lovers of the Reformation, but generally all England over, among all the vulgar and common people; and with what greediness God's Word was read, and what resort to places where the reading of it was. Everybody that could bought the book, or busily read it, or got. others to read it to them, if they could not themselves; and divers more elderly people learned to read on purpose. And even little boys flocked among the rest to hear portions of the Holy Scripture read." *

Concurrently with the publication of the translated Bible, was the issue, by John Rogers, of the first Concordance in English. The work, though small, is more than a mere arrangement of the texts, for it contains definitions and short explanations. It must have been very useful to the students who were then beginning to seek the treasure to be found in the long-hidden mine. The preface is worthy of being remembered :

"As the bees dylygently do gather together swete flowers, to make by naturall craft the swete honny; so have I done the pryncypall sentences conteyned in the. Bible. The which are ordened after the maner of a table, for the consolacyon of those whych are not yet exercysed and instructed in the Holy Scripture. In the which are many harde places, as well of the Olde as of the Newe Testament, expounded, gathered together, concorded, and compared one wyth another; to thintent that the prudent reader (by the Sprete of God) may beare away pure and cleare understandynge. Whereby every man (as he is bounde) may be made ready, strong

* Strype, vol. i., p. 92.

and garnyshed to answere to all them that aske hym a reason of their faith."

Far too narrow a view of the great subject of the descent of religion, is frequently taken, by confining the field of observation to the Reformers and their descendants. Not only have there always been people holding with fond attachment the doctrines of grace, but even among the open enemies of the " new way," there were many, who under the armour of opposition, possessed hearts beating in unison with the vital truth. Such a one was Fisher, the anti-Reformation Bishop of Rochester. His lofty intelligence, earnest nature, and popular talents, though devoted to the hopeless advocacy of a failing cause, were accompanied by personal apprehension of evangelical doctrine.

Fisher died for denying the king's supremacy. As he walked from the Tower to the adjoining place of execution, he carried in his hand the New Testament. He was heard to pray that as this book had been his best comfort and companion, so in that hour it might give to him some special strength, and speak to him as from his Lord. "Then opening at a venture, he read: "This is life eternal, to know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' He continued to repeat the words as he was led forward: and thus the good old man of eighty, the incipient cardinal, the unflinching adherent of the Papacy, but the equally firm believer in Christ, went with firm heart and tottering step to the block."*

* Froude, vol. ii., from State MSS.

There were many others, too, who retained their ecclesiastical position whilst protesting against the vices of the Church, without a thought of rebelling against her authority, and who nevertheless clearly saw Jesus as the only Saviour. Such was Dean Colet, and such the whole tribe of the followers of Erasmus. They were enlisted soldiers of the Cross, but were not equal to the occasion; they slighted the spirit-stirring call—

CHAPTER IX.

Edward VI.

THE accession of the youthful son of Henry and Queen Jane St. Maur, introduced the Evangelical party into absolute power. The people in various places, in their zeal for innovation, outran the Government, and by the demolition of images in the City, at Portsmouth, and elsewhere, showed their reaction against the superstitions which had so long usurped the place of religion. Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, complained to the commander at Portsmouth, calling the people "Lollards " and 66 worse than hogs.' The former epithet was justly applied. It was no new-fangled notion that kindled the zeal of the evangelicals, but the outworking of the old Wycliffite teaching. The Protector writes to the commandant, enjoining him not to meddle with the matter. He wisely says, that "he allowed of his zeal against innovations, but that there were other things that needed to be looked to as much. Great difference there was between the civil respect due to the king's arms, and the worship given to images. There had been a time in

which the abuse of the Scriptures was thought a good reason to take them from the people-yea, and to burn them; though he looked on them as more sacred than images; which if they stood merely as remembrancers, he thought the hurt was not great but it was known that for the most part it was otherwise; and upon abuse the brazen serpent was broken, though made at God's commandment: and it being pretended that they were the books of the people, he thought the Bible a much more intelligible and useful book."*

After the people had spoken out by their rejoicings, and the Government had followed suit by the institution of ecclesiastical visitations, the Parliament crowned the whole, by rapidly passing a bill for the repeal of all the penal statutes concerning religion, from the acts against "Lollardies" downwards; followed by an act ordaining the communion in both kinds; and by other legislation, which, after the fashion of that day, sought to settle for all men the modes of Divine worship and homage, which God allows them to settle for themselves, by the aid of His own Word.

As the Reformation advanced in England under the liberal government of the Protector Somerset, the great cry arising from the mass of the people, was for public gospel-preaching. Paul's Cross, usually an engine of state, became a focus of evangelic doctrine. Preachers were clamoured for everywhere; in many places they arose without official authority, and sought to supply the universal demand. Public affairs became strangely * Burnet's "Hist. Ref.," vol. ii., p. 22.