part i

. edit. 1608.]

[246] [See Smith’s Parallels and Censures, p. 9, &c. edit. 1609.]

[247] [“It is not because I think such persons are not fit matter for church-estate; but because they yet want a fit form, requisite to church estate.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 63.]

[248] [“The answer to that question and to all the other thirty-two questions, were drawn up by Mr. Mader—however, the substance of that answer doth generally suit with all our minds, as I conceive. I have read it, and did readily approve it to be judicious and solid. But his answer ... is notoriously slandered and abused by the examiner.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 63. Lechford, in his “Plain Dealing,” &c., however tells us of a minister, who “standing upon his ministry as of the church of England, and arguing against their covenant, and being elected at Weymouth, was compelled to recant some words.” One of his friends for being active in his election was fined £10, and uttering some cross words, £5 more, “and payed it down.” P. 22.]

[249] [“It was his doctrines and practices which tended to the civil disturbance of the commonwealth, together with his heady and busy pursuit of the same, even to the rejection of all churches here; these they were that made him unfit for enjoying communion in the one state or in the other.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 64.]

[250] [“His distinction, in the general I do approve it, and do willingly acknowledge that a godly person may be, through ignorance or negligence, so far enthralled to anti-christ, as to be separate from Christ, taking Christ as head of the visible church.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 66.]

[251] [“What if ecclesiastical stories be deficient in telling us the times and places of their church assemblies? Is therefore the word of God deficient, or the church deficient, because human stories are deficient?... Yet sometimes their own inquisitors confess, that the churches of the Waldenses, or men of that way, have been extant _a tempore apostolorum_.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 69.]

[252] [“My words are misreported: and the contradiction ariseth from his misreport. For God’s people and godly persons are not all one. Any church members may be called God’s people, as being in external covenant with him, and yet they are not always godly persons. God’s people may be so enthralled to anti-christ, as to separate them utterly from Christ, both as head of the visible and invisible church; but godly persons cannot be so enthralled.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 71.]

[253] [“He requireth that we should cut off ourselves from hearing the ministry of the parishes in England, as being the ministry of a national, or parishional church, whereof both the church estate is falsely constituted, and all the ministry, worship, and government thereof false also. If he speak of the national church government, we must confess the truth, there indeed is truth fallen and falsehood hath prevailed much.—All of them are forsaken of Truth, and can challenge no warrant of truth but falsely.” Cotton’s Answer, pp. 77, 84.]

[254] [“If the examiner had been pleased to have read Mr. Brightman on Rev. xviii. 4, he might find I was not the first that interpreted either that place in Isaiah, or this in Revelation, of a local separation.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 87.]

[255] [“The two causes of God’s indignation against England—I would rather say Amen to them, than weaken the weight of them. Only I should so assent to the latter, as not to move for a toleration of all dissenters, dissenters in fundamentals.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 89.]

[256] [“Our joining with the ministers of England in hearing of the word and prayer, doth not argue our church-communion with the parish churches in England, much less with the national church.” Mr. Cotton then proceeds to deny that Mr. Williams was persecuted, or that he admonished them humbly and faithfully. His banishment was no persecution; his statement of his opinions no admonition. Cotton’s Answer, p. 101.]

[257] [“Who seeth not, that in these words I express not mine own reasoning or meaning, but his; and that I expressly say, the true meaning of the text will nothing more reach to his purpose; and so bring in his reason in form of an enthymeme, which he draws from it?” Cotton’s Answer, p. 105.]

[258] [“Sure I am, we look at infants as members of our church, as being federally holy, but I am slow to believe that all of them are regenerate, or truly godly.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 108.]

[259] [“These are palpable mistakes of those words of mine, which I expressed as the sum of his words, which he through haste conceived to be mine.” Ib. p. 108.]

[260] [“We wholly avoid national, provincial, and diocesan government of the churches by episcopal authority; we avoid their prescript liturgies, and communion with open scandalous persons in any church order; ... it is a continual sorrow of heart, and mourning of our souls that there is yet so much of those notorious evils which he nameth ... suffered to thrust themselves into the fellowship of the churches, and to sit down with the saints at the Lord’s table. But yet I count all these but remnants of pollution, when as the substance of the true estate of churches abideth in their congregational assemblies.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 108.]

