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faith or order amongst all that hear; or, of difference of Christians from no Christians; or of members from no members of the church; as the sacraments are notes of both, in the participants: the hearing of the Word of God is not so enclosed by any hedge or ditch, Divine or human, made about it; but lies in common for all, for the good of all.— The particular objections follow."

Sixteen objections are then stated and answered. He then concludes in the following catholic and Christian language:

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CONCLUSION. "To conclude. For myself, thus I believe with my heart before God; and profess with my tongue, and have, before the world; That I have one and the same Faith, Hope, Spirit, Baptism, and Lord, which I had in the Church of England, and none other. That, I esteem so many in that Church, of what state or order soever, as are truly partakers of that Faith,—as I account many thousands to be, for my Christian brethren; and myself a fellowmember with them, of that mystical Body of Christ scattered far and wide throughout the world. That, I have always, in spirit and affection, all Christian fellowship and communion with them; and am most ready, in all outward actions and exercises of religion, lawful, and lawfully done, to express the same. And withal, That I am persuaded the Hearing of the Word of God there preached, in the manner and upon the grounds formerly mentioned, is both lawful and, upon just occasion, necessary for me and all true Christians withdrawing from that Hierarchial Order of churchgovernment and ministry, and the appurtenances thereof; and uniting in the Order and Ordinances instituted by Christ, the only King and Lord of His church, and by all his disciples to be observed. And, lastly, That, I cannot communicate with, or submit unto, the said Church-order and ordi

nances there established, either in state or act, without being condemned of my own heart; and, therein, provoking God, who is greater than my heart, to condemn me much more. And, for my failings,-which may easily be too many one way or other, of ignorance herein; and so for all my other sins, I most humbly crave pardon first and most at the hands of God; and so of all men whom therein I offend, or have offended, any manner of way; even as they desire and look that God should pardon their offences."

I have now mentioned all the published works, of any magnitude, which I have discovered of this most estimable man. And he who considers the peculiar situation of Mr. Robinson during the time that all these works were written, and the many and urgent duties growing out of his pastoral relation to his large church, will, I am sure, agree with me in saying, John Robinson must have been a most remarkable man: a man of extraordinary talents, and learning, and acquisitions, and industry, and temper; to have written so much and so well, amidst so many inconveniences, and discouragements, and disturbing influences. He was a most extraordinary man. The very enemies of the cause for which he spent his life acknowledge this: they confess him to have been “a man of excellent parts, and the most learned, polished, and modest spirit as ever separated from the Church of England."*

I have been thus particular in my account of Mr. Robinson, because he is the reputed father of the Independents or Congregationalists as they now exist. Though he never claimed this honor himself, and probably would never have allowed any one to ascribe it to him; and though, so far as the principles of our denomination are concerned, Mr. Robinson was by no means the first discoverer-yet, he doubt

* Baylie, in Prince, Part II. p. 173,

less did more to perfect the system of Congregationalism in its detail, than any one man who has lived since the days of the apostles. It now exists, in all essential particulars, as it was found in the Leyden church during the last years of their residence in Holland. I speak of their last years ; for it must not be overlooked, that during the residence of this church in Leyden, some modifications were introduced into their practice, if not into their doctrines. When they left England, Mr. Robinson and his church were rigid Sepa ratists; regarding the Church of England as essentially anti-christian in its organization and government, they not only withdrew from it, but utterly rejected it, and denounced it; and would not so much as hear the ministers of that church. We have seen from Mr. Robinson's writingshis last work particularly-that, in this respect his views had materially changed. I do not discover, however, any such considerable change, in his opinions generally, as some writers have intimated. He appears to have retained to the last, the conviction that the Church of England was antichristian in its organization, government, and discipline; and though he would receive such members of it as were counted pious, to occasional communion, yet he seems never to have thought it right for himself or his brethren to com mune with that church; or to do anything which might fairly be construed as an admission that the English Hie rarchy was a Christian church-i. e. was organized upon the principles of the Gospel.

The Congregational doctrine,-that the advice of sister churches should be sought, in cases of difficulty,-seems gradually to have developed itself during the period now under review. Robert Browne, indeed, advocated this doctrine; but there was no opportunity for its practical development until after the removal of the North-of-England

church to Leyden. The difficulty which sprang up about that time between Ainsworth and Johnson, respecting the power of the Elders, occasioned an application to the Leyden church for counsel; this they most cheerfully gave; and readily interposed their kind offices to bring about a reconciliation between these two excellent men and their respective friends. Another instance has been already alluded to, when the London church sent to the churches at Amsterdam and Leyden for advice. It is proper to remark here, that Mr. Robinson was of opinion, that the body of a church should not be sent to for advice, etc.—“ but some chief persons" in it. His words are: "He conceives it not orderly that the Bodies of Churches should be sent to for counsel; but some chief persons. Power and authority is in the Body for elections and censures; but counsel for direction in all difficult cases, in some Few. In which regard every 'particular church' has appointed its Elderships for ordinary counsellors; to direct it and the members thereof, in all difficulties; with whom others are also to advise upon occa. sion; 'specially, ordinary. "The Priest's lips should preserve knowledge, and they should ask the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Mal. 2: 7.' " *

These sentiments of Robinson are carried out in the present practice of our churches in sending their pastor and a lay-brother to assist in counselling a sister church. The early Congregationalists of New England maintained, that the sending of delegates from an invited church to sit in council, did not exclude the brethren of that church from attending the same council, if they chose so to do. liberty, however consistent with Congregational principles, is rarely if ever used by our churches.

Letter to the Lond. Chh. Hanbury, p. 448.

↑ See Cambridge Platform, Chap. xvi. § 6.

This

The Leyden Church.

In describing John Robinson, I give the essential peculiarities of his church, so far as doctrine and practice are concerned; for the most perfect harmony of views subsisted between them. And what is still more interesting, this mild and devout man left the impress of his moral character upon his beloved congregation. The Leyden church and their pastor were most firmly knit together in Christian love, as well as ecclesiastical sentiment. The pastor loved his church with the sincerest affection; and the church, in turn, loved and reverenced their amiable, learned, wise, and pious pastor, with the deepest devotion. "Such was the reciprocal love and respect between him and his flock, that it might be said of them as it was said of the emperor Marcus Aurelius and the people of Rome, that it was hard to judge, whether he delighted more in having such a people, or they in having such a pastor."*

As this church was the reservoir through which Congregationalism has chiefly flowed, by two diverging streams, to the old and new world, it may be acceptable to my readers to have presented in a connected and condensed form the leading principles and doctrines of the Leyden church. I. In general. They believed the inspired Scriptures to be the only rule of faith and worship;—and that every man had the right to judge for himself what the Scriptures taught, and to worship God agreeably to his convictions of truth and duty.

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II. In their doctrinal creed.-They were strictly Calvinistic; agreeing substantially with the church of England, and all the Reformed churches of that period.

*

Quoted by Belknap, Am. Biog. Art. Robinson.

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