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England； ch。 3； par。 43。 Some at last determined to seek refuge in Holland。
Difficulties； losses； and imprisonment were encountered。 Their purposes were
thwarted； and they were betrayed into the hands of their enemies。 But
steadfast perseverance finally conquered； and they found shelter on the
friendly shores of the Dutch Republic。
In their flight they had left their houses； their goods； and their means of
livelihood。 They were strangers in a strange land； among a people of
different language and customs。 They were forced to resort to new and
untried occupations to earn their bread。 Middle…aged men； who had spent
their lives in tilling the soil； had now to learn mechanical trades。 But
they cheerfully accepted the situation and lost no time in idleness or
repining。 Though often pinched with poverty；
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they thanked God for the blessings which were still granted them and found
their joy in unmolested spiritual communion。 〃They knew they were pilgrims；
and looked not much on those things； but lifted up their eyes to heaven；
their dearest country； and quieted their spirits。〃Bancroft； pt。 1； ch。 12；
par。 15。
In the midst of exile and hardship their love and faith waxed strong。 They
trusted the Lord's promises； and He did not fail them in time of need。 His
angels were by their side； to encourage and support them。 And when God's
hand seemed pointing them across the sea； to a land where they might found
for themselves a state； and leave to their children the precious heritage of
religious liberty； they went forward； without shrinking； in the path of
providence。
God had permitted trials to come upon His people to prepare them for the
accomplishment of His gracious purpose toward them。 The church had been
brought low； that she might be exalted。 God was about to display His power
in her behalf； to give to the world another evidence that He will not
forsake those who trust in Him。 He had overruled events to cause the wrath
of Satan and the plots of evil men to advance His glory and to bring His
people to a place of security。 Persecution and exile were opening the way to
freedom。
When first constrained to separate from the English Church； the Puritans had
joined themselves together by a solemn covenant； as the Lord's free people；
〃to walk together in all His ways made known or to be made known to them。〃
J。 Brown； The Pilgrim Fathers； page 74。 Here was the true spirit of
reform； the vital principle of Protestantism。 It was with this purpose that
the Pilgrims departed from Holland to find a home in the New World。 John
Robinson； their pastor； who was providentially prevented from accompanying
them； in his farewell address to the exiles said：
〃Brethren； we are now erelong to part asunder； and the Lord knoweth whether
I shall live ever to see your faces more。 But whether the Lord hath
appointed it or not； I
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charge you before God and His blessed angels to follow me no farther than I
have followed Christ。 If God should reveal anything to you by any other
instrument of His； be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any
truth of my ministry； for I am very confident the Lord hath more truth and
light yet to break forth out of His holy word。〃Martyn； vol。 5； p。 70。
〃For my part； I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed
churches； who are come to a period in religion； and will go at present no
farther than the instruments of their reformation。 The Lutherans cannot be
drawn to go beyond what Luther saw； 。 。 。 and the Calvinists； you see； stick
fast where they were left by that great man of God； who yet saw not all
things。 This is a misery much to be lamented； for though they were burning
and shining lights in their time； yet they penetrated not into the whole
counsel of God； but were they now living； would be as willing to embrace
further light as that which they first received。〃D。 Neal； History of the
Puritans； vol。 1； p。 269。
〃Remember your church covenant； in which you have agreed to walk in all the
ways of the Lord； made or to be made known unto you。 Remember your promise
and covenant with God and with one another； to receive whatever light and
truth shall be made known to you from His written word； but withal； take
heed； I beseech you； what you receive for truth； and compare it and weigh it
with other scriptures of truth before you accept it； for it is not possible
the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick antichristian
darkness； and that full perfection of knowledge should break forth at
once。〃Martyn； vol。 5； pp。 70； 71。
It was the desire for liberty of conscience that inspired the Pilgrims to
brave the perils of the long journey across the sea； to endure the hardships
and dangers of the wilderness； and with God's blessing to lay； on the shores
of America； the foundation of a mighty nation。 Yet honest and God…fearing
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as they were； the Pilgrims did not yet comprehend the great principle of
religious liberty。 The freedom which they sacrificed so much to secure for
themselves； they were not equally ready to grant to others。 〃Very few； even
of the foremost thinkers and moralists of the seventeenth century； had any
just conception of that grand principle； the outgrowth of the New Testament；
which acknowledges God as the sole judge of human faith。〃Ibid。； vol。 5； p。
297。 The doctrine that God has committed to the church the right to control
the conscience； and to define and punish heresy； is one of the most deeply
rooted of papal errors。 While the Reformers rejected the creed of Rome； they
were not entirely free from her spirit of intolerance。 The dense darkness in
which； through the long ages of her rule； popery had enveloped all
Christendom； had not even yet been wholly dissipated。 Said one of the
leading ministers in the colony of Massachusetts Bay： 〃It was toleration
that made the world antichristian； and the church never took harm by the
punishment of heretics。〃Ibid。； vol。
5； p。 335。 The regulation was adopted by the colonists that
only church members should have a voice in the civil government。 A kind of
state church was formed； all the people being required to contribute to the
support of the clergy； and the magistrates being authorized to suppress
heresy。 Thus the secular power was in the hands of the church。 It was not
long before these measures led to the inevitable result persecution。
Eleven years after the planting of the first colony； Roger Williams came to
the New World。 Like the early Pilgrims he came to enjoy religious freedom；
but； unlike them； he saw what so few in his time had yet seenthat this
freedom was the inalienable right of all； whatever might be their creed。 He
was an earnest seeker for truth； with Robinson holding it impossible that
all the light from God's word had yet been received。 Williams 〃was the first
person in modern Christendom to establish civil government on the doctrine
of the liberty of conscience； the equality of opinions before
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the law。〃Bancroft； pt。 1； ch。 15； par。 16。 He declared it to be the duty
of the magistrate to restrain crime； but never to control the conscience。
〃The public or the magistrates may decide；〃 he said； 〃what is due from man
to man； but when they attempt to prescribe a man's duties to God； they are
out of place； and there can be no safety； for it is clear that if the
magistrates has the power； he may decree one set of opinions or beliefs
today and another tomorrow； as has been done in England by different kings
and queens； and by different popes and councils in the Roman Church； so that
belief would become a heap of confusion。〃Martyn； vol。 5； p。 340。
Attendance at the services of the established church was required under a
penalty of fine or imprisonment。 〃Williams reprobated the law； the worst
statute in the English code was that which did but enforce attendance upon
the parish church。 To compel men to unite with those of a different creed；
he regarded as an open violation of their natural rights； to drag to public
worship the irreligious and the unwi