332 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. and trouble himself no more about it, but leave such kind ofwork to his churchwardens.. During the above debates, and about the year last mentioned, Mr. Jacob settled at Middleburg, in Zealand ; where he collected a church among the English exiles, over which be continued pastor for several years. Though he considered the church of England to be a true church, he believed there were many things in her discipline and worship, which, savouring too much of the church of antichrist, stood in need of reforma- tion. Accordingly, he published his thoughts upon this subject, in a treatise entitled " Reasons taken out of God's ward and the best human Testimonies, proving a necessity of Reforming our Churches in England," 1604. In this work he maintains,-1. " Theabsolute perfection of the holy scriptures, in all matters of faith and discipline, without any human traditions.-2. That the ministry and ceremonies of the church of England stood in need of reformation .- 3. That for two hundred years after Christ, the churches of Christ were not diocesan churches, but congregational.- 4. That the New Testament contains a particular form of church government.-5. That this form of church govern- ment is not changeable by man ; and, therefore, no other form is lawful." Thebook was dedicated to King James.-f About the year 1610, Mr. Jacob performed a journey to Leyden, where he enjoyed much familiar intercourse with Mr. John Robinson, and embraced his opinions relative to church government, since known by the name of Indepen- dency.$ This change in his sentiments appears to have been the effect of cool and deliberate inquiry ; and he published to the world the result of his convictions, in a treatise entitled " The Divine beginning and institution of Christ's true, visible, and material Church," 1610. Soon after the publication of this piece at Leyden, he returned to his charge at Middleburg. The followingyear he drew up another treatise, designed to explain and confirm the former one, entitled, " ADeclaration and opening of certain Points, with a sound Confirmation of some others, in a Treatise entitled " The Divine beginning, &c." 1611.§ Mr. Jacob, after being absent several years from his native country, returned to London in the year 1616. There he formed a designof raising a separate congregation, similar tothose in Holland; and communicated his intention Paget's Heresiography, p. 72. Strype's Whitgitt, p 566. Neal's Puritans, vol. ii. p.47, 100. S Wood's Athena Oxon. vol. s. p. 395.
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