98 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. congregation ; yet, during the present year, both he antl Mr. John Greenwood, were seizedby ArchbishopWhitgift's pursuivants, withoutwarrant, at a certain citizen's house in Ludgate-hill ; and in the midst of the night, after the pur- suivants had searched all the chests, boxes, and other piivate places in the house, they were carried to the Compter, and the next day Whitgift and the other high commissioners committed them to close prison.. Mr. Johnson underwent many examinations before his ecclesiastical inquisitors; and though he absolutely refused the oath ex officio, he confessed, April 5, 1593, " That lie was first taken in an assembly in St. Nicholas-lane, and committed to the Compter in Wood-street; that afterwards he was apprehended in Mr. Boys's house," (as mentioned above,) "andcommitted to prison by the Archbishop of Can terbury and others ; and that he had been twice examined before the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Anderson." Being asked how long he had held the opinions of the Brownists, he said, he could not definitely answer, but signified that he had been committed to prison four years before, for a sermon delivered in St. Mary's church, Cambridge. He confessed, that he had baptized divers children in the congregation ;' but, as to marriage, he did not account it an ecclesiastical service, or at all belonging to the ministerial function. He observed, that it was not indispensably requisite to use the very words of the Lord's prayer; and that the Lord's supper was not to be confined to any particular time, but might be received at any time of the day or night, when the congregation is assembled and prepared for it. Being required to shew in what places they hadassembled, he refused to answer ; and being asked whether he possessed or had possessed any of Barrow's, Greenwood's, or Penry'sbooks, he alsodesired to be excused making any reply. When he was asked whether he had not persuaded others to the assembly of the congregation of which he was pastor, and how many he had so persuaded; he said, he had done, and must do, that which God, according to his holy word, required of him ; but refused any further answer. And being asked whether he would reform himself, and attend upon the service of the parish church, he refused to give a direct answer ; but said, he could not join in the ecclesiastical ministry and state of archbishops, bishops, parsons, vicars, &c. &c.+ Say pe'sAonalso iv. p. 96. f Baker's MS. Collet. vol. av . p. 3344.
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