extemporaneous affair, got up to serve a worldly purpose; the gem was the work of very different hands, and was the slow result of centuries.

By the protestant reformation of the sixteenth century, every one understands that rebellion against certain abuses of the papal church, which broke out on the continent of Europe under the lead of Luther. We must not, however, suppose that the English protestantism, which in the same general period found a partial expression in the Anglican Church, was merely an outer-wave of the continental movement. There was, indeed, a vital connection between the protestantism of Germany and that of England; there was a reciprocity of feeling and thought between the two localities; and so far as regard is had to the immediate demonstration, the continent led, encouraged, urged on the island. But the whole protestantism of the sixteenth century,-both that part which Luther cherished and that which Henry the Eighth used, must be regarded as but the visible outbreak of those fires of reform which had been burning beneath the surface of events for two or three hundred years.

We shall not here repeat any of the particulars of the early English protestantism, given in our former article already referred to. That article closed with a statement of the fact, that the opening of the fifteenth century exhibited the complete results of the reaction against the principles of Wickliffe, which reaction commenced about the time of his death. To all outward appearance, protestantism was by this time completely exterminated. All through England hardly a trace of the work of Wickliffe could be seen. And in this state matters continued till the time of Henry the Eighth. With the exception of the feeble Richard II., every monarch that succeeded Edward III. -under whose strong protection Wickliffe flourishedwas on the side of the Romish church against the doctrines and the practices of protestantism. The ascendency of the popes seemed to blaze out with constantly increasing fury; and this, too, into the reign of Henry. This monarch was at first particularly zealous in opposi tion to the reform doctrines. He took it upon himself to act the champion of the Roman church in a way that kings very seldom choose. He even wrote a book against

the principles of Luther, for which service pope Leo X. conferred upon him the title "Defender of the Faith," which has since been worn by every English sovereign down to the present day. Henry's antagonism to Luther was in fact bitter and personal. In a letter to Louis of Bavaria, written by his own hand, he spoke of the reformation as "a fire which hath been kindled by Luther, and fanned by the arts of the devil," and having called upon Louis to burn both Luther and his works, he adds: "To the accomplishment of which work, at once so sacred and so acceptable to God, we most readily and from the heart, offer you, of our royal favor, patronage, assistance, and even, if necessary, our blood."

It is a singular fact that the first half of the term of Henry's reign was to all outward appearance the most flourishing period of the Roman Catholic church in England. This was the time of the ascendency of the great Wolsey. We shall not here give any particulars of the history of this extraordinary man. It is enough to state, that he was pre-eminently a favorite of the king for the first sixteen or seventeen years of his reign, and that he filled at the same time one of the highest offices in the church and the most responsible trust in the government -being at once a Legate of the Pope, and Lord High Chancellor of England; and it is not too much to say, so completely was the monarch under the influence of his favorite, that during these sixteen years Wolsey was to all practical intents, more truly king than Henry. And though above the petty arts of persecution, there never was a more efficient servant of the church than Wolsey, who indeed aspired to the papal chair itself. Let us add, Henry, for reasons which need not here be detailed, was the most powerful and despotic prince that had ruled England since the death of the Conquerer; and hence, as Wolsey ruled him, he virtually ruled the people; in all particulars carrying into effect his own schemes, with which schemes the interests of the church were identified. Under such circumstances, the Catholic church rose to the very zenith of its influence in England. The protestants of the country had good reason to look upon the

1 Pictorial History of England, Vol. ii. p. 332.

ascendency of Henry the Eighth, as a most untoward event-as an event destined to arrest the spread of their cherished principles, and to fasten more closely the chains of popery on the nation.

But how mysterious, at the time, are the ways of Providence! However it may be in the physical world, it would really seem that in the moral world, the darkest hour is just before the dawn. While Henry was writing his book against the principles of Luther, while he was inciting a German prince to burn both the reformer and his works, and while his chancellor was doing whatever such vast talents and accomplishments could do, to root protestantism out of the kingdom, Providence had selected this very king as the human instrumentality of giving protestantism an ascendency in England! The seeds so plentifully sown by Wickliffe, in the fourteenth century, and which had been watered by the blood of his martyred followers, had borne their fruit. The disciples of Luther, though proscribed and persecuted, had nevertheless done a successful work on English soil. The harvest of a religious reformation was ripe for the sickle, and the reapers were ready. But the precious crop needed a garner. Heaven had delegated the work of constructing the garner to king Henry the Eighth. This garner was the Anglican Church.

