beacon lights of history-iii-2-第35部分

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world。　　We　behold　in　him　no　fearless　and　impetuous　Luther；

attacking　with　passionate　earnestness　the　corruptions　of　Rome；

bracing　himself　up　to　revolutionary　assaults；　undaunted　before

kings　and　councils；　and　giving　no　rest　to　his　hands　or　slumber　to

his　eyes　until　he　had　consummated　his　protests；a　man　of　the

people；　yet　a　dictator　to　princes。　　We　see　no　severely　logical

Calvin；pushing　out　his　metaphysical　deductions　until　he　had

chained　the　intellect　of　his　party　to　a　system　of　incomparable

grandeur　and　yet　of　repulsive　austerity；　exacting　all　the　while　the

same　allegiance　to　doctrines　which　he　deduced　from　the　writings　of

Paul　as　he　did　to　the　direct　declarations　of　Christ；　next　to　Thomas

Aquinas；　the　acutest　logician　the　Church　has　known；　a　system…maker；

like　the　great　Dominican　schoolmen；　and　their　common　master　and

oracle；　Saint　Augustine　of　Hippo。　　We　see　in　Cranmer　no

uncompromising　and　aggressive　reformer　like　Knox；controlling　by　a

stern　dogmatism　both　a　turbulent　nobility　and　an　uneducated　people；

and　filling　all　classes　alike　with　inextinguishable　hatred　of

everything　that　even　reminded　them　of　Rome。　　Nor　do　we　find　in

Cranmer　the　outspoken　and　hearty　eloquence　of　Latimer；appealing

to　the　people　at　St。　Paul's　Cross　to　shake　off　all　the　trappings　of

the　〃Scarlet　Mother；〃　who　had　so　long　bewitched　the　world　with　her

sorceries。



Cranmer；　if　less　eloquent；　less　fearless；　less　logical；　less　able

than　these；　was　probably　broader；　more　comprehensive　in　his　views；

adapting　his　reforms　to　the　circumstances　of　the　age　and　country；

and　to　the　genius　of　the　English　mind。　　Hence　his　reforms；　if　less

brilliant；　were　more　permanent。　　He　framed　the　creed　that　finally

was　known　as　the　Thirty…nine　Articles；　and　was　the　true　founder　of

the　English　Church；　as　that　Church　has　existed　for　more　than　three

centuries；　neither　Roman　nor　Puritan；　but　〃half…way　between　Rome

and　Geneva；〃　a　compromise；　and　yet　a　Church　of　great　vitality；　and

endeared　to　the　hearts　of　the　English　people。　　Northern　Germany

the　scene　of　the　stupendous　triumphs　of　Lutheris　and　has　been；

since　the　time　of　Frederick　the　Great；　the　hot…bed　of　rationalistic

inquiries；　and　the　Genevan　as　well　as　the　French　and　Swiss　churches

which　Calvin　controlled　have　become　cold；　with　a　dreary　and　formal

Protestantism；　without　poetry　or　life。　　But　the　Church　of　England

has　survived　two　revolutions　and　all　the　changes　of　human　thought；

and　is　still　a　mighty　power；　decorous；　beautiful；　conservative；　yet

open　to　all　the　liberalizing　influences　of　an　age　of　science　and

philosophy。　　Cranmer；　though　a　scholastic；　seems　to　have　perceived

that　nothing　is　more　misleading　and　uncertain　and　unsatisfactory

than　any　truth　pushed　out　to　its　severest　logical　conclusions

without　reference　to　other　truths　which　have　for　their　support　the

same　divine　authority。　　It　is　not　logic　which　has　built　up　the　most

enduring　institutions；　but　common…sense　and　plain　truths；　and

appeals　to　human　consciousness；the　cogito；　ergo　sum；　without

whose　approval　most　systems　have　perished。　　In　mediis　tutissimus

ibis；　is　not　indeed　an　agreeable　maxim　to　zealots　and　partisans　and

dialectical　logicians；　but　it　seems　to　be　induced　from　the　varied

