T H E P R E F A C E TO T H E Ern Volume of the OCTAVO Edition. HE de, frgn of the following work, is to preferve the memo- ry of thole great and good men among the reformers, who loft their preferments in the church, for attempting n fur- ther reformation of its difcipline and ceremonies ; and to account for the rife and progrefs of that feparation from the nationaleflablUbment, whichfubfifls to this day. Tofet this in a proper light it wasnecefary to look back upon the fad /late ofreligion before the reformation, andto con fder the motives that induced king, HENRY VIII. to break with the pope, and to declare the church. of Eng- land an independent body, of which himfelf, under G'hrifi, was the fupreme head upon earth. This was a boldattempt, at a time when all the powers of the earth were againfl him; and could not have fucceeded without an over- ruling diret ion of divine providence : But as for any realamendment of the docTlrines, or fuperflitions of popery, any further than was neceáry to fecure his own fupremacy, and tbofe vafi revenues of the church which he had grafped into his hands, whatever his majefly might defign, he had not the honour to accompli/h. The reformation made a quick progrefs in the fbort reign of king ED- WARD VI. who had been educatedunder proteflant tutors, and was him- felf a prodigious genius for his age ; he fettled the dotrines of the church, and intendeda reformation of its government and laws; but his noble de- igns
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