/Zc^ "An Exposition of the Ten Commandments," year 1586., MS.; Henry Ainsworth's " A Refutation," &c, Amstd., 1608, 4106 b ; " A Description of the Sect," &c, 1641, 1326, o 4. * This entirely disposes of the theory of Krohn in his history of Melchior Hoffman, p. 827, that the Englis hman "Henry" who paid the expenses of the delegates at the great meeting of Anabaptists at Buckholt, in 1536, was Henry Nicolaes. D 2 36 Norwich, found it impossible to suppress them. Browne was soon apprehended, but was set at liberty and became pastor of the English Church at Middleburgh in Zealand in 1581, where he formed a church on his own plan, having for his colleague Robert Harrison, who succeeded him. He published a book in 1582 — " A book which sheweth the life and manners of all true christians." He maintained that Christ is the Head of the Church ; that every congregation of christians is a church free from all external control ; that the government of the Church by civil power is " the kingdom of anti-christ ; " that the office of " teaching or guiding "is a " charge or message committed by God to those who have gifts for the same ; " and that the people of the congregation were the proper judges of their gifts, and should have the election of their minister. In 1584 he is found in Scotland. He returned to England in 1585, and itinerated, diffusing his views wherever he came — he was a man of fiery temperament and a popular preacher. His success was therefore greater than that of a mere writer. Browne was at last induced by his relative Lord Burghley, to desert the cause he had espoused, and in 1586 a post was found for him as schoolmaster in St. Olave's Grammar School in Southwark, and finally he received preferment to a church in Northamptonshire. The opinions held by the " Separatists," as may be seen from a tract published in 1582, entitled, " A true description, out of the Word of God, of the Yisible Church," * were " that the Church universal containeth in it all the elect of God that have been, are, or shall be ; that the Church visible consists of a company and fellowship of faithful and holy people gathered in the name * This corresponds in some parts verbally with a paper found by Dr. Waddington in the State Papers endorsed "Jerome Studley," one of the Separatist prisoners. 37 of Christ Jesus, their only king, priest, and prophet, being personally and quietly governed by His offices and laws, keeping the unity of the faith in the bond of peace, and in love unfeigned." Every stone hath His beauty, His burden, and His order, all bound to edify one another, exhort, re- prove and comfort one another. In this church they have holy laws to direct them in the choice of every officer what kind of men the Lord will have. The pastor must be apt to teach, no young scholar, able to divide the word aright ; he must be a man that loveth goodness, wise, righteous, holy, temperate, modest, humble, meek, gentle, and loving ; a man of great patience, compassion, labour, and diligence — he must always be careful and watchful over the flock whereof the Lord hath made him overseer, with all willing- ness and cheerfulness. Their doctor or teacher must be a man apt to teach — he must be mighty in the Scriptures, able to convince the gainsay ers. Their elders must be of wisdom and judgment, endued with the Spirit of God, able to discern between cause and cause, between plea and plea ; always vigilant and superintending to see the statutes, ordinances, and laws of God kept in the Church, not only by the people, but to see the officers do their duties, but not to intrude into their offices. Their deacons must be men of honest report. Their relievers or widows must be women of 60 years of age at the least, given to every good work, to minister to the Sick.* Such were the views and aims of the men who were loaded with reproaches by all parties, and deemed to be aiming at the overthrow of both the christian religion and the State. * But the existence of these regular church officers was not to debar other members of the Church from tbe exercise of prophecy which was manifested according to their gifts and abilities. All the saints were exhorted to the exercise of their gifts as " most needful at all times, especially when the teacher or pastor were imprisoned or exiled." 38 In 1589 and 1590 were written the celebrated " Martin Marprelate " tracts. They were dispersed all over the kingdom, and contained a scurrilous attack of the most satirical kind upon the prelates. They show that the tyranny of the bishops was becoming most unpopular. Their language appealed not to truly Christian men, but to the people, and they doubtless tended to widen the struggle and give it a popular as well as a religious aspect. The authors were never discovered. The expression "dumb dogs" (as applied to the bishops' creation of that period, of ignorant, non-preaching ministers) occurs in them, although its use may doubtless be traced farther back. Brownism now spread rapidly, and in 1591 an Act was framed which affected the laity as severely as the clergy. It was levelled against those who in any way impugned " Her Majesty's power and authority in causes ecclesias- tical," against those who in any way dissuaded any from coining to church, or receiving the communion, under penalty of perpetual banishment, and a felon's death if they returned from banishment. Sir Walter Kaleigh de- clared, on the passing of this Act, that there were above 20,000 Brownists in England, and asked, if they were banished, who was to maintain their wives and children ? Note. — See page 14 (continued).— Joan Booher was burnt 2nd May, 1650, for maintaining that Christ assumed nothing of the Virgin Mary, but passed through her as a conduit pipe.— See Fuller's Church Hist., iv., 42 (Brewer); Andrewes' Sermons, p. lib (Ed. 1632) "Beformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum," ch. v.; Fleury Hist. Eccl., book xviii., ch. 24. Ann Askew also held this opinion of Melchior Hofmann, no doubt handed down from a much earlier time. The following quotation has been kindly given me by J. E. B. Mayor, M.A.— Greg. Naz. Ep., 101 (ii.,S5b, ed. Bened.) CHAPTEE III. The Course of Religious Opinion in England prior to 1640 (continued). The Rise op the Barrowists, Johnsonists, Separatists, or Early Independents. In the year 1586, John Greenwood and Henry Barrow, who were fellow students at Cambridge, joined the Separa- tists. Greenwood was domestic chaplain at Rochford Hall. Henry Barrow, B.A., was the son of Thomas Barrow of Shipdham, in Norfolk, and, after leaving Corpus Christi College, he studied the law at Gray's Inn. He was a frequenter of the Court, and of dissipated habits. Walking on Sunday in London, he heard a Puritan preacher preach- ing very loudly, and turned into the church. The preacher " sharply reproved sin, and sharply applied the judgments of God against the same." The result was an entire change of life in Henry Barrow, and he became a noble witness for the truth of God. Greenwood was arrested for reading the Scriptures to twenty-one persons, at the house of Henry Martin, in the parish of St. Andrew, by the Wardrobe, in the year 1586. Barrow visited his friend in the Clink prison. He was then arrested without warrant, placed in a boat and taken to the Palace of Lambeth, and was imprisoned in the Gate-house by Archbishop Whitgift. For six years 40 Barrow and Greenwood occupied themselves in prison in writing tracts, explanatory of their views, on scraps of paper, which were conveyed, by those who had access to them, with great secrecy to Holland, where they were printed and again conveyed to England, and circulated by the Separatists. This led, by the providence of God, to the accession to the ranks of the Separatists, of a leader of great eminence, Francis Johnson. He was the son of the Mayor of Eichmond, in Yorkshire. He was a Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, and defended the views of the Puritans in a sermon at St. Mary's Church, for which he was imprisoned. Francis Johnson was a preacher to the company of English, of the Staple at Middleburg, in Zealand. He was highly respected, and in receipt of " a considerable maintenance," and was " so zealous against this way," that when " Mr. Barrow and Mr. Greenwood's refutation of Gifford was privately printing in this city, he not only was a means to discover it, but was made the ambassador's instrument to intercept them at the press and see them burnt, which charge he did so well perform, as he let them go on until they were wholly finished, and then surprised the whole impression," and by the magistrates' authority he had the whole burnt, reserving two copies — " one to keep in his own study, and the other to bestow upon a special friend." He sat down to read it superficially, but was " so taken, and his conscience was troubled so that he could have no rest in himself, until he crossed the sea and came to London to confer with the authors who were in prison and shortly after executed." He did not return to Middleburg, but joined himself to the society of Separa- tists in London,* and when he again reached Amsterdam, * Governor Bradford's Dialogue, printed in " New England Memorial," p. 334. 41 at his own cost, reprinted the books he had burned. About the same time John Penry came to London. He was a young Puritan preacher, and his object was to obtain the aid of the Queen and Parliament for the speedy evangeliza- tion of Wales. He visited Barrow, who told him that he was seeking " to bring in Christ by the arm of flesh, and not by the power of His Word, and virtue of His Spirit, into the hearts and consciences of men," and so reasoned with him that Penry cast in his lot with the despised Separatists. The prison authorities now relaxed the close confinement in which Greenwood had been placed at the Fleet Prison, and he was transferred to the house of Eoger Eippon. This opened the way for the formation of a regular Congregational Church. Francis Johnson was chosen pastor, John Greenwood teacher, and Daniel Studley and George Knyveton elders. They baptized the children of believers and administered the Lord's Supper with extreme simplicity. The place of meeting of the Church was changed every time they met. Their meetings excited great alarm, and on December 5th, 1592, Francis Johnson and John Greenwood were seized at the house of Edward Boyes on Ludgate Hill, and committed to prison. On the 23rd of March, 1593, Barrow, Greenwood, Studley and others, were fined for pubhshing and dispersing " seditious books," asserting the independence of the Church of Christ from all external interference. On the following day Barrow and Greenwood were brought to Tyburn, and "tyed by our neck to the tree, were permitted to speak a few words." * They were then reprieved, and then, with a refinement of cruelty, because they would not promise in future " to come to church," were again conveyed to Tyburn * Letter, dated " 4th or 5th of 4th Month, 1593." 42 and suffered death as felons ; their wives and children were cast out of the city, and their goods confiscated. The reason of this proceeding was, that the House of Commons had at first refused to pass a Bill against the Barrowists and Brownists, making it a felony to maintain any opinion against the ecclesiastical government; and the day after this " dislike " had been shewn by the House, Barrow and Greenwood " were early in the morning hanged." This blow of the Queen and bishops was followed up on the 5th of April, 1593, by another. They surprised the Separatist Church at Islington, and 56 were taken prisoners and brought up with others also for examination. John Penry and Francis Johnson were taken at this meeting. On the 29th May, Penry was hung, and one of his friends was actually brought into the High Commissioner's Court, and charged with having " received and entertained the said Penry," and before his arraignment, " did then promise to pray for him ! " Penry addressed a touching " protestation " before his death, to the Lord Treasurer Burghley. Hard, indeed, must have been the hearts which were not touched with the simple eloquence of a young man who had lived for the good of others. "Iain a poor young man," said he, " born and bred in the mountains of Wales. I am the first, since the last springing up of the Gospel in this latter age, that laboured to have the blessed seed thereof sown in those barren mountains. I have often rejoiced before God (as He knoweth) that I had the favour to be born under Her Majesty, for the promoting of this work. . . . And being now to end my days, before I am come to one half of my years in the likely course of nature, I leave the success of my labours unto such of my countrymen as the Lord will raise up after me, for the accomplishing of that work, which in the calling of my country unto the knowledge of 43 Christ's blessed gospel, I began Whatever I wrote in religion, the same I did simply for no other end than for the bringing of God's truth to light. I never did anything in this cause (Lord, thou art witness) for con- tention, vain-glory, or to draw disciples after me." He wrote to his wife, " 6th of the 4th month, of April, 1593 — I am ready, pray for me, and desire the Church to pray for me, much and earnestly. The Lord comfort thee, good Helen, and strengthen thee ; be not dis- mayed, I know not how thou doest for outward things, but my God will provide. My love be with thee, now and ever, in Jesus Christ." He besought the Church to " take my poor and desolate widow, and my mess of fatherless and friendless orphans with you into exile, withersoever you go," and commended them to " Him who will hear their cry, for he is merciful." He died, " looking for that blessed crown of glory, which of the great mercy of my God is ready for me in heaven." In accordance with Penry's advice, the Separatist Church, as far as they were able, went to Amsterdam in 1593. Francis Johnson petitioned Lord Burghley, the Lord Treasurer, who appears to have had some feeling for the persecuted Separatists, or some desire to thwart the "prelate of Canterbury." Henry Jacob, a Puritan minister in Kent, was, during Johnson's imprisonment in the Clink, induced to discuss the questions between the Puritans and Separatists, with the view of convincing Johnson, but the result was that he joined the Separatists. The operations of the Church of the Separa- tists in Southwark, were not merely confined to the metropolis; they had a staff of preachers, among whom was John Smyth (who, we shall shew, occupied an im- portant position in the movement, and was destined to be the leader of a new school of opinion) and four others. 44 John Smyth and others preached in Somersetshire. Barrow, before he died, left a stock for the relief of the poor of the church, which materially assisted them in their exile. We now pause in the thread of this history of the Separatist Church, to define their position with reference to the Puritan party in the Church. Henry Barrow was a layman. He saw clearly that the substitution of the Puritan or Presbyterian system of Church government for the Episcopal or Anglican system, would not give that freedom from external control, which was an essential condition of the growth of the Christian religion as taught in the New Testament. It was the sacerdotal system which was the root of the evil. A mere change from prelacy to Presbyterianism would not rid England from the govern- ment of priests. If the language of Barrow and Greenwood was at times uncompromising, and even bitter, let us remember the treatment to which the whole body of this little church was subjected. The Puritan party were against them. They stood alone, without sympathy from those who had suffered with them for the testimony of a good con- science. Forty- two ministers were employed by the bishops as detectives, and instructed to visit the Separatist prisoners twice a week, to entrap them into some expressions which could be used against them at their trial. Six Puritan ministers were told off for the purpose of conferring with Barrow and Greenwood. In a petition to the Lords of the Privy Council, they complain that the " Romish prelacy and priesthood left in this land," had, by " the great power and high authority they have gotten into their hands . . . above all, the public courts, judges, laws and charters of this land," persecuted, imprisoned, detained at their pleasure their " poor bodies without any trial, release, or bail per- mitted." They were thrown into Newgate, " laden with as 45 many irons as they could bear," they were " beaten with cudgels in the prison . . . cast into Little Ease," * where they ended their lives. " Many aged widows, aged men, and young maidens have perished," they say, in prison, " within these five years." The bishops' pursuivants " break into their houses at all hours of the night . . . break up, ransack, rifle, and make havoc at their pleasure." The " two special points on which we dislike them," writes Bancroft, were "their departing from our churches, and the framing to tliemselves a church of tlieir own." Barrow and Greenwood were greatly grieved by the tendency to unfaith- fulness, in the whole Puritan party, to their conscientious convictions. " All the precise Puritans," he says, " who refuse the ceremonies of the church, strain at a gnat and swallow a camel." He deems them " close hypocrites ; " he thinks " they walk in a left handed policy, as Master Cartwright, Wigginton, &c. . . . These your great learned preachers, your good men that sigh and groan for a further reformation, but their hands (with the sluggard) deny to work : these would raise up a second error by so much the more dangerous, by how much it hath more show of truth. . . . Thus the Puritans would still have the tvhole land to be ■ the church.' " Their reformation was not to be effected by " the word preached," but they " would have all redressed in one day," by a political change of the outward form of the so-called church, f in which they would include the whole commonwealth, instead of calling men * The technical term for an awful hole into which their bodies were crushed, and so constructed as to render sleep almost impossible. The early Friends were also thus treated. In one case the prisoner died simply from the pressure. t Barrow's " Brief Discovery of the False Churches," chap, xxiii., pp. 274, 275. Ed. 1707. 46 "into the right practice of the gospel ... by the power of his own word and spirit, as it hath wrought in their hearts true repentance and conversion." Barrow maintains the essential distinction of Church and State, and reproves Calvin's proceedings at Geneva as " rash and disorderly . . . where he at the first dash made no scruple to receive the whole state, and consequently all the profane, ignorant people, into the bosom of the Church, and to administer the sacrament to them. . . . Whereby the Church became a just reproach, even to the wicked hereticks, &c, nay, that which is worse and more to be lamented, is that it became a precedent and example to the greatest part of Europe to fall into like transgression." * They set the clergy above the people, who are not to have a free voice in their Synods and select Classes of ministers. These synods are to have " absolute power over all churches, doctrines, and ministers ; to elect, ratify, or abrogate ; to excommunicate or depose at their pleasure. Their decrees are most holy." The Presbyterian party simply substituted pastors and elders for parsons and questmen, synods for commissionary courts, high councils instead of high com- missions. "As for these new officers, these elders," he says, with much sagacity, that it is an injurious device for keeping the people from the knowledge and performance of their duties in the Church of Christ ; they will be " the wealthiest, honest, simple men in the parish, that shall sit for cyphers by their pastor, and meddle with nothing," and the people will get nothing but " the smoaky, windy, title of election " of their pastors only.f The " pontificals," he says, refute the scriptural right of the people in a christian • Barrow's "False Churches," pp. 59 and 60. Ed. 1707. t Ibid, pp. 278, 279. 47 church to govern their own affairs, " by Machiavel's con- siderations and Aristotle's politics, instead of the New Testament." Barrow complained that the Book of Common Prayer was set above the Bible. " This book, in their churches, must have the sovereignty ; it may not be gain- said or controlled ; or, if it be, the Word of God must give place." * He says that prayer is a spiritual sacrifice, that the Holy Spirit is given to teach us to pray. " Shall we think that God hath at any time left his children so singly furnished, and so destitute of his grace, that they cannot find words according to their necessities, and faith to express their wants and desires, but need to be taught, line upon line, as children new weaned from the breasts, what and when to say, how much to say, and when to make an end. ... Is not this presumptuous," he asks, respect- ing the liturgy, " to undertake to teach the Spirit of God, and to take away his office, which instructeth all the children of God to pray with gifts and groans inexpressible. . . . Yea, the Apostle John saith we need no other teacher to these things, than the ' anointing ' which we have received, and dwelleth in us." Barrow was strongly opposed to ritualism. " How like children, or rather masking fools, are these great clerks dressed ! " If the false church of the prelates was the " first beast " in the Bevelations, then surely the Presby- terian system would prove, if it were established, the " second beast." Barrow objected strongly to pulpits,! which he complains would " receive no more than one person — except it be a * " A Brief Discovery of the False Churches." See quotation from this edition in Hanbury, vol. i., p. 43. 1590. f Barrow's " False Churches," p. 263. Ed. 1707. 48 suggestor or prompter as is practised in some particular places," which gives us curious insight into the customs of the times in the Church. " Neither," says he, " ordinarily does," any " more than one " preacher " at a time " speak in the church, and " for the most part disputes by the hour-glass, which being run out, his sermonication must also be at an end." Whatever doctrine he may preach, whether he handles the subject "unsufficiently" or "un- savorily," no " supplies of others " can be had, and the congregation has no power and must put up with it. The preachers, too, " have a prescribed time when to begin," and a " prescript place called a pulpit." The prophesying of the Puritans was also not the prophesying described in the New Testament. " The members of the Church being divers, and having received divers gifts, are (according to the grace given to every one) to serve the Church ;" if they have the gift of prophecy, then are they to exercise it according to the proportion of faith, keeping to the Word of God always. " It belongeth," he says, " to the whole church, and none of them ought to be shut out." Dr. Some merely " traduces the ordinances of Christ," when he calls this practice " anabaptistical." * Barrow held that the universities were a complete failure, in their mission of training christian ministers. " If the tree be known by the fruit, and the nest by the birds, then let the present state of the most general part of the clergy shew what kind of seminaries and colleges these universities are." Doctors of " divinity " are a remnant of popery. He desires that the "whole Church might be trained in schools, to teach the tongues, or in any laudable or necesssary art," and that " the Protestant nobility, as well as the common people, * Barrow's " False Churches," pp. 247—253. Ed. 1707. 