THOMAS MOORE was a zealous and active preacher among the separatists during the civil wars. Edwards calls him "a great sectary and manifestarian," who, in his opinion, did much hurt in Lincolnshire, in some parts of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. He obtained great fame at Boston, Lynne and Holland, at which places he had many followers, who accompanied him from place to place, attending upon his ministry. He did not confine his labours to buildings that were consecrated; but, without distinction of places, he preached in houses, and in all places wherever the people were disposed to assemble. It is observed, that he and his followers refused to keep days of public fasting and thanksgiving, in the time of civil wars; "because," says my author, "they will not give thanks to God for one man killing another." On account of his opinions and practice, he was shamefully persecuted by the presbyterian ministers and others of a bigotted, party spirit. At Boston he was questioned by Colonel King, governor of the town, when he was cast into prison for keeping a conventicle in the night season. It does not, however, appear how long he remained under the malice and power of his persecutors, nor what afterwards became of him, only he was living in the year 1646.*

JOHN DURANCE was a zealous and popular preacher of the independent denomination. Edwards says, " he was formerly an apprentice to a washball-maker in Lombard-street, London, and afterwards became a preacher without being ordained; yea, after preaching some years, he presumed, without ordination, to baptize and administer the Lord's supper." This was certainly a dreadful crime in the opinion of this bigotted writer. He often preached at Sandwich in Kent, but lived at Canterbury, where he gathered a separate church, and dispensed the word and ordinances of the gospel. The author mentioned above, with a view to reproach his memory, gives the following curious account of him: "There is one Master Durance, a preacher at Sandwich in Kent, a bold conceited man, and an independent, who, since the beginning of this parliament, was a washing-ball maker, or seller of washing-balls, here in London, but now turned preacher; and being never ordained minister, hath consecrated himself to be one of the priests of the high places. Among many high affected strains of new light, and strange expressions, which

Edwards's Gangræna, part ii. p. 86. iii. 80.

the man uses in his sermons and prayers, to get himself the name of such a rare man, these are some: he prayed to the Trinity to take care of these three kingdoms; God the Father to take care of one, God the Son of the second, and God the Holy Ghost of the third kingdom." This author charges Mr. Durance with having prayed publicly in the church at Sandwich, "that the king might be brought up in chains to the parliament." He also observes, that, after his preaching at Canterbury, he hath the use of a great room near the cathedral, where many resort to him, and "he takes occasion to build them up in independency." Although he preached regularly every week at Canterbury and Sandwich, he would have done the same also at Dover; but he was opposed by the godly ministers of the town, who wrote up to London against him, and, by this means, prevented him from going thither. This shews his great zeal and diligence, and their extreme bigotry and intolerance. Mr. Edwards, one of the most bitter enemies to toleration, further charges him with saying, after the surrender of Oxford to the parliament, "that, notwithstanding this, there would be no peace till there was a general liberty of conscience in England." A dreadful crime was this in the eyes of this bigotted writer! Mr. Durance lived in one of the prebendaries houses in Canterbury; and, after preaching on the Lord's day in one of the churches, he preached and administered the ordinances of the gospel to his own church, in his own house, in the evening. How long he continued in this situation, or when he died, we are not able to learn; but he was living in the year 1646.*

JOHN BATCHELOR was a divine of the independent denomination, who lived some time at Rotterdam in Holland, where he was probably driven by the Laudian persecution, Several of his letters, dated from this place in September, 1641, expressive of the liberal sentiments of the independents, were afterwards printed. He soon after returned to his native country, and became a chaplain in the army; on which account, and on account of his views of church government, Edwards has classed him among "the notorious sectaries, and those who smell of the army." He was an avowed advocate for liberty of conscience, and a universal toleration, for which he has incurred the hot displeasure and indignation

Edwards's Gangræna, part ii. p. 124, 144. iii. 96, 97. ✦ Edwards's Antapologia, p. 39. Gangræna, part iii. p. 266.

of this censorious writer. About the year 1643, he was appointed, with several other learned divines, one of the licensers of the press, for books in divinity. In this office he discovered his generous sentiments, by giving his public sanction to all publications which were founded on the broad and liberal principles of christian freedom and a toleration of all parties. This was sure to incur the indignant censure of Mr. Edwards, who gives the following amusing account of

him:

"Master Batchelor," says he, "is the licenser-general of books, not only of independent doctrines, but of books for a toleration of all sects, and against pædobaptism." What a shocking crime was this in the opinion of this bigotted and intolerant writer! in another place he says, "There is one Master John Batchelor, licenser-general of the sectaries' books, and of all sorts of wicked opinions, who hath been a man-midwife to bring forth more monsters begotten by the devil, and born of the sectaries, within this three last years, than ever were brought into the light in England by all the former licensers, the bishops and their chaplains, for fourscore years. He hath licensed books pleading for all sorts of sectaries: as, seekers, antinomians, anabaptists, antiscripturists, arians, antitrinitarians, questionists, and all blasphemers. This is apparent by his licensing that late wicked pamphlet, called, 'Some modest and humble Queries concerning a printed Paper, entitled, 'An Ordinance presented to the Honourable House of Commons.'

