Smyth's followers, and with which he closes this treatise, to simply stating, that he examines only those doctrinal points of theirs which he judged erroneously set down; as, Of God's decree about Adam's sin, Of Adam's fall, Original sin, Free-will, God's love, Man's recovery, Universal redemption, Apostacy from grace, Christ's sacrifice, Repentance, Regeneration, The new creature, The Scriptures needful, Perfection, The visible Church, Magistracy, and Oaths. These subjects occupy thirty-two pages.b CHAP. XVI. CLYFTON.-AINSWORTH. " d THEY are little acquainted with the corruption of their own hearts, and still less with the history of Christianity itself, who are, or affect to be surprised or alarmed at the dissensions and disputations which will ever happen between those Christians who are not privileged with divine inspiration, equal to that graciously imparted to Paul and Barnabas. © Nor is their knowledge of human nature and its best mundane attainments, surpassed by their proficiency in either physical or moral philosophy. It is true our Saviour has prescribed for us an Ultima Thule, that remotest point in the sacred canon which, since He requires it, we ought to strive to attain, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Such is our state of imperfection, that the very means needful in aiming at this exalted attribute, bring us into that collision of understanding with understanding, which necessarily excites and elicits those evil propensities in their kind and degree, lurking till the occasion draws them forth, in the very best of our species. Let us not be reproached, however, as though we were disposed even to palliate what is in the least respect contradictory to the genius of Christianity. Our purpose is merely to check those perfectionists, who use the terms unity and charity the most loudly, when some one or other of their own exclusive interests, secular or not, as may be, is affected. To such we address ourselves in the language of a late profound investigator into the most abstruse of principles,"You that boast you live conformably to the appointments of the Church, and that no one hears of your noise, we may thank the ignorance of your minds for that kind of quietness.' And we are able to confirm this sentiment by that of a still greater authority, who tells us, "There be two false peaces, or unities; the one, when the peace is grounded but upon an implicit ignorance, for all colours will agree in the dark; the other, when it is pieced up upon a direct admission of contraries in fundamental points: for truth and falsehood in such things are like the iron and clay in the toes of Nebuchadnezzar's a See back, p. 179. b Helwisse published in 1611, 8vo., " A Proof that God's Decree is not the cause of any Man's Sin or Condemnation: And, that all Men are Redeemed by Christ; and that no Infants are condemned." c Acts xv. 2. d Matt. v. 48. e Aids to Reflection, &c. by S. T. Coleridge. 1825. p. 102. image; they may cleave, but they will not incorporate." Thus says Lord Bacon.a 66 "b Notwithstanding what ensued after Ainsworth had bestowed the appellation of a worthy soldier of Christ' upon RICHARD CLYFTON, he must not be therefore dispossessed by us of his just claim to a niche among his memorable compeers in this our denominational cenotaph. The man under whom as a minister Robinson could in his riper years sit as a learner, and enter also into fellowship with the church under that minister's care, must have had qualifications beyond the ordinary standard. He joined the other exiles, as we have shown, in 1608,d and attached himself to the church of which Johnson was pastor. He was, perhaps, on Ainsworth's secession, December 16th, 1610, invested with the office of Teacher among them. The particulars of his personal history are unfortunately very scanty, but his mind, we learn, underwent much fluctuation on the subject of the Separation; though, if we may put reliance in the judgment of an enemy, he wrote "most to the purpose," in defence of the practice. He published at Amsterdam, in 1610, "A Plea for Infants and elder People, concerning their Baptism; or, A Process of the Passages between Mr. John Smyth and Richard Clyfton." 4to. Smyth rejoined in the same year, in "A Reply to Mr. R. Clyfton's Christian Plea." The "Advertisement" noticed in our pages, and which excited Ainsworth's displeasure, was printed in 1612. Proceeding thus far in our course, we have had little else to perform, than the relating of contentions; but we have never paused as we moved along to issue bewailment at our hapless lot, with professions that we could have done better than our predecessors did in their circumstances. We introduce now, an account of other productions of Ainsworth's pen, in the words of one who could estimate the just merits, and participate in the enjoyment of the general subject-matters of their contents. Dr. Stuart remarks, that "It must have been, in the midst of these controversies, a circumstance which shows with how right a spirit he conducted them, that he was engaged in what I may be allowed to call his great work, namely, his Annotations upon the Five Books of Moses, the Psalms, and the Song of Songs.' Every one knows that a performance of this kind requires