of communities such as these. They usually began with the entering into a solemn covenant to walk together in a Christian course according to the direction of the word of God, and the choice of the officers which, according to their views, were those, and those only which were pointed out in scripture: namely, as we have before stated, pastor, teacher, elders, and deacons. Manuscripts remain containing accounts of such beginnings of Separatist Churches in other places of a later date, with lists of persons who then entered into communion; and greatly is it to be Date of the wished that among the discoveries in liteformation of

this congrega rary and religious history, the record of

tion not quite

ascertained. the first beginning of the Scrooby Church should be discovered. It would be a treasure indeed for New-England history, and for the Museum of New Plymouth.

This, however, is an event rather to be desired than expected, and we must be content to confine ourselves to making an approximation to the time, and to introducing a new name into our narrative in the pastor or teacher (for it is uncertain which) whom these Basset-Lawe Separatists elected. And first with respect to the time.

The

year

1602 is placed in the margin of Bradford's

account of Brewster against the notice, "After they were joined together into communion, he was a special stay and help to them. They ordinarily met at his house on the Lord's day." But this date, if there is not some mistake, must relate to an earlier Churchunion than that of which we are speaking, perhaps a union which comprehended also the people who afterwards composed Smith's Church at Gainsborough ; for Bradford also tells us that when the Church in Brewster's house began to move towards Holland, which was certainly in the winter of 1607 and 1608, they had continued together "about a year keeping their meetings every Sabbath in one place or another, exercising the worship of God amongst themselves." So that it would seem that the true beginning of this Church as distinct from that of Smith, is to be fixed to the year 1606, about two years after the emigration of Smith and his people.

That Brewster was chosen the elder, and Clifton either the pastor or teacher (probably the latter), seems to admit of no doubt; but at this stage another person appears to have been introduced among them, whose name is the most prominent in all the subsequent history of the Church, and who has left the most printed

writings by which his opinions and character may be understood. He accompanied the Scrooby Church when it removed to Holland, was with it while it remained at Amsterdam, transferred himself with it to Leyden, and witnessed its departure for America, intending, it is understood, to go thither himself, though he never actually took that step. This was JOHN ROBINSON, who had inherited, like Smith, one of those names which are really in a large population like that of England, no nota

John Robinson.

mina, affording, therefore, little assistance to the critical inquirer. But we know him to have been chosen into one of the highest offices in this church, and we know him, also, by the works which he left behind him, to have been a man of a superior cast of character to the men who were so outrageously zealous against ceremonies and vestments and external authority, all of which have their use in affairs of religion. He was, moreover, a man whose writings may be read now for instruction. I cannot go so far as some persons do and value his essays with those of Bacon; but he must be insensible indeed who does not acknowledge that there is no small amount of original thinking in them, and hints which may be

applied by any man with advantage in the regulation of his thoughts and conduct. He was also a farther seeing man than some who were associated with him, seeing that having deserted the Church and renounced its authority, it was not to be supposed that they and their posterity would remain stationary precisely where they at first had rested, but that further light might be expected to be struck out by the labour of men of learning, and that it would be their duty as well as their privilege to follow the light that was vouchsafed to them. Historically, indeed, this has been eminently the case both in England and America, and has raised in both countries the question before the legal tribunals, how far men have a right to go in the pursuit of religious truth, who have renounced authority, and where the law shall step in and say,-Thus far shalt thou go and no farther. Such a man is

deserving of honour, especially as he added to these something of the meekness of wisdom, much as compared with Smith and some other of the Separatists: "the most learned, polished, and modest spirit that ever that sect enjoyed." This is the testimony of Robert Baillie, of Glasgow, an eminent Scotch Presbyterian.

His earlier history.

It must have been a great advantage to the BassetLawe Separatists to have secured the assistance of such a minister as this: and it now becomes a point which it is well worth while to consider, how it happened that such a connection should be formed, since among the few things which are known of the early history of Robinson this is one, that he was living in the earlier part of the reign of James the First in the county of Norfolk, and particularly at Norwich. Now, we have already seen that two of the divines of whom we have spoken had been educated at Christ College, Cambridge (Emmanuel College wherein many other Puritan ministers were educated was then scarcely formed), and among the persons who were admitted there in the year 1592 is a John Robinson who took the degree of M.A. and became a Fellow in 1598. This we learn from Mr. Corbers Christi Masters' printed list of the members of this College, 4to, 1749, and he further informs us that in the register of the College this Robinson is said to have been of the county of Lincoln, and adding the conjecture that he is the John Robinson who subsequently lived in Holland. This appears to be a very probable conjecture; and I find Mr. Ashton, to whom I