meanest of the people; their preachers were generally illiterate, and went about the country making proselytes of all who would submit to immersion, without a due regard to their acquaintance with the principles of religion, or their moral characters. The writers of these times represent them as tinctured with a kind of enthusiastic fury against all that opposed them. Mr. Baxter says, "There were but few of them that had not been the opposers and troublers of faithful ministers--That in this they strengthened the hands of the profane, and that, in general, reproach of ministers, faction, pride, and scandalous practices, were fomented in their way+." But still there were among them some learned, and a great many sober and devout Christians, who disallowed of the imprudence of their country friends. The two most learned divines that espoused their cause were Mr. Francis Cornwall, M. A. of Emanuel-college, and Mr. John Tombes, B. D., educated in the university of Oxford, a person of incomparable parts, well versed in the Greek and Hebrew languages, and a most excellent disputant. He wrote several letters to Mr. Selden against infant-baptism, and published a Latin exercitation upon the same subject, containing several arguments, which he represented to the committee appointed by the assembly to put a stop to the progress of this opinion. The exercitation being translated into English, brought upon him a whole army of adversaries, among whom were the reverend Dr. Hammond, Dr. Holmes, Mr. Marshal, Fuller, Geree, Baxter, and others. The people of this persuasion were more exposed to the public resentments, because they would hold communion with none but such as had been dipped. All must pass under this cloud before they could be received into their churches; and the same narrow spirit prevails too generally among them even at this day.

Besides the above-mentioned writers, the most eminent divines in the city of London, as Mr. Vines, Calamy, and others, preached vigorously against these doctrines, which they had a right to do; though it was most unjustifiable to fight them at the same time with the sword of the civil magistrate‡, and shut them up in

*Baxter's Life, p. 102. 144.

We refer the reader, for a more full account of the Baptists of this period, to the Supplement in vol. 3, where their history will be given in greater detail, and continued without interruption. Suffice it to say here, that Mr. Baxter, great and excellent as he was, had his weaknesses and prejudices, for which much allowance must be made. Severe as is what he says above of the Baptists, he speaks of them, at other times, with more candour and respect. As p. 140 of his Life: "For the Anabaptists themselves (though I have written and said so much against them), as I found most of them were persons of zeal in religion, so many of them were sober, godly people and differed from others but in the point of infantbaptism or at most in the points of predestination, and free-will, and perseverance." It is to be regretted, on the ground of the justice due to this people and even to Mr. Baxter, that Mr. Neal should have overlooked or omitted this testimony so honourable to both.-ED.

Nothing, it is justly observed by Mr. Crosby, is more evident, than that the mos distinguished of the Presbyterian divines preached and wrote against toleraion and we re strenuous advocates for the interference of the civil power to

prison, as was the case of several in this and the following year, among whom are reckoned the reverend Mr. Henry Denn, formerly ordained by the bishop of St. David's, and possessed of the living of Pyeton in Hertfordshire; Mr. Coppe, minister in Warwickshire, and sometime preacher to the garrison in Compton-house; Mr. Hanserd Knollys, who was several times before the committee for preaching Antinomianism and Antipædobaptism; and being forbid to preach in the public churches, he opened a separate meeting in Great St. Helen's, from whence he was quickly dislodged, and his followers dispersed. Mr. Andrew Wyke, in the county of Suffolk, was imprisoned on the same account; and Mr. Oates in Essex tried for his life in Chelmsford assizes for the murder of Anne Martin, because she died, a few days after her immersion, of a cold that seized her at that time. Lawrence Clarkson was imprisoned by the committee of Suffolk, and having lain in jail six months, signed a recantation, and was released. The recantation*, as entered in the committee's books, was in these words: “July, 15, 1645.

"This day Lawrence Clarkson, formerly committed for an Anabaptist, and for dipping, does now, before the committee, disclaim his errors. And whereas formerly he said he durst not leave his dipping, if he might gain all the committee's estates, now he says, that he by the Holy Scriptures is convinced, that his said opinions were erroneous, and that he will not, nor dares not practise it again, if he might gain all the committee's estates by doing it. And that he makes this recantation not for fear, or to gain his liberty, but merely out of a sense of his error, wherein he will endeavour to reform others."

