In the year of Mr Watts' imprisonment, the persecution of the Protestant dissenters was at its height. It is impossible to form a correct estimate of the sufferings of the Nonconformists at this time. Much has been written to minimise their distress, but the record of the acts of parliament speaks for itself. Those who failed to attend church on Sundays were liable to the censures of the church, and fined 1 shilling for each offence, £20 per month for continual personal absence, and £10 per month for the non-attendance of their servants. These fines were recoverable by the seizure of land, and penalties included imprisonment and exile. Those who were once banished and returned faced death.

Ministers of the Protestant dissenters were by the Act of Uniformity subject to a penalty' of £100 for administering the Lord's Supper; by the Five-mile Act were prohibited under a penalty of £40 from coming within five miles of any city, town corporate, or borough; and by the Conventicle Act they forfeited £20 for the first offence, and for the second offence, £40, if they preached in any place "at which there should be five or more besides those of the household."

Lest anyone should be bored with these details let them consider the fact that there are some striking similarities between the sufferings of the I7th century English Nonconformists and the 20th century Russian "dissenters."(5)

One of Isaac Watts's well-known hymns well expresses the attitude of those who faced such persecution:

The hardest period for the Nonconformists was during the 80’s. Even so, in many areas there were so many of them, and some were so influential, that it was very difficult for the authorities to enforce the Act. They were obliged even to fine magistrates for refusing to carry out the law and stop the loopholes of which they made use! Although the death penalty had not been legally prescribed, many suffered death through disease and under-nourishment in filthy prisons. It is estimated that no less than 15% of the Nonconformists suffered at some time from imprisonment. But the levying of fines was more damaging. There was some justification for the exaggerated statement of the Yarmouth people that ‘the Nonconformists were paying the best part of the nation's costs.’ The congregations stood firm with their ministers and many ingenious devices were used to avoid informers and consequent prosecution! In London, meetings were held in densely-populated alleys.

One Government spy reported: "By reason of so many back doors, bye-holes and passages, and the sectarians so swarming thereabouts, I have been afraid of being discovered in scouting." At Yarmouth an informer was impressed by the conventicle held there. One Sunday in June I668, he kept it under observation throughout the day and reported that the morning meeting lasted from between 5 and 6 in the morning until 10, and the next service from 11 until 3 in the afternoon, during which time he counted no less than 400 leaving the meeting through the one door he watched! (6)

Thomas Jollie at Windmond House had a door, which led from the meeting house to a staircase, cut in two. He stood on the staircase behind the door to preach, while the top of the door, fitted on hinges, served as his desk. A string was conveniently attached to this makeshift desk so that all he had to do when he was given a warning was to pull the string so that the top half of the door closed. When the informers came in they would find a congregation but no preacher!

Meetings were held in the open air, woods, caves and even on rocks out at sea at low water. Some fine meeting places were built, nevertheless. The congregations were divided into those who were ‘members’ and under the discipline of the church, and a larger number described as ‘hearers’ (regular members of the congregation). Joseph Caryl's London church, for instance, had 136 members in 1673, when it merged with Owen's church (the congregation over which Watts later presided) but the census of 1669 suggested that 500 attended Caryl's 'conventicle.'

The churches were very close-knit, and had the character of a spiritual family. Though they maintained a strict separation from the Church of England many were willing to attend the ministry of men they respected, and practised occasional Communion in the Church of England in order to qualify for public offices. Expository preaching from Scripture occupied a large proportion of the services. It was careful, scholarly, doctrinal and lengthy, and "it came home to conscience and had the greatest tendency to do good."

People who came together at some risk would not be content with sermonettes. Free prayer accompanied the preaching of the Word of God. The hymn-singing, however, left much to be desired, as we shall see later. These points are of interest when we remember that the Above Bar congregation in Southampton was a typical ' Independent' church.

Watts wrote his hymns for the whole Christian world, but especially for the congregation he was most familiar with. This was only natural. We conclude this chapter with one of his hymns that wasparticularly suited to the dissenting congregation. As with so many of Watts' hymns, it is based on Scripture.

"We are a garden wall'd around
Chosen and made peculiar ground
A little spot enclosed by grace
Out of the world's wide wilderness."

(Song of Solomon 4:12-15; 5:1)
Hymn No.13

© David Fountain