338 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. government of the bishops, and the mixed communion in the church of England; and maintained that every parti- cular church or society of christians had complete power within itself to choose its own officers, to administer all gospel ordinances, and to exercise all needful authority and discipline over its members : consequently, that it was independent of all classis, synods, convocations, and coun- cils. " This we hold and affirm," says he, "that a com- pany consisting but of two or three gathered by a covenant to walk in all the ways of God, is a church, and so hath the whole power of Christ. Two or three, thus gathered toge- ther, have the same right with two or three thousand : neither the smallness of their numbers, nor the meanness of their persons, can prejudice their rights.". He allowed the expediency of those grave assemblies for reconciling dif- ferences among churches, by giving them friendly advice ; but not for exercising any act ofauthoritywhatever, without the free consent of the churches themselves.+ These are some of the principles by which the independents are dis- tinguished in the present day. Mr. Robinson and his congregation were no sooner settled at Leyden, than their number greatly increased. Many came to his church from various parts of England ; and their congregation became so large, that they had three hundred communicants.t If at any time the sparks of con- tention were kindled, they were immediately extinguished ; or if any one proved obstinate, he was excommunicated but this rarely happened. " Perhaps this church," adds our historian, " approachedas near the pattern of apostolic churches as any since the first ages of christianity ; and this has been its general character to the present time. The integrity and piety of its members procured them esteem and confidence in, a land of strangers. Though many of, them were poor, when they wished to borrow money, the Dutch would readily take their word, because they always found them punctual to fulfil their engagements. They saw them incessantly laborious in their callings, and there- fore preferred them as customers : they found them honest, and therefore gave the 'preference to their work."§ While these worthy exiles so greatly increased in num. * Bailie's Dissuasive, p. 39. Neal's Hist. of New Eng. vol. i. p. 73, 74. Prince's Chron. Hist. vol. i. p. 32.-Backus's New Eng. Baptists, vol. i. p. 32. § Morse and Parish's New England, p. 9.
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