That document, since it is highly probable that, at least in substance, it was adopted on the gathering of the church at Beccles, shall now be laid before the reader. It displays a noble solemnity and simplicity, connected with a candour and sense of fallibility, which have been justly described as “extremely graceful and evangelical.” [115]
“It is manifest by God’s word, that God alwaies was pleased to walke in a way of couenant with his people knitt together in a visible church estate, He promising to be their God, and they promising to be his people, separated from the world and the pollutions thereof as may appeare therein.
“Wee therefore, whose names are subscribed, being desirous (in the feare of God) to worship and serve Him according to his reuealed will, and beleeving it to be our duty to walke in a way of church couenant, doe freely and solemnly couenant with the Lord and one another, in the presence of his saints and angells—
“1. That we will forever acknowledge and avouch the Lord to be our God in Christ Jesus, giuing up ourselves to Him, to be his people.
“2. That we will alwaies endeuour, through the grace of God assisting us, to walke in all his waies and ordinances, according to his written word, which is the onely sufficient rule of good life for euery man. Neither will we suffer ourselues to be polluted by any sinfull waies, either publike or priuate, but endeauour to abstaine from the uery appearance of euill, giuing no offence to the Jew or gentile, or the churches of Christ.
“3. That we will humbly and willingly submit ourselues to the gouernment of Christ in this church, in the administration of the word, the seales, and discipline.
“4. That we will, in all loue, improve our com’union as brethren, by watching ouer one another, and (as need shalbe) counsell, admonish, reproue, comfort, releeve, assist, and beare with one another, seruing one another in loue.
“5. Lastly, we doe not couenant or promise these things in our owne, but in Christ’s strength; neither doe we confine ourselues to the words of this couenant, but shall at all tymes account it our duty to embrace any further light or trueth which shalbe reuealed to us out of God’s word.” [116]
Such was the spirit, if not the letter, of the mutual engagement into which they entered, who introduced into the town of Beccles the Independent form of church government.
Within twelve months from the formation of the church, twenty-one other persons had joined. The first of these was Mr. Joseph Cutlove, who appears to have been, at the same time, portreeve of the Corporation of Beccles, and to have had some influential friends among the members of the long parliament. [117] Amongst the names is also that of “Humphry Brewster,” one of the truly honourable family to whom belonged the hall and manors of Wrentham, and who, for many years, greatly encouraged and supported the dissenting interest there. [118a] And “Francis Hayloucke,” subsequently a deacon of the church.
During the above period there was no recognised pastor. But in the year 1653, occurs this memorandum:—
“29 d. 5 m. com’only called July.
A pastor was chosen.”
Who this was is rather uncertain; perhaps Mr. John Clark.
He seems to have been a minister in the established church, for in the parochial register, under the years 1647 and 1648, are recorded the baptisms of two sons of “John Clark, minister, and of Ann his wife.” [118b] It is also observable that his name is the first enrolled on the list of members of the Independent church. And among the individuals subsequently admitted, was “Anna” his wife; which serves to identify him with the person mentioned in the parish register.
He does not appear to have engaged fully in the performance of pastoral duties. Perhaps he had a lingering preference for the establishment, although the peculiar circumstances of the times, after the death of Charles the first, induced him to unite with other serious persons in church fellowship. Dr. Walker states that he got possession of the living of Beccles in 1655. [119] This he might be enabled to accomplish when Cromwell, in order that the Presbyterians might not fill all the livings with persons of their persuasion, appointed, by an ordinance in council, commissioners, partly selected from the Independent denomination, to examine all persons seeking admission to benefices. [120]
It was to be expected that the possession of religious liberty, in a degree before unequalled, would occasion the propagation of many opinions previously unknown or concealed through fear. The Baptists, especially, now became a distinct and important denomination. They were the objects of bitter scorn and invective from the Presbyterian party, who had gained the ascendancy, and were treated with less kindness by the Independents than might reasonably have been expected. In 1656, two persons who had been members of the Independent church at Beccles, received adult baptism, and in so doing were considered to have given “offence” to the church, and desired to appear and “give an account of their practices.”