were neglected and that now means was thought of to bring them in force again And so they brake up I received your Honours Letters of the 16 1â— of this present in which your Honour requires to be informed of such Proposals as Episcopius lately made in behalf of the Arminian Party The thing is this Shortly after that the Letters of Citation were sent to the Arminians Episcopius with other of the Remonstrants came privately to the Deputies of the States and exhibited a Remonstrance in which they required especially these things First that all of their Party throughout the Provinces might be allowed to make one Body and out of it depute such as they thought good whom they might send to the Synod to plead in their behalf Secondly that it might be lawful for them instead of some of those who are written unto to substitute others Thirdly that Vtenbogart and Grevinchovius might have safe Conduct and free access to the Synod The Delegates immediatly sent for the Praeses the two Assessors and the two Scribes and required their opinion in this business For the first point the Clergy men thought it not to be granted as being feared would be prejudicial to the Belgick Churches The Deputies for the Seculars answered that they had given Episcopius this answer For the two latter the Clergy thought that if it pleased the Seculars it might be done Reply was made by the Seculars that they were men infamous tumultuous on whom the Church censure for Grevinchovius had extended and therefore they would permit them no place in the Synod So was Episcopius and his Company dismiss'd This was a thing done only in private the Synod had no notice of it neither is it recorded in any publick Register What more passed between the Seculars and the Remonstrants at this meeting is not known and the Clergy know no more than it pleased the Seculars to impart Of this I heard nothing till by reason of your Lordships Letters I enquired into it Whilst the Synod was sitting on Tuesday morning there came in Newes of the death of one of their Company Henricus ab Hell Senior of the Church of Zutphaw who died in the time of the Session I am desirous to know whether my Letters upon Mondy containing the Saturday Session came to your Lordships hands I intended them by way of Roterdam but Daniel tâ—lâ—s me he delivered them to a Gentleman that went immediately for the Hague marie what he was he knew not this hath made me a little jealous I beseech your Honour by the next that comes from you hither by word of mouth to let me know Mr. Praeses Festus Hommius Polyander Tronchinus of Geneva required me to remember their Love and service to your Honour and so for this time I humbly take my leave From Dort this 1â— 2â— of Novemb. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord UPon Saturday the day after my coming to Dort I went to Festus Hommius delivered him your Honours Letters upon perusal of which he liberally promised me an Index of all whatsoever had past in the Synod until my coming to Town The time of making his promise good was Sunday morning When I saw it came not at the time after dinner I wrote a little note unto him to put him in mind of his promise but yet I heard nothing of him I suppose this falls out by reason of his multiplicity of business not that he would sleight your Lordship though I remember in a speech that passed between him and me he told me that there passed among the brethren of the Synod a consent de non eliminandis c. of not divulging of any passage till all was done which I interpreted as spoken only upon the by not with any intent of hindring any intelligence which should be given your Honour I dealt with Mr. Praeses and with Festus for a Copy of Martinus Gregorii his Oration the answer from them both was the same that he would not at any hand be intreated to deliver a Copy of it no not so much as the summe of it whether it was because of some matter that was in it as that he spake somewhat roundly in disgrace of the Spanyard or that the Politicks have some end in it or that he himself is desirous to have it thought that he delivered it only ex tempore or for what other reason I know not As concerning what hath passed in the Synod till I hear farther from Festus I will acquint your Honour with what past there since my coming On Saturday the 14 24 of this present in the Morning the Deputies met and debated some things of no great moment concerning their intended TRANSLATION of the BIBLE The first thing proposed was whether the name JEHOVAH should be retained untranslated or rendred by the Dutch word Heere as the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English Lord. The Praeses thought fit it should be rendred Heere because the Holy Ghost in the New Testament citing some things out of the Old renders the Hebrew Iehovah by the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as the Septuagint had done This past for currant till it came to Martinius of Breme who divided the sentence aud thought that it might ordinarily so be rendred if some places were excepted And to this purpose he cited some places of Scripture where the word Iehovah had a peculiar energy and force which the Belgick Heere could not attain unto To the same effect did others speak and great disputation would have arisen about this point as whether the Name Iehovah had any points of its own or borrowed his points from Elohim and Adonai and the like but that the Praeses still cut them off It was at length by the greater part concluded that it should be rendred by the Belgick Heere which was alwayes to be exprest in Capital Characters concerning this the Reader should be advertised farther in the Preface And when there should be in any place some peculiar force in that word which the Belgick word did not express of this the Reader should be admonished by a marginal gloss The second Proposal was whether the Hebrew proper Names should be retained or translated likewise into Dutch It was concluded they should be retained for avoiding of all unnecessary novelty and alteration The third proposal was whether the antient division of Chapters should remain for many Hebrew Copies differed from our Common in this point and sometime the old division did seem somewhat inconvenient as that somewhere it brake off in the midst of a matter somewhere in the midst of a sentence It was concluded that the old division should remain For there would arise great confusion in quotations if the number of Chapters and Verses should alter As for the variety of other Copies and inconvenient division of this the Reader should be advertised in the margent The fourth proposal was
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 my self and two or three more that mean not overhastily to marry to be skilful in their Catechism The Synod shall be ill advised if they make no use of it Mr. Dean this day is to make a Latin Sermon in the Synod-house and after that there are certain Supplications exhibited to the Synod to be considered of What they are and what they contain I will inform your Honour by the next convenient Messenger I have suffered Daniel to come home and supply himself of some necessaries but to return to me again upon Saturday except your Honour shall otherwise appoint His lodging and diet are provided and he will be serviceable to me this ill weather to be sent in business my self not being so well able in dirt and snow to trace the streets But this I leave to your Lordships consideration and for this present I humbly take my leave From Dort this 19 29 of Novemb. 1618. Your Lordships Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Thursday 19 29 of this present the Synod being met together Mr. Dean of Worcester made in the Synod-house a polite and pathetical Latin Sermon the portion of Scripture he chose for his Theme was the 17th verse of the 6th of Ecclesiastes Nâ—li esse justus nimium neque esto sapiens nimis After a witty coming upon his test how it should come that Righteousness and Wisdom which are every where commended unto us should here seem to receive a check he shewed how men might seem to be too just First the Seculars when sitting in place of Justice they stood too strictly in keeping the Letter of the Law and then by inflicting too heavy punishments when in equity lighter would serve next in the second word sapiens nimis he taxt the Divines for presuming too far in prying into the Judgements of God and so came to reprove the curious Disputes which our age hath made concerning Predestination that this Dispute for its endlesness was like the Mathematical line divisibilis in semper divisibilia that it was in Divinity as the Rule of Cos is in Arithmetick For the ending of these Disputes his advice unto the Synod was that both parts contending should well consider of S. Pauls discourse in the ninth to the Romans and for their final determination both should exhibit unto the Synod a plain perspicuous and familiar paraphrase on that Chapter For if the meaning of that Discourse were once perfectly opened the question were at an end From hence he came to exhort them to stand to the former determinations which had hitherto most generally past in the Reformed Churches in these points and told them that it was an especial part of his Majesties Commission to exhort them to keep unalter'd the former Confessions How fit it was to open so much of their Commission and thus to express themselves for a party against the Remonstrants your Honour can best judge After this he brought a very pathetical conclusion consisting of a vehement exhortation to peace and union and so he ended The Praeses gave him thanks for his good pains and then told us whereas it was once purposed to lay open before the Synod certain Libelli supplices which I mentioned to your Honour in my last Letters he might not now do it for some reasons which he then concealed And so he dismist the Synod without doing any thing farther What these Libelli supplices contain is unknown Some imagine it to be from the Remonstrant party others more probably think that the subject of them were certain Gravamina of the Countrey Ministers Mr. Deans Sermon was taken well for any thing I can yet learn to the contrary but your Lordship shall understandâ— there was a little doubt made concerning these Latin Sermons Mr. Praeses when the Letters were directed to the Arminian party requested the Forreigners that they would be pleased to bestow in their Courses some Latin Sermons to entertain the Synod till the Arminians made their appearance And first commended this unto the English My Lord Bishop refused it because of the suddain warning but Mr. Dean would needs undertake it But certain of the Exteri came to the Bishop and shewed him how dangerous this might be For it was as they thought a very hard matter so to walk as not to touch upon some points that are in controversy which could not be without the offence of one party My Lord Bishop and the other two for this reason thought the motion very inconvenient but Mr. Dean would by no means apprehend of it but as of a business very fit to be done It seems this was the general conceit of the Forreigners which was the cause that there was in this kind nothing done till now notwithstanding that the motion was made a pretty while before my coming to Dort But how well this example is approved it will appear if others of the Forreigners do follow it Here is a rumour of a certain Jesuitical book lately set forth in disgrace of our Synod I have not yet seen it but I understand it is in the hands of the Praeses unto whom I had repaired to have looked into it but that I conceive him to be exceeding full of business As soon as I can learn what it is I will acquaint your honour with it We have much speech of a strange Comet of an unusual length seen this morning I saw it not and peradventure it is no Newes unto your Lordship if it have appeared in the Horizon of the Hague My Lord Bishop and his Company remember their Love and Service to your Honour and thank you for your Letter of English newes which they here return I have sent according to your Lordships Will six Catalogues of the Synod printed with us in Latin And so for this time I humbly take my leave From Dort this 19 1â— of Novemb. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Friday the 20 â—â— of November the Deputies met in the Morning where first of all there were recited the Judgements of some concerning the manner of Catechising which was yet depending who had not delivered their minds in writing the day before In this was there nothing extraordinary save only the advice of the Remonstrants of Vtrecht For the Deputies of that Province gave their Judgements severally the Contra-Remonstrants by themselves and the Remonstrants by themselves These first blamed the common Catechism passant amonst them as being too obscure for the Simple and too long for the Memory Secondly they thought it not necessary that there should be a threefold Catechism for one well learnt might serve for all the rest Thirdly they would have a Catechism so made that the Answers might be nothing else but bare Texts of Holy
