for knowing, believing and practising them.-(2) As to Ecclesiastical order,-because a good part of it is positive and only reports were brought to them from various quarters, "that some great calamity was impending ;" and they were seriously advised to avoid it by a timely flight. They were likewise informed of Barneveldt's execution, and of the perpetual imprisonment to which Grotius and Hogerbeets had been sentenced; and that several of their brethren in the ministry, who had lately attended a meeting at Rotterdam about their affairs in general, had been taken into custody and brought to the Hague, for that offence. They thought, however, that all these reports were only intended to create an artificial alarm, and to induce them to attempt an escape,-thus delivering their enemies from the hatred to which they would be exposed by their further rigorous proceedings. But their firmness on that trying occasion corresponded with all their previous conduct, and they refused to dishonour their good cause by flight or any other act of cowardice.

On the third of July, after having been summoned from Dort to the Hague, they appeared before the States General, and when they had been called in singly before their lordships, some time was spent to induce each of them to sign the Act of Cessation from the ministry. But to these renewed solicitations they separately returned the same modest answer as that which they had delivered at Dort. After allowing them two days for further deliberation, their Lordships on the fifth of the same month, having heard a repetition of their refusal, passed a resolution to banish them out of the United Provinces and the jurisdiction thereof, without ever being allowed to return till the said States be fully satisfied that they are ready to subscribe the said Act [of Cessation,] and till they have obtained special leave from their High Mightinesses for that purpose,-on pain, in case of non-compliance, of being treated as disturbers of the public peace, for an example to others." Episcopius delivered a short speech, in which, among other matters, he reminded their High Mightinesses, "that they had been invited to a free Synod, and had received frequent verbal promises of a safe conduct." To this speech they did not deign a reply, but ordered the Remonstrants to be conducted into another room, and to have the door locked and bolted, while the Provost and his officers attended on the outside for purposes of intimidation. After being kept some time in this kind of imprisonment they were at length permitted to depute to their High Mightinesses two of their body, who requested that they might have leave to adjust their domestic affairs, to collect what was owing to them, and to pay their debts, that their wives and children might not be rendered miserable and turned naked into the streets. They offered to give unexceptionable security for their return at such a period and to such places as their Lordships might require. While they were preferring this request, the Heer Muis often interrupted them, and at last sarcastically told them "not to be so greatly concerned about their families; for if they had received an extraordinary call from God to serve his Church, He would undoubtedly support them after an extraordinary manner.' But the only favour which the Remonstrants could obtain, was, the deferring of their departure till four o'clock the next morning, provided each of them would promise to retire to his lodgings without speaking to any body, and to be ready at the appointed hour next morning. Each of them had fifty Guilders allowed for his travelling expences, and a copy of the sentence of the States General. But it was between nine and ten o'clock the next day, before the magistrates removed them in nine waggons towards Walwick in Brabant, the place of banishment which they had desired, where they arrived after a journey of three days. The Canons of Dort, as the grand test of Calvinism, were then carried triumphantly by the Synodists throughout the land; and every clergyman, Professor and Schoolmaster, that refused to sign it, was deprived of his benefice and compelled to lay aside his functions. Several of them, in addition to their deprivation, were also banished out of the country, to various

requires to be accommodated to persons, places and seasons,— it will be easily despatched.

The end of such a holy convention will be the illustration, preservation, and propagation of the truth; the extirpation of existing errors, and the concord of the Church. The consequence of all which, will be the glory of God and the eternal salvation of men.*

parts on the continent. This was the method in which the Dutch Government thought proper to keep their plighted faith about a safe-conduct to the Remonstrants! This act of cruelty, injustice and bad faith, has only one parallel in ecclesiastical history, and that is in the Council of Constance, at which John Huss and Jerome of Prague were murdered, in defiance of the sacredness of the imperial protection.

