KNOLLYg. 493 London, till he was chosen master of the free-school in St. Mary-Axe. There, in the space of one year, he had no less than one hundred and fifty-six scholars. But he quitted the benefits arising from this employment to go into the parlia- ment's army ; where he preached freely to the soldiers, till he perceived that the commanders sought their own glory and advantage, more than the cause of God and his people, breaking their vows and solemn engagements. Upon this he left the army and returned to London. After the abolition of episcopacy, Mr. Knollys preached for some time in the parish churches with great approbation. But the presbyterians obtaining the ascendancy, and abusing their power, too much in imitation of their predecessors, pro- scribed all who did not fall in with their peculiar sentiments. Mr. Knollys, who had some years before embraced the leading opinions of the baptists, then a rising sect in England, propagated them with great zeal, freedom, and success. He engaged, about this time, in a public disputation with Mr. Kiffin and the learned Mr. Henrriessey, on the subject of baptism, which continued several weeks.* One of the most considerable of his converts was Mr. Jessey, to whom he administered the ordinance of baptism by immersion.t But the publicity with which he declared his sentiments, at length awakened the jealousy and incurred the displeasure of thosd in power. Mr. Knollys, having been earnestly and repeatedly requested to preach one Lord's day at Bow-church, Cheapside, took occasion in his sermon to speak against the practice of infant baptism. This giving offence to some of the auditory, a complaint was immediately lodged against him to the parliament; and, by a warrant from the committee of plun- dered ministers, he was apprehended by the keeper of Ely- house, who refusedbail, and kept him several days in prison. He was afterwards brought before the committee, in the presence of about thirtydivines, and examined by Mr. White the chairman ; to whom he gave such satisfactory answers, that he was discharged without blame, or paying, fees; when the jailer was sharply reproved for refusing him bail, and threatened to be turned out of his place. Not long after this, Mr. Knollys went into Suffolk, and preached at several places as opportunity offered, at the request of his friends. But, being accounted an" antinomian" Crosby's Baptists, vol. Hi. p. S11. 1. Mr. Jessey was afterwards silenced and imprisoned for nonconformity at the restoration.-Palmer's Noncon. Mem, vol. p.129-134.
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