considerable distance of time, and of all sects and opinions.*

At Mr. Ainsworth's death, he left two elders over his church, Mr. John Delacluse and Mr. May.† After awhile the learned, but somewhat erratic John Canne, best, known as the author of the marginal references to the Bible, became connected with this church as pastor or teacher. How long this connection continued does not appear; though in 1634, we find Mr. Canne announcing himself, in a publication of that date, as "John Canne, Pastor of the ancient English church in Amsterdam."‡

It is a satisfaction to know, that after a time, the troubles of these poor saints of Amsterdam were removed; their disagreements hushed, and the

*Vol. 1. p. 74.

+ Cotton's Way of the Congregational Churches Cleared, p. 6.

.་

‡ Paget, in his Defence of Church Government," represents, that shortly after Canne's connection with the Amsterdam church, a schism occurred, and the church was divided between Mr. Delacluse and Mr. Canne. And the title of a sermon preached by Canne "upon the 15th day of the second month, 1632 [3] at the reconciliation of certain Brethren between whom there had been former differences," gives countenance to the supposition, that there was some temporary division in this church. — Hanbury, 1. 516. Baylie, the great accuser of the Separatists, represents this church as "long without all officers" after Mr. Ainsworth's death, and as unable to choose Mr. Canne until after much strife"; and as even yet (in 1643) living without an eldership." — Dissuasive, p. 15. Part of this story is directly contradicted by Cotton, who says, "There be sundry living that know the contrary; for when he [Ainsworth] died, he left two elders over the church, Mr. Delacluse and Mr. May."- Ut sup.

parties united in one body; that in 1645, they were living at peace, as one church; and that as late as 1671, there were 66 some remains of the church still in Amsterdam.*

Another source of trouble to these poor Christians, arose from the slanders and falsehoods of false brethren, brought in unawares, who apostatized, and made their peace with the prelatists by maligning their former friends. Of one of these apostates, Thomas White, Robinson said: "Let himself remember his own saying heretofore, if he will regard no other: That a man that hath run away from his master will seldom give him a good name.'" And it is a valuable, though an undesigned testimony, which another of these apostates, Christopher Lawne, gives to the general steadfastness of the Separatists, when he says: "I am not without hope that some shall thereby [i. e. by reading his description of the Brownists] be stayed from undertaking that hard and dangerous voyage of Separation,' from which so few have ever returned to communion with the churches of Christ" -i.e. to the semi-popish congregations of the church of England.t

The reader will easily believe, after what has been said, that the course of the Separatists in Holland was anything but smooth and pleasant for the first ten or fifteen years. They had the prejudices of the

*Baylie, p. 77; Brant's Hist. Ref., 1. 481.

↑ Hanbury, 1. 100.

Dutch to soften and remove; which they attempted by the publication of their Confession; they had their own differences to discuss and settle; they had the libels of such men as the apostates, White, and Lawne, and Fairlambe, to answer; which, though not a difficult, was yet a vexatious task. The puritans set on their champions too; as Jacob, and the learned but supercilious and self-important Broughton; and their writings required labored replies. The prelates, through their caustic and pragmatical" advocate, Hall, attacked them, and furnished work for their ablest writers; and Smyth, one of their former ministers, becoming an Arminian-Baptist, drew them into that controversy also. These several opponents and occasions for controversy not to name others made the lives of the Separatists but little less tolerable in Holland than they had been in the prisons of England. Nevertheless, they stood erect, and contended manfully for what they believed to be the truth as it is in Christ. And he who reads with care their various controversial treatises will not fail to learn, that among the leaders of the Separation were men of deep learning, great acuteness, and profound acquaintance with the Word of God, in its original, as well as in its English dress. They understood what they said and whereof they affirmed. They could "render a reason" for their

* See some remarks on the Antagonism of the Puritans and Separatists, Appendix, Note F.

faith and practice, and were to be feared rather than despised by an opponent. On many subjects, they have left but little that is new to be said by their modern followers. These were the men, who, deemed unfit to live in England, were driven out into a land of strangers, and there laid the foundations of Congregational churches, which became large and prosperous; and then furnished the men to relay the foundations of Congregationalism in their native land, and to plant the system in this new world.

Bradford, in describing these churches, says: "Truly there were in them many worthy men; and if you had seen them in their beauty and order, as we have done, you would have been much affected therewith, we dare say. At Amsterdam, before their division and breach, they were about three hundred communicants; and they had for their pastor and teacher those two eminent men before named [Francis Johnson and Henry Ainsworth], and in our time four grave men for ruling elders, and three able and godly men for deacons, one ancient widow for a deaconess, who did them service many years, though she was sixty years of age when she was chosen. She honored her place and was an ornament to the congregation. She did frequently visit the sick and weak, especially women, and, as there was need, called maids and young women to watch and do them other helps as their necessity did require; and if they were poor, she would gather relief for them of

those that were able, or acquaint the deacons; and she was obeyed as a mother in Israel and an officer of Christ." *

Hugh Bromhead, in a letter to his cousin William Hamerton, London, written from Amsterdam, about 1606, describes the "order and government" of Mr. Smyth's church as follows: "1. We begin with prayer; after, read some one or two chapters of the Bible, give the sense thereof, and confer upon the same; that done, we lay aside our books and after a solemn prayer made by the first speaker, he propoundeth some text out of the Scripture, and prophesieth out of the same by the space of one hour or three quarters of an hour. After him standeth up a second speaker, and prophesieth out of the said text, the like time and place, sometime more sometime less. After him the third, the fourth, the fifth, etc., as the time will give leave. Then the first speaker concludeth with prayer, as he began with prayer, with an exhortation to contribution to the poor, which collection being made, is also concluded with prayer. This morning exercise begins at eight of the clock, and continueth unto twelve of the clock. The like course and

exercise is observed in the afternoon, from two of the clock unto five or six of the clock. Last of all the execution of the government of the church is handled." †

*Young's Chronicles, 455.

↑ Hunter's Collection, App., p. 172.