49 were prophets ;" but these things should not be taught in " monkish, confused, idle, profane colleges and fellow- ships," but in a holy, sanctified, reverend, grave manner." The colleges are " the very hives and nurseries of these armed locusts, and venomous scorpions and teaching priests, as popes, cardinals, archbishops, &c," and they have "fought under the pope their captain general." The very names of the month and the week are heathenish, and christian men should say " first month, first day of the week," &c* The practice of wearing mourning " for set and stated months," and "black attire outwardly," he disapproves as a heathen, not a christian custom, t Greenwood gives a lamentable account of the state of religion among the Puritan party in the Church of England. Their " preachers run for hire and wages," instead of protesting against the state of the ministry in the church ; they do not withdraw the people from " dumb and plurified pastors." They " make a show as though they sought a sincere reformation of all things according to the gospel of Christ, and yet support "the bishops, their courts and accomplices, and all those detest- able enormities which they should have utterly removed and not reformed." " Long were it to relate their arts and engines whereby they hunt and entangle poor souls — their counterfeit shows of holiness, gravity, austereness of manners, preciseness in trifles, large conscience in matters of greatest weight, especially of any danger; straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel, hatred and thundering against some sin, tolerating, yea, colouring some other in special persons; cunning, insinuating into and witholding the known truth of God in respect of times, and places, and persons — dissembling, hiding, and witholding * Barrow's " False Churches," p. 204, 50 it in their public ministry and doctrines, when it may draw them into any trouble and trial, yea, baulking, if not perverting the evident scriptures, as they arise against any public enormity of the time, under colour of ' peace, christian policy, and wisdom,' whereby these scorpions so poison and sting every good conscience, so leaven them with hypocrisy, &c, that their "whole auditory' are so ' entangled with their snares,' that ■ scarce any of them, without the special mercy of God, are ever recovered or brought to any soundness, stability, or upright walking, to any conscience, true faith, or fear of God.' " We cannot expect to find men in the position of Barrow and Greenwood weakly sparing the great Puritan party. If Christianity requires us to carry out in practice our con- scientious convictions, we must agree, that while Barrow, Greenwood, and Penry exhibited the same description of courage as that of the early christian martyrs, the course of the Puritan party in the reign of Elizabeth was not altogether worthy of themselves and ^fcheir cause. The cause of the Separatists was that of spiritual religion, while that of the Puritans was a compromise. Their private religious convictions had to be sacrificed to their political aims. Although Greenwood says that he " never conversed with the ' Brownists ' or their writings," and that the Brownists attended church while his followers did not, there can be no question that the opinions of the followers of Barrow and Greenwood, and those of Kobert Browne, were nearly identical. But we must remember that the Separatist Church at Southwark, formed by Barrow, Greenwood, and Penry, and of which Francis Johnson, Henry Jacob, and John Smyth were members, has a history distinct from that party of " Brownists " who may be considered as persons holding the 51 same opinions, but who had merely commenced to hold reli- gious meetings; while the " Barrowists," or " Johnsonists," had the courage to separate entirely from the Established Church, and to form a distinct society or Church of their own. In the year 1597 there was a project for forming a settle- ment in America, and the imprisoned Separatist Church appear to have heard of it and petitioned her Majesty " that as means are now offered of our being in a foreign and far country, which lieth to the west from hence in the province of Canada," they might be allowed " to do her Majesty and our country good service " and "in time greatly annoy the bloody and persecuting Spaniard about the Bay of Mexico." On the 25th May, 1597, it appears that "Abraham Yan Hardwick and Stephen Van Hardwick, merchant strangers, and Charles Leigh, merchant of London, trading," under- take a voyage of fishing and discovery unto "the Bay of Canada, and to plant themselves in the Island of Kainea (an Island near Newfoundland)," simultaneously made " humble suit to her Majesty to transport out of this realm divers artificers and others, persons that are noted to be sectaries, whose minds are continually in an ecclesiastical ferment, whereof four shall at this present sail thither in those ships that go this present voyage." * These four prisoners were Francis Johnson, pastor of the Separatist church at Southwark, Daniel Studley, one of their elders, with George Johnson (the brother of Francis Johnson, and of whom we shall hear again) and John Clark. The voyage proved disastrous, but it had finally released them from prison, and they found their way to Amsterdam, where the remainder of the exiled Church, who had preceded them,f elected Francis Johnson * Register of the Privy Council, found by Dr. Waddington and quoted in his " Con- gregational History," p 114. f In 1593. Johnson's reply to White, p. 63. • Ainsworth's reply to Paget, p. 45. E 2 52 as their Pastor, and the celebrated Henry Ainsworth as Teacher, and Daniel Studley and others as Elders. Here we leave them and return to John Smyth, who remained in the Marshalsea Prison in Southwark, and was liberated, probably in consideration of his having been " sick nigh unto death," and having " doubted of the separation nine months." * After conferring with certain Puritan ministers f at the house of Sir W. Bowes at Coventry, he received no satisfaction, but never repudiated the Separation ; he tells us he then formed, and became pastor to a Separatist Church at Gainsborough in the year 1602, where Bradford informs us "by the travell and diligence of some godly and zealous preachers, and God's blessing on their labours, as in other places of their land, so in the north parts many became enlightened by the word of God, and had their ignorance and sins discovered unto them, and began, by His grace to reform their lives and make conscience of their ways." At a later period another Separatist Church was formed at Scrooby, of which Kichard Clyfton was pastor, and to him succeeded the celebrated John Robinson, "William Brewster being Elder. These churches were therefore on the borders of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire, and main- tained a close connection. The church at Scrooby was held in a manor house of the bishop's, which was in the occupa- tion of William Brewster, who held the position of postmaster between 1594 and 1607, J and this doubtless secured this church from disturbance for a longer period. The date of John Smyth and "his company" leaving England for Amsterdam is not known, but it is probable that this took place between 1604 and 1606, and the formation of the * •' Parallel Answers, Observations," Ac, by Jobn Smyth, pp. 1 and 128-9. t These were Dod, Hildersham, and Barbon — " Brook's Puritans," p. 196. { Hunter's " Founders of New Plymouth," pp. 66, 68. 53 Scrooby Church took place about 1606.* Smyth addressed a letter "to certain brethren in S.," which may doubtless be taken to have been written to the Scrooby church, from Amsterdam at this date, and in which he expressed the utmost confidence of the ultimate success of the movement, " although you are but few in number, yet, considering that the kingdom of Heaven is as a grain of mustard seed, small at the beginning, I do not doubt but you may in time grow up to be a multitude, and be, as it were, a great tree full of fruitful branches." f Smyth, after a certain period, supported himself at Amsterdam by practising physic. " He usually took nothing of the poorer sort, and, if they were rich, he took half as much as other doctors did, excepting some who were well able and well minded, urged more upon him." He lived "sparingly" rather than "that any should be in extremity." On one occasion, " seeing one slenderly apparalled, he sent them his gowne to make them clothes." He was "well beloved of most men and hated of none." He did " good both for soul and body." J This eminent man, while honoured by those who opposed him in England for his great talents, and on all hands admitted to have been one of the most able of the Separatists, has been charged by his brethren with the inconstancy of his opinions, and the charge has been repeated by modern writers. For this there appears not to have been the slightest ground, excepting that, in his desire to possess the whole truth, he carried out the principles of the Separation to their logical issue. He was the first enunciator in England of the great principles of complete and perfect religious freedom as opposed to a partial toleration by the state of certain * Hunter's "Founders of New Plymouth," p. 89. f " Paralles, Censures, Observations," by John Smyth. 1609, last four pages. J See " Life of John Smyth," recently found in York Minster Library. 54 " tolerable " opinions. His life and death do honour to his christian character, while the General Baptist Churches, of whose religious principles he was enunciator, were the consistent and uniform advocates of religious liberty. The records of the Ecclesiastical Court at York show that information was given against William Brewster, of Scrooby, on December 1st, 1607, and about this period many of the Church appear to have attempted to reach Holland. In the spring of 1608 another attempt was made by a larger number, and a secret arrangement was made with a Dutchman to take them on board his ship between Grimsby and Hull, but by the time the first boatful had been taken to the ship, " the country was raised to take them ... a great company, both horse and foot, with bills and guns, and other weapons." The Dutchman thereupon " swore his country's oath, ' sacremente,' and having the wind fair, waiyed his ancor, hoysed sayles and away." Thus the men were separated from their wives and children, who were thus left without " a cloath to shift them with more than they had upon their baks, and some scarce a peney about them . . . pitiful it was to see the heavy case of these poor women in their distress, what weeping and crying on every side; their poore little ones hanging about them, crying for fear and quaking with cold." Being thus appre- hended, they were hurried from one place to another, and from one justice to another, till in the end they knew not what to do with them, for to imprison so many women and children for no other cause than that they must go with their husbands, seemed to be unreasonable. " To be shorte, after they had been thus turmoyled a good while, and conveyed from one constable to another, they were glad to be rid of them in the end upon any terms, and notwithstanding these storms of opposition, they all ~1 55 gat over at length " * to Amsterdam, where they found their husbands, who had encountered a fearful storm. John Kobinson and William Brewster remained in England till they had helped the weakest members of the flock to join their brethren, and after they had lived at Amsterdam about a year, in communion with the exiled Separatist Church from Southwark, Eobinson advocated their removing to Leyden, where he founded the celebrated Church from whom the Church at New Plymouth, commonly called that of the Pilgrim Fathers, was an offset. The Church in Southwark was not, it appears, entirely suppressed, for in October, 1608, mention is made of a nest of Brownists, "whereof five or six and thirty were apprehended." Before following the Separatists to Amsterdam, we must turn again to England. The publication of " Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity," (of which the first four books were published in 1594, the fifth in 1597, and the remaining three, after his death in the year 1600) marks the rise of another party in the Church of England which was destined to play an important part in the great events which took place later, and were taking place when Fox appeared on the scene in 1648. This party was conscientiously opposed to Puritan principles both in discipline and theology. James Arminius began to teach his system of theology, when Pastor at Amsterdam, in opposition to that of John Calvin, as early as 1591, f and the Church of the Separatists (in which Ainsworth was Pastor) contended with Arminius at an early period. Whether from this source, or whether the progress * Bradford's " History of Plymouth Plantation," pp. 10 to 16, printed by the Mass. Historical Society, Boston, 1856. t "Mosheim." 17th Century. Sect, ii., chap. 3; Part ii., note b, p. 459, Maclaine's Translat. 66 of thought had led many minds to the same conclusion, it is certain that Arminian doctrines took rapid hold of the party in the Church of England represented by Hooker, and that a similar division took place in the Separatist Church at Amsterdam, which, as we shall show, led to the formation of a new Church by John Smyth, of whom we have already spoken. Arminius taught, in opposition to Calvin, "that Jesus Christ, by his death and sufferings, made an atonement for the sins of all mankind in general, and of every individual in particular, but that none but those who believe in Him can be partakers of this divine benefit ; that it is necessary to man's conversion and salva- tion that he be regenerated and renewed by the operation of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ ; that this divine grace or energy of the Holy Ghost, which heals the disorders of a corrupt nature, begins, advances, and brings to perfection everything which can be called good in man, and that this grace does not force the man to act against his inclination, but may be resisted and rendered ineffectual by the perverse will of the impenitent sinner," and eventually his followers taught that " the saints might fall from grace," although Arminius taught that this was a matter which required a further and atten- tive examination of the Holy Scriptures.* Above all, he rejected the doctrine of Calvin respecting predestination and the Divine decrees, &c. "Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity" is the most able defence of Episcopacy and the principles of the Established Church of England, which has ever issued from the press, and Pope Clement VIII. said concerning it, " There is no learning that this man hath not reached mto, nothing too hard for his understanding. His books * "Mosheim." 17th Century. Chap. 3, parta iv< andv.j pp. 461, 462. 57 will get reverence by age, for there are in them such seeds of eternity, that if the rest be like this, they shall last till the last fire shall consume all learning." Hooker* maintains against the Puritans, that though the Holy Scriptures are a perfect standard of doctrine, they are not a rule of discipline or government, nor is the practice of the Apostles an invariable rule or law to the Church in succeeding ages ; that the Church is a Society like others, capable of making laws for her well being and government provided they do not interfere with, or contradict the laws and commandments of Holy Scripture — where Scripture is silent, human authority may interpose — the Church is therefore at liberty to appoint ceremonies and establish order within its limits, and that all who are born within the confines of an Established Church and are baptised into it, are bound to submit to its ecclesiastical laws, and he vindicates the ceremonies and orders of the Church from the objections of the Puritans. But the splendid genius of Hooker, how- ever great its influence in forming a clearly defined party in the Church of England, was unequal to the task of con- vincing those who were relentlessly persecuted, and their reply was practically the same as that of young William Penn, who, when Charles II. sent Stillingfleet to him in the Tower to convince him by arguments, replied, " The Tower is to me the worst argument in the world." The actions of Whitgift, and the existence of the Court of High Commission, were more eloquent and convincing than the arguments of Hooker. " The sufferings of the Puritans, says Price, " during the primacy of Whitgift, are not to be parallelled in the history of Protestant intolerance, unless * " Walton's Life of Hooker," p. 61 in Hooker's Works. Dobson's Edit. 1825. Cowie id, p. 160. \ See Dr. Underbill's preface to the reprint, " Persecution for Religion," &o. 94 It is stated by some writers, that Helwys was Pastor of Smyth's Church at Amsterdam after his death.* This is inconsistent with the facts we give.f His work, dated 1611, and dedicated to Hans de Eies } and the various Mennonite churches, shows that there was at that moment a division of feeling between them, and that Smyth and the majority of his Church were one in sentiment with Hans de Kies, and this tract appears to be the act of a person about to leave them. Helwys, although he had misunderstood Smyth, was actuated by the highest motives, and feeling that "the salvation of thousands of ignorant souls in our own country," who, from lack of instruction were perishing, might depend upon his braving persecution, left for England. Smyth was greatly pained at the " Separation," and the harsh terms in which he was condemned by his former friends in this work. He was not hasty in replying, but before his death (in August, 1612), in his last work, with touching christian gentleness * Crosby states, that " a little after Smyth's death, Helwys and his people published a confession of their faith," at the end of which there was an appendix giving some account of Mr. Smyth's last sickness and death, which he says he was unable to meet with. This nearly corresponds with the tract to which we have referred, and shall refer again (without title, but) called " Smyth's Confession and Life," lately found in York Minster Library. The work speaks of Smyth writing this tract "not long before his death;" this gives its correct date 1612 or 1613. This is signed "T. P.," probably Thomas Piggott [see signatures at end of Short Confession, "Evans' Baptists," vol. i., p. 252], and the scope of the work is to vindicate John Smyth's memory, and to explain the difference between him and Helwys, and renders it probable that it was published by another offset from Smyth's Church, after his death, and not by Helwys. It is this tract which is replied to by Eobinson in 1614, in " A Survey of the Confession of Faith," published in certain conclusions by the remainders of Mr. Smyth's company after his death. We print this tract as an appendix to this chapter. f Helwys defends himself in " A Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity," 1612, " against the reproaches cast upon them after their return from exile? Dr. Underbill's preface, Tracts on Liberty of Conscience, p. 88. J An advertisement to " The New Fryelers (Freewillers) in the Low Countries," 1611. 95 and humility, after withdrawing all harsh expressions to his opponents by name in his various works, he tells Helwys that difference " in judgment for matters of circumstance (as are all things of the outward church) shall not cause me to refuse the brotherhood of any penitent and faithful christian whatsoever." Helwys, he says, had condemned him merely for a slight difference of opinion. " What shall I say for my apology ? Shall I say that my heart yet appertaineth to the Lord, that I daily seek mercy and ask forgiveness, that I labour to reform myself wherein I see my error, that I continually search after the truth, and endeavour myself to keep a good conscience in all things." John Smyth died in August, 1612, and was buried in the New Church at Amsterdam.* The whole tenor of this work, and the short account of his life and death, tend to show that Helwys returned to England previously to Smyth's death. Morton was associated with Helwys, and about 1615 was a teacher in a Separatist church in Newgate. \ In 1626 we find that Morton's Church numbered 1.50 members, and that prior to 1624, eighteen persons had seceded under a Pastor of the name of Elias Tookey, and formed a new church. { At this period, in communion with Morton's Church, there were five General, or Arminian Baptist Churches in intimate communication with the Mennonite Church of Hans de Kies * Smyth's burial is registered in the register of the New Church of Amsterdam, on the 1st of September, 1612, where he was buried, and at the time of his decease he lodged in the hinder part of the " great bakehouse," then belonging to John Munter where religious meetings were held by the English who joined the Mennonites. I am indebted for this to Dr. Scheffer, who has, by searching these registers, established a date of great importance in the history of the English Separatist Churches in Holland. The date of the death of Smyth has been variously stated, and no authority has hitherto been given for the date. t "Evans' Baptists," vol. ii., p. 33, quotation from "Truth's Victory," London, 1545, p. 19. { " Evans' History," vol. ii., pp. 25, 40, & 26. 96 at Amsterdam, viz., London, Lincoln, Sarum, Coventry, and Tiverton. In 1612, Helwys published "A Short Declara- tion of the Mystery of Iniquity," in which he condemned flight in persecution. This was replied to by Eobinson, in 1614, in his work on " Eeligious Communion, private and public, with the silencing of the clamour raised by Mr. Thomas Helwisse against our retaining the baptism received in England, and administering of baptism unto infants; as also a Survey of the Confession of Faith, published in certain conclusions by the remainders of Mr. Smyth's company after his death." * This led to the famous work by Morton (?) and his associates, published in 1615, " Persecution forKeligion Judged and Condemned." f On the side of Eobinson, the permission by our Saviour was pleaded, to fly from persecu- tion, and he contends for our liberty either to fly or to abide as seems best for the cause of God's truth. On the side of Helwys and Morton, it was contended that it had " been the overthrow of religion " in England, " the best, able, and greater part being gone, and leaving behind them some few" who had been brought into greater affliction and contempt. Many had " fallen back," and the enemies of christian truth had exulted. The saints, they said, " overcame " (not by flying away), but " by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony," and they " loved not their lives unto the death." This treatise of the eminent members of the Church founded by Helwys, accurately discriminates between the * This is treated by Eobinson as expressing equally the sentiments of Helwys and his Church. It seems probable that there were three "remainders" of "Smyth's company," Helwys' Church in London, the Church in Amsterdam which united with the Mennonites, and another English offset, who published " Smyth's Life," k 116 This shows the earnestness and pious delight of these excellent men, in heing able at last to worship G-od in peace and safety. Eight hours of worship and disciplinary business, seems however to justify Baillie's criticism, and to have been an unwise disregard of the fact that we have bodies as well as souls, which can be paralleled in modern times. It will be a point of great interest to the Society of Friends, to note, that while in these meetings for discipline all the members "had free liberty of voting decisively, and of debate," yet "nothing must go by number or plurality of voices, and there must be no moderator, or prolocutor, for the order of their action." We believe the Society of Friends is the only Church, now existing, who have main- tained this rule up to the present day, and this shows us again the close connection between their practices and those of the Amsterdam Churches. Baylie states (p. 61) that " the new English Independent " (i.e. in 1645) held " the abominable heresy " of " avowing openly the personal inhabitation of the Spirit in all the godly, and his imme- diate revelation without the word, and these as infallible as scripture itself." * Baylie describes the London Indepen- dents of his time as following closely these Separatist Churches of Holland in their practices r and we think that the source of the leading ideas which Fox com- menced propagating in 1648, and upon which he consti- tuted the churches he founded, can now be readily seen. The connection between the views of Smyth on war and • This is the current misrepresentation of the doctrine in question by the Presby- terian party of that age, and is couched in the same words in which they attacked Fox's teaching. In the Swarthmore papers there are frequent complaints of misrepre- sentation. 117 those of George Fox, may be traced in the fact, that in 1646 there were some of the English General Baptists who held "that it is unlawful to take up arms for laws and civil liberties."* In 1626 we find them discussing this very question with a Mennonite Church in Holland and taking advice, f It is obvious that their original prin- ciples on the unlawfulness of war had begun to be questioned. Owing to the extensive trade carried on between London and Holland, it was a common practice for those engaged in it to attend the exiled English churches in the large cities. This facilitated the spread of the tracts of Sepa- ratists in England. Later on, Baxter tells us that " five or six ministers who came from Holland and the Brownist relicts, did drive on others according to their dividing principles and sowed the seeds which afterwards spread over all the land."]: He tells us that the leaders of the Separatists in the army, "the men that bore the bell, that did all the hurt amongst them," were " men who had been in London, hatcht up among the old Separatists, and made it all their matter of study and religion to rail against ministers and parish churches and Presbyterians." § * " A relation of several heresies," &o. , p. 11, 1616. Errors in the Commonwealth of the Anabaptists (" who teach freewill in spiritual things "). f " Evans' Early Baptists," vol. ii. pp. 29 and 39. J "Baxter's Life," from his manuscript, by Sylvester, p. SS. S "Baxter's Life," p. 63. APPENDIX TO CHAPTER VI. Eeprint of Tract lately found in York Minster Library (without title), and believed to be unique, containing " The last book of John Smith (Smyth), called the Eetrac- tion of his Errors, and the Confirmation of the Truth;" also " The Life and Death of John Smith (Smyth)," by Thomas Piggott ; also John Smyth's " Confession of Faith " in One Hundred Propositions, -which was replied to by John Robinson, of Leyden, in his " Survey of the Confessions of Faith," published in certain conclu- sions by the remainders of Mr. Smyth's Company after his death (published 1614). There is no date, but as Smyth died, August, 1612, it may be inferred with cer- tainty to have been printed between 1613 and 1614. The whole of this reprint has been carefully corrected by S. Walter Stott, Minor Canon and Assistant Librarian of York Minster Library. The importance of this work to the student of the history of the English Baptists is very great. The Epistle to the Eeadeb. Consideking that all means and helps are necessary for men, to provoke them to the practice of religion, and obedience of the truth, especially in this latter age of the world, when our Saviour Christ witnesseth, that because of the abounding of iniquity, the love of many shall wax cold, which appeareth too manifest in these days. There- fore we have thought good to manifest unto thee (good reader) the manner of the life of (John Smith), remaining for a time at Amsterdam in Holland, and how he carried himself in his sickness, even unto his death. Whereunto we have annexed a small confession of faith : with a little treatise which he writ not long before his death, desiring that it should be published unto the world ; in the reading whereof, we beseech thee to cast away prejudice, and be not forestalled with the supposed errors held by him, or us, nor with the censure of other, which have thrust themselves too far into the room of God, to judge things before the time; but try all things, and take that which is good : and in trying, put on love, which will teach thee to interpret all things in the best part, and the rather, because that to take things in the evil part is the property of an evil mind. Even as the bee and spider coming both to one flower, the one taketh honey and the other poison, according to their nature, so it is with men : for he that is full despiseth an honeycomb, and the sick stomach abhorreth most pleasant meat, but to the sound and hungry all good things have a good taste ; even so it is in spiritual matters : and therefore we direct these things especially unto two sorts of men, the one is the careless professor, who placeth all his religion in knowledge, in speaking, and in out- ward prof ession ; that such may know that true religion consisteth not in knowledge, 11 but in practice, not in word but in power : and that such as have the form of godliness, and do deny the power thereof, are to be separated from : the other is the hungry soul, and the upright in heart, which seek the Lord, to let them see and know that there is in the Lord all sufficience, and such a measure of grace to be attained unto, as that they may be made partakers of the Divine nature, and may come to the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ (Eph. iv. 13), and to bring every thought into the obedience of Christ. The which, who so well considereth, it will cause them not to be careless and negligent, but careful and diligent, to use all means which may further them in this great work of the Lord. And know also, that the intent of the author is not to teach any man either to despise or neglect the holy ordinances, appointed by Jesus Christ, for the help of His Church, nor to attribute unto them more than is meet, but to use them as means to bring us to the end ; that is, that the Lord hath not given His word, sacra- ments, and the discipline of the Church, unto His people, to the end that they should satisfy themselves with the outward obedience thereof, nor to think that all is well when