of the Holy Spirit (Heb. vi. 1, 2; Acts viii. 12, 15, 17; 2 Tim. i. 6), whereby they may mortify the deeds of the body (Rom. viii. 13), and live in all things answerable to their professed intentions and desires, even to the honour of Him who hath called them out of darkness into His marvellous light." * Thomas Grantham, a celebrated minister in that connexion, thus explains it:-"That as God has promised to give the Holy Spirit to all that are called of the Lord, so He hath appointed a solemn way wherein His servants and handmaids are to wait upon Him for the reception thereof, which way is the prayers of the Church, performed by her ministers or pastors with laying on of hands, and this, as a principle of Christ's doctrine, belonging to them in the minority of their Christian state."t The practice was first introduced about the year 1645.

Some few believed in the perpetuity of the Jewish sabbath, but the majority observed the first day of the week, in common with Christendom in general.

Here and there, a church observed the washing of feet, and had a love-feast before the Lord's Supper.

But, though in these and some other points the English Baptists were not altogether agreed among themselves, in one thing there was entire union. They were of one mind in resisting Anti-Christianism, even "unto blood." They were united in pleading for the rights of conscience, and they shrank not from suffering. They could not all subscribe to the same confession, nor take part in the same ceremonies; but they were "of one heart and one soul" in readiness to "endure all things" for the truth's sake. The plunderings and imprisonments they suffered were frightful, and will never be fully known. Some of their ministers were very cruelly dealt with. Francis Bamfield was eight years in Dorchester jail, and spent the last of his life in Newgate, where he died. John Miller was *Confessions of Faith, &c., p. 113. + Fenstanton Records, p. 157.

year

confined ten years in the same jail. Henry Forty was twelve years in prison at Exeter. John Bunyan was in Bedford jail twelve years. Joseph Wright lay in Maidstone jail twenty years. George Fownes died in Gloucester jail. Thomas Delaune, and many other servants of God, died in Newgate.*

SECTION IX.

Biographical Notices-John Smyth, Thomas Helwys, and John SpilsburyHenry Denne-Francis Cornwell, A.M.-Christopher BlackwoodMajor-General Harrison-Colonel Hutchinson.

WE

E will now proceed to give some account of the principal Baptist worthies of the seventeenth century. It is much to be regretted that we know so little of the personal history of John Smyth, Thomas Helwys, and John Spilsbury. All the information we have been able to gather respecting Mr. Smyth has been already communicated. We are not able to add much respecting Mr. Helwys, whose settlement in London has been recorded in a former section. He wrote several small treatises, which were much prized. His sentiments on persecution, and on the unlawfulness of the magistrate's interference in religious affairs, were so unacceptable to John Robinson, the celebrated Independent minister, to whose church the New England Pilgrims had belonged, that he published a reply, showing that, though he and his friends suffered so much from that interference, they were not willing to give it up. Mr. Robinson held that the magistrate might "use his lawful power lawfully for the furtherance of Christ's kingdom and laws." He observed:"It is true they [the magistrates] have no power against the

For fuller particulars the reader is referred to Dr. Evans's Early English Baptists (Bunyan Library).

laws, doctrine, and religion of Christ; but for the same, if their power be of God, they may use it lawfully, and against the contrary."* This is a surrender of the whole case. Mr. Helwys's views, which were fully expressed in Persecution Judged and Condemned, were far sounder and more Scriptural. Crosby says, "How long Mr. Helwys lived, and continued the elder of this church of Baptists in London, I cannot find. The books wrote against them at this time show that they went on with great courage and resolution; and, notwithstanding the severities used against them by the civil power, increased very much in their numbers."+