promised to submit but with such conditions as they had heretofore mentioned Thus as the Praeses said what they gave with the one hand with the other they took away again The Remonstrants being again called in they were asked every man whether thy acknowledged this answer they all replyed they did and so were commanded to subscribe their Names to it which forthwith was done The Praeses then bespake them on this manner The moderation of the Forreigners which you so much extolled proceeded out of their Errour which to day having understood they have pronounced concerning you another sentence Upon Friday last when you seemed to disclaim all illimited Liberty and gave hope of some Conformity they dealt with the Synod in favour of you but to day understanding you to abuse the Synod and fly back again to your former claim they all with one consent think you indignos esse quibuscum diutius res agatur One amongst them there is who hath taken the paines to Mappe out your behaviour since your first footing in the Synod Pretend you what you will the true cause of this your indisposition is this that you take the Synod for the Adverse part and account your selves in Equal place with them this conceit hath manifested it self in all your actions Theses upon the question in controversy you gave up but so confused so nothing to the purpose that no use can be made of them The Decrees of the Synod you have openly contemned The Interrogatories put you you have refused to answer Your Citatory Letters notwithstanding the sence of them was expounded by those who gave them and therefore best knew it you have interpreted as you list and profest that you will proceed according to your own judgement and not according to the judgment of the Synod At length on Friday last you seemed to lay by your claim of illimited Liberty and give some hope of some conformity but all this in your writing now exhibited you have retracted The Synod hath dealt mildly gently and favourably with you but sinceritatâ— lenitati mansuetudini Synodi fraudes artes mendacia opposuistis I will dismiss you with no other Elogie than one of the Forreigners gave you quo caepistis pede eodem cedite with a lye you made your entrance into the Synod with a lye you take your leave of it in denying lately that ever you protested your selves provided to give answer on the Articles or to have had any such writing ready which all the Synod knows to be false Your actions all have been full of fraud equivocations and deceit That therefore the Synod may at length piously and peaceably proceed to the perfecting of that business for which it is come together you are dismist But assure you the Synod shall make known your pertinacy to all the Christian World and know that the Belgick Churches want not arma Spiritualia with which in time convenient they will proceed against you Quamobrem vos Delegatorum Synodi nomine dimitto Exite So with much muttering the Remonstrants went out and Episcopius going away said Dominus Deus judicabit de fraudibus mendaciis Sapma Exeo ex ecclesia malignantium and so the Synod brake up The same day at night there was a private Session what was done in it I understand not yet I conjecture it was concerning the order of proceeding As soon as I shall understand what was done I will acquaint Your Lordship with it and till then I humbly take my leave Dort this â—â— of January 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord. SInce the Dismission of the Remonstrants there hath not been any publick Session and as I conjecture for a while will not be They are altogether in Consultation concerning their order of proceeding and in gathering materials out of the Remonstrants Books whence they may Frame their Theses and propositions which must be the subject of their disputation This they purpose as I conceive to do throughout all the five Articles before they come to the open discussing of any one for they are past from the first and gone on to the second So that till this Consultation be ended there will not be any great occasion oâ— news Against Mr. Praeses so rough handling the Remonstrants at their Dismission there are some exceptions taken by the Deputies themselves The Forreigners think themselves a little indirectly dealt withal in that it being proposed to the whole Synod to pass their judgement concerning the behaviour of the Remonstrants the Provincials were not at all required to speak and by these means the envy of the whole business was derived upon the Forreigners Whereas on the contrary when the like question was proposed formerly and the Forreigners had spoken very favourably in the Remonstrants behalf the Provincials struck in and establisht a rigid sentence against the Forreigners liking So that there is little regard given to the judgement of the Forreigners except they speak as the Provincials would have them Again upon the Tuesday Session in the morning there being a repetition made according to the custom of the late Synodical acts when they came to the act of the Remonstrants Dismission Lud. Crosius of Breme signified that he perceived that Mr. Praeses in that business had been paulo commotior and had let slip verba quaedam acerba which might well have been spared that in so great an act as that was a little more advice and consideration might have been used The Synod ought to have been consulted with and a form of Dismission conceived and approved of by all which should in the name of the Synod have been pronounced and registred whereas now the Synod stands indicted of all that unnecessary roughness which then was practised It had stood better with the Honor of the Synod to have held a more peaceable and passionless order The Praeses replyed That for Dismissing the Remonstrants without a Synodical form it was from the Secular Lords who willed him immediately to proceed What his apologie was for his passionate speeches I know not The Session was in private and I have nothing but by relation I hear nothing yet from Mr. Praeses concerning the French project as soon as I shall hear ought I will not fail to acquaint your Honor till when I humbly take my leave Dort â— â—â— January 1618. Your Honors Chaplain and Bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales The bringer of this Letter is Sir Iohn Berks Son Right Honourable my very good Lord YOur Honour shall here receive the Decree of the Synod mentioned in my last Letters conteining the form of proceeding which they will hold in discussing the Articles The morning they mean the Deputies shall spend in private after dinner in open Synod the chief places of Scripture upon which the Remonstrant grounds himself shall be opened and answers fram'd to the Arguments drawn from thence According to which resolution they began to
hand to that writing which he supposes cannot be so warily indicted but he must be forced with his own pen to let fall somewhat prejudicial to his own opinion The Praeses answered that it was not his drift to force the Synod against their minds to set out such a Book but only to take hold of the present occasion whilst the Forreign Divines were here and have such a Book in readiness for use hereafter though it were not now set forth He farther advised that those who were to undertake this should have an eye to the inclination of the Synod and beware as much as might be that they toucht not there where any man was sore Whatsoever the pretence is the mentioning of these Books before the determination of the Synod be formally set down must needs be very unseasonable It will make the world to think they came resolved what to do which though perchance they did yet it is no wisdom to confess it After this did they advise concerning the Exceptions against the Confession and Catechism and of such as should answer them For the Catechism the Palatine Divines undertook it for the Confession some of the Provincials were appointed whose names I have not learnt The Praeses then by the advice of the Secular Delegates advised the Synod to think of gathering a Synopsis and brief of all the Synodical Proceedings to be sent to the King of England and other Forreign Princes and States who had sent Deputies to the Synod that so they may understand what hath been done For this were there appointed Altingius Steinius the Assessors and Scribes and for Supervisors were named D. Davenant Praeses This is the summe of that Session On Tuesday at Even they met again in private where every one spake in order what they had furher to say concerning the second Article Upon some occasion I know not what the Praeses mentioned Negotium Vorstianum Bertianum Venatorianum which I note because this is the first time that Vorstius his cause was named in the Synod There hath not been any stay made amongst the Forreign Divines but only in this second Article out of which if they can well and clearly wrest themselves their passage out of the rest will be more smooth I lately told your Honour that Martinius of Breme made some doubts amongst the rest concerning Vniversal Grace Not Martinius only but Dr. Ward in this point For the composing the doubts of both these that they brake not out to any publick inconvenience there hath been of late many private meetings in my Lord Bishops Lodging where upon Wednesday Morning were drawn certain Theses in very suspense and wary terms to what end whether to give content to all parties or to exhibite to the Synod or what else I know not by chance I had a view of them but no opportunity to transcribe them On Wednesday the sixth of February there was a publick Session in the Evening at what time Steinius of Hassia spake to the fourth Article concerning the resistibility of Grace in the same manner as others had done before him He spake about an hour and a half and when he had done the Praeses gave warning of a publick Session to be upon Munday next in the Evening and so dismist the Auditory but not the Synod who after this sate a good space in private consultation 7 Febr. 1619. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty and Service Jo. Hales FINIS Dr. BALCANQVALS LETTERS From the SYNOD of DORT TO THE Right Honorable Sr. DVDLEY CARLTON Lord Embassador c. My very Good Lord MY business is now effected by your Lâ—care to my contentment since the first day of my coming to Dort they have made me an allowance equal with our English Divines which is twenty Florens a day a less allowance might very well have served me if I had not been joyned with them but being joyned it was not fit that for matter of maintenance I should be in their debts I am exceedingly beholden to Mr. Musius his kindness not only upon this but upon all occasions It doth proceed I suppose from your L. to whom as I must ever stand bound for the return of perpetual thanks and service so I would be a suiter to your L. that your L. would be pleased to give Mr. Musius thanks for his kindness For our Synod business as we went too slow before so now they would have us go too fast they would have us to dispatch one Article a week which is too little time for so weighty questions But I hope they shall be done to some purpose With the remembrance of my faithfullest duty and service to your L. and your worthy Lady and my best wishes for both your health and happiness I take my leave and rest Dordretch this 2d of Febuary Stylo novo Your L. in all true respects of service Walter Balcanqual My very Good Lord SInce Mr. Hales his going here hath been nothing done in the Synod of any note On the seventh of February now still was held the 76. Session in which nothing was done but that they which before had not spoken in the second Article did speak what they thought fit there was nothing of note spoken save that one of the Transisulani took it evil that we took the Remonstrants meaning in their opinions where they speak best and soundest but he would have their meaning to be gathered out of all places in their Books where they speak most absurdly which we thought was very far besides the rule of charity so in that Session the Synodical diquisition for the second Article was ended The President told us moreover that the Delegates had sent to the Remonstrants and had demanded of them if they had any thing in writ which might serve for the explication of their opinion concerning the five Articles and that they had given to them their confirmation of their opinion concerning the first Article as likeways a confutation of that which they held for the Heterodox opinion and a beginning of their explication of the second Article now he shewed us the Book of which in good faith I was ashamed to think that men of judgement could imagine that the Synod could have time to peruse it for it is a little Book of Martyrs it doth exceed two hundred folia in folio moreover he told us that the Delegates had commanded them within eight days to bring in all they would or could say as necessary for the understanding of their minds concerning the whole five Articles On the 8. of February Stylo novo was held the 77. Session in which was nothing done but that the President did dictate to us these drawn out of the Remonstrants writings concerning the third and fourth Articles which I hold not expedient to send to your L. but if I shall understand that your L. do desire them I can easily send them It was appointed we should this Morning send our Amanuenses
that word would have made the story much pleasanter and of others the like reported and believed by him The vanity of which conceit that you may discover let me request you to observe this with me Look what way we may be pleasur'd and convenienced by the same way we may be harm'd and wrong'd The beams then that pass from us to these things which come from our bodies as they may be the conveyers of good to us so may they be the ministers of mischief for if they encounter with things good and simpathizing with them they relieve and cherish us so if they meet with their enemies with antipathizing materials may they not distress and annoy us as much Certainly to think otherwise is meerly voluntary and unreasonable See now I pray you into what infinite hazard this Doctrine casts us there is not a drop of Bloud of Sweat of Spittle and Flegm not any part of our Flesh our Nails our Hair our Stool but hath in it a Spirit of life homogenious to that in our bodies and beams that emanate perpetually from our bodies to them but as they may comfort us being well encountred so if they meet with ill company they may distress us A thing so much the more to be feared by how much the things that annoy us are in number more then the things that pleasure us Now what mean we then to be thus negligent of our droppings as to let them fall at random into the earth the fire the water and God knoweth where since there is such danger depends from them Were this doctrine true it were not possible that either Man or Beast for it is the case of Beasts too as appears by his discourse about an Horse should enjoy one moment of health and safety Sir were I at leisure and free from other occasions which at this time of the year especially attend me by reason of my place as poor a Philosopher as I am I think I might challenge any reasonable man at this trial and not think over-well of mine own undertakings This which I now have commented is very subitany and I fear confused Mr. Bagley who was by me all the time I wrote it would not conceive that the frequent discourses betwixt his little son and himself could be an hinderance to me and truly to confess the truth I found it not much to further me And least I quite weary you out I will