146 LETTER XII. THE REFORMATION. SIR, In proceeding through the history of the progress and establishment of the Reformation, the subject of your remaining letters, we must never forget the real question at issue between the Romanists and the Protestants. We are not inquiring into the merits or demerits of individuals, neither may we identify the cause with the advocate. It is comparatively of little importance whether Eckius and Tetzel, Luther and Melancthon, were just or unjust, moral or immoral. We are not inquiring whether Henry VIII. was sensual, whether Wolsey was ambitious, whether Leo was extravagant, unless their conduct be demonstrated to be the uniform result of their opinions. We are not even interested in the question, whether Cranmer was equally, or more or less, erroneous than Bonner, in condemning an unfortunate victim to the flames. The only real points in debate between us are these "Are the doctrines of the Church of Rome supported by Scripture and antiquity? Effects of the Reformation on 147 Shall the Pope or the Monarch be supreme over the people? The Reformation was the decision of the reflecting part of Europe on this important matter... The effects of any opinion on the happiness of mankind cannot, however, be entirely omitted in our criteria of its truth or falsehood. The pretensions of the Church of Rome have been examined by this test; we cannot object therefore to judge of the Reformation by the same proof of its excellence. I shall follow the order of your own inquiry as briefly as possible, and endeavour to ascertain whether England has been benefitted by the Reformation. 1. In temporal happiness. 2. In spiritual wisdom. 3. Or in morals. 4. Whether the revival of letters was owing to the Reformation, or materially promoted by it, &c., &c. Christianity, not Romanism, extricated us from Paganism. I have proved that the creed of Augustine was not that of the Council of Trent. We certainly owe many useful laws to our ancestors in the ages of papal influence. But are the Act of Habeas Corpus, and the laws which secured to the people their civil and religious liberties at the Revolution, less valuable, 148 66 Happiness, Learning, and general good. useful, or important than those of our Romanist statesmen? The monasteries are gone; but will not our parochial clergy bear comparison with the monks? "The Nation," you tell us, "formed one fold under one shepherd." If, by the one shepherd, you mean the Pope, the reformers would rather have described them as one fleeced flock, under one savage wolf." Are our Churches all destroyed, that you mention the existence of a Church in every village, as a proof of the temporal happiness of the people before the Reformation? Or were you serious when, among other proofs of our felicity at the same period, you enumerated “ the interruption of the silence of the night by pious psalmody?" when sound sleep would have been more generally useful. Select what proof of temporal happiness you please; whether it be the progress of commerce, improvement in agriculture, skilfulness in the arts of life, or eminence in science and literature: there can be no comparison in all these between the days of our ancestors and the present. The blessings we possessed under our Romanist legislatures we still enjoy to the utmost. We have added to them religion without superstition, and well-defined civil liberty, so pure, so perfect, so suitable to the habits, opinions, and feelings of all classes, The Reformation has been useful in all respects. 149 that the simplest description of its inestimable advantages would appear to be the declamation of a sciolist, if experience did not demonstrate its reality. There were formerly no poor laws enacted by Parliament, but the parishioners and the clergy supported the poor in each parish*. This principle of the common law has been made the foundation of the statute law on the subject; and the old custom would have been probably continued, if their revenues had been spared to the clergy. Burthensome and oppressive as these laws have become, they decree protection, and support, and shelter, to all the poor and desolate of our dominions; and the destitute and infirm of our crowded population have reason to be grateful to God, for the religion which ordains, and the policy which enforces them. XII. 2. You demand if we have improved in spiritual wisdom? If wisdom be the talent by which we choose good, and reject evil, how great is the wisdom which has chosen God as the object of its worship, and rejected the relic and the saint; which prefers scripture to tradition; pardon from God, to forgiveness by man; prayer So that none die in default of sustenance.-Blackstone's Commentaries, b. I. ch. ix. p. 6. 150 True Religion increased by the Reformation. which is understood, to petitions in a strange language; common sense, to unintelligible doctrines; honourable marriage, to useless celibacy; two sacraments with antiquity, to seven with novelty; and the unlimited freedom of our accountable spirit, to the fetters of the decrees of Councils and Popes? Why have you condescended to insult the English clergy with the sneer of our infidel historian, and a doubt of their sincerity when they sign the thirty-nine articles. There is no foundation whatever for the charge. We sign them, because we believe them. We are not indifferent to religion, though we will not add to our simple creed a mass of unscriptural opinions, and call them wisdom.* : The havock of Church ornaments, books, and plate, the atrocities which disgraced some, and the savage excess of others of our people at the Reformation, we will neither justify nor palliate. We abhor the mode by which they expressed their opinions. Do you not, however, believe that the religion which threw bones, and rags, and wood into the fire, may have been quite as pure as that, which not only taught the worship * I could say much more on this part of Mr. Butler's work; but I beg to refer to the judicious pamphlet of the Bishop of Chester. |