doth the metaphorical Pilot in the ship of the Commonweale) from a principle of knowledge and experience, but more than this he acts from a roote of the feare of God, and love to mankind, in his whole course. Secondly, his aim is more to glorify God than to gaine his pay, or make his voyage. Thirdly, he walks heavenly with men and God, in a constant observation of God's hand in storms, calms, &c., so that the thread of navigation being equally spun by a believing or unbelieving pilot, yet is it drawne over with the gold of godliness and Christianitie, by a Christian Pilot, while he is holy in all manner of Christianitie. 1 Peter i. 15. lastly, the Christian Pilot's power over the soules and consciences of the sailors and passengers, is not greater than that of the antichristian, otherwise than he can subdue the soules of any by the two-edged sword of the spirit, the word of God, and by his holy demeanour in his place,”

But,

MR. WILLIAMS being accused of licentiousness of principle, happily replies—

"That ever I should write or speak a tittle, that tends to such an infinite liberty of conscience is a mistake, which I have ever disclaimed and abhorred. To prevent such mistakes, I at present shall only propose this case. There goes many a ship to sea with many hundred souls in ONE SHIP, whose weal and woe is common, and is a true picture of COMMONWEALTH or SOCIETY! It hath fallen out sometimes that both Papists and Protes

tants, Jews, and Turks, may be embarked into one ship. Upon which, suppose I affirm, that all the liberty of CONSCIENCE that ever I pleaded for, turns upon these two hinges-That none of the Papists, Protestants, Jews, or Turks, be forced to come to the ship's prayers or worship, nor compelled from their own particular prayers or worship, if they practice any. I further add, that I never denied that, notwithstanding this liberty, the commander of this ship ought to command the ship's course yea, and also command that justice, peace, and sobriety to be kept and practised, both among the seamen and all the passengers. If the seamen refuse to perform their service, or passengers to pay their freight, if any refuse to help in person or purse towards the common charge or defence, if any refuse to obey the common laws and orders of the ship, concerning their common peace or preservation; if any shall mutiny, and rise up against their commanders and officers; if any should preach or write, that there ought to be no commanders nor officers, because all are equal in Christ, therefore, no masters nor officers, no laws nor orders, no corrections nor punishments; I say, I never denied, but in such cases, whatever is pretended, the commander or commanders may judge, resist, compel, and punish such transgressors, according to their deserts and merits. This, if seriously and honestly minded, may, if it so please the Father of Lights, let in some light to such as wil

lingly shut not their eyes! I remain studious of your common peace and liberty,

"ROGER WILLIAMS."

MR. ROGER WILLIAMS, for the promulgation of his noble sentiments, had this sentence passed upon him" Whereas Mr. Roger Williams, one of the elders of the Church of Salem, hath broached and divulged divers new and dangerous opinions against the authority of magistrates, has also written letters of defamation both at the magistrates and churches here, and that before any conviction, and yet maintaineth the same without retraction-it is therefore ordered that the said Mr. Williams shall depart out of this jurisdiction within six weeks now next ensuing, which if he neglect to perform, it shall be lawful for the governor and two of the magistrates, to send him to some place out of this jurisdiction, not to return any more without licence from the court." Massachusett's Records, 1635. The character of MR. WILLIAMS was not understood.

Even Neale, in his History of New England, reproaches him with maintaining, among other singular opinions, “that there should be a general and unlimited toleration for ALL RELIGIONS, and to punish men for matters of conscience was PERSECUTION;" adding, "that he would have been esteemed a great and useful man had he never dabbled in divinity."

This silly remark has been made of THE ILLUSTRIOUS PRIESTLEY, who, whatever were his errors,

exhibited a pattern of puritanical integrity and died a truly placid death-driven, like his great predecessor, Williams, the victim of Persecution, into the wilderness of America. Talent and science, benevolence and piety, are alike trodden down beneath the brutal and unfeeling hoof of bigotry! Accursed in its origin and in its effects, it is pregnant with the most mischievous consequences to society. It is altogether estranged from the mild and unoffending spirit of scriptural Christianity.

To do justice, however, to Mr. Neal, it is curious to observe, that in his DEDICATION of this work, in which he brands a general and unlimited toleration as "a singular opinion," he has the following paragraph, making universal love the basis of his eulogy! He is addressing the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of New England, 1720, not fifty years after the decease of Roger Williams

Oppression and persecution here, the greatest vices men can be guilty of, gave birth to NEW ENGLAND at first, and liberty among you, the most public blessing has yielded nourishment to it ever since, and will always keep it vigorous and healthy, though oppression and persecution, by an unhappy return among us, should make no accession to your wealth and numbers. It is but a little while since several here had their eyes towards you, and when they had reason to apprehend they should not be able to live much longer in their own country, blessed God! they had a sanctuary in yours. And though the Protestant accession has delivered us

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from those fears, yet it will be a noble design, and worthy of men in your stations to preserve NEW ENGLAND a pleasant habitation to its present possessors, and a blessed retreat for oppressed Protestants in all parts of the world. If Europe should encrease in vice and luxury proportionably to what it has done of late, and you, who have now the character of a religious people, should advance proportionably in piety and virtue, as these parts of the world will certainly decline in wealth and power, so you are the most likely to acquire them. You now glory in an universal loyalty to the best of kings, in a becoming zeal for the sacred truths of the Reformation, and an UNIVERSAL LOVE, CHARITY, and FORBEARANCE of each other in your differing sentiments. As long as you can preserve this boasting, NEW ENGLAND will be indeed the glory of the churches, and a praise in the whole earth! May you long maintain these principles, which are not only essential to THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, but the very foundation of the peace and happiness of society *!"

MR. WILLIAMS' book, entitled, "The Bloody

* The History of New England, in Two Volumes, by Daniel Neal, author of the excellent History of the Puritans. The former is a valuable work, replete with information respecting that portion of the western world. The witchcraft scene is a most singular instance of credulity; which for a time, like a pestilence, pervaded all classes. The return of good sense at length (many lives having been sacrificed), put an end to an infatuation which threatened the extinction of the community.