onely adde this one thing concerning our admirers of Weapon-Salve I have read that a Learned Iew undertook to perswade Albertus one of the Dukes of Saxony that by certain Hebrew letters and words taken out of the Psalms and written in Parchment strange Cures might be done upon any wound As he one day walked with the Duke and labour'd him much to give credit to what he discoursed in that argument the Duke suddenly drew his sword and wounding him much in divers places tells him he would now see the conclusion tried upon himself But the poor Iew could find no help in his Semhamphoras nor his Hebrew characters but was constrained to betake himself to more real Chirurzery Sir I wish no man any harm and therefore I desire not the like fortune might befall them who stand for the use of Weapon-Salve onely thus much I will say that if they should meet with some Duke of Saxony he would go near to cure them of their errours howsoever they would shift to cure their wounds Thus have I freely imparted my judgment to you in this point which having done I leave it to your favourable construction and rest as ever From Eton Colledge this xxiij of November 1630. Your Servant JOHN HALES Mr HALES LETTERS From the SYNOD of DORT TO THE Right Honourable Sr. DUDLEY CARLTON Lord Embassador c. Right Honourable my very good Lord MAy it please your honour We arrived at Dort this last night betwixt six and seven of the clock our passage was without any impediment at all and wheresoever we were to take boat still we found some ready to put off as if they had waited our coming Immediately upon my arrival I went to My Lord Bishop and assoon as I had done my message unto him I fortwith went to Monsieur Bogermannus who humbly thanks your Honour for your great courtesie towards him and promises to acquaint your Lordship by me with whatsoever passes in the Synod had he known of so convenient meanes of writing to your Lordship I suppose he would have written but when I spake with him I knew not so much my self Festus Hommius and Polyander I have not yet seen and it will be the afternoon ere I shall speak with them because this morning they have a sitting Whatsoever hath past in the Synod formerly your Lordship shall understand by a packet from my Lord Bishop whatsoever speeches or other passages are to be copyed I shall this afternoon get of Mr. President I will not fail to send your Honour the transcripts of them when Daniel returns What shall be disputed of or decided in the next Sessions at the Synod I will at large in form your Lordship by the next messenger mean time I humbly take my leave From Dort this 14 24 of Novemb. 1618. Your Lordships Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord YOur Honour shall here receive inclosed an index of all the acts of the Synod since the beginning till the 16 2â— of this present It is not that which I required but is so much as Festus Hommius whose writing it is could spare your Lordship My desire was to obtain not only the bare conclusions but the whole manner of proceeding with all particulars propounded and concluded in the Synod but it seems this was thought nimis grande postulatum If I can come so far to perfit my notes of all the former sessions as that I shall be able to express them in form as I did the session on Saturday last and by Gods help will express the following sessions I will in time acquaint your Lordship with it Mean while I come to the session on Monday morning 16 â—â— of this present It had been in some of the Former sessions determined that there should be chosen six Divines for the Translation of the Bible three for the Old Testament and three for the New with the Apocrypha and likewise Revisors one out of every Province to whom the work being done should be brought to be revised and censur'd In this present Session they proceed to the choice of them The manner of election was by Scrutiny the Deputies in every Province in Scripto exhibiting one The Scrutators were two of the Seculars D. Simon Schottus Secretary of Middleburrough and President this week and Martinus Gregorii these calculated the voices and pronounced the election And first for the translation of the Old Testament were chosen these three Ioh. Bogermannus Guil. Baudaritus and Gerson Bucerus for the translation of the
whether there might not be added some Appendices to the Bible as Chorographical and Topographical Tables Genealogies and the like It was thought fit they should provided that in the Tables and Maps there were no pictures and babies for avoiding superstition The fifth proposal was concerning the appointing of persons fit for the work of the Translation The Praeses willed that every Province should exhibit by Bill the Names of those who they knew in their Provinces were of sufficiency for the Translation which forthwith was done and the Names that were exhibited were all pronounced in the Synod but out of these who should be chosen for the work was differed until the next Session appointed upon the Monday following and so with prayer they brake up the meeting As I have done in this Session so will I doe in all the rest if I shall get convenient place where I may stand and note For for any thing I see mine own notes must be my chiefest help The matters are but small but I suppose they will amend when the Arminian Party shall make their appearance Here is your Honours old Friend come to Town and passes under the name of a Doctor of Physick He is to dine with my Lord Bishop this day but I have discovered him unto his Lordship what he is I have presumed to keep Daniel with me longer than I determined at my departure the reason is because I am unskilful of the streets and I have not Dutch enough to enquire my way I will shortly send him home What shall be done in the following Sessions I will not fail to inform your Lordship by the next Messenger in the mean while I humbly take my leave Dort this 16 12. Novemb. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales I have sent your Honour a Catalogue of the Synod Printed here with us Right Honourable my very good Lord ON Wednesday the 1â— 2â— of November those of the Synod meâ— in the morning This Session was only deliberative for they concluded nothing The proposal was what form of catechizing both for children and youths should be thought fittest to be put in practice in the Belgick Churches The Praeses first spake many things learnedly of the necessity of Catechizing that it was the basis and ground of Religion and the sole way of transfusing the principles of Christianity into men that it was very ancient practised by the Patriarchs by the Apostles by Origen and approved by the consent of the Fathers that from the Neglect of this came the ignorance of the common sort and that multitude of sects amongst them of Papists Anabaptists Libertines c. whereas if an uniform course of teaching them their first principles had been taken up there would not have been so many differences that there was now greater necessity than ever of reviving this custom because of the Iesuits who mightily labour in this kind as appeared by some of their acts lately in Frisâ—a c. Next were the Deputies for the strangers called upon to deliver what formes of Catechizing were in their Churches put in use which they did and gave them to the Praeses in writing After these the Professors and the other Deputies spake their mindes and almost all gave them up in writing which were immediately pronounced in publick by the Scribe and such as spake memoriter promised to set down their opinions in scripto and deliver them to the Praeses after dinner The principal heads on which they insisted were these that there might be three degrees of Catechizing one Domestical to be practised by Fathers and Masters in their Families another Scholastical to be used by Scholemasters in publick Scholes and a third Ecclesiastical to be practised by the Minister in the Church that so Fathers might fit their Children for the Scholes the Scholes for the Church That therefore Parents and Masters should be admonished to look to this duty in their Families That Scholemasters should be chosen such as were skilfull themselves to Catechize and that they should be careful to bring their Scholars to Catechetical Sermons that from Sermons they should presently call them to the Schole and there examine them how they had profited That the Minister of every Parish together with the Seniours and Deacons should monthly or quarterly visit the Scholes and know the Scholars proficiency in this behalf that the Ministers before the times of the Communion should repair unto private Families and Catechize that the Magistrates would be pleased to provide stipends for Schole-Masters so to make them the more chearful that there should be variety of Catechizing according to the variety of the age one for Children which should contain The Lords Prayer the Creed the Commandments the Doctrine of the Sacraments c. that for such as were elder other things should be added according to their capacity that to take away confusion one form of Catechism in each kind should be used that the Iesuits Catechisms of Lessius Canisius Ledesma c. should be abolisht All this and more by sundry men was exhibited in writing and read in the audience of the Synod That which hitherto hath been done concerns only the manner of Catechizing as for the matter of the Catechism that was not now thought fit to be spoken of but was put off till the end of the Synod When all had spoken their pleasures the Praeses signified that he together with the Assessors and Scribes would compare all these Writings together and out of them all gather one form of Catechizing as they thought best and exhibit it unto the Synod to be approved of or altered to their liking And so the Session ended Amongst the rest there were some particulars told 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 he so far prevailed with them that in the compass of a year he gain'd them all to come to Church and by this means hath scarce a Papist in his Parish But doubtless the most effectual way of all the rest to bring young persons to learn their Catechisme 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 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
of the Pastors and Governours of the Churches and Universities wherein they have been and exhibit them to the Classes where they are to live and expect their calling to the Ministery That they should publickly in the Church read the Scriptures before the people for this would make them known to the Church embolden them to speak to the multitude and mend their voices and delivery That by consent of the Classes they be permitted to be with the Pastors to confer with them in Cases of Conscience to go with them when they visit the sick that thus they may learn how to deal in these cases and how to conceive prayers upon occasion That to fit them for the Church Regiment which is a thing not learnt in Scholes some months before their institution they converse in the greater Cities to be present in the Presbyteries and the meetings of the Deacons to understand how Voices may be asked and gathered how Church Disciple is to be exercised and what in divers cases is to be done That they be examined how fit they be to reform mens manners That it were fit that even in Universities Youths were trained up in Practick Divinity and Cases of Conscience The substance of what the South-Hollanders delivered was this First that Youths should stay at least two years in the University and publickly read the Scriptures in the Church Secondly that after this they publickly dispute of some difficult question in Religion Thirdly that they be examined of all the Articles in Religion and if they give satisfaction then they may be admitted ad propositiones what these are I know not and after a years exercise in them they may be examined by the Classes who if they find them fit may give them leave to exercise themselves in Catechizing and Preaching That to learn Church Government they be admitted to Consistories and Classes to see what there is done so that what there they see they keep in silence That they leave not the studies of Divinity to meddle with other things That they may have leave to Baptize if the necessity of Rural Churches require Yet they must expect a year ere they be admitted which is not to be done without sufficient Testimony that all hath been done which is required The rest of the Provinces required respite till Monday and so they past to the question which was proposed in the name of the Churches of Amsterdam concerning the Baptizing of the Children of Ethnick Parents The English first exhibited their minds in Writing to this effect That Infants if they were justly taken as if they were given or bought or the like for it might not be lawful fraudulently or violently to take them from their Parents ought to be baptized For so it is recorded of Abraham that he circumcised every one in his house even those whom he had bought with his Mony but if they were Adulti they might not be Baptized till they made Profession of the Christian Faith With these agreed the Bremenses and the Professors On the contrary the Helvetians and South-Hollanders concluded that the Infants of Ethnick Parents ought not to be Baptized till they came to be of years to declare their Faith Their chief reason was because Baptism was a Sign of the Covenant but the Infants of Ethnick Parents are not born within the Covenant and therefore they cannot be partakers of this Sign Here was a little indirect dealing betwixt the Helvetians the Bremenses The Helvetians Scribe had by some meanes or other suffered a Copy of the reasons for their opinion to be brought aforehand to those of Breme who openly in the Synod house in scripto refuted them which thing is feared will cause some choler And this is all that this day was done concerning this question and so both the questions yet depend The Synod did the sooner end because they were at eleven a clock to go to the Funeral of Henricus ab Hell who died lately as I think I told your Honour The Solemnity was no more but this Some of the chief of the Town together with the whole Synod went to the House where he died accompanied him to the Church laid him in his Grave and went home again almost in as little space as I have told it you The Dutchess of Tremullio was at this Session and as I hear spake very well of the Synod commending it both for Piety and good Order The Remonstrants are now every day expected We understand that they are already met together at Leyden Mr. Praeses came this day to my Lord Bishop and under Benedicite told him that it was thought the Remonstrants would become Suiters to the Secular Deputies for some greater respect in the Synod than it is likely otherwise they should have and that for this they would use the English as mediators Then that they would call in question the right of his presidentship as being made only by the Provincials without any respect had unto the Forreigners To this my Lord Bishop replyed that for the first since they were Members of the Synod they would not do any thing clancularly without the consent and Privity of the whole Company To the second he answered that hitherto they had acknowledged him for their Praeses so they would continue to do notwithstanding any objection might be fancyed so that of them he might secure himself And this is all hath hapned since Friday Morning at what time I addrest my last Letters unto your Honour and for this time commending your Lordship to Gods good Protection I humbly take my leave Dort Decemb. 