P. JOHNSON. 97 was performed in one day, at the house of Mr. Fox in Nicholas-lane. At the same time, seven persons were baptized, without godfathers or godmothers, Mr. Johnson only washing their faces with water, and pronouncing the form, " I baptize thee in the name of the Father," &c. The Lord's supper was also administered in the following manner : five white loaves being set upon the table, the pastor implored the blessing of God ; and after breaking the bread, he delivered it to part of the company, and the deacons to the rest, some standing and others sitting around the table, using the words of the apostle, 1 Cur. xi. 24, Take, eat, &c. In like manner he gave the cup, saying, This cup is the New Testament, &c. At the close, they sung an hymn, and made a collection for the poor. After- wards, when any one entered into the church, he made this single protestation or promise, " That he would walk with them, so long as they walked in the wayof the Lord, and as far as might be warranted by the word of God.". This congregation, of which Mr. Johnson was pastor, wasobliged, in order to avoid the bishops' officers, to meet in different places, and sometimes in the dead of the night; but was at length discovered on a Lord's day at Islington, in the very place in which the protestant congregation met in the reign of Queen Mary. About fifty-six persons were taken into custody, and sent, two by two, to the different prisons about London, where several of their friends had been confined a considerable time. Upon their examina- tion, they acknowledged that they hadmet in the fields, in the summer season, by five o'clock on a Lord's day morning, and in winter in private houses ; that they continued all the day in prayer and expounding the scriptures, dined together, and afterwards made collection for their food, and sent the remainder of the money to their brethren in prison; and that they did not use the Lord's prayer, apprehending that ourSaviour didnot intend it to be used as a form, after thepouring out of the Spirit on the day ofPentecost.+ Also, duringtheir imprisonment, their adversaries having charged them with holding many extravagant opinions concerning baptism, marriage, lay-preaching, and other particulars, they vindicated themselves in a very solid and judicious reply, shewing how far they were falsely accused.t Though it does not appear whether Mr. Johnson was apprehended and cast into prison at the same time with the Strype'sAnnals, vol. iv. p. 175. t Ibid. vol. iii. p. 579. t MS. Register, p. 850-855. von. II. Sr
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