II

But Robert Browne was too restless and energetic a spirit to be content with his pastoral work at Norwich. He was about thirty or thirty-five years of age, a man of audacious intellect and vehement temperament, and his heart was all on fire with his revolutionary ideas about the true nature and glory of the Christian Church. He held secret meetings in town after town in every part of Norfolk and Suffolk, expounding and enforcing his theory of the Church with a free and flowing and impetuous eloquence, and attacking fiercely the bishops and the clergy of the Queen's Church. Nor did he spare the Puritan ministers. It seemed to him that the Puritans shrank from carrying out their own principles; they said that Christ was the only King of the Church, and yet submitted to a discipline and celebrated a worship which, in their own judgment, Christ condemned. For this inconsistency and this cowardice he reserved his most fiery denunciation. No wonder that the two counties burst into flame. Magistrates and persons of rank as well as the common people were carried away by his boldness and earnestness.

In April, 1581, he was arrested and brought before the Bishop of Norwich, Dr. Freake. The bishop wrote to Burleigh, the Lord Treasurer, complaining of Browne's irregularities, saying that he "had been lately apprehended on complaint of many godly preachers, for delivering unto the people corrupt and contentious doctrine"; and that "his arrogant spirit of reproving was something to be marvelled at." 17 Lord Burleigh, who was a kinsman of Browne's, suggested that the young man's errors were doubtless the result" of zeal rather than malice"; expressed the hope that he would be" charitably conferred with and reformed"; and proposed that if he were not at once discharged he should be sent to London, "to be further dealt with as I shall take order for upon his coming." 18

Browne was released, but not "reformed." In August of the same year he was arrested again, and the bishop wrote once more to the Lord Treasurer. Browne's strange and

66

17 Hanbury, Memorials, i. 19 (from the Lansdowne MSS., xxiii. 13, 20).

18 For Burleigh's reply, see Fuller, v. 63-64, and Strype, Annals, iii. (1), 22.

dangerous doctrine," which he preached in "all disordered manner,” “had greatly troubled the whole country, and brought many to great disobedience of all law and magistrates.' Other men of the same kind, the bishop thinks he might be able to check; but Browne's meetings are so "close and secret " that the bishop and his officers are baffled. He, therefore, asks the help of the Lord Treasurer in "suppressing him.19

It was probably by Burleigh's advice that a few months later Browne and Harrison and sixty of the members of the Norwich Church left England and settled in Middelberg in Zealand.

III

Here he began to print. In 1582 he published his principal work, under the title, A Book which sheweth the life and manners of all true Christians, and how unlike they are unto Turkes and Papistes and Heathen Folke, etc. This is a manual of theological doctrine, ethics, and ecclesiastical principles. It is cúriously and ingeniously arranged so as to be useful both for "simple people" and for scholars. For the "simple people" everything is stated in the simplest language, and in the form of questions and answers: these are in the outer column of the left-hand page. On the right-hand page the same truths are stated in the form of "Definitions," contained in the column on the left, with "Divisions" in the column on the right. The errors which deny or corrupt the truths affirmed in the "Definitions," and illustrated in the corresponding questions and answers, are discussed and refuted in the inner column of the left-hand page.

20

The subjects included in this manual are the Trinity, the glorious Perfections of God, His Authority, the Fall of man, the Divinity of our Lord; the doctrines of the Atonement, of Redemption, of Election, and of Calling; the theory of the Church and of the Sacraments, and the standing privileges of Christians. After a description of Jewish ceremonies there

19 For the bishop's letter, see Strype, ibid., iii. (1), 22-23, and Hanbury, Memorials, i. 20.

20 In sections 65-81, dealing with ceremonies, the method is discarded, and the four parallel columns are merged in one.

follows an account of the general duties of the Christian Life-Repentance, Faith, Honouring God, Obeying God, Public Worship, and the observance of the Sabbath. There are also sections on social duties-the Duties and Qualifications of Church Governors, of Civil Magistrates, of Householders; on the Institution of Marriage; on the Duties of inferiors to those above them; on Duties owing to good men ; and Duties owing to the miserable. The book closes with sections on Personal Duties-Chastity, Industry, Providence, Justice, Fidelity, Equity, Truth, Simplicity, Secrecy, and there are special warnings against Slander and Covetousness.

In his theology and his theory of Baptism 21 and the Lord's Supper, Browne was Calvinistic. The following Definitions show the principles which he taught in relation to church government and some other subjects.

"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." 22

"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." 23

The Kingdom of all Christians is their office of guiding and ruling with Christ, to subdue the wicked and make one another obedient to Christ. Their priesthood is their office of cleansing and redressing wickedness, whereby sin and uncleanness is taken away from amongst them. . . . Their prophecy is their office of judging all things by the word of God, whereby they increase in knowledge and wisdom among themselves." 24

(This was the foundation on which Browne rested the powers and responsibilities of the Christian commonalty. In virtue of their union with Christ, they share the regal, priestly, and prophetic offices.)

"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." 25

21 Browne believed that baptism should be administered to “the children of the faithful" (A Booke which sheweth, § 40). 22 Ibid., § 35. 23 Ibid., § 35. 24 Ibid., § 55. 25 Ibid., § 48.

"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." 26

"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, etc." 27

“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, etc." 28

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." " 29

"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." 30

"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." 31

"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." 32 "A Synod is a joining or partaking of the authority of many churches met together in peace, for redress and deciding of matters which cannot well be otherwise taken up."

IV

"33

There are several points in these Definitions which deserve consideration.

1. Browne believed that if on any question a single Church 26 Ibid., § 53. 27 Ibid., § 53. 28 Ibid., § 53. 29 Ibid., § 54. 30 Ibid., § 119. On the outer column of the right-hand page, the definition is thus stated: "The consent of the people must be gathered by the Elders or guides, and testified by voice, presenting, or naming of some, or other tokens, that they approve them as meet for that calling." 33 Ibid., § 51.

31 Ibid., § 119.

32 Ibid., § 51.

was unable with clearness and confidence to discover the will of Christ, it should invite other Churches to meet with it that they might consider the questions together. Such a meeting he called a Synod. It was not to consist of the representatives of the several Churches, but of the Churches themselves and it was not to have a permanent authority, but was to be convened as occasion arose.

2. The Elders of a Church-and, as a matter of course, the Pastor and the Teacher would be Elders-were in Browne's judgment a permanent Church Council, having a general spiritual superintendence over the members. They could not subject any member to discipline without the concurrence of the whole Church; but by counsel and warning they might render church censure unnecessary. If any member disregarded their admonition, and was in their opinion unfit to remain in fellowship, their decision was to be reported to the Church, which could confirm, modify, or reject their judgment.

3. It was not Browne's view that the powers of Pastors, Teachers, and Elders were derived from the people. Pastor, Teacher, Elder, have "office and message of God," and the Church has simply to discover to what persons "the office and message of God" have been entrusted. The right which Browne claimed for the Christian commonalty was not right to choose their own ministers," but the right to judge what ministers God had chosen for them.

"the

He had a very lofty conception of Authority of all kinds.

"Church Governors," he says, "are persons receiving their authority and office of God for the guiding of his people the church, received and called thereto, by due consent and agreement of the church." 34

The Civil Magistrate also exercised functions entrusted to him by the divine will :

"Civil Magistrates are persons authorised of God, and received by the consent or choice of the people, whether officers or subject, 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." 35

34 A Booke which sheweth, § 117. They receive their authority, not from those who elect them, but from God.

35 Ibid., § 117.