manner, is when the means which move us to seek Christ are clear to the conscience, without the outward shadows and ceremonies thereof. The Church planted or gathered, is a company or number of Christians or believers, which, by a willing covenant made with their God, are under the government of God and Christ, and keep his laws in one holy communion: because Christ hath redeemed them unto holiness and happiness for ever, from which they were fallen by the sin of Adam.-The Church government, is the Lordship of Christ in the communion of his offices; whereby his people obey to his will, and have mutual use of their graces and callings, to further their godliness and welfare."-DEF. 35. "The kingdom of Christ, is his office of government, whereby he useth the obedience of his people to keep his laws and commandments, to their salvation and welfare.-The kingdom of Antichrist, is his government confirmed by the Civil Magistrate, whereby he abuseth the obedience of the people to keep his evil laws, and customs, to their own damnation... Separation of the open wilful, or grievous offenders, is a dutifulness of the Church in withholding from them the Christian communion and fellowship, by pronouncing and showing the covenant of Christian communion to be broken by their grievous wickedness, and that with mourning, fasting, and prayer for them, and denouncing God's judgments against them."-DEF. 48. "The office of teaching and guiding, is a charge or message committed by God unto those which have grace and gifts for the same, and thereto are tried and duly received of the People, to use their obedience in learning and keeping the laws of God."-DEF. 49. "Eldership, is a joining or partaking of the authority of Elders, or forwardest and wisest, in a peaceable meeting, for redressing and deciding of matters in particular Churches, and for counsel therein."DEF. 51. "A Pastor, is a person having office and message of God, for exhorting and moving especially, and guiding accordingly: for the which he is tried to be meet, and thereto is duly chosen by the church which calleth him, or, received by obedience where he planteth the Church.A Teacher of doctrine, is a person having office and message of God, for teaching especially, and guiding accordingly, with less gift to exhort and apply for the which he is tried to be meet, and thereto is duly chosen by the Church which calleth him, or, received by obedience where he planteth the church.-An Elder, or more forward in gift, is a person having office and message of God, for oversight and counsel, and redressing things amiss: for the which he is tried, &c."DEF. 53. The Reliever, [or Deacon,] is a person having office of God, to provide, gather, and bestow the gifts and liberality of the Church as there is need to the which office he is tried and received as meet.-The Widow, is a person having office of God to pray for the Church, and to visit and minister to those which are afflicted and distressed in the Church for the which she is tried and received as meet.-DEF. 54. "Civil Magistrates, are persons authorised of God, and received by the consent or choice of the people, whether officers or subjects, or by birth and succession also, to make and execute laws by public agreement, to rule the commonwealth in all outward justice; and to maintain the right, welfare, and honour thereof, with outward power, bodily punishments, and civil forcing of men."-DEF. 117. "The gathering of voices and consent of the People, is a general inquiry who is meet to be chosen; when, first, it is appointed to them all, being duly assembled, to look out such persons among them; and then, the number of the most which agree is taken by some of the wisest, with presenting and naming of the parties to be chosen, if none can allege any cause or default against them -The Ordaining by some of the forwardest and wisest, is a pronouncing them with prayer and thanksgiving and laying on of hands (if such imposition of hands be not turned into pomp or superstition) that they are called and authorised of God, and received of their charge to that calling.”