had been changed so early as to justify us in allowing it. A third class contended that an institution so early given, and so often enforced, could not have been abolished or changed without explicit authority; that this explicit authority had never been given; and, therefore, the seventh day of the week, and that only, should be observed. Compared with the whole, the number who acknowledged the perpetuity and morality of the Sabbath, and manifested a sacred regard for either the first or the seventh day, was small. However, they were sufficient to prove that wherever the subject of the Sabbath has been considered, there has always been found those who, by precept and example, have witnessed for the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.

In 1595, a book was written and published by Dr. Bound, in which the morality of the Sabbath, and a change of the day, was advocated in quite a masterly manner. This excited a controversial spirit, and was soon followed by many others, both for and against his view. The orthodoxal doctrine of the Church of England, by bishops and historians, then was, that the Sabbath had been abolished, and that the Lord's day, so called, was altogether another institution, which could not be enforced by the fourth commandment. Among the men who held this view, we may mention Dr. Francis White, Lord Bishop of Ely, Dr. Peter Heylyn, Edward Brerewood, Gilbert Ironsides, and others. Against these men were arrayed the leading Puritans, who maintained the morality of the Sabbath and the necessity of restraining men by the sanctions of the fourth commandment. Many true Sabbatarians, however, stood opposed to both these parties, maintaining not only the morality of the Sabbath, but the obligation to observe the seventh day of the week. A work supporting this view, from the pen of Theophilus Brabourne, appeared in 1628.

He took the position that the fourth commandment was simply and entirely moral; that the seventh day of the week ought to be an everlasting holyday in the Christian Church; and that the Sunday is an ordinary working day, which it is superstition and will-worship to make the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. This view was adopted by considerable numbers in England, and has been represented from that day to this, by men of learning and piety. Many who remained in connexion with the established church, were conscientious observers of the seventh day Sabbath, among whom were several ministers of piety,

and authors of eminence.

About the same time, small dissenting parties began to organize churches and to boldly maintain the worship of God upon the Sabbath. Of these the Natton Church has been much celebrated. It is situated in the west of England, near Tewksbury, and about fifteen miles from Gloucester, thirty-five from Birmingham, and ninety from London. The first pastor of this church whose name has come down to us was Mr. John Purser. He is represented as a very worthy man, and a great sufferer for conscience, sake. He was descended from an honourable family, and was heir to a considerable estate, but his father disinherited him because he observed the seventh day for the Sabbath. Notwithstanding this wrong, it pleased Divine Providence to bless him abundantly in the little that he possessed. He became a respectable farmer, and lived at Ashtonupon-Carrant, in the Parish of Ashchurch, in the county of Gloucester, during the reigns of Charles and James the Second. In common with other nonconformists, he experienced much oppression and great opposition on account of his religion. At one time his persecutors came upon him while he was engaged in ploughing a field, and took from him his team and utensils of hus

bandry. Notwithstanding the severity of the laws against dissenters, the officers, in many instances, far exceeded their commission, and sometimes were made to suffer for it. Such was the case in this instance; for one William Surman, Esq., a conformist, but worthy man, seeing the cruelty and injustice of thus depriving an honest man of his property and the means for procuring a livelihood, obliged his adversaries to return the property thus wrongfully taken. It appears from authentic testimonies that he suffered much during the persecutions between 1660 and 1690. But he overcame all by faith and patience, and came out of the furnace like gold doubly refined.

It is probable that Mr. Purser commenced his ministry in 1660, but did not receive ordination until some years later. In the mean time one Mr. Cowell was the chief preacher at Natton, and an author of some eminence, having published a book entitled "The Snare Broken,' which seems to have occasioned considerable difficulty between the observers of the first and seventh day. Mr. Cowell appears to have been rather wavering and unstable, but withal a pious and well-meaning man. He departed this life in 1680, when Mr. Purser took the principal charge of the church. The Sabbatarians at this time were widely scattered. There was no meeting-house, and Mr. Purser opened his dwelling for that purpose. He also held meetings at various other private houses, in different places, by which those living at a distance were accommodated by his labours. It may be remarked, that although this worthy man steadily pursued the occupation of husbandry, and reared a large family, he faithfully served the church. While his hands were industriously employed, his meditations were upon things above, and upon these occasions he was highly favoured with manifestations of the divine pre

sence. All his children and grandchildren were also distinguished for virtue and piety, though many of them adopted the first day for the sake of convenience, and became worthy members of Baptist churches. Mr. Purser, through age and infirmity, was unable to discharge the duties of the sacred office for some time before his death, which occurred in 1720.

His successor, Mr. Edmund Townsend, was plain and unobtrusive in his manners, but was highly respected for his candour and integrity. Soon after his ordination he took up his residence for a time with the Mill-Yard Church; and then, in 1727, accepted an invitation to become the pastor of the Cripplegate fraternity, which had been left destitute by the death of Joseph Stennett.

When Mr. Townsend left this church, he was succeeded by Mr. Philip Jones, who discharged the duties pertaining to this sacred office for nearly fifty years. His colleague, Mr. Thomas Boston, was a young man of great promise and usefulness. Mr. Jones lived for several years at Cheltenham, but held meetings at Natton, Panford, and other towns, for the purpose of accommodating members living at each of those places. In 1731, he removed to Upton, but continued his ministry in different places. In this way he encountered many difficulties, sometimes having to travel in the worst of weather, and at others running great risks from the floods of the Severn and Avon. Yet neither dangers nor inconveniences were suffered to interfere with his duty. His character has been thus given by a contemporary: "He was a holy man of God, and a great and lively preacher of the gospel. Few were better acquainted with the scriptures; for, whatever his subject was, he could have chapter and verse to prove the whole. In short he was a living concordance; a man of unblemished character, a sincere friend, and a faithful reformer, but always in the

spirit of meekness. Perhaps but a few living had a greater command over the passions than he had."

Previous to the death of this worthy man, in 1770, Mr. Thomas Hiller, his nephew, accepted the pastoral care of the Baptist church in Tewksbury, near Natton. He was a Sabbatarian in both opinion and practice, and consequently was invited to serve the Sabbath-keeping church at the same time that he remained pastor of the First-day Baptist church. He accepted the invitation, and continued to minister to both churches until his death, a few years ago. His ministry is said to have been successful in both Natton and Tewksbury; although in what that success was seen it would probably be problematical to determine. The church over which he presided has become a mere handful, in the greatest want of spiritual strength and support. Mr. Hiller was doubtlessly a man of worth, and deeply interested in the spiritual welfare of both churches, by whom his memory is still highly venerated; but the history of his connexion with these fraternities proves that no man can successfully serve two masters. It is barely possible that a minister of the gospel, who is at one and the same time the pastor of one church worshipping on the seventh day of the week, and another church worshipping on the first day of the week, can be faithful to both. Since the death of Mr. Hiller, the congregation at Natton have been without a pastor. However, it has engaged the services of a worthy Baptist

a considerable time.

minister from Tewksbury for

It is worthy of note, that, in 1746, Mr. Benjamin Purser, the youngest son of Rev. John Purser before mentioned, purchased an estate in the village of Natton, and fitted up, at his own expense, a chapel for divine worship, adjoining his dwelling-house. It is a small room, distinguished only for neatness and convenience. He also walled in a corner