experiences　of　human　life　and　the　history　of　different　ages　and

nations；　and　applies　to　all　the　mixed　sciences；　like　government　and

political　economy；　as　well　as　to　church　institutions。



As　Cromwell　made　his　fortune　by　advising　the　King　to　assume　the

headship　of　the　Church　in　England；　so　Cranmer's　rise　is　to　be

traced　to　his　advice　to　Henry　to　appeal　to　the　decision　of

universities　whether　or　not　he　could　be　legally　divorced　from

Catharine；　since　the　Popetrue　to　the　traditions；　of　the　Catholic

Church；　or　from　fear　of　Charles　V。would　not　grant　a　dispensation。

All　this　business　was　a　miserable　quibble；　a　tissue　of　scholastic

technicalities。　　But　it　answered　the　ends　of　Cranmer。　　The　schools

decided　for　the　King；　and　a　great　injustice　and　heartless　cruelty

was　done　to　a　worthy　and　loyal　woman；　and　a　great　insult　offered　to

the　Church　and　to　the　Emperor　Charles　of　Germany；　who　was　a　nephew

of　the　Spanish　Princess　and　English　Queen。　　This　scandal　resulted

in　a　separation　from　Rome；　as　was　foreseen　both　by　Cromwell　and

Cranmer；　and　the　latter　became　Archbishop　of　Canterbury；　a　prelate

whose　power　and　dignity　were　greater　then　than　at　the　present　day；

exalted　as　the　post　is　even　now；the　highest　in　dignity　and　rank

to　which　a　subject　can　aspire；higher　even　than　the　Lord　High

Chancellorship；　both　of　which　however；　pale　before　the　position　of

a　Prime　Minister　so　far　as　power　is　concerned。



The　separation　from　Rome；　the　suppression　of　the　monasteries；　and

the　curtailment　of　the　powers　of　the　spiritual　courts　were　the　only

reforms　of　note　during　the　reign　of　Henry　VIII。；　unless　we　name

also　the　new　translation　of　the　Bible；　authorized　through　Cranmer's

influence；　and　the　teaching　of　the　creed；　the　commandments；　and　the

Lord's　prayer　in　English。　　The　King　died　in　1547。　　Cranmer　was　now

fifty…seven；　and　was　left　to　prosecute　reforms　in　his　own　way　as

president　of　the　council　of　regency；　Edward　VI。　being　but　nine

years　old；〃a　learned　boy；〃　as　Macaulay　calls　him；　but　still　a　boy

in　the　hands　of　the　great　noblemen　who　composed　the　regency；　and

who　belonged　to　the　progressive　school。



I　do　not　think　the　career　of　Cranmer　during　the　life　of　Henry　is

sufficiently　appreciated。　　He　must　have　shown　at　least

extraordinary　tact　and　wisdom；with　his　reforming　tendencies　and

enlightened　views；not　to　come　in　conflict　with　his　sovereign　as

Becket　did　with　Henry　II。　　He　had　to　deal　with　the　most　capricious

and　jealous　of　tyrants；　cruel　and　unscrupulous　when　crossed；　a　man

who　rarely　retained　a　friendship　or　remembered　a　service；　who　never

forgave　an　injury　or　forgot　an　affront；　a　glutton　and　a　sensualist；

although　prodigal　with　his　gifts；　social　in　his　temper；　enlightened

in　his　government；　and　with　very　respectable　abilities　and　very

considerable　theological　knowledge。　　This　hard　and　exacting　master

Cranmer　had　to　serve；　without　exciting　his　suspicions　or　coming　in

conflict　with　him；　so　that　he　seemed　politic　and　vacillating；　for

which　he　would　not　be　excused　were　it　not　for　his　subsequent

services；　and　his　undoubted　sincerity　and　devotion　to　the

Protestant　cause。　　During　the　life　of　Henry　we　can　scarcely　call

Cranmer　a　reformer。　　The　most　noted　reformer　of　the　day　was　old

Hugh　Latimer；　the　King's　chaplain；　who　declaimed　against　sin　with

the　zeal　and　fire　of　Savonarola；　and　aimed　to　create　a　religious

