A History of the Reformation in the 16th
Century
Book 17 - England Before the
Reformation
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 1
In attempting to gain a complete view of the
Reformation in the sixteenth century, it would be prudent to cover its
affects in England around these time periods which have been commented
on thus far, for the church of England has an interesting history behind
it. Up until this time it had gone through two phases: the first was of
“formation” and the second was that of “corruption.” In formation it
was oriented around the apostolic church, and in its corruption it
seceded to be a national church following the papacy and one that
followed the king’s dictates depending on the papacy for his support and
guidance.
Throughout its history various missionaries and
preachers had been bringing Christianity to the shores of Britain.
Diocletian had persecuted the Christians in that empire and instead of
diminishing they increased in number in the early days of the church.
Succat, known as St. Patrick, ministered in Ireland bringing the Gospel
to the people left in darkness there. After the evangelization of
Patrick, a British monk named Pelagius began teaching heretical
doctrines. St. Augustine fought him and kept the faith in check.
Later, war pressed the Christians north into the mountains of
Northumberland and Cornwall and Britain was nearly deprived of
Christianity. Columba, one of the parishioners of the one of the two
churches still left by Patrick’s preaching, decided he was called to
Scotland to bring the Word of God there. The King of the Picts was
converted there, along with many of the people, and in Iona, there arose
a missionary college to train people to teach the Gospel. However, they
did not successfully convert the Saxons that remained thoroughly pagan
and suppressed the country.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 2
At the end of the sixth century a man arose, Pope
Gregory the Great, saw the need to overtake Britain removing autonomous
churches and considering all churches under his apostolic see. He
claimed the power to rule over the kings of the surrounding nations in
order to strengthen the pontificate. Many missionaries were sent into
the lands in order to spread the Gospel, and there is no reason
historically to believe that the doctrine they were spreading was
corrupt. Through the papacy a decline spiritually towards power and
corruption prevailed and the missionaries sent to England were
Catholic. Here Christianity and Catholicism would fight, but
Catholicism would be the victor. The power of the popes, armed with the
various powers of the kings alarmed Britain.
The authority of the Pope was settled in great
part with the sword. The faith of the Britons was crushed and the
authority of the pontificate was lording over them. Oswald, an
Anglo-Saxon prince fled to Scotland to take refuge during the taking
over of the country by the Pope. He had been converted and was now
baptized into the Scottish church. In 634 A.D. he fought the armies of
Northumberland and gained victory there by the help of God. He desired
the people to come to Christ and this would not happen without removing
the Catholic influences in authority. He requested the help of a
learned man in religion from the Scots and they sent Corman. Corman did
not know the Saxon language and Oswald accompanied him everywhere to
translate for the people. Aidan, a convert, was trained up as a pastor
and ordained to the church there. Oswald was thankful for Aidan, but
did not see the fruit of the efforts since he died by the sword
repelling an invasion into the country in 642 A.D.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 3
At this time, the papacy rose to power. Oswald
was dead, and his brother Oswy reigned. He had an external religion,
but was not converted. Oswy’s wife was Roman and so the influence of
that union changed the tide of the church in that country. Their
numbers needed to increase in order to overrun the country by Catholic
influence. Opportunity arose through a man named Wilfrid, who was sent
to Rome to study their doctrines more carefully. The Queen granted his
request and he found the power there very appealing. He returned with
the intention to gain influence in the royal family, and then desired to
have the ear of the king. Now Oswy had done a great amount of
conquering nearby lands and the papacy found this very appealing, for if
they could overwhelm him, then they would have control of a large
portion of the land. Wilfrid spoke unceasingly about the power of Rome
and the grace that could be attained through her help in all matters. A
conference was held in Whitby to determine the ecclesiastical course of
Rome in the land of Oswy. This was a triumph for Romanism, and Oswy
gave himself over to their power. Wilfrid was named bishop of
Northumberland, and contesting bishops appeared over the land, but Rome
kept them in check.
Scotland, however, was still free from the
influences of this hostile takeover. Rome attempted to overtake
Scotland by subtle wiles, but they were repelled by the head of the
church there, Adamnan. Yet, Egbert, a monk, arrived in Ireland and
brought with him the designs of Rome. Iona rejected his influences, but
many did not, giving themselves over to Rome. At the beginning of the
eighth century, Britain is found primarily under the bondage of Rome.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 4
Scotland was saddened to see the decline of
religion under this new power. A Christian doctor by the name of
Clement left Scotland and traveled among the Franks to preach the Gospel
and who was favorable towards the doctrines of grace and
predestination. Boniface, archbishop of the Germans opposed him. At
first he confronted Clement with the laws of the Roman church, but the
learned doctor opposed them by the Scriptures. Boniface then turned to
the early fathers, but Clement said that he would more willingly submit
to the Word of God.
