the vice-chancellor may commit to prison him that resteth not in his sentence. For of the close prison, without bail, we say nothing, leaving it to your lordship's wisdom, and to the laws of the land: we do not deny that our hearts are greatly moved with this strange example of extraordinary violence and extremity. Our great grief and distress of heart hardly suffereth to make any end of complaining, and what to ask of your lordship we well know not; but we beseech the Lord our God to affect your honour's heart, with a tender compassion of the great affliction of this our dear brother and faithful servant of God, Mr. Johnson.". Among those who subscribed the two supplications, are the names of William Perkins, Thomas Brightman, and Anthony Wotton, all divines of great celebrity in their day. Indeed, the most pious and learned men in the university disapproved of the above illegal and inhuman proceedings; and Dr. Goad, provost of King's college, Dr. Whitaker, master of St. John's college, and Dr. Chadderton, master of Emanuel college, all protested against them.+ We do not find, however, that these supplications and protestations were at all effectual. How long Mr. Johnson remained under his barbarous confinement, we have not been able to learn; but, as he failed to obtain redress, he, being wearied by the fatigue of the prison, most probably consented to leave the university. A divine of his name, and probably the subject of this narrative, subscribed the "Book of Discipline."+ The tyrannical and cruel persecution of the puritans, instead of bringing them to conformity, only drove them further from the established church. They could not in conscience comply with such measures, nor much less could they approve of a church fighting with such weapons. Therefore, at this period, many pious and learned persons were driven to a total separation from the ecclesiastical establishment, among whom was Mr. Johnson, who espoused the sentiments of the Brownists, and joined their congregation which assembled privately in and about London. About the year 1592, the members of this congregation, having become rather numerous, formed themselves into a church; when Mr. Johnson was chosen pastor by the sufferage of the brotherhood, Mr. John Greenwood, doctor or teacher, Messrs. Bowman and Lee, deacons, and Messrs. Studly and Kinaston, elders. The whole of this service + Ibid. p. 85. Baker's MS. Collec. vol. iv. p. 87, 88. was performed in one day, at the house of Mr. Fox in Nicholas-lane. At the same time, seven persons were baptized, without godfathers or godmothers, Mr. Johnson only washing their faces with water, and pronouncing the form, "I baptize thee in the name of the Father," &c. The Lord's supper was also administered in the following manner: five white loaves being set upon the table, the pastor implored the blessing of God; and after breaking the bread, he delivered it to part of the company, and the deacons to the rest, some standing and others sitting around the table, using the words of the apostle, 1 Cor. xi. 24, Take, eat, &c. In like manner he gave the cup, saying, This cup is the New Testament, &c. At the close, they sung an hymn, and made a collection for the poor. Afterwards, when any one entered into the church, he made this single protestation or promise, "That he would walk with them, so long as they walked in the way of the Lord, and as far as might be warranted by the word of God."* This congregation, of which Mr. Johnson was pastor, was obliged, in order to avoid the bishops' officers, to meet in different places, and sometimes in the dead of the night; but was at length discovered on a Lord's day at Islington, in the very place in which the protestant congregation met in the reign of Queen Mary. About fifty-six persons were taken into custody, and sent, two by two, to the different prisons about London, where several of their friends had been confined a considerable time. Upon their examination, they acknowledged that they had met in the fields, in the summer season, by five o'clock on a Lord's day morning, and in winter in private houses; that they continued all the day in prayer and expounding the scriptures, dined together, and afterwards made collection for their food, and sent the remainder of the money to their brethren in prison; and that they did not use the Lord's prayer, apprehending that our Saviour did not intend it to be used as a form, after the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Also, during their imprisonment, their adversaries having charged them with holding many extravagant opinions concerning baptism, marriage, lay-preaching, and other particulars, they vindicated themselves in a very solid and judicious reply, shewing how far they were falsely accused. Though it does not appear whether Mr. Johnson was apprehended and cast into prison at the same time with the Strype's Annals, vol. iv. p. 175. + Ibid. vol. iii. p. 579. congregation; yet, during the present year, both he and Mr. John Greenwood, were seized by Archbishop Whitgift's pursuivants, without warrant, at a certain citizen's house in Ludgate-hill; and in the midst of the night, after the pursuivants had searched all the chests, boxes, and other private places in the house, they were carried to the Compter, and the next day Whitgift and the other high commissioners committed them to close prison.