For reasons which will presently appear, we select the year 1532 as the date of king Henry's first step towards the formation of the Anglican church. It is a memorable year in the history of protestantism. It is the year which dates the epoch of an independent church in England-an organized and authoritative protest against the dominion of the Roman Catholic church. We fix our attention on this date, and our first question is, What was the religious condition of the people of England? How many of the people were protestants in the year 1532? and how many were still adherents of the church of Rome? and what was the relative strength of the two partiestheir relative strength, not alone in the matter of numbers, but in character, intelligence, enthusiasm, position, and influence?

It would contribute most materially to our present pur

pose, could we make something like a specific statement in answer to these questions. We have reached a period when a new church establishment, in opposition to popery, was to be framed in England; and we can but wish to know what proportion of the people was in favor of the new church and what proportion was against the project; and further, what kind of people was on the one side and what kind on the other. Unfortunately, however, we are able to give but little positive information on the subject, and especially as regards the numerical relation of the two parties, we can furnish but little more than inference.

It is more than probable, that in the year 1532, a very great majority of the people of England were still attached, with more or less of earnestness, to the church of Rome. It was an age when comparatively few could read or even think; when the great mass of men still looked upon religion as a matter of authority and not of reason as a thing to be received at the command of another, and not to be sought out in the exercise of one's own mind and heart. But protestantism as yet had not even the semblance of outward authority; it could be received only by men who thought, or at least professed to think. We feel therefore very safe in saying, that at the the time we speak of, the number of avowed or even secret protestants must have been comparatively very small. The mass of the English nation was evidently still Catholic.

But it is certain that no king however powerful, in any age however despotic, can arbitarily change the religion of a nation. The question then presents itself, How could the authority of Henry the Eighth suddenly start into the ascendency the Anglican church, among a people the great majority of whom were not, and could not have been converted to its pretensions? In answer, we state the inference, that although the great body of Englishmen were at the time Catholics, their devotion to the Roman church was lukewarm. They had suffered much from the exactions and oppressions of this church. They could but see and feel the corruptions which the church sanctioned, at least, did not rebuke. That the practices of the great body of church dignitaries were very far from according with their professions, were palpable facts. The work of the reformers had evidently weakened their

faith in the church dogmas, though it had not converted them to protestantism. And hence, a variety of causes, we may presume, had induced a very general indifference, where there was still a professed belief, a habit of belief, in the dogmas and pretensions of the church of Rome.

Again, it is of great importance to keep the fact in mind, that though the protestants of England were but a small minority of the people, they nevertheless possessed and exhibited those qualities which make minorities powerful. As a class, they were exemplary in their lives, intelligent in their convictions, self-sacrificing in their devotion, and thoroughly in earnest in their defence of the principles of religious reform. Need we say, that in the conflicts of opinion and faith, quality is of more consideration than quantity-that one earnest soul shall chase a thousand laggard professors-that intelligence, enthusiasm, and character are of more account than numbers?

With reference, then, to the religious condition of England in the year 1532-the relative strength of the catholic and the protestant parties, we put the matter thus: The greater quantity of the catholic element was pitted against the greater quality of the protestant element while the balance of power was in the hands of the monarch. Taking into the account all the elements of strengththose of number and those of character-we cannot be far from the truth, when we say that the protestants and the Catholics were nearly equally divided; and in such a state of things it was no difficult matter for the king to call into being the Anglican church when the occasion incited him to break with the church of Rome.

We shall not attempt to give many details of the great divorce-case of Henry the Eighth and Queen Catharine, which proved the immediate occasion of the secession of England from the papacy, and the establishment of the new English church. The principal facts may be stated in a few words. Catharine had been the widow of prince Arthur, the king's elder brother; and the marrying of a brother's widow was contrary to the Levitical law, and was prohibited by the church canons. This difficulty was got over, however, by a decree of the pope sanctioning the marriage. Henry had lived with his queen eighteen years before his conscientious scruples were awakened.