448 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. Mr. Davenport did not, however, enjoy tiruch comfort in this new situation. His objections against the promiscuous admissionofchildren tothe ordinance of baptism excited con- siderable opposition; and he soon found that he must baptize children when there was no charitable evidence of their be- longing to christian parents, or give up his pastoral relation to the church. Therefore, in the year 1635, he resigned his charge, and opened a catechetical exercise at his own lodgings every Lord's day evening, after the public ser- vices of the city were over. ' But the popularity of his talents soon collecting great numbers, increased the jealousy and opposition of the contrary party. He then returned to England, saying, " that he thought God had carried him to Holland on purpose to bear witness against that promis- cuous baptism, which bordered on a profanation of the holy ordinance." He used to observe, that when the reformation of the church had been effected in any age or country, it was seldom advanced beyond the improvements of the first reformers ; and that it was as easy to remove Noah's ark from Ararat, as to persuade people to proceed beyond the first remove of their leaders.. This coincides with the just observation of the celebrated Mr. John Robinson. " The Calvinists," said he, "stick just where JohnCalvin left them." Mr. Davenport had long been a warm friend to New England. He took an active part with some others in obtaining the patent of Massachusets colony. His purse and his time had been employed to promote the advantage of the new plantation, even before his departure to Holland. This now seemed to be the only field in which he could carry hit ideas of ecclesiastical reformation to their full extent. About the same time Mr. Cotton, of Boston in New England, wrote to him, saying, " that the order of the churches and commonwealthwasnow so settled in that coun- try, that it reminded him of the new heaven and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness," which led him to determine to cross the Atlantic. Therefore, in the year 1637, Mr. Davenport, with several eminent christians and their families, went over to New England. Among these adventurers were Mr. Eaton and Mr. Hopkins, two London merchants, men of good estates, and highly celebrated for wisdom and piety. The Oxford historian, by mistake, therefore observes, that Mr. Davenport did not return fromHolland till after Mather's Ilist. of New Eng. U. iii. p. 51-53.
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