they walk therein ; but also to be translated into the obedience of that which the word teacheth, and the sacraments signify unto them : that is, to be made like to Jesus Christ, in His life, sufferings, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, by being partakers with Him of one and the same spirit; consider what we say, and the Lord give thee under- standing in all things. (Signed T. P. (Thomas Piggott). " I have not concealed Thy mercy and Thy truth from the great congregation." (Psal. xl. 16). " For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth man confesseth to salvation." (Eom. x. 10). The Last Book op John Smith, Called the Ketraction of His Eerobs, and the Confirmation of the Truth. " If any man be in Christ, let him be a new creature." (2 Cor. v. 17.) " For they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and the lusts." (Gal. v. 24.) I am not of the number of those men which assume unto themselves such plenary knowledge and assurance of their ways, and of the perfection and sufficiency thereof, as that they peremptorily censure all men except those of their own understanding, and require that all men upon pain of damnation become subject and captivate in their judgment and walking to their line and level : of which sort are those of our English nation, who publish in print their proclamation against all Churches except those of their own society and fellowship — I mean the double separation, Master Hainsworth and Master Helwys — although the one more near the truth than the other; neither is my purpose, in this my writing, to accuse and condemn other men, but to censure and reform myself. If I should walk with either of the double separation, I must, from the per- suasion of mine own alone perfect reformation, reprove all other, and reject them as short of that mark whereto I come : and I must shut my ears from hearing any instruction which others may afford me ; for this is the quintessence of the separation, to assume unto themselves a prerogative to teach all men, and to be taught of no man. Ill Now I Lave in all my writings hitherto received instruction of others, and professed my readiness to be taught by others, and therefore have I so oftentimes been accused of inconstancy ; well, let them think of me as they please, I profess I have changed, and shall be ready still to change for the better : and if it be their glory to be peremptory and immutable in their articles of religion, they may enjoy that glory without my envy, though not without the grief of my heart for them. The Articles of Beligion which are the ground of my salvation are these, wherein I differ from no good Christian : That Jesus Christ, the son of God and the son of Mary, is the anointed King, Priest, and Prophet of the Church, the only mediator of the New Testament, and that through true repentance and faith in Him, who alone is our Saviour, we receive remission of sins and the Holy Ghost in this life, and therewith all the redemption of our bodies, and everlasting life in the resurrection of the body ; and whosoever walketh according to this rule, I must needs acknowledge him my brother ; yea, although he differ from me in divers other particulars. And howsoever in the days of my blind zeal and preposterous imitation of Christ, I was somewhat lavish in censuring and judging others ; and namely, in the way of separation called Brownism, yet since having been instructed in the way of the Lord more perfectly, and finding my error therein, I pro- test against that my former course of censuring other persons, and especially for all those hard phrases wherewith I have in any of my writings inveighed against either England or the separation : for England, although I cannot with any good conscience acknowledge the wicked ones mingled with the zealous professors in one congregation to be the true outward visible Church which Christ and His Apostles at the first instituted, which consisted only of penitent persons and believers ; yet therefore to say that the zealous professors themselves are antichristian, is a censure such as I cannot justify before the Lord, who is my judge in my conscience. And therefore I utterly revoke and renounce it. Again, howsoever I doubt not but it is an error of the forward professors of the English churches to be mingled with the open wicked in the supper of the Lord, as they daily are, seeing therein they do transgress the first institution of Christ, who ate His supper only with the eleven (for Judas departed soon as he had received the sop of the Passover), yet I cannot therefore conclude the said forward pro- fessors under the same judgment, or fellowship of sin, with the wicked ones with whom they partake the supper. Yea, rather I do also renounce that evil and perverse judg- ment which I have pronounced in my writings, in this particular acknowledging my error therein ; further I must needs avouch that the Bishops of the land grievously sin against God : and the forward professors in ruling them so rigorously, urging their subscription, canons, and ceremonies upon men's consciences upon pain of excommunication, deposi- tion, silence, imprisonment, banishment, and the like penalties : and that therein they sit as Antichrist in the temple of God, which is the conscience. Yet, therefore, to say that all the professors of the land, whether preachers or others that remain under their jurisdiction, do submit unto the beast and receive his mark, that I dare not avouch and justify as I have done, for I doubt not but many touch none of their unclean things, but only submit to Christ so far as they are enlightened ; and if a sin of ignorance make a man an anti-christian, then I demand where shall we find a Christian. In these three particulars, especially have I transgressed against the professors of the English nation. Generally, all those biting and bitter words, phrases, and speeches, used against the professors of the land I utterly retract and revoke, as not being of the IV spirit of Christ, but of the Disciples, who would have called for fire and brimstone from heaven, which Christ rebuketh. Particularly that book against Master Bernard, wherein Master Marbury, Master White, and others are mentioned and cruelly taxed, I retract not for that it is wholly false, but for that it is wholly censorious and critical: and for that therein the contention for outward matters, which are of inferior note, hath broken the rules of love and charity, which is the superior law. Now for the separation, I cannot, nor dare not, in my conscience before the Judge of the whole world justify my writings and dealings against them. For the truth of the matter I doubt not but it is on my side, but the manner of writing is that alone wherein I have failed : for I should have with the spirit of meekness instructed them that are contrary minded, but my words have been stout and mingled with gall, and therefore hath the Lord repayed me home full measure into my bosom, for according to that measure wherewith I measured hath it been measured again unto me, by Master Clifton, especially by Master Hainsworth and Master Bernard. The Lord lay none of our sins to the charge of any of us all, but He of His mercy pass by them : for my part the Lord hath taught me thereby, for hereafter shall I set a watch before my mouth, that I sin not again in that kind and degree. For Master Hainsworth's book, I acknowledge that I erred in the place of the candlestick and altar, but that of the altar is not Master Fenner's error with me, but mine rather with him ; for other things, namely, the chief matter in controversy I hold as I did. Yea, which is more, I say that although it be lawful to pray, preach, and sing out of a book for all penitent persons, yet a man regenerate is above all books and scriptures whatsover, seeing he hath the spirit of God within him, which teacheth him the true meaning of the scriptures, without the which spirit the scriptures are but a dead letter, which is perverted and misconstrued as we see at this day to contrary ends and senses ; and that to bind a regenerate man to a book in praying, preaching or singing, is to set the Holy Ghost to school in the one as well as in the other : for the other question of elders with Master Hainsworth, and of Baptism with Master Clifton, and the two Testaments, I hold as I did, and therein I am persuaded I have the truth. If any man say, why then do you not answer the books written in opposition, my answer is, my desire is to end controversies among Christians rather than to make and maintain them, especially in matters of the outward Church and ceremonies ; and it is the grief of my heart that I have so long cumbered myself and spent my time therein, and I profess that difference in judgment for matter of circumstance, as are all things of the outward Church, shall not cause me to refuse the brotherhood of any penitent and faithful Christian whatsoever. And now from this day forward do I put an end to all controversies and questions about the outward Church and ceremonies with all men, and resolve to spend my time in the main matters wherein consisteth salvation. Without repentance, faith, remission of sin, and the new creature, there is no salvation^but there is salvation without the truth of all the outward oeremonies of the outward Church, li any man say you answer not because you oannot, I say to him, that I am accounted one that cannot answer is not my fame, but to spend my time in a full answer of those things of the outward Church which I am bound to employ better (necessity calling upon me) would be my sin, and so I had rather be accounted unable to answer, than to be found in sin against my conscience. Again, if I should answer, it would breed further strife among Christians — further, we have no means to publish our writings. But my first answer satisfieth my conscience, and so I rest, having peace at home in this point. But now to come to Master Helwys, his separation, against which I have done nothing in writing hitherto, notwithstanding I am now bound in conscience to publish an apology of certain imputations cast upon me by him in his writings. As first, the sin against the Holy Ghost, because I have denied some truth which once I acknowledged, and wherewith I was enlightened. Than this can there be no more grievous imputation cast upon any man ; than this can there be no higher degree of censuring. What shall I say here for my apology ? Shall I say that my heart yet appertaineth to the Lord, that I daily seek mercy and ask forgiveness, that I labour to reform myself wherein I see my error, that I con- tinually search after the truth and endeavour myself to keep a good conscience in all things ? But this, haply, will not satisfy Master Helwys. Well, let us examine the points wherein I have forsaken the truth : Succession is the matter wherein I hold as I have written to Master Bernard, that succession is abolished by the Church of Borne, and that there is no true ministry derived from the Apostles through the Church of Borne to England, but that the succession is interrupted and broken off. Secondly, I hold, as I did hold then, succession being broken off and interrupted, it may by two or three gathered together in the name of Christ be renewed and assumed again ; and herein there is no difference between Master Helwys and me. Thirdly, Master Helwys said that although there be churches already established, ministers ordained, and sacraments administered orderly, yet men are not bound to join those former churches established, but may, being as yet unbaptized, baptize themselves (as we did) and pro- ceed to build churches of themselves, disorderly (as I take it). Herein I differ from Master Helwys, and therefore he saith I have sinned against the Holy Ghost because I once acknowledged the truth (as Master Helwys calleth it). Here I answer three things : — " 1. I did never acknowledge it. 2. It is not the truth. 3. Though I had acknowledged it, and it were a truth, yet in denying it I have not sinned against the Holy Ghost. First, I did never acknowledge it, that it was lawful for private persons to baptize when there were true churches and ministers from whence we might have our baptism without sin, as there are forty witnesses that can testify : only this is it which I held, that seeing there was no church to whom we could join with a good conscience, to have baptism from them, therefore we might baptize ourselves. That this is so the Lord knoweth, my conscience witnesseth, and Master Helwys him- self will not deny it. Secondly, it is not the truth that two or three private persons may baptize, when there is a true church and ministers established whence baptism may orderly be had : for if Christ himself did fetch His baptism from John, and the Gentiles from the Jews baptized, and if God be the God of order and not of confusion, then surely we must observe this order now, or else disorder is order, and God alloweth disorder ; for if Master Helwys' position be true, that every two or three that see the truth of baptism may begin to baptize, and need not join to former true churches where they may have their baptism orderly from ordained ministers, then the order of the primitive church was order for them and those times only, and this dis- order will establish baptism of private persons. Yea of women from henceforth to the world's end, as Master Helwys his ground doth evidently afford to him that will scan it. Thirdly, though I had acknowledged that assertion of Master Helwys, and it were the truth, and I now forsake it, it doth not thereupon follow that a man sinneth against the Holy Ghost : for I demand, may not a man forsake a truth upon a temptation, Yl and obtain remission upon repentance? Did not Peter so in denying Christ? Did not David so, and continued impenitent till the child was born after adultery wit'i Bethshabe? A man therefore that upon a temptation forsaketh a known truth, may repent and receive mercies — further, may not a man (as he supposeth) upon force of argument, yield from the known truth to error for conscience sake? Have all those sinned against the Holy Ghost that have separated from England and are returned again ? Certainly Master Helwys herein erreth not a little, and breaketh the bond of charity above all men that I ever read or heard, in uttering so sharp a censure upon so weak a ground. Besides, the sin against the Holy Ghost is not in outward ceremonies, but in matter of substance, which is the knowledge of the truth (Heb. vi. 1 — 10), namely a forsaking of repentance and faith in Christ, and falling to profaneness and Paganism : for I hold no part of saving righteousness to consist in outward ceremonies, for they are only as a crutch for the lame and weak to walk withal till they be cured. Concerning succession, briefly thus much : I deny all succession except in the truth ; and I hold we are not to violate the order of the primitive church, except necessity urge a dispensation ; and therefore it is not lawful for every one that seeth the truth to baptize, for then there might be as many churches as couples in the world, and none have anything to do with other, which breaketh the bond of love and brotherhood in churches ; but, in these outward matters, I dare not any more contend with any man, but desire that we may follow the truth of repentance, faith, and regeneration, and lay aside dissension for mint, comine, and annis seed. Another imputation of Master Helwys is concerning the flesh of Christ. Whereto I say, that he that knoweth not that the first and second flesh of an infant in the mother's womb are to be distin- guished, knoweth not yet the grounds of nature and natural reason. I affirmed con- cerning Christ that His second flesh, that is His nourishment, He had from His mother, and that the Scriptures are plain for it; but, concerning the first matter of Christ's flesh, whence it was, I said thus much : That, although I yield it to be a truth in nature that He had it of His mother Mary, yet I dare not make it such an Article of faith as that if any man will not consent unto it, I should therefore refuse brother- hood with him : and that the Scriptures do not lead us (as far as I conceive) to the searching of that point, whereof Christ's natural flesh was made ; but that we should search into Christ's spiritual flesh, to be made flesh of that His flesh, and bone of His bone, in the eommunion and fellowship of the same spirit. That this was my speech and the sum of my assertion concerning this point, I call the Lord and all that heard as witnesses: whereby appeareth Master Hdwys his partiality in reporting this particular. Concerning a secret imputation which Master Helwys, by way of intima- tion, suggesteth, as though I had received much help of maintenance from his company, or from that company of English people that came over together out of the north parts with me, I affirm thus much : That I never received of them all put together the value of forty shillings to my knowledge, since I came out of England, and of Master Helwys, not the value of a penny; but it is well known to Master Helwys and to all the company, that I have spent as much in helping the poor as Master Helwys hath done, and it is not known that Master Helwys hath spent one penny but I have spent another in any common burthen for the relieving of the poor. All that ever Master Helwys can say is that, when I was sick in England, at Bashforth, I was troublesome and chargeable to him; wherein I confess his kindness, but I would have given \ Vll him satisfaction, and lie refused it, and in rny sickness there was as much Drought in as I spent. Another imputation is of some moment, that I should affirm Christ in the flesh to be a figure of Himself in the spirit, and that men are not so much to strive about the natural flesh of Christ as about His spiritual flesh ; and that the contention concerning the natural flesh of Christ is like the contention of the soldiers for Christ's coat. True, this I did affirm, and this I defend as the most excellent and comfortable. truth in the Scriptures : for who knoweth not, that to know and be made conformable to the similitude of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection in the mortification of sin and the new creature, to be made flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, spiritually in the fellowship of one holy anointing, which is Christ's spiritual flesh ; who knoweth not, I say, that this is better than the knowledge of Christ's natural flesh. That Christ's natural flesh is a figure of Christ's spiritual flesh, is plain by Bom. vi. where the Apostle saith that we must be grafted to the similitude of His death, burial, and resurrection ; if His death, burial, and resurrection be a similitude or figure, so is His body that died, was buried, and rose again. The like saith the Apostle, Heb. iv. 15, that Christ was tempted in all things in a figure or similitude; but this point is also plain enough, that all Christ's miracles and doings in the flesh, with His sufferings, are figures of those heavenly things which He in the spirit worketh in the regenerate; He cleanseth their leprosy, casteth out the devil, drieth up the bloody issue, rideth to Jerusalem on an ass, stilleth the winds and sea, feedeth the multitude : for Jesus Christ is yesterday and to-day, and the same also for ever. If this be a truth, then, the contention about Christ's natural flesh is in com- parison like to the soldiers' contention for His coat. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, saith Christ, and so I rest satisfied in this particular. Pbopositions and Conclusions concerning true Christian Beligion, containing A Confession of Faith of certain English people, living at Amsterdam. 1. We believe that there is a God (Heb. xi. 6) against all Epicures and Atheists, which either say in their hearts or utter with their mouths, that there is no God (Psal. xiv. 1 ; Isaiah xxii. 18). 2. That this God is one in number (1 Cor. viii. 4, 6) against the Pagans or any other that hold a plurality of gods. 3. That God is incomprehensible and ineffable, in regard of His substance or essence that is God's essence can neither be comprehended in the mind, nor uttered by the words of men or angels (Exod. iii. 18-15, and xxxiii. 18-21). 4. That the creatures and Holy Scriptures do not intend to teach us what God is in substance or essence, but what He is in effect and property (Kom. i. 19, 22 ; Exod. xxxiii. 28). 5. That these terms, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, do not teach God's substance, but only the hinder parts of God : that which may be known of God (Eom. i., Exod. xxxiii). 6. That God may be known by His titles, properties, effects, imprinted, and expressed in the creatures, and Scriptures (John xvii. 8). 7. That to understand and conceive of God in the mind is not the saving knowledge of God, but to be like to God in His effects and properties ; to be made conformable to His divine and heavenly attributes. That is the true saving knowledge of God (2 Cor. iii. 18 ; Matt. v. 48 ; 2 Peter i. 4), whereunto we ought to give all diligence. 8. That this God manifested in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Matt. iii. 16, 17) is most merciful, most mighty most holy, most just, most wise, most true, most glorious, eternal and infinite (Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7; Psalm xc. 2 and cii. 27). Vlll 9. That God before the foundation of the world did foresee, and determine the issue and event of all His ■works (Acts xv. 18), and that actually in time He worketh all things by His providence, according to the good pleasure of His will (Eph. i. 11), and therefore we abhor the opinion of them, that avouch, that all things happen by fortune or chance (Acts. iv. 27, 28 ; Matt. x. 29, 30). 10. That God is not the Author or worker of sin (Psal. v. 4; James i. 13), but that God only did foresee and determine what evil the free will of men and angels would do; but He gave no influence, instinct, motion or inclination to the least sin. 11. That God in the beginning created the world viz., the heavens, and the earth and all things that are therein (Gen. i. ; Acts xvii. 24). So that the things that are seen, were not of things which did appear (Heb. xi. 3). 12. That God created man to blessedness, according to His image, in an estate of innocency, free without corruption of sin (Gen. i. 27, ii. 17, 25) ; He created them male and female (to wit) one man and one woman (Gen. i. 27); He framed man of the dust of the earth, and breathed into him the breath of life, so the man was a living Soul (Gen. ii. 7 ; 1 Cor. xv. 45). But the woman He made of a rib, taken out of the side of the man (Gen. ii. 21, 22). That God blessed them, and commanded them to increase, and multiply, and to fill the earth, and to rule over it and all creatures therein (Gen. i. 28, ix. 1, 2 ; Psal. viii. 6). 13. That therefore marriage is an estate honourable amongst all men, and the bed undefiled ■ viz. betwixt one man and one woman (Heb. xiii. 4 ; 1 Cor. vii. 2), but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 14. That God created man with freedom of will, so that he had ability to choose the good, and eschew the evil, or to choose the evil, and refuse the good, and that this freedom of will was a natural faculty or power, created by God in the soul of man (Gen. ii. 16, 17 ; hi. 6, 7 ; Eccles. vii. 29). 15. That Adam sinning was not moved or inclined thereto by God, or by any decree of God but that he fell from his innocency, and died the death alone, by the temptation of Satan, his free will assenting there- unto freely (Gen. in. 6). 16. That the same day that Adam sinned, he died the death (Gen. ii. 17), for the reward of sin is death (Rom. vi. 23), and this is that which the Apostle saith, dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. ii. 1), which is loss of innocency, of the peace of conscience and comfortable presence of God (Gen. iii. 7, 11). 17. That Adam being fallen did not lose any natural power or faculty, which God created in his soul, for the work of the devil, which is (sin), cannot abolish God's works or creatures : and therefore being fallen he still retained freedom of will (Gen. iii. 23, 24). 18. That original sin is an idle term, and that there is no such thing as men intend by the word (Ezek. xviii. 20), because God threatened death only to Adam (Gen. ii. 17) not to his posterity, and because God created the soul (Heb. xii. 9). 19. That if original sin might have passed from Adam to his posterity, Christ's death, which was effectual before Cain and Abel's birth, He being the lamb slain from the beginning of the world, stopped the issue and passage thereof (Rev. xiii. 8). 20. That infants are conceived and born in innocency without sin, and that so dying are undoubtedly saved, and that this is to be understood of all infants, under heaven (Gen. v. 2, i. 27 compared with 1 Cor. xv. 49) for where there is no law there is no transgression, sin is not imputed while there is no law (Rom. iv. 15 and v. 13), but the law was not given to infants, but to them that could understand (Rom. v. 13 ; Matt. xiii. 9 ; Neh. viii. 3). 21. That all actual sinners bear the image of the first Adam, in his innocency, fall, and restitution in the offer of grace (1 Cor. xv. 49), and so pass under these three conditions, or threefold estate. 22. That Adam being fallen God did not hate him, but loved him still, and sought his good (Gen. iii. 8 — 15), neither doth he hate any man that falleth with Adam ; but that He loveth mankind, and from His love sent His only begotten Son into the world, to save that which was lost, and to seek the sheep that went astray (John iii. 16). 23. That God never forsaketh the creature tall there be no remedy, neither doth He cast away His innocent creature from all eternity ; but casteth away men irrecoverable in sin (Isa. v. 4; Ezek. xviii. 23, 32, and xxxiii. 11 ; Luke xiii. 6, 9). 24. That as there is in all the creatures a natural inclination to their young ones, to do them good, so there is in the Lord toward man ; for every spark of goodness in the creature is infinitely good in God (Rom. i. 20 ; Psal. xix 4 ; Rom. x. 18). 25. That as no man begetteth his child to the gallows, nor no potter maketh a pot to break it ; so God doth not create or predestinate any man to destruction (Ezek. xxxiii. 11; Gen. i. 27; 1 Cor. xv. 49; Gen. v. 8). 26. That God before the foundation of the world hath determined the way of life and salvation to consist in Christ, and that He hath foreseen who would follow it (Eph. i. 5 ; 2 Tim. i. 9), and on the contrary hath determined the way of perdition to consist in infidelity, and in impenitency, and that he hath foreseen who would follow after it (Judo, 4th verse.) 87. That as God created all men according to His image, so hath He redeemed all that fall by actual IX sin, to the same end ; and that God in His redemption hath not swerved from His mercy, which He manifested in His creation (John i. 3, 16 ; 2 Cor. v. 19 ; 1 Tim. ii. 6, 6 ; Ezek. xxxiii. 11). 