[261] [“Mr. Williams probably refers to the refusal by the General Court to listen to a petition from Salem relative to a piece of land which was claimed as belonging to that town. But according to Winthrop, ‘because they had chosen Mr. Williams their teacher, while he stood under question of authority, and so offered contempt to the magistrates, their petition was refused,” &c. Knowles, p. 70.]

[262] [“His banishment proceeded not against him or his for his own refusal of any worship, but for seditious opposition against the patent, and against the oath of fidelity offered to the people; ... he also wrote letters of admonition to all the churches whereof the magistrates were members, for deferring to give present answer to a petition of Salem, who had refused to hearken to a lawful motion of theirs.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 113.]

[263] [“It seemeth he never read the story of the classes in Northamptonshire, Suffolk, Essex, London, Cambridge, discovered by a false brother to Doctor Bancroft.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 116, Neal’s Puritans, i. 226, 319.]

[264] [Udall had been a tutor to Queen Elizabeth in the learned languages, yet for writing a little book against Diocesan Church Government and Ceremonies he was condemned to die, and would have been executed but for the queen’s feelings of respect to her aged tutor. A copy of this exceedingly rare book is in Mr. Offor’s library.]

[265] [“He died by the annoyance of the prison: when the coroner’s jury came to survey the dead body of Mr. Udall in prison, he bled freshly, though cold before, as a testimony against the murderous illegal proceedings of the state against him.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 116, Neal, i. 339.]

[266] [Mr. Cotton says, that Penry confessed that he deserved death for having seduced many to separation from hearing the word in the parish churches, so that their souls were justly required at his hand. Ibid. p. 117. This can scarcely be correct if we judge from the general tenor of Penry’s character. See Hanbury’s Hist. Memorials, i. 79, note _e_.]

[267] [See Broadmead Records, Intro. p. xxxviii. Hanbury, i. 35, 62. Mr. Cotton endeavours to throw no little obloquy and discredit on these two witnesses to the truth; but most unjustly. Answer p. 117.]

[268] [In “A Necessitie of Separation from the Church of England proved by Nonconformist Principles, &c.” By John Canne, pastor of the Ancient English Church at Amsterdam, 1634, 4to. pp. 264.]

[269] [“Mr. Ainsworth’s name is of best esteem, without all exception, in that way who refused communion with hearing in England. And if his people suffered him to live on ninepence a week, with roots boiled, surely either the people were grown to a very extreme low estate, or else the growth of their godliness was grown to a very low ebb.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 122. The remarks of Mr. Hanbury, with the quotation he produces from the preface, by a friend of Ainsworth, to his Annotations on Solomon’s Song, do not appear in the least to invalidate the statement of Williams. In the earlier part of his exile, in common with Johnson and the other separatists, he was exposed to great straits and difficulties, and it may be to that period that Mr. Williams refers. See Hanbury, i. 433.]

[270] [“This I speak with respect to Mr. Robinson and to his church, who grew to acknowledge, and in a judicious and godly discourse to approve and defend, the lawful liberty of hearing the word from the godly preachers of the parishes in England.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 123.]

[271] [Mr. Robinson’s book was published nine years after his death. It was entitled, “Of the Lawfulness of Hearing of the Ministers in the Church of England: penned by that Learned and Reverend Divine, Mr. John Robinson, late pastor to the English Church of God in Leyden, and Printed Anno 1634.” Mr. Canne’s work in reply was entitled “A Stay against Straying,” 4to. 1639.]

[272] [“If this be all the conclusion he striveth for, I shall never contend with him about it. But this is that I deny, a man to participate in a church-estate, where he partaketh only in hearing and prayer, before and after sermon; and joineth not with them, neither in their covenant, nor in the seals of the covenant.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 129.]

