a ministers, whose baptism had no connexion with that of Mr. Williams. As early as 1663, Baptist church, under the ministry of the Rev. John Miles, of whom Mather speaks respectfully,* emigrated from Swanzea, in Wales, to Wannamoiset, within the bounds of the Plymouth Colony, of which they received a grant, and called it Swanzea, the name which the township now bears. None but a Baptist church has ever existed there. In the words of Professor Knowles, "of the $400,000 Baptist communicants now in the United States, a small fraction only have had any connexion, either immediate or remote, with the venerable Church at Providence, though her members are numerous, and she has been honored as the mother of many ministers." The second point just suggested, will require a more ample notice. Roger Williams is worthy of all praise for the profound and lucid views which he took, of the nature of religious liberty, and of its being an essential element in the constitution of a christian church. He did not consider the belief of it necessary to salvation, but a church established by law, and enforcing its creed, he regarded in its outward constitution to be * Ecclesiastical History of New-England, p. 27. # anti-christian. He saw that it contained an element altogether irreconcilable with the genius of christianity, and one which indicated a profound mistake as to the real character of the present dispensation. He justly judged it therefore to be a part of the grand apostasy. When a man has once a clear and strong faith like that in the doctrine of "soul-freedom," he never forsakes it. The principle incorporates itself with the essential elements of his mind, modifies his opinions of the relations of men, the nature of a church, and the end of civil government. Then, it is no longer enough for him that his creed be tolerated; he feels it to be an injury inflicted on himself, and on the cause of man, that any human power should assume the right to tolerate. He regards such an assumption in any class of men, as partaking of the nature of a conspiracy against human liberty, as raising obstructions to the exercise of such an intelligent heartfelt faith in Christ as the gospel demands, and as being directly opposed to the spirit of that moral probation, in which God has chosen to place the world under the government of Messiah. Hence Williams says, "It is the will and command of God, that since the coming of his Sonne (the Lord Jesus) a permission of the most Paganish, Jewish, Turkish or anti-christian conscience and worships be granted to all men, in all nations and countries; and they are only to be fought against with that sword, which is only (in soule matters) able to conquer, to wit, the sword of God's Spirit, the word of God."* Again he speaks of "thousands and tens of thousands, yea the whole generation of the righteous, who since the falling away (from the first primitive christian state or worship) have and do err fundamentally concerning the true matter, constitution, gathering and governing of the church; and yet far be it from any pious breast to imagine, that they are not saved, and that their souls are not bound up in the bundle of eternal life."t Now, whence was it, that this great assertor of human freedom obtained such clear perceptions of a principle, which was in his day so much abhorred, but which has since won such majestic triumphs, and is still going on from conquering to conquer? Why was he in the discovery of moral and political truth, so far in advance of the leading men of New England, and that too in an age, when all the subjects which pertain to man's social and religious condition were so hotly agitated? Was it that he possessed a clearer intellect or a more profound philosophy than they? No where could the * Introduction to the "Bloody Tenent." + Bloody Tenent, p. 20. materials be found, to construct the least plausible proof of such a position. A passage in one of his works will give us some clue to a proper answer to this inquiry. It relates to a man of some learning, but of more piety, in humble life, a Baptist minister, and pastor of a church in London. It was the excellent Samuel Howe, successor to John Canne, author of the marginal references to the bible. His church suffered bitter persecution from the clergy and bishops' courts, on account of their sentiments touching liberty of conscience; and when he died, a guard was placed around the parish church, to prevent his friends from giving him decent burial. Nevertheless, many followed him to the grave, which was in the highway, and a funeral address was delivered from a brewer's cart. He had followed the occupation of a shoe maker, was distinguished for great natural genius, and was the author of a small treatise, entitled "The Sufficiency of the Spirit's Teaching." His employment was hinted at in some commendatory lines prefixed to the work by a friendly hand, and in the style of the times; What How? how now? hath How such learning found, Cambridge and Oxford may their glory now This man died in 1641, and of him, Roger Williams says, "Amongst so many instances dead and living, to the everlasting praise of Christ Jesus, and of his Holy Spirit, breathing and blessing where he listeth, I cannot but with honorable testimony remember that eminent christian witness and prophet of Christ, even that despised and yet beloved Samuel Howe, who being by calling a cobbler and without human learning, (which yet in its sphere and place he honored,) who yet I say, by searching the holy scriptures grew so excellent a textuary, or scripture-learned man, that few of those high rabbis that scorn to mend or make a shoe, could aptly or readily from the holy scriptures. outgo him. And however, (through the oppression upon some men's consciences even in life and death, and after death, in respect of burying, as yet unthought and remedied,) I say, however he was forced to seek a grave or bed in the highway, yet was his life and death and burial (being attended with many hundreds of God's people) honorable and (how much more at his rising again) glorious.* If then, while in England, Roger Williams held friendly communings with men of such a * Hireling Ministry, None of Christ's, Lon. 1652, p. 11, 12. |