—DEF. 119.a These extracts show that their author held some of the principles of Presbyterianism. Whether, indeed, his scheme of Church-government were too rigid, or that his personal conduct were impeached, we have not discovered, but dissensions quickly sprung up in the newly constituted church at Middleburgh. Their Pastor retreated so early as 1584 into Scotland, accompanied by several adherents. Here he was so great a malecontent" that he was committed to "ward, and there detained a night or two, till he was tried."c But" the Court" took him under their "protection, and encouraged him;" for no other "conceivable reason" than his "exclaiming against the ministers, and calling in question their authority;"d a reason, we add, for concluding that Browne was not a Presbyterian. The instance just cited is not the only one from which it may be inferred that he was acting covertly, in subserviency to the Courtiers against the dominant Divines, as another instance has been heretofore surmised. It is true these surmises are not confirmed by the royal pen; for we have even kingly authority concerning Browne at this period; yet we cannot forget that the royal craftsman was ever prepared to change his own policy, and that he abandoned what he had called in 1590, the "sincerest Kirk of the world." He writes, however, that " Divers, as Browne, Penry, a "The most wicked have gotten from all, the liberty of using their voice and sentence, and do, at their pleasures, present, name, and approve whom they will; as the Examiner, the Patron, the Bishop," &c. b Dr. M'Crie's Life of Melville, vol. i p. 325. There is among Cole's MSS. Kennet's Collections, vol. 48, p. 137, a Letter from Lord Burghley to the Archbishop of Canterbury, dated from Richmond, 17th July, 1584, in which his Lordship says, "I am content that your Grace and my Lord of London, where I fear Browne is [should] use him as your Wisdoms think meet. I have cause to pity the poor man." c Calderwood, p. 230. d M'Crie, sup. e To which he added, "As for our neighbour kirk of England, their service is an evil-said mass in English; they want nothing of the mass but the liftings. I charge you, my good people, ministers, doctors, elders, nobles, gentlemen, and barons, to stand to your purity, and to exhort the people to do the same; and I, forsooth, so long as I brook my life and crown, shall maintain the same!" Calderwood, p. 286.-In 1604, when James had, notwithstanding his pledge, become the "head" of the English Episcopalians, he consistently acknowledged "the Roman church to be our mother church." Stow's Annals, and others, at sundry times came into Scotland, to sow their popple amongst us. And, from my heart, I wish that they had left no scholars behind them, who by their fruits will in their own time be manifested."a About 1585, it seems that Browne was in England, where his watchful foes cited him speedily to answer for his Treatises, but no proof being found that he was an accessary to their dispersion here, he was dismissed on that occasion. His avowed sentiments on primitive Christianity, and his moral conduct, became, ultimately, quite discordant. His temper and inconsistencies continually embroiled him with those who acted under him in disseminating his doctrines; and at length, after having been excommunicated for contempt, by the bishop 1631, p. 840. Indeed, as one of his countrymen said, "he made a foul defection." Serm. at Scoon, at the coronation of Charles II. Jan. 1, 1651-2, by Robert Douglas, Moderator of the General Assembly. Phenix, vol. i. p. 261. a Basil. Dor. p. 143, in King James's Works, 1616. His Majesty's "popple" may be defined by Hume's words, that in the reign of his predecessor, the noble principles of liberty took root, and spreading themselves under the shelter of" what he calls "puritanical absurdities, became fashionable among the people." ELIZ. App. iii. Besides that from which we have quoted, Browne had printed another, "Of Reformation without tarrying for any; and of the Wickedness of those Preachers who will not reform themselves and their charge, because they will tarry till the Magistrate command and compel them." Subsequently to this was published "The Rasing of the Foundations of Brownism: wherein, against all the Writings of the principal Masters of that Sect, those chief Conclusions in the next page are-amongst sundry other matter, worthy the reader's knowledge-purposely handled and soundly proved. Also, Their contrary Arguments and Objections deliberately examined and clearly refelled by the Word of God.-Isa. Ivii. 21. Lond. 1588." 4to. pp. 145. The initials at the end of the Epistle Dedicatory are attributed to S. Bredwell, and it is dated "From London, the 12th of the sixth month." On the back of the title-page is printed, "The Chief Conclusions in this book: 1. No man ought to depart this Communion, for any open unworthy ones resorting unto it. 2. A faithful Christian may keep himself free from the pollution of the known wicked, at the Sacrament, and yet not separate himself; and how, 3. Open notorious offenders, not separated from a Congregation of Christ, do not thereupon unsanctify the same so as to make it no Church of Christ. 