laborers, "So God disposeth of the hearts of hearers, as that generally they are all open and loving to their preachers in their first times; trials are often reserved until afterwards. Epiphanius calleth the first year of Christ's ministry, the acceptable year.-Young Peter girdeth himself, and walks whither he will; but old Peter is girded by another, and carried whither he would not."

Being comfortably settled in his church, he married Elizabeth Horrocks, "an eminently virtuous gentlewoman." The day of their union, was ever memorable to him, upon another account; for it was then, that he first received a comfortable assurance of God's love to his soul. The promises of grace and life, were sealed upon his heart by the Holy Spirit; and this comfort continued with him, in some happy measure, through the residue of his days. He would often say of the day of his espousals, "God made it a day of double marriage to me!" for it was then that he obtained the blessed evidence of the marriage-union of his soul with Christ.

His worthy companion was of great assistance to him in his ministry, in many respects; but especially in this, that she greatly promoted his usefulness among those of her own sex. The female members of the congregation, taking

notice of her uncommon discretion and piety, would freely impart to her the state of their minds upon the subject of religion, acquainting her with their difficulties, and the points on which they stood in need of special counsel and instruction. The information she imparted to her husband, enabled him to adapt his public teaching to the wants of his hearers, and to render it far more conducive to their spiritual good. If experience can prove any thing, it has abundantly proved that the judicious marriage of a clergyman greatly enhances his usefulness, and his estimation among his flock. It not only places him as "a family man," in close sympathy with the families of his flock, but it puts him in unexceptionable communication with the female portion of his charge. He thus obtains a sufficiently confidential knowledge of the condition of their minds, and also the opportunity of meeting their wants as a religious shepherd and guide. He in this manner becomes qualified to benefit them, far beyond what it would be practicable or desirable to do by means of personal familiar intercourse. It is not without reason, that the Apostle gives repeated counsel, that every elder or parochial bishop, should be "the husband of one wife," neither more nor less.

After Mr. Cotton had spent three years in

Boston, his deep and devout studies brought him to a solemn conviction, that there were many antiquated corruptions yet left unreformed in the national Church, with the practice of which he could not comply. From this time, he ceased to conform strictly to the Church of England, though he never voluntarily renounced its communion.

The next chapter will be devoted to an account of the origin and nature of Puritanism, of which John Cotton was a staunch and uncompromising advocate.

CHAPTER III.

Necessity of Controversy.

Necessity of Reforming the Church. Romish corruption had taken away Christ's threefold office. Reformation in England restored his prophetical and priestly offices. His kingly office not restored. Relics of Popery retained in the National Church. Puritans demand a complete Reformation. The principle involved Nehushtan. How the principles of Congregationalism are reached. Puritans persecuted. Their conduct under persecution. Take refuge in New England. Happy results of their removal. The charge of Schism triumphantly retorted. The Massachusetts settlers no separatists. Laud, the great schismatic. His party were the separatists. Address from the Arbella. The "standing order" in New England no "sect." Puritanism as necessary now as in the days of our fa thers. Appeal to the sons of the Pilgrims.

THE Puritans lived in an age of controversy. It was one of those periods when the vast sea of human opinions, convulsed under chafing winds and weltering waves, sweeps away many of the ancient landmarks, and often, by their removal, restores to their forgotten prominence such landmarks as are more ancient than they. It was a time when the earthquakes of political and religious agitation disturbed every existing institution; throwing all their foundations out of course, that they might settle down at last upon

a basis more firm and square. Novel errors assailed old truths, and new truths grappled with antiquated errors. Perhaps there has never been a waking up of the human mind so general and so intense, as during that prolonged season of every kind of conflict. Such seasons must result in the advancement of truth, the progress of the human mind, and the improvement of the social state. Truth is ultimately, always stronger than her foes. Whatever may be the incidental evils of controversy, they are not so great as the evils it prevents or does away. It is a sharp remedy: but it is less painful than the diseases which it checks or heals. Such keen debate is only to be regretted as altogether injurious, when it arrays the real friends of truth against each other in disputes about matters of inferior moment. In such cases the acrimony is usually in an inverse ratio to the importance of the point discussed. We may then exclaim in the language of the "facetious Fuller," alluding to a passage in the prophet Joel;-" Alas! that men should have less wisdom than locusts, which, when sent on God's errand, did not thrust one another."

The necessity of reform in the church arose from its corruption. The leaven of this corruption had begun to work even before the decease