It must be granted, that the imprudent behaviour of the Baptist lay-preachers, who declaimed against human literature and hireling priests, crying down magistracy and a regular ministry, and talking in the most exalted strains of a fifth monarchy, and king Jesus, prejudiced the minds of many sober people against them; but still the imprisoning men merely on account of religious principles, not inconsistent with the public peace, nor propagated in a riotous and tumultuous manner, is not to be justi

suppress what they deemed error. Mr. Baxter always freely avowed, that " he abhorred unlimited liberty, or toleration of all." Dr. Lightfoot informed the house of commons, in a sermon at St. Margaret's, Westminster, that though "he would not go about to determine whether conscience might be bound or not, yet certainly the devil in the conscience might be, yea, must be bound by the civil magistrate." Crosby's History of the English Baptists, vol. 1. p. 176. 178. Robinson's History of Baptism, p. 151.-ED.

Every instance of a recantation, which ecclesiastical history furnishes, moves our pity, and excites our indignation; our pity of the weakness and timidity from which it flows; and our indignation at the spirit of intolerance, which can demand the sacrifice of principle and integrity. "Mr. Clarkson had not only been imprisoned six months, but all the intercession of his friends, though he had several, could not procure his release. The committee were unrelenting. Nay; though an order came down, either from a committee of parliament, or the chairman of it, to discharge him, yet they refused to obey it." Crosby's History of English Baptists, vol. 1. preface, p. 16.-ED.

fied on any pretence whatsoever; and it was the more inexcusable in this case, because Mr. Baxter admits, that the Presbyterian zeal was in a great measure the occasion of it.

Before we leave the assembly for this year, it will be proper to take notice, that it was honoured with the presence of Charles Lewis, elector-palatine of the Rhine, eldest son of Frederick, &c. king of Bohemia, who married king James's daughter, and lost his territories by the fatal battle of Prague in 1619. The unhappy Frederick died in 1632, and left behind him six sons and five daughters, among whom were prince Rupert, prince Maurice, and the princess Sophia. The young elector and his mother often solicited the English court for assistance to recover their dominions, and were as often complimented with empty promises. All the parliaments of this reign mention with concern the calamitous condition of the queen of Bohemia and her children, and offer to venture their lives and fortunes for the recovery of the Palatinate, but king Charles I. did not approve his sister's principles, who, being a resolved Protestant, had been heard to say, if we may believe L'Estrange, that rather than have her son bred up in idolatry at the emperor's court, she had rather be his executioner. And Mr. Echard adds +, that the birth of king Charles II. in the year 1630, gave no great joy to the Puritans, because, as one of them declared, "God had already provided for them in the family of the queen of Bohemia, who were bred up in the Protestant religion, while it was uncertain what religion king Charles's children would follow, being to be brought up by a mother devoted to the church of Rome." When the war broke out between the king and parliament, the elector's younger brothers, Rupert and Maurice, served the king in his army, but the elector himself being in Holland took the covenant, and by a letter to the parliament testified his approbation of the cause in which they were engaged. This summer he made a tour to England, and was welcomed by a committee of the two houses, who promised him their best advice and assistance; to whom the prince made the following reply:

"I hold myself much obliged to the parliament for their favours, and my coming is to express in person what I have often done by letter, my sincere affections to them, and to take off such jealousies, as either the actions of some of my relations, or the ill effects of what my enemies might by my absence cast upon me. My wishes are constant for the good success of the great work you have undertaken, for a thorough reformation ; and my desires are to be ruled and governed by your grave counsels §."

The parliament ordered an apartment to be fitted up for the

Baxter's Life, p. 103.

History, p. 449.

Bishop Warburton thinks it apparent, from many circumstances, that the elector had his eye on the crown: matters being gone too far for the king and parliament ever to agree.-ED.

§ Oldmixon's History of the Stuarts, p. 268.

prince at Whitehall, and voted him 80007.* a year for his maintenance, and 10,000l. for his royal mother, till he should be restored to his electorate †. While he stayed here, he frequently attended the assembly in their debates, and after some time had a pass for himself and forty horse into the Low Countries. His sister princess Sophia, afterward married the Duke of Brunswick and Hanover, whose son, upon the decease of queen Anne, succeeded to the crown of Great Britain, by the name of George I.; the numerous posterity of king Charles I. being set aside as Papists, and thus the descendants of the queen of Bohemia, electress-palatine, and daughter of king James I., came to inherit the imperial crown of these kingdoms, as a reward for their firmness to the Protestant religion:-and may the same illustrious family continue to be the guardians of our liberties, both sacred and civil, to the end of time!

