Wycliffe's greatest service to the Reformation was his translation of the Bible into English.
While the people were fully ready for religious revolt, the first organized rupture with Rome came from the king. Henry VIII. Many learned Prot estants from the Continent settled in Oxford and Cambridge, and conducted discussions in favor of the Reformation. Among them were Ochino, Peter Martyr, Martin Bucer, Paul Fagins, and Tremellius. But greatest of all the men from abroad was Erasmus, whose Greek New Testa ment found a ready entrance into England.
Hem y's grievance against Rome was purely per sonal. He resolved on a divorce from Catherine of Aragon and to marry Anne Boleyn. To this the pope refused his consent. This brought the question to a crisis, and Henry broke the tics which had hitherto bound him to the papacy.
John Colet (t466-1519) and Sir Thomas More (148o-1535) were of great influence in bringing about the revolution in the popular mind. Thos. Cranmer, despite his time-serving pliancy, was of all men of his time the most powerful in has tening the English reform, and the publication of the Bible in the language of the people was the most powerful single agency in the spreading the leaven through the nation.
The young Edward, who succeeded Henry, was a Protestant, but he died early, and was succeed ed by Mary, a rigid Roman Catholic. Cranmcr, Latimer and Ridley were thrown into the Tower. Cranmer, in a moment of weakness, signed a re cantation, but soon withdrew it. He, with Lati mer and Ridley, was burned at the stake in 1556 A low estimate of the number of persons burned places the martyrdoms at two hundred. The number would have been much greater had not many leading Reformers fled to the Continent.
Elizabeth succeeded Mary in 1558. She at once recognized Protestantism as the national faith, and Protestants were placed in charge of all the churches. Among the exiles who now returned were the Puritans who looked upon the elaborate ceremonial, the episcopacy, the use of robes, and the mild observance of the Sabbath as wretched remnants of the evil times. They refused to ob serve the new order and would establish one of their own in harmony with the example of the Genevan Church. Elizabeth took strong ground against the Puritans: hut despite all its divisions English Protestantism became strong and perma nent under Elizabeth.
Robert Brown, born about t53o. was a student at Cambridge. While there he adopted and advo cated Puritan views. His followers were alike firm in their hostility to the Church of England and the Church of Rome. They also opposed the synodal and presbyterial government of the Pres byterians and were for that reason called sepa ratists or Independents. The Brownists were per secuted by ecclesiastical courts. Unable to circu late their writings or hold public services, they fled from England and organized a church in Amsterdam. and afterwards in Leyden. In the latter place John Robinson was their pastor. They resolved on leaving Holland and set sail for the New World. They landed at Plymouth. Massa chusetts. in t620. and became the chief factor in the civil and religious development of the colonies and the United States.
(10) Results of the Reformation. The good fruits of the Reformation are many and wide spread. Hitherto but little liberty had been granted to the common people. All the political convul sions brought small return to them The etTect of the Reformation was to create in the people a thirst for liberty and for a higher and purer citi zenship.
Wherever the Reformation extended it made the masses more self-asserting. Social respect and order were introduced and subiected to firm regu lation. Nations were taught a higher regard for each other's rights, and kings learned that their subjects were no longer mere playthings or serfs. In some countries the aspiration for independ ence took organized shape. The Reformation be came the mother of republics.
The Dutch Republic was born of the efforts of the Protestants of the Netherlands to secure lib erty of conscience. No thought of civil independ ence animated the Dutch at the outset. They fought simply for liberty of doctrine and wor ship. But once in the current they were carried on. They builded more wisely than they knew, and so founded a nation whose commerce covered every sea, whose discoveries reached the anti podes, and whose universities became the pride and wonder of Europe.