* The chief illustration of the truth which the Synod of Dort effected, was in some of their early sessions, before the Remonstrants were cited, when they occupied themselves in mutual consultations about a new translation of the Bible, the best method of catechizing, the propriety of preachers taking for a text a section of the Netherland Catechism instead of a portion of scripture, the degree of liberty to be allowed to Deacons or Candidates for holy orders, and the baptism of Children born of Heathen parents: It would have been really most edifying to hear these grave divines tendering mutual advice about such weighty points of discipline.-After much discussion about the new translation of the scriptures, it was determined to teach some of the rough Dutch preachers better manners than those to which they had been formerly accustomed, and politely to accost the Deity with You instead of THOU. It was resolved, "that all ministers both in cities and villages should be required to preach from a portion of the Catechism every Sunday afternoon, on pain of the most rigorous censure of the Church."―They determined, that "it was not allowed to students of Divinity to perform the office of baptism; but in relation to preaching, that was left to the liberty and judgment of the different churches and classes."-About the baptism of children born of Heathen parents, Hales says, the Synodical" decision consisted of two parts. The first concerned the Adulti, and it was this: That such as were of years and capacity should be diligently taught and Catechised, and then, if they did desire it, they should be Baptized. The second concerned Infants, and it was, That till they came to years of discretion, they should by no means be Baptized. A strange decision, and such as, if my memory and reading fail me not, no Church either ancient or modern ever gave. When it was objected, What, if they were in danger of death? their answer was, that the want of Baptism would not prejudice them with God, except we would determine, as the Papists do, that Baptism is necessary to salvation.' Which is as much to undervalue the necessity of Baptism as the church of Rome doth overvalue it." Some amusing particulars are thus related by Mr. Hales in his letters to the Ambas. sador. "One of the deputies of Geldria, to shew the force of private catechizing, related, that amongst them there was a minister, who, when he first came to his living, found his church quite empty, because all his parishioners were Papists; and therefore if he would preach, he was to preach to the bare walls. But he takes so much pains as to go to every of his parish privately unto their houses, and there by familiar conversing with them, and expounding unto them the grounds of religion, be so far prevailed with them, that in the compass of a year he gained them all to come to church, and by this means bath scarce a Papist in his parish.-But doubtless the most effectual way of all the rest to bring young persons to learn their catechism, was that which was related by one of the Helvetian deputies. For he told us, that in his country the manner was, that all young persons that meant to marry, were to repair, both he and she, unto their minister, a little before they meant

The presidency of that assembly belongs to HIM ALONE who is the HEAD and the HUSBAND of the Church,—to Christ

to marry, and by him to be examined how well they had conned their catechism: If they had not done it perfectly to his mind, he had power to defer their marriage till they had better learnt their lessons.-I was much affected to this course when I heard it; and I thought that doubtless it was a speedy way to make all young persons, excepting myself and two or three more that mean not over hastily to marry, to be skilful in their catechism. The Synod shall be ill advised if they make no use of it." It was about this period, according to the same author, that the Duchess of Tremullio, a second Queen of Sheba, attended one of their sessions, and, like her great predecessor, spake very well of the Synod, commending it both for piety and goodness." What a pity that "those pestilent fellows," the Remonstrants, should be brought forward to spoil such friendly discussions as these, and to destroy all the early blossoms of " piety and goodness!"

