upon such as made merchandise of the sins of this people, is characteristic of the man: "How preg

nant your persuasions are, to make us believe that because there are sins in Sion, there be none in Babylon!".

Several years afterwards differences arose in Mr. Johnson's church on the subject of church power. These were of a more serious character, and finally caused a division of the church; a considerable number, with Mr. Ainsworth, separating themselves from Mr. Johnson and forming a new church, about December 15th, 1610.† Johnson, and Studley one of the elders, held that the governmental power of the church was confined to the elders; while Ainsworth and others insisted, that it was in the whole church, including all the adult brethren and elders.‡

In the end, Johnson with his adherents, retired to Emden, in East Friesland. There he died; after which, according to Baylie, his "little company dissolved and vanished"; or, perhaps, undertook to emigrate to Virginia, and perished in the attempt.§

* Hanbury, 1. 99.

t Robinson's Works, 111. 465.

Hanbury, 1. 216-20; 240-50; Robinson's Works, 111. 465-84. § Dissuasive from the Errors of the Time, p. 15. Lond. 1645; Brook, 11. 103. Paget reports that the two parties were known as Johnsonians and Ainsworthians; and that the former commenced a suit in Amsterdam, for the recovery of "their meeting house or synagogue, granted to the Brownists, after the rending of the conventicle [church] asunder." — Heresiography, 88. There is a blind

Mr. Ainsworth and his friends, remained in peace, so far as appears, to the time of his death, "about the close of the year 1622 or the beginning of 1623." Brook says, that in the midst of all the unhappy controversies in which he was engaged, "Mr. Ainsworth preserved a meek and true Christian spirit"; and that he "was a man of great piety, uncommon erudition, and extraordinary abilities." + And the "Biographia Britannica" says: "It is not easy to produce an English writer oftener quoted, or with greater testimonies of his merit than are found bestowed on Dr. Ainsworth, and this by the learned of all countries, and at

allusion to "Mr. Johnson and his people at Emden," in Rabt. Cushman's letter to the Leyden Church, dated May 8th, 1619; where, in speaking of Francis Blackwell's imposition on certain emigrants to Virginia, whom he had "packed together like herring" Cushman says: "Such a strategeme he once made for Mr. Johnson and his people at Emden, which was their subversion." And Bradford, in speaking of Blackwell's connection with Johnson's church, when they "parted asunder [from the Amsterdam church] in that woful manner, which brought so great dishonor to God, scandal to the truth, and outward ruin to themselves in this world," says: "But I hope, notwithstanding, through the mercies of the Lord, their souls are now at rest with him in the heavens, and that they are arrived at the haven of happiness, though some of their bodies were thus buried in the terrible seas, and others sank under the burden of bitter afflictions." It is a fair inference, I think, that allusion is here made to some scheme of colonization, which Blackwell had drawn the Emden church into, and by it ruined them. - Bradford's History of Plymouth Plantation, pp. 37-9, Deane's ed.

* Brook, 11. 302.

† Ib. 303.

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 Caune'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 "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.