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HISTORICAL MEMORIALS.

CHAPTER I.

DISSERTATION ON TERMS AND PRINCIPLES.

IN commencing the denominational history of our Churches, the terms Congregational and Independent claim priority of attention. To show, then, how those terms became appropriated exclusively, though it be sufficiently obvious to many, we premise-That worshipping assemblies of all orders, are Congregations; and, that in various cases, such assemblies are each, by their constitution, but a part, portion, or section of an aggregation which, by a convenient fiction, is likewise termed a Congregation. Thus, "The Roman Catholic Church," "The United Church of England and Ireland," and "The Presbyterian Church of Scotland," respectively deem themselves, though assembled in different localities, but as one general assembly. When light and liberty had, however, begun to dawn, after ages of darkness and oppression, and men had dared to think and act apart from sacerdotal domination; then coincidence of sentiment and principles induced to mutual associations, which acquired, eventually, distinctive terms of recognition. In this way, those of their ancestors whose mode of polity or church order the Independents mainly follow-derived to themselves the title of Congregationalists; and this other, also, of Independents.a

Among the Lansdowne State Papers in the British Museum, No. 377, art. 3, is intitled, "William Ramsey, minister of the Gospel at Charde, 1562, his Epistle and Exhortations to the faithful Congregation at South Molton." And a tract appeared in 1568, with the title of " Propositions, or Articles, drawn out of Holy Scripture; showing the cause of continual variance in the Dutch Church in London, and thought meet to be published for staying of other Congregations which, in these days, do spring up. Subscribed unto by Theod. Beza, and divers other preachers beyond sea." Printed in English and Latin, 8vo. But before 1593, John Penry put forth a tract, "To the distressed and faithful Congregation of Christ in London, and all the Members thereof, whether in bonds or at liberty." The term, Congregation, being thus used, dis

b

The rise of this denomination of Christians is commonly limited to the sixteenth century; but clear indications exist proving that in the dispensations of Providence there were always some disciples of our Lord who professed the truth, even when "the way of truth" was every where "evil spoken of."a These would, after the first shaking of the skilfully-compacted anti-scriptural political hierarchy, employ, for a while, only the " still small voice" of prayer and prophecy; they would, with the progress of events, increase in courage, and mix with those whoin the free study of the unadulterated Scriptures had enlightened by continual discoveries of truth, and who had resolved to promulgate it, that genuine Christianity might, by the exposure of prevalent corruptions in belief and practice, be restored. That perfection should have been attained in their time, was beyond reasonable expectation, although it was actually claimed by some in whom fervency of mind prevented the maturity of deliberation which concerns so momentous required. Theirs was not the age when assertions would generally pass for proofs: a spirit of investigation had been excited, and consequently, where passion did not intervene, greater accordance of perception and judgment brought the several parties into those combinations which we find called in the Scriptures, "fellowship in the Gospel."d

e

The majority of the clergy, in "the greenness" of that age, chose, indeed, to prostrate their understandings to the dictation, and to succumb to the authority of a "governess" over the state-church; but a large number of divines contended earnestly for what they called a purer

tinctively, James I. directed the translators of the Bible to keep the old ecclesiastical words; as "church" not to be translated congregation, &c.; hence making the common version sectarian, and the symbol of a party, against the rules of equity and fidelity. Tindal, in his translation, 1526, had put the word "senior" for priest, “congregation" for church, "love" for charity, “repentance” for penance, &c." Macknight on the Epistles, General Preface.-But Bancroft, the supervisor of James's translation, altered fourteen places to make it speak the language of prelacy. Dr. Miles Smith, who wrote the preface, &c., and for which he was made bishop of Gloucester, complained of the archbishop's alterations; "but he is so potent," said Smith, "there is no contradicting him!" See Wilson's Hist. of Dissenting Churches, vol. i. p. 44.-The distinction of "Independents," had its origin in 1612; but it is thought that it was not publicly adopted before the "Apologetical Narration of the Independents. Lond. 1644." 4to.

