d was about to display His power
in her behalf, to give to the world another evidence that He will not
forsake those who trust in Him. He had overruled events to cause the wrath
of Satan and the plots of evil men to advance His glory, and to bring His
people to a place of security. Persecution and exile were opening the way
to freedom.

When first constrained to separate from the English Church, the Puritans
had joined themselves together by a solemn covenant, as the Lord's free
people, "to walk together in all His ways made known or to be made known
to them."(434) Here was the true spirit of reform, the vital principle of
Protestantism. It was with this purpose that the Pilgrims departed from
Holland to find a home in the New World. John Robinson, their pastor, who
was providentially prevented from accompanying them, in his farewell
address to the exiles said:

"Brethren, we are now erelong to part asunder, and the Lord knoweth
whether I shall live ever to see your faces more. But whether the Lord
hath appointed it or not, I charge you before God and His blessed angels
to follow me no farther than I have followed Christ. If God should reveal
anything to you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it
as ever you were to receive any truth of my ministry; for I am very
confident the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His
holy word."(435)

"For my part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed
churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go at present no
farther than the instruments of their reformation. The Lutherans cannot be
drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; ... and the Calvinists, you see, stick
fast where they were left by that great man of God, who yet saw not all
things. This is a misery much to be lamented; for though they were burning
and shining lights in their time, yet they penetrated not into the whole
counsel of God, but were they now living, would be as willing to embrace
further light as that which they first received."(436)

"Remember your church covenant, in which you have agreed to walk in all
the ways of the Lord, made or to be made known unto you. Remember your
promise and covenant with God and with one another, to receive whatever
light and truth shall be made known to you from His written word; but
withal, take heed, I beseech you, what you receive for truth, and compare
it and weigh it with other scriptures of truth before you a