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That such was, certainly, the object with those who compiled the national creed, may be collected from the proceedings of the several convocations which have been held in reference thereto, from the days of Henry VIII. downwards. In the year 1536, certain articles of faith were agreed on, by the convocation appointed for that purpose by Henry; these articles were published by the king's printer, in a book, entitled "Articles devised by the kynge's highness majestie, to stablyshe Christen quietnes, and unitie amonge "us, and to auoyde contentious opinions; which articles be also approued by the consent and determination of the hole clergie of this realme." In the preface to these articles, written by the king himself, the object is expressed to be "that unitie and concord in opinions-namely, in such things as do concern our religion merely, without any let or hindrance, be of our subjects truly believed-may increase " and go forward, and all occasion of dissent and discord, touching the same, be repressed and utterly extinguished." His majesty further states, that he is induced to this work from "being very desirous to eschew, not only the dangers "of souls, but also the outward unquietness, which, by "occasion of the said diversity in opinions, (if remedy were "not provided) might, perchance, have ensewed." This convocation, in the following year, it appears, appointed a committee to compose a book, which was entitled “The "Godly and Pious Institution of a Christen Man." These two works appear to have been the foundation of the creed of the reformed church, as contained in the present Book of Common Prayer; and the several alterations and corrections that, from time to time, have taken place in the authorized forms and confessions of the church, will be found, by reference to the existing state of parties, to have been dictated by a desire to conciliate the nonconformists and catholics, upon various points of difference, in regard to doctrine, to discipline, and ceremonies. In 1540 the authorized form of religion appears to have sustained the first alteration; and, at the opening of the session of parliament, Lord Cromwell informed the two houses "that the king, in order to terminate all disputes about "religion, had appointed commissioners to examine the "contested articles, that a standard of faith might be estab"lished upon the word of God alone." (Smollett, vol. 6, p.69.) The result of the labours of these commissioners was published, being entitled "A Necessary Doctrine and Eru"dition for any Christen Man ;" and it comes with this

recommendation in the preface: "the Lords, bothe spirituall "and temporall, with the nether house of parliament, having "both sene and lyked it very well." In this work, says Wheatly, (a church writer of authority) "the king's supremacy in ecclesiastical matters was explained, so as to "prevent offence being taken at his title of head;" and the following admirable definition, which it exhibits of the catholic church, evinces the desire that existed to promote the union of parties. The catholic church is defined to be an aggregate body," comprehending all assemblies of men over the whole "world, that received the faith of Christ-who ought to "hold an unity of love and brotherly agreement together, "by which they become members of the catholic church."The History of Religion, vol. 3, p. 29.

In 1548 the whole of the liturgy underwent another important revision. Speaking of the object of this revision, the author of "The History of Religion" states "It was likewise intended that the new liturgy should remove all dissentions, and bring the people to an uniformity in their religious opinions, as well as in divine worship." Vol. 3, p. 91. And again, p. 93, "It seems to have been their "chief view to make the worship of the church of England "such as all Christians upon earth might lawfully join in, "whilst it afforded all the necessary means of salvation to "her own members." Now, although the lords spiritual and temporal, with the nether house of parliament, had seen the former book of the established faith, and had "lyked it very well;" and although the present one was confirmed by the king and the other estates in parliament, who gave it this encomium-" which, at this time, by THE AID OF THE HOLY GHOST, with uniform agreement, is of "them concluded, set forth, &c.;" yet, notwithstanding such high approbation, and important aid, was it found necessary, in the year 1551, and again during the reign of Elizabeth, to make further alterations and corrections therein. Those made in 1551 are candidly admitted, by the act of parliament which confirmed them, to have proceeded from "curiosity, rather than any worthy cause!" Those made in the reign of Elizabeth were of a more serious nature; they omitted the deprecation against the pope, viz. "from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable 66 enormities,' ,"contained in the former book of Edward the VI.; as also the rubric that was added at the end of

*Wheatly on the Common Prayer, p. 24. Oxford ed. 1819.

the communion office, against the real presence in the eucharist, the object of which is explained by Wheatly, p. 28, "For it being the queen's design to unite the nation "in one faith, it was, therefore, recommended to the divine's "to see that there should be no definition made against the "aforesaid notion; but that it should remain as a speculative "definition, not determined, in which every one was left to "the freedom of his own mind."

1

To what extent this policy was carried by Elizabeth may be inferred from the fact of her having altered the doctrine of the reformed church, with reference to the real presence in the sacrament; actually adopting, with the view of conciliating her catholic subjects, the popish system in this particular.

