which were taken, the Reformation in England was completed. The Convocation of 15(j".', Ijesides drawing up the Thirty-nine Articles, puljlished two volumes of homilies b}- Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, and caused Nowell, dean of St. Paul's, to draw up a catechism for general use. See Nowell.
"About this time the more extreme reforming party began to appear (see Puritans), and to exert their in- fluence specially in all the questions which arose about the various ceremonies of the Church. Elizabeth's extreme jealousy of her supreme authority often ob- structed the plans for reform which the more zealous clergy contrived — a jealousy which brought her into collision witli the primate himself, as on the subject of ' the prophesyings.' The works of the great Conti- nental divines, as Calvin and Bullinger, were studied in England ; and the great standard work of Richard Hooker on Ecclesiastical Polity — which may be styled the apology of the Church of England — was published 15'»4-97.
" When James ascended the throne, both the Puri- tans and the Church party calculated on having his support. The Puritans hastened to present to him the famous Millenary Petition, which embodied a state- ment of those things in the Church which they desired to see amended. This elicited from the universities a counter-petition, and James held a conference with both parties at Hampton Court (q. v.), .January, 1604. It resulted in no.good to the Puritans, for king James now thought Episcopacy was most conformable to monarchy, and the replj' to their arguments he pithily put in the form ' No bishop, no king.' One advan- tage which ensued from this conference was the revis- ion of the translation of the Bible, instituted at the suggestion of the leader of tlie Puritans, and the re- sult was the present authorized version. During the reign of James the famous Sj'nod of Dort met, and four English divines were sent thither bj' James. See Dort, Synod or. Henceforward the Calvinistic par- ty in the Church of England began to decline, and king James himself turned against it. James first is- sued the Book of Sports in 1618, and offended very many, because he thereby legally sanctioned certain amusements on the Sabbath daj'. Under Cliarles it was republished in 1663, the declaration affirming that it was done ' out of a pious care for the service of God
and the ease, comfort, and recreation of our
well-deserving people.' It was received with mani- fest disgust, and man}' of the clergy refused to obey the ordinance requiring its puldication in the churches. In 1644 the House of Commons caused it to be burnt by the hangman. See Sports, Book of." Under Charles, the High-Cliurch party, with Laud at their head, rose to the highest power. The court of High Commission and the Star Chanil er never had more constant emploj'inent, and their liateful tyranny most thoroughl}' roused the people. The severity of Laud occasioned the greatest discontent ; and the Puritan party, as thej' could not maintain themselves in the Church, began to found special lectureships ; but, on Laud's advice, the king issued instructions to the bish- ops to suppress all such. Forbearance at last came to an end. Then came the great rebellion and civil war, which led to the putting down of Episcojiacy, and the establishment of Presbyterianism on the basis of the Westminster Cotfession^ though afterwards Independ- ency' took the lead. Laud was condemned the day af- ter the House of Commons established Presbyterian- ism, and executed January 10, 1645.
"With the restoration of Charles II occurred the restoration of Episcopacy in England. The Sunday after his return lieard the litur^iy read in almost everj^ parish church. The Puritans, who are henceforward known as Presbyterians (q. v.), having greatly con- tril>uted to the restoration, were treated at first by Charles with kindness, and several of their number were offered high ecclesiastical preferments. In 1661
ENGLAND, CHURCH OF 201 ENGLAND, CHURCH OF
the famous Savoy Conference (q. v.) met, with Baxter as leader of the Presbyterian party, and Sheldon as that of the bishops, to try, if possible, to unite both sides. As might have been expected, the plan failed. In 1GG2 the Act of Uniformitj' was passed ; and, rather than take the test it prescribed, 2000 Puritan clergy left the Church of England. Then, in quick succes- sion, followed those persecuting acts, the Corporation, Conventicle, and Five-miles Acts. Still further griev- ances were inflicted by the Test Act of 1672. Next arose another school of divines — ' Christian philoso- phers rather than divines.' Their lives were moral, but they eviscerated the Gospel of all that was char- acteristic of it. When a plan for ' comprehension' was revived in 1G68, the House of Counnons prohibited such a measure being introduced. AVhen James, duke of York, professed Roman Catholicism, Charles at once proclaimed complete toleration. This was in 1672; but the Commons the year following compelled him to withdraw his indulgence. Popery they were deter- mined to resist. When James came into power he proclaimed similar indulgences, and forbade preaching against Romanist errors ; nay, in defiance of the enact- ment of 1651, he re-created the court of High Commis- sion. These measures the clergy resisted. In conse- quence of his resistance, the bishop of London was sus- pended for a time. The University of Cambridge came into collision with the king, and also Magdalen College, Oxford. Rather than do what might advan- tage Rome, the Nonconformists did not avail them- selves of the royal indulgence. But .James renewed his declaration, and commanded that it should be pub- lisl)ed in the churches. Eigliteen out of twenty-five bishops refused to do so, and nearl}' all the clergy. The bishops were commanded to cite the recusants, but they refused. Seven of them — Sancroft, Llo3'd, Ken, Turner, Lake, White, and Trelawney — even drew up a remonstance, and, as a consequence, were sent to the Tower. Their committal to it had rather the appear- ance of a triumphal entrj', from the enthusiasm dis- played by the people on their behalf. Tiiey were tried at Westminster Hall, and the news of their acquittal was received with rapturous delight on all hands, for all felt that they were committed to a struggle against an insidious attempt to restore Popery. The roj'al career of James was now ending, and his further schemes were not developed, for that very year the Prince of Orange landed (5th of November, 1688). One of William's earliest acts was the passing of a tol- eration bill in 16S9 ; but an act of comprehension was rejected in the Commons. In September of that year a commission was appointed to revise the liturgy and canons, and reform ecclesiastical abuses ; but all their proposals were rejected by Convocation. Three of the seven bishops mentioned above refused the oath of al- legiance to William and Mary. They headed the par- ty known as the Nonjurors, whicli ceased to exist as an independent Episcopalian Church in 1780 ; but many of them became attached to the Scottish Episco- palians" (Chambers, s. v.). Sae Nonjcroes.