Brownists,
The name given to those Puritans who went to
Holland, and afterwards emigrated to
New England; so named from their leader,
Robert Brown.
The sect sprang up towards the close of the sixteenth century.
As early as 1580,
Brown began to inveigh against the ceremonies of the
Church of
England.
Being opposed by the bishops, he and his congregation left
England, and settled in Zealand, where they formed a church upon a model to suit themselves.
The seed he had planted in
England grew so abundantly that at the close of the century there were about 20,000 Brownists in the realm.
Of that sect were
Rev. Mr. Robinson, Elder
Brewster, and the congregation at
Leyden in 1620.
The founder of this sect was born about the year 1550, and died about 1630.
His family were closely connected with
Cecil, afterwards Lord Burleigh.
Educated at
Cambridge, as soon as he left college he began a vigorous opposition to the whole discipline and liturgy of the
Established Church.
He taught that all the members of a church were equal, and that the pastor should be chosen by the congregation.
See
Bradford.
William: The First Dialogue.
