26 7be H I STORY of the PURITANS. Chap. T King " ful rites and ceremonies, Jhalt be in every point thereof believed, obeyed Hen. VIII. o` andperformed, to all intents andpurpofs, upon thepains therein compriz'd; " provided nothing be ordained contrary to the laws of the realm." How Refor. near the book abovementioned comes to the qualifications of this ftatute, Vol. III. is obvious to the reader. It is no lefs evident, that b y the fame ad, the P. 164. king was in a manner invefted with the infallibility of the pope, and had the confciences and faith of his people at his abfolute difpofal. By this abflrai t of the Erudition of a Chrillian Man, it appears further, that our reformers built pretty much upon the plan of St. Aujlin, with re- lation to the doârines of juftification and grace. The facraments and ce- remonies are fo contrived, as to be confiftent with the fix articles eftab- lifhed by parliament. With regard to difcipline, Cranmer andhis brethren were for being direted wholly by the civil magifirate ; which has fence been diftinguifhed by the name of Eraßianifm. Accordingly they took out commiflions to hold their bifhopricks during the king's pleafure, and to exercife their jurifdhtion by his authority only. But notwithítanding this reformation of doctrine, the old popish forms of worfhip were continued till this year, when a faint attempt was made to reform them. A form of proceflion was pubiifh'd in Englijh by the king's authority, entitled, In Exhortation to Prayer, thought meet by his majelly and his clergy, to be read to the people ; alfo a litany, with fufrages to be faid or fang in the time of the proceons. In the litany, they invocate the bleffed virgin, the angels, archangels, and all holy orders of bleffed fpirits;. all holy patriarchs, prophets, apofiles, martyrs, confeffors, virgins, and all the bleffed company of Heaven to pray for them. The reft of the litany is in a manner the very fame now in ufe, only a few more collefts were placed at the end, with fome pfalms, and a paraphrafe on the Lord's prayer. The preface is an exhortation to the duty of prayer, and Says, that it is convenient, and very acceptable to God, to ufe private prayer in our mother tongue, that by underfianding what we afk, we may more earneftly and fervently defire the fame. The hand of Cranmer was no doubt in this performance, but it was little regarded, notwithftanding a mandate was fent to Bonner bifhop of London to publifh it. Cranmer's power was now very much weaken'd; he drove againft the dream, and could accomplifh nothing further, except a fmall mitigation of the rigorous profecution of the fix articles; For by the 35th of Henry Rigourofthe VIII. cap. 5. it is enacted, " That perfons fhall not be convicted upon fia drtieles " this ftatute, but by the oaths of sa men; that the profecution (hall be abated. " within a year; and that if any one preaches againft the fix articles he " shall be informed againft within 4.0 days." This render'd profecutions the more difficult ; and yet after all, feveral were burnt at this time, for denying the doiirine_of tranfubftantiation, as Mrs. Anne Askew, Mr. Be- - lenian,
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