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The second book of Edward VI. had expressly repudiated the notion of the real presence; and, on the celebration of the communion, had added a protestation concerning kneeling at the sacrament of the Lord's supper, in order to disclaim any adoration, as is therein expressed," either unto "the sacramental bread and wine there bodily received; or unto real and essential presence there being of Christ's natural "flesh and blood." But upon Elizabeth's accession this rational sentiment was laid aside, and, in the homilies published by her authority, it is expressly declared concerning the real presence" thus much we must be sure to hold, "that in the supper of the Lord there is no vain ceremony, "no bare sign, no untrue figure of a thing absent: but as the scripture saith, the table of the Lord, the bread and cup "of the Lord, the memory of Christ, the annunciation of his death-yea, the communion of the body and blood of the Lord, is a MARVELLOUS INCORPORATION, which, by the "operation of the Holy Ghost, (the very bond of our con"junction with Christ) is through faith wrought in the "souls of the faithful."* And in this same homily it is described "that the meat we seek for in this supper is spiritual food, the nourishment of our soul, a heavenly rectification and not earthly- an invisible meat and not "bodily-a ghostly substance and not carnal." Whilst in the church catechism it is expressly asserted that "the body "and blood of Christ are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's supper. The popish doctrine of the real presence which had formerly been con

* Homily concerning the Sacrament.-Church Homilies.-Oxford ed.

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demned, became then, and continues now, the doctrine of the reformed church of England. Many curious facts illustrative of the policy of Elizabeth, in bending the established religion to the taste and scruples of rival parties, might be collected; the following is peculiarly to this purpose. In the first book of Edward, in the form of words prescribed for the delivery of the elements at the Lord's supper, these words are to be found: The Body," or "the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;" these being thought too much to favour the real presence, were, in Edward's second book, omitted; and in their place were substituted the plain words, "Take and eat this, &c." Drink this, &c.", It was soon, however, found by many that this was calculated to leave too little mystery in the sacrament; reducing it to a mere eating and drinking, in remembrance of the death of Jesus, so that in a short time it became as much disliked as the former; when, upon Elizabeth's accession, both these forms were enjoined to be used, which Wheatly very candidly confesses was-"to please both parties!"*

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In the year 1661, the Book of Common Prayer was brought, by a commission, into its present form; and in the preface to this work, as it now stands, we have it declared, on authority, that "great importunities were used to his "sacred majesty, that the said book might be revised, and "such alterations therein, and additions thereunto made, as “should be thought requisite for the ease of tender consciences; "whereunto his majesty, out of his pious inclination to give "satisfaction (so far as could be reasonably expected) to all "his subjects, OF WHAT PERSUASION SOEVER, did gra"ciously condescend."

The thirty-nine articles, so much the subject of disputation, appear to have originated in the six articles first published by Henry VIII.; they were extended to forty-two, by the ecclesiastical commission under Cranmer, in 1552; and reduced to thirty-nine and confirmed by royal authority in 1562. At the period of the holding the convocation of 1562, the doctrines of Calvin, concerning the divine decrees, had been rendered peculiarly popular by the learning and zeal of the doctors of the academy of Geneva; and these particular doctrines were adopted by most of the reformed churches of Europe. The English refugees, also,

* Wheatly on the Order of the Administration of the Lord's Supper.

at this time, returned to their own country, strongly tinctured, no doubt, with the doctrines of Calvin; and several foreign princes interceded with the queen (Elizabeth) in behalf of these dissenters, that they might be indulged with the liberty of a separate worship, which, it seems, the queen would never grant, although they enjoyed a degree of toleration from her connivance. These circumstances will sufficiently explain the calvinistic bearing of the thirty-nine articles, although, their object being, as their title declares, to establish "consent touching true religion," it was deemed advisable to express the tenets of calvinism in guarded and mitigated terms.*

In 1571 these articles were reviewed in a convocation that met at the Chapter House of St. Paul's. The business was opened by a sermon, preached by Dr. Whitgift, from the text "The apostles and elders came together to consult of this "matter." Unlike the apostles and elders in the case referred to however, it would seem the convocation did nothing, as we can find no trace of any alteration made in the articles at this time. Calvinism, which, up to this period, had prevailed with great success, was destined to experience a considerable revulsion; for, soon after the famous Synod of Dort, arminianism became in fashion at court, under the auspices of Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, who had written a book to prove the arminian doctrines to be the only true orthodoxy of the church. The debates appear to have run high between the calvinistic and arminian doctors, to quiet which the king, in the year 1662, issued a proclamation, "the literal tenor of which" (says Dr. Maclaine, in his notes on Mosheim, vol. 5, p. 394) "was, "in truth, more favourable to the Calvinists than to the Arminians; though, by the manner in which it was "interpreted and executed by LAUD, it was turned to the "advantage of the latter." Instead of reforming the thirtynine articles, Laud persuaded the king to have these articles reprinted with an “ambiguous declaration" prefixed to them, which might tend to silence the controversies between the Calvinists and Arminians. "This declaration" (says the able commentator just quoted) "which, in most editions of "the Common Prayer, is still to be found at the head of the articles, is a most curious piece of political theology; and had it not borne hard upon the right of private judgment,

* See Mosheim, Smollett, &c.