Other men rose up against the nonsense of Rome’s
teachings. Another bishop named Adalbert saw the foolishness in the use
of relics and distributed his own hair and fingernails to be used in
worship proving the point about relics as nonsense quite well.
Boniface had Clement thrown into prison, but the
people contested this and he was released. He had barely left his cell
when he began contesting for the Word of God to be preached in its
purity. Sampson and Virgil, two others who preached in central Europe
were also likewise persecuted for the faith.
John Scot, a prince in Wessex, came to the throne
in 871. He studied philosophical rationalism , along with Alfred, and
desired to translate the Scriptures to have their own language. He died
in battle while translating the Psalms of David for his people.
However, after the quick rise and death of Scot, the next nine kings
would find themselves dictates to Rome, and all of them being trained as
monks. Yet, later, William the conqueror, Edward III, Wycliffe and the
Reformation, will be four steps to a turn for England that will thrust
it into its golden age of learning and Protestantism.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 5
Rome had entered into its climactic height, where
learned men and despotic authority were overthrowing the Gospel for
power. At this time, Anselm would appear in England. He filled the
primacy of Canterbury and bowed his head to the Roman doctrines. He
contested the kings and would not bow to them nor pay taxes, and lorded
over the priests to put away their wives. He was tyrannical in this way
pressing religion under the guise of manipulation.
Thomas Becket also came upon this scene and was
appointed governor of the Tower. Later he was nominated chancellor of
England and lived in extravagancy as a result. He was ruthless in his
desire for power, even involving himself in conspiracy and murder. Four
knights executed him and the people mourned for him since, at this time,
he had recognized his faults but could not escape the justice that was
due to them.
Henry’s son John came to blows with Pope Innocent
III (one of the most powerful popes in the history of the papacy) and
the Pope pronounced anathemas upon him. John would not acknowledge an
illegally nominated archbishop to Canterbury that Innocent III had
desired to gain the position. John threatened to become a follower of
Mohamed instead, but Phillip Augustus was preparing to dethrone him, and
John decided to lay his crown at the feet of the Pope. A national
protest emerged and the people were furious that John was laying the
crown before the dictates of the Pope. Here the papacy came into
conflict with liberty for the first time in history in this regard and
many of the barons throughout the land denounced both the king and the
Pope. John died of extreme drunkenness in a convent while fleeing from
a near death experience that frightened him.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 6
Though the papacy was overflowing upon all of
Christendom in England, there were certain lights that could not go
against the conscience to commit wickedness. One such man was Robert
Grostete who undertook the reform of one of the largest diocese in
England. He resisted the Pope telling him that he could not allow the
abuses that had begun there to continue. When he died, Innocent desired
to dig up his bones and pronounce a curse on them, but a phantom that
visited him in the night, supposing to be Grostete, said he now had
power over him and did not take up charge to carry out his plan, for
fear. But Grostete was not the only one to raise a voice against the
Pope on his view of preaching. Sewal, archbishop of York also followed
Grostete and withstood the Pope on the same matter. The sheep of God
are to be fed, not sheared by the Pope.
Two men arose at this time that desired to see
England regain power. King Edward III rose to the throne and desired to
give back to England her royal dignity and overthrow the power and
authority the papacy had over the people in this regard. Bradwardine,
an astronomer, philosopher and mathematician also prayed fervently that
God would change the history of this country. At first Bradwardine was
opposed to Christianity, and later was converted from the power of
science that he held to. He fought strenuously against Pelagianism, and
walked valiantly in his faith for the cause of Christ. Edward did the
same but for polity in England. Edward, with the consent of parliament,
publish the provisors that stated that every ecclesiastical
appointment contrary to the dictates of the king null and void.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 7
The morning star of the Reformation, John
Wycliffe, was born in 1324, in Yorkshire. He was a student of
Bradwardine at Merton College, and was a great student and created a
godly reputation for himself in the university. A plague fell on
England and Wycliffe thought it was God’s judgment, and the last days
falling upon men. He cried out to the Lord and found solace in the
Bible. He desired to make these same truths known to others, and in
1365, as warden of Canterbury College, began to set forth the doctrine
of faith among the people. He was a profound theologian and had great
insight into the Bible. He wrote and preached against the papacy, and
contested, as a good politician, the papacy’s rights over the crown.
