III. BOOK him by many honest and worthy men; and “that, if the "church had but some more such bishops, it would be no "difficult matter to have it healed, and the world restored "to peace: congratulating Britain such a Bishop." And this seems to have been the first entrance into their acquaintance and correspondence. bishop pro pounds a weighty matter to Melanc thon for the union testant churches. 407 In the year 1548, Cranmer propounded a great and The Arch- weighty business to Melancthon; and a matter that was likely to prove highly useful to all the churches of the evangelic profession. It was this. The Archbishop was now driving on a design for the better uniting of all the Protestant churches; viz. by having one common confession and harof all Pro- mony of faith and doctrine, drawn up out of the pure Word of God, which they might all own and agree in. He had observed what differences there arose among Protestants in the doctrine of the sacrament, in the divine decrees, in the government of the church, and some other things. These disagreements had rendered the professors of the Gospel contemptible to those of the Roman communion: which caused no small grief to the heart of this good man, nearly touched for the honour of Christ his master, and his true church, which suffered hereby. And, like a person of a truly public and large spirit, as his function was, seriously debated and deliberated with himself for the remedying this evil. This made him judge it very advisable to procure such a confession. And in order to this he thought it necessary for the chief and most learned divines of the several churches to meet together, and with all freedom and friendliness to debate the points of controversy according to the rule of Scripture. And, after mature deliberation, by agreement of all parties, to draw up a book of articles, and heads of christian faith and practice: which should serve for the standing doctrine of Protestants. The dili As for the place of this assembly, he thought England the gence of the fittest in respect of safety, as the affairs of Christendom then Archbishop in forward stood: and, communicating this his purpose to the King, ing this de- that religious Prince was very ready to grant his allowance and protection. And as Helvetia, France, and Germany, were the chief countries abroad where the Gospel was professed, so he sent his letters to the most eminent ministers of sign. XXIV. each, namely, to Bullinger, Calvin, and Melancthon, dis- CHAP. closing this his pious design to them, and requiring their counsel and furtherance. Melancthon first of all came acquainted with it by Justus Jonas, junior, to whom the Archbishop had related the matter at large, and desired him to signify as much in a letter to the said Melancthon; and that it was his request to him, to communicate his judgment thereupon. This Jonas did, and Melancthon accordingly writ to our Archbishop on the calends of May this year to this purpose: “That if his judgment and opinion were re- Ep. 66. "quired, he should be willing both to hear the sense of Melancthon's judg"other learned men, and to speak his own, and to give his ment and “reasons, τà μÈv teilwv, táde teilóμevos, persuading and being approbation “persuaded, as ought to be in a conference of good men : "letting truth, and the glory of God, and the safety of the "church, not any private affection, ever carry away the lib. i. thereof. victory." Telling him withal, "that the more he consi"dered of this his deliberation, than which he thought there "could be nothing set on foot more weighty and necessary, "the more he wished and pressed him to publish such a true "and clear confession of the whole body of christian doc“trine, according to the judgment of learned men; whose should be subscribed thereto : that among all na"tions there might be extant an illustrious testimony of 408 "doctrine, delivered by grave authority; and that posterity 66 66 names might have a rule to follow." And he was of opinion, that this confession should be much of the nature of their confession of Augsburgh: only that some few points in controversy might be in plainer words delivered than was in that. "That ambiguities might not hereafter occasion new His cavent "differences. And that in the church it was best to call a of avoiding ambiguous spade a spade: and not to cast ambiguous words before expressions. posterity, as an apple of contention. And that if in Ger- In Ecclesia many there had been an entire consent of all the churches, they had not fallen into those miseries." And so con- scapham' dicludes, earnestly exhorting our Prelate to apply himself" vigorously in these his pious cares and thoughts for the good estate of the churches. 66 rectius est scapham, cere. same cau Not long after he pursued his first letter with a second. Renews the Wherein he again reminded our reverend father of that tion in an other letter. BOOK caution; viz. "That nothing might be left under general III. "terms, but expressed with all the perspicuity and distinct Peter Martyr of this judgment. Quod vir bonus sibi persuasisset tione tolli gravem, hac causa, "ness imaginable." Which, I suppose, he said, to meet with the opinion of some, who thought it might be more convenient, in order to peace, to suffer some difficult and controverted points to pass under dubious expressions, or in the very words of Scripture, without any particular decisive sense and explanation imposed on them. And concerning this it is probable our Archbishop had desired his opinion. This Melancthon was against; saying, "that, for his part, he "loved not labyrinths; and that therefore all his study was, "that whatsoever matters he undertook to treat of, they "might appear plain and unfolded. That it was indeed the practice of the council of Trent; which therefore made "such crafty decrees, that so they might defend their errors by things ambiguously spoken. But that this sophistry "ought to be far from the church. That there is no absurdity in truth rightly propounded: and that this goodness and perspicuity of things is greatly inviting, "wheresoever there be good minds." 