gregory Nazianzen； preaching became the chief duty of the
clergyman； and his sermons were long； for the people were greedy of
instruction； and were not critical of artistic merits。 Among other
things of note； the exiles were recalled； who brought back with
them the learning of the Continent and the theology of Geneva； and
an intense hatred for all the old forms of superstition；images；
crucifixes； lighted candles； Catholic vestments；and a supreme
regard for the authority of the Scriptures； rather than the
authority of the Church。
These men； mostly learned and pious； were not contented with the
restoration as effected by Elizabeth's reformers；they wanted
greater simplicity of worship and a more definite and logical
creed； and they made a good deal of trouble； being very
conscientious and somewhat narrow and intolerant。 So that； after
the re…establishment of Protestantism； the religious history of the
reign is chiefly concerned with the quarrels and animosities within
the Church； particularly about vestments and modes of worship；
things unessential； minute； technical；which led to great acerbity
on both sides； and to some persecution； for these quarrels provoked
the Queen and her ministers； who wanted peace and uniformity。 To
the Government it seemed strange and absurd for these returned
exiles to make such a fuss about a few externals； to these
intensified Protestants it seemed harsh and cruel that Government
should insist on such a rigid uniformity； and punish them for not
doing as they were bidden by the bishops。
So they separated from the Established Church； and became what were
called Nonconformists；having not only disgust of the decent
ritualism of the Church； but great wrath for the bishops and
hierarchy and spiritual courts。 They also disapproved of the holy
days which the Church retained； and the prayers and the cathedral
style of worship； the use of the cross in baptism； godfathers and
godmothers； the confirmation of children； kneeling at the
sacrament； bowing at the name of Jesus； the ring in marriage； the
surplice； the divine right of bishops； and some other things which
reminded them of Rome； for which they had absolute detestation；
seeing in the old Catholic Church nothing but abominations and
usurpations； no religion at all； only superstition and anti…
Christian government and doctrine；the reign of the beast； the
mystic Babylon； the scarlet mother revelling in the sorceries of
ancient Paganism。 These terrible animosities against even the
shadows and resemblances of what was called Popery were increased
and intensified by the persecution and massacres which the
Catholics about this time were committing on the Protestants in
France and Germany and the Low Countries； and which filled the
people of England；especially the middle and lower classes； with
fear； alarm； anger； and detestation。
I will not enter upon the dissensions which so early crept into the
English Church； and led to a separation or a schism； whatever name
it goes by；to most people in these times not very interesting or
edifying； because they were not based on any great ideas of
universal application； and seeming to such minds as Bacon and
Parker and Jewell rather narrow and frivolous。
The great Puritan controversy would have no dignity if it were
confined to vestments and robes and forms of worship； and hatred of
ceremonies and holy days； and other matters which seemed to lean to
Romanism。 But the grandeur and the permanence of the movement were
in a return to the faith of the primitive Church and a purer
national morality； and to the unrestricted study of the Bible； and
the exaltation of preaching and Christian instruction over forms
and liturgies and antiphonal chants； above all； the exaltation of
reason and learning in the interpretation of revealed truth； and
the education of the people in all matters which concern their
temporal or religious interests； so that a true and rapid progress
was inaugurated in civilization itself； which has peculiarly marked
all Protestant countries having religious liberty。 Underneath all
these apparently insignificant squabbles and dissensions there were
two things of immense historical importance： first； a spirit of
intolerance on the part of government and of church dignitaries；
the State allied with the Church forcing uniformity with their
decrees； and severely punishing those who did not accept them；in
matters beyond all worldly authority； and； secondly； a rising
spirit of religious liberty； determined to assert its glorious
rights at any cost or hazard； and especially defended by the most
religious and earnest part of the clergy； who were becoming
Calvinistic in their creed； and were pushing the ideas of the
Reformation to their utmost logical sequence。 This spirit was
suppressed during the reign of Elizabeth； out of general respect
and love for her as a Queen； and the external dangers to which the
realm was exposed from Spain and France； which diverted the
national mind。 But it burst o