Religion was the fashion of the age: the assembly was often turned into a house of prayer, and hardly a week passed without solemn fasting and humiliation, in several of the churches of London and Westminster; the laws against profaneness were carefully executed; and because the former ordinances for the observation of the Lord's day had proved ineffectual, it was ordained, April 6, that all persons should apply themselves to the exercise of piety and religion on the Lord's day, "that no wares, fruits, herbs, or goods of any sort, be exposed to sale, or cried about the streets, upon penalty of forfeiting the goods. That no person without cause shall travel, or carry a burden, or do any worldly labour, upon penalty of ten shillings for the traveller, and five shillings for every burden. That no person shall, on the Lord's day, use, or be present at, any wrestling, shooting, fowling, ringing of bells for pleasure, markets, wakes, church-ales, dancing, games, or sports whatsoever, upon penalty of five shillings to every one above fourteen years of age. And if children are found offending in the premises, their parents or guardians to forfeit twelvepence for every offence. That all May-poles be pulled down, and none others erected. That if the several fines above mentioned cannot be levied, the offending party shall be set in the stocks for the space of three hours. That the king's declaration concerning lawful sports on the Lord's day be called in, suppressed, and burnt.

This ordinance shall not extend to prohibit dressing meat in private families, or selling victuals in a moderate way in inns or victualling-houses, for the use of such who cannot otherwise be provided for; nor to the crying of milk before nine in the morning, or after four in the afternoon §."

It was ordered October 1645, but Dr. Grey quotes authority to prove that it was ill paid. Vol. 2. Appendix, No. 50.-ED.

+ Oldmixon's History of the Stuarts, p. 279.

"And for every offence in doing any worldly labour or work."-ED.

§ Sobell's Collect. p. 68.

The solemn league and covenant was in such high repute at this time, that by an order of the house of commons, January 29, 1634, it was appointed, "that, on every fast-day and day of public humiliation, the covenant should be publicly read in every church and congregation within the kingdom; and that every congregation be enjoined to have one of the said covenants fairly printed, in a fair letter, in a table fitted to hang up in some public place of the church to be read." Which was done accordingly, and they continued there till the restoration +.

But that which occasioned the greatest disturbance over the whole nation, was an order of both houses relating to Christmasday. Dr. Lightfoot says, the London ministers met together last year to consult whether they should preach on that day; and one of considerable name and authority opposed it, and was near prevailing with the rest, when the doctor convinced them so far of the lawfulness and expediency of it, that the question being put it was carried in the affirmative with only four or five dissenting voices. But this year it happening to fall on the monthly fast, so that either the fast or the festival must be omitted, the parliament, after some debate, thought it most agreeable to the present circumstances of the nation to go on with fasting and prayer; and therefore published the following order:

"Die Jovis 19 Dec. 1644.

"Whereas some doubts have been raised, whether the next fast shall be celebrated, because it falls on the day which heretofore was usually called the feast of the nativity of our Saviour; the lords and commons in parliament assembled do order and ordain, that public notice be given, that the fast appointed to be kept the last Wednesday in every month ought to be observed, till it be otherwise ordered by both houses; and that this day in particular is to be kept with the more solemn humiliation, because it may call to remembrance our sins, and the sins of our forefathers, who have turned this feast, pretending the memory of Christ, into an extreme forgetfulness of him, by giving liberty to carnal and sensual delights, being contrary to the life which Christ led here on earth, and to the spiritual life of Christ in our souls, for the sanctifying and saving whereof, Christ was pleased both to take a human life, and to lay it down again ‡.

99

The royalists raised loud clamours on account of the supposed impiety and profaneness of this transaction, as what had never before been heard of in the Christian world, though they could not but know, that this, as well as other festivals, is of ecclesias

Dr. Grey gives various passages from the sermons of the day to prove in what extravagant estimation it was held, and to shew what high encomiums were passed on it.-ED. + Lond. Min. Testimony to the Truth of Jesus Christ, p. 26.

Rushworth, vol. 5. p. 817.