INTRODUCTION. 13 Novatians, out of pride, did assume and take unto INTR. themselves.' And lamentable it is to see the effects which have followed. Religion hath been disgraced, the godly grieved, afflicted, persecuted, and many exiled; sundry have lost their lives in prisons and other ways. On the other hand, sin hath been countenanced, ignorance, profaneness and atheism increased, the Papists encouraged to hope again for a day. This made that holy man Mr. Perkins cry out in his Exhortation unto Repentance, on Zephaniah ii, "Religion," saith he, "hath been amongst us this thirty Hooper refused, for a time, to be consecrated in the ecclesiastical habits. But in the year 1564, "the English bishops," says Fuller, "conceiving themselves empowered by their canons, began to show their authority in urging the clergy of their respective dioceses to subscribe to the liturgy, ceremonies, and discipline of the Church; and such as refused the same were branded with the odious name of Puritans. We need not speak of the ancient Cathari, or primitive Puritans, sufficiently known by their heretical opinions. Puritan' here was taken for the opposers of the hierarchy and church-service, as resenting of superstition. But profane mouths quickly improved this nickname, therewith on every occasion to abuse pious people; some of them so far from opposing the liturgy, that they endeavoured (according to the instructions thereof in the preparative to the Confession) to accompany the minister with a pure heart,' and labored (as it is in the Absolution) for a life pure and holy.'' An old writer of the Church of England, quoted by Prince, says, "they are called Puritans who would have the Church thoroughly reformed; that is, purged from all those inventions which have been brought into it since the age of the Apostles, and reduced 1 66 Novatus, a presbyter of the church of Rome, being puffed up with pride against those who in the times of persecution had lapsed through infirmity of mind, as if there were no further hope of salvation for them, although they performed all things appertaining to an unfeigned conversion and a sincere confession, constituted himself the ringleader of a peculiar sect, of those who by reason of their haughty minds styled themselves Cathari, that is, the Pure." Eusebius, Eccles. Hist. lib. vi. cap. 43. His excessive rigor towards the lapsed appears to have been the only heresy of Novatus; and it is quite as likely that the name of Puritan was fastened upon his followers in derision and reproach as that they assumed it of themselves; as we know was the case with the modern Quakers and Methodists. For an account of Novatus and his opinions, see Lardner's Credibility, part ii. ch. 47; Mosheim, de Rebus Christianorum ante Const. Magn. Comment. 512-527; Jackson's Novatian, Præf. 14 INTRODUCTION. INTR. five years. But the more it is published, the more it is contemned and reproached of many, &c. Thus not profaneness nor wickedness, but religion itself is a byword, a mocking-stock, and matter of reproach; so that in England at this day, the man or woman that begins to profess religion and to serve God, must resolve with himself to sustain mocks and injuries, even as though he lived amongst the enemies of religion; and this common experience hath been too apparent."1 But before I pass on, I cannot omit an observation worthy to be noted, which was observed by the author, viz. Mr. William Bradford, as followeth. Saith he Full little did I think that the downfall of the bishops, with their courts, canons, and ceremonies, had been so near when I first began this writing, which was about the year 1630, and so pieced at leisure times afterwards, or that I should have lived to have seen or heard of the same. But it is the Lord's doing, Matt, and ought to be marvellous in our eyes. "Every plant which mine heavenly father hath not planted," saith our Saviour," shall be rooted up." "I have snared V xv. 13. Works, vol. iii. p. 421, ed. 1613. William Perkins lived in the reign of Elizabeth, was a fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, and a Puritan Nonconformist. He was a strict Calvinist, and had a controversy with Arminius. His writings were held in high esteem by the fathers of New England. Fuller says, in his Life of him in the Holy State, that "he would pronounce the word damn with such an emphasis as left a doleful echo in his auditors' ears a good while after. And when catechist of Christ's College, in expounding the commandments, applied them so home, able almost to make his hearers' hearts fall down, and hairs to stand upright. But in 2 his older age he altered his voice, and remitted much of his former rigidness, often professing that to preach mercy was the proper office of the ministers of the gospel." 2 Charles I. was beheaded and the church establishment overthrown in 1649. 3 The version of the Bible here quoted, and subsequently, is the one which was made by the English exiles at Geneva, in the reign of Queen Mary. It was first printed in 1560, and was so highly esteemed, particularly on account of its notes, that it passed through thirty editions. King James appears to have had a special dislike of it; for in the Conference at Hampton Court INTRODUCTION. 