Page images
PDF
EPUB

cle more, we have the chief head of controversy between the church of England, and the protestant dissenters at that day; and this is, the natural right that every man has to judge for himself, and make profession of that religion, he apprehends most agreeable to truth, as far as it does not affect the peace and safety of the government he lives under; without being determined by the prejudices of education, the laws of the civil magistrate, or the decrees of councils, churches, or synods.* This principle would effectually put an end to all impositions; and unless it be allowed, I am afraid our separation from the church of Rome can hardly be justified. The Bible, says Mr. Chillingworth, and that only, is the religion of protestants; and every one, by making use of the helps and assistances that God has put into his hands, must learn and understand it for himself as well as he can.

It will appear hereafter what sort of discipline the Puritans would have introduced; but these were the objections that hindered their compliance with the present establishment, The established sentiments concerning the Trinity and the person of Christ, though they did not form the grounds of that separation, of which our author writes, were yet called in question, and as we have seen in the note p. 66, were by no means universally received. But it would not have been surprising, if in that early period of the reformation, there had been a perfect acquiescence in every doetrinal principle, that did not appear to have been peculiar to the system of popery : for the progress of the mind and of enquiry is necessarily gradual. The gross corruptions of popery were at first sufficient to occupy and fill the thoughts of the generality. A kind of sacred awe spread itself over questions connected with the character and nature of God and his Christ, which would deter many from a close and free examination of them. And ceremonies and habits, being more obvious to the senses, continually coming into use and practice, and being enforced with severity, the questions relative to them more easily engaged attention, were more level to the decision of common understandings, and became immediately interesting. In this state of things there was little room and less inclination to push enquiries on matters of speculation. ED.

Bishop Warburton is displeased with Mr. Neal for speaking of the natural right every man has to judge for himself as one of the heads of controversy between the Puritans and Conformists: when, his lordship adds, "his whole history shews that this was a truth unknown to either party." It is true, that neither party had clear, full, and extensive views on this point; or were disposed to grant the consequences arising from it. But each in a degree admitted it and acted upon it. And the Puritans it appears, by p. 217, rested their vindication, in part, upon this principle. ED.

and for which they were content to suffer the loss of all things. Those who remained within the church became itinerant preachers, lecturers, or chaplains. The chief leaders of the separation, according to Mr. Fuller, were the Rev. Mr. Colman, Mr. Button, Mr. Hullingham, Mr. Benson, Mr. White, Mr. Rowland, and Mr. Hawkins, all beneficed within the diocese of London. These had their followers of the laity, who forsook their parish-churches, and assembled with the deprived ministers in woods and private houses, to worship GoD without the habits and ceremonies of the church.

The Queen, being informed of their proceedings, sent to her commissioners to take effectual measures to keep the laity to their parish-churches: and to let them know, that if they frequented any separate conventicles, or broke through the ecclesiastical laws, they should for the first offence be deprived of their freedom of the city of London, and after that abide what further punishment she should direct. This was a vast stretch of the prerogative ;† there being no law as yet to disfranchise any man for not coming to church.

But notwithstanding this threatening message, they went on with their assemblies, and on the 19th of June 1567, agreed to have a sermon and a communion at Plumbers-Hall, which they hired for that day under pretence of a wedding; but here the sheriffs of London detected and broke them up, when they were assembled to the number of about one hundred; most of them were taken into custody, and some sent to the Compter, and next day seven or eight of the chief were brought before the bishop of London, Dean Goodman, Mr.Archdeacon Watts, and Sir Roger Martin, lord-mayor of London.* The bishop charged them with absenting from their parish-churches, and with setting up separate assemblies for prayer and preaching, and ministering the sacrament. He told them, that by these proceedings they condemned the church of England, which was well reformed according to the word of GOD, and those martyrs who had

Which, adds Dr. Warner, "plainly showed Elizabeth to be the "true daughter of Henry."

* Life of Grindal, p. 242. Life of Parker, p. 342,

shed their blood for it. To which one of them replied, in the name of the rest, that they condemned them not, but only stood for the truth of God's word. Then the bishop asked the antientest of them, Mr. John Smith, what he could answer? who replied, "That they thanked God for the "reformation; that as long as they could hear the word of "GOD preached without idolatrous gear about it, they nev"er assembled in private houses; but when it came to this "point, that all their preachers were displaced who would "not subscribe to the apparel, so that they could hear none "of them in the church, for the space of seven or eight "weeks, except father Coverdale, they began to consult "what to do; and remembering there had been a congre"gation of protestants in the city of London in Queen Ma"ry's days, and another of English exiles at Geneva, "that used a book framed by them there, they resolved to "meet privately together, and use the said book." And finally, Mr. Smith offered, in the name of the rest, to yield, and do penance at St. Paul's Cross, if the bishop and the commissioners with him, could reprove that book, or any thing else that they held, by the word of God.