[273] [That is, as Mr. Cotton explains it, because “being cast out by the usurping power of the prelacy, and dismissed, though against their wills, by our congregations, we looked at ourselves as private members, and not officers to any church here, until one or other church might call us unto office.” Any other sense is either a mistake, or a “fraudulent expression of our minds.” Answer p. 131.]

[274] [“We are not so masterly and peremptory in our apprehensions; and yet the more plainly and exactly all church-actions are carried on according to the letter of the rule, the more glory shall we give unto the Lord Jesus, and procure the more peace to our consciences and to our churches, and reserve more purity and power to all our administrations.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 132.]

[275] [See Broadmead Records, Intro. p. lxxix.]

[276] [“The world is taken in scripture more ways than one, and so is separation; as when the apostle exhorteth the Romans, not to conform their church-bodies according to the platform of the Roman monarchy, into œcumenical, national, provincial, diocesan bodies, Rom. xii. 2. From the world, as taken for civil government of it, we are to separate our church-bodies, and the government thereof in frame and constitution.” Cotton’s Answer, pp. 135, 136.]

[277] [“Our not receiving all comers unto the communion of the Lord’s table, and other parts of church fellowship, saving only unto the public hearing of the word and presence at other duties, it argueth indeed that such persons either think themselves unfit materials for church fellowship, or else that we conceive them to be as stones standing in need of a little more hewing and squaring before they be laid as living stones in the walls of the Lord’s house.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 139.]

[278] [“Our practice in suppressing such as have attempted to set up a parishional way, I never heard of such a thing here to this day. And if any such thing were done before my coming into the country, I do not think it was done by forcible compulsion, but by rational conviction.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 139. It is difficult to reconcile this disclaimer with facts, unless we attribute ignorance to Mr. Cotton. See before, p. 233, note 8.]

[279] [Mr. Cotton calls this an untruth, yet he adds, “I hold that the receiving all the inhabitants in the parish into the full fellowship of the church, and the admitting of them all unto the liberty of all the ordinances, is an human corruption, and so if he will, an human invention.” Answer, p. 140.]

[280] [“The answer is near at hand.... _Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before my face_, Luke xix. 27. And yet I would not be so understood as if Christ did allow his vicegerents to practise all that himself would practise in his own person. For not all the practices or acts of Christ, but the laws of Christ, are the rules of man’s administrations.” Cotton’s Answer, p. 144.]

FINIS.

J. HADDON, PRINTER, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY.

ERRATA.

Page 7, line 4, for “to [all] men,” read “all men.”

21, _dele_ “men.”

8, line 32, for “_He that believeth shall not be damned_,” read “_He that believeth not shall be damned._”

THE SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HANSERD KNOLLYS SOCIETY, FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE WORKS OF EARLY ENGLISH AND OTHER BAPTIST WRITERS.

1847-8.

LONDON: PRINTED BY JOHN HADDON, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY. 1848.

SECOND GENERAL MEETING.

APRIL 28th, 1848.

Mr. CHARLES JONES in the Chair. Prayer by Mr. ROTHERY. E. B. UNDERHILL, Esq., read the Annual Report, and GEORGE OFFOR, Esq., presented the Cash Accounts and Financial Statement.

It was moved by Dr. COX, seconded by Rev. W. JONES, of Stepney, and resolved unanimously:—

“That the gratifying Report now read be approved, printed, and circulated among the Subscribers under the direction of the Council.”

It was moved by GEORGE OFFOR, Esq., seconded by Rev. R. MORRIS, of Manchester, and resolved unanimously:—

“That the Gentlemen whose names follow be the Officers and Council for the year ensuing.”

Treasurer.

CHARLES JONES, Esq.

Honorary Secretaries.

E. B. UNDERHILL, Esq. Rev. W. JONES.

Council.