time, labour, patience, and a mind disengaged from passion and anxiety. If Ainsworth kept thus possession of himself, in circumstances which lead most men to lay aside the rule of their own spirits, we must pronounce him one, who to faith and knowledge added also virtue, that is, firmness of mind." Of these Biblical labours we shall avail ourselves in due course. In a like happy state of mind, he must have composed the most entirely didactic of his original works that has yet passed under our view; and our own minds would fain go along with him in the sweet and holy theme "Of the Communion of Saints.' The date of publication is not known, but our reasons for not having taken the subject into consideration earlier, and for not postponing it to a later portion of our labours, will be inferred from the particulars which the reader is about to learn. a Esay iii. b See back, p. 180. d See back, p. 185. f See back, p. 239. c Prince's Chron. Hist. vol. i. p. 19, 20. e Paget's Arrow against Separation, p. 8. Life of Ainsw. p. lii. John Paget, an opponent of Ainsworth, writes in "An Arrow against the Separation of the Brownists," 1618, that "There was a promise, or a show made some years since (in Catalogo Francofurti, anno 1608. Tractatus de Communione: Ambsterodami apud Cornelium Nicolai, Svo.) that your book of the Communion of Saints' should have come forth in Latin at Frankfurt Mart; but it was a false show, and a mocker of the world: it is not yet come forth." Whether or not, from the context, Paget means to represent, after all, that the book had been really published, but not in Latin, is no way clear. He says in one part, "Your doctrine is concluded therein so closely and obscurely, that none who knew you not before, could have found out your meaning thereby;" and then, for nearly a whole page, he prescribes to Ainsworth thus, "you are then plainly to admonish your brethren ;.. you are to write the vision of your Separation;.. at leastwise, you ought to admonish these many members of the Dutch and French churches here in the same city with you... If you had zeal, and conscience of this doctrine that you profess, you could soon find means to publish a few arguments in Dutch, and Latin also, to call away the faithful people in this city where you live, from their unlawful ministers... Considering also that you can find time to publish sundry other things." It should seem hence that this book of Ainsworth's had not appeared before the year 1618, yet it must have been printed several years sooner, because Dr. Stuart, editor of the Edinburgh reprint, dated 1789, 12mo. pp. 260, says he had seen a copy bearing the imprint alone of "Reprinted in the year 1615." We have, however, seen the book catalogued with the imprint of London to it, in addition to that year, and the size, 18mo. The size agrees with a copy we possess, "Translaté d'Anglois en François par Jean de Lescluse. Imprimé a Amsterdam par Giles Thorp." pp. 538, no date. This edition is dedicated to Philippe de Mornay, a distinguished nobleman of France, and a Hugonot; whence, as he resigned the Governorship of Saumur, mentioned in the dedication, in 1617, its publication may be presumed to have been earlier. We have not succeeded in finding any account of this friendly translator, but doubt not that his labour was not lost upon many a soul desirous of building itself and others up into a spiritual house, dedicated to the Lord. Yet It is impossible to read the author's preface without perceiving that he was a master in Israel. His appropriation of Scripture to every turn of his design is strikingly fit. And we are content that he should bear his reproach under the scornful appellation of "Rabbi," fixed upon him by one who had elevated himself into "Moses' seat."f more, we challenge his reproacher's admirers to produce any such work of equal spirituality and textual appropriation, from among the ranks of the contemner's side either in his own day or since. "One thing," he says, in the preface, he would advertise the reader of, "that sometimes I allege the Scriptures otherwise than our common translators have them, when the force of the original words doth afford another, or more a Levit. xix. 17. d See back, p. 260. b Hab. ii. 2. c Chap. iv, p. 86, 87. 'Matt. xxiii. 2.-Bp. Hall, in his "Common Apology," p. 31. 66 ample sense. Herein I fear not to be blamed of any that love the truth in incorruption; and for the places so changed, I leave them to their trial that are men of judgment." This gives us the opportunity of stating that Dr. Doddridge pronounced Ainsworth's biblical works "full of very valuable Jewish learning; and his translation in many places, to be preferred to our own, especially on the Psalms."a With them and with our present translation of the Bible, side by side, a person unacquainted with the Hebrew language, enjoys," Dr. Stuart remarks, “in some measure, the advantages possessed by those who are masters of it." And such is the estimation of these his works, both abroad and at home, that, as Dr. Stuart remarks also, "it hath led some, with more zeal than knowledge, to seek to rescue him from what they reckoned the reproach of having been a sectary and the author of factious writings." "b To revert to the work on " Communion," which the editor tells us "is not an attempt upon the passions of men,' but an endeavour "to warm the heart, chiefly by opening the Scriptures," Ainsworth having, at the end of the third chapter, invoked the "Gracious Spirit" to breathe upon his soul, and guide his pen to set down His Truth, commences the following chapter thus:-"That we may the better discern the Communion of Saints, whereof we treat, let us first consider, Who the persons be that have fellowship together. 