the destruction of his people. The come to plead the cause of his people, wicked is driven away in his wicked-take heed that you be not crushed ness; but the righteous hath hope in his death. The Lord loveth his people. He preserveth his saints. He will exalt them to dwell at his right hand. But the ungodly are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. beneath his stroke. Let none lift up himself against Christ and his people, for he has said of such a man, that it were better for him, that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the In view of the two characters dis-sea. He that toucheth them toucheth played in this book, and the different the apple of his eye. "Be wise now ends to which they came, suffer me therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, to close these reflections by an address ye judges of the earth;" and all ye, to both characters, First, I would ad- who have set yourselves to oppose the dress them, whose hearts are not cause of truth and godliness. You with God's people. This is the case must speedily give up your opposition, with all who have not known the change your side, and choose the grace of God in truth. All who do not Lord's people for your people, and love our Lord Jesus Christ in sinceri-their God for your God. This must ty, must be ranked in the opposition. not be done feignedly, but with all the The hearts of all such, even if their unheart and with all the soul. Your derstanding and conscience are enlight- opportunity to change your side, obened, take side with Haman, the Jews' tain the King's pardon, and be enrolenemy. You do not sincerely pray led among his friends, is but short; for the peace of Jerusalem; you do and is fast drawing to a close. If you not desire that she should prosper. do not intend to run the venture of You do not make your happiness at meeting the king of Israel in the other all to consist in the advancement of the world, in an unreconciled state, defer kingdom of truth and holiness. But no longer to fall at his feet and imyou do in heart hate the truth contain-plore his mercy. Let the wicked for ed in the bible. You hate the true God, and his well beloved son Jesus Christ. You have a rooted hatred of his sanctified ones, whether you know it or not. Neither is it their want of conformity to their Divine Master, Secondly, I would address a word which excites your hatred; but it is to them who are Jews inwardly, whose because he has chosen them out of the circumcision is of the heart, in the world, and made them resemble him-spirit; whose praise is not of men, self. You may, like Haman, pretend but of God. The foundation of God that you hate them because they obey not the king's laws, or because of some other bad thing about them; but the truth is, you hate the children of God, because your own works are evil and theirs are righteous. But what will you do in this contest? Be entreated to remember Haman-did he prosper? If he had had none to con tend with but the poor captive Jews, though it had been the whole nation, he would probably have gained his point: But he had to contend with their God, the Lord of hosts, a Man of war. When this Mighty One shall again sake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. standeth sure having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. The view which we have taken of one of the books of the sacred canon, is calculated to administer much consolation to you. The cause, which above all others, you love, is built upon a Rock.' You have seen how the gates of hell attempted, but could not prevail. Like Esther and Mordecai, and other pious Jews of the captivity, cast all your care-on the Lord by veníursome believing; so shall ye be established. Other Hamans may arise; (for hu man nature is not essentially altered;} but fear them not; they cannot hurt his sphere of action was less extensive you, or the cause of God. They may than that of most of the heroes of hisbe permitted to shed the blood of tory, we discover, no less clearly, the some of the saints; if so, God will special operations of Divine Provimake their blood the seed of the dence, in providing those peculiar church, as he has done in days past. qualifications which were necessary to Ere long the wicked shall be destroy-the discharge of the important duties ed from off the the face of the earth.which he was called to perform. And This will be effected, either by renew- as every mind enlightened with revealing grace or removing them out of the ed truth, will complete all human charway. The saints of the Most High are acters as acting in connection with the to spread over the face of the whole interests of the church of God, many earth. Let the present generation of of the fathers of New-England will be them that seek the face of the God of Ja-considered as occupying more importcob be excited to be much engaged to obtain deliverance and enlargement for the church. Are you not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Is it not, in an eminent sense, the work of Zion, that now is, to travail to bring forth the Millennium? Let all the dark things of our day, bring us near unto the mercy seat, in imitation of the pious Jews in the days of Ahasuerus. Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest until he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. SYLVANUS. ant places, than many of the long-labored subjects of historic eulogy. The conquerors of the world have aided the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom by destroying its enemies, but its humble, || faithful friends have ever stood as pillars in the temple of God. Mr. Bradford may be said to have been the most eminent instrument in the providence of God, of establishing and preserving the first colony of NewEngland, and the first church of the United States. He was a native of Yorkshire in England, born in the year 1588. In that part of England, the people were, at that time, exceedingly destitute of religious instruction, AN HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE FIRST and the scriptures were scarcely known PLANTERS OF NEW ENGLAND. No. X. among them. Just emerging from the darkness of Romish imposture, the [Continued from page 79.] practical effects of the Reformation had THE infant colony of Plymouth, af scarcely begun to appear. Mr. Bradter the decease of their first Governor, ford descended from a respectable anthe worthy, Mr. Carver, in the spring of cestry, who had long been employed the year 1621, unanimously, elected in the business of husbandry. He enMr. William Bradford to be their chief joyed a competent inheritance from Magistrate. The reflection often oc- his parents, which, in consequence of curs to every attentive reader of histo-their death, fell to him in his childhood. ry, that God, in his infinite wisdom, al-The care of his education devolved upways provides illustrious characters, on his grand-parents; and, after their endued with all requisite qualifications, death upon his uncles. At an early for the performance of the extraordina- age, a long and severe sickness had the ry services, which, in his holy provi-effect of turning his mind to the truths dence, he designs to accomplish. of religion. At the age of twelve years This thought is forcibly illustrated in by a divine blessing on a careful readthe characters of Julius Cæsar, Colum-ing of the scriptures, his mind became bus, Luther, Washington, as well as in deeply impressed with the reality of dimost of the eminent actors in human vine things, and, under the faithful minaffairs In the character of the man istry of the pious Mr. Clifton, became, whose life is now to be given, though apparently, a subject of divine grace. a blessing. At this time, he formed a connection || house, unto a land that I will shew thee. with a number of pious people who And I will bless thee—and thou shali be were called Professors. These were Puritans, who found the ordinary forms At the age of eighteen years, Mr. of the religious establishment unsatis- Bradford left the place of his nativity, fying to an ardent piety, who held pri- and, connecting himself with the people vate meetings for religious worship and of Mr. Robinson's congregation, was improvement, but were the subjects of one of the first company who endured strong popular odium. Naturally of a so many sufferings and disasters in get studious turn, Mr. Bradford, in his ting to Holland, in the year 1607. He youth, applied himself to a serious in- there served as an apprentice to a silk vestigation of the order and practices manufacturer, till he became of age.— of the religious establishment, careful- He then converted his estate in Engly comparing its various ordinances land into money, and continued in the with the word of God. From a delib- same employment. Being, however, erate and prayerful attention to this sub-more fond of study than business, and ject, he became convinced of his duty improving every opportunity to into separate from the established church crease his stock of science and generthat he might perform the duties of re- al information, his employment was ligion, unembarrassed with ordinances not attended with great success. The of human invention. Having taken a facilities for obtaining extensive learndeliberate resolution to this effect, he ing, in the city of Leyden, were many, soon found that it met with the decid- and they were much improved by Mr. ed disapprobation of his friends, par- Bradford. He spoke the Dutch and ticularly of his uncles, from whom he French languages with ease, in the Latreceived severe and angry reproaches.in and Greek, he was well skilled, but To these he made the following temperate reply: "Were I like to endanger my life, or consume my estate by any ungodly courses, your counsels to me were very seasonable. But you know that I have been diligent and provident in my calling, and desirous not only to augment what I have, but to enjoy it in your company; to part from which, will be as great a cross as can befall me. Nevertheless, to keep a good conscience, and walk in such a way as God has prescribed in his word is a thing which I must prefer before you all, and above life itself. Wherefore, since it is for a good cause that I am like to suffer the disasters which you lay before me, you have no cause to be either angry with me, or sorry for paid more particular attention to the As he recovered his health, and be- fully submitted to an equal share of pris gan to contemplate the weight of cares vations and labor, living, several times, devolving upon him, the innumerable some weeks in succession, without any difficulties with which he must contend, bread; laboring, in the fields, at the the arduous labors that were before buildings, at the fortifications, taking him, the many dangers in which he part in the watchings which were of must be involved; had he not possess-ten maintained for a security against a ed a constancy of mind equal to the surprise from insidious enemies.→ greatest patriots, a wisdom and pru-When any came to him to complain dence seldom equalled, a resource in of their sufferings, the readiness which difficulties adequate to every emergen- he manifested to be an equal sharer in cy, a humble reliance on God, steady all necessary privations, his dignified as his promises, he must have sunk un-composure in the greatest dangers, his der the overwhelming prospect. He cheerful serenity in the darkest times, was a chief magistrate of a feeble peo- his uniform reliance on that God who ple surrounded with many enemies; he had planted them in a land not sown, was the leader of a colony in an unin- quieted, if they could not relieve every habited wilderness without any pros-mind. And in these times of distress, pect of support from the mother coun- all that could be effected by the most ty; he was the father of a family pos-active exertions, by persevering labor sessed of the most scanty supplies, by or daring enterprise, by the most innumerable losses almost wholly dis-watchful prudence or sagacious forepirited. But he had that hope which thought, was done by their worthy gov casts anchor within the veil, a hold ernor, to preserve the existence of the which