28. That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and that God in His love to His enemies did Bend Him (John iii. 16) ; that Christ died for His enemies (Eom. v. 10) ; that He bought them that deny Him (2 Peter ii. 1), thereby teaching us to love our enemies (Matt. v. 44, 45). 29. That Christ Jesus after His baptism by a voice out of heaven from the Father, and by the anointing of the Holy Ghost, which appeared upon His head in the form of a dove, is appointed the prophet of the church, whom all men must hear (Matt. iii. ; Heb. iii. 1, 2) ; and that both by His doctrine and life, which He led here in the earth, by all His doings and sufferings, He hath declared and published, as the only prophet and lawgiver of His Church, the way of peace and life, the glad tidings of the gospel (Acts iii. 23, 24). 30. That Christ Jesus is the brightness of the glory and the engraven form of the Father's substance, supporting all things by His mighty power (Heb. i. 3) ; and that He is become the mediator of the New Testament (to wit) the King, Priest, and Prophet of the Church, and that the faithful through Him are thus made spiritual Kings, Priests, and Prophets (Rev. i. 6 ; 1 John ii. 20 ; Eev. xix. 10). 31. That Jesus Christ is He which in the beginning did lay the foundation of the heavens and earth which shall perish (Heb. i. 10 ; Psalm cii. 26) ; that He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, He is the wisdom of God, which was begotten from everlasting before all creatures (Micah v. 2 ; Prov. viii. 24 ; Lute xi. 49) ; He was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God ; yet He took to Him the shape of a servant, the Word became flesh (John i. 14), wonderfully by the power of God in the womb of the Virgin Mary : He was of the seed of David according to the flesh, (Phil. ii. 7 ; Heb. 10 ; Bom. i. 3) ; and that He made Himself of no reputation, humbled Himself, and became obedient unto the death of the cross, redeeming us from our vain conversation, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Himself, as of a lamb without spot and undenled (1 Pet. i. 18, 19). 32. That although the sacrifice of Christ's body and blood offered up unto God His Father upon the cross, be a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour, and that God in Him is well pleased, yet it doth not reconcile God unto us, which did never hate us, nor was our enemy, but reconcileth us unto God (2 Cor. 5, 19), and skyeth the enmity and hatred, which is in us against God (Ephes. i. 14, 17 ; Rom. i. 30). 33. That Christ was delivered to death for our sins (Kom. iv. 25), and that by His death we have the remission of our sins (Eph. ii. 7), for He cancelled the hand-writing of ordinances, the hatred, the law of commandments in ordinances (Eph. ii. 15 ; Colos. ii. 14) which was against us (Deut. xxxi. 26) ; He spoiled principalities and powers, made a shew of them openly, and triumphed over them on the cross (Colos. ii. 15) ; by death He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil (Heb. ii. 14). 84. That the enemies of our salvation, which Christ vanquished on His cross, are the gates of hell, the power of darkness, Satan, sin, death, the grave, the curse or condemnation, wicked men, and persecutors (Eph. vi. 12 ; 1 Cor. xv. 26, 54, 57 ; Matt. xvi. 18 ; R3V. xx. 10, 14, 15), which enemies we must overcome no otherwise than Christ hath done (John xxi. 22 ; 1 Pet. ii. 21 ; Rev. xiv. 4). 35. That the efficacy of Christ's death is only derived to them, which do mortify their sins, which are grafted with Him to the similitude of His death (Rom. vi. 3-6), which are circumcised with circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh, through the circumcision which Christ worketh (Colos. ii. 11) who is the minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers (Rom. xv. 8 compared with Deut. xxx. 6). 86. That there are three which bear witness in the earth, the spirit, water and blood, and these three are one in testimony, witnessing that Christ truly died (1 John v. 8) for He gave up the ghost (John xix. 30) ; and out of His side pierced with a spear came water and blood (verse 34, 35), the cover of the heart being pierced, where there is water contained. 37. That every mortified person hath this witness in himself (1 John v. 10), for the spirit blood, and water of sin is gone, that is the life of sin with the nourishment and cherishment thereof (1 Pet. iv. 1 ; Rom. vi. 7 ; 1 John iii. 6). 88. That Christ Jesus being truly dead was also buried (John xix. 89, 42), and that He lay in the grave the whole Sabbath of the Jews ; but in the grave He saw no corruption (Psal. xvi. 10 ; Acts ii. 81). 89. That all mortified persons are also buried with Christ, by the baptism, which is into His death (Rom. vi. 4 ; Colos. ii. 12) ; keeping their Sabbath with Christ in the grave (that is) resting from their own works as God did from His (Heb. iv. 10), waiting there in hope for a resurrection (Psal. xvi. 9). 40. That Christ Jesus early in the morning, the first day of the week, rose again after His death and burial (Matt, xxviii. 6) for our justification (Rom. iv. 25), being mightily declared to be the Son of God, by the Spirit of sanctification, in the resurrection from the dead (Rom. i. 4). 41. That these that are grafted with Christ to the similitude of His death and burial shall also be to the Bimilitude of His resurrection (Rom. vi. 4, 5) ; for He doth quicken or give life unto them, together with Himself (Colos. ii. 13 ; Eph. ii. 5, 6) : for that is their salvation, and it is by grace (Eph. ii. 5 ; 1 John v. 11, 12,13; Titus iii. 5, 6, 7). 42. That this quickening or reviving of Christ, this laver of regeneration, this renewing of the Holy Ghost, is our justification and salvation (Titus iii. 6, 7). This is that pure river of water of life clear as crystal, which proceedeth out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb (Rev. xxii. 1) ; which also floweth out of the belly of him that believeth in Christ (John vii. 38) ; this is those precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature, by flying the corruptions that are in the world through lust (2 Pet. i. 4) ; this is the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God ; this is the white stone wherein there is a name written, which no man knoweth, save he that receiveth it. This is the morning star, this is the new name, the name of God, the name of the City of God ; the new Jerusalem which descendeth from God out of heaven ; this is the hidden manna, that white clothing, eye salve and gold, and that heavenly supper which Christ promiseth to them, that overcome (Rev. ii. 7, 17, 18, and iii. 5, 12, 18, 20). 43. That there are three which bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit ; and that these three are one in testimony, witnessing the resurrection of Christ. The Father saith thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee (Acts xiii. 33-35). The Son testifieth of his own resurrection being forty days with His disciples (Act. i. 3). The Holy Ghost testifieth the same whom Christ sent to His disciples upon the day of Penticost (Act. ii.). 44. That every person that is regenerate and risen again with Christ hath these three aforesaid witnesses in himself (1 Joh. v. 10) ; for Christ doth dwell in his heart by faith (Eph. iii. 17) ; and the Father dwelleth with the Son (Joh. xiv. 23) ; and the Holy Ghost likewise (1 Cor. iii. 16); and that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost is with them (2 Cor. xiii. 13). 45. That Christ having forty days after His resurrection conversed with His disciples (Acts i. 3), ascended locally into the heavens (Acts i. 9), which must contain Him unto the time that all things be restored (Acts iii. 21). That they which are risen with Christ, ascend up spiritually with Him, seeking those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, and that they set their affections on heavenly things, and not on earthly things (Col. iii. 1-5). 46. That Christ now being received into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God (Mark xvi. 9), having led captivity captive, and given gifts unto men (Eph. iv. 8) ; that God hath now highly exalted H im, and given Him a name above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, in earth and under the earth (Phil. ii. 9, 10), that He hath obtained all power both in heaven and in earth (Matt, xxviii. 18), and hath made all things subject under His feet, and hath appointed Him over all things to be the head to the church, that is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all things (Eph. i, 2-23). 47. That the regenerate do sit together with Christ Jesus in heavenly places (Eph. ii. 6), that they sit with Him in His throne as He sitteth with the Father in His throne (Rev. iii. 21), that they have power over nations, and rule them with a rod of iron, and as a potter's vessel they are broken in pieces (Rev. ii. 26, 27) ; and that sitting on twelve thrones, they do judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. xix. 28), which spiritually is to put all their enemies in subjection under their feet, so that the evil one doth not touch them (1 John v. 18), nor the gates of hell prevail against them (Matt. xvi. 28), and that they are become pillars in the house of God, and go no more out (Rev. iii. 12). 48. That Christ Jesus being exalted at the right hand of God the Father, far above all principalities and powers, might, and domination, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in the world to come (Eph. i. 21), hath received of His Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, which He also shed forth upon His disciples on the Day of Pentecost (Act ii. 83). 49. That Christ Jesus, in His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation, is more and rather Lord and Christ, Saviour, anointed, and King, than in His humiliation, sufferings and death (Acts ii. 86; Phil. ii. 7, 11), for the end is more excellent than the means, and His sufferings were the way by the which He entered into His glory (Luke xxiv. 16), and so by consequent the efficacy of His resurrection in the new creature, is more noble and excellent, than the efficacy of His death in the mortification and remission of sins. 50. That the knowledge of Christ according to the flesh is of small profit (2 Cor. v. 16, 17), and the knowledge of Christ's genealogy and history, is no other but that which the Devil hath as well if not better than any man living; but the knowledge of Christ according to the spirit is effectual to salvation, which is spiritually to be grafted to the similitude of Christ's birth, life, miracles, doings, sufferings, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation (Rom. vi. 3, 6). 51. That Christ Jesus, according to the flesh and history in His doings and suffering, is a great mystery, and divine sacrament of Himself, and of His ministry in the spirit, and of those spiritual things which He worketh in those which are to be heirs of salvation (Rom. vi. 3, 6; Eph. ii. 5, 6), and that spiritually He performeth all those miracles in the regenerate which He wrought in His flesh; He healeth their leprosy, bloody issue, blindness, dumbness, deafness, lameness, palsy, fever, He casteth out the devils and unclean spirits, He raiseth the dead, rebuketh the winds and the sea, and it is calm ; He feedeth thousands with the barley loaves and fishes (Matt. viii. 16, 17, compared with Isaiah liii. 4, John vi. 26, 27). 52. That the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son (John xiv. 26, and xvi. 7) ; that He is the eternal spirit, whereby Christ offered himself without spot to God (Heb. ix. 14) ; that He is that other comforter, which Christ asketh, obtaineth, and sendeth from the Father (John xiv. 16), which dwelleth In the regenerate (1 Cor. iii. 16), which leadeth them into all truth (John xvi. 13), He is that anointing which teacheth them all things, and that they have no need that any man teach them, but as the same anointing teacheth (1 John ii. 20, 27). XI 58. That although there be divers gifts of the Spirit yet there is but one Spirit, which distributeth to every one as He will (2 Cor. xii. 4, 11 ; Eph. iv. 4), that the outward gifts of the spirit which the Holy Ghost poureth forth, upon the Day of Pentecost upon the disciples, in tongues and prophecy, and gifts, and healing, and miracles, which is called the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire (Acts. i. 5) were only a figure of and an hand leading to better things, even the most proper gifts of the spirit of sanctification, which is the new creature ; which is the one baptism (Eph. iv. 4, compared with Act ii. 83, 38, and with Luke x. 17, 20). 54. That John Baptist and Christ are two persons, their ministries are two ministries several, and their bap- tisms are two baptisms, distinct the one from the other (John i. 20; Acts xiii. 25; Acts i. 4, 5; Matt. iii. 11. 55. That John taught the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, baptizing with water to amendment of life (Matt. iii. 11), thus preparing a way for Christ and His baptism (Luke iii. 3, 6), by bring- ing men to repentance and faith in the Messias, whom he pointed out with the finger (saying), behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world (John i. 81, 29; Act xix. 4). 56. That Christ is stronger, and hath a more excellent office and ministry than John (Matt. iii. 11); that He baptiseth with the Holy Ghost and fire; that He cometh and walketh in the way which John hath pre- pared : and that the new creature followeth repentance (Luke iii. 6). 57. That repentance and faith in the Messias, are the conditions to be performed on our belialf, for the obtaining of the promises (Acts ii. 38; John i. 12); that the circumcision of the heart, mortification and the promise of the spirit, that is, the new creature, are the promises which are made to the aforesaid conditions (Deut. xxx. 6; Acts ii. 88; Gal. iii. 14; 2 Pet. i. 4, 5), which promises are all yea and Amen in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. i. 20), and that in the regenerate (Gal. iii. 16). 58. That repentance and faith are wrought in the hearts of men, by the preaching of the word, outwardly in the Scriptures, and creatures, the grace of God preventing us by the motions and instinct of the spirit, which a man hath power to receive or reject (Matt, xxiii. 87; Acts vii. 51; Acts vi. 10; Bom. x. 14, 18), that our justification before God consisteth not in the performance of the conditions which God requireth of us, but in the partaking of the promises, the possessing of Christ, remission of sins, and the new creature. 59. That God the Father, of His own good will doth beget us, by the word of truth (James i. 18), which is an immortal seed (1 Pet. i. 23), not the doctrine of repentance and faith which may be lost (Luke viii. 18) ; and that God the Father, in our regeneration, neither needeth nor useth the help of any creature, but that the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, immediately worketh that work in the soul, where the free will of men can do nothing (John ii. 18). 60. That such as have not attained the new creature, have need of the scriptures, creatures and ordinances of the Church, to instruct them, to comfort them, to stir them up the better to perform the condition of repentance to the remission of sins (2 Pet. i. 19 ; 1 Cor. xi. 26; Eph. iv. 12—28). 61. That the new creature which is begotten of God, needeth not the outward scriptures, creatures, or ordinances of the church, to support or help them (2 Cor. xiii. 10, 12; 1 Joh. ii. 27; 1 Cor. i. 15, 16; Bev. xxi. 23), seeing he hath three witnesses in himself, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost : which are better than all scriptures, or creatures whatsoever. 62. That as Christ who was above the law notwithstanding was made under the law, for our cause : so the regenerate in love to others, can and will do no other, than use the outward things of the church, for the gaining and supporting of others : and so the outward church and ordinances are always necessary, for all sorts of persons whatsoever (Matt. iii. 15, xxviii. 19, 20; 1 Cor. viii. 9). 68. That the new creature although he be above the law and scriptures, yet he can do nothing against the law or scriptures, but rather all his doings shall serve to the confirming and establishing of the law (Bom. iii 81). Therefore he can neither lie, nor steal, nor commit adultery, nor kill, nor hate any man, or do any other fleshly action, and therefore all fleshly libertinism is contrary to regeneration, detestable, and damnable (John viii. 84, Bom. vi. 15, 16, 18; 2 Pet. ii. 18, 19; 1 John v. 18). 64. That the outward church visible, consists of penitent persons only, and of such as believing in Christ, bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life (1 Tim. vi. 8, 5 ; 2 Tim. iii. 1, 5 ; Acts xix. 4). 65. That the visible church is a mystical figure outwardly, of the true, spiritual invisible church ; which consisteth of the spirits of just and perfect men only, that is of the regenerate (Bev. i. 20, compared with Bev. xxi. 2, 23, 27). 66. That repentance is the change of the mind from evil to that which is good (Matt. iii. 2), a sorrow for sin committed, with a humble heart for the same; and a resolution to amend for the time to come; with an unfeigned endeavour therein (2 Cor. vii. 8, 11 ; Isaiah i. 16, 17; Jer. xxxi. 18, 19). 67. That when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants, and all our righteousness is as a stained cloth (Luke xvii. 20), and that we can only suppress and lop off the branches of sins, but the root of sin we cannot pluck up out of our hearts (Jer. iv. 4, compared with Deut. xxx. 6, 8). 68. That faith is a knowledge in the mind of the doctrine of the law and gospel contained in the pro- phetical, and apostolical scriptures of the Old and New Testament : accompanying repentance with an assurance that God, through Christ, will perform unto us His promises of remission of sins, and mortification, upon the condition of our unfeigned repentance, and amendment of life (Bom. x. 18, 14, 15 ; Aots v. 80-82, and Act ii. 88, 39; Heb. xi. 1 ; Mark i. 15.) Xll 69. That all penitent and faithful Christians are brethren in the oommunion of the outward church, whereso- ever they live, by what name soever they are known, which in truth and zeal, follow repentance and faith, though compassed with never so many ignorances and infirmities ; and we salute them all with a holy kiss, being heartily grieved that we which follow after one faith, and one spirit, one Lord, and one God, one body, and one baptism, should be rent into so many sects and schisms : and that only for matters of less moment. 70. That the outward baptism of water, is to be administered only upon such penitent and faithful persons as are (aforesaid), and not upon innocent infants, or wicked persons (Matt. iii. 2, 3, compared with Matt, xxviii. 19, 20, and John iv. 1). 71. That in Baptism to the penitent person, and believer, there is presented, and figured, the spiritual baptism of Christ, (that is) the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and fire : the baptism into the death and resurrec- tion of Christ : even the promise of the Spirit, which he shall assuredly be made partaker of, if he continue to the end (Gal. iii. 14; Matt. iii. 11 ; 1 Cor. xii. 13 ; Eom. vi. 3, 6 ; Col. ii. 10). 72. That in the outward supper which only baptised persons must partake, there is presented and figured before the eyes of the penitent and faithful, that spiritual supper, which Christ maketh of His flesh and blood : which is crucified and shed for the remission of sins (as the bread is broken and the wine poured forth), and which is eaten and drunken (as is the bread and wine bodily) only by those which are flesh, of His flesh, and bone of His bone : in the communion of the same spirit (1 Cor. xii. 13 ; Rev. iii. 20, compared with 1 Cor. xi. 23, 26; John vi. 53,58. 73. That the outward baptism and supper do not confer, and convey grace and regeneration to the parti- cipants or communicants : but as the word preached, they serve only to support and stir up the repentance and faith of the communicants till Christ come, till the day dawn, and the day-star arise in their hearts (1 Cor. xi. 26; 2 Peter, i. 19; 1 Cor. i. 5-8). 74. That the sacraments have the same use that the word hath ; that they are a visible word, and that they teach to the eye of them that understand as the word teacheth the ears of them that have ears to hear (Prov. x. 12), and therefore as the word appertaineth not to infants, no more do the sacraments. 75. That the preaching of the word, and ministry of the sacraments, representeth the ministry of Christ in the spirit; who teacheth, baptiseth, and feedeth the regenerate, by the Holy Spirit inwardly and invisibly. 76. That Christ hath set in his outward church two sorts of ministers : viz., some who are called pastors, teachers or elders, who administer in the word and sacraments, and others who are called Deacons, men and ■women : whose ministry is, to serve tables and wash the saints' feet (Acts vi. 2-4; Phil. i. 1; 1 Tim. iiL 2, 3, 8, 11, and chap. v). 77. That the separating of the impenitent, from the outward communion of the Church, is a figure of the eternal rejection, and reprobation of them that persist impenitent in sin (Rev. xxi. 27, and xxii. 14-15, Matt, xvi. 18 and xviii. 18 ; John xx. 23, compared with Rev. iiL 12). 78. That none are to be separated from the outward communion of the Church but such as forsake repent- ance, which deny the power of Godliness (2 Tim. iii. 5), and namely that sufficient admonition go before, according to the rule (Matt, xviii. 15-18), and that none are to be rejected for ignorance or errors, or infir- mities so long as they retain repentance and faith in Christ (Rom. xiv., and 1 Thess. v. 14 ; Rom. xvi. 17, 18), but they are to be instructed with meekness ; and the strong are to bear the infirmities of the weak ; and that we are to support one another through love. 79. That a man may speak a word against the Son, and be pardoned (that is), a man may err in the know- ledge of Christ's History, and in matters of the outward church, and be forgiven, doing it in an ignorant zeal ; but he that speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost (that is) that after illumination forsaketh repent- ance and faith in Christ, persecuting them, trampling under foot the blood of the covenant : returning with the dog to the vomit ; that such shall never be pardoned, neither in this world, nor in the world to come (Matt, xii. 31, 32, compared with Hebrews vi. 4, and chap. x. 26-29 ; 2 Pet. ii. 20, 22). 80. That persons separated from the communion of the church, are to be accounted as heathens and publi- cans (Matt, xviii.), and that they are so far to be shunned, as they may pollute : notwithstanding being ready to instruct them, and to relieve them in their wants : seeking by all lawful means to win them : considering that excommunication is only for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Cor. v. 5, 11; Matt. xi. 19 ; Luke xv. 1, 2). 81. That there is no succession in the outward church, but that all the succession is from heaven, and that the new creature only, hath the thing signified, and substance, whereof the outward church and ordi- nances are shadows (Col. ii. 16, 17), and therefore he alone hath power, and knoweth aright, how to administer in the outward church, for the benefit of others (John vi. 45) : yet God is not the God of confusion but of order, and therefore we are in the outward church, to draw as near the first institution as may be, in all things (1 Cor. xiv. 33) ; therefore it is not lawful for every brother to administer the word and sacrament? (Eph. iv. 11, 12, compared with 1 Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6, 28, 29). 82. That Christ hath set in his outward church the vocation of master and servant, parents and children, husband and wife (Eph. v. 22-25, chap. vi. 1, 4, 5, 9), and hath commanded every soul to be subject to the higher powers (Rom. xiii. 1), not because of wrath only, but for conscience sake (verse 5) that we are to give them their duty, as tribute, and custom, honour, and fear, not speaking evil of them that are in authority K Xlll (Jade, verse 8), but praying and giving thanks for them (1 Tim. ii. 1, 2), for that is acceptable in the sight of God, even our Saviour. 83. That the office of the magistrate, is a disposition or permissive ordinance of God for the good of mankind : that one man like the brute beasts devour not another (Rom. xiii.), and that justice and civility, may be preserved among men : and that a magistrate may so please God in his calling, in doing that which is righteous and just in the eyes of the Lord, that he may bring an outward blessing upon himself, his posterity and subjects (2 Kings, x. 30, 31). 84. That the magistrate is not by virtue of his office to meddle with religion, or matters of conscience, to force and compel men to this or that form of religion, or doctrine : but to leave Christian religion free, to every man's conscience, and to handle only civil transgressions (Eom. xiii.), injuries and wrongs of man against man, in murder, adultery, theft, etc., for Christ only is the king, and lawgiver of the church and conscience (James iv. 12). 85. That if the magistrate will follow Christ, and be His disciple, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Christ : he must love his enemies and not kill them, he must pray for them, and not punish them, he must feed them and give them drink, not imprison them, banish them, dismember them, and spoil their goods ; he must suffer persecution and affliction with Christ, and be slandered, reviled, blasphemed, scourged, buffeted, spit upon, imprisoned and killed with Christ ; and that by the authority of magistrates, which things he cannot possibly do, and retain the revenge of the sword. 86. That the Disciples of Christ, the members of the outward church, are to judge all their causes of differ- ence, among themselves, and they are not to go to law, before the magistrates (1 Cor. vi. 1,7), and that all their differences must be ended by (yea) and (nay) without an oath (Matt. v. 33-37 ; James v. 12). 87. That the Disciples of Christ, the members of the outward church, may not marry any of the profane, or wicked, godless people of the world, but that every one is to marry in the Lord (1 Cor. vii. 39), every man one only wife, and every woman one only husband (1 Cor. vii. 2). 88. That parents are bound to bring up their children in instruction and information of the Lord (Eph. vi. 4), and that they are to provide for their family : otherwise they deny the faith, and are worse than infidels (1 Tim. v. 8). 89. That notwithstanding if the Lord shall give a man any special calling, as Simon, and Andrew, James, and John, then they must leave all, father, ship, nets, wife, children, yea, and life also to follow Christ (Luke xiv. 26; Matt. iv. 18-20). 