Among the anticipated consequences of such a holy convention, Arminius has enumerated "the extirpation of existing errors, and the concord of the churches." But these were not the results of the Synod of Dort; for it will be seen, that the blasphemous errors of Maccovius, and others of that tribe, were not then "extirpated." Nay, the concord of the Calvinistic Churches was far from being promoted by their decisions: For Bishop Womack, quoting Poelenburgh the successor of Episcopius and Curcellæus in the Divinity chair at Amsterdam, tells us of a "most bitter contention betwixt Voetius [Professor of Divinity in the University of Utrecht,] and Maresius [Professor at Bois-le-duc,], about the sense of that Synod. One of them maintains, that the Synod determined the decree of predestination and reprobation to antecede the consideration of the fall of Adam: To which assertion the other hath opposed an apology for the Synod. So that, though assembled on purpose to decide these controversies, and appease the broils that emerged and were inflamed upon them, yet (that they might seem to agree in something,) have they wrapped up their decrees and canons in so many clouds, and confounded them with so many intricacies, (if a man hath recourse to their suffrages for an interpretation,) that they are likely to fall into a new schism, before they come to a settled resolution what the meaning of that Synod is.” The same good Bishop adds, "If these principles, which you call AntiArminian, were embraced as part of the faith of the Church of England, I might puzzle you perhaps by asking you, Which of them-the Supralapsarian or the Sublapsarian principles? If in any part of the Christian world these opinions [the Sublapsarian] be established as their doctrine, you will easily grant it is likeliest to be in the Belgic Churches; for the settling of whose distractions about these points, that Synod of Dort was assembled. But do you think these are propounded as articles of their creed there, or accounted current pulpit doctrine among them? You must not believe it: For now-a-days how many are there that dare tell them out of that place, [the pulpit] God will not have all men to be saved: Or, The greater part of mankind are reprobated by God's absolute decree: Or, that Christ did not die for all men: Or, that God calls those whom he would not in any wise should come to him: Or, that the elect (as they are called,) cannot by any, no not the most grievous sins, be removed from their election !" He then quotes the same Poelenburgh, thus, "You may very well conclude, the man is not sound in his brain, not well in his wits, that takes the boldness to maintain these points in his sermon. And if any person less discreet and provident, hath exposed the arcana or secrets of that his doctrine naked to the understanding of the people, there follows presently such a great commotion and disturbance in their minds, as looks like the Preface to a new schism."-In another passage the pious Bishop says, "I confess, they [the Synod] seem to allow the Sublapsarian doctrine as the most current and passable amongst the vulgar: But I do not find them cry down the Supralapsarian, no, nor the Supra-creatarian, neither, as dross or counterfeit. That these are no less

by his Holy Spirit. For He has promised to be present in a company that may consist only of two or three individuals pure and orthodox than the other by that account, we have many presumptions to induce us to believe. For, (1) we know, kissing goes by favour: And we find, the men [who were] wedded to the most rigid of those opinions, were embraced and placed upon the bench,-while the Remonstrants, who detected the enormity, were brought unto the bar, not permitted duly and fully to implead them [those rigid opinions] or to justify themselves. (2) What was, at least the pretended, business of their convention? That those opinions of Arminius and his followers might be accurately examined, ' and determined of by the rule of God's word only, the true doctrine estab'lished and the false rejected, and concord, peace, and tranquillity (by God's 'blessing) restored to the Churches of the Low Countries.' (Acta Syn. Dor. Sess. 140.) This was the end of their convention. But which opinions were they that gave the scandal to Arminius and his followers? Were they not those of the rigid Calvinists? And who were the authors of that disturbance, but those petulant parsons that would not endure the prescription of the wise physician, nor suffer their sores and ulcers to be lanced? It is true, the weakest must to the wall; and when it is put to the question, Who are they that trouble Israel?, to be sure, the oppressor will have the casting voice." -(WOMACK'S Arcana Dog. Anti-Remon.)

Doctor Jortin says. "To compel any one to swear, that he will never alter his opinions about controversial divinity, is a grievous imposition. It might have made some unstable men go over to Popery out of resentment, and say, If I must surrender body, soul, sense, understanding, the Church of Rome shall have them, and not you. Thus

Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra ;

