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gave it to Brewster to wear on their journey towards the court. Davison, as time drew on, was advancing to his ruin, through the infamous treachery of Queen Elizabeth. Brewster, who wore his master's chain, was coming to the period of persecuting discipline, by which Divine Providence would teach and fit him for the great work of the church colony in the wilderness. Neither of them placed their trust in earthly honors or treasures, but in Heaven. The occasion, the characters, and the end, may bring to remembrance the beautiful impromptu of Coleridge.

How seldom, friend! a good great man inherits
Honor or wealth, with all his worth and pains!
It sounds like stories from the land of spirits,
If any man obtain that which he merits,
Or any merit that which he obtains.

REPLY.

For shame, dear friend! renounce this canting strain.
What wouldst thou have a good great man obtain?
Place? Title? Salary? A gilded chain?
Or thrones of corses, which his sword hath slain?
Greatness and goodness are not means, but ends!
Hath he not always treasures, always friends,

The good great man? Three treasures, Love and Light,
And calm Thoughts, regular as an infant's breath!
And three firm friends, more sure than day and night,
Himself, his Maker, and the Angel Death.

These beautiful truths were realized by the Pilgrims, by such men as Robinson, Bradford, Brewster, Winslow, and Winthrop; and these possessions were theirs, Love, Light, and calm and cheerful Thoughts; and these friends were theirs, Themselves, their Maker, and the Angel Death; and all these three, self, God, and death, friends through Christ. It was Christ in whom they trusted; Christ, to whom and for whom they had given up self;

Christ, in whom God was reconciled, and had reconciled them unto himself, and into whose glorious presence and likeness, after their mission on earth was accomplished, the Angel Death would usher them. It was thus that they left that goodly and pleasant city in the Old World, which had been their resting place near twelve years, to be thrown upon the shores of a "waste howling wilderness," without a habitation. It was thus, in the simple and beautiful language of Governor Bradford, that "they knew they were PILGRIMS, and looked not much on those pleasant things they were leaving, but lifted up their eyes to heaven, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits."

Their sojourn in Leyden had been pleasant, mainly through the power and perfect sweetness of that brotherly love which bound them together. "For I persuade myself," said Mr. Winslow, "never people on earth lived more lovingly together, and parted more sweetly, than we, the Church at Leyden, did; not rashly, in a distracted humor, but upon joint and serious deliberation, often seeking the mind of God by fasting and prayer; whose gracious presence we not only found with us, but his blessing upon us, from that time to this instant, to the indignation of our adversaries, the admiration of strangers, and the exceeding consolation of ourselves, to see such effects of our prayers and tears before our pilgrimage here be ended."

And never was the reality and purity of brotherly love better tested, than in the sacrifices so cheerfully made by the Church in Plymouth, after the death of Robinson, to transport at their own cost, to their own colony of refuge, the brethren with their families, whom they had left behind them. By labor, suffering, and the cost of many deaths they had prepared it; with unparalleled kindness and love they welcomed others to the enjoyment and possession of its comforts.

The simple record of Brewster's death we give in Brad

ford's own language. It is the opening of that part of his History of Plymouth Colony, which was occupied with the memoir of Brewster. "Now followeth that which was matter of great sadness and mourning unto this church. About the tenth of April, in the year 1644, died their reverend Elder, our dear and loving friend, Mr. WILLIAM BREWSTER; a man that had done and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the Gospel's sake, and had borne his part in weal and wo with this poor persecuted church about thirty-six years in England, Holland, and in this wilderness, and done the Lord and them faithful service in his place and calling; and notwithstanding the many troubles and sorrows he passed through, the Lord upheld him to a great age. He was near four-score years of age, if not all out, when he died. He had this blessing added by the Lord to all the rest, to die in his bed, in peace, amongst the midst of his friends, who mourned and wept over him, and ministered what help and comfort they could unto him, and he again recomforted them whilst he could. His sickness was not long. Until the last day thereof he did not wholly keep his bed. His speech continued until somewhat more than half a day before his death, and then failed him; and about nine or ten of the clock that evening he died, without any pang at all. A few hours before, he drew his breath short, and some few minutes before his last, he drew his breath long, as a man fallen into a sound sleep, without any pangs or gaspings, and so sweetly departed this life unto a better."

These are the words of Governor Bradford in the memoir copied from the Records of the Plymouth Church. He was an eye-witness of the serene departure of his dear and loving friend, after whom he was still himself to remain with the church on earth thirteen years. He and Brewster had both experienced a great discipline from God of mingled mercy and trial, and had both learned by Divine Grace, whether living, to live unto the Lord, or

They could say with the

dying to die unto the Lord. sweet musings of Baxter

Lord, it belongs not to my care,
Whether I die or live;

To love and serve thee is my share,
And this thy grace must give.
If life be long, I will be glad,
That I may long obey;

If short, yet why should I be sad,
That shall have the same pay!

Christ leads me through no darker rooms,
Than he went through before;

He that into God's kingdom comes

Must enter by this door.

Come, Lord, when grace hath made me meet,

Thy blessed face to see;

For if thy work on earth be sweet,

What will thy glory be !

CHAPTER VIII.

CONGREGATIONAL CONSTITUTION OF THE PILGRIM CHURCH.CORRESPONDENCE OF BREWSTER AND ROBINSON WITH THE COUNCIL IN ENGLAND, AS TO THEIR PRINCIPLES.-COMPARISON OF CONGREGATIONALISM AND HIERARCHISM.

THE unsuccessful attempt of the Pilgrims to ootain liberty of conscience under the King's seal was the means of bringing out their principles into notice, as well as of trying their patience. Some unjust insinuations having been thrown out against them, to their injury, with the King's Privy Council, a correspondence ensued between Sir John Worstenholme, one of the members of the Virginia Company, and the Pastor Robinson, together with Elder Brewster. A prayerful spirit of devout dependence upon God runs through this correspondence, into which also there came no less distinguished a personage than Sir Edwin Sandys, truly a man of piety as well as qualities of state. The points illustrated in the letters to Worstenholme were "touching the ecclesiastical ministry, namely, of pastors for teaching, elders for ruling, and deacons for distributing the Church's contribution, as also for the two sacraments, baptism, and the Lord's supper." In regard to these, "we do wholly and in all points," said Robinson and Brewster, "agree with the French Reformed churches, according to their public confession of faith, though with

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