never yet was broken. colony and to relieve the distresses of In the early part of his administra- the people. Without his vigilance and tion, Gov. Bradford took effectual mea-exertions, it would seem that this infant sures to secure the friendship of the na-colony, like several plantations which tives, in the vicinity of the colony, and had been commenced at the southward succeeded, in a remarkable manner, would have been broken up, and for a in securing their confidence. Another long period, all attempts for the settlemeasure of great importance to the col-ment of New-England must have been ony, he undertook to accomplish, discouraged. But he was prepared for which required the exercise of all his the work appointed for him to perskill and authority. The plantation form. was commenced on the principle of a The early character and circumcommunity of property. The Gover-stances of the Plymouth settlement nor soon perceived the evils of this were such, that it would seem no perstate of things, and notwithstanding the son could have been their enemy.strong attachments to such a course They were weak and few, struggling which was felt by many, and the insid-with every difficulty, their prospects ious insinuations which must necessari- very unpromising, on a bleak and barly fall upon any one that would advo-ren shore, surrounded with a multitude cate a division of a common property, of savages, and eminently distinguishhe firmly prosecuted the measure anded for the virtues of integrity, justice, effected a division to such an extent and charity. But for the same reason as was thought expedient. In the year that the faithful witnesses of old had tri1627, a further distribution of the lands als of cruel mockings, and were sub; and the small property of the colony,jected to innumerable sufferings, these was made among the planters. humble servants of God could not es For several years after the com-cape the insidious designs of malignant mencement of the settlement, the peo- enemies. Many of their savage neighple suffered greatly for want of the ne-bors even viewed them with an eye of Cessaries of life. Gov. Bradford cheer-hostility, waiting a favorable opportu By this well timed decision, the enemy were prevented from the execution of their hostile attempts. uity to exterminate the colony. But these were not the most dangerous foes. The religious order of the church and colony of Plymouth were entirely In the year 1633, Mr. Edward Winsdifferent from the determined senti-low was chosen the governor of the ments of the civil and ecclesiastical go-colony; being solicited by Gov. Bradvernment of England. They were ford to accept of the office. Mr. Wintherefore constantly watched with a slow was also called to the same trust jealous eye. Their small consequence in 1636, and 1644 In 1634, Mr. in the estimation of the English hierar-Thomas Prince was elected to the chy, seems to have been the great same office. In all of those years, Mr. reason, under the favor of Heaven, that Bradford stands first among the Assistthey were, to such a degree, left un-ants. He held the office of governor, molested. Some vicious characters himself every other year, from 1621, to who came from the mother country, 1657, the year of his death. Such an hoping to obtain a consequence in a instance of the steadiness of a popular new plantation which they could nev-annual election, in a new settlement, er reach in their native land, found founded in principles of the purest themselves rejected by the church of equality, unsupported by any establishPlymouth, and could obtain no encour-ed usages, while it stands as a prodigy agement from the government of the in popular governments, declares more colony. Some of these returned to for the character of the individual, than England and propagated with malig-can be done by all the eloquence of nant zeal, the most malicious calum-history exhausted in eulogy. nies against the new plantation. To In the latter period of the life of counteract the effect of these slander Gov. Bradford, we find an instance of ous accusations, required all the skill, disinterestedness, not exceeded in the all the address and fidelity of the gov-character of Aristides, Cincinnatus, or ernor. The English government de-Publicola. The Patent of the Colony clared that Mr. Robinson professed in was made out in his name, "To Wilhis Apology, that they accorded with liam Bradford, his Heirs, Associates, the reformed churches on the contin- and Assigns." With such an authorient. They were accused of substan-ty, he possessed every opportunity tial deviations from those principles.—|| which a selfish heart could desire.— Gov. Bradford, in a very able memo But when the freemen became numerrial, clearly showed that they agreed ||ous, and several new towns were eswith the Reformed churches in the established, the General Court desired sential particulars of faith and practice, that they were not Brownists, and that they did not disown the Church of England as a church of Christ. These efforts of the governor, supported by the known purity of his character, prov ed successful. Mr. Bradford to transfer the patent, with all its privileges, to them and their successors. With their request, he cheerfully complied, confirming the act with a legal instrument, without any consideration. Notwithstanding his disinterestedness, and his long employment in the public service, and though he spent the most of his paternal estate for the support of the colony, he was much prospered in his individual circumstances, and left a good estate to his posterity. In the first year of Gov. Bradford's administration, the Narraganset Indians a very powerful tribe sent him a very angry message, threatening to make war upon the colony. The Governor sent them an answer, "If they loved war rather than peace they might begin In the latter part of his life, Gov. when they would; the colony had done Bradford devoted much of his time to them no wrong, and did not fear them. study, in which he arrived to very pronor should they find them unprovided."fitable attainments. He left several |