whilst Christianity blushes, and grieves that she can say so little in behalf of her children. I pass over the SYNOD OF DORT, in which the prevailing party oppressed, as they often do, the WISE and the LEARNED, and entailed an irrational and uncharitable system on their posterity."-(Rem. on Eccles. Hist.) As an elucidation of Dr. Jortin's remark, the case of M. A. De Dominis, Archbishop of Spalatro, may be added. It has already been seen what part this learned man took respecting the controversies in the Low Countries. At the period when the States of Venice were under the long interdict of the Pope's excommunication,—and when it was expected from the prudent management of Sir Henry Wotton, that the inhabitants would have embraced Protestantism, this ecclesiastic quitted his high station in the Romish Church, and placed himself under the protection of James the First, King of England. A most impassioned letter, addressed to him by this monarch from Stirling, occurs in the Præstant. ac Erudit. Vir. Epist.; in which he intimates his willingness to have a work dedicated to him, that the Arch-bishop was then about to publish in reference to his abandonment of Popery, and the King very nobly adds: "We embrace the author with open arms; for he is undoubtedly worthy of our highest regards. Is not that man justly deserving of being accounted a fit object of the love of Christ his Lord, who has forsaken country, friends, and all that is commonly dear to the flesh, for the sake of Christ his master?" But, in a subsequent paragraph, his majesty suffers some of his theological vanity to escape, when he says, "We highly approve of your advice concerning the mode of dedication,-to place our name (since such is your pleasure,) in front of those copies which will remain for sale within our dominions,-but to omit it in such copies as will be transmitted to other regions. You have discovered the true reason for our wishes on this point: For you will procure to yourself a far greater portion of hatred from the despisers of the truth, on account of the appearance of our name prefixed to the volume, than on account of the truth of its contents. Such blessedness has our Saviour conferred upon us, that those persons who entertain no love for his truth, evince at the same time towards us the most

gathered together in his name : His assistance therefore will be earnestly implored at the beginning and end of each of their sessions. But, for the sake of order, moderation, and good government, and to avoid confusion, it will be necessary to have presidents subordinate to Christ Jesus. It is my sincere wish that the magistrates would themselves undertake that office in the Council; and this might be obtained from them as a favour. But in case of their reluctance, either some members deputed from their body, or some persons chosen by the whole Synod, ought to act in that capacity. The duties of these Presidents will consist in convening the assembly, proposing the subjects of deliberation, putting questions to the vote, collecting the suffrages of each member by means of accredited secretaries, and in directing the whole of the proceedings.*-The course of action to be adopted in the Synod bitter hatred! Let not boasting be thought to lurk under the expression,but there is not, we believe, either another king on the face of the earth, or even any private person of the lowest condition in society, who has borne for Christ as large a load of contradiction as we have been called to sustain!" The iniquity of the Synod of Dort, and the injurious and base treatment which the Remonstrants received, induced him, according to his own statement, to quit the Protestant communion and to return to that of the Papists. In a Latin letter (De Pace Relig.) which he afterwards addressed to Bishop Hall, he thus endeavours to justify his last change of sentiment: "I call upon you, Hall, and your colleagues at the Synod of Dort, to testify concerning that to which you gave your consent in the name of the Church of England. It certainly was not what that Church prescribes in her articles to be believed, but they were pure Calvinistic doctrines ;-as though the Church of England professed such doctrines in common with the Contra-Remonstrants. Though you prudently withdrew from the Synod, yet you undoubtedly concurred in condemning, excommunicating, depriving, and turning the Remonstrants out of their churches, notwithstanding they neither believed nor maintained any tenet contrary to the articles of your church. They adhered to the ancient doctrine of the purest and most primitive church,-to that pious, holy, apostolical, most profitable and highly edifying doctrine, against which your church had nothing to object; and your own church has consequently 'been deeply wounded by yourself. The English, therefore, were extremely ill-advised when they interfered in this controversy, unless they had resolved to form their judgment of it according to the doctrine of their own church; because they ought at least to tolerate all catholic doctrines, which are not incompatible with the English Confession. This was the wholesome counsel, which, at that time, I likewise tendered to Dr. Goad, your successor : But that gentleman has given himself entirely up to the Calvinistic errors and severities. The Synod of Dort did not apply itself to examine into matters of of faith, but was governed by human views and designs, and its chief care was, that the party of Barneveldt should not be supported by the Remonstrants, nor prevail over the opposite faction. Away with such Synods and such synodical decrees!" This extract, in more than one point, is of considerable importance; because the writer of it was, at the commencement of that Synod, high in the confidence of King James, who derived no trifling gratification from having a reclaimed Archbishop for a boon companion, in his moments of learned repose.

*The States General appointed eighteen gentlemen as Lay Commissioners at the Synod; and gave it, as part of their instructions, "that they should