whole world, converted to Christ, and extend the hand of fellowship to all Christians of whatever name or denomination. But on the principle of the Episcopalians, the millennium can never come till the whole world become Episcopalians; and on the principle of the Baptists, the millennium can never come till the whole world become Baptists; and on the principle of the Papists, the millennium can never come till the whole world become Papists: but on the principle of the Congregationalists, the millennium may come at any time, and they be prepared to enter into the spirit of it, and embrace in the arms of Christian fellowship, all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth, however much they might differ in certain points of form and ceremony.'

Congregationalism cherishes public spirit, or that disposition which prompts men to exertions and sacrifices for the general good. Whatever happy pre-eminence New England may enjoy, is owing to the public spirit diffused throughout her population. And it has been diffused mainly by the influence of that ecclesiastical order which makes every member of the church feel that he has something to do for others, as well as for

* Tribute to the memory of the Pilgrims, by Joel Hawes, D. D., p. 87, 88.

himself. This is from the remoter source whence are derived those acts of ample munificence for which New England is famed. The generous benefactions of individuals and of congregations to promote education, beneficence and piety at home and abroad, are chiefly emanations from the deep-seated springs which our church polity has opened. This is the rod of God which smites the rock, and causes streams to gush forth in the desert, and make it glad.

op

It is obvious that such a church polity elevates the popular rights, and favors civil liberty, and imparts the capacity to maintain it. People who have been bred to self-government in an independent church are competent to govern themselves in a free commonwealth. A people so trained must feel an equal aversion to despotism and to anarchy. They can have no sympathy with either. They will be the sworn foes of pression, and the fast friends of order. The sense of individual responsibility which has been aroused in the church-meeting, will not sleep in the town-meeting. It will ever be a wakeful sentinel by the watch-fires of freedom. It was on their system of independent churches, that our forefathers based the political liberties of the country. And the foundation which they laid

has stood firm as the granite hills. And so long as that system of independent churches shall predominate in the land, so long will it be morally impossible for aspiring hierarchs to tread religious freedom in the dust.

Freedom of inquiry after truth is eminently promoted by Congregationalism. It tells every man that he is personally responsible to God for knowing the truth. It tells him, that he cannot throw off his responsibility on pope or patriarch, on proud prelate or plain pastor, on the living or the dead. The mind once stirred up to investigation, will never more lie down submissive to the dictates of authority. "Human reason, when the fit of free inquiry is upon it, is in truth like a wild beast; the smaller the cage in which you confine it, the more fiercely it will rage." The wiser course is, to place the truth fully in the way, and then give full scope to the speaker. If he be seeking sincerely, he will soon close with the obvious truths which will meet him on every side. If he be not sincere in his seeking, he will at least, escape the deeper debasement of an enforced and groveling hypocrisy. God himself, all-powerful as he is, wins the heart by persuasion rather than by force.

In exemplifying the liberal character of our

principles, we cannot help quoting the wellknown farewell address of John Robinson to the

Plymouth colonists. "He was very confident that the Lord had more truth and light yet to break forth out of his holy Word. He took occasion also miserably to bewail the state and condition of the Reformed Churches, who were come to a period in religion, and would go no further than the instruments of their Reformation. As, for example, the Lutherans, they could not be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; for whatever part of God's will he had further imparted and revealed to Calvin, they will rather die than embrace it. And so also, saith he, you see the Calvinists, they stick where he left them; a misery much to be lamented; for though they were precious shining lights in their times, yet God had not revealed his whole will to them; and were they now living, saith he, they would be as ready and willing to embrace further light, as that they had received. Here also he put us in mind of our church covenant, at least that part of it whereby we promise and covenant with God and one another, to receive whatsoever light or truth shall be made known to us from his written Word; but withal exhorted us to take heed what we received for truth, and well to examine,

and compare it and weigh it with other Scriptures of truth before we received it. For, saith he, it is not possible the christian world should come so lately out of such thick anti-christian darkness, and that full perfection of knowledge should break forth at once." * These noble instructions given by the Leyden pastor, have been grossly perverted to sanction a reception of errors which that great man had examined and rejected long before. Even in his day, so far from being regarded as "new light," they were renounced as "old darkness."

We have another example of the liberal character of Puritanism, which is not less noble than Robinson's address, and is not so liable to be wrested into a plea for the adoption of error. It occurs in the dedication of John Norton's "Orthodox Evangelist ; "—" Even fundamental truths, which have been the same in all generations, have been, and shall be, transmitted more clear from age to age in the times of reformation; until that which is perfect is come, and that which is imperfect be done away. The truth held forth is the same; of Christ, and less of man.

though with more

Such addition is no

*Gov. Winslow's Report in Young's Chronicles, p. 396.