2. 1618. Stylo novo Your Honours Chaplain and Bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord MY Letters containing the acts of our Synod upon Friday and Saturday I dispatched this morning unto your Honour by a Soldier whom I knew not he delivered them to a Skipper whom he knew not and whether or no they came to your Lordships hands I am uncertain There are come with them Letters from my Lord Bishop to your Honour Upon Monday the 3d. of Decem. the Deputies being met they prosecuted the two questions before left undecided First of the Baptizing of children born of Ethnick parents secondly of means considerable how to breed up those who are to enter the Ministery In the first concerning the adulti the Synod agreed that if they made profession of the Christian Faith they might be baptized etiam invitis parentibus Their reason was because that after children came to be of years in case of Religion they depended not from the power of their parents but might make their own market All the difficulty was of infants and children not yet of discretion to make their choice The English the Professors those of Hassia those of Breme of Zeland of Freesland thought it necessary they should be Baptized if they were rightfully adopted into Christian Families and that their parents had altogether resigned them into the
hands of the Christians They grounded themselves upon the examples of Abraham circumcising all that were of his Family of Paul Baptizing whole housholds of the primitive Church recorded in Saint Austin who shews that anciently children that were exposititii were wont to be taken up by the Christians and baptized Now such were the children of Ethnick parents for it was never esteemed lawful for Christians to expose their children All the rest were peremptory that they were not to be baptized till they came to be of years of Discretion to make profession of the Faith The North-Hollanders themselves whose business it was and who moved the Synod in it were expresly against it whether they were bought given taken in War or howsoever Their reasons were because they are immundi because they are extra foedus of which Baptism is a sign because Adoption could entitle them only to terrene not to an Heavenly inheritance c. So that if plurality of voices carry it the negative part prevails The Praeses required some time to compare the opinions together so for that time forbare to pronounce sentence And because the examples of Abraham and Paul were much stood upon by those who held the affirmative he proposed these two things to be considered of First whether it were likely that in Abrahams Family when he put circumcision in act there were any Infants whose Parents died uncircumcised Secondly whether it were likely that in the Families baptized by Paul there were any Infants whose Parents died unbaptized and so he past away to the second Question concerning the manner of training up those who were to enter the Ministery In my last Letters to your Honour I related at large the advice given in this point by the Zelanders and South-Hollanders It was now proposed to the Synod whether they did approve their Counsel or except against it Some thought it was unlawful for men not in Orders to preach publickly or baptize for the South-Hollanders in their advice had determined they should others thought it unmeet that they should be present in the Consistories and meetings of Deacons or that they should read the Scriptures publickly in the Church which was the joynt advice of the Zelanders and South-Hollanders Lastly it was doubted whether the Synod could make any Decree in this Question because of the several customs in several Provinces which it lay not in the power of the Synod to prejudice So that instead of deciding this one doubt the Praeses proposed five more to be considered of 1. Whether men not in Orders might make publick Sermons 2. Whether they might baptize 3. Whether it were fit they should come into the Consistories 4. Whether they should read the Scriptures publickly 5. Whether the Synod could make a Decree in this business for the reason above mentioned or only give advice The Synod had begun to speak to the two first and it was the general opinion that they might not baptize In the point of preaching they differed Some thought absolutely it might be permitted them others on the contrary thought no some tooke a middle course thinking they might preach privately before a select Auditory who were to be their Judges how sufficient they were for that end some that they may do it openly so that it were understood they did it not cum potestate solvendi ligandi But when part of the Synod had spoken their minds because the time was much passed they brake up and put off the determination to the next Session Here is a rumor that some of the Remonstrants are come to Town who they are I cannot yet learn I shall to morrow make inquiry and by the next Messenger acquaint your Lordship with it In the mean time I humbly take my leave Dort this 3. of Decemb. 1618. Stylo novo Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Tuesday the fourth of December Stylo Novo the Deputies being met in the morning they proceeded to determine of those doubts which were moved the Session before In the matter consulted concerning the training up of those who were to take upon them the Ministery there were five questions moved 1. Whether it were fit they should preach publickly 2. Whether they should baptize 3. Whether they should come to the Consistories and meetings of the Classes 4. Whether they should read the Scriptures publickly in the Church before the People Lastly whether they should make a Decree to bind all Provinces necessarily or only to advise them To the first two the Exteri had given their answer in the former Session For the question of Baptism no man stood upon it but all accounted it unlawful for men not in Orders to take upon them to baptize the doubt was concerning Sermons Io. Polyander thought it very fit that such as intended the Ministery before they were admitted should practise Preaching First because it was the practise of some of the Belgick Churches Secondly because it took from them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that subrustick shamefastness of many men by which they feared to speake unto the people Thirdly because it was convenient that they should be known for men fit for that duty before they should enter upon it Fourthly that they might approve themselves to their Parents and Benefactors who had been at the charge of their Education Provided that it were with these conditions first that it were done with consent of the Classes Secondly that it were practised only when the Church was unsupplied either by the death or absence or sickness of their Pastor or in case of like necessity With Polyander did Wallaeus of Middleburgh agree and grounded himself upon the practise of the Jews amongst whom not only the Levites but others also publickly taught the Law as it appears by the story in the Acts where Paul and Barnabas coming into the Synagogue the Rulers called unto them that if they had any word of exhortation they should speak unto the people Contrary unto both these was D. Gomarus who held it utterly unlawful for any to preach before they were admited to the Ministery First because they had no Mission and who can preach except he be sent Secondly because they had not the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven Thirdly it was granted that they could not baptize now Christ hath put Baptism and Preaching together Go teach all Nations baptizing them quae Deus conjunxit homo ne separet Last of all though there had been a custom in some places to the contrary yet fitter it was that custom should conform it self to Truth than Truth to custom With Gomarus agreed Thysius and thought his argument drawn from Mission to be unanswerable and for my own part I thought so to D. Gomarus is a man of great note but I never heard him speak with any strength of reason in the Synod till now What Sibrandus his opinion was concerning the point I know not for he
doth so favour his voice that I can never tell what he saith and I imagine I have no great loss of it After the Professors was there little said which was not said before only Lydius of South-Holland thought certainly to confute Gomarus and told us that such men might preach and that they had Vocation so to do For first that inward Vocation which they had from the Spirit and then their Examination and Admission by the Classes was warrant for them sufficient to preach though they had no particular charge For this good News did Mr. Dean of Worcester publickly applaud D. Lydius in the Synod I marvail'd much with my self to see Mr. Dean and Lydius so wide of the mark For there was no question of those who were admitted by the Classes but only of such who fitted themselves to be admitted The Examination and Admission by the Classes is the very form of their Ministery and not their being placed over a particular Church And thus much at length did the Praeses tell us When all had spoken Mr. Praeses pronounced that it was concluded by the Synod that it should not be lawful for them to baptize but for the matter of Sermons it was thought good by the Synod that it should be left to the Judgement and Discretion of the particular Classes In the third question concerning the Admission of the Proponentes as they call them to the Consistories little was said and so in the fourth concerning the publick reading of Scripture in the Church Some thought fit that the ancient custom of Anagnostae in the Church should be revived others thought it some disparagement to publick Reading that it was committed to Tradesmen and many times to men unskilful that knew not well to read In both these the Synod determined nothing but left them free to the discretion of the Classes and the latter was to be left to the Liberty of the Proponentes whether they would read or no and that they were not to be inforced to it if they would not In the last question whether they should make any necessary Decree binding all or only by way of Counsel my Lord Bishop being asked what he thought fit made answer that they were to distinguish betwixt things necessary and not necessary Things absolutely necessary should be absolutely decreed other things should be left arbitrary Which sentence passed by the major part of Voices and was Synodically concluded Here the Deputies for the Remonstrants of Vtrecht exhibited to the Synod in writing a Bill containing some exceptions against what hitherto had passed in the matter of the Catechism First they misliked that any such form should be forced upon them Secondly that all Schole-masters should be so strictly bound to that form as that it should not be lawful to recede from it For this did prejudice all other forms now currant and might discontent the Lutherans and others who had admitted of another form Thirdly they charged the Praeses with some indirect dealing For whereas he had whilst the business was in fieri solemnly protested that there was no intent concerning the matter but only concerning the form of Catechizing yet in the issue they had confirmed the Palatine Catechism which contained as well matter as form Fourthly they misliked the Decree concerning the not premising of a Text of Scripture before catechetical Sermons Lastly they required that this their dissent might be registred To this the Praeses replyed that the Synod had only exprest it self what it thought fittest to be done As for the necessity of Execution that was not in the power of the Synod but of the States General who when all was done might either pass or recall what they thought good Secondly to the point concerning himself he answered he had done so and thought it fittest so to do but the Synod thought otherwise and since there was a matter of Catechism to be concluded they thought they might confirm this as well as any other and this was not so confirm'd but that it was in the power of the Synod to alter what they please To the point of premising a Text of Scripture before the Catechetical Sermon he answered that the determination of the Synod was not to take that custom away there where it was in use but only to prohibit the urging of it there where it had a long time been disused To the last concerning the Registring of this their dissent he answered he saw not how this could be granted them since the States General had concluded that what passed by a major part of voices should alone be accounted the Act of the Synod and by the same proportion every one that passes not his voice with the major part might require his dissent to be registred After this the Praeses signified that concerning the question of the baptizing of Ethnick children put up by the Church of Amsterdam he required yet farther respite because of the opinion of some of the Synod which was somewhat ambiguous and obscure He was therefore to confer with the Authors of it and therefore desired that the resolution might be put off till the next Session and withall he commended to the Synod the consideration how the liberty of Printing so promiscuously all kind of scandalous and libellous Pamphlets might be represt and so he dismist the Synod The Remonstrants are in Town but because they keep themselves private and have not presented themselves unto the States and Deputies there is no notice taken of it And so commending your Honour to Gods good Protection I humbly take my leave Dort this 4. of Decemb. 1618. stylo novo Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Wednesday the 5. of December stylo novo the Deputies being met in the morning the first thing which was done was the admission of a Senior or Elder for those of Groninga whose number as it seems was not yet full The thing was transacted in Dutch and yet the consent of the English was askt at which I did not a little muse Next followed the advice of the Helvetians what course was to be taken with those who are to enter the Ministery in which there was no great matter from what before was intimated The Palaâ—ini promised the like and therefore the Praeses required yet farther respite before they did conceive any form of Decree in this behalf Then followed the Decree of the Synod concerning the question moved by those of Amsterdam about the Baptism of children born of Ethnick Parents The 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 catechized 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 or reading fails