"This Master Batchelor hath licensed several pamphlets for a toleration; yea, not only for a limited toleration of some sects and opinions, as anabaptists and independents; but for a universal toleration of all consciences and opinions, as may be seen in Walwin's book licensed by him: yea, he hath licensed unlicensed books printed before he was born, as a pamphlet, entitled, Religious Peace,' made by one Leonard Busher, and printed in 1614; wherein there is a pleading for a toleration of papists, jews, and all persons differing in religion; and that it may be lawful for them to write, dispute, confer, print and publish, any matter touching religion. That the wickedness of Master Batchelor may the more appear, I desire the reader to observe these following particulars :-He gives not a bare imprimatur to this book of Busher's, but gives his imprimatur with a special recommendation in these words: This useful treatise, entitled, Religious Peace, long

since presented by a citizen of London to King James and the high court of parliament then sitting, I allow to be reprinted; and so to some of Saltmarsh's books, Smoak in the Temple; Groans for Liberty; Reasons for Unity; Love and Peace. In the reprinting Busher's book for general toleration, he made some material alterations, and wrote in the margins of such places in the book where some special passages were for toleration, that they should be printed in a larger letter, no doubt that the reader might better observe them."

This intolerant author also adds: "John Batchelor treads in the steps of some licensers who went before him. The man hath justified and acquitted the former licensers, Dr. Baker, Dr. Bray, Dr. Hayward, Dr. Weeks, and the rest of that race, who, in the point of licensing, were saints to him. He hath licensed such books and things, that I am confident none of them durst have done, for fear the people would have risen up and torn them in pieces; and certainly the people would never have borne with such books in the bishops' days. If any man, before the sitting of this parliament, had written or licensed such books, he would without doubt have been questioned and proceeded against by this parliament. This Batchelor is such a desperate licenser, that nothing now in that kind can stick with him, having swallowed down those wickedQueries' upon the ordinance against heresies and blasphemies; and," says my author, "I am afraid that if the devil himself should make a book, and give it the title, A Plea for Liberty of Conscience, with certain Reasons against Persecution for Religion,' and bring it to Mr. Batchelor, he would license it, not only with a bare imprimatur, but set before it the commendations of a useful treatise, a sweet and excellent book, making for love and peace among brethren.".

Such are the reproaches cast upon our divine, who was greatly celebrated for christian moderation, liberty of conscience, and free inquiry. He was living in 1646; but where he preached, or when he died, we have not been able

to ascertain.

JOHN GREENE had a principal hand in raising a baptist congregation in Crutched-friars, London, in the year 1639, and was chosen to the office of minister. He was by trade

Edwards's Gangræna, part iii. p. 102-105, + Crosby's Baptists, vol. iii. p. 20, 42.

a felt-maker or hat-maker, but he became a zealous and popular preacher. In the year 1641, there was published a quarto pamphlet, entitled, "The Brownists' Synagogue; or, a late Discovery of their Conventicles, Assemblies, and places of meeting; where they preach, and the manner of their praying and preaching; with a relation of the names, places, and doctrines of those which do commonly preach. The chief of which are these: Greene, the felt-maker; Marler, the button-maker; Spencer, the coachman; Rogers, the glover which sect is much increased of late within this city. A kingdom divided cannot stand." In this work, Greene and Spencer are called the two arch-separatists, and are said to be "accounted as demi-gods, who were here and every where." It shews the manner of their worship, which we extract, because it gives some idea of the spirit of the times, and proves that the voice of slander could not attribute any improper conduct to them in their public assemblies." In the house where they meet," it is said, "there is one appointed to keep the door, for the intent to give notice, if there should be any insurrection, warning may be given them. They do not flock together, but come two or three in a company; and all being gathered together, the man appointed to teach stands in the midst of the room, and his audience gather about him. The man prayeth about the space of half an hour; and part of his prayer is, that those which come thither to scoff and laugh, God would be pleased to turn their hearts; by which means they think to escape undiscovered: His sermon is about the space of an hour, and then doth another stand up, to make the text more plain; and at the latter end he entreats them all to go home severally, lest the next meeting they should be interrupted by those which are of the opinion of the wicked. They seem very steadfast in their opinions, and say, rather than turn, they will burn.".

During the above year came forth another pamphlet, entitled, “ New Preachers, New;" in the epistle to which, the writer, addressing Mr. Greene, says, "Do not these things come from proud spirits, that he, (Mr. Spencer,) a horse-keeper, and you, a hat-maker, will take upon you to be ambassadors of God, to teach your teachers, and take upon you to be ministers of the gospel in these days of light. Consider, I pray you, that our Lord would not have had the ass, (Matt. xxi. 3,) if he had not stood in need of

* Brownists' Synagogue, p. 5, 6.