* Mr. Johnson underwent many examinations before his ecclesiastical inquisitors; and though he absolutely refused the oath ex officio, he confessed, April 5, 1593, "That he was first taken in an assembly in St. Nicholas-lane, and committed to the Compter in Wood-street; that afterwards he was apprehended in Mr. Boys's house," (as mentioned above,)" and committed to prison by the Archbishop of Canterbury and others; and that he had been twice examined before the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Anderson.” Being asked how long he had held the opinions of the Brownists, he said, he could not definitely answer, but signified that he had been committed to prison four years before, for a sermon delivered in St. Mary's church, Cambridge. He confessed, that he had baptized divers children in the congregation; but, as to marriage, he did not account it an ecclesiastical service, or at all belonging to the ministerial function. He observed, that it was not indispensably requisite to use the very words of the Lord's prayer; and that the Lord's supper was not to be confined to any particular time, but might be received at any time of the day or night, when the congregation is assembled and prepared for it. Being required to shew in what places they had assembled, he refused to answer; and being asked whether he possessed or had possessed any of Barrow's, Greenwood's, or Penry's books, he also desired to be excused making any reply. When he was asked whether he had not persuaded others to the assembly of the congregation of which he was pastor, and how many he had so persuaded; he said, he had done, and must do, that which God, according to his holy word, required of him; but refused any further answer. And being asked whether he would reform himself, and attend upon the service of the parish church, he refused to give a direct answer; but said, he could not join in the ecclesiastical ministry and state of archbishops, bishops, parsons, vicars, &c. &c.+ * Strype's Annals, vol. iv. p. 96. + Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xv. p. 33,34. Mr. Johnson, having_lain in close confinement fourteen months, wrote a letter to Lord Treasurer Burleigh, entreating his compassionate influence to procure for him and his fellow-prisoners, a friendly conference, that their real sentiments might be known, and that all impartial men might judge whether they deserved such hard treatment. In this letter, he observes, "That his brother George had been confined eleven months in the Clink. And," says he, "when our poor old father applied to Justice Young, for us to have the liberty of the prison, he and the Dean of Westminster, would have sent him to prison, had not Justice Barnes interposed and prevented them.-We are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. We suffer these things only for refusing to have communion with the antichristian prelacy; and for labouring, in a holy and peaceable manner, to obey the Lord Jesus Christ in his ministry and worship, as prescribed in his last Testament, and sealed with his own precious blood. If we err in these things, prisons and the gallows are no fit means to convince and persuade our consciences: but rather a quiet and godly conference, or a discussion of the matter by writing, before equal and impartial judges. This we have often sued for, but could never yet obtain. We now, therefore, in a humble manner, solicit your lordship to procure this for us. Not that we doubt the truth of our cause. We are fully persuaded of this from the word of God, and are ready, by the grace of God, to seal it with our own blood. But we desire it, that the truth being discovered and made manifest, the false offices, callings, livings, and possessions of the prelacy, might be converted to her majesty's use, as were not long since the livings of the abbots, monks, and friars in these dominions; and that by these means the gospel of Christ may have free course, and the peace of the church be promoted." In the conclusion, he subscribes himself, "pastor of that poor distressed church, and still a close prisoner for the gospel of Jesus Christ."+ Inclosed in this letter, Mr. Johnson sent a paper to the treasurer, signifying, that, for his writings, he was in no * Mr. George Johnson, member of the Brownist congregation, late schoolmaster in St. Nicholas-lane, London, born at Richmond in Yorkshire, was convened, April 2, 1593, before the high commission, when he underwent an examination, but refused to take the oath. He had at that time been some weeks a prisoner in Newgate, and had already undergone several examinations before the Bishop of London and others.-Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xv. p. 107. + Strype's Annals, voi, iv. p. 133-136. danger of the statute of 35 Eliz. "To retain the queen's subjects in their due obedience." In this paper, he professedly acquits himself on the following grounds: 1. He had only inquired of the prelates and ministers, whether her majesty, with the consent of parliament, might not abolish the present prelacy and ministry of the church, and transfer their revenues and possessions to her own civil uses, as her father, Henry VIII., did with abbots, monks, and others, and their livings. 2. His writings are only in defence of such doctrines of Christ as are against the canonical function of the pope, and were professed by the holy martyrs of Christ, accounted lollardy and heresy: as, for instance, John Wickliffe held, that archbishops, bishops, archdeacons, officials, deans, &c. were disciples of antichrist. 3. If the statute of 35 Eliz. be against such writings and books as reprove the ecclesiastical ministry and government of archbishops, bishops, archdeacons, deans, &c. then the writing and the printing of the confessions of the reformed churches of Helvetia, Tigur, Geneva, &c. wherein they write, that archprelates, metropolitans, archpriests, deans, subdeans, and others of the same kind, pass not a rush. And the confessions of the reformed French and Belgick churches say, that the church ought to be governed by pastors, elders, and deacons, as Christ hath appointed. 4. In his writings, he hath proved his assertions by the word of God, which her majesty protesteth and defendeth ; and they are written in defence of the liberty and privilege of the church of Christ, which the great charter of England granteth and preserveth inviolable. 5. If all who forsake the communion of the established church, be in danger of this statute; then any one forsaking the church, and joining the French, Dutch, or Italian churches, allowed by her majesty in London, Norwich, or Sandwich, would also incur the penalty of this statute. 6. He never maliciously persuaded any to abstain from the church, much less to deny, withstand, or impugn her majesty's authority. 7. He never did, obstinately, and without lawful cause, but upon conscience, grounded upon the word of God, and approved by the confessions of the reformed churches, and the faithful servants and martyrs of Christ, refuse to hear, and have communion with the ministry of the church as now established. |