Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 49.djvu/137

 independent and presbyterian congregations, vested with absolute authority, and determining all things by the Word of God alone. In 1653 Rogers published two controversial works 'Bethshemesh, or Tabernacle for the Sun,' in which he assailed the presbyterians, and ' Sagrir, or Doomes-day drawing nigh,' in which he attacked the 'ungodly laws and lawyers of the Fourth Monarchy,' and also the collection of tithes. The two books indicate the date of his change of views. 'Bethshemesh' is written from the normal independent standpoint, while in 'Sagrir ' he has developed all the characteristics of a fifth-monarchy man. The forcible dissolution of the Long parliament met with Rogers's thorough approbation. Besides doctrinal differences, he had personal quarrels with several prominent members. Sir John Maynard [q. v.] had appeared against him as advocate for the congregation at Purleigh. Zachary Crofton [q. v.] had anonymously attacked his preaching in a pamphlet entitled 'A Taste of the Doctrine of Thomas Apostle;' at a later date Crofton renewed the controversy by publishing a reply to 'Bethshemesh' styled 'Bethshemesh Clouded.'

After Cromwell's coup d'état Rogers occupied himself with inditing two long addresses to that statesman, in which he recommended a system of government very similar to that which was actually inaugurated. His utterances were no doubt inspired by those in power. This accord did not survive the dissolution of Cromwell's first parliament and his assumption of the title of Lord Protector. By that act he destroyed the most cherished hopes of the fifth-monarchy men, when they seemed almost to have reached fruition. In consequence they kept no terms with the government, and two of them, Feake and Powell, were summoned before the council and admonished. Rogers addressed a cautionary epistle to Cromwell, and, finding that the Protector persisted in his course, he assailed him openly from the pulpit. Being denounced as a conspirator in 1654, his house was searched and his papers seized (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1654, p. 434). This drew from him another denunciation, 'Mene, Tekel, Perez: a Letter lamenting over Oliver, Lord Cromwell.' On 28 March he proclaimed a solemn day of humiliation for the sins of the rulers. His sermon, in which he likened Whitehall to Sodom and demonstrated that Cromwell had broken the first eight commandments (time preventing his proceeding to the last two), procured his arrest and imprisonment in Lambeth. On 5 Feb. 1655 he was brought from prison to appear before Cromwell. Supported by his fellows he held undauntedly by his former utterances, and desired Cromwell 'to remember that he must be judged, for the day of the Lord was near.' On 30 March he was removed to Windsor, and on 9 Oct. to the Isle of Wight (ib. 1655, pp. 374, 579, 608, 1656-7 p. 12). He was released in January 1657, and immediately returned to London (ib. 1656-7, p. 194). He found the fifth-monarchy men at the height of their discontent, one conspiracy succeeding another. Although some caution seems to have been instilled into Rogers by his imprisonment, and there is no proof that he was actually concerned in any plot, yet informations were repeatedly laid against him, and on 3 Feb. 1658 he was sent to the Tower on the Protector's warrant (, vi. 163, 185, 186, 349, 775;, p. 672; , State Tracts, vi. 482; , Diary, iii. 448, 494; Merc. Pol. Nos. 402, 403, 411). His imprisonment, however, lasted only till 16 April. Four and a half months later Cromwell died. The fifth-monarchy men followed Sir Henry Vane in opposing Richard Cromwell's succession. Rogers rendered himself conspicuous by denouncing the son from the pulpit as vehemently as he had formerly denounced the father (Reliquiae Baxteriana, i. 101). On Richard's abdication the remnant of the Long parliament was recalled to power, and Rogers rejoiced at its reinstatement as sincerely as he had formerly triumphed over its expulsion. At the same time he involved himself in controversy with William Prynne [q. v.] Both supported 'the good old cause,' but differed in defining it. Prynne remained true to the older ideal of limited monarchy, while Rogers advocated a republic with Christ himself as its invisible sovereign.

Rogers was a source of disquietude even to the party he supported, and they took the precaution of directing him to proceed to Ireland 'to preach the gospel there' (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1659-60, p. 35). The insurrection of Sir George Booth [q. v.] saved him for a time from exile in Ireland, which was by no means to his taste, and procured him the post of chaplain in Charles Fairfax's regiment. He served through the campaign against Booth, and at its conclusion was relieved of his duties in Ireland (ib. p. 211). In October he was nominated to a lectureship at Shrewsbury (ib. p. 251), but he was again in Dublin by the end of the year, and was imprisoned there for a time by the orders of the army leaders, after they had dissolved the remnant of the Long parliament. The parliament ordered his release immediately on regaining its 