life　among　the　people；　from　whom　he　sprung　and　whom　he　loved；a

rough；　hearty；　honest；　conscientious　man；　with　deep　convictions　and

lofty　soul。



In　the　reforms　thus　far　carried　on　we　perceive　that；　though

popular；　they　emanated　from　princes　and　not　from　the　people。　　The

people　had　no　hand　in　the　changes　made；　as　at　Geneva；　only　the

ministers　of　kings　and　great　public　functionaries。　　And　in　the

reforms　subsequently　effected；　which　really　constitute　the　English

Reformation；　they　were　made　by　the　council　of　regency；　under　the

leadership　of　Cranmer　and　the　protectorship　of　Somerset。



The　first　thing　which　the　Government　did　after　the　accession　of

Edward　VI。　was　to　remove　images　from　the　churches；　as　a　form　of

idolatry；much　to　the　wrath　of　Gardiner；　Bishop　of　Winchester；　the

ablest　man　of　the　old　conservative　and　papal　party。　　But　Ridley；

afterwards　Bishop　of　Rochester；　preached　against　all　forms　of　papal

superstition　with　so　much　ability　and　zeal　that　the　churches　were

soon　cleared　of　these　〃helps　to　devotion。〃



Cranmer；　now　unchecked；　turned　his　attention　to　other　reforms；　but

proceeded　slowly　and　cautiously；　not　wishing　to　hazard　much　at　the

outset。　　First　communion　of　both　kinds；　heretofore　restricted　to

the　clergy；　was　appointed；　and；　closely　connected　with　it；　Masses

were　put　down。　　Then　a　law　was　passed　by　Parliament　that　the

appointment　of　bishops　should　vest　in　the　Crown　alone；　and　not；　as

formerly；　be　confirmed　by　the　Pope。　　The　next　great　thing　to　which

the　reformers　directed　their　attention　was　the　preparation　of　a　new

liturgy　in　the　public　worship　of　God；　which　gave　rise　to

considerable　discussion。　　They　did　not　seek　to　sweep　away　the　old

form；　for　it　was　prepared　by　the　sainted　doctors　of　the　Church　of

all　ages；　but　they　would　purge　it　of　all　superstitions；　and　retain

what　was　most　beautiful　and　expressive　in　the　old　prayers。　　The　Ten

Commandments；　the　Lord's　Prayer；　and　the　early　creeds　of　course

were　retained；　as　well　as　whatever　was　in　harmony　with　primitive

usages。　　These　changes　called　out　letters　from　Calvin　at　Geneva；

who　was　now　recognized　as　a　great　oracle　among　the　Protestants：　he

encouraged　the　work；　but　advised　a　more　complete　reformation；　and

complained　of　the　coldness　of　the　clergy；　as　well　as　of　the　general

vices　of　the　times。　　Martin　Bucer　of　Strasburg；　at　this　time

professor　at　Cambridge；　also　wrote　letters　to　the　same　effect；　but

the　time　had　not　come　for　more　radical　reforms。　　Then　Parliament；

controlled　by　the　Government；　passed　an　act　allowing　the　clergy　to

marry；opposed；　of　course；　by　many　bishops　in　allegiance　to　Rome。

This　was　a　great　step　in　reform；　and　removed　many　popular　scandals；

it　struck　a　heavy　blow　at　the　conditions　of　the　Middle　Ages；

holding　that　celibacy　sprung　from　no　law　of　God；　but　was　Oriental

in　its　origin；　encouraged　by　the　Church　to　cement　its　power。　　And

this　act　concerning　the　marriage　of　the　clergy　was　soon　followed　by

the　celebrated　Forty…two　Articles；　framed　by　Cranmer　and　Ridley；

which　are　the　bases　of　the　English　Church；a　theological　creed；

slightly　amended　afterwards　in　the　reign　of　Elizabeth；　evangelical

but　not　Calvinistic；　affirming　the　great　ideas　of　Augustine　and

Luther　as　to　grace；　justification　by　faith；　and　original　sin；　and

repudiating　purgatory；　pardons；　the　worship　and　invocation　of

saints