near the Synod House and immediatly was it proposed unto the Synod what time was to be set for to begin The time prefixt was the morrow after Io. Polyander took hold of those words ad Collationem and told the Synod that it was fit the Remonstrants were told the end of their coming and the manner of proceeding which should be taken with them that they might know what they were to look for and so provide They were to be informed that they came not to conference neither did the Synod profess themselves an adverse party against them Conferences had been heretofore held to no purpose They ought to have heeded the words of the Letters by which they were cited They were called not to conference but to propose their Opinions with their Reasons and leave it to the Synod to judge of them The Synod would be a judge and not a party Then were they call'd in again and all this was told them Episcopius answered that for the word Collatio he stood not on it and how they would carry themselves it should appear the day following Mean while one thing they would request of the Synod that is that Grevinchovius and Goulartius should be sent for to the Synod as Patrons of this cause That they had this last week exhibited a Supplication to the States General to this purpose and received this answer that they should put this matter to the Synod and if the Synod thought it fit to be granted they would not be against it Neither did they propose this to seek delayes For they were ready whilst these men should be sent for to proceed to the action Only they thought fit that to maintain their cause they should be sent for who could best do it Then were they again dismist and one was sent to them to call for their Supplication to the Lords and the Lords Answer To this they returned that the Lords gave this answer not in writing but by word of mouth and for the copy of their Supplication they called not for it any more Then was the thing proposed unto the Synod and the Secular Deputies replyed that they would return their answer on the morrow the same was the answer of the Synod Mr Praeses thought that Grevinchovius might be admitted salvis censuris Ecclesiasticis yet notwithstanding he thought good to acquaint the Synod with the quality of this man thereupon he produced the Act of the Provincial Synod of South-Holland wherein it was witnessed that the Synod because he did refuse to appear when they cited him and because of many Blasphemies in his Book and of many reproachful speeches against the Magistrates and against the Ministers had suspended him ab omni munere Ecclesiastico From this Grevinchovius had not appealed to the National Synod to do what they thought fit Then were the Remonstrants again called in and it was signified unto them that on the morrow they should understand the will of the Synod concerning their motion made and so were they again dismist and the Session ended the Praeses having first premised that all other things yet depending as the Decree concerning the Proponentes together with the Remedies concerning the abuses in Printing and what else soever must be deferred and the business in hand alone attended My Lord Bishop was desirous that Mr. Carleton should stay this day to see the coming of the Remonstrants I would have had him stay to morrow likewise that he might have seen the manner of proceeding with them but he would not Here is speech that Scultetus is to make the next Latin Sermon but when we know not There is a rumour that Vorstius is gone from Tergone but of this I suppose your Honour may have better information than I can give therefore ceasing to trouble your Honour any longer I humbly take my leave Dort this 6. of Novemb. 1618. Stylo novo Your Lordships Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord IN my last Letters to your Honour I related a doubt concering the Deputies for the Remonstrants of Vtrecht whether they were to be a part of the Synod or in the number of the Remonstrants who were cited to appear before the Synod The reasons of that doubt which then I understood not were these First because in their Credential Letters they were charged to defend the cause of the Remonstrants Now it could not be that they should be both Defendants and Judges in the same cause Secondly it was objected that their case was the same per omnia with Episcopius who was to have been of the Synod if he would have brought his Credential Letters as the rest of the professors were But he refused it because in the Remonstrants cause he was to be a party except he would have laid by the defence of that cause Thirdly when the question was of citing the Remonstrants out of each Province it was then concluded in the Synod that out of the Province of Vtrecht none should be cited to appear because of that Province there were some already and therefore it was superfluous to oite any more In the judgement of the Synod therefore they were in numero citatorum as far as concerned that cause and not in the number of the Members of the Synod Unto these Reasons were they charged to give their answer upon Saturday and then to resolve whether they would forsake the words of their Credential Letters and so remain Judges or else stand unto them and become in the number of the citati Wherefore upon Saturday the 8. of December stylo novo The Synod being met in the morning the Deputies for Remonstrants gave up their Answer in scripto to these Reasons And to the first concerning the Clause in their Credential Letters they answered that they were not so limited but that in their private instructions they had leave to do otherwise if they thought good To the second concerning the Parity of their case with Episcopius they answered that their case was quite another for they were sent from their Provinces as Members of the Synod which plea Episcopius could not make To the third concerning the intent of the Synod at the Citation they answer'd that they never so understood the words of the Synod neither did they know but that they might shew themselves for the cause of the Remonstrants and yet sit as Judges since they were there to defend their opinion no otherwise than the Contra-Remonstrants were to defend theirs and therefore they were purposed to take theoath and to keep their places The Praeses then required them to shew that clause in their private instructions wherein that reservation was which they pretended They stuck a little at first to bring forth their instructions-but at length seeing there was no other remedy they consentted to do it provided that no more should be read than what they would suffer which was granted them In the mean time whilst they were providing
to produce their instructions there were read in the Synod the letters of the provincial Synod of South Holland directed to the National to this purpose that whereas Theophilus Ryckwaerdius one of those who was cited among the Remonstrants had lately been by them convented for certain misdemeanours the Synod would be pleased to give him leave to return and make his answer to such objections as they had to charge him with The thing was put to the determination of the Synod The Deputies of the States thought fit it should be left to his own discretion to doe as he thought good Others thought it not fit he should be sent from the greater Synod to a lesser Others thought it was necessary he should immediatly be sent away to make his answer since it was question of behaviour and manners only and not of doctrine In the end it was concluded it should be left to his own discretion to do as he thought good By this time were the Remonstrants of Vtrecht ready to shew their instructions which they there openly produced but to no purpose at all For all they could shew was this that they had commission to defend their cause or to labour at least for an accommodation or toleration of it but that they had power to pronounce decisively de veritate aut falsitate sententiae that did not as yet appear The thing was acted with much altercation on both sides At length it was agreed with some reluctancy on the Remonstrants party that it should be put to the determination of the Synod whether they were to be accounted as Judges or only as citati Some favourably thought that their private instructions were not too narrowly to be sifted but if they would suo periculo take the oath it should be sufficient Others thought that an Oath was a greater matter than should so easily be permitted although men did offer to take it there being so good cause of doubt as now there was Others examining there Credential letters and the words of their private Commission and finding no authority given them to define de falsitate sententiae if it should appear to be false and that the lowest point they could descend unto was a Toleration concluded they could be no other than citati As for their plea that they came to defend their opinion no otherwise than the Contra-Remonstrants did for theirs it was replyed first that they did the Synod wrong to make this distinction of Contra-Remonstrants and Remonstrants for in the Synod there was no Contra-Remonstrant and no man was called thither under the name whereas they in their letters came under the name of Remonstrants Again No man came with charge to defend any opinion but were free to pronounce according to truth wheresoever it should be which was not their case In the end the judgement of the Synod was given up that they could not be of the members of the Synod in this cause for in any other they might but only as citati Yet notwithstanding that they might see the equity of the Synod toward them it was permitted them to keep their places upon these conditions first if they would quit their defence of the cause Secondly if they would give no advice or counsel directly or indirectly to the citati and by no means meddle with them in their cause Thirdly that they did not divulge any of the Acts and Secrets of the Synod which Clause was a meer Formality For who can expect that that should not be divulged which is done in the sight of so many Spectators Fourthly that they should not be troublesome to the Synod by any intempestive interpellations This if they would promise they should take the Oath and sit as Judges otherwise not Unto this were they charged immediately to give their answer They again required respite It was answered that this request was needless the case being so plain and injurious to the Synod in detaining them from their business by frivolous delays They persisting still in their Suit the thing again was devolved unto the Synod whether they should give their Answer presently or have farther respite It was concluded that they should repair to Mr. Praeses the same day at five a clock in the Evening there without farther delay roundly to deliver their resolution Which thing yet they did not They came indeed at the time appointed but gave no Resolution neither yet have done for any thing I can hear And this was all was done that Session I marvail much that the Province of Vtrecht being the strength of the Remonstrants could find no wiser men to handle their Cause For as they did very foolishly in bewraying their private instructions so in this whole altercation did they not speak one wise word This Session the Remonstrants that were cited appeared not all Episcopius is reported to have put a trick upon the Seculars For whereas in his speech he had said some things concerning them in that Copy which was exhibited sign'd with all their hands there is no such thing appears He had committed it only to his Memory as forseeing the Copy might be called for Mr. Praeses remembers his love and service to your Lordship and hath sent you a Copy of the Book which Adrian Smoutius dedicated to the Synod The greatest Newes for ought I perceive is that it is dedicated to the Synod for else there is little that concerns them I have troubled your Lordship with very long repetition of a petit matter but it was all the Argument of the Session I trow to morrow we shall have other manner of stuff And so ceasing to trouble your Lordship I humbly take my leave Dort this 9. of Decemb. 1618. Style novo Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord ON Munday the 10. of December stylo novo the Deputies met in the morning where the first thing determined was the question as yet depending concerning the Remonstrants of Vtrecht They had according to their appointment come to the Praeses and Assessors to give their Answer which was meerly dilatory containing their answers to such reasons as the Synod on the Saturday Session had brought to prove them in the number of the Citati But having better bethought themselves upon the Munday a little before the Morning Session they delivered their Resolution to the Praeses to this effect That since nothing else would content the Synod they had resolv'd to leave their place of Judges and to adjoyn themselves to the other Remonstrants which were cited and so they did After this fell in some speech concerning a supplication lately exhibited by the Remonstrants unto the Exteri and because it seemed to contein some aspersions against the Synod there was question made whether or not it should be publickly read and stand but this motion died and there was nothing done in it A Copy of this Supplication I think my Lord Bissiop lately sent your Honour
