"priore epistola scripsi, non tantum de hac quæstione, ❝sed de quibusdam aliis rebus edi summam necessariæ "doctrinæ sine privato ullo affectu, deliberatis et ad"scriptis suffragiis piorum et doctorum, qui essent ad“hibiti ad eam deliberationem, nec relinqui posteris

ambiguitates, tanquam μñλov gidos. Synodus Tri"dentina veteratoria decreta facit, ut ambigue dictis "tueatur suos errores. Hanc sophisticam procul ab "Ecclesia abesse oportuit. Minimum est absurdi in "rebus veris recte propositis. Invitaret igitur et re"rum bonitas, et perspicuitas ubique bonas mentes,

"Nimis horrida fuerunt initio Stoica disputationes "apud nostros de fato, et disciplinæ nocuerunt. Quare te "rogo, ut de tali aliqua formula doctrinæ cogites." Id. Epist. 44. lib. 3. Although it does not clearly appear to what the particular question in this last epistle related, we may nevertheless conjecture, that it was in some way allied to that of Predestination, from the expressions, "qua moderatione initio in dicendo opus sit," coupled with the concluding clause.

The project of establishing an authoritative standard of faith, by a general congress of Reformed Divines, had been long a favourite idea with Melancthon. We find him thus alluding to it in the year 1542. "Quod "autem sæpe optavi, ut aliquando authoritate seu re

gum, seu aliorum piorum principum, convocati viri "docti de controversiis omnibus libere colloquerentur, "et relinquerent posteris firmam et perspicuam doctri"nam, idem adhuc opto." Preface to his Works, Epistolæ Londin. p. 147. The same wish is likewise expressed in the epistle before it, p. 141 and 142. This circumstance, in addition to the obvious drift of the preceding correspondence, proves the mistake of historians, in supposing the plan to have originated with Cranmer.

Page 38, note (7).

What is here stated may be collected with certainty from the correspondence of Calvin, in which occur two epistles to Cranmer, and both upon this identical proposal. They are without dates, but are arranged by Beza in the year 1551.

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"Tu quidem, illustrissime Domine, vere et pruden"ter in hoc tam confuso Ecclesiæ statu nullum aptius “afferri posse remedium judicas, quam si inter se "conveniant pii cordati, et in Dei schola probe ex"ercitati homines, qui suum in pietatis doctrina "consensum profiteantur." He then points out the propriety of the undertaking, from the corruptions of Popery, and the ignorance of teachers, and thus proceeds; "Deinde scio non ita unius Angliæ haberi abs "te rationem, quin orbi simul universo consulas. Regis quoque serenissimi non modo generosa indoles, "sed rara etiam pietas merito exosculanda, quod "sanctum consilium de habendo ejusmodi conventu "favore suo prosequitur, et locum in regno suo offert. Atque utinam impetrari posset, ut in locum aliquem "docti et graves viri ex præcipuis Ecclesiis coirent, ac singulis fidei capitibus diligenter excussis, de com"muni omnium sententia certam posteris traderent "scripturæ doctrinam." Then, after lamenting the divisions of the reformed, he adds; "Quantum ad me "attinet, si quis mei usus fore videbitur, ne decem qui"dem maria, si opus sit, ob eam rem trajicere pigeat; "si de juvando tantum Angliæ regno ageretur, jam mihi "ea satis legitima ratio foret. Nunc cum quæratur gra"vis et ad scripturæ normam probe compositus doctorum hominum consensus, qua Ecclesiæ procul alio"qui dissitæ inter se coalescant, nullis vel laboribus "vel molestiis parcere fas mihi esse arbitror. Verum .tenuitatem meam facturam spero, ut mihi parcatur.

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"Si votis prosequar, quod ab aliis susceptum erit, "partibus meis defunctus ero. D. Philippus (Me"lancthon) longius abest, ut ultro citroque commeare "brevi tempore literæ queant. D. Bullingerus tibi "forte rescripsit. Mihi utinam par studii ardori suppe"teret facultas. Porro quod me facturum principio "negavi, ipsa rei, quam sentis, difficultas tentare me "cogit; non ut te horter modo, sed etiam obtester ad "pergendum; donec aliquid saltem effectum fuerit, si "non omnia ex voto succedant. Vale, &c." Calvini Epistolæ, p. 100. edit. Gen. 1575.

If this epistle be compared with those quoted in the preceding note, it will be evident, that Cranmer had then just begun to act upon the precise plan, suggested to him by Melancthon three years before.

But this was almost immediately followed by another letter from Calvin, from which it appears, that the project was finally abandoned.

