Page:The Church of England, its catholicity and continuity.djvu/103

 established that if one chooses to doubt the fact one could with the same right doubt one hundred thousand facts. The Orders of the Roman Church could be disputed with more apparent reason."

Surely these are strong words, and there is far more truth in them than the Pope would recognize. But I must pass away from the opinion respecting Anglican Orders with only the remark that we are certain that our ministry is validly ordained. Later on I shall quote opinions to confirm it.

After Parker's consecration then, he set to work to fill up the vacant English Sees, for which he consecrated other Bishops, according to the old forms and ceremonies.

In the year 1562, an important document was drawn up to preserve the doctrine of the Church of England. The Forty-two Articles of Edward were revised. The object of this was to procure greater uniformity in the Church through the clergy subscribing to them. These Articles were finally reduced to Thirty-nine, as we have them now. In the year 1563, the clergy were asked to subscribe to them, and have subscribed to them ever since. These changes mentioned of Elizabeth's time completed the Reformation in England, and Ecclesia Anglicana was, through these measures, freed for ever from the Pope's authority and usurpation.

In Elizabeth's time there were many attempts on the part of the Romanists to give the Pope the upper hand in England. But they all failed. Philip of Spain tried hard by his desire to marry Elizabeth to influence the religious life of our country again. The Jesuits were sent over to England to undermine the Church's constitution, but they were jealously watched in their ardent desires, and several