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In 1565, was printed in Latin, at Louvain, a list of sixteen sects, which "though in some respects Lutherans, yet vary much from his tenets." Lansdowne MSS. No. 96, art. 51, and 52.

d Phil. i. 5. e Milton, Of Reform. in England, ed. 1833, p. 4. f Fifty years had discovered four entire changes of the Established Religion, as it is called. Popery prevailed until 1533, when it was superseded by Protestantism; twenty years after, Popery was restored; and, in the short space of five years more, Protestantism became predominant. So in days of yore, "The times under Dioclesian were Pagan; under Constantine, Christian; under Constantius, Arian; under Julian, apostate; under Jovian, Christian again; and all within the age of man-the term of seventy years! Would it not," asks Thomas Fuller, "bave wrenched and sprained his soul with short turning, who, in all these, should have been of the religion for the time being?” Holy State, 1663, fol. p. 200.

CHAP. I.]

RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS.

3

Discipline, and which they named also, Presbyterian. Bitter was the And that our readers may have opposition those Puritans received.

their minds charged with the progress of these affairs, we set before them the most temperate and the most concise yet perspicuous account which has presented itself to our survey, published in 1602, as the title-page says, "for the common good of the church and commonwealth of this realm of England."a

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'In the beginning of her Majesty's most happy reign, the Gospel being published, and preachers ordained to teach the people, many people, within a while, feeling some taste of the heavenly comfort began to delight in hearing of sermons, singing of psalms, in reading, and godly talk of Holy Scriptures which they were taught; and therewithal did somewhat refrain profane and unprofitable customs; and sometimes they admonished their neighbours if they did swear, and pray them to go with them to the sermon: the greater sort of the people being old barrels which could hold no new wine, addicted partly to popery, and partly to licentiousness, having, many of them, no other God but their bellies, would deride and scoff at them, and called them holy brethren,' and 'holy sisters;' saying, he is one of the pure and unspotted brethren!'

"Divers ministers, also, entering upon that weighty charge, when they, being learned, came to the practice of the Communion-book, found themselves troubled in some things; and some certain ceremonies were a scruple unto them. And, as it is said in the preface of the said book, it was not thought fit, at the first, to take away all those things which seemed to be superstitious, but to take the middle way, to abandon some, and to retain some; so, by this occasion, the papists, and other people not well affected to religion and godliness, after awhile began to find holes in the ministers' coats, and devised divers ways of molestation, and troubled them not a little. They opened their cause to the reverend bishops of those times, and found great kindness at their hands, at the first, and they were a good and comfortable shadow unto them for a But, about the tenth year of her majesty's reign, the Papists, as men which began to shake off the fear wherewith the mighty Godprotecting and blessing her majesty's most godly and christian proceedings-had struck them; the Papists, I say, began to conne forth of their dens, and, as it is well known to the state, practised divers treacherous attempts; but, among other, they preferred such grievous accusations against the godly and faithful ministers, that then and from thenceforth, they were left naked, and a great storm fell upon them; and so it continued, now and then sharper; and sometime there was a calm, and men breathed, and returned to the Lord's work.

season.

"About an. 1571, as I take it, Subscription was first enforced upon the ministry; for which cause, at that time, certain men wrote an Admonition to the Parliament,' opening divers things worthy of reformation. Whereupon arose great volumes of proving and defending; which are famously known to all men that understand of these

44 an humble servant of * The Plea for the Innocent, &c. by Josias Nichols, the English Church." Dated at Eastwell in Kent. 16mo. B2

causes.a But how flesh and blood did, in these writings, oversway the christian moderation and mildness which brethren should have been very careful of, in contending for truth, by the hot pursuit of either side, I rejoice not to rehearse; and I am sorry as oft as I think upon the lamentable effects and hurt of the church in those times. Howbeit, our merciful God, whose unchangeable love doth swallow up many of our infirmities and follies, granted unto us, in the midst of these fiery contentions, a goodly space of quietness about the time that the Rev. Father, Master Grindal, was archbishop of Canterbury. In which time, in all the south parts of England, there was great concord among the ministers, and they joined in great love and joy one with another, in the Lord's work. So that in the space of four or five years, as I remember, there were infinite souls brought to the knowledge of Christ; and the people rejoiced for the consolation, seeing and beholding how greatly they were bound to praise God for her majesty's most christian government, under whose most godly proceedings, they had sucked and tasted the sweet and undeceivable milk of God's truth, even the holy faith of God's elect, the doctrine of salvation. It was a golden time, full of godly fruit, great honour to the Gospel; great love and kind fellowship among all the ministers, preaching the faith; and the people united in the true fear of God, and cheerful reverence to her Majesty.

