The Sin and Danger of Self-Love / Described by a Sermon Preached At Plymouth, in New-England, 1621

Transcribers Note: The typesetting in the book was poor, all errors have been retained as printed.

BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY CHARLES EWER,
AND FOR SALE BY CROCKER & BREWSTER, SAMUEL G. DRAKE, LITTLE & BROWN, JAMES MUNROE & COMPANY, BENJAMIN PERKINS, AND JAMES LORING.
Dec. 22, 1846.


Robert Cushman, the author of the preceding discourse, was one of the most distinguished characters among that collection of worthies, who quitted England on account of their religious difficulties, and settled with Mr. John Robinson , their pastor in the city of Leyden, in Holland, in the year 1609. Proposing afterwards a removal to America in the year 1617, Mr. Cushman and Mr. John Carver, (afterwards the first Governor of New-Plymouth) were sent over to England, as their agents, to agree with the Virginia Company for a settlement, and to obtain, if possible, a grant of liberty of conscience in their intended plantation, from King James.
From this negotiation though conducted on their part with great discretion and ability, they returned unsuccessful to Leyden, in May 1618. They met with no difficulty indeed with the Virginia Company, who were willing to grant them sufficient territory, with as ample privileges as they could bestow: but the pragmatical James, the pretended vicegerent of the Deity, refused to grant them that liberty in religious matters, which was their principal object—when this persevering people finally determined to transport themselves to this country, relying upon James's promise that he would connive at, though not expressly tolerate them; Mr. Cushman was again dispatched to England in February 1619, with Mr. William Bradford, another of the company, to agree with the Virginia Company on the terms of their removal and settlement.
After the death of Mr. Cushman, his family came over to New England. His son, Thomas Cushman, succeeded Mr. Brewster, as ruling elder of the Church of Plymouth, being ordained to that office in 1649. He was a man of good gifts, and frequently assisted in carrying on the public worship, preaching, and catechising. For it was one professed principle of that Church, in its first formation, 'to choose none for governing Elders, but such as were able to teach.' He continued in this office till he died, in 1691, in the eighty-fourth year of his age.