90. That in the necessities of the church, and poor brethren, all things ore to be common (Acts iv. 32), yea and that one church is to administer to another in time of need (Gal. ii. 10 ; Acts xi. 30 ; 1 Cor. iv. 8, and chap. ix). 91. That all the bodies of all men that are dead, shall by the power of Christ, be raised up, out of his own proper seed, as corn out of the seed rotting in the earth (1 Cor. xv.). 92. That these which live in the last day shall not die, but shall be changed in a moment ; in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet (1 Cor. xv. 52), for the trump shall blow, and the dead shall be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed, not in substance but in qualities ; for the bodies shall rise in honour, in power, in incorruption, and spiritual : being sown in dishonour, in weakness, in corruption, and natural (1 Cor. xv. 42, 44). 93. That the bodies being raised up, shall be joined to the souls, whereto formerly they were united ; which till that time were preserved in the hands of the Lord (Eev. vi. 9, Job xix. 25-27). 94. That it is appointed to all men that they shall once die, and then cometh the judgment (Heb. ix. 27), and that the change of them that live on the earth at the last day, shall be as it were a death unto them (1 Cor. xv. 52 ; 1 Thes. iv. 15-17). 95. That there shall be a general, and universal day of judgment, when everyone shall receive according to the things that are done in the flesh, whether they be good or evil (1 Cor. v. 10, Acts xvii. 31). 96. That of that day and hour knoweth no man ; no, not the Angels in heaven, neither the Son Himself, but the Father only. (Mark xiii. 32). 97. That Christ Jesus that man, shall be judge in that day (Acts xvii. 81), that he shall come in the clouds with glory : and all His holy angels with Him (Matt, xxv), with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God (1 Thes. iv. 16), and He shall sit upon the throne of His glory ; and all nations shall be gathered before Him, and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats, setting the sheep on His right hand and the goats on the left (Matt. xxv.). 98. That the king shall say to the sheep, the regenerate, which ore on His right hand, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world ;" and it shall be per- formed accordingly (Matt. xxv). 99. That the king shall say to them on His left hand, the goats, the wioked ones, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels," and it shall be accomplished accordingly (Matt. xxv). 100. That after the judgment ended and accomplished, and the last enemy that is death being put tinder the feet of Christ, then the Son himself shall deliver up the kingdom into the hands of the Father, and shall be subject unto Him, that subdued all things unto Him, that God may bo all in all (1 Cor. xv. 24-28). XIV The Life and Death of John Smith. •• The righteous perUheth and no man considereth it in heart, and merciful men are taken away, and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." — Isaiah lvli. 1, 2. il Then I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, write the dead which die in the Lord are fully blessed : even so saith the spirit, for they rest from their labours, and their works follow them. — Bev. xiv. 13. Afteb a certain time (living at Amsterdam) he began to practise physic (knowing that a man was bound to use the gifts that the Lord had bestowed upon him for the good of others), in administering whereof he usually took nothing of the poorer sort; and if they were rich he took but halE so much as other doctors did : excepting some, who being well able and well minded, urged more upon him ; some demanding of him why he took no more, alleging that he must pay his house-rent, maintain his wife and children. He answered, you must give me leave herein to use my conscience. Moreover he was so mindful and so careful for the poor, that he would rather live sparingly in his house (or as wa say) neglect himself, his wife, and children, than that any should be in extre uity. Upon a time, seeing one slenderly apparelled, he sent them his gown, to make them clothes. It being refused (saying that their wants was not so great as he supposed) , he answered, that if they did refuse it the fault should be upon themselves, for he was willing to give it, and that it was but his duty, according to that speech in the gospel, " He that hath two coats, let him part with him that hath none." So that he was well beloved of most men, and hated of none save a few of our English nation, who had nothing against him but that he differed from them in some points of religion ; not- withstanding he would beseech the Lord to open their eyes to see better, and to forgive them their sins : and he was ready to help any of them as occasion was offered him. Thus living uprightly in the sight of all men, being both painful and careful to do good to all, for soul and body, according to his ability : It pleased the Lord at the length to visit him with sickness, and with a disease whereby he perceived that his life should not long continue, yet remaining about seven weeks, during the which space he behaved himself Christian-like, exaniiaing his life, confessing his sins, praying for patience, having always confidence in the mercy and favour of the Lord towards him in the end. A day or two before his death the brethren having recourse unto him, and some of them remaining by him, he uttered these speeches : — Concerning the Church of England, the Separation, and Mr. Helwis, saith he, I do confess my grievous sins and corruptions in the manner of my carriage towards them in words and writings ; but as for the points of controversy betwixt us, I am persuaded I had the better of them ; and as for my faith, saith he, as I have taught and written, so I now hold — that the Gospel hath two parts : the promise on God's behalf, and the condition on our behalf. The promise is forgiveness of sins and the spirit of regeneration, wherein we can do nothing, but must be mere patients ; the condition, wherein we must be co-workers with the Lord, is to turn from our sins, and to believe his promises, He preventing us with His grace : the which if we faithfully do, then, saith he, the Lord will perform His promise unto us, wherein in some measure I have done my endeavour unfeignedly, yet I confess I have been and am too short therein, but for my weakness and wants I fly to the abundant mercy of the Lord, who will help those which seek unto Him, and if you know K 2 XV any better, I beseech you instruct me before my death ; and if I live (saith he) I will walk with no other people but you all my days. He desired his wife also so to do, being persuaded that she would : and wished that his children should remain with us, praying us to inform them wherein we saw them do amiss. And as for himself, he did now desire nothing but that the Lord would take away his sins and purge his heart, and then he were fit for Him. And being desired that if the Lord did let him feel it while he were able to speak, that he would manifest it unto us for our comfort, which he promised to do, saying that if the Lord would vouchsafe that mercy it might be a testi- mony to the whole world, so resting under the hand of God waiting his good pleasure, one coming unto him, and asking how he did, "I wait for death" (saith he), "for death." " But," saith she, " I hope you look for another comfort first." " I mean," saith he, " the death of my sins." After complaining of his sins, one of the brethren alleging unto him the words of the prophet, where he saith that the Lord will not despise the broken in heart, " No," said he, " for I know He is a merciful God, and I seeking unto Him I know He will seek me with the prodigal child." Another saying unto him, " I hope you shall do well; I trust you appertain to the Lord," "Yes," said he, "I do appertain unto Him, for I seek Him and I run not from Him," alleging the words of the prophet where he saith, " Seek my face : my heart answered, I will seek thy face." Another coming unto him, said, " We must part from you," " No," said he, " we shall never part, for we are all of one spirit ;" " But," she said, " I mean with your body." He answered " Let that go, let that go," shaking his hand. The same person having a sad and heavy countenance, he said, " Why do you weep, and break my heart ?" " But," saith she, " I weep not." He answered her, " But some come unto me weeping. I pray you let us depart comfortably, and weep not as those that are without hope." Afterward, calling his children to him, as Jacob did his sons a little before his death, he began to instruct them in the principles of religion, teaching them that there is one God, creator of all things, one Lord Jesus Christ, in whom alone salvation consisteth, one Holy Spirit, one faith, one baptism, manifesting that the baptism of infants was unlawful. And demanding of his children whether they had rather that he should die or live, they weeping said that he might live. "HI five," saith he, " I must correct you, and beat you, but you must know that I do it not because I hate you, but because I love you, even as now the Lord chasteneth me, not because He hateth me, but for that He loveth me." The brethren then speaking privately among themselves, he said, "I pray you, brethren, speak up, that I may learn also." And one asking him a question, being a stranger, which tended to strife, he would not permit an answer, " Because," said he, " I desire to hear no contention now," being desirous to end strife and contention in whomsoever he perceived it to be, whereby he shewed himself to be of the number of those which are the blessed children of God, as Christ pronounceth the peacemakers to be (Matt. v.). In the night before his death, some waking with him, he desired them to raise up some speech of comfort unto him. It being answered that he knew all things which we could say unto him, he answered, " That is not it ; for when the Lord offereth me anything I speak, and when he doth not I am silent." And, speaking of the fruit of the country that it was some cause of diseases, correcting himself, " I think," saith he, " it is but an idle speech," so careful was he not to speak vainly. Afterwards, awaking out of a slumber, he asked, " Where are the brethren ?" We coming unto him, he said, " Come, let us praise the Lord, let us praise the Lord; He ia so gracious and XVI good unto ine ; yea, He dealeth wonderfully mercifully with me." His wife then asking him. saying, " Have you obtained your desire? " " No," said he, " but He maketh me able to bear all that He layeth upon me, and to pass through it." Being answered that it was the performance of God's promise, who will lay no more upon His than they are able to bear, " It is true," saith he, "for I find the scriptures so true by experience as can be." In the morning, being asked if we should praise God for that He had given him strength and ability to pass that night, " Yes," saith he, " let us praise His name, and though I cannot be the mouth, yet I will be the ear ; and let us come before the Lord with an upright heart, for that is well pleasing unto Him." So, drawing nearer unto his end, at length he, lifting up his hands, said, " The Lord hath holpen me ; the Lord hath holpen me." His wife asking him if he had received his desire, "Yes," said he, " I praise the Lord, He hath now holpen me, and hath taken away my sins," and not long after, stretching forth his hands and his feet, he yielded up the ghost, whereby his life and death being both correspondent to his doctrine, it is a great means both to comfort us, and to confirm us in the truth. The eye and ear witnesses of these things are the brethren. CHAPTEE VII. The Course op Keligious Opinion in England prior to 1640 (continued). The increase of the Puritans, Baptists, and Brownists. The Virginia Company found a Colony in America. The Company is a pecuniary failure. they at last invite the separa- TISTS in Holland to emigrate. John Kobinson's church at leyden accept the invitation, and found the church of the " pllgrim fathers " at plymouth. Laud persecutes the Puritan party, and supports the High Church party. Accession of Charles I. Keligious agitation. We now return to the course of religious affairs in England. James the first came to the throne in 1603. Great hopes were entertained that from his Presbyterian education he would side with the Puritan party. He disap- pointed all their hopes. His sympathies were in favour of the Bomish church. His reign was signalized by the publication of our present version of the Scriptures, in 1611. The position of the Puritans and the prelatical party in the Church was not materially altered, except that the Puritans, Baptists, and Brownists were continually increasing. In 1618, John Selden, one of the most learned men in England,* published his celebrated " History of Tythes." * " Price," vol. i., p. 530. 119 " Never a fiercer storm," says Fuller " fell on all parsonage barns, since the Keformation, than what this treatise raised up." The rage of his enemies knew no hounds, and with the fear, of the Court of High Commission before his eyes, he "humbly acknowledged his error in publishing the 1 History of Tythes,' " but, as in the case of Galileo, men deemed in spite of the recantation of his " error," that he had absolutely destroyed the ground of the supposed " divine right" of the clergy to tythes. In the year 1618, the "Book of Sports" was published, and the clergy of Lancashire were commanded to read it from their pulpits. It was withdrawn in consequence of the opposition of Archbishop Abbot. The experiments in colonial Church Government in the reign of James I. and Charles I. present a most curious picture. It appears to have been the will of the Head of the Church to allow the human mind to exhaust every expedient in forming religious societies contrary to the principles laid down in the New Testament, and that the practical results of these experiments should eventually turn to the instruction and blessing of His Church. The Church of England, in 1610, contemplated the formation of a colony in Virginia, and the following extracts * of " the articles, laws, orders divine and politic, for the colony first established by Sir Thomas Gates," give an idea of the methods, then deemed to be highly christian, of spreading the Gospel of Christ. The view was, that the perfection of the christian religion, required that " no Brownists or factious Separatists " should be suffered. The orders in reference to religious observances in the colony embraced the following items: — To " speak maliciously " against the . " holy and blessed Trinity," or the Articles of the Christian * Waddington's " Congregational History," pp. 170 to 173. 120 faith — the punishment of death. "Blasphemy" or "un- lawful oaths," — first punishment to be " severe, "-*-f or the second offence "to have a bodkin thrust through his tongue," — the third offence, " death." No man. was to "speak a word" or "do any act" to the "derision" or " despite " of God's holy word, " on pain of death." If he " unworthily demeaned himself unto any preacher or min- ister," — to be openly whipt three times and ask "public forgiveness " in church on Sunday. Every man and woman, "on the first tolling of the bell, shall on working days repair unto the church to hear divine service, upon pain of losing his or her day's allowance for the- first omission, — for the second to be whipt, — for the third offence, the galleys for six months." Sabbath breaking was punished in the second offence by whipping, and the third, death!" Not a man or woman who should arrive in the colony, was to omit to "give an account of his or their faith and religion, and repair to the minister." If the minister, seeing his ignorance of the principles of the christian religion, advises him "in love and charity to repair to him " for further instruction, — and the man refuses, he is to be "whipt," — for the second, "to be whipt twice," — and for the third to be " whipt every day " until he professes his sorrow in the church and repairs to the minister for further instruction. The laudable intentions of the founders of the colony, were in their opinion to be fully accomplished by thus " displaying the banner of Christ Jesus " and " fighting with the Dragon." They believed that their names would be " eternized," — and that their attempt would serve as " a pattern " and " mirror " to the church universal. This was accomplished, not by the success of their scheme of church government, but by its failure. 121 This Virginia Company, which had been formed in 1606, having spent more than J6100,000, in this and other experiments in colonization, now had suggested to it by Sir Ferdinand Gorges, that "means might be used to draw into those enterprizes some of those families that had retired to Holland for scruple of conscience, giving them such freedom as might stand with their liking." * After some hesitation, finding that the interest of the Company would be used to secure them "freedom of religion," John Eobinson's Church at Ley den resolved to form a colony in America. The landing of the " Pilgrim Fathers " at Cape Cod, where the two great seaport towns of Plymouth and Boston were shortly founded, is an event of vast importance in the religious history of England and the world. They embarked at Delf-haven. The farewell words of John Eobinson, to the portion of his Church who embarked in the May-flower, will for ever hallow the memory of the Church at Leyden. " I charge you before God and his blessed angels, that you follow me no further than you have seen me follow the Lord Jesus Christ. If God reveal anything to you by other instruments of his, be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any truth by my ministry, for I am verily persuaded, I am very confident, the Lord has more truth yet to break forth out of his holy word. For my part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the Eeformed Churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go at present no further than the instruments of their reformation. The Lutherans can't be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw. Whatever part of his will our good God has revealed to Calvin, they will rather die than embrace it, — and the * Dr. Waddington's " Congregational History," p. 204. 122 Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that great man of God, who yet saw not all things. This is an evil much to be lamented, for though they were burning and shining lights in their times, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God, — but, were they living, would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first received. I beseech you to remember it ; — 'tis an article of your church covenant; — that you be ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known to you from the written word of God." These are words never to be forgotten. The unwillingness of Christians to receive truth from unwelcome quarters, has been the stumbling block of every Church. It is worthy of note, that in the covenants of the Independent Churches in England to walk in Gospel ordinances, they inserted the clause " till God should give them ' new light ' " or " further light." * James I. died in 1625. His despotic principles roused the spirit of the constitutional or patriotic party, while his conduct of public and foreign affairs disgusted the whole nation. The result of his reign was to array the virtue, the public spirit, and the intellect of the country on the side of the Puritans, f The state of England in a religious point of view was deplorable. The Puritans were Calvinists. The doctrines of Arminius made rapid progress among the High Church party, and were considered by the Puritans to tend to Komanism. The pulpits rang with controversy which tended little to the progress of religion. The bishops were unable to obtain preachers of ability, and * See "Account of the Church at Kothwell, founded in 1656, by Norman Glass," London, 1871. f It will be noticed that, as before specially noted, we use the word " Puritan " to describe the Presbyterian party. 123 the ranks of the clergy were filled up with men who excited the pity of the educated. " Pious churchmen," says Mr. Marsden, in his " History of the Early Puritans," " who had never concerned themselves with the surplice controversy, and were perfectly indifferent as to the cross in baptism and the ring in marriage, found themselves compelled in self- defence to associate with the only party by whom they were not insulted." Mrs. Hutchinson and Mr. Baxter agree in their testimony, that in these times, the rabble, encouraged by the Court and Prelatical party, indifferently harassed and persecuted any person of real piety (what- ever his sentiments might be) as a "puritan," because if so, he was deemed a disloyal person who could obtain no redress. The inevitable reaction from Puritan doctrine, had now created a party in the Church, who undervalued the work of the Eeformers. Their rule was " Catholic antiquity." Laud, though not yet archbishop, had commenced to exert the influence which now causes him to be hailed, by the school he represents, as the true Reformer of the Church of England. The Papists were countenanced by the Court, popish recusants were released from prison, while the laws were enforced against the Puritans with the utmost severity, and the increase of popery alarmed the protestant feeling of the country, an alarm which the incidents of the Spanish marriage negotiation did not tend to allay. " Puritans," says Carlyle, " in the better ranks, and in every rank, abounded. Already in conscious act, or in clear tendency, the far greater part of the serious thought and manhood of England had declared itself Puritan." " There needs no prophetical spirit," said Bishop Hall in 1622, " to discern by a small cloud that there is a storm coining towards our church, such an one which shall not only drench our 124 plumes, but shake our peace."* Already the fearful vision appeared to that excellent man, of " that anarchical fashion of Independent congregations, which I see and lament to see, affected by too many not without woful success. We are gone, we are lost in a most miserable confusion ! " The Puritan party were disheartened and cast down by the severities of Laud ; and encouraged by the success of the little band of the Pilgrim Fathers, they sent out six ships to found the Massachusetts colony. They landed on the 24th of June, 1629 and founded the towns of Salem and Newton, afterwards called Cambridge. They applied to the followers of Kobinson, at New Plymouth, for information respecting their church order and discipline, and while they resolved to carry out the Puritan model of a Eeligious Commonwealth, they agreed to found their churches upon the principle of independency advocated by Robinson. They did not go to New England as " Separatists from the Church of England," "but we go to practise the positive part of church reformation, and to propagate the gospel in America." Although Robinson had been induced to concede more than his original principles entirely justified, with reference to the power of the state over churches, it is important to recognize the distinction between pure Independency on the principles of Ainsworth and Robinson, and what is termed the New England model of Independency, which was a compromise between Independency and Presbyterianism. The legitimate influence of the little church of the Pilgrim Fathers, was nearly lost in consequence of the vast Puritan emigration which took place. It was at Boston that the celebrated law, which embodied the principles of * " Via Media, the Way of Peace," by J. H. of Worcester. Dedication to the King. 125 New England theocracy, was enacted. On May 18th, 1631, it was resolved by the General Court at Boston, that " for the future no one shall be admitted to the freedom of this bodij politic, unless he be a member of some church within the limits of the same." It is important to notice, that in this enactment we have a Theocratic State Church erected by the Puritan party. It is an error to confound the New England theocracy with the followers of Robinson and the ancient Separatist Church.* We have before alluded to Robinson's controversy with Smyth, in which he was led into some dangerous ad- missions with regard to the right of civil rulers to interfere with religious matters for the good of the churches. These principles were reiterated in the articles sent from the Church of Leyden for the satisfaction of the Virginia company, f and they now bore their fruits in the acquies- cence of the Plymouth church with the principles of the New England theocracy. This may be seen by their enact- ment that the ministers were not to be supported by the voluntary contributions of the members, but by " all who are instructed in the word," and also in "ruling elders" being acknowledged by the Boston and Salem churches, while in the Plymouth only " teaching elders " were acknow- ledged. It was not lawful for the magistrates " to compel their subjects to become church members," but if they were not so, they had no vote in the government of the State. The State was thus to become a community of believers. * See "Cambridge Platform," 1648. "The term ' Independent ' we approve not," although they admitted that the state of the members of the visible church was ' ' con- gregational," their churches were_ not in several respects purely "independent" churches. This is reprinted in " Uhden's New England Theocracy." f See " Waddington's Congregational History," p. 207. 126 The State was the executioner of the Church. Heresy, if combined with the seduction of others, was punishable with death ; while those who " refused to submit to the will of the well grounded churches, and to their christian reproof and discipline," were to be " cut off by banishment." Owing to the troubles in the early part of the reign of Charles I., and the disinclination of the Parliament and of Cromwell to interfere with it, this extraordinary experiment was carried out without interruption sufficiently long to manifest its necessary results. The policy of Elizabeth and the folly of James I. had begun the [Revolution. Charles I. reaped the harvest which had been sown by his predecessors. Still, had the object of Charles been to precipitate the catastrophe, the course which he took with reference to both civil and religious matters, in the existing state of public feeling, could hardly have been more accurately adapted to his purpose. This is indeed admitted by his apologist, Clarendon. It is beyond our province to enter into the de- tails of the religious, much less those of the civil history of the time. We shall however strive to realize the inevitable effect of the great events of the time upon the development of the ideas, the rise of which we have been endeavour- ing to trace. One of the first acts of the Parliament shows the alarm felt in reference to the increase of Popery. The Queen had brought with her from France a long train of Komish priests. " Her conscience was directed by her confessor, assisted by the Pope's nuncio and a secret cabal of priests and Jesuits."