Assheton John

Hassheton John, a Priest, appears to have been the first Englishman, who was called to account, by the ecclesiastical authorities of this country, for broaching Unitarian opinions. In the course of his preaching, he denied the Trinity, and the Deity of the Holy Spirit ; asserted the simple and proper humanity of Christ ; and taught that the only benefit, which men receive through Christ, consists in their being brought to the true knowledge of God.

On the 28th of December, 1548, he was summoned to appear before Archbishop Cranmer at Lambeth, where John Whitwel, the Archbishop's Almoner, and Thomas Langley, both Priests, and His Grace's Chaplains, exhibited a schedule of divers heresies against him. These are recited in the Abjuration which he made, the tenor of which was as follow.

"In the name of God, Amen. Before you, most learned Father in God, Thomas Archbishop, Primate and Metropolitan of all England, Commissary of our most dread Soveraign Lord, and excellent Prince, Edward VI., by the grace of God, &c. I John Assheton Priest, of my pure heart, free-will, voluntary and sincere knowledge, confess and openly recognize, that in times past, I thought, believed, said, heard and affirmed these errors, heresies, and damnable opinions following ; that is to say, 1. That the Trinity of persons was established by the Confession of Athanasius, declared by a Psalm, Quicunq. vult, &c. And that the Holy Ghost is not God, but only a certain power of the Father. 2. That Jesus Christ, that was conceived of the Virgin Mary, was a holy prophet, and especially beloved of God the Father ; but that he was not the true and living God, forasmuch as he was seen and lived, hungered and thirsted. 3. That this only is the fruit of Jesus Christ's passion ; that whereas we were strangers from God, and had no knowledge of his testament, it pleased God by Christ, to bring us to the acknowledging of his holy power by the testament. Wherefore I, the said John Assheton, detesting and abhorring all and every my said errors, heresies, and damned opinions, willingly, and with all my power, affecting hereafter firmly to believe in the true and perfect faith of Christ, and his holy Church, purposing to follow the true and sincere doctrine of holy Church with a pure and free heart, voluntarily mind, will, and intend utterly to forsake, relinquish, renounce and despise the said detestable errors, heresies, and abominable opinions ; granting and confessing now, 1. That the blessed Trinity consisteth of three distinct persons, and one Godhead ; as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, coequal in power and might. 2. That Jesus Christ is both God and man, after his holy nature, eternally begotten of his Father, of his own substance ; and in his humanity was conceived by the Holy Ghost incarnate, and for our redemption, being very God, became Man. 3. That by the death of Jesus Christ we be not only made partakers of the testament, and so disposed to the knowledge of his godly will and power, but also that we have full redemption and remission of our sins in his blood."

To this Recantation he affixed his signature, in the presence of the Archbishop, declaring it to be his own act. Then, in a suppliant attitude, he implored His Grace to deal mercifully with him; at the same time pledging himself faithfully and humbly to obey the commands of the holy Mother-Church, and submit to any penance, which His Grace might think proper to inflict upon him.

" Thus," says the Rev. Theophilus Lindsey, (Hist. View, Ch. ii. p. 69,) " by promises of life, and fears of the most dreadful sufferings, were unhappy men dealt with and prevailed upon, to make abjuration of their heresies, i. e. to dissemble, and speak contrary to their inward persuasion. For hardly any one, who, on such good grounds as this Assheton, believed Jesus Christ to be truly one of the human race ; or who believed the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit, to be only the power of the Father ; could soon, or indeed at all be brought to believe these two to be each of them the Most High God, and equal to the Father of all."

didier Le Roux

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