Edward III made Wycliffe one of his chaplains and the papacy backed down
in attempting to overthrow the crown of England in such a manner with
these two powerful evangelicals at the helm.
Wycliffe was presented with the rectory of
Lutterworth and from this time he became known as a solid academic
scholar. He taught at Oxford and preached in his parish as a
compassionate pastor. The papacy became alarmed at the significance of
Wycliffe and decided to maneuver towards him through it patron John of
gaunt, third son of Edward III. Wycliffe was charged with heresy and
was called to give testimony to these charges before the papal court.
He was not condemned due to political moves by the Duke, and was let go
charged with not preaching or teaching his doctrines. However, Wycliffe
could not oppose his conscience, and ultimately set up the Lollards, the
poor preachers, to take a translation of the Bible he finished from
Latin into English to the people of England so they could hear and read
the Bible in their own language.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 8
Wycliffe embarked to translate the Bible from the
Latin Vulgate into English. He was ignorant of Greek and Hebrew, but
knew Latin very well. He was aided by students and other learned men
and in 1380 the task was completed. As soon as the translation was
completed, the copyists began making bibles of Wickliffe’s work. All of
England, though, did not look favorably upon this translation. The
monks hated it since it placed the Bible in the hands of people who may
in fact be more learned than they were. Now they were able to discover
the Bible for themselves, and may surpass them in knowledge.
Wycliffe also studied the Bible fervently after
the translation was finished, and began to embark on a disagreement with
the papacy due to his theological conviction about the Lord’s Supper.
He wrote a
Book against transubstantiation and demonstrated from
Scripture that it could not be the actual body and blood of Christ that
is offered literally in the mass. When the papacy heard of this they
resolved to destroy Wycliffe and began persecuting the Lollards who were
roaming the countryside with their English bibles teaching the Word.
Even John of Gaunt was taken back that Wycliffe was attacking the mass.
Wycliffe expected to be taken captive by Rome and
tried as a heretic at any moment. However, he fell ill with a stroke
and was arrested by it. Sometime later he was again inflicted with
another stroke that claimed his life on December 29, 1384 while in
church.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 9
Wycliffe was dead, but his Lollards and disciples
continued to bring the Gospel all over England. They recognized
Wickliffe’s doctrines as those of Jesus Christ and saw their movement as
independent of Rome. Many of the people in following them began to
cleanse their churches of the relics and idols, and looked for a more
pure outworking of the Gospel in the church. Many Lollards and students
wrote against the papal abuses and hung placards in their churches
pronouncing their condemnation of the practices of the papacy. They
published their Twelve Conclusions on the gates of St. Paul’s and
Westminster Abbey. King Richard was pressed to follow Rome instead of
these new doctrines and, unfortunately, he leaned in that direction and
became an enemy of the Gospel.
Persecution broke out against these reformers.
Lancaster was placed in position to rail against this reform and
pronounced everyone following it a heretic and worthy to be burned at
the stake. Sawtre was the first martyr burnt alive by Lancaster. The
priests and bishops, encouraged by this act, drew up the Constitutions
of Arundel which outlawed reading the Bible.
The priests were not satisfied with simply saying
the Bible should not be read. Instead they desired those who held to
these new beliefs in high position to recant of them, demonstrating the
power of the papacy. Sir John Oldcastle had Wickliffe’s writings
reprinted, and so he was attacked. The king summoned him to appear in
court before him, and was condemned to die. He was taken to the Tower
on Friday, and then slowly roasted to death by burning while suspended
by hot chains.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 10
The Reformation in England that was about to
spring forth was a result of two powers: the revival of learning, which
always surrounds reformation, and the “resurrection of the Word of God”
which is always what should be studied to gain true revival. Greek and
Hebrew learning became requisite to this reform, and a study of classics
in literature accompanied such an education, even within the ranks of
the Lollards.
While learning was on the rise, another dynasty
of kings was coming to the throne: the Tudors succeeded the
Plantagenets. Henry Tudor took the throne and Sir Thomas More rose to
the scene, being the quintessential Catholic, and a good friend of
Erasmus. Erasmus bewailed the lack of an Augustine at this time, but
would soon find one in Germany under the auspice of Luther but not to
his ultimate liking.
