ed version executed in the reign of Elizabeth, was that commonly named "the Bishop's Bible;' produced under the conduct of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury. It appeared in 1568, and had been proposed three years before, because "copies of the former translation were so wasted, that very many churches wanted Bibles." The work is said to have been undertaken by royal command; and the plan of executing it was by dividing the Scriptures into about fifteen parts, which were distributed to eight of the English Bishops, with other select men of learning, whence the translation first received its name. The Arch. bishop, however, directed, reviewed, and finished the whole; thus carrying into effect the very design which Cranmer had endeavoured to perform in 1542, when it was opposed and frustrated by the Romish Bishops. It is said that, when the latter prelate proposed this work, Stokesley, Bishop of London, alone refused his contribution; upon which a chaplain observed, "No marvel that my Lord of London will have nothing to do with it, it is a Testament in which he well knows he hath no legacy.

In 1559, soon after the accession of Elizabeth, a new Act passed establishing the Queen's supremacy, and repealing all the laws for establishing Popery. Another statute provided for restoring of the English service; and several learned Divines were appointed to take another review of King Edward's Liturgies, and to frame from them both a book for the use of the Church of England, This commission included Matthew Parker, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and nine others; but it is supposed that the principal management

devolved upon Mr Edward Guest, a very learned man, and subsequently almoner to the Queen and Bishop of Salisbury. It was at first debated which of the two former books should be received; and Secretary Cecil sent several inquiries to Guest on the reception of some matters in the first of them, as prayers for the dead; the prayer of consecration, delivering the sacrament into the communicant's mouth, &c. But at length King Edward's second book was fixed on, and it was accordingly passed and commanded by the Parliament; with the addition of certain lessons to be used on every Sunday in the year, the form of the Litany altered and revised, and two sentences added in delivering the sacrament. The alteration in the Litany consisted in omitting the words, "From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and 'all his detestable enormities, which was a part of the last deprecation in both the books of King Edward and the adding these words to the first petition for the Queen, Strengthen in the true worshipping of thee in righteousnes and holiness of life. The sentences inserted at the delivery of the scarament consisted of "the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee; and, “ The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul to everlasting life." These were adopted out of King Edward's first book, and were the whole forms then used; though they were omitted in the second, the form of which was also adopted. A few other variations from this second book were likewise made, as altering the direction concerning the chancels, and proper place for reading divine service; restoring the habits ordered in the first

66

book; adding two prayers for the Queen and clergy to the end of the Litany; and the omission of a note at the end of the communion service, explanatory of the Presence; for the Queen's design being uniformity, it was recommended to the divines to leave it as an indeterminate point. The English Liturgy, thus completed, was protected by the act of "Uniformity of Common Prayer and Service in the Church;" when 80 parochial rectors, 50 prebendaries, 15 heads of colleges, 12 archdeacons, 12 deans, and 14 bishops refused to conform. The new ritual, however, was established for 44 years, when it was again objected to, and discussed by the Puritans.

With respect to preaching, also, some little improvement was effected under Elizabeth, the ancient practice of it being revived by the reformers: since Archbishop Cranmer explained the Hebrews, as Bishops Hooker, Latimer, and Jewel, did Jonah, the Lord's Prayer, many of the Epistles, and all the Epistles and Gospels used in the Communion-service on Sundays and Holidays. In the time of Edward VI., however, 1547, there was only a quarterly sermon, which an injunction of Elizabeth in 1559 made monthly; whilst James I., in 1603, commanded a sermon or a homily to be delivered every Sunday. The fact was, that at the time of the English Reformation, many of the clergy were favourable to the Church of Rome; and most were so extremely illiterate and unfit for preaching, that they were forbidden by royal authority; and even about the close of Elizabeth's reign, when literature had considerably advanced, there were 8000 parishes in England destitute of any preach

ing ministers. To remedy these defects, therefore, two books of homilies, or short sermons were prepared, one of which was ordered to be read upon every Sunday and Holiday when there was The first volume appeared in 1547,

no sermon.

and is supposed to have been written by Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer; but the second is attributed chiefly to Bishop Jewel, and was not published until 1563. They consist of plain and short discourses, chiefly calculated to possess the nation with a sense of the purity of the Gospel, in opposition to the corruptions of Popery. They blend together speculative points and practical matters; some explaining the doctrine, and others enforcing the rules of life and manners.

Such was the state of the English Church and Liturgy, at the time when the Puritans were introduced into England, an account of which will be found in the ensuing chapter, which concludes the historical sketch of the religion of Great Britain. In this place it remains only to be remarked, that the authority used for the foregoing notices of the English Ritual, was Bishop Mant's excellent edition of the Book for Common Prayer, Oxford, 1825, 4to.

CHAPTER V.

INTRODUCTION OF PURITANS AND DISSENTERS INTO ENGLAND.

In the early days of the Reformation under Edward VI., either the policy or the prejudices of Cranmer had induced him to retain a few church ceremonies, which most of the German reformers had abolished, though they were still retained by the Lutherans. They consisted only of some less important matters, such as the copes and rochets of bishops, and the surplices of priests; but the foreign reformers in England, and some abroad, were extremely dissatisfied at this moderation; which was a medium between the half-Roman ritual of Luther, and the rigid simplicity of Calvin and his followers. The former preacher for some time permitted and retained priestly vestments, tapers, the Latin Missal, images, crucifixes, and even the elevation of the Host to be used in his churches; but the Protestants of England were most inclined to the plainer establishments; and it was probably only the death of Edward in 1553, which prevented the Church of England from be