The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-05-04
Anglican EXolusiveness: It's Rise
and Progress.
From the Catholic Presbyterian.

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1t Is well known that the first and
second generations of English Reformers
held no exclusive. theory of Episcopacy.
There is no trace of such theory in the
writings of Cranmer, Parker, Grindal,
and Whitgift, the first four Protestant
Archbishops of Canterbury. Nor, in
deed, did the theory appear in its pre-
sent Anglican form till the days of Laud.
The Church of England was for genera
lions in full communion with all the
other Protestant Churches of Europe
these, with possibly a single exception,
being substantially Presbyterian. Pres
byterian professors were brought from
the Continent to Oxford and Cambridge
to train the English clergy. Presbyte-
rian ministers were instituted-no one
limiting at their re-ordination as need
full perliminary-to the spiritual charge
of English parishes The scheme on
which, above all others, Cranmer's heart
was set, towards the close of his career,
was an alliance of all the Protestant
Churches of Europe, with a view to
mutual defence against the common
enemy. The greatest English divines
of the seventeenth ,century-Usher,
Hall, Hooker, StillingAeet, and others
nearly as distingpished-took the same
ground. Bishop Hall testifes that in his
day more than one, by virtue only of
that ordination which they have brought
with them from other Reformed Church
es, have enjoyed spiritual promotions
aud Ivlngs without any exception against
the lawfulness of their calling" And
indeed Hall (then DEAN and bishop
were two of the English commissioners
sent by James l. to the Synod of bort
composed almost exclusively of Presby-
terrain divines and while in attendance
there, they sat with the other members
under the presidency of Presbyterian
Moderators.
Another interesting indication of the
spirit OF brotherliness that ruled in these
happy days is the share which Lutheran
and Genevan Divines had in the author
ship or revision of the Book of Common
Prayer The Liturgy of Cologne" com
posed by Melancthon and Bucer Ia dis.
ciple of Calvin, was largely dra vn upon
From this Liturgy" says Archbishop
Lawrence in his hampton Lectures
our Offices bear evident marks of hav
ing been freely borrowed, literally imi
tating, but not servilely copying it.
Mr.. Baird, in his Chapter on Liturgies, ,
states that from the Cologne Ritual I" the
Baptismal Offices Of the Prayer Book are
substantially taken. In the Communion
Service, the Confession of Sins, and the
Thanksgiving in the Post Communion
Service, are Of similar origin" The
second Of the Exhortations is extracted
from work of the Presbyterian divine
Peter Martyr. The Introductory portion
OF the daily service is due to Calvin
According to the first book of Edward
w., that service begun with the Lord
Prayer. The foreign Reformers wer,
consulted, and recommended the inser
ton of some preliminary forms. This
was the origin Of the Sentences, the Elk
hortation, the Confession, and the Abso
luton which were all borrowed from 3
liturgy drawn by Calvin for the Church
at Strasbourg And perhaps as notable
a circumstance as any in this connection
is the fact that the very words employed
in the distribution of the elements in the
Communion Service are taken from the
Liturgy Of John ALasco, pastor of q
church of Presbyterians and foreigner,
then resident in England, remarkable
for their rejection Of ancient practices. .
These are but specimens of multitude Of