another attempt, in which after the severest trials, they succeeded. Having engaged a ship belonging to Holland for their conveyance, they were going on board. By some treachery, their enemies had been informed of their design, and, at this juncture, a great number of armed men came upon them. A part of the men were on board, without any of their effects, the women and children were in a barque approaching the ship. The Dutch captain, apprehensive of danger to himself, hoisted sail, and with a fair wind directed his course to Holland. The passengers used every effort to persuade him to return, in vain. They saw their wives and children fall into the hands of merciless enemies, unable to afford them any relief. They had none of their effects, not even a shift of clothes on board. A violent storm came on, which raged seven days without intermission. By the violence of the storm they were driven to the coast of Norway. On a sudden, the sailors exclaimed "The ship has foundered; she sinks she sinks!" The seamen trembled in despair; the pilgrims looked up to God and cried, Yet Lord thou canst save. Yet Lord thou canst save. To the astonishment of all, the vessel soon began to rise, and rode out the storm. At length they arrived at their destined port, and united in the praise of their Holy Preserver. in the words of the Psalmist, O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the children of men. After some time all their friends who had been left, by the favor of a gracious Providence, in perils of robbers, in perils by their own countrymen, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, arrived safely in Holland, where they mingled their mutual congratulations with grateful praise to God. A few remarks on these events still remaining on the records of this ancient church, are deserving of notice. "I may not omitt the purite that came heerby; for by these soe publieke troubles, in soe many eminent places, their cause became famous, and occationed many to looke into the same. And their godlye earryage and christian behaviour was such as left a deep impression in the minds of many. And altho some few shrunke att those first conflicts as sharp beginninges, (as it was noe marvell,) yett many more came on with freshe corage, and greatly anymated others. And in the end notwithstanding all these stormes of opposition, they all gott over to Hollande at length some att one time and some att another, and mett together againe accordinge to their heartes desires, with noe small rejoiceing."

This congregation fixed their residence in Amsterdam.-. But in consequence of some unhappy disputes which then

agitated the other English churches in that city, they thought it prudent to remove. Accordingly, they removed the next year and settled in the city of Leyden. There they were kindly received, and enjoyed a quiet habitation. As the flames of religious tyranny and persecution continued to rage in England, many of their countrymen went over and joined with them, where, under the able ministry of their beloved Pastor, they continued in great union and prosperity, and became a great congregation. Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, they were multiplied. The church contained three hundred communicants. After the tempests of persecution and the severe perils through. which they had passed, this quiet habitation was to them a happy foretaste of that rest which remaineth for the people of God.

When Mr. Robinson first separated from the church of England. he was inclined to the sentiments of the Brownists; a sect of rigid sepparists, who denied the Church of England to be a true church. But in consequence of considerable conversation with the learned Dr. Ames and his own careful reflections, he became convinced of the error of the Brownists, and was ready to extend Christian communion to his brethren of the established church. His church was established upon the principles of the Independents, of which denomination of Christians, who afterwards became so numerous in England and in America, Mr. Robinson is considered the father.The ecclesiastical constitution and doctrinal sentiments adopt. ed by Mr. Robinson's church at Leyden, was the germ from which all the New-England churches have sprung.

After remaining a number of years in Holland, this little flock found their situation, on many accounts, unpleasant.— The immoralities of their neighbours were dangerous to the rising generation, the difficulties of procuring a comfortable living induced many of their sons to enter the Dutch armies and navy, there was reason to apprehend their posterity would become incorporated with the people of the country, and their church become extinct. These considerations added to the more powerful motive, the hope of laying a foundation for the extensive advancement of the kingdom of Christ in the western wilderness, induced them to remove to America. Previous to their final determination, as their governing maxim always was, In all thy ways acknowledge God, and he shall direct thy paths, they set apart a day for fasting and prayer, to seek direction from God.

Their removal being resolved, new difficulties were to be encountered. They applied for leave to go under the royal

sanction, but were repressed. At length they obtained permission from the Virginia company to make a settlement near the mouth of Hudson's River, and after many delays had some unofficial intimations that they would not be molested in the exercise of their religion. It was resolved that a part of the congregation should first remove, and the major part with their Pastor, should remove after the new settlement had commenced. This produced a scene, their parting, not to be described. Mutual sufferings and a long period of harmonious union had endeared them to each other, by the strongest ties. Previous to their departure, they observed together one more solemn day of humiliation and prayer.On that occasion Mr. Robinson preached from Ezra viii. 21. Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Abana, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones and for all our substance. After this, say their records, "They left that goodlye and pleasant city, which had been theire resting-place near twelve yeeres. But they knew they were pilgrimes, and looked not much on those things but lifted up their eyes to Heaven, theire dearest country, and quieted theire spirits.-But truly doleful was the sight of that sad partinge, to see what teares did gush from every eye and expressions which soe piersed each others harte, that sundrye of the Dutch strangers could not refrain from teares. But the tyde calling them to departe, their Rev. Pastor falling down on his knees, and they all with him with watery cheeks commended them, with most fervent prayers to the Lord, and his blessinge, and then with mutual embraces, and many teares, they took their leaves of one another, which proved to be their last leave with manye of them." They sailed to Southampton in England, where they met the other ships and their friends, who were going with them from England. This was in July, 1620.