4. It may be a true Church of God that hath in it divers corruptions, both in doctrine and practice. 5. The Church of England is not more unsound than divers undoubted Churches have been, from which no separation was counselled. 6. No man ought to separate himself from the Church of England, for the defects and corruptions that are therein. 7. By Faith only, visible Churches have their account and being in Christ. 8. Discipline is not of the essence or being of a Church." In his address to the Reader, the author writes, " Of mine adversaries, I rather know the nature than the number. Although sundry among them, from time to time, have laboured to be leaders, and so upon the spur of emulation have galloped as hard as they could; yet without all question, there is none among them that can justly take the garland from Robert Browne. His writings do forejudge the cause against all his competitors... Let them not disdain, therefore, that he should bear the name, as the father of that family and brood, which, of late years, in a quarrel for the Discipline, have made that rend in the assemblies of England... Barrowe and Greenwood nakedly discovered their profession, and are prisoners. Browne cunningly counterfeiteth Conformity, and dissembleth with his own soul, for liberty." The first page of the treatise itself is headed, "The doubts and objections of a certain disciple of Robert Browne's, wherein being urged to come to Church,' the said party desired first to be resolved." of Peterborough, he revolted from his disciples, and was protected and rewarded by Burghley, Sept. 6th, 1591, with the rectory of Achurch, Northamptonshire, and that none of the meanest,"d; and hence at his death, about 1630, he left to the Church of England the ample legacy of his shame. e All that was discreditable in him, Independents Collier's Eccles. Hist. vol. ii. p. 582. This letter, among the Lansdowne MSS. vol. 103. art. 60, confirms what is stated above:"To the Rev. Father in God, my very good Lord the Bishop of Peterborough. After my very hearty commendations to your Lordship: Although it might seem somewhat strange that I should write to your Lordship in the favour of this bearer, Robert Browne, who hath been so notably disliked in the world for his strange manner of writing and opinions held by him; yet seeing he hath now a good time forsaken the same, and submitted himself to the order and government established in the Church, I have been the rather moved to recommend him to your Lordship's favour, and to pray you if haply any conceit may be in you, that there should remain any relics in him of his former erroneous opinions, your Lordship would confer with him, and, finding him dutiful and conformable, as I hope you shall, to receive him again into the ministry, and to give him your best means and help for some ecclesiastical preferment: wherein I am the more willing to do him good, and am not a little glad at the reclaiming of him, being of kindred unto me, as your Lordship, I think, knows. And so I very heartily bid your Lordship farewell. From my house near the Savoy, the 20th of June, 1589. Your Lordship's very loving friend, W. Burghley." Misconceiving, perhaps, the tactics of the chief statesmen, the Editor of the Biographia Britannica (vol. ii. p. 621. ed. 2d.) remarks, that “There is a lenity in Lord Treasurer Burghley's conduct towards his relation, which reflects honour on that excellent statesman." Heylyn, Hist. Presb. lib. viii. sect. 21, says, Burghley was “a neutral at the best." Fuller, who had known Browne, says, with much acumen, "One may justly wonder, when many meaner accessaries in this schism were arraigned, condemned, and executed, how this BROWNE, the principal, made so fair an escape, yea, enjoyed such preferment. I will never believe that he ever formally recanted his opinions, either by word or writing, as to the main of what he maintained." p. 168. Hume has let in some light tending to substantiate our surmise respecting the manoeuvring of the several parties. "Ever since the first origin of that sect, through the whole reign of Elizabeth as well as of James, puritanical principles had been understood in a double sense, and expressed the opinions favourable both to a political and to ecclesiastical liberty. And as the Court, in order to discredit all parliamentary opposition, affixed the denomination of Puritans' to its antagonists, the religious Puritans willingly adopted this idea, which was so advantageous to them, and which confounded their cause with