Rev. J. ACWORTH. Rev. J. ANGUS, M.A. Rev. C. M. BIRRELL. Rev. CALEB EVANS BIRT, M.A. Rev. W. H. BLACK. Rev. W. BROCK. Rev. THOMAS BURDITT. Rev. JABEZ BURNS, D.D. Rev. F. A. COX, D.D. LL.D. Rev. T. S. CRISP. Rev. B. DAVIES, Ph. D. Rev. B. EVANS. Rev. B. GODWIN, D.D. Rev. F. W. GOTCH, M.A. Rev. W. GROSER. Rev. J. H. HINTON, M.A. Rev. J. HOBY, D.D. CHARLES T. JONES, Esq. G. F. KEMP, Esq. GEORGE LOWE, Esq., F.R.S. Rev. W. H. MURCH, D.D. Rev. J. P. MURSELL. Rev. THOMAS FOX NEWMAN. GEORGE OFFOR, Esq. Rev. G. H. ORCHARD. Rev. T. POTTENGER. Rev. J. J. OWEN. Rev. THOMAS PRICE, D.D. JAMES READ, Esq. Rev. ROBERT ROFF. Rev. JOSHUA RUSSELL. Rev. J. SPRIGG, M.A. Rev. E. STEANE, D.D. Rev. C. STOVEL. Rev. THOMAS THOMAS. Rev. F. TRESTRAIL.

The Meeting was closed with prayer by Rev. Mr. SMITH, of Park Street.

REPORT.

It is not in the power of a literary Society such as this to lay before the Subscribers matters of exciting interest. It is enough if its object be accomplished satisfactorily to the Subscribers, and the condition of their funds allow the progressive fulfilment of the purposes of its formation.

At the last Annual Meeting the number of Subscribers to the first year’s publications registered, was 1044; that has been increased during the year to 1259. The number up to the present moment for the volumes for 1847, is 1007; but there remains a very considerable amount of subscriptions unpaid. The list will of course be variable, and deficiencies must continually occur from the various incidents of life.

For the year 1847, the reprint of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress from the original editions, has been placed in the hands of the Subscribers. This very unique volume has met with the entire approbation of the Society, and supplies a desideratum in the literary world at large—a critical and authentic edition of the great Dreamer’s immortal work. The labour involved in this undertaking, the useful and interesting introduction accompanying it, and the passage of the work through the press, have been gratuitously afforded to the Society by its very able editor, George Offor, Esq. It was the wish of the Council to complete the year’s issue with a reprint of Henry Danver’s Treatise of Baptism. The very great labour, however, involved in its preparation for the press, has not permitted the editor, the Rev. W. H. Black, to have it in a sufficient state of forwardness for immediate publication. The Council have therefore substituted for it, “The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution Discussed,” by Roger Williams, the first sheets of which are in the press, and they hope to place it in the hands of the Subscribers by the end of July. The controversy which forms the subject of this most valuable work, is of no less interest at the present time than when the author of it became an outcast, an exile, and a wanderer in the wilds of America to escape from the persecuting spirit of the Pilgrim Fathers. Mr. Williams was the honoured founder of Rhode Island State, the first of the United States in which entire and perfect liberty of conscience was permitted and enjoyed. The work now preparing is of extreme rarity, three copies only being known to exist in this country, and two in America. It is being reprinted from the copy in the Bodleian library at Oxford.

The Council have in preparation for the year 1848, the first volume of the Dutch Martyrology, and a volume of John Canne’s works. The Book of Martyrs has been undertaken at the earnest request of many of the Subscribers, and is in course of translation by a gentleman who has for some years resided in Holland. He has already made considerable progress in the work, so that the Council confidently anticipate the pleasure of laying open to the English public during the present year this treasury of examples of Christian patience and endurance under persecution. The portion of the work in hand will probably form three volumes.

The name of Mr. Canne is mostly known by his biblical labours; but he was also remarkable for his clear insight into the nature of the constitution of Christ’s church, which he developed in a series of works both noble in sentiment, and powerful in argumentation. The first volume of his works will appear under the editorial supervision of the Rev. Charles Stovel.

Other works are also in hand, and being matured for publication in future years. Such are the writings of William Dell, Christopher Blackwood, William Kiffin, Benjamin Keach, and others, with various collections of documents relating to the history and faith of the early English Baptists.

Resolutions commendatory of the Society, were passed in the early part of the year at the Western and Gloucestershire Associations of Baptist Churches, and also by the General Assembly of General Baptist Churches.