On the fifth of August they sailed from Southampton, but on account of bad weather and the leakiness of one of their vessels, they were obliged twice to put back. The poorer vessel they were compelled to leave, while as many as could be accommodated, one hundred and one persons of the adventurers, entered on board the other ship and took their last leave of the land of their fathers, on the sixth of September. Called to go out into a place which they should after receive for an inheritance, they obeyed; and they went out, not knowing whither they went.

After a tedious voyage, safely housed in the ark which God in his providence had directed them to prepare, protected by him who directs the storm, on the tenth of November they

arrived at Cape Cod. The Dutch, intending to keep posses sion of Hudson's River, had bribed the shipmaster to carry these adventurers so far southward, that they should not find their intended place of residence. They had found land and it was too late in the season to put to sea again. They were in a good harbor, but on a most barren inhospitable shore.

On their arrival, they stepped upon the strand, and with bended knees gave thanks to God who had preserved his church in the ark, who had preserved their number entire, and brought them in safety to these unhallowed shores. Being without the limits of their patent, as to civil government, they were in a state of nature. They therefore procured and signed a civil compact, by which they severally bound themselves to be obedient to all ordinances made by the body, acknowledging the King of Great Britain to be their lawful Sovereign. They say in the preamble," Having undertaken for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian Faith, and Honor of our King and Country, a voyage to Plant the first Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia." This instrument was executed on board their ship on the eleventh of November. Mr. John Carver, a man of distinguished abilities and eminent piety, was chosen their Governor.

The prospects now before them were such as to appal any other than our fathers. In a most howling wilderness, inhabited by pagan savages and wild beasts, a dreary winter approaching, no shelter from the tempest, and, as yet, no place of abode. They had one resting place and that was their all. Their trust was in Him who hath said to his chosen, The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them.

After several unsuccessful attempts to find a convenient place for their residence, a party sent out for discovery, entered the harbor of Plymouth. In a severe storm en a December night, having, with their little barque, narrowly es caped a shipwreck, they were cast upon a certain island in the harbor. This was on Friday night. The next day they dried their clothes, concluding to remain on this little island, till after the Sabbath. This little band, about twenty in number, observed the next day as a Sabbath, which was the first Sabbath ever observed in a religious manner, on the New-England shore. Having examined the harbor, they returned to the ship, which weighed anchor and brought in their consecrated cargo in safety. Here these pious pilgrims fanded on the twenty-second of December, 1620. They called the place Plymouth, the name of the town from which

they last sailed in England. They now had a country and a home, but they had a better country on high.

They had now to contend with the inclement seasons, with innumerable privations, in a constant fear of a savage foe. But God had prepared their way before them. A desolating plague, which prevailed among the natives about three years before, had nearly depopulated those parts of the country. On this account, they received very little molestation from the savages for many years. Had they been carried to Hudson's River, according to their intention where the savages were numerous, there is much reason to believe the little colony would have been cut off. Infinite Wisdom directed their course to their prepared habitation. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, how thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and planted them.

The severities of the season, their unwholesome food, and their incessant labors, brought upon this little flock a general and very mortal sickness, so that forty-six of their number died before the opening of the ensuing spring. Of those who survived, the most had been severely sick. Who can contemplate this little band, in an uncultivated wilderness, with no promise of support from their mother country, exposed to the inclement skies, of a dreary winter, with scanty supplies of food, utterly unskilled and destitute of the means for the cultivation of a new country, with no security for future harvests; surrounded with a savage enemy whose seats and prowess they could not know, visited with a raging disease, committing, at times, two or three in a day to the grave, of the living scarcely enough who had strength to perform the rites of sepulture;-without despondency, firmly determined to abide the just appointments of Heaven; and not admire a virtue which the religion of the Lord Jesus alone can furnish, and a patriotism to which the canonized heroes of Rome were strangers. Had their object been to obtain a property for themselves and their posterity, or to obtain a name among the heroes of enterprize, they had sunk under their sufferings. Their souls were strengthened with other prospects. They confided in the wisdom of Heaven, they firmly believed that the Most High would here plant and maintain his church, that he would make the American wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Buoyed up by faith, strengthened by the promises, obstacles vanished before them. They knew God had often led his church into the wilderness, but he had never forsaken her. He raised up the righteous man from the east, brought him to a strange country, the Canaanite was then in the land, but he