"Quando hoc tempore minime sperandum fuit, quod "maxime optandum erat, ut ex diversis Ecclesiis, quæ puram Evangelii doctrinam amplexæ sunt, conveni"rent præcipui quique doctores, ac ex puro Dei verbo, certam, de singulis capitibus hodie controversis, ac "dilucidam ad posteros confessionem ederent, consilium, "quod cepisti, Reverende Domine, vehementer laudo, "ut mature apud se religionem Angli constituant, ne "diutius rebus incertis vel minus rite compositis, quam "decebat, suspensi hæreant plebis animi. In quam "rem ita omnes, qui gubernacula istic tenent, commu"nibus studiis incumbere oportet, ut tamen præcipuæ "sint tuæ partes. Vides quid locus iste postulet, vel magis, quid pro muneris, quod tibi injunxit, ratione "abs te suo jure exigat Deus. Summa est in te aucto"ritas, quam non magis tibi honoris amplitudo conciliat, quam concepta pridem de tua prudentia et integritate "opinio. Conjecti sunt in te bonæ partis oculi, vel ut

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"tuum motum sequantur, vel ut cessationis tuæ præ"textu torpeant. Atque utinam, te duce, aliquanto “longius jam ante triennium progressi forent, ne tantum "hodie negotii crassis superstitionibus tollendis, ac cer"taminum restaret. Fateor equidem, ex quo serio "refloruit Evangelium in Anglia, intra breve tempus, 66 non parvas accessiones esse factas. Verum si reputas, "et quid adhuc desit, et quam nimis fuerit in multis re"bus cessatum, non est, quod remissius ad metam, quasi 66 magna stadii parte confecta, properes." In the concluding part of the letter Calvin censures what he conceived to be the slow progress of our Reformers in extirpating superstition; and endeavours to stimulate the Primate, too tardy in his idea, to stronger measures, and more active exertions. Id. p. 101. anno 1551. Page 39, note (8).

See last Lecture, note 4. Bucer died at Cambridge, Feb. 17, 1551. In the summer of that year the first sketch of the Articles was prepared, but no publication took place till the spring of the year 1553. During the whole of this period, the Professorship alluded to remained vacant, which we ultimately find was intended for Melancthon.

Indeed, after the year 1548, when the persecution in consequence of the Interim took place, which drove Bucer out of Germany, Melancthon himself every day dreaded a similar fate. The probability therefore that he would at length comply with what he knew to be the anxious wish of his best friends in this country, naturally grew stronger, when it was considered, that a public and honourable situation could be given to him; a situation, which would prevent his being contemplated in the light of a mere Pensionary.

That our Reformers were less anxious to have him here in this than in the preceding reign, it is impossible to suppose. And in addition to what has been already

observed on that head, we may add what he states to Camerarius in September 1535. "Ab Anglis bis vocatus "sum, sed expecto tertias literas." Epist. p. 722. And again, in April 1536; "Et sic me Angli exercent, vix "ut respirare liceat." Id. p. 738.

See note 2.

Page 40, note (9).

Page 41, note (10).

The title of this publication is, "Responsio venera"bilium Sacerdotum, Henrici Jollisse et Roberti John"son, sub protestatione facta ad illos Articulos Joannis "Hooperi, Episcopi Vigorniæ, nomen gerentis, in qui "bus a Catholica fide dissentiebat: Una cum confuta"tionibus ejusdem Hooperi, et replicationibus Reve"rendissimi in Christo Patris bonæ memoriæ Stephani "Gardineri, Episcopi Wintoniensis, tunc temporis pro "confessione fidei in carcere detenti. Antwerpiæ 1564." Hooper visited his new diocese of Worcester in July 1552, where he found two Prebendaries of the Cathedral unwilling to subscribe to certain Articles which he proposed, (Strype's Memorials of Cranmer, book ii. cap. 18.) with whom he maintained a public dispute upon the subject. It was one of these Prebendaries, who, in the reign of Elizabeth, published the whole controversy at Antwerp, containing the Articles, the objections to them, with Hooper's answer, and what was considered as a confutation of that answer, by Gardiner.

That the Articles alluded to were the first sketch of those afterwards published by authority, is evident both from their general resemblance, and from the following passages in Hooper's Answer. "Quæ in Articulos "regios scripsisti." p. 7. "Quid hic de regis majestate "qui mihi author fuit, ut hæc suis omnibus, tam qui "in Clero sunt, quam qui in promiscua multitudine "proponerem, suspicamini, aliis divinandum relinquo.