DENNE. 377 In the sermon he freely censured the principal evils of the time, and laid open the numerous vices of the clergy ; par- ticularly their pride, their covetousness, their pluralities, and nonresidence. His applications were close and search- ing : one instance of uhich it may not be improper to give. The court for receiving presentments against nonconformists being held at those visitations, after having enumeratedand exposed some of the most flagrant crimes of the clergy with great freedom, he said, " I must call upon those in autho- rity, that they would make diligent search after thesefoxes. If the courts had been as diligent to findout these, as non- conformable ministers; surely by this time thechurch would have been as free from them, as the land is from wolves. But they have preferred the traditions of men before the commandments of God. I tell you, that conformity hath ever fared the worse for their sakes, who, breaking the corn- mandments of God, think to make amends by conformityto the traditions of men." During the delivery of the sermon, some of the clergy could hardly exercise patience to hear it out; and after- wards there was so great a noise in the country, and somany false reports were propagated against both the preacher and the sermon, that he was obliged to publish it in his own defence. From this time he began to be much noticed, not only as a man of considerable parts, but as one suitable to help forwards the reformation of the church. The revolu- tion which soon after took place in the state occasioned a material alteration in the affairs of religion. Many learned men were led to a closer study of the sacred scriptures, as well as a more accurate investigation of some doctrines, then generally received as true. Of this number was Mr. Denne, who, judging that the baptism of infants had no foundation in scripture, or in the purest ages of the church, publicly professed himself a baptist, and, about the year 1643, was baptized by immersion. He immediately joined himself to Mr. Lamb's church, meeting in Bell-alley, Coleman-street, London ; where he still continued to preach, as well as in different parts of the country.. This change in Mr. Denne's sentiments exposed him to the resentment of the ruling powers, who put frequent ob- structions in the way of his preaching and public useful- ness. In the year 1644 he was apprehended in Cambridge shire, by the committee of that county, and sent to prison Crosby's Hist. of Baptists, vol. i. p. 297-302.
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