stand to it or no that they did maintain amongst them an implicite faith and it was usual with some of them when they were prest with any reason they could not put by to answer that though themselves could say little to it yet such and such could say much which was enough for them When all had spoken their pleasure the conclusion of the Synod was that they must reform the manner of propounding their mind that they must give up their answer in affirmatives as much as was possible that this form of answer was not according to the Decree of the States and this was the effect of that Session On Friday the 5 15 of Decemb. there was a short Session in the morning The matter propounded was whether it were not fit that the Remonstrants should be required to give up their minds concerning all the five points before the Synod proceeded to examine or determine any thing The reason was the connexion of the points mutually one with another for which cause it was hard to determine of one except their mind in the rest were known The Secular Lords and the Synod liked well of the proposal Those of Geneva thought it best to take their opinions out of their books to which the Praeses answer'd that it could not be because they were called thither by their citatory Letters to propose defend their own opinions That they could not complain of the Synod for calling on them thus at once to deliver themselves For the Synod doubts not that they were provided since themselves had long since given it out in their books and private speeches that they were provided The Remonstrants then being called in were told that it was the determination of the Synod that they should deliver their opinions at once concerning the five points and for this they had given them time till Munday For this would prove better for the Synod and for themselves Then that they should deliver themselves in affirmatives as much as possibly might be For by their negatives they delivered not their own opinions but diverted upon other Thâ— Confessions and Creeds had alwayes been framed by affirmatives thus or thus we do believe not by negatives To this they replyed Attendemus ad ea quae à Domino Praeside dict a sunt considerabimus Then did the Praeses signifie that on the morrow there should be a Latin Sermon in the Synod house Scultetus is the man that makes it And this is the effect of what was done at that time and so ceasing to trouble your Lordship any farther at this time I humbly take my leave resting Dort this 15. of Decemb. 1618. stylo novo Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord THe seventh of Decem. stylo novo being Friday in the morning the Synod met the first thing that was done was the pronouncing the Decree of the States concerning Grevinchovius and Goulartius to this effect That whereas the Remonstrants had petitioned to the States that Grevinchovius and Goulartius might be admitted into the Synod there to defend the Remonstrants Cause the Lords for good causes thought they neither ought nor could grant it yet thus much did they graciously permit that they might freely come in private and do them what help they could and if they thought that in any thing they saw further into the Cause than their brethren they might have leave to exhibit their mind in writing to the Synod Provided First that they had leave of the Synod so to do Secondly that they did not seek any frivolous delayes Thirdly that they promised to submit themselves to the Decree of the Synod and last of all that the Church Censures respectively pass'd on Grevinchovius and Goulartius be not prejudiced but stand still in their full force and vertue This Decree was consented unto by the whole Synod Here the Praeses admonisht those of Vtrecht to provide themselves and resolve what they would do whether they would profess themselves parties for the Remonstrants or keep their places and sit as Judges if they would express as parties then must they cease to be accounted part of the Synod and be accounted as Episcopius and the rest that were cited They required that time might be given them to deliberate The Praeses eagerly urged them to give their resolute answer They replyed it was a greater matter than might so soon be dispatch'd So far they went that at length they fell on some warm words For when two of the Remonstrants Deputies by chance â—pake both at once the Praeses admonisht them to speak modestiùs ornatiús For men here speak one by one and not by pairs But here the Secular Deputies strook in and thought fit they should have time of respite till the morrow yet so that in the mean time the Synod should proceed Then were the Remonstrants call'd in and the Decree of the States concerning Grevinchovius and Goulartius read unto them Episcopius standing up required that a little time might be granted to them to speak and forthwith uttered an Oration acrem sanè animosam and about which by reason of some particulars in it there will grow some stir The effect of the Oration was this THat Religion was the chiefest note of a man and we were more distinguished by it from other Creatures than by our Reason That their appearance before the Synod was ut illam etiam Spartam ornarent that they might endeavour something for the preservation of the Purity of Religion That Religion was nothing else but a right Conceit and Worship of God That the Conceits concerning God are of two sorts some absolutely necessary which were the grounds of all true Worship in these to erre might finally endanger a man Some not absolutely necessary and in these sometimes without great danger men might mistake That they descryed many conceits passing in our Churches which could not stand with the Goodness and Iustice of God with the use of the Sacraments with the Duties of Christian men These had given occasion to the Adversaries abroad to accuse our Churches and lay upon them many strange imputations That therefore their endeavour had been none other but to remove these imputations and to provide as much as in them lay that the Conceits of some few might not pass for the general Doctrine of our Churches But this their endeavour had hitherunto had but ill success And as in a diseased body many times when Physick is administred the humours which before were quiet are now stirred and hence the body proves more distempered so their endeavours to cure the Church had caused greater disorder yet in this had they not offended For they laboured to none other end but that the Church might not be traduced by reason of the private conceits of some of her Ministers That in this behalf the world had been exceedingly incensed against them but this Envy they esteeemed their Gloriam
which did as well concern the Seculars as Ecclesiasticks they were to give it up subscribed with all their hands which forthwith was done Then did the Praeses tell them how much they were beholding to the Synod that had so patiently heard them notwithstanding that they had no leave granted them to speak and that they ought to have expected the Mandate of the Synod To this Episcopius replyes that he had required leave before he began to speak True said the Praeses but you staied not till leave was granted you besides saith he you are to know that no man may no not of those that are the members of the Synod offer to declaim without leave first had and without manifesting the Argument and drift of his speech After this followed a Form of Oath prescribed by the States which all the Members of the Synod were to take the Articles of it were these two That only the Word of God should be taken for their rule to end their questions and that they had no other purpose but the peace of the Church First the Praeses took his Oath in this order standing up in his place he said Ego promitto coram Deo thus and thus ita propitius mihi sit Servator Christus Then the Provincials took every one in his order standing in his place and pronouncing these words Idem promitto coram Deo sancto Servatore only the Remonstrants Deputies of Vtrecht took not the Oath because as yet they had not determined whether they would make themselves parties or Judges After the Provincials did the Forreigners in order do the like and so the Session ended And with it I think it is time for me to end and commend your Lordship to Gods good Protection Dort this 7. of Decemb. 1618. Stylo novo Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Saturday 5 â—â— of this present the Synod being sate in the Morning Scultetus made unto them a pious and pathetical Sermon In the beginning he signified first how it joyed him to speak unto them Post eruditissimum virum Iosephum Hallum Decanum Wigorniae meritissimum Secondly that he saw that day that which his Majesty of Great Brittain and the Prince Elector his Master had so long desired to see namely a Synod gathered for the setling of the Churches peace in these Countries He took for his Theme the 122. Psalm I rejoyced when they said unto me Let us go up unto the house of the Lord and so forth unto the end of the Psalm Where first having shewed the occasion of this Psalm that it was the Removal and bringing of the Ark unto Ierusalem he considered in the whole Psalm three things First that it was Summum hominis gaudium to see the Peace and flourishing of the Church which he shewed by many Reasons and confirmed by the examples of the Duke of Wittemberg who at the Council held at Worms a hundred and twenty years since when others discoursed of many Priviledges and conveniences of their Lordships and Territories openly protested it to be his greatest felicity that he could in aperto campo in sinu Subditorum suorum dormire and of Theodosius the Emperour who at his death did more comfort himself that he had been a Son of the Church than the Emperour of the World Secondly that it was Summum hominis Votum to pray for the peace and â—lourishing of the Church which he confirmed by the examples of the Apostles and of Christ himself Thirdly that it was Summum hominis studium to procure the peace of the Church Where speaking of the present occasion I am no Prophet saith he yet I think I foresee that the peace of the Belgick Churches would be a means to settle the peace of other Churches He therefore wisht that the States the Prince the Delegates would all propose unto themselves as their end the peace and flourishing of the Churches amongst them as he doubted not they did in calling this Synod There was not in this Sermon any Doctrinal point discust nor any particular toucht which might minister Newes It was only a Pathetical exhortation to all sorts as much as in them lay to procure the Churches peace When he had done the Praeses publickly in the name of the Synod gave him thanks and protested himself to have been very much moved with his speeches Besides this there was nothing done that Session Upon Munday â— of this present the Synod coming together in the Forenoon there were two out of Wetteraw from the Counties of Nassau Bisterfeldius a Preacher and Io. Henricus Alstedius Professor of Divinity in Herborne came as Deputies from the Churches in those parts to be admitted as parts of the Synod The Letters from the States General and then their Credential Letters from their Churches first being read the Oath was read unto them and they took it Then did the Praeses in the Name of the Synod welcome them and told them the end of their coming and what these Churches expected at their hands Then were the Remonstrants call'd in and willed to declare their opinion concerning the rest of the Articles which they did at large and added some Apologies for their proceeding by Negatives which I told your Lordship formerly had been the Exception of the Synod against the manner held by them in the first Article I will not give a brief of what they then delivered because I resolve to send your Lordship the perfect Copy of it as soon as I can come to copie it out When they had done the Praeses asked them whether they were provided to deliver up their considerations concerning the Confession and Catechism for the Synod expected it They answered that they expected not the Synod should call for them The Praeses replyed this could not excuse them for they had often told the World in their Books that they had paratam sylvam considerationum in that kind and that the Synod should better judge of each part when it had learned their opinion of the whole They required leave to withdraw a little and think of an answer In the mean time the Praeses proposed to the Synod to consider how well the Remonstrants had stood to the Decree of the Synod concerning the proposal of the Tenents in affirmatives he thought that they had offended more against it and that purposely in bringing their Apologie for so doing in censuring the opinions of other Churches for blasphemous c. Howsoever it was their judgement that they should propose their sentence in Negatives yet they ought not to have proposed but to have submitted their judgement to the judgement of the Synod The Remonstrants returning gave answer to this effect that though they might require time to give up their Considerations yet they thought they were not bound to give them up till the five Articles were discust since their Citatory Letters so ran that first the Articles then