* The Parliament petitioned for the execution of the laws against Papists. The King promised to comply with their wishes, and secretly connived * " Neal," vol. i. p. 496, Toulmin's Ed. 1837. 127 at the laws being rendered inoperative. The English fleet was placed in the hands of the French admiral for the purpose of blockading the harbour of Eochelle, the strong- hold of the Protestants. Cardinal Richelieu had formed the design of extirpating the Protestants of France, and was besieging Rochelle. The English sailors had refused to serve, declaring that they would rather be hanged upon the top of the masts than fight against the Protestants.* Laud succeeded to the archbishopric on the 4th August, 1633, but he had virtually the direction of affairs from a very early period. It is difficult for the general reader to understand how the Puritan preachers obtained a hearing, and maintained their hold on the public mind, through these ages of per- secution. This had been up to this time accomplished by their becoming chaplains in wealthy families, and some of the most able and popular preachers of the day were thus employed. They catechised the children. They were employed as tutors in families; and thus the high, religious and intellectual character of some of these families was maintained. This also accounts for the influence which the Presbyterian party had among the nobihty and gentry at a later period. It was also a common plan to provide lectureships, and the idle and incompetent clergy of the day allowed the Puritans to preach as lecturers, in the Geneva cloak, without hindrance. Laud saw that the strength of the Puritan party lay in the existence of these irregular preachers, and issued instructions for the suppression of them, and forbade all under the rank of noblemen to keep a chaplain. The invocation of saints, prayers for the dead, auricular *"Neal,"vol. i., pp. 502,503. 128 confession, the doctrine of the real presence, were now advocated by Laud's party. Vast sums were spent in the adornment of churches. The parishioners were obliged to repair to their parish churches, and what were deemed popish decorations and alterations were introduced. Cruci- fixes were set up over the altar. The communion table was placed altar-wise, and fenced. Pictures and statues, new rites and gaudy vestments rapidly came in upon the astonished country. The opinion which the Pope held of Laud's Protestantism, is sufficient to excuse a protestant writer from entering into the question of Laud's real object, since, on the very day of Archbishop Abbot's death, a cardinal's hat was offered him, which, after consulting with the King, he refused. The question of the pro- priety of Laud's conduct, is one which a member of the Church of England will answer precisely in accordance with his own views. If Scripture, and the practice of the Apostles were to be the rule, the Puritans and Separatists were right ; if Catholic antiquity, Laud. No one can reasonably doubt the inexpediency and folly of his church action, but he consistently carried out his views, and at last fell a victim to his principles. In 1633, the " Book of Sports " was again printed with the King's sanction, and clergymen were silenced for not reading it. Some clergymen read it, and immediately afterwards the 4th commandment, calling on the people to compare the two and judge accord- ingly.* The feelings of the nation were outraged, and when a parliament was called, the book was ordered to be burnt by the common hangman. In 1630, Dr. Alexander Leighton, a Scotch divine, and father of the celebrated Archbishop Leighton, received the sentence of the Star " Marsden's Early Puritans," p. 398. 129 Chamber, for writing a book called " Sion's Plea against the Prelacy," to prove "that the Lord Bishops and their appurtenances " were intruders upon " the privileges of Christ, and the King and Commonwealth." Ludlow says, " His ears were cut, his nose slit, his face branded with burning irons with the letters S. S. signifying sower of sedition. He was tied to a post and whipped with a treble cord, so that every lash brought away the flesh/ When this sentence was pronounced on Leighton, " Laud pulled off his cap, and holding up his hands, gave thanks to God who had given him victory over all his enemies." The Church now not only grasped at all spiritual jurisdiction, but the Bishop of London, Dr. Juxon, was declared Lord High Treasurer of England, the highest office of profit and power in the kingdom. While these things were being transacted, it is well for us to recollect, that on the Continent the struggle of the great leader of the Protestants, Gustavus Adolphus, with Wallenstein, the champion of the Catholic party, was proceeding ; and that the death of Gustavus on the field of Lutzen, in 1632, must have added to the excited feelings of the Protestants in England. In 1633, Prynne, Burton and Bastwick, had been imprisoned, and they rendered them- selves obnoxious to the hierarchy by writing pamphlets in their imprisonment. They were tried together in the Star Chamber, in 1637, and were sentenced to be degraded from their profession of Law, Divinity and Physic ; — Burton and Bastwick to lose their ears, each to be fined ^5,000, and to suffer perpetual imprisonment ; — Prynne, who had already lost his ears, to have the stumps cut off, and to be branded with irons, S. L. for seditious libeller ; and all to stand in the pillory. The scene of the execution of their sentence was made an ovation by the people; their path to the 130 pillory was strewn with sweet herbs, the crowd saluted them with enthusiasm, and in their progress through the country to their prison, they were received as martyrs to the cause of religious liberty. In 1637, .Laud stirred up Charles to the attempt to impose on the Scots a liturgy. They had been previously exasperated by the introduction of a Court of High Commission. Bishops, and some ceremonies very distasteful to the Scots, had been imposed. Some years prior to this, in 1617, James I., accompanied by Laud, had visited Scotland in order to carry out his intention of imposing episcopacy on the Scotch. Carlyle, in his "Life of Cromwell," introduces this characteristic sketch of the impressions which Laud received in Scotland. "In Scot- land, Dr. Laud, much to his regret, found no religion at all; no surplices, no altars in the east end, or anywhere, no bowing, no responding, not the smallest regularity of fuglemanship, or devotional drill exercise ; in short, * no religion at all that I could see.' "* On Sunday, the 23rd of July, 1637, the new Scotch Liturgy was read for the first time, and the well-known anecdote of Jenny Geddes, who hurled a stool at the Bishop in St. Giles' Church, Edinburgh, illustrates in a lively manner the difference between the feelings of Dr. Laud, as above quoted, with reference to a liturgical worship, and those of the ex- treme Presbyterian party. We may, from this incident, gather an idea of the intense earnestness of the times, and when we recollect, that, to use the words of Hume, " the whole tyranny of the Inquisition was introduced by the bishops in England," we shall believe that the feelings of the Puritans, Separatists and Baptists in England, were not less fervent against Prelacy. In 1638, the whole * Carlyle, "Life of Cromwell," p. 76. 131 Scotch nation took the Solemn League and Covenant, and prepared to resist the King by force of arms. In England, the Puritans emigrated to Holland and New England in large numbers, td escape from the hands of Laud and the Star Chamber. Scotland was now at open war, and in April, 1640, a parliament was summoned. Queen Henrietta issued a proclamation in her own name, inviting Eoman Catholics in the North to contribute money in aid of the war against Scotland. No wonder then that the Commons refused the King subsidies for a war, which they deemed the cause of Popery against Presbyterianism. The Convocation, notwithstanding the temper of the nation, continued to sit, and besides framing new Canons, imposed on the clergy what is called " the Etcetera Oath," con- taining the clause "Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the government of this Church by archbishops, deans, and archdeacons, etcetera." An armed force was needed to protect its sittings, and an attack was made upon Laud's palace at Lambeth, by above 500 persons. Two thousand "sectaries" entered St. Paul's, where the High Commission sat, and tore down the benches and cried " No Bishops, no High Commission." * * A curious scene occurred in Norwich, on 22nd February, 1641 : " The oathedral blades " put themselves into a posture of defenoe, because they imagined that the apprentices of Norwich would have pulled down their organ." They had musqueteers, " 500 persons armed with swords and pistols, to be upon the bratts if any should come against their pipes." It turned out to be a false alarm. ..." Thus, good reader, thou mayest see how these men are rocked and lulled asleep by this musick ! " The writer admits that one of the " constant hearers of this musical masse saith he finds comfort from it ; how will he do when it be put down? " — " True News from Norwich," London, 1641. 47, k p 17, Brit. Museum. L2 CHAPTEK VIII. Meeting of the Long Parliament. Ejection of the Eoyalist Clergy. The Westminster Assembly. The Puritans endeavour to force the Geneva model of Church Government on the country. "Lay "preach- ing. Women preach. The Independents and Baptists oppose the Presbyterian scheme. Denne, Lamb, and others, preach the gospel to* the common people. On November 3rd, 1640, the Long Parliament met. Three days had not passed before they resolved themselves into a Committee on Eeligion. " Almost every parish had a grievance, and within a few days the table of the House was loaded with petitions."* One, called the " Boot and Branch petition," was signed by 15,000 citizens of London, and prayed that the government of Bishops, " with all its dependencies, roots and branches, may be abolished, and all in their behalf made void, and the government according to God's word rightly placed." There were besides petitions for the abolition of Episcopacy, — counter petitions in favor of it, but qualified by admission of the corruption of the Church, and thanking parliament for the check which had been given to innovations and abuses. The Parliament devised two measures, which were to be carried out by this committee. First, an enquiry into the fitness and morals of the clergy. Second, an Assembly of Divines to advise * " Marsden's Later Puritans," p. 44. 133 upon the future constitution of the Church. During the whole of the war, the Committee on Keligion continued sit- ting. At length few adherents of the Royal cause, and very few of the Laudian clergy remained. " The Committee of Scandalous Ministers," one of the sub-divisions of the Com- mittee, ejected 1,000 of the clergy before the war was over. The number of 2,000 to 2,500 of the clergy has been men- tioned as a fair and moderate estimate, but we cannot but believe that there has been a tendency among non-conformist writers to under-estimate the number of the ejected Episco- palian clergy, and perhaps their sufferings. (The quotation we give at the foot of this page, appears to us to throw con- siderable light on this disputed question.)* One fifth of the incomes of the sequestered livings was reserved for the ejected ministers. " The benefices of England were now * Attached to a proclamation of his excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax (King's Pamph., B.M. 325, 42 o cat.) in 1647, it is stated that, " whereas it appears, upon sufficient proof, that many violent tumults and outrages are committed by several persons (these were Anglican clergymen) against divers ministers placed by order, or ordi- nance of Parliament, in sequestered livings, and for such their violent carriage to and detaining from the said ministers their profits, there is pretended by the said parties, power and authority from the general and the army, &c. They be brought to condign punishment." At p. 5 we have " the petition of many thousands of the poore sequestered clergie of England and Wales." They state that they have been "for divers years outed of their livelihood and freeholds, contrary to Magna Charta, and other fundamental laws of the land, by the arbitrary power of committees. . . . The most of your petitioners outed for refusing the covenant, or adhering to the King and their religion, established according to their judgment and consciences. Your petitioners, who have lived heretofore in good esteem accord- ing to their calling, degree, birth, and education, are reduced to extreme misery and want, with their wives and children ; that they must either starve or begge, if some speedy course be not taken for their relief. And whereas those who are put into our places, labour by all means to stir up the people, and to involve this kingdom in a new war, and are generally men ignorant and unable to instruct the people, and many of them are scandalous in their practices, if impartially examined ; and divers of them hold three or four of the best benefices, whilst divers other churches are void and without any constant preachers." . . . They ask that Sir Thomas 134 in the hands of the Puritans."* This has been pleaded by writers on behalf of the Church of England, as a justification of the measures taken by the Episcopalians at the accession of Charles II., by which, on St. Barthol- omew's day, 2,000 Non-conforming ministers were again ejected. But must we not, in justice, admit that the two cases cannot be compared, since on the outbreak of the war it would have been the height of folly on the part of the Parliament to leave men so completely in the interests of the King and Bishops scattered throughout England ? f The King had used the pulpits to preach up Faiifax will " stay the profits of this harvest ; that they have nothing to live upon till next year; many if they could receive this " would presently be gone." At the same period we find this Ordinance of the House of Commons : "It is lastly ordered and ordained, that if any scandalous or delinquent minister, put out as aforesaid, their aiders or abettors, shall at any time hereafter disturb, molest, or hinder such minister as is put into such church or chapel as aforesaid " — " the penalty to be imprisonment for a month." In Penn's letter to Baxter [see Appendix xv. to Penn's Life, vol. i. of works, folio 1726, p. 175,] there is a passage of some importance, showing that Penn con- sidered, at the accession of Charles II., the whole 9000 ministers as the greater part of them Presbyterian. Penn reminds Baxter that he had cried up the Presby- terian ministry of 1655 as " the best in the world," " and when put close to it, runs off and quits the field, of above 9000 preachers with 1800." " Were the 1800 the ministry, and not the 9000? and did not these call Oliver ' Moses,' " &c, asks Penn, and says he is "grieved to mention it," but is driven to it by Baxter's extravagant praise of the Presbyterian ministry. The 1800 or 2000 ejected ministers were, it is clear, only a very small portion of the ministry of the Commonwealth. These were undoubtedly the best men among the Presbyterian clergy, and their example a noble one, but they were not, strictly speaking, "Dissenters," since they approved a State Church, and only differed on doctrinal and ceremonial grounds. In the providence of God the 2000 ejected Presbyterian clergymen were thrown among the Independent and Baptist Churches, whom a year previously they would have been ready to imprison or exile, and they were taught by persecution the lesson of religious liberty which they had been so slow to learn. * " Marsden's Later Puritans," p. 45. f On the other side we find, October 14th, 1642, York, " The Cavaliers threaten our best ministers, that if they preach not as they will have them, they will kill them." — " Nehemiah Wallington's Journal," from special passages, No. 10. 135 the divine right of kings, and they were now turned against him. But the Presbyterian clergy who were ejected on St. Bartholomew's day were men of the very party by whom the Kestoration was effected, and justice and good faith on the part of the Boyalists demanded their comprehension. The Long Parliament instantly ordered Prynne, Burton, Bastwick, Leighton, Lilburn and Brewer to be released from their prison, and the bells rang as they passed, and the people strewed their path with flowers. The parliament abolished the Star Chamber and Court of High Commission. On the 4th December, the canons of Archbishop Laud were condemned. On the 5th July, 1640, Lord Strafford was impeached, and within a week the tide of public affairs had turned. On the 26th February, 1641, Laud was voted guilty of high treason by the House of Commons and committed to the Tower. But an event now occurred which roused the apprehen- sions of the English people to an extent which may be related, but which can hardly be conceived. On October 23rd, 1641, the Irish Insurrection broke out. The Protes* tants were remorselessly massacred. From forty to fifty thousand men were consigned to deaths, in many cases, accompanied by circumstances too horrible to relate. * * See the tract of G. Fox, " The Arraignment of Popery," 1669, chap, xxvii. — An abstract of the bloody massacre in Ireland. We give the following title as a specimen of the pamphlets dispersed over the kingdom, and this is far less harrowing in its details and more temperate than the generality: " The Eebels' Turkish tyranny in their march, December 24th, 1641, as it was taken out of a letter sent from Mr. Whitcome, a merchant in Kinsale, to a brother of his here ; showing how cruelly they ' put them (the Protestants) to the sword, ravished religious women, and put their children upon red-hot spits before their parents' eyes ; throw them into the fire and burn them to ashes, cut off their ears and noses, put out their eyes, cut off their arms and legges, broyle them at the fire, cut out their tongues, and thrust hot iron down their throats, drown them, dash out tbeir brains, and such other cruelty not heard of among Christians."— K. P., 4to (gold No. 37), tract 26. London, 1641. 136 " When the express that brought the news was read in the House it produced a general silence for a time, all men being struck with horror. When it was told without door? it flew like flashes of lightning, and spread universal terror over the whole kingdom. Every day and almost every hour new messengers arrived, who brought further intelli- gence of the merciless cruelty of the Papists towards the poor. Protestants, whose very name they have threatened to extirpate from the kingdom."* " The Eebels called them- selves the Queen's Army, and declared they acted by the King's commission under the Great Seal of Scotland." Baxter tells us that " though the better part of the nation could not believe, yet the credulous, timorous vulgar were many of them ready to believe it." f " Accustomed," says HumeJ " in all insurrections, to join the Prelatical party with the Papists, the people immediately supposed this insurrection to be the result of their united counsels." " This filled all England with a fear both of the Irish and of the Papists at home," for they supposed that the priests and the ministers of their religion were the cause. " And when they saw the English Papists join with the King against the Parliament, it was the greatest thing that ever alienated them from the King." § The taking of the Naseby papers appeared to justify the suspicions of the country. It was found that the King had strictly forbidden the printer to strike off more than forty copies of his proclamation against the Irish Eebels. That in another paper he had erased the word " Eebels " and written with his own hand the word " Irish." All this * " Neal," ii., p. 95. f "Baxter's Life," part i., p. 29, Ed. 1696, published by Sylvester. } Hist. vol. vi. 323. § " Baxter's Life," part i., p. 29. 137 appeared to show that he felt hut little sympathy with the Irish Protestants.* A letter of Charles I. to the Pope has been lately found in the Vatican, dated October 20th, 1645, which, if not a forgery, justifies the impression pro- duced upon the country, particularly upon strict Protestants such as Puritans and Separatists, that his whole course of conduct contemplated a return to " that state in which he might openly avow himself" a member of the Holy Catholic Church, f The news of the Irish insurrection was inten- sified a year later, in 1642, by the massacre of the Protes- tants in France, and Englishmen were not slow in arguing that their turn would shortly come.]: We believe the depth of the excitement produced throughout England cannot now be adequately conceived, and that the under- current of a fear of everything savouring of popery must be presupposed by the reader, if he would understand the results of the religious excitement which existed during the period, some features of which we are endeavouring to describe. The extreme feeling respecting the actions of the Church of Kome, even up to so late a period as 1659, is vividly illustrated, when we find George Fox telling the council of officers of the army that they had done well, if instead of allowing their power to be used for the purpose of persecution, they had gone to " Spain " and abolished the Inquisition, and to "Rome" and "broke up the bars and gates where all the just blood hath been shed." " You * "Marsden's Later Puritans," p. 188. t Ibid. p. 190. X " A Warning Piece for London. The Bloody Massacre of the Protestants in Paris," London, 1642. For " thirty days together " throughout France there was no end of killing, slaying, robbing, and abominable cruelties. " The Butcher's Blessing; or, The Bloody Intentions of Bomish Cavaliers against the City of London," by J. Goodwin, London, 1642. Goodwin was an eminent Independent, holding free grace or Arminian views. 138 had gone," he tells them, " in the cause of God and His truth."* The complete incompatibility of war with the Gospel is so completely set forth by Fox, that it is difficult to reconcile this passage except by the horror felt by him at the cruelties of the Inquisition, and that he contemplated it in the light of a judicial use of the sword. The celebrated Assembly of Divines commenced its sittings on the 1st July,. 1643. This assembly was convened by the Parliament in order to settle a Church Government, " as may be agreeable to God's Holy Word, and most apt to procure and preserve the peace of the Church at home, and nearer agreement with the Church of Scotland and other reformed Churches abroad, and the better effecting thereof; and for the vindicating and clearing of the doctrine of the Church of England from all false calumnies and aspersions, it was thought fit to call an assembly of learned, godly, and judicious Divines " to consult and advise with the Parlia- ment, and give their counsel concerning such things as might be submitted to them. There were about 170 members, 30 were laymen, members of the two Houses of Parliament. The majority of these divines espoused the opinions which Cartwright represented; they either favoured the Presby- terian discipline, or in process of time were brought over to embrace it. It is most important for us, in the point of view from which we propose to consider the rise of the Free Churches and the Society of Friends, to observe with Baxter " that almost all those afterwards called Presby- terians were before Conformists." " Very few of all that learned and pious synod at Westminster were Noncon- formists before." f The Assembly continued to sit till * Vol. of Tracts, No. 1 — 57, Devonshire House Library. t " Life of Baxter," by himself, Sylvester, part i., p. 33. 139 1649. It was then changed into a committee, which sat weekly for the trial and examination of ministers. One of its first acts was to take the Covenant, and the Parliament enforced it on all persons above the age of eighteen years. This amounted to a pledge of the acceptance of a Presby- terian Church. The Presbyterians, or Puritans, were only a powerful party in the church, and the country was totally unprepared to accept this form of Church government ; and although some reform was admitted to be absolutely neces- sary, this was most unpopular.* There were five Indepen- dents in the Assembly — Nye, Simpson, Bridges, Burroughs and Thomas Goodwin. They were styled the dissenting brethren. They had previously tasted of Laud's severities, and had taken refuge in Holland. There can be little doubt that the Assembly Independents were not only " a long way behind many of their party," f but that their object was to gain a share of the benefices at the disposal * " Plain Truth without Fear or Flattery ; or, A Discovery of the Unlawfulness of the Presbyterian Government, it being inconsistent with the People's Liberties," &c, also, " A Vindication of Sir Thomas Fairfax," by Amon Willber, 1647. " Printed and published for the information, advice, and benefit of the poor, oppressed, betrayed, and almost destroyed Commons of England." Page 3. " First they do in the protes- tation, promise, vow, and protest in the presence of the almighty God (whom sure they think is like the God of Baal's priests, that could neither hear nor see), to maintain and defend with their lives, power, and estates, the true reformed Protestant religion, expressed in the doctrines of the Church of England, against all popery and popish innovations within this realm contrary to the same, &c. Yet they are now setting up, and have set up, as far as in them lyeth, a religion never before heard of within this realm, and quite contrary to the professed doctrine of the Church of England, it being wholly opposite to Christ, and a mere popish innovation brought out of Scotland and violently imposed upon us. And thus it comes to pass, by the confederacy of a haughty trayterous party in the Houses of Parliament, of which are the Earls of Manchester and Stamford, Sir Philip Stapleton, Mr. Hollis and others, and with the proud covetous priests, for the advancement of their design of usurpation and lordliness over his Majesty and us." .... f *• Fletcher's History of Independency," vol. iv., p. 35. 140 of the Committee of the House of Commons for their party, and thus to give up one of the fundamental principles of the exiled Separatist Churches. The means by which this was to be effected, was the construction of a Church system on the scheme of the New England Churches, where, as we have before shown, a fusion had been effected between the Puritan or Presbyterian party in the Church of England, and the Independents, who looked up to John Eobinson of Leyden as their guide. This was effected, at a later period, to a very large extent in Lancashire.