The Council has had to regret the loss sustained by the departure from this country of the Rev. Dr. Davies, whose advice and judgment were of the most valuable kind. His successor at Stepney College, the Rev. W. Jones, M.A., has favoured the Society by undertaking the office thus vacated.

A resolution has been passed to grant the same privileges to the Sunday School Library of any congregation, which has hitherto been confined to the minister. A second list of ten subscribers will entitle the library to a free copy, the first ten being regarded as entitling the minister.

The Council have it in purpose to extend the usefulness of the Society by additional lectures, so soon as arrangements can be made. They feel assured of the co-operation of their brethren in this matter.

Although so far great encouragement and success have attended their labours, it is of importance that the Subscribers should not only maintain their subscriptions, but by personal recommendation endeavour to supply the places of those who fail by death, removals, or other causes. The efficiency of the Society depends on its numbers, and the larger its subscription list the more will it accomplish in the reproduction of these best memorials of the men who have preceded us in the strife for the establishment of a kingdom which is not of this world, and which when established shall never pass away.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNT.

_In respect to the Subscriptions for the First and Second years, received in the year ended 31st March, 1848._

£ s. d.

Further Subscriptions for First Year 124 8 6 Subscriptions for Second Year 383 15 6 ---------- 508 4 0

ASSETS.

Value of Stock in hand at Cost Price, Volumes I. II. and III. 195 1 8 Unpaid Subscriptions, 3. 1 11 6 ---------- £704 17 2 ==========

£ s. d.

Disbursements as per Cash Account 414 13 4

LIABILITIES.

Use of Fire and Light at Mission House 3 3 0 Printing Report, &c. 7 0 0 Warehouse Report, Agency on Stock Remaining, and Contingencies 25 0 0 Probable Cost of the Fourth Volume now in hand 230 0 0 ---------- 265 3 0 Balance in favour of Receipts and Assets 25 0 10 ---------- £704 17 2 ==========

E. E.

CHARLES JONES, _April 24, 1848._

Examined and Approved, April 28, 1848

GEORGE OFFOR, JOSEPH H. ALLEN.

HANSERD KNOLLYS SOCIETY.

ACCOUNT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FROM 1ST APRIL, 1847, TO 31ST MARCH, 1848.

£ s. d.

RECEIPTS.

On Account of the First Year’s Subscriptions, 1845-6 124 8 6 Ditto Second Ditto 1847 383 15 6 Ditto Third Ditto 1848 24 3 0 Drawback on Exportation, repayable to Agent 1 6 0 Balance of Account from Mr. Girdwood, agent in Canada 0 6 0 ---------- £533 19 0 ==========

PAYMENTS.

Balance against the Society on 31st March, 1847 10 2 3 Printing Reports, Prospectus, Circulars, &c. 24 9 6 Hire of Room for last Annual Meeting 3 3 0 Stationery and Books 4 3 11 Postage, Carriage, and Porterage 8 12 2 Travelling Expenses of Honorary Secretary 19 2 2 Advertising 9 9 6 Balance of Cost of the Second Volume 31 3 0 Cost of the Third Volume, Bunyan’s Pilgrim 269 15 3 Insurance of Stock 1 9 0 Agency at 10 per cent 8 7 7 Pay of the Secretary, Mr. George Offor, jun., from 18th March, 1847 to 17th March, 1848 21 0 0 Reimbursed to the Baptist Mission the Expense of Tea provided for the Council at their Monthly Meetings 3 16 0 ---------- 414 13 4 Balance in hand, 31st March, 1848 119 5 8 ---------- £533 19 0 ==========

N.B. Balance in Treasurer’s hands £87 19 0 Bill due 3rd May 18 18 0 Balance in Mr. Underhill’s hands 10 6 3 Balances due from Agents 2 2 5 ---------- £119 5 8 ==========

E. E.

CHARLES JONES, _Treasurer_. _18th April, 1848._

Audited and found Correct this 22nd April, 1848.

GEORGE OFFOR, JOSEPH H. ALLEN.