1. "The Head and highest, in this holy society, is the LORD our God, who is not only most holy in himself, but communicateth his holiness with us his creatures, and doth vouchsafe to have fellowship with us, even in this life and world; as it is written, 'If we say that we have communion with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have communion one with another,' that is, God with us, and we with him, ' and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.'d For this cause he is often called in Scriptures, The Saint, or 'Holy One of Israel, and The King of the saints.' This is to be understood of all the three persons in the unity of the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, of whom it is written, He (is) Holy Gods', and, accordingly, his people are named The people of the Holy Ones.h 2. "Jesus Christ, as he is God manifested in the flesh, is 'The Saint of God,' The Holy One,' and 'The True, even 'The Holy One of Israel'; being himself of the Holy Ghost,' and therewith baptizeth his Church," whereof He is the Mediator; and was figured out by the high priest, in the Law, who, in type of Him, was also called The saint of the Lord,' and carried this writing, graven in gold, upon his forehead, Holiness to Jehovah.' With this Jesus, a Works. Ed. 1804. vol. v. p. 472. b Life of Ainsworth, p. liii, liv. The testimonies adduced by Dr. Stuart, are Biog. Brit. Edit. 2. Calmet's Dict. de la Bible. Edit. Gen. 4to. vol. i. p. 157, 169. Wendlerus, de Lib. a Pontif. xxiv. sect 23. Th. Sinceri Nachrichten von und rar. Büchern, p. 119. e Ibid. p. lv. d 1 John i. 6, 7. f Rev. xv. 3. e Isa. v. 19, 24. Psal. lxxi. 22. lxxviii. 41. lxxxix. 18. m Luke iv. 1. • Psa. cvi. 16. P Exod. xxviii. 36. Isai. liv. 5. our Redeemer, we that believe have a very near communion, according to that which is written, He that sanctifieth,' which is Christ, and they that are sanctified,' which are his people, are all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them Brethren.' And again, God is faithful, by whom ye are called unto the communion of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.'b 3. "The elect and blessed Angels are also 'saints ;' having sanctity by creation continued and confirmed unto them for ever. These heavenly spirits have communion, not only with God, in whose presence they stand, but also with us, the children of God, through faith, by which we are come unto the great assembly of the many thousands of them,d have them for our guardians, and, acknowledging themselves to be our fellow-servants.f 4. “ All Men and Women, called to the faith of God, are 'saints' by calling; being sanctified by Christ Jesus, and one with another are holy brethren.'h Of these, some are saints' departed this life, and sleeping in the Lord; others are on earth, and while they here live, notwithstanding their many infirmities and afflictions, are saints of the most High,ka holy nation." 5. "This happy society, our fathers of old saw shadowed in the tabernacle,' where God dwelt among men.'m His own gracious presence appeared, when his glory filled the tabernacle,'" and his voice was heard of [by] Moses 'out' of the same;o and the ark' of his 'strength' was a continual sign of his residence, and 'rest' therein. His son, Christ, was represented by the mercy-seat,' or propitiatory covering the ark, in whom, and by whom, God is reconciled with his people, who therefore is called the propitiatory or reconciliation; and from that, was the voice' of God heard speaking,'s even as by Christ he speaketh to the end. The angels were figured in the cherubim' upon the mercy-seat, and in the curtains' of the tent round about;" for so these blessed spirits minister unto Christ, and to his Church, the ́ heirs' of his salvation. The multitude of believers were resembled in the twelve cakes,' according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel, set upon the pure table before the Lord,' with 'pure incense' upon them, to be for a remembrance and offering by fire to the Lord' instead of them. So we Christians are unleavened '2 cakes, standing before the Lord in his Church, and being in Christ a sweet odour unto him, who still hath his spiritual tabernacle' with men, and dwelleth with them.'”’aa W In the ninth chapter, he tells us, "But, though we may have no communion with the wicked in their religion, nor in any other evil action, against either table of God's law, yet in civil affairs we are taught of God to converse with them in peace. As to eat and drink i Matt. xxvii. 52. 11 Pet. ii. 9. < Deut. xxxiii. 2, with Acts vii. 53. d Heb. xii. 22. e Psa. xxxiv. 7. xci. 11, 12. 4 Exod. xxv. 17. r Levit. xxiv. 7. o Lev. i. 1. Num. vii. 89. w Heb. i. 6, 14. * 1 Cor. v. 7. άζυμοι. P Psal. cxxxii. 8. aa Rev. xxi. 3. |