Thus far the primate, however cautious, ventured with less hesitation. What he had yet done was little more, than fell under his own proper authority. But it required more address to strip the popular opinions of the times of that error, and absurdity, which adhered to them. Some steps however were taken, which at least narrowed a few of the grossest of the popish doctrines.

Tradition was not expresslly disavowed; but the bible, and creeds were made the rule of faith.—Images were not forbidden; but the people were instructed to consider them only as incentives of devotion.—Prayers to saints were allowed; but Christ's sole mediation with the Father was insisted on.—Sprinkling holy water, scattering ashes, and creeping to the cross, were tolerated; but the people were assured, they made no atonement for sin.—The existence of purgatory was not disputed; but all indulgences, and mercenary pardons were declared invalid.

How far indeed the archbishop himself was inlightened, cannot easily be known at this day: but it is probable, that whatever had been his own private opinions, he would not have ventured farther in public, than he now did.

The doctrine of transubstantiation was left precisely as it stood. Our ecclesiastical writers all agree, that the primate himself held that opinion, till within a few years of his death; which is the more surprizing, as Wicliff, near two centuries before, had said much to bring it into discredit. How firmly attached the primate was to it, at this time, appeared on the following occasion.

John Lambert, a man of eminent piety, having denied the real presence, was cited before the archbishop; who with a mixture of mildness and gravity, expostulated with him, on his maintaining so unscriptural an error. Lambert retired modestly; but it appearing afterwards, that he was not converted, the affair was carried before the king. The king, resolving himself to confute so notorious a heretic, cited him to enter into free debate on the subject. The royal pedant entered the place of combat, surrounded by his bishops, and nobles. The archbishop sat at his right hand, and assisted at this very extraordinary disputation. Lambert being confounded with an assembly so little suited to the freedom of debate, yielded an easy victory to the king; who triumphing over him in the true spirit of a polemic; condemned him to the stake. We do not find that the archbishop took any part in his death; it were to be wished he had rid his hands of the disputation likewise.

The primate shewed the same attachment to the doctrine of transubstantiation on another occasion. Vadian, a learned foreigner, having written a treatise against the corporeal presence, thought it a proper work for the archbishop of Canterbury to patronize, and presented it to him; concluding that his grace's opinions on that subject, were as liberal as his own. But the archbishop was not a little displeased. He informed Vadian, that his book had not made a convert of him; and that he was hurt with the idea of being thought the patron of such unscriptural opinions.

In the year 1538, the archbishop finished a great work, which he had long had in hand, the printing of an English bible.

Wicliff was the first Englishman, who undertook to render the holy scriptures into his native tongue. But Wicliff's translation was now obsolete; and to be found only as a matter of curiosity in a few libraries. In the year 1526 Tindal translated and printed the new testament in the low countries. But his translation, which was rather a hasty performance, was very incorrect; and nobody was more sensible of its deficiences than Tindal himself. He was public spirited enough to have amended the faults of it, by a new edition: but his finances were too scanty for such an undertaking. The zeal of Tunstal bishop of Durham, furnished him the means. Tunstal, tho a papist, was the most moderate of men; and being desirous of removing a stumbling block as quietly as possible, he privately bought up the whole impression at his own expence, and burnt it^*. This money being returned into Tindal's hands, enabled him to republish his work in a more correct form. By the great industry however of the popish party this edition also was in a good measure suppressed: and indeed it was at best an inaccurate translation; being the performance only of a single man, who laboured also under many disadvantages.

This version however, inaccurate as it was, the archbishop made the basis of the work, he now intended; and the method he took, was to send portions of it to be corrected by the bishops, and other learned divines; reserving to himself the revisal of the whole.

Stokesley, bishop of London, was the only prelate, who refused his contribution. "It is no wonder," (said one of the archbishop's chaplains, with more humour, than charity) "that my lord of London refuses to have any hand in this business: it is a testament, in which he knows well he hath no legacy." This bible, through the means of the lord Essex, was licensed by the king; and fixed to a desk in all parochial churches.

The ardour, with which, we are informed, men flocked to read it, is incredible. They, who could, purchased it; and they who could not, crouded to read it, or to hear it read, in churches; where it was common to see little assemblies of mechanics meeting together for that purpose after the labour of the day. Many even learned to read in their old age, that they might have the pleasure of instructing themselves from the scriptures. Mr. Fox mentions two apprentices, who joined, each his little stock, and bought a bible, which at every interval of leisure, they read; but being afraid of their master, who was a zealous papist, they kept it under the straw of their bed. Such was the extasy of joy, with which this blessing was received at that time—when it was uncommon.

Soon afterwards, under the authority of convocation, the archbishop took a farther step. The creed, the Lord's prayer, and the ten commandments were allowed to be taught in English. A plain exposition also of the more obvious points of faith, and practice, was published in a treatise, which was generally called the bishop's book, from the hands, through which it went: its real title was, The institution of a Christian man. It was afterwards enlarged, and published under the royal licence; and then became the king's book.

These were the principal steps, which the archbishop took in the business of reformation—all taken between the years 1533 and 1538. His difficult circumstances allowed no more. It is wonderful indeed he did so much: for except in the matters of supremacy, and transubstantiation, the king, and he had very different sentiments on every topic of religion: and the passions of Henry, those gusts of whirlwind, made it dangerous for any one to oppose him. But the archbishop, tho he tried this hardy experiment oftener than once, never lost his favour.—In the business of monasteries he risked it most.

Henry had already laid his rapacious hands on some of the smaller houses; and finding the prey alluring, he determined to make a second, and more daring attempt. The larger houses afforded his avarice a more ample range. The affair was brought into parliament; and men seemed to think, they were at liberty to speak their opinions freely. They agreed, that the wealth of the church was a dead weight on the nation—that it debauched the clergy; and drained the people—and that it was just, and right, to lay public hands on this useless mass of treasure.—At the same time having been shocked at seeing the king appropriate to himself, as he had lately done, the piety of ages; or lavish it in wanton donations on the avarice of his courtiers; they cried, "Let us strip the clergy of their wealth; but let us pass a law, that it may be employed in some national service."

Of the party, which held this language, the archbi@hop was at the head. With great earnestness he spoke in this cause; and proposed various schemes for throwing this mass of sacred treasure into some useful channel. He mentioned the endowment of schools; the maintenance of scholars at the universities; the foundation of hospitals, and alms-houses: "Nay, rather, said he, than suffer it to be consumed in private channels, let us expend it on high roads."

One of his schemes was new; and seems to have been happily conceived. He proposed to institute colleges of priests in every cathedral, composed of students, just removed, and well recommended, from the universities. Here they were to apply themselves to divinity under the eye of the bishops; who being thus acquainted with their worth and abilities, might collate them from these seminaries to parochial charges.

But this, and all his other beneficial schemes were overruled. The king was determined to apply this wealth to other uses; and hinted his intentions to the house in a very intelligible manner. The royal hint gave a sudden change to the deliberations of parliament. Every man trembled at the idea of opposition. Simple terror effected then, what venality hath since effected. Essex immediately gave way. The boldest speakers were silent. The primate's was the last mouth, which opened in this cause.—His honest zeal shewed the goodness of his heart; and that was the reward of his labour.