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"But this life not affording constant prosperity to heavenly love and growth of godliness; after the said archbishop's decease, there came forth a new and fresh assault of Subscription,' universally imposed, and again enforced upon all the Ministers, in three Articles: anno 1584. First, Of the Queen's Majesty's sovereign authority over all persons, &c.; Second, That the Book of Common Prayer, and of Ordaining Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, contains in it nothing contrary to the Word of God, &c.; Third, To allow and approve all the Articles of Religion agreed upon by the archbishops and bishops, &c. 1562; and, to believe all therein contained to be agreeable to God.When, in the visitations and public meetings, the ministers were called to subscribe, they offered very freely and willingly to subscribe to the first article, Of her Majesty's most lawful authority; and for the other two, they refused to do any further than by law they were bound; and, namely, according to the Statute made for that purpose, an. 13 [of Eliz.]. Hereupon, many in divers shires were suspended from the execution of their ministry, and some deprived. And, great division arose in the Church; the one, suing for Reformation, and to be eased of such burdens; and the other, urging very straitly the former things, and punishing such as would not be conformable. Then came there forth a new cloud of writing, and men's affections waxing hot and drawing to the worse, it was a very common name to all these ministers to be called Puritans;' as men which made conscience of many things, which the Reverend Fathers, and many learned men, affirmed to be lawful!

a See large particulars in Hanbury's edition of R. Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity, 1830.

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In all this time, there was much preaching in the Universities about Non-residents, and unpreaching Ministers; and there, should you see a plain division, one sort called Youths,' and the other sort which took not such liberty, were called Precisians.' And this is grown, both in the university and in the country, town and city, that whoso feareth an oath, or is an ordinary resorter to sermons, earnest against excess, riot, popery, or any disorder, they are called, in the university, Precisians,' and in other places, Puritans.'a

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"But while we, partly fearing, and partly hoping, as though the Rev. Fathers themselves, to whom we used, beside our Supplications,' divers means, would, at the length, have joined with us, to the ending of these unwholesome strifes; and that we trusted that our merciful God, pitying his Church, would have raised up some means to further his own cause; while the time slipped away, and men's minds wavered this way and that way, three most grievous accidents did greatly astonish us, and very much darken the righteousness of our cause. The first was a foolish jester, who termed himself Martin Mar-Prelate,' and his sons, which, under counterfeit and apish scoffing, did play the sycophant, and slanderously abused many persons of reverend place and note. And such was the wisdom of the time! that many filthy and lewd pamphlets came forth against him; casting forth much stinking dung and beastly filth into the faces of honest men; to the great contempt of Christ's holy Gospel, and the very apparent disparagement of the faithful labours of all godly ministers, on both sides. This kindled a marvellous great fire,.. howsoever it was, the blame lighted upon us, and we by it obtained a new name, in many pulpits,how justly, God knoweth,-we were called Martinists.' Then did our troubles increase.b

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"In this time also, happened the second and third evil. The 'Brownists' took offence against both sides; and made a temerarious and wicked separation; and some two or three men being bewitched with some proud honour, by a certain mad and frantic spirit, lifted up themselves with high words of blasphemy:.. howbeit, these also were drawn upon us, and made a notable matter to aggravate our cause... By this means, we, finding the mighty winds and strong stream against us, were fain to humble ourselves under God's mercy; and, commending ourselves and our cause to Him who judgeth righteously, we reserved ourselves for a better time, when it should please his gracious wisdom to make his own truth to appear, and to move the minds of our superiors to be more favourable.

"Then took the idle and unpreaching ministers comfort at the heart; supposing their standing to be good; and the non-residents had their mouths enlarged: it became dangerous, both in the university and country, to reprove either of these, and the people were become 'Conventiclers' if they met together to sing a psalm, or to talk of God's word; and there was not a better way to maintain an evil cause, or to bring an honest man out of favour, than to show thyself an b Chap. ii. p. 31-33.

a Chap. i. p. 5-12.

Hacket, of an evil spirit." Margin.

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