* The policy of the Assembly Independents was to gain time, and with great address and ability they engaged the Assembly in tedious discussions, while every day their party was gaining strength. On the other hand it is instructive to notice how the Presby- terian divines, men professedly of the highest christian character, called together to advise the Parliament, were really engaged (if Kobert Baillie, principal of the University of Glasgow, and one of the commissioners of the Scottish Kirk, is to be trusted) in an attempt to outwit their brethren till their respective partisans in the army — to use Baillie's words — should " much assist our arguments " by crushing the men who differed from them, on such questions too as the scriptural sanction of Independency as compared with Presbyterianism ! f It is certain, notwithstanding the high praise which ' * See " Halley's Lancashire Puritanism," passim. t See Baillie's "39th Letter to Mr. William Spang." "Letters," Ed. 1775. " This (i.e., the question of lay elders) is a point of high consequence, and upon no others we expect so great difficulty, except alone on Independency, wherewith we purpose not to meddle in haste till it please God to advance our army which we expect will much assist our arguments." Letter 40. " It was my advice, which Mr. Henderson presently applauded and gave me thanks for it, to eschew a public rupture with the Independents till we are more able for them. As yet a presbytery to this people (the English) is conceived to be a strange monster." 141 Baxter gives the Assembly, that the country became weary of its endless discussions, and it became every day more un- popular. It soon became evident that the Assembly aimed at setting up a spiritual tyranny, as Barrowe had long before prophesied, more intolerant and crushing than even Episcopacy. To see men who had so narrowly escaped from the hand of Laud determined to enact a ruthless uniformity, and mete out to others the same pains and penalties, could not fail to disgust the candid and intelligent of all parties. It has been said that the possession of power was the ruin of the moral strength of the Puritan or Presbyterian party, but this does not adequately describe the case. They appear to have aimed, during the whole of their history, at the religious system of Geneva, and it was this which led to their downfall. They closed the argument with 'the Assembly Independents, by reminding them that their brethren in New England allowed no such " toleration," * as that which they pleaded for.f If they desired a fusion they must sacrifice their cherished principles. It is wonder- ful to observe the unmeasured terms in which the Presby- terian or Puritan party spoke of " toleration." It was * It must be borne in mind that this "toleration" was not synonymous with " religious liberty." See an able pamphlet by E. B. Underbill, Esq. — The " Independents not the first assertors of the principle of full liberty of conscience, with special reference to the views of the five dissenting brethren in the Westminster Assembly of Divines. " Leeds and London, 1849. It is quite true that " the Independents " as represented by the " five dissenting brethren" were not "the advocates of full liberty of conscience," p. 6. ; but it must be borne in mind that the Brownists at that period, though a more obscure portion of the Independent party were not only more numerous, but also the representatives of a purer school of Independency. The Brownist petition to the House of Commons in 1641, quoted at p. 476, shows that this section of the Independents did advocate " full liberty of conscience." The Independent historians, have hitherto been very shy of claiming historical relationship with any but the more respectable Inde- pendent churches, and it is curious that this party who went the farthest from the original and present principle of Independency, should receive the most praise. t " Marsden's Later Puritans," 154. 142 denounced by the Synod of Divines at Sion College, in 1645, " as a root of gall and bitterness both in present and future ages." The ministers of Lancashire declared that it was the " taking away of all conscience ;" " it was the appointing a city of refuge in men's consciences for the devil to fly to."* Calamy (October, 1644) told the House of Commons in his sermon, " If you do not labour according to your duty and power, to suppress the errors and heresies that are spread in the kingdom, all those errors are your errors, and those heresies are your heresies; they are your sins, and God calls for a parliamentary repentance from you for them this day." t Baxter's "judgment" was that unlimited toleration " was to be abhorred." Edwards, the author of " Gangrcena," whom we shall presently quote, writes with unmeasured language. His book bears internal evidence of the approval of many of his Presbyterian brethren. " A toleration is the grand design of the devil — it is the most transcendant catholic and fundamental evil for this kingdom, — as original sin is the most fundamental sin ; " so a toleration hath all errors in it, and all evils — it is against the whole stream and current of scripture, both in the Old and New Testament, — this is Abaddon, Apollyon, the destroyer of all religion, the abomination of desolation and astonishment, the liberty of perdition — all the devils in hell, and their instruments, being at work to promote a toleration." He gives us valu- able information on this point, that in 1645, " there have been more books written, sermons preached, words spoken, besides plottings and actings for a toleration, within these four last years, than for all other things. Every day now brings forth books for a toleration. The devil for some thousands of years has not found out this engine, nor made * " Neal," ii- , p. 382. f " Crosby," i., p. 176. 143 use of it to support his kingdom !"* Milton tells usf that the most part "of the Assembly were such as had preached and cried down with great show of zeal, the avarice and plural- ities of bishops and prelates. That one cure of souls was a full employment for one spiritual pastor, how able soever, if not a charge rather above human strength. Yet these conscientious men (ere any part of the work done for which they came together, and that on the public salary), wanted not boldness to the ignominy and scandal of their pastor- like profession, and especially of their boasted reformation, to seize into their hands, or not unwillingly to accept (besides one, sometimes two or more of the best livings},! collegiate masterships in the universities, rich lectures in the city, setting sail to all winds that might blow gain into their covetous bosoms. And yet the main doctrine for which they took such pay, and insisted upon, with more vehemence than gospel, was but to tell us in effect that their doctrine was worth nothing, and the spiritual power of their ministry less available than bodily compulsion." He says that they were found " under subtle hypocrisy to have preached their own follies, most of them not the gospel," (being) time servers, covetous, illiterate persecutors, not lovers of truth, like in most things whereof tliey accused their predecessors. The people being kept warm awhile by their counterfeit zeal, being * " G-angrcena," Book I., part iii., pp. 121, 122, Ed. 1646. f " History of Britain," pp. 238, 239, Bonn's Ed., 1670. J "An Inspection for Spiritual Improvement," being presented to a Presbyterian Pluralist and Formalist, by Thomas Tookey, M.A., Substitute-Pastor at Thornhaw in Northamptonshire. London, 1646. Mr. Tookey declares that Mr. John Yaxley exacted " the worldly sweet of two distinct congregations." " The sun in its meridian altitude of rigid episcopacy never saw the like." Mr. Yaxley had " peeped into much logic ... so that tho' once he could not" now "he can account both non-residency and sacred thievery dearly lawful, gainful, hopeful, and needful." 144 " foully scandalized," " became cold," " some turning to lewdness, some to flat atheism." Baxter says, " the divines thus congregated were men of eminent learning, godliness, ministerial abilities and fidelity." " The christian world, since the days of the Apostles, never had a synod of more excellent divines than this and the synod of Dort." Milton's testimony has been rejected by some writers of the highest character for impartiality, e.g., Orme* and Marsden,f that he wrote under the influence of personal pique, because the Assembly censured his " Doctrine of Divorce," and it is said that in that pamphlet he addressed them as " select assembly," &c. Fletcher clearly points out that the quotations relied upon by these writers do not, when considered in their proper connexion, imply " Milton's approval " of the Assembly of Divines." { There were those then living who could have amply refuted Milton's state- ments, and Baxter cannot be deemed an impartial witness. He says, " When the Quakers and others did openly reproach the ministry, and the souldiers favored them, I drew up a petition for the ministry, and got many thousand names to it." § [Baxter was therefore a thorough-going sup- porter of the Assembly and the Presbyterian ministry, and yet, even he remarked|| of the Assembly men, that " they frightened the sectaries into this fury by the unpeaceableness * " Orine's Life of Baxter," chap, iv., p. 69. t "Marsden's Later Puritans," pp. 92, 93. J It was written in 1643, soon after the Assembly met, and we have in this harsh judgment upon Milton's motives, an instance of the exceedingly slender grounds on which the testimony of a man who had the best opportunities of forming an opinion, is challenged. It seems impossible to conceive a man like Milton, harbouring a private pique to the extent of traducing the character of the Assembly, 25 years after- wards. (The "History of Britain" being written in 1670.) "Fletcher's History of Independency," vol. iv., p. 21. § " Baxter's Life," Sylvester, p. 70. |j Autobiography, p. 103. 145 and inipatiency of their minds, and they were so little sensible of their own infirmity, that they would not have those tolerated who were not only tolerable but worthy instru- ments and members in the churches," that those who " pleaded for charity " could never be heard/^> The Assembly of Divines, and the Presbyterian clergy must be tried by their fruits. Some of these were good, but there is another and darker side to the picture which we conceive has hardly been sufficiently dwelt upon.* On the 3rd of January, 1645, the Parliament issued an ordinance to abolish the Common Prayer Book in public worship, and for the imposition of the Directory.! The clergy *y l The Clergy in their Colors, or, The Pride and Avarice of the Presbyterian Clergy hindering Beformation Tyhowing how from time to time they have been the fomentors of this first and second war ; but, also by their horrid fallacies, have to this present deluded the Commonwealth — discovered in a plain and familiar dialogue between Philalethes and Presjjyter." (London, 1651. \The MSS. of this was written some years before.) Page 41. ^Take but a view of their practices, and let that speak how well they have carried themselves within five years past, since they got their preferments. I could instance in many places where superstitious and blind bussards were put out of their livings, and some of there orthodox men put in their roomes, and when they had got good livings, were they, or are they contented ? Some hold livings in the country, and some in London, hardly ever coming to the flock but to take the fleece. Some hold two or three livings apiece ; some leave one and run to another when they can find a greater, nay, they will fight for a better living rather than lose it;\and yet falsely bewitch the silly people to believe that it is the call of God so to do, when it is nothing else but the delusion of Satan, and of their own wicked hearts to satisfy their ambition and avarice. See but how these men press the committee for plundered ministers, for augmentations and removals from day to day, and how they engage Parliament men to act for them, calling themselves in their certificates and petitions 'godly,' ' learned,' and ' orthodox divines.' And it is observed in the county that many of those who are thus put in, prove more proud, covetous, and contentious, than those that were put out." .... t There is a pamphlet in the British Museum (" King's Pamphlets," b 183, Tract 10, 1644) entitled, " MSS. Proposition by the Committee for the County of Kent, to the Hon ble - House of Commons, in behalf of said County." They recommend that " Such .... as forsake their own parish churches where a pious and painful (Presby- terian) ministry is settled by a parliamentary authority, and do usually repair to other M 146 were commanded to conform to it under heavy fines. It forbade the use of the Book of Common Prayer, even in the domestic circle, under a penalty of five pounds for the first, and one hundred pounds for the third offence.* The frame of the proposed Presbyterian State Church was this : " Wherever there was an established congre- gation with a Pastor, whether in a Church to which tythe of common .right belonged, or one in which a vicar was established, or a mere Chapel to which no tythe belonged, persons called " Euling Elders " were to be chosen by the votes of the congregations, whose duty it was to assist the pastor or minister by their information, advice, and service, and to exercise a superintendence over all the other persons composing the congregation. These formed the congrega- tional Eldership. The minister, and some of the more dis- creet of the Euling Elders, in districts containing some twenty or thirty congregations, were to meet once a month as a " Classical Presbytery." The number of elders sent by parish churches not far distant, where these other lazy, superstitious usages are con- tinued, that the said committee, or any twelve or more of them, may be authorized by ordinance of Parliament, or by order of this honourable House, to punish by way of fine, all such persons whose estates are not sequestered," and in case of non-payment their estates to be sequestered. Note in MSS. : " All was received with much thank- fulness, but Mr. Dashwood durst not license it in print ! " * " Since it has pleased our wise and newborn state, The Common Prayer Book to excommunicate ; To turn it out of act, as if it were Some grand malignant, or some cavalier ; Since in our churches 'tis by them forbid To say such prayers as our fathers did, So that God's house must now be called no more The house of prayer so ever called before." " To a vertuous and judicious lady who (for the exercise of her devotion) built a closet wherein to secure the most sacred book of prayer, from the view and violence of the enemies thereof," &c. Brit. Museum, fol. sheets, King's Pamphlets. 147 each congregation not to be more than four, or less than two. One of the ministers was to act as a moderator or chairman. They might redress any abuse of any kind that could be construed into an offence against ecclesiastical discipline. They were the examiners of persons who were candidates for the ministry, and with them it lay to give or refuse ordination. An appeal however lay from them to the " Provincial Assembly," which was to meet twice a year, and to consist of two ministers and four ruling elders, sent from each " Classical Presbytery " in the province. Above all, there was to be a " National Assembly," com- posed of two ministers and four ruling elders, sent from each " Provincial Assembly," together with five learned and godly persons from each of the Universities. This was to be the Court of Final Appeal, but it could only meet when summoned by Parliament. It was part of the duty of the congregational or Kuling Eldership, to enquire into the religious knowledge and spiritual estate of any member of the congregation, and to admonish, suspend from the Lord's table, and even to excommunicate those whom they deemed ignorant or scandalous." * (On the 26th of April, 1645, an ordinance of Parliament was issued for the " silencing of all such preachers as were not ordained or allowed " by those who shall be appointed thereunto by both Houses of Parliament. A still more stringent ordinance was passed to the same effect, on December 26th, 1646. All preaching or exposition of Scripture was forbidden, and all who " spoke aught in derogation of the Church government then established." England, which had broken in pieces the yoke of Prelacy, was now expected meekly to place her neck in this new * " Hunter's Life of Oliver Heywood," p. 55. M 2 148 yoke of the Puritan clergy ; but there were some of her stout hearted children who were determined not to lose that liberty of conscience, which they valued more than life. That excellent man, Kichard Baxter and his friends, had in the end to feel that after all, the despised " sectaries " were men of clearer vision than himself and his party. "> We will now quote a Baptist view of the Assembly. A work came out in 1647, by Samuel Kichardson.* Its title is, the "Neces- sity of Toleration in matters of Beligion," addressed to the Aassembly of Divines, with the significant text "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ," &c. " Ye suffer fools gladly." " When Romish tyranny hath the upper hand, Darkness of mind and superstition stand." He gives to the Assembly, " The Nonconformists' answer why they cannot submit to the aforesaid Faith," p. 279. " It was not studied out of the Word of God, but they had borrowed us a religion out of Scotland." Third — " We have had very much experience of you to be the greatest time- servers among men, and even to turn with the wind, for when the cross, surplice, and mass-book were urged, you yielded to them, and swore canonical obedience to the bishops, your fathers," &c. Because the tide is turned, ye are turned. Fourth — " If you had truth on your side, and the Spirit of God to direct you, you might have, with ease and speed, given sufficient answer to the questions the Parliament gave you to answer." Ninth. — " Neither are they any of the true ministers of Jesus Christ unless the Pope be a true minister of Christ, because their ministry * Reprinted in " Tracts on Liberty of Conscience " — Hansard Knolly's Society. He was probably a pastor of the Baptist branch of that Church in connection with Mr. Spilsby (and his name is attached to a confession of faith put forth in 1643, 1C44, and 1646. 149 came from him, as appears by ; Mason's Book of Ordination/ and ' Yates' Model of Divinity, and yourselves confess.' " He tells them that their priesthood is false and antichristian ; that the church of which they are ministers is no church of Christ. He ends: " Mr. Presbyter, your principles are large and dangerous. Who can tell what you will judge tolerable ? Such as cannot dance after your pipe, and rule in your way, you judge heretics, and they must appear before your dread- ful tribunal to receive your reproof, which is sharp and terrible, and strikes at our liberties, estates and lives — you still want to use a sword ; who sees not that, if you had it, you would have wounded yourselves and others — and we had as good be under the Pope as under your Presbyterian check." The battle of Marston Moor, on July 2nd, 1644, and the battle of Naseby, on June 14th, 1645, struck the last blow in the struggle between Charles and the Parliament, and all fear of the return of Episcopacy was at an end. Laud had fallen a victim to the Puritan party, on January 10th, 1644. A purely religious movement had been steadily progressing amid the stirring events of the time. The Independents and Baptists were rapidly forming Churches. Nothing was more common than for an Independent to get into a living, and while conforming to the Directory, he set up an Independent Church. The Cathedral of Exeter was divided into two parts — for Presbyterian and Independent worship.* The Baptists appear in 1653 to have set up a church in St. Paul's, t * " Pope's Life of Ward," pp. 55, 56. f "The Madman's Plea; or, A Sober Defence of Captain Chillington's Church:" showing the destruction and derision ready to fall on all the baptized Churches not baptized with fire. London, 1653. Page 6. " Is it not ridiculous for Anabaptists to build a Church at Paul's (in the highest place of the city) when Paul never owned a church of Anabaptists or Dippers." 150 There were a class of Independents, and at a later period, during Cromwell's protectorate, a class of Baptists, who did not scruple to receive the State pay. On the other hand, there was another class who entirely rejected it. These men were engaged in preaching the Gospel to the masses, and forming Churches. Their aims were purely religious, they had no selfish ends to gain, and they are therefore entitled to credit for sincerity. Not only did they denounce the State main- tenance, but the Separatists objected to " ministers receiving maintenance from all sorts of people in their parishes, with- out difference," and it was called in one of their pamphlets, " an execrable sacrilege, and covetous making merchan- dise of the things of God — a letting of themselves out to hire to the profane, for filthy lucre."* Christians alone should support their pastors, and it manifestly tended to the corruption of the Christian religion, if its ministers are made to depend for support upon even the free contributions of wicked men. Dr. Stoughton remarks! that " two classes of Independents are distinctly visible," at a period earlier than that of which we are speaking.]: The character of their preaching was entirely different from the elaborate, * " Hanbury," vol ii. p. 279. t " Church of Civil Wars," vol. i., pp. 366, 367. \ In " The Anabaptists' Catechism, with all their practices, meetings, and exercises, the names of their pastors, their doctrines, disciples ; a catalogue of such dishes they usually make choice of at their feasts (i.e., love feasts usually held at an inn) how and by whom they are dipped, &c, published according to the order of their conven- ticles," printed for R. A. 1645," we have curious evidence of the less political character of certain Baptists, and that certain Independents were not deemed " Independents " at all, because they had apostatized from their original principles. " Question — What is the main thing that you and the Independents differ in? Answer — We differ very much from them, for though you call them Independents (a name too honourable for them yet), they are none, for they allow of black coats (i.e., state ministers), and prophane learning and superstitious preaching in pulpits, and many such things the Independents approve of, but we do not allow of these things." They are made to say, M We are free from blood, and will not kill." 151 doctrinal treatises of the Presbyterian clergy. To use the words of Edwards, the author of " Gangroena," it was " in a kind of strain which takes with the people much." This movement was characterized by a purely lay ministry, and its rapid progress may be clearly traced in the satirical pamphlets of the time. A great controversy arose on the propriety of such a ministry ; * a controversy in which the opponents of the practice used as their best weapons, bitter and unsparing satire, and we gain from them many im- portant facts which might otherwise have escaped notice. We will take a peep at what is called "the Brownist Synagogue," found in a tract entitled " The Brownist Synagogue, or a late discovery of their conventicles, assem- blies, and places of meeting ; when they preach, and their manner, with a relation of the names, places and doctrines of those who do commonly preach, the chief of which are Green, the feltmaker, Marlin, the buttonmaker, Spencer, the coachman (see note at foot), Kodgers, the glover, which sect is much increased of late in the city — a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand." Page 2. — " Let me, gentle reader, not be prolixious, and I shall relate unto thee the names and places where these illiterate preachers live, and make their assemblies, and the unlearned doc- trines they hold. The first man that I begin with shall be an irreverend glover whose name is Bichard Bodgers ; he ofttimes doth call a congregation, and at his own house tells them what they shall do. The Spirit, he tells them, moves him, and so proceeding, he tells them what * This is commenced in 1640 or 1641, when the operation of Sectaries attracted notice, e.g., "A short treatise concerning lawfulness of every man exercising his gift as God shall call him unto," by John Spencer. We conclude this was " Spencer, the coachman," mentioned farther on. This was published in 1641. 