their Considerations should come in place that they thought it some wrong done them to have this order now perverted The Praeses answered that no wrong was done them for their Considerations should not yet be sifted till the five Articles were concluded And so the order in their Citatory Letters should be kept That long since in a Synod at Delpht they had promised to deliver them up in a Provincial Synod there and therefore now after so many years they could not be unprovided Here the Praeses Politicus charged them to obey their Decree and to do as the Praeses and the Synod requir'd The Praeses Ecclesiasticus then admonisht them that they were not to accompt of themselves as a Colledge and so still to give answers in commune but they must answer particularly every one for himself and thereupon he asked every of them in order whether they had any such Consideration or no some answered they had some that they had some few of no great moment some that their Considerations were not written down some that they had none at all When the Praeses had said jactatum suisse by them long since that they had sundry Considerations ready â— Corvinus excepted against the word jactatum the Praeses replyed He used not the word to disgrace them but only as a Frequentative to signifie that they had often boasted of it When some Litigation was here fallen Martinus Gregorii one that sits close upon the Remonstrants skirts cut it off and commanded them to be quiet The Remonstrants here signified that such Considerations as they had were only in the Dutch tongue The Praeses replyed they should have leasure to translate them Then did the Seculars pronounce a Decree charging them to provide themselves singly one by one he that had many to give up many he that had few to give up few he that had none to give up none and that whether it were in Dutch or Latin The Remonstrants required some time for saith Episcopius we came imparatissimi ad hanc rem First there were given them to two dayes then three then four within which space every man alone by himself was to give up his Considerations and this was the effect of the Session The answer of the English Divines to the Remonstrants exception against the Synod I will send your Lordship in my next Letters together with the Remonstrants answer upon the later Articles Harman the Post came to Dort on Sunday about three of the clock and went for England on Munday about ten of the clock in the morning Mr. Dean of Worcester is very crazy and sickly of late and keeps his Chamber neither hath he been in the Synod some of these last Sessions I hear he purposes to come to the Hague to see if he shall have his health better there Here is a Rumour that the Remonstrants are a little divided amongst themselves and that Corvinus complains that what he hath done was because he suffered himself to be drawn on by others how true this is I know not I heard Scultetus tell my Lord Bishop so much and that Meierus of Basil should say that Carvinus had signified so much to him My Lord Bishop is a little displeased with Mr. Amyes for putting into his hand Grevinchovius his Book in the Preface of which there are cited out of a Writing of Mr. Amyes certain words very reproachful unto Bishops Other Newes here is none and therefore for this time ceasing any further to trouble your Honour I humbly take my leave resting Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord ON Thursday 10 â—0 of this present in the morning the Synod being met the first thing done was the Admission of the Scottish Deputy in this manner He was brought to the Synod House by the two Scribes and met at the door by two of the Deputies for the States and by them conducted to his Seat which is a little seat made under the English Seats where he sits alone when he was sate the Praeses welcom'd him in the Name of the Synod Then were the Leters from the States read which were to stand instead of Synodical Letters for otherwise the custom is here that he that comes to be a Member of the Synod brings Letters of Credence from the Church that deputes him After this he delivered himself in a short speech to this effect That the reason of his coming he had delivered unto the States at the Hague namely the Kings pleasure that he therefore once minded to have said nothing but he could not obtain so much of himself especially when he heard what gentle Welcome the Praeses gave him and he was desirous to shew himself thankful for such great Courtesie That the Scotch Nation had evermore so linkt it self to this people that it hath alwayes laboured to endeavour the peace of this State and now it was ready to do as much for the peace of the Churches amongst them That they had very straightly bound unto them the Scottish Church demeruistis Ecclesiam Scoticanam by this so kindly welcoming him That his years were not many but he hoped ere he departed to make amends for that That the King at his coming away did charge him verbis sublimibus above all sphere of Conceit and apprehension to exhort them unto peace and with a short passage to that purpose he ended The Praeses thanking him for his good Counsel gave him his Oath And so they past away to other business To morrow I trow we shall have more matter for then the Remonstrants are to give in their Exceptions against the Catechism and Confession and so at length we shall come to the Question For this time therefore I humbly take my leave of your Honour resting Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty and Service Jo. hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord UPon Thursday the 17 27 of this present the Deputies being met in the morning the Remonstrants were called in and willed to give up their Considerations upon the Catechism according to to the injunction laid on them on Fryday last Episcopius Corvinus Duinghonius Poppius Pinakerus and Sapma gave up all together in common and excused themselves for not giving up one by one as was enjoyned them because their Considerations being altogether the same they thought they might exhibit them all together Niellius Goswinus Matthisius and Isaacus Frederici gave up singly every one by himself the rest gave up none at all What these Considerations were I know not for they were not publisht Then did the Praeses require them coram Deo to answer directly and truly First whether or no these were the Observations which they gave up to the States of Holland to which was answered that as far as they could remember they were and some others besides Secondly whether they had any more Considerations besides these to which they all answered No. Here Scultetus stood up
17 27. of Decemb. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Friday 18 â—â— of December in the morning it was long ere the Synod met At length being come together there were read the two Decrees one of the States another of the Synod made the former Session the reason of the repeating was the absence of some the day before Then did the Praeses signify that that very morning immediately before the time of the Synod he had received from the Remonstrants Letters satis prolixas which concern'd himself and the whole Synod the perusal of which Letters was the cause of his long stay The Letters were sent to the Delegates to know whether or no they would have them read Whilst the Seculars were advising of this point there were brought in a great heap of the Remonstrants Books and laid upon the Table before the Praeses for what end it will appear by and by The Secular Delegates signifie that they think not fit that the Letters should be publickly read and that the Remonstrants should immediately be call'd in They being entered the Praeses askt them whether they were ready to obey the Orders set down by the States the Synod They require to have their Letters read but the Seculars willed them instead of reading their Letters to hearken to a Decree of the States and forthwith was read a Decree sounding to this purpose that the States strictly commanded that nothing should be read or spoken in the Synod in prejudice of the Decree made yesterday but that they should without any further delay come to the business in hand The Remonstrants reply that except they may most freely propose their minds in both the parts of Predestination both Election and Reprobation they refused to go further in Conference for that their Conscience would not permit them The Praeses replyed that for liberty of proposal of their opinions they could not complain for the Synod had given them Libertatem Christianam aequam justam but such an absolute Libertyâ— as they seemed to require of going as far as they list of oppugning before the Synod what opinions they pleased of learned men this they thought unfit And as for Conscience they knew that the Word of God was the rule of it Now what part of Scripture had they that favoured them in this behalf or that did take any order and prescribe a Method in Disputation By thus stiffely urging their Conscience they did exceedingly wrong the Decree of the States and Synod as if by them something against the word of God some impiety were commanded When the Praeses had thus said he began to propose unto them certain Interrogatories concerning the Five Articles Your honour may be pleased to call to mind that in one of my former Letters I shewed that because the Remonstrants had given up their opinions very perplexedly and imperfectly the Synod had thought good that the Praeses should propose them certain questious out of their own Writings so the better to wrest their meaning from them This was the Praeses now beginning to do and this was the cause of the bringing in of the Books The Interrogatory proposed was this Whether or no they did acknowledge that the Articles exhibited in the Hague Conference did contein their opinions Episcopius stept up and required that it might be lawful for them to set down their own Tenents and not be forced to answer thus to other mens Writings H. Leo in choler told the Praeses that he did evidently see that it was the drift of the Synod to discredit them with the Magistrate and that for his own part he would rather leave his Ministery than make any answer to these Interrogatories The Praeses here advised him to bethink himself seriously whether his Conscience could assure him that this was a good cause of leaving his Ministery because he might not proceed in Disputation according as he thought fit Wezekius answered that he would not submit to this examen and nisi posset liberrimè agi he would not answer at all The same was the sence of Hollingerus his answer Episcopius plainly told them nisi in omnibus liberum esset to do as they thought good they would go no farther For we are resolved saith he agere pro judicio nostro non pro judicio Synodi then one of the Seculars stept up and willed those words should be noted The Praeses then told them that the true cause of all this their indisposition was that they forgot themselves to be Citati and that they were not acquainted with being commanded They were to remember that they stood before God before their Magistrate and that their cause was the cause of the Church whose peace would not be procured by this behaviour They might remember what they told the Forreign Divines in their Letters to them that there was of late a great Metamorphosis in the State Non estis nunc judices Domini rerum sed Citati but at it seemed they were resolved to suffer omnino nullum judicium de iis fieri Episcopius here urged his Conscience Adde Verbum Dei then saith the Praeses shew us upon what Text of Scripture you ground your Conscience otherwise you wrong both the Magistrate and the Synod Corvinus answered that that scantling of Liberty which the Synod gave them did not suffice their Consciences Poppius likewise required larger Liberty and that he might not be dealt withall by Authority but by Reason The Praeses answered that in Conscience he could not give them greater Liberty than they had already given them and therefore askt him if he would answer to the Interrogatories He stoutly replyed Malo quidvis pati Sapma replyed to the same purpose and over and above added Vt nostrum judicium non satisfacit Synodo ita nec Synodi Iudicium nostro Rickwardius told the Synod that they dealt not charitably with them and openly protested as Episcopius had before done non agemus pro judicio Synodi sed pro judicio nostro The Praeses replyed vocem hanc esse intolerandam Niellius excepted against this proceeding with them capitatim and requir'd that they might consult in common what answer to give For my self saith he I am a man of no ready speech and unfit for suddain disputation Too great advantage is taken against men by this kind of proceeding Many members of the Synod were they thus singled out to give a suddain answer might easily peradventure be put to some distress Nullam esse causam tam justam de qua non facile possit triumphari si de ea agatur tantum pro arbitrio adversarii The Praeses told them that here was nothing required but that they would give a reason of their Faith which they had for this many years taught in their Pulpits and in their Writings and therefore they could not be unprovided to give an answer and for that they mentioned