that of the patriots, or country party. Thus were the civil and ecclesiastical factions regularly formed.” ĴAs., Ńote K. an. 1621. An earlier writer gives this as the ground of policy: "In the twenty-fifth, twentysixth, and twenty-seventh years of queen Elizabeth, there was a more severe urging these things than ever before: I am loath to think any rancour against those, at that time, called Puritans, was the original canse; but do believe that an employment for those who managed the Ecclesiastical Courts, without using their power against the Papist, or Moral Debauchees, might be no little argument in the cause." The History of Conformity; or, a Proof of the Mischief of Impositions, from the experience of more than one hundred years. 1681. 4to. Pref. p. v. c Wood, vol. ii. col. 17. ed. Bliss. a Fuller, bk. ix. p. 168. e Consult Fuller, p. 168, 169. The fate of Browne shows, as Peirce remarks, in his Vindication of the Dissenters, 1718, p. 143, that our adversaries are more strict in punishing men for disparaging their constitution, than for transgressing the undoubted laws of Christ." Besides what is related by Fuller, Pagit tells us, Heresiog. p. 77, that “ Old father Browne being reproved for beating his old wife, distinguished, that he did not beat her as his wife, but as a curst old woman." remit to his ultimate patrons; the good alone that has followed his career, they shrink not from applauding and adopting." The kind of opposition to which the Brownists, and those who, like them, sought to burst through the trammels of an assumed dictatorship over conscience, and over the external homage or adoration due from man to his Maker, were subjected, when argument was tried against their opinions, is illustrated in "A plain Confutation of a Treatise of Brownism, published by some of that Faction, entituled A Description of the Visible Church. In the confutation whereof is showed that the Author hath neither described a true Government of the Church, nor yet proved that Outward Discipline is the life of the Church.— Whereunto is annexed an Answer unto two other Pamphlets, by the said Factioners lately dispersed, of certain Conferences' had with some of them, in prison: Wherein is made known the Inconstancy of this Sect; what the Articles are which they still maintain; as also, a short Confutation of them. There is also added, a short Answer unto such Arguments as they have used to prove the Church of England not to be the [true] Church of God.-London. 1590." 4to. pp. 139. · The dedication, to the Rt. Hon. Sir Thomas Heneage, Knt. "ViceChamberlain to Her Highness; &c." is subscribed "R. Alison." His Preface commences with a passage not unworthy of attention from those who either are or affect to be disturbed at the existence of controversies among Christians; and since it is relevant to our present purpose, it is appropriated accordingly: "Howsoever earthly kingdoms do prosper best when peace is had, yet the Church of Christ, which is His throne, receiveth good even by dissension; Inde crescit Ecclesia, unde mundus deficit. Therefore, although a good agreement in all affairs ought to be regarded, yet a dissent in Religion doth sometime profit: inasmuch as thereby the faith of some is exercised, the inconstancy of others is manifest; and the diligence of all those whom deep security hath not overwhelmed is much quickened unto the searching of the Truth." The remainder of the Preface is made up of criminatory allegations, mingled with what purports to be a concise history of the Donatists, and with illustrative details from ecclesiastical history, but all which is open to remark both for misapplication and for exaggeration. The only point, however, to which the attention of our readers is directed, is one accompanied by our regret at beholding the spot which dimmed the lustre of not his principles alone who is named, but of the mass of his contemporaries, from whom Alison cannot be excepted: "It may be to the discontentment of some," he writes, "that any punishment should be inflicted upon them for their disordered stubbornness; I would not be mistaken, I wish it not, howsoever Master Greenwood affirmeth That the Magistrate ought to compel unto the hearing of the Word.'' ." Neither is this the hasty sentiment of him to whom it is referred, for it is more deliberately expressed in another place, as is Alison's own on the application of the civil law.* • The Biographia Britannica contains a somewhat elaborate but not quite correct account of Browne: sub nom. Fol. 1778-93. b Cassianus, in Psal. i. c In his Conference with Master Cooper, p. 49. 15. |