22. 15 thee, and thou art taken, O Babel, (bishops) and thou INTR. wast not aware thou art found and also caught, Jer. 1. because thou hast striven against the Lord." But will 24. they needs strive against the truth, against the servants of the Lord, what! and against the Lord himself? Do they provoke the Lord to anger? Are they stronger 1 Cor. x. than he? No, no, they have met with their match. Behold, I come against thee, O proud men, saith the Jer Lord God of hosts; for thy day is coming, even the time that I will visit thee. May not the people of God now say, and these poor people among the rest, The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, let Jer... us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. Let all flesh be still before the Lord, for he is raised Zech. ii. up out of his holy place.' 31. 10. 13. cxxvi. 1. This poor people may say among the thousands of Israel, When the Lord brought again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. The Lord hath vs. 3. done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. They went weep- vss. 5,6. ing and carried precious seed; but they shall return with joy, and bring their sheaves. Do ye not now see the fruits of your labors, O all ye servants of the Lord that have suffered for his truth, "he professed that he could never yet see a Bible well translated in English; but the worst of all his Majesty thought the Geneva to be." This opinion of the royal pedant would not lower it in the estimation of our fathers, who used it in England and Holland, and brought it with them to this country. King James's version, which was first printed in 1611, had hardly got into common use in England when they came over in 1620. See Strype's Annals, i. 229; Troubles at Frank- This elevation of spirit was a 16 INTRODUCTION. INTR. and have been faithful witnesses of the same? ye And little handful amongst the rest, the least amongst the thousands of Israel? You have not had a seedtime, but many of you have seen a joyful harvest. Should ye not then rejoice, yea, again rejoice, and xix. 1,2. say, Hallelujah! salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, be to the Lord our God; for true and righteous are his judgments. Rev. v. 6. But thou wilt ask, What is the matter? What is done? Why, art thou a stranger in Israel, that thou shouldest not know what is done? Are not those 2 Sam Jebusites overcome, that have vexed the people of Israel so long, even holding Jerusalem even until David's days, and been as thorns in their sides for many ages, and now began to scorn that not any David should meddle with them; they began to fortify their tower, as that of the old Babylonians. But these proud Anakims are now thrown down, and their glory laid in the dust. The tyrannous bishops are ejected, their courts dissolved, their canons forceless, their service-books cashiered, their ceremonies useless and despised, their plots for Popery prevented, and all their superstitions discarded, and returned to Rome, from whence they came; and the monuments of idolatry rooted out of the land, and the proud and profane supporters and cruel defenders of these, as bloody papists, wicked atheists, and their malignant consorts, marvellously overthrown. And are not these great things? Who can deny it? xix. 11. But who hath done it? Even he that sitteth on the Rev white horse, who is called Faithful and True, and judgeth and fighteth righteously, whose garments are vs. 13. dipped in blood, and his name was called The Word INTRODUCTION. 17 vs. 15. of God; for he shall rule them with a rod of iron; for INTR. it is he that treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God; and he hath upon his garment and upon his thigh a name written, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah! See how this holy man's spirit was elevated and his heart raised up in praising of the Lord in consideration of the downfall of the proud prelacy; as he and many more of the saints had good reason, who felt the smart of their bitter and cruel tyranny; who are, indeed, a limb of Antichrist. And if the generality of the saints had been thus sensible of this great and marvellous work of God, possibly that proud hierarchy had not got up so soon again as they have done, soon after this good man's departure out of this world.' Nevertheless, we doubt not but that God will bring them down in his good time. For undoubtedly all those that will not that the Lord Jesus should reign over them, but instead thereof exercise an usurped lordly power over the poor saints of God, shall be brought and slain before him, and (without repentance) shall, together with the beast and false prophet, be thrown into the lake burning with fire and brimstone. When Babylon cometh into remembrance before God, then shall the saints with the angel say, Thou art just and holy, is. because thou hast judged these things; for they, (viz. the whore of Rome and the prelates, their adherents,) have shed the blood of the saints. to drink; for they are worthy. xix. 20. Rev. Give them blood vs. 6. 1 Gov. Bradford died May 9, 1657. Charles II. was restored and Episcopacy reestablished in 1660. |