66 66 66 66 66 And of this very judgment was Peter Martyr, another great divine. For when Bucer, in a discourse with him at Strasburgh, had advised him, when he spake of the Eucharist, to use more dark and ambiguous forms of speech, that might posse hac ra- be taken in a larger acceptation, urging to him, that this was the course he himself took, and "that a certain good quæ est de "man" [whom I suspect strongly to be our Archbishop] "had controver- "persuaded him, that by this means the great controversy siam, et ita concerning the real presence in the sacrament might be Ecclesiæpacem diu desi-" at an end, and so peace, so long wanted, might be rederatam re- "stored to the church :" Martyr was over-persuaded by his In Vit. P. friend so to do, and used for some time the same form of Mart. per Jos:am speech with him, when he had occasion to discourse of that Simlerum. doctrine. But afterward he returned to his former more dilucid style, as well in the matter of the real presence, as in all other subjects he treated of. And that both because he saw this would not suffice them, who held a gross and carnal presence of Christ's body, unless their gross manner of expression were received, and their as gross interpretation too; and because he found that many weaker brethren were stitui. ler. greatly offended with these ambiguities of speech, and so en- CHAP. tangled and confounded, that they scarce knew what to XXIV. think in this point. And so, leaving Bucer to pursue his ob- 409 scurer phrases, he chose to speak more clearly and distinctly. And neither did Bucer disallow of Martyr in this course, or was Martyr ignorant of Bucer's true sense, however doubtful his expressions were: as the author of his life tells us. Josias SimThis I mention to shew, how exactly Martyr accorded with Melancthon in this opinion, of expressing things in clear and perspicuous terms; which the said Melancthon thought it highly necessary now to be inculcated, when deliberation was had of drawing up a general confession of faith. After he had thus declared his mind in this matter, he particu- What Melarly descended to the doctrine of fate; telling the Archbishop, how "the Stoical disputes of that subject among "them in the beginning were too rough, and horrid, and "such as were prejudicial to discipline." Which, I suppose, might be occasioned from some passage in the Archbishop's letter, advising with this learned man how to propound the doctrines of predestination and free-will. lancthon thought of the doctrine of fate. CHAP. XXV. The Archbishop corresponds with Calvin. 126. breaks bis to Calvin. THESE his counsels he brake also to John Calvin, the Calv. Ep. chief guide of the French churches: who also highly ap- The Archproved of his pious proposition. The Archbishop, in a letter bishop to that great reformer, had been lamenting the differences purpose also that were in the reformed churches; having his eye, I suppose, herein upon those of Geneva and Germany; and, like a true father of the church, consulting for the making up of the breaches, he thought no fitter remedy could be used, than for pious and wise men, and such as were well exercised in God's school, to meet together and profess their Calvin's approbation consents in the doctrine of godliness. This Calvin acknow-thereof, and ledged was rightly and prudently advised by him: applaud- tion of the ing him that he did not only lead the way in purging the Archbi commenda shop. BOOK doctrine of God's church from corruption, but did so voluntarily exhort and encourage others therein. And that he did not only take care of religion at home in his own country, but all the world over. And as to the meeting and converse of divines for this purpose, which Cranmer had told him he had made the King so sensible of the need and usefulness of, that he was forward in it, and had offered a place in his kingdom for them securely to assemble together in; that French divine wished, "that learned and wise men "from the chief churches would accordingly meet, and, diligently discussing the chief heads of faith, would by "common consent deliver to posterity the certain doctrine "of the Scripture. But that, among the great evils of that 66 age, this also was to be reputed, that churches were so "divided from one another, that human society was scarcely "kept up among them: much less that sacred communion "of the members of Christ, which all professed with their "mouths, but few did sincerely take care to preserve. That as to himself, if he might be thought to be of any use, he 410. would not grudge to pass over ten seas, if there were need, Offers his service. 66 66 "That if it were only to contribute some assistance to the 66 kingdom of England, he should esteem it a reason lawful enough; but much more, he thought, he ought to spare no labour, no trouble, to procure a means, whereby the "churches, that were so widely divided, might unite among "themselves. But he hoped, his weakness and insufficiency being such, he might be spared: and that he would do his part in prosecuting that with his prayers and wishes, "which should be undertaken by others." And whereas Archbishop our Archbishop had hinted to him his jealousy, that the to proceed. business would hardly find a good issue by reason of certain difficulties attending it, Calvin not only exhorted, but earnestly beseeched him to go forward, till it should have some effect at least, though it succeeded not in all respects according to his wish. And so prayed God to guide him with his holy Spirit, and to bless his pious endeavours. Excites the This excel frustrated. But the troubles at home and abroad frustrated this excellent purpose lent purpose, which for two years he had been labouring to bring to some good issue. His next resolution was to go as far as he could in this matter, since he could not go as far as |