Henry VII had a son whom he had trained well and
educated. In 1509 Henry VII died and Henry VIII took his place. He
coupled about him learned Catholic men, such as Thomas More and Erasmus
at Oxford. At this time Henry was also introduced to Thomas Cromwell,
and young man of great genius and who would later help separate Rome
from England.
Henry, upon the recommendation of his council, in
need to have a queen at his side, took as his wife Catherine of Argon.
He brought her to his lavish court where he lived in extravagance and
pomp. Henry’s disposition towards fun was given over to games,
tournaments and hunting.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 11
The Pope desired to attack France and wanted
Henry to be his victor in the battle. He called for him while he was
engaged in his usual amusements and responded. In 1511 he determined to
invade France in person. Before he went out to battle, he heard a
sermon given by John Colet that forbid people to go into battle for
personal gain. He met with Colet and decided to take him as his doctor
of the court. Colet founded a school, was a brilliant scholar and
desired to propagate the Gospel as much as he was able to do so. He
also opposed worshipping images (something the bishops and priest did
not like).
In the meantime, Louis XII married Princess Mary
and among Mary’s attendants was Anne Boleyn. Louis XII died shortly
after his union, and Mary was encouraged to marry her love, Brandon.
Mary returned to England and Anne Boleyn remained in France. Margaret
duchess of Alencon took Anne into her own family becoming attached to
her and would soon make her part of the English court along with
Margaret.
The papacy needed a man who could overturn the
reforms that were taking place through England. There rose up Wolsey, a
man they thought could give them victory. Wolsey was not a scholar but
a political-ecclesiastical manipulator. He fathered many illegitimate
children, and was simply a scoundrel of the worst sort, hungry for
power.
King Henry VIII desired
Wolsey to present Sir Thomas More to him since he desired to be in the
thrall of the fight and began studying literature. More, though, was in
retirement, but Henry would do anything to pull him out.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 12
Thomas Wolsey was the son of a wealthy butcher in
Ipswich who desired to reign in the highest papal courts. Instead of
simply being about his duties as a priest, after he had completed them,
he took time to make himself known in the court of the king. He wanted
to please the king at every turn and continually remain in his good
graces. He did not want to spend the rest of his life saying the mass.
He wanted something bigger than this. He was hungry for power and
prestige and he came into battle with Warham as a result of this. He
even went to great length writing Rome against him hoping to attain a
higher position than Warham had.
Wolsey was prideful and was not afraid to show
himself greater than those around him, though he made every effort to
please the king and would not think of anything but humility and
servitude before him. With the good graces of the king in his pocket,
and then later as a high official in the church, Wolsey could attain the
lavish and extravagant lifestyle of pomp that he so desired. As for his
character, Wolsey was immoral, double minded, unfaithful to promises he
made to the people often oppressing them with heavy taxes, and was
exceedingly arrogant to everyone. It is not difficult to understand
that the people of England hated him in great measure.
History Of The
Reformation Of The Sixteenth Century:
Book 17, Chapter 13
The Lollards were about to be attacked again by
the Roman church. Richard Hun, a tradesman in London, who was always
about studying his Bible, had a child that died. The priest wanted an
exorbitant amount of money to bury the child and Richard refused to pay.
He was called before the court to stand trial for this and was thrown
into the Tower of the Lollards. They plotted against him in order to
trap him in heresy. They even sent three assassins to the tower to kill
him in his sleep but he fought them off. He fought back, but did not
win the fight, was overpowered by them in the end, and was strangled to
death. The people of the city were outraged and demanded an examination
of the body take place. They were found out and confessed to the crime,
however, they said he deserved to die since they found his Wycliffe
Bible and condemned him as a heretic.
John Brown, another priest who understood the
truth, denounced a fellow priest who said he was the “savior of souls.”
This priest along with two friends denounced Brown to the archbishop.
The Archbishop of Canterbury and Rochester summoned Brown to make his
ideas known. He did not recant of his views on the Gospel and they
handed him over to the state to be burnt alive.
Gospel scholars still remained in England and the
purists of the papacy hated them. But this was nothing compared to the
echo that the year 1517 brought them, for the Reformation was about to
break forth all over Europe, and a few scholars in one country would be
joined with many reformers all over the nations.
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