These differences, which Mr. Smyth published to the world, and argued with his usual acuteness, if not ability, were more than enough to produce a breach between himself and his ancient brethren; and he consequently separated himself, with Mr. Thomas Hellwisse, John Murton, and some others, and organized a new church, first baptizing himself, then Mr. Hellwisse, and they, their followers.*

All these changes of sentiment and practice occurred between 1606 and 1609; for in the last named year Mr. Ainsworth published " A Defence of the Holy Scriptures, Worship and Ministery used in the Christian Churches separated from Antichrist; against the Challenges, Cavils and Con. tradiction of Mr. Smyth in his book intitled 'The Differences of the Churches of the Separatists," " etc., from which several quotations have been made in the preceding pages.

Mr. Smyth, with all his excellencies, was a most uncomfortable, troublesome man; a type of a class of men which the church has always had, to serve as goads and pricks. But his career in Holland was brief. In 1610, he died in Amsterdam, of consumption, "to which," Bradford tells us, "he was inclined before he came out of England." +

* See Appendix, Note I.

↑ Hanbury, 1. 178. Hall, writing against Robinson in 1610, says, that Smyth had become a Baptist, and had "written desperately both against thee and his own followers." - Robinson's Works, III. 397.

Bradford in Young, p. 451; Crosby's Hist. Eng. Baptists, 1. 268.

His followers chose Mr. Hellwisse as their pastor; not an educated man, but " of good natural parts, and not without some acquired."" But their continuance in Amsterdam was short; for, carrying out one of the principles of their founder that flight in time of persecution was wrong the greater part of them, with their pastor, returned to England soon after 1611,† and there bore a noble testimony in favor of liberty of conscience, and against persecution for religious belief. They wrote and protested and suffered for many years, earning even from their warm opponents, the reputation of honest, conscientious, good men. They are generally reported to have been the founders of the General Baptist denomination. Mr. Hellwisse died probably about 1620.

*Crosby's Hist. Eng. Baptists, 1. 269.

+ Ivimey's Hist. Eng. Baptists; Crosby, 1. 269-75. Brook, 11. 279-82; Robinson's Works, 111. 155–56.

Crosby says, that Hellwisse was "a member of the ancient church of Separatists, which had been founded at the establishment of the Reformation in the beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign; and was very serviceable to that people when they transported themselves out of England into Holland, to escape persecution." Hist. Bap., 1. 269. It does not appear from this statement, which of the ancient churches of the Separatists Hellwisse was a member of and aided; but from a paragraph in Robinson's work on Religious Communion, we infer, that it must have been Mr. Smyth's, or Mr. Clyfton's church: "The truth is, it was Mr. Hellwisse, who above all, either guides or others, furthered this passage into strange countries. And if any brought oars, he brought sails; as I could show in many particulars, and as all that were acquainted with the manner of our coming over can witness with me." Robinson's Works, 111. 159.

CHAPTER XII.

MR. ROBINSON AND HIS CHURCH IN Leyden.

NUMEROUS PUBLICATIONS.

HIS

ARRIVED at Leyden, the members of the Scrooby church immediately "fell to such trades and employments as they best could," to obtain an honest livelihood. In a populous city, a city of islands, intersected by the various streams of the Rhone and by numerous canals, there was not much scope for husbandry, to which most of the brethren had been trained in England; but the weavers and artisans found ready employment, for Leyden had long been famed for its cloth manufactures. William Bradford, at that time under age, but who in after years became a distinguished man among them, bound himself to a silk dyer; Elder Brewster found employment, first, as a schoolmaster, and after a while obtained the means to open a printing office, in connection with William Brewer, another member of this church.† Edward Wins

*Bradford.

† At their press were printed several works for the English market which could not have got the bishops' imprimatur. Brewer seems to have been a man of some property and consideration. He was admitted a member of the university of Leyden, and is

low, another of the leading men of the colony, also became a printer; and in short, the great body of the church were soon engaged in trade, manufacturing, or some mechanical business.*

The upright, Christian deportment of these English exiles soon secured the confidence and respect of the Dutch inhabitants, and a comfortable livelihood in this land of strangers. In the mean time their numbers gradually increased to about three hundred souls, who "lived together in love and peace without any considerable differences, or any disturbance that grew thereby, but such as was easily healed in love." †

During all this time the devoted pastor of the Leyden church was as busy as the busiest of his flock. Besides preaching three times a week, and attending to "other manifold labors" connected with the care of a large church, he found time to

styled in the city records - edelman - honorable. He furnished the capital, while Brewster was the active business partner. Brewer remained at Leyden until after Mr. Robinson's death, when he sold out his property at Leyden and removed to England. See an interesting account of this partnership, in the Historical Magazine and Notes and Queries, vol. iv. pp. 4-6. N. Y. 1860.

a

William Bradford, when married in Leyden, Nov. 1613, is registered a "fustian maker." -Hist. Mag. 111. 262. "Fustian thick, twilled cotton of several varieties, embracing velveteen and corduroy.' Worcester's Dic.

* See extracts from the Leyden City Records, in Hist. Mag., 111. 261-63, 358-59; IV. 4-6. See further on this topic of trades, etc., supra, chap. 15.

↑ Bradford in Young, 456, compared with 34, 36 and 380.

write many works, both practical and controversial. These severally deserve a passing notice, as they constitute a part of the history of Congregationalism, and not an unimportant part either.

Mr. Robinson's first work after leaving England was written and published at Amsterdam, probably near the close of 1608, and is entitled, "An Answer to a Censorious Epistle," written by Rev. Joseph Hall, afterwards bishop of Norwich, and addressed to "Mr. Smyth and Mr. Rob., Ringleaders of the late Separation at Amsterdam." In his "Answer" to Hall, Robinson first gives briefly the grounds on which he and his brethren had separated from the church of England. And this he does with characteristic clearness and comprehensive brevity; and in a style both terse and chaste, which, though pointed and spirited, is yet courteous, and free from that antichristian acrimony which is characteristic of the controversial writings of that age. Hall made a sharp and la

* Robinson's Works, 111. 397-420; Hanbury, 1. chap. 11.

The complete works of John Robinson have been collected and published in three handsome, compact volumes, by the Congregational Board, London, and by the Congregational Board of Publication, Boston, 1853. These volumes were edited by Robert Ashton, Secretary of the Congl. Board, London, who not only supplied valuable annotations on the several works, but also an excellent memoir of Mr. Robinson. These volumes are a thesaurus of facts and arguments in defence of Congregationalism, and should have a place in every intelligent Congregationalist's library. Mr. Hanbury has furnished very full details of Robinson's works, in his Historical Memorials, three vols. 8vo., London, 1839-1844.