The British Churches Under Cromwell [pp. 629-655]

1867.] The Bmtish Churches under Cromwell. 629
the sinner may come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain
mercy and find grace to help in every time of need.
Therefore, may we thus preach grace to the sinner, grace
which for its other name has-Christ. We can strive to present to his mind and heart this vision of its nature. We may
preach grace for all wants of human souls, to lead them from
darkness to the light of God, to make their weakness strength,
and to turn sinners unto the faithful following of Jesus Christ.
Grace is given for this ministry, wherein we are ambassadors
for Christ, praying of sinners in Christ's stead that they be
reconciled to God. Preaching this gospel of reconciliation,
we would bring forth the headstone thereof, with shoutings,
crying, "Grace, grace unto it"; and before this power of the
Lord Jesus Christ shall the great mountain become a plain,
and souls that have groped in darkness shall behold a light
shining "on the path which leads them to the Lamb."
ART. V.- The British Churches under Cromwell.
TilE Reformation in England was not permitted to reach the
maturity it sought. Royal authority interposed and stopped
its course by absolute prohibition. What the brief reign of
Edward VI. effected, and not quite all that, alone was tolerated
by Elizabeth. Some things the intervening reign of Mary had
undone which her sister was not disposed to restore. The
leading reformers who survived the Maryan persecution submitted, though many of them unwillingly, to the policy of
Elizabeth, thereby accepting a reformation, which, as compared
with that of the Continent and of Scotland, was but halfway.
Some declined the Queen 5 authority in that matter, and
together with those who unwillingly submitted, constituted a
party of great weight in the Anglican church. A few of them
separated from the establishment, but were of small moment in
comparison with the number of them who remained in it. After
the Roman Catholics had been excluded by the papal excommunication of Elizabeth, the state church contained just those