11.03.2019 Views

Rise and Establishment of Protestantism at Geneva - James Aitken Wylie

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

service in the Church, do not conceal th<strong>at</strong> they are<br />

opposed to the true religion." The Reformer<br />

entre<strong>at</strong>ed the king to take order therein, "to the<br />

effect th<strong>at</strong> property which ought to be held sacred<br />

be not converted to pr<strong>of</strong>ane uses, <strong>and</strong> far less to<br />

nourish venomous reptiles, who would desire<br />

nought better than to infect everything for the<br />

future. For in this way the Gospel would always be<br />

kept back by these schools, which ought to be the<br />

very pillar there<strong>of</strong>."[8]<br />

The pious king had for prim<strong>at</strong>e the erudite<br />

Cranmer. The archbishop had cowered under the<br />

capricious tyranny <strong>of</strong> Henry VIII., but now,<br />

moving no longer in the cold <strong>and</strong> withering shade<br />

<strong>of</strong> th<strong>at</strong> monarch, Cranmer was himself again; <strong>and</strong><br />

not only was he laboring zealously to complete the<br />

work <strong>of</strong> Reform<strong>at</strong>ion in Engl<strong>and</strong>, he was also<br />

holding out the h<strong>and</strong> to all the Reformers <strong>and</strong><br />

Reformed Churches on the Continent. He was <strong>at</strong><br />

th<strong>at</strong> time revolving a gr<strong>and</strong> Protestant union. He<br />

desired th<strong>at</strong> the friends <strong>of</strong> the Gospel in all l<strong>and</strong>s<br />

should come together, <strong>and</strong> deduce from the Word<br />

<strong>of</strong> God a scheme <strong>of</strong> Christian doctrine which all<br />

398

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!