Neither can we satisfy curiosity respecting Mr. John Spilsbury, the pastor of the first Particular or Calvinistic Baptist Church, which met in Broad-street, Wapping, London. We can only say that his signature is affixed to the Confession of Faith published in 1646, and to sundry other public documents, the last being the "Humble Apology of some commonly called Anabaptists," presented to Charles II. in 1660, as a disclaimer of sympathy with Venner's insurrection. We observe that, though he joined William Kiffin in a letter to the Baptists in Dublin, persuading them to submit quietly to the Protectorate, he afterwards united with a number of others in an address to Cromwell, earnestly protesting against his assumption of the kingly title. It may be concluded that Mr. Spilsbury was a man of influence in the denomination. How long he lived after the Restoration does not appear. Hercules Collins became pastor of the church in Broad-street in 1677. Whether he was Mr. Spilsbury's immediate successor, we have not the means of deciding.

HENRY DENNE was a man of note. He was educated in the University of Cambridge, where he acquired a respectable standing. Having received ordination from the Bishop + History, i. 275.

* Tracts, p. 92.

of St. David's, about the year 1630, he was presented to the living of Pyrton, in Hertfordshire, which he held for ten years, greatly to the profit of the inhabitants, by whom he was justly esteemed as an instructive and faithful preacher. In 1641 he was appointed to preach at a visitation held at Baldock, and he determined to embrace the opportunity of exposing the evils which had long grieved and vexed him, particularly the sin of persecution, the vices of the clergy, and the corruptions in doctrine and worship which he apprehended to be in the Established Church." His text was John v. 35. After an ingenious introduction, he proceeded to execute his purpose, and laid on the lash quite freely. The pride and covetousness of the clergy, their pluralities, their neglect of duty by non-residence, and other evils, were held up to view, and reformation boldly demanded. "I must call upon those in authority," he said, "to make diligent search after these foxes. If the courts had been so vigilant to find out these as nonconformable ministers, surely by this time the church would have been as free from them, as the land from wolves. But they have preferred the traditions of men before the commandments of Almighty God. I tell you that conformity hath ever sped the worse for their sakes, who breaking the commandments of God think to make amends with conformity to the traditions of men."*

We cannot be surprised at hearing that soon after this he announced his change of sentiments. In the early part of 1643, he was baptized by Mr. Thomas Lamb, pastor of the church in Bell Alley, Coleman Street, London. His gifts were thankfully recognised by the church, and by their direction he engaged in a mission to the counties of Staffordshire and Cambridgeshire, where he preached the Gospel with great success and formed many churches. This roused the ire of the Presbyterian authorities. He Crosby, i. 298-301.

was arrested and imprisoned at Cambridge. By the interference of a friend, his case was brought before Parliament, in order to which he was removed to the Peterhouse, Aldersgate Street, London. The notorious Dr. Featly was in the same prison, as a royalist. Mr. Denne challenged him to a disputation. They met and fought, in the usual way, with propositions and syllogisms, till the doctor was tired, and withdrew from the conflict. Mr. Denne carried on the war with his pen, and published a reply to Dr. Featly's famous book, The Dippers Dipt, &c. He was soon released, and was appointed Minister of Eltisley parish, Cambridgeshire, from which place, as a centre, he itinerated in various directions, preaching and baptizing. In 1645 he visited the county of Kent, and his labours were blessed to many.

The opposition Mr. Denne met with issued in his leaving Eltisley. He then entered the army, and served several years. But he did not desist from preaching, nor was it necessary, for praying and preaching were no strange things among the Parliamentary soldiers. "Cornet Denne" was his military title, but "Parson Denne" was the appellation by which he was known among his associates. We cannot say whether he saw any fighting or not, nor in what parts of England the regiment to which he was attached was from time to time quartered. The only recorded event is his narrow escape from death as a mutineer. In May, 1649, he took part in a mutiny of the troops, partly occasioned by the men's unwillingness to join the expedition to Ireland, and partly by discontent with the existing state of affairs. Prompt measures were taken, and the revolt was quelled; but Mr. Denne and three others were sentenced to be shot.

"Cornet Denne, being a man of parts, and one who has been esteemed for piety and honesty, received his sentence with great manliness and fortitude of spirit, yet with so