152 first comes into his mind ; his apologie is that he speaks nothing but that which the Spirit gives him utterance for. John Bennet, he disalloweth of human learning, his reason is that some of Christ's apostles were fishermen when he called them. Charles Thomas, a Welchman, doth teach in Warwick Lane once a fortnight, as he holds none lawful to be amongst the prophets, but those who were inspired by the Spirit, so no man is fit for their holy service but devout men, and who is familiar with the Spirit. Alexander Smith, whose opinion is that no man ought to teach but as the Spirit moves, and for this one reason we may set ourselves against those scholars, as bishops, deans, and deacons, which strive to construe the Scripture accord- ing to the translation of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, which last language stinkes (i.e., because of its association with popery) like a piece of biefe a twelvemonth old, yet unsalted." This amusing caricature from the pen of an adversary, enables us still further to trace some of the opinions of the Amsterdam churches up to the time of George Fox. The account of the way in which these persecuted, despised christian people held their worship, may well touch our best feelings as christian men. " They do not all come together, but come two or three in a com- pany. Any man may be admitted thither, and, all being gathered, the man appointed to teach stands up in the midst of the room, and his audience gather about him. He prays about the space of half-an-hour, and part of his prayer is that ' those who come hither to scoff and laugh, God would be pleased to turn their hearts ; ' * by which means,' says the hard-hearted narrator,' they think to escape undiscovered.' His sermon is about the space of an hour, and then another stands up to make the text more plain." On September 8th, 1641, it was ordered by the House of 153 Commons, " that it shall be lawful for the parishioners of any parish within the kingdom of England and "Wales, to set up a lecture, and to maintain an orthodox minister at their own charge, to preach every Lord's-day when there is no preaching, and to preach one day a week when there is no lecture." * This led to the Independents and Baptists availing themselves of any opportunity which might occur to supply a deficiency.! We meet again with " Marlin, the buttonmaker, ,, at St. Ann's Church, Aldersgate, on the Sabbath-day, August 8th, 1641. The minister being absent, " many desired their friends to go into the pulpit," and a contest arose whether a stranger who was " once a Jesuit," should preach, or Mr. Marlin. It appears that Mr. Marlin obtained the consent and ear of the people, and preached a lengthy, sound, protestant sermon. At last, however, the churchwardens interrupted him, and pulled him down from the pulpit. J In the same year, "prophet Hunt preached in St. Sepulchre's Church, " making another combustion." § The connection between this movement and the Amsterdam Churches can be clearly traced. || The ancient Church in Southwark, formed in 1616 by Henry Jacob, was still in * Brit. Museum, " King's Pamphlets," e 28, 172. f " The Mystical Wolfe," London, Feb. 3rd, 1644, p. 6, "with iUuminated Anabaptists who blaspheme the baptism of children, and these heretics, who in times past we burned, we may hear now in our pulpits seducing the people." + " A True Narrative of a Combustion happening in St. Anne's Church, Aldersgate," &c. 1641, Brit. Museum. § Probably "James Hunt, the farmer" (see "A Curb for Sectaries," London, 1641). || See " The Anatomy of the Separatists, alias Brownists, with the strange hubbub, and formerly unheard of hurly-burly which those phanatick and fantastic Separatists made on Sunday afternoon, 8th May, in the Parish of St. Olave's, in the Old Jewry, at the sermon of the Bt. Bev. Father in God, Henry, Bishop Chichester," London, 1642. " Many places in England and London are too much Amster damnified. Beligion is become common table-talk. Papists, Atheists, Brownists, Anabaptists, Familists, and the Sisters of the Fraternity, all will have their way. Page 2 — The Fraternity at 154 vigorous operation ; John Lothorp succeeded Jacob, lie emigrated to America, and the celebrated John Canne was pastor for a short time ; Henry Jessey, his successor in 1637, was sent by his congregation to preach in Wales, in 1639. Samuel How succeeded, or was co-pastor with him, and was joined in the pastorate by Stephen More. This congregation, which had subsisted for over twenty years, shifting from place to place to avoid persecution, opened their doors to the public on January 18th, 1640-41. We find a description in verse, of the celebrated Samuel How, the learned cobbler's preaching, probably, on this occasion : " And at the ' Nag's Head,' near to Coleman Street, A most pure crew of Brethren there did meet, When their devotion was so strong and ample To turn a sinful Tavern to a Temple. ******* A worthy hrother gave the text, and then The Cobbler How his preachment strait began, Extem'ry, without any meditation, But only by the Spirit's revelation ; He went through stitch, now hither and now thither, And took great pains to draw both ends together ; For (like a man inspired from Amsterdam), He scorned ne sutor ultra crepidam; His text he clouted, and his sermon welted ; His audience with devotion nearly melted." * Amsterdam, and the Brownists in town, are brethren of the same tribe. They hold that religion ought to be guided by the motion of the Spirit, not reason. They despise all learning. Page 4 — They hold it lawful for artificers and laymen to preach in public, as cobblers, weavers, leathersellers, boxmakers, ironmongers, feltmakers, and such like mechanick fellows. They make no reckoning of a church more than a stable. Page 6 — They cried, 100 or more, ' A pope ! a pope 1 ' when the Eight Beverend Bishop came into the pulpit." — Brit. Museum, large 4to 1 — 14. * Stated to be about 100. A swarme of Sectaries and Schismatiques, wherein is discovered the strange preaching (or prating) of such as are by their trades cobblers, tinkers, pedlars," &c. , with portrait of Samuel How in his tub, preaching to a conven- ticle, date probably 1641, p. 9. 155 Ellwood quotes Howe's " Sufficiency of the Spirit's Teaching," in " Forgery no Christianity." The kind of treatment to which these good men were subjected, may be illustrated by a quotation from " A Discovery of a Swarme of Separatists, or A Leather Seller's Sermon, describing how Burboon (or Barbon), a Leatherseller, had a Conventicle of Brownists, &c, with another relation," &c* — " Many of the Brownists crawled over the tiles and houses, escaping some one way, and some another. But at length they catched one of them alone. But they kicked him so vehemently as if they meant to beat him into a jelly. It is ambiguous if they have killed him or no, but certainly they did knock him as if they meant to pull him to pieces. I confess it had been no matter if they had beaten their whole tribe in the like manner." This Mr. Barbon was pastor of one section of this Ancient Separatist Church, when they divided equally in May, 1640, and one part remained with Mr. Henry Jessy, and the other with Mr. Praise God Barbon. f Barbon, as "an elder, governed the Church in Leyden, which held communion with Kobin- son's Church at that place." J The preaching of women appears to have commenced among some of the Independent Churches about this period (1641) in England. § It seems probable that this * Brit. Museum, e No. 36.180.25. f Hanbury's " Historical Research concerning the most Ancient Congregational Church in England," pp. 10 and 16, London, 1820. I " The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared," by John Cotton, of Boston, p. 16, London, 1648. § In America it appears to have existed among the Baptists about 1636. " The third dividing tenet by which these persons propagated their errors, was between the Word of God and the Spirit of God. And here these sectaries (i.e., the Baptists) had many pretty knacks to delude with all, and especially to please the female sex. They told of rare revelations of the things to come from the Spirit, as they say, ' Come 156 practice originated in certain Baptist churches in Holland.* Baillie, in his " Anabaptism the True Foundation of Inde- pendency, Brownism, Familism, Antinomy," &c, London, 1646, p. 30, says, " the continental Baptists allowed women's preaching,! and every one of their members the power of along with me,' says one, ' I will bring you a woman that preaches better Gospel than any of your black coats that have been at the University,' a woman of another kind of spirit who hath many revelations of things to come, and for my part, saith he, I had rather hear such an one that speaks from the mere motion of the Spirit, than any of your learned scholars, although they may be fuller of the Scripture, and admit they speak by the help of the Spirit, yet the other goes far beyond them." — "Johnson's History," pp. 67 to 99, quoted in " Backus' History of New England." — Keith says, that "these called Presbyterians (in England) may remember how they have both allowed and countenanced women both to pray and speak of their experiences in their private meetings, and yet they cannot deny but their private meetings are a Church." — " The Woman Preacher of Samaria," 1674. * " The Brownists' Conventicle," &c, 1641, p. 13. — "And in this our thanksgiving let us remember all the blessed pastors and professors, whether at Amsterdam or elsewhere ; as also for our she-iellov? labourers, our holy and good blessed women who are not only able to talk on any text, but search into the deep sense of the Scripture, and preach both in their families and elsewhere." Also " Lucifer's Lackey, or, The Devil's New Creation," London, 1641, speaks of a congregation in the malt-house of one Job, a brewer, the numbers being about seven score persons, and says, " When women preach and cobblers pray, The fiends in Hell make holiday." We have also notices of this practice in " Idolater's Buin and England's Triumph, or the Meditations of a Maimed Soldier," January 17th, 1644, London, p. 1. — " Where- fore let Priscilla and Aquilla be Paul's helpers, and let every one as he hath received the gift, minister the same one to another, and let us prophesie one by one," &c. In " Tub Preachers Overturned, or, Independency to be Abandoned and Abhorred," a * reply to a letter to Thomas Edwards, London, 1647, we have a description of a woman preacher in rhyme : — " And that her zeal, piety, and knowledge, Surpassed the gravest student in the college Who strive their human learning to advance ; She with her Bible and a concordance Could preach nine times a week morning and night, Such revelation had she from New Light ! " In Cotton's church in New England, Mrs. Hutchinson, a woman of great parts, preached, although not in the public assembly. t Women preached among the Baptists at Strasburg. 157 public preaching, and also the power of questioning the preacher on doctrine " before the Church," and that in England it was the same, but that "many more of their women do venture to preach among the Baptists than among the Brownists, in England." Mrs. Attaway, "the mistress of all the she-preachers in Coleman Street," was a disciple in Lamb's congregation. He states that he believes the " feminine preachers in Kent, Norfolk, and the rest of the shires " had " their breeding in the same school," which appears to show that they were dispersed as travelling preachers. This seems to identify the preaching of women with the principal General Baptist Church in London, but it does not appear to have been confined to the General Baptists.* As late as 1653 we find a lady preaching in the " Queen's Mass Chapel at Somerset House," and who preached elsewhere. t The ordinance of Parliament to silence every preacher who was "not ordained a minister in this or some other * " The Schismatics Sifted, or The Picture of the Independents." London, 1646. Page 34. — " Is it a miracle or wonder to see saucie boyes, bold botching taylors, and other most audacious, illiterate mechanicks to run out of their shops into a pulpit ? To see bold, impudent, huswifet to take upon them to prate an hour or more ; but when I say is the extraordinary spirit poured upon them ? " — " A Fresh Discovery of some Prodigious New Wandering Blazing Stars and Firebrands styling themselves ' New Lights,' " by William Prynne, Esq. London, 1645. Page 47. — "Whether Indepen- dents admitting women not only to vote as members, but sometimes to preach, expound, speak publicly as predicants in their conventicles, be not directly contrary to the Apostles' doctrine and practice, and a mere politick invention to engage that sex to their party? He says also in preface, that the Independents give women not only ' deci- sive votes, but Liberty of preaching and prophesying,' speaking in their congregations" f " State Papers Uncalendered," 813 a, paper No. 77. 25th July, 1653. " Theodoras," to the Right Hon. Lord Conway. " Here is start [i.e., started] up an audacious virago (or feminine tub preacher) who last Sunday held forth about two hours together within our late Queen's mass chapel at Somerset House, in the Strand, and has done so there and elsewhere, divers Sabbath-days of late, who claps her Bible and thumps the pulpit cushion with almost as much confidence (I should have said impudence) as honest Hugh Peters himself 1" 158 Keformed Church, except such as intending the ministry were allowed for the trial of their gifts by those who shall be appointed thereto by both Houses of Parliament," was enacted on 26th April, 1645. It was intended by the extreme Presbyterian party to arrest the progress of Inde- pendency. Not only throughout the whole army, but throughout the whole country, the practice of lay preaching was spreading. The Independents argued that there were " a large number of persons not ordained, who had scrupled ordination under the former bishops," and also scrupled "the present form of ordination, and they forbore until church matters should be fully settled; " and that Parliament never intended to silence them, and they contended that such persons may preach," provided that they do it at such seasons as hinders not the public preaching, and in such a manner as disturbs not the public peace." * This ordin- ance was " sent to Sir Thomas Fairfax to be observed by the army," and all military personages, and this tract is addressed to " gentlemen of the soldiery in the field." It appears that in the army little attention was paid to the ordinance. They " sent out everywhere captains and soldiers " to preach, and gave " tickets of the time and place " in true military lashion. f It was declared by the * " The Clear Sense, or a Vindication of the late Ordinance of Parliament," &c, pp. 1, 2, 3. f William Prynne, Esq. — " Fresh Discovery of some Prodigious New Wandering Blazing Stars and Firebrands, styling themselves New Lights." London, 1645. Preface. Prynne tells a story which illustrates a general feeling of Englishmen about the soldiers' preaching — " Quoth the Scotchmen, ' Man, is it fit that Colonel Cromwell's souldiers should preach in their quarters to take away the ministers' function ? ' Quoth the Englishman, ' Truly I remember they made a gallant sermon at Marston Moor near Vork. Tbat was one of the best sermons that hath been preached in the kingdom.' " — We find also that Oliver Cromwell's porter preached on a grass-plot opposite his house. Women were observed turning to their Bibles, and " did sigh and groan, and showed as strong motions of devotion as could be seen in any Quakers' meeting ! " 159 Independents, &c, to be a " monopoly of the Spirit worse than the monopoly of soap ! " " About the beginning of the year 1653," we find that " the opinions that were rampant in the army infected also the country."* The great point of difference between the Independent and Presby- terian parties in Lancashire, was on the question of the preaching of " gifted brethren," i.e., lay preachers. Even in this part of the country, where the fusion f was more complete between the Independents and Presbyterians, the Presbyterians were compelled to allow (if they did not approve) the occasional preaching of " gifted brethren " in the pulpits of the churches. J Baxter informs us that the Separatists said "let the * " Martindale's Life," p. 110. t On Mr. Eaton's New England scheme of accommodation. J Two or three "ruling elders" of Mr. Eaton's Independent Church "preached frequently at Tabley Chapell in my parish," Martindale tells us. In 1659, this question between the Independents and Presbyterians was set at rest, by the concession of the point of the liberty of unordained persons, not intending the ministry, to preach, with this proviso, that no persons should preach in the churches except they were approved by the ministers or preaching officers, and that the congregations were not to be "disturbed" by having unordained preachers " imposed upon them," and also that every effort was to be used, that " no offence be given by the preaching of mere gifted brethren." Martindale's Life," p. 12, Cheetham Society, 1845. See also " Newcome's Autobiography," Cheetham Society, vol. xxv., p. 36. Mr. Stringer, the regular Presby- terian minister at Macclesfield, invites Mr. Eaton to preach and bring some one with him to supply for both parts of the day. Mr. Eaton then writes stating that some of the people of Macclesfield had solicited their ruling elder, Mr. Barret, to preach there. To this Mr. Stringer consents, and invites the said lay preacher to occupy his pulpit in conjunction with Eaton, the Independent minister. Newcome "declares his dislike," but not a word is said about its legality, or being contrary to church regulation. Barret was a sequestrator, and some of the aldermen " took it so ill that he should preach in their pulpit." It is certain, however, that the connection between the Pres- byterians and the Independents tended to reduce or stifle lay preaching. Saltmarsh says, in 1649, " Stop not the breathings of God in mean private christians ; the counsels of God flow there, and when the greater persons sometimes for His glory are left naked without a word of advice from Him." " I found this desolating evil begin- ning in your (i.e., the Independents) meetings." — "England's Friend," London, 1649> 160 Lord be glorified, let the gospel be propagated," and that " there were few of the Anabaptists who had not been the opposers and troublers of the faithful ministers of the land (i.e., those of the Presbyterian party).* In Edwards' " Gangroena," published in 1645, abundant evidence is given of the vigorous operation of these Independent and Baptist churches. He states (part i.) that the sectaries are " much stunned " with the vote passed in Parliament against lay preaching. He is furious at the idea " of mechanics, as smiths, taylors, shoemakers, pedlars, weavers, taking upon themselves to preach. By this ordinance it was said that " Sir John Presbyter's gums " were " to be rubbed with a parliament coral (baby's coral), and that now he was mad to put his boarish tusks, his huge iron fangs, in execution, to devour, rend, and crush these hereticks ! " f In a word, this vote excited a strong opposition, and became a dead letter. Mr. Henry DenneJ was a graduate of the University of Cambridge, and ordained in 1630, but having denounced the vices of the clergy in a visitation sermon in 1641, he is found in 1643 a member of Lamb's church in Coleman Street. He was a most excellent christian man, and being sent forth by Lamb's Church into Bedfordshire and Cam- bridgeshire, and those parts, comes in as a celebrated General Baptist, for Edwards' reprobation. He is de- nounced as a great antinomian (which is untrue) and a desperate Arminian. He preaches much against tythes, whereby he draws the people after him. He hath put * " Baxter's Life," p. 102. Autobiography. t W. Prynne, Esq., "Fresh Discovery," &c, London, 1645, preface. J Denne fell into the snare which was laid for George Fox, and became a captain in Cromwell's army. He was implicated in the revolt of the " Levellers," condemned to death, but pardoned by Cromwell, who knew his excellent character. 1G1 down all singing of psalms in his Church. He preacheth and prays, and after he hath done he calls to know if any be not satisfied, and then they stand up that will, and object, and he answers them. Others of the brethren that will, with mechanicks one or two more, sometimes do exer- cise after him. There is also one Tandy, or Dandy,* who comes sometimes to Elsby and preaches there and about that country, who tells them of revelations and miracles, and saith revelations are ordinary to him. A large amount of mis-representation must be allowed for by the reader, and if he charitably supposes that there were some of these men whose heads were turned by the fervid religious excitement of the times, we must at the same time admit the existence of the same excitement in the narrator; each party looking at the deeds of the other through coloured glasses. There are touches of nature and truth about some of Edwards' descriptions, which may well reach our hearts, as we view, unwarped by prejudice, the earnest christian labours of the truly godly men who preached the gospel to the masses of the people, not for pay or worldly honour, but in obedience to their Master's command. " This Mr. Denne hath some kind of strain in his preaching which affects and takes the people much, as for instance he will say, " Oh, Lord Christ, if thou wert now on earth and didst reveal the gospel to. men, they would call Thee, ' Anabaptist, Antinomian, Inde- pendent,' who now call us so." " He would have preached about spring last on a lecture day at St. Ive's, but the committee gave orders against it, and not being suffered, he went to a churchyard not far off that place, and under * Philip Tandy, a minister of the Church of England, who became a Baptist (seventh day) "a person of great abilities and piety." " Brook's Puritans," vol. iii., p. 30. N 162 a yew tree he preached, many following him, pronouncing many fearful woes against them for not receiving the gospel. " Mr. Disbrough* says of him, that he is the ablest man in England for prayer, expounding and preaching. The usual theme he is upon is Christ's dying for all men, Judas as well as Peter." " He often preached this doctrine." " This is the everlasting gospel, to believe that Jesus Christ died for all men." " Men were only damned for not believing Christ and nothing else." This Mr. Denne delivered his opinions in such a manner as if he had been an apostle sent from heaven." Here we trace the operation of the General Baptists, and in clear connection with a Church in London formed by Thomas Lamb, and meeting at Bell Alley, Coleman Street.f Lamb was seized prior to this at Colchester for preaching in a Separatist congregation, and dragged before the Star Chamber. He was undaunted in the work of the gospel, till he had made the acquaintance of nearly every * Mr. James Disbrowe was Lord of the Manor of Eltisby and an elder of the Fenstan- ton Church. His brother was a major-general in Cromwell's army, belonged to Cromwell's council, one of his generals at sea, also one of the lords of the Cinque- ports; his salary was £3,236 per annum. "Narrative of the late Parliament," 1658. In the Swarthmore papers we find what is probably a notice of the same person. " A. Parker to George Fox," 1657. " Went to a place beyond Cambridge, where never a meeting had been ; the man's name that did desire the meeting was one Disborrow, an ancient professor. He is uncle to Major-General Disborrow. There was a very large meeting both of Friends and others, and we both had a large time to declare the truth without interruption. When we had done a Baptist teacher stood up and spoke some words, but was soon silent. There was also another of their teachers, and some others that we had some words with, but they had very little to say against what was declared." Probably Parker was mistaken, or Noble, in his History of the Protectorate House of Commons, is wrong. If they are two distinct persons, this would be the father of Mr. James Disborrow, the friend and patron of Denne, and the elder in the Fenstanton General Baptist Church ; but this is improbable, and we have here another instance of the friendly relations between the General Baptists and the followers of Fox. t Taylor, " History General Baptists," p. 99. 103 prison in London. He frequently observed " that a man was not fit to preach who would not preach for God's sake, though he was sure to die for it as soon as he had finished." We can clearly see here the stamp of men, who, although every- where spoken against, had the spirit of the Apostles and Martyrs, and were doing the real evangelistic work of the times. Henry Denne wrote a tract in 1646, entitled, " The Drag Net of the Kingdom of Heaven, or Christ Drawing all Men."* This tract contains (p. 91) a passage which places the doctrine of the Holy Ghost dwelling in the heart of the believer in precisely the same point of view, and in the same words, as Fox did in commencing his preaching two years later. He quotes John i. 9 — " Now God is light, and God is a spirit. If then Christ lighteth every man, God lighteth every man. The Spirit lighteth every man that cometh into the world. What is it for man to be lighted, but for the light of the glory of God, shining forth in the face of Jesus Christ, to shine in darkness? For every man to be lighted is (as I conceive) for the manifestation of the glory of God to be showed forth in some measure to them." It is a curious fact, that Denne wrote to defend the Quakers from the foolish imputation of being Papists in disguise. f " George Whitehead is not a Papist, according to that Bedlam fancy which Baxter is daily sowing," It appears that not only Whitehead, but the " Bedfordshire Tinker," Bunyan, had an encounter with Thomas Smith, Bachelor of Divinity, and lecturer at Christ Church, Cambridge, who appears to have excused himself * Brit. Museum. t " The Quakers no Papists," &c, a reply to Mr. Thomas Smith, B.D., lecturer in Christ Church, Cambridge ; his frivolous relation of a dispute between himself and certain Quakers at Cambridge, 1659. N 2 1G4 for coming off with little credit, by his being taken at unawares, while " he was turning over some Arabic MSS.," which Denne thinks a very curious excuse for so learned a man in an encounter with " a tinker and a Quaker." " While," says Denne, " he labours to prove the poor Quakers to be introducers of heresies, he himself introduces a most damnable one, denying the ubiquity of the three Persons of the Trinity ! You seem to be arguing with the tinker (Bunyan) because he strives to mend souls as well as kettles ! " In reply, it was suggested that Bunyan mended souls just as he mended kettles — " stopping one hole and making many!" Henry Denne's "friends the Quakers, did not only challenge Mr. Smith and all the Presbyterian clergy in England in print,"* "but set up bills in defiance at the commencement, upon the school (college) doors !" They hoped Denne would " stable none of his troop horses in heaven, though they come into (St.) Paul's ! " The Quakers were asked " if they did not esteem their speakings to be of as great authority as any chapter in the Bible ? " and some one answered wittily (if not wisely), "Yes, of greater \"\ This was sufficient to supply the material for a wonderful amount of misrepresentation, although Whitehead distinctly denies that it was spoken by a Quaker. Whitehead, on that occasion, defined the "im- mediate inspiration" needful for a Christian minister, not as anything equivalent to, or superseding the New Testament Scriptures, but merely that it was " that inspiration which giveth the understanding in things tvhich are spiritual." J * This alludes to " Fox's Mystery," fol., p. 19, preface. t "A Gagg for Quakers, with an Answer to Mr. Denne's 'Quaker no Papist,'" London, 1659, pp. 1, 3.— The Bible was divided into Chapters in the 13th century, by Cardinal Hugo de S. Caro. Coverdale followed this division. The Geneva version (1560) was the first English Bible with our present verses. I " The Key of Knowledge, not found in the University Library, Cambridge." 2nd Ed., 1660. 165 - The dispute between Whitehead and Smith took place in "the Quakers' common meeting house," and one of the people drew his sword in the course of the discussion, to add weight to his argument.* The parliamentary army had in its ranks the most godly among the Sectaries and Puritans. Wherever the King's army bent its course, private houses were plundered. Excellent and pious men, whatever sentiments they hap- pened to profess, were abused by the King's soldiery, and found refuge in the army of the Commonwealth. Chillingworth says, " I observed a great deal of piety in the commander and soldiers of the Parliament's army. I confess their discourse and behaviour do speak them Christians, but I can find little of God or godliness in our men." Lord Clarendon says, the Commonwealth army was an " army whose sobriety and manner, whose courage and success, made it famous and terrible all over the world; " while the King's army was " a dissolute, undisciplined, wicked, beaten army, whose horse their friends feared, being terrible only in plunder, and resolute only in running away." The leisure hours of the soldiery were spent in reading their Bibles, in singing psalms, and in religious * It is asserted that Smith obtained the living at Caldicut under very disgraceful circumstances. The parishioners were greatly opposed to Smith, but Smith's friend, Mr. Bayly, of Barnwell, pretended that Smith had some other living in view, and then got them to give Smith a general testimonial of " ability,"