Constitutional History of England, Henry VII to George II. Volume 1 of 3Hallam, Henry
History
Constitutional History of England, Henry VII to George II. Volume 1 of 3
Hallam, Henry
Constitutional history -- Great Britain
_Origin of the differences among the English protestants._--I have in
another place slightly mentioned the differences that began to spring up
under Edward VI. between the moderate reformers who established the new
Anglican church, and those who accused them of proceeding with too much
forbearance in casting off superstitions and abuses. These diversities
of opinion were not without some relation to those which distinguished
the two great families of protestantism in Europe. Luther, intent on his
own system of dogmatic theology, had shown much indifference about
retrenching exterior ceremonies, and had even favoured, especially in
the first years of his preaching, that specious worship which some
ardent reformers were eager to reduce to simplicity.[266] Crucifixes and
images, tapers and priestly vestments, even for a time the elevation of
the host and the Latin mass-book, continued in the Lutheran churches;
while the disciples of Zuingle and Calvin were carefully eradicating
them as popish idolatry and superstition. Cranmer and Ridley, the
founders of the English reformation, justly deeming themselves
independent of any foreign master, adopted a middle course between the
Lutheran and Calvinistic ritual. The general tendency however of
protestants, even in the reign of Edward VI., was towards the simpler
forms; whether through the influence of those foreign divines who
co-operated in our reformation, or because it was natural in the heat of
religious animosity to recede as far as possible, especially in such
exterior distinctions, from the opposite denomination. The death of
Edward seems to have prevented a further approach to the scheme of
Geneva in our ceremonies, and perhaps in our discipline. During the
persecution of Mary's reign, the most eminent protestant clergymen took
refuge in various cities of Germany and Switzerland. They were received
by the Calvinists with hospitality and fraternal kindness; while the
Lutheran divines, a narrow-minded intolerant faction, both neglected and
insulted them.[267] Divisions soon arose among themselves about the use
of the English service, in which a pretty considerable party was
disposed to make alterations. The chief scene of these disturbances was
Frankfort, where Knox, the famous reformer of Scotland, headed the
innovators; while Cox, an eminent divine, much concerned in the
establishment of Edward VI., and afterwards Bishop of Ely, stood up for
the original liturgy. Cox succeeded (not quite fairly, if we may rely on
the only narrative we possess) in driving his opponents from the city;
but these disagreements were by no means healed, when the accession of
Elizabeth recalled both parties to their own country, neither of them
very likely to display more mutual charity in their prosperous hour,
than they had been able to exercise in a common persecution.[268]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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