The bishop told him, they could not reprove the book, but that was no sufficient answer for his not going to church.* To which Mr. Smith replied, that "He would 66 as soon go to mass as to some churches, and particularly "to his own parish-church; for the minister that officiated "there was a very papist." Others said the same of other parish priests. The bishop asked, if they accused any of them by name; upon which one of them presently named Mr. Bedel, who was there present, but the bishop would not enquire into the accusation.

The dean of Westminster, who was one of the ecclesiastical commission, charged them with derogating from the Queen's authority of appointing indifferent things in God's worship. To which one of them answered, that it lay not "in the authority of a prince, nor the liberty of a christian "man, to use and defend that which appertained to papistry, "idolatry, and the pope's canon law." Another said, that "these things were prefered before the word of God and * Pierce, p. 42.

"the ordinances of Christ." The bishop asked them what was preferred? One of them answered boldly, "That which "was upon the bishop's head, and upon his back; their

copes and surplices, and canon laws." Another said, "that he thought both prince and people ought to obey the "word of God." To which the bishop yielded, except in things that were indifferent, which GOD had neither commanded nor forbidden; in these he asserted, that princes had authority to order and command. Whereupon several of them cried out, "Prove that, where find you that ?"But the bishop would not enter into the debate, alledging the judgment of the learned Bullinger; to which Mr. Smith replied, that perhaps they could shew Bullinger against Bullinger, in the affair of the habits.

The bishop asked them, whether they would be determined by the church of Geneva. Mr. Smith replied, "that "they reverenced the learned in Geneva,and in other places, "but did not build their faith and religion upon them."The bishop produced the following passage out of one of Beza's letters against them; that against the bishops and prince's will, they should exercise their office, they [the ministers of Geneva] did much the more tremble at it. Mark, says the bishop, how the learned Beza trembles at your case. Whereupon one of them said they knew the letter well enough, and that it made nothing against them, but rather against the prince and the bishops. Beza and his learned brethren trembled at their case, and in proceeding to such extremities with men, as to drive them against their wills to that which they did not care to mention. Their words are these, "We hope that her royal majesty, and "so many men of dignity and goodness, will endeavor "that care may rather be taken of so many pious and "learned brethren, than so great an evil should happen, "to wit, that the pastors should be forced, against their "consciences, to do that which is evil, and so to involve "themselves in other men's sins, or to give over; for we "more dread that third thing, (viz.) to exercise their min"istry contrary to the will of her majesty and the bishops, "for causes, which though we hold our peace, may well

[blocks in formation]

"enough be understood."* How the bishop could think this was levelled against the non-conformists is hard to understand.

To go on with the examination. One of the prisoners said, that "before they compelled the ceremonies, so that "none might officiate without them, all was quiet." Another (viz. Mr. Hawkins) produced a passage out of Melanchton, that "when the opinion of holiness, or necessity, " is put unto things indifferent, they darken the light of the "gospel." The bishop replied, that the ceremonies and habits were not commanded of necessity. To which Hawkins rejoined, that they had made them matters of necessity, as many a poor man had felt to his cost, who had been discharged of his living for non-conformity. When the bishop had occasionally observed, that he had formerly said mass, but was sorry for it, one of them answered, he went still in the habit of a mass-priest. To which he replied, that he had rather minister without the cope and surplice, but for order sake and obedience to the Queen. When some of the commissioners urged them with the reformation of King Edward, one said, that "they never went so far in his time, "as to make a law that none should preach or minister "without the garments." Sundry other expressions of warmth passed on both sides; at length one of them delivered to Justice Harris their book of order, [the Geneva book] and challenged any of the commissioners to disprove it by the word of God, and they would give over. The bishop said they reproved it not, but they liked not their separate assemblies to trouble the common quiet of the realm against the Queen's will. But the others insisted on their superior regards to the word of God. In conclusion the prisoners, not yielding to the bishop, were sent to Bridewell, where they with their brethren, and sundry women, were kept in durance above a year: at length, their patience and constancy having been sufficiently tried, an order was sent from the lords of the council to release them;t with an admonition to behave themselves better for the future.

* Life of Grindal, Records, No. xvi.

†This was done at the motion and council of bishop Grindal. ED. + Grindal's Life, p. 135.

1

« PreviousContinue »