the Synod as an Adversary they had been already taught sufficiently by the Forreign Divines that the Synod could not be counted pars adversa they answered that they required a Copy of the reasons given by the Forreign Divines that they might consider of them but they were denyed it Here was by one of them I know not whom a reply made that the Remonstrants in refusing to proceed except they might freely handle the point of Reprobation did no other than the Contra-Remonstrants had formerly done in the Hague Conference who there openly refused to proceed if they were urged to have the same point handled notwithstanding the command of the Magistrate Festus Hommius replyed that the narration was falsified for the Contra-Remonstrants did not simply refuse to deal in the point of Reprobation neither did the Magistrate command them to do it as now he had commanded them And thus much did some of the Secular Deputies stand up and give witness unto Episcopius here urged some words out of the Conference to prove what was said but what these words were I could not take The Praeses went forward to propose the Interrogatories Goswinus and Neranus answer'd as their fellows had formerly done Isaacus Frederici urged for himself that when he was removed from being a Member of the Synod he was commanded coujungere se Citatis this he could not do if thus he was commanded to answer for himself alone The Praeses answered that by the Decree of the States they were accounted no Colledge but only as they were cited so were they to answer Capitatim and by Poll. And as for Isaacus since he knew that the Synod accounted of him as of one of the Citati he could not be ignorant that his quality was the same with theirs Isaacus answered that he had evermore been averse from sudden disputations and therefore he meant not to answer Here it was denyed by some of the Remonstrants that the States had made any Decree that they should thus give answer capitatim The Delegates for the Seculars stood up and signified viva voce that they had decreed it Episcopius answered that the Scribe Heinsius used some such words but he took it to have been only some phrase of Heinsius not any Decree of the Lords Heinsius replyed that he did nothing but what he was commanded Episcopius protested that till that hour he never heard that by any Decree of the States they were enjoyned to answer thus singly and by Poll. Poppius signifyed that he thought it a thing very unbefitting both his age and his Ministery to submit himself to such a Paedagogica collatio as sometimes by Martinus Gregorii it had been styled The Praeses then askt them all in general whether they did persist in this their answer They all replyed Yea. The Remonstrants therefore being dismist the Praeses required the Synod to think what course they would take to proceed protesting that he thought that all Liberty befitting was granted unto them and calling in the Remonstrants again and advising them to consider what they did they all replyed that they were resolved non capitatim sed conjunctim respondere The President of the Politicks commanded them that without peculiar leave granted none of them should go out of the Town The Praeses Ecclesiasticus advising the Synod to think of some course of gathering the Remonstrants opinions out of their Books since they could not get them from themselves dismist the Company The same day after dinner was there a Session but very private neither was any stranger permitted to be there Wherefore a Relation of that Session I must give only upon hearsay Which I would now have done but that I hasten to the Session this morning And I understand that the Synod will dispatch some of their Company to the States General to signify how matters stand and to know their further pleasure I will here therefore shut up my Letters reserving the rest of the News till the next occasion and commending your Honour to Gods good Protection I humbly take my leave Dort this 17 2â— of Decemb. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord THe State of our Synod now suffers a great crisis and one way or other there must be an alteration For either the Remonstrant must yield and submit himself to the Synod of which I see no great probability or else the Synod must vail to them which to do farther than it hath already done I see not how it can stand with their Honour How the case stood at the last Friday Session your Honour may perceive by my Letters written upon Saturday Three things there were mainly urged by the Synod and as mainly withstood by the Remonstrants The first was the point of order to be held in discussing the Articles whether the question of Reprobation were to be handled after the five Articles as the Synod would have had it because it is none of the five points and by order from the States nothing ought to be determined of till the five be discust or whether it should be handled in the first place as the Remonstrants would have it because as they pretended their doubts lay especially there and that being cleared they thought they should shew good conformity in the rest The second thing was the putting of Interrogatories which thing they much disdained as Pedagogical The Third was the liberty of Disputation which was to be given the Remonstrants whether it were to be limited and circumscribed by the discretion of the Synod or large and unlimited accordingly as it pleased the Remonstrants So strongly in these points did the Remonstrants withstand the Synod that on Friday last it was verily thought they would have gone their way and left the Commissioners to determine without them But the Synod bearing an inclination to peace and wisely considering the nature of their people resolved yet farther though they had yielded sufficiently unto them already yet to try a little more the rather to stay the clamour of the Country and cut off all suspicion of Partial dealing And for this purpose called a private Session on Friday in the Evening to mollify some things in their Decrees and Proceedings From that Session all strangers were excluded and what I write I do only upon Relation The sum of it was this The Praeses much complain'd him of the perplexity he was in by reason of the pertinacy of the Remonstrants For saith he if we labour to keep them here they will be but a hindrance to us as hitherto they have been if we dismiss them we shall hazard our credit among the people as if we purposed only to do what we please Whatsoever it is that here we do is by some that come hither and write all they hear presently eliminated and carried to them which hath caused many hard reports to pass of us both with them and otherwhere He therefore commended to the Synod
with these my long Letters I will therefore take my leave commending your Lordship to Gods good protection Dort 1. of January Style novo 1619. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord WHat hath lately been done at the Hague in the business concerning our Synod and what Decree the States have made to restrain the exorbitancy of the Remonstrants I suppose is sufficiently know unto your Lordship as a thing done in your presence So much therefore of it as shall serve the present purpose I will take and leave the rest to your Honours better knowledge Upon Thursday the third of Ianuary stylo novo the Commissioners being met and the Delegates ready to declare the pleasure of the States the Remonstrants being call'd in two of them were found wanting Isaacus Friderici and Henricus Leo for Isaacus it was answered that he had leave on Friday last of the Praetor of the Town to go abroad for Leo it was answered that they knew not where he was Having sent for Leo and while in vain expected him the Delegates proceeded to declare the will of the Lords and signified that the States allowed the Proceedings of the Synod and commanded the Remonstrants to obey for the present and whatsoever Decrees hereafter the Delegates and Synod should enact and if they refused to obey they should expect both Civil and Ecclesiastical censure If this served not yet the Synod should go forward and gather their opinions out of their Books and writings That the Remonstrants should be commanded to remain in the Town and be ready to appear whensoever the Synod should summon them and answer plainly and directly to such Interrogatories as it should please the Synod to propose them This first was read in Dutch and afterwards for the information of the Forreigners it was put into Latin The Praeses then put to them that Question which in one of the former Sessions he had proposed viz. Whether or no they did acknowledge the Articles set down in the Hague Conference to contain their opinions and amongst the rest that first concerning Election which by the Scribe was read unto them out of the Book Episcopius beginning to make answer Martinus Gregorii commanded that their answers should be taken and set down in their own words Episcopius his answer was this Omnibus in timore Domini expensis adjunctis etiam ad Deum precibus non possum impetrare ab anima mea ut aliam agendi rationem sequar quam eam quae ultimo responso meo exhibita est This their answer of which he speaks was given on Saturday last as I have informed your Honour and it was this That except the Synod in antecessum as they spake would beforehand promise them that they should have free Liberty to propose their own opinion of Reprobation and refute the Contra-Remonstrants Doctrine in that point together with the Doctrine of all those whom the Contra-Remonstrants held for Orthodox and that as far as they pleased without receiving any check from the Synod they were resolved to go no further The same was the answer of the rest with some alteration of Words for they were questioned one by one every one by himself Hollingerius answered that he could not eant recipere legem eamque ingredi viam which tended openly to the ruin and oppression of the better cause For by so doing he should grievously wound his Conscience before God and cast irreparabile scandalum before the true worshippers of God Imitabor itaque exemplum Christi Silebo omnem eventum commendabo illi qui venturus est ad judicandum vivos mortuos Neranus spake after the same manner and added that the Reasons why they thus thought themselves bound to answer they had exhibited this Morning to the Secular Delegates Poppius gave answer thus Respondeo cum debita erga jummas Potestates reverentia me invocato sanctissimo Dei nomine re tota etiam atque etiam expensa apud animum meum non posse desistere ab ultimo meo responso Exhibuimus rationes Dominis Delegatis in quibus etiamnam acquiesco certo persuasus id quod facio Deo Optimo maximo Christo Iesu probatum iri Martinus Gregorii advised him here to bethink himself a little whether or no he spake not these words in Passion for he seemed to be somewhat Cholerick He replyed that he spake them with his best advice The Praeses perceiving that they were resolved not to Answer concluding the questions which he had proposed thought that the Synod might without scruple accept of the first Article in their Remonstrance at the Hague for their proper tenent He proceeded therefore to propose unto them another Interrogatory Whether or no that Decree which they spake of in that first Article did contain the whole Decree of Election and so were the main ground of Christianity or whether there were not some Decree besides this The behaviour and answers of the Remonstrants carried the same Copy of Countenance with the former and Poppius plainly answered Quia conscientiae meae à Synodo non habetur ratio non expecto ab ea instructionem in veritate ideoque consultum non est respondere The Praeses then citing some Texts out of Iohannes Arnoldi and Arminius and the Hague Conference concluded that it was their opinion that besides that Decree mentioned in the Conference they acknowledged no farther Decree of Election In the third place this question was put to the Remonstrants whether when they taught that God chose Man propter fidem praevisam this were not rather to be called an Election of Faith than of the person since the person was chosen for the qualities sake But they were still the same Neranus was the man that gave it but it was the common answer of them all Si liceat nobis de Reprobatione Contra-Remonstrantium sententia super ea agere quantum nobis conscientia nostra Ecclesiarum nostrarum aedificatio persuadebit sufficere hoc nobis in antecessum promittatur libenter ad quaesita respondebimus si minus silere malumus Now because they had often appealed to their Reasons exhibited in Scripto to the Secular Delegates that Morning the Delegates thought good to read the writing in the Audience of the Synod It contained almost no new thing but was repetition of their old exceptions that their Liberty was prejudiced that the Synod was pars adversa and for farther illustration of this they reckoned up all the sharp speeches that ether Scultetus or the Divines of Geneva or any other had used against them that their Consciences would not allow of this manner of proceeding c. This last Night was there a private meeting not by way of Session but only it was a Conference to which some of the Graver and Discreeter of the Synod were called The end was only to advise what course is best to be holden in the following
disputations It was thought fit that the Remonstrants should alwayes be present at their meetings and questions should be proposed them but the Synod should proceed whether they answered or no and so they concluded of a course to gather their opinions out of their Books Mr. Amyes will inform your Lordship more largely peradventure in some farther circumstances His sudden and unexpected departure hath made me scrible up this more rudely and concisely than I had intended because I was loth to miss of so good a Messenger Wherefore I cease any further to trouble your Honour and remit you to Mr. Amyes larger Relation Dort this Fourth of January stylo novo 1619. Your Honours Chaplain and Bounden in all Duty and Service Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Wednesday the ninth of Ianuary Stylo novo the Synod met not at all Time was given the Deputies to advise of the Theses which were to be handled only at Night the English went in private to the Praeses to consult what manner of proceeding were fittest to be used What counsel they gave him I know not but this I see that the course he taketh is not altogether so well approved by them Upon Thursday the tenth of Ianuary the Commissioners met in the morning in private where Mr. Praeses proposed unto them four things to be considered of First whether or no the Theses proposed by him formerly did not perfectly contain the opinion of the Remonstrants Secondly An electio sit una an Multiplex that so he might exclude the Remonstrants Division of Election in Revocabilem irrevocabilem completam incompletam c. Thirdly An electio sit ex fide obedientia au potius ad fidem obedientiam For this is one main point of difference the Remonstrant teaches that God foresaw only who would believe and so ordained and Elected only to Glory The Contra-Remonstrant teacheth that God ordained who should believe and so Predestinated and Elected both to Grace and Glory The fourth thing proposed was concerning the means how true believers become sure of their Salvation After this the Synod was requested to deliver themselves concerning a Method or proposing and examining the Theses proposed The greatest part of them liked well of that form which the Praeses proposed The English the South-Hollanders and Festus Hommius conceived severally a form of Theses every man according to his discretion and exhibited them to the judgement of the Synod and had them publickly read this was the summe of that meeting A Copy of the Theses drawn by our Englishmen I will send your Honour as soon as I can procure the sight of them The same day at Evening the Deputies met in private as before They continued yet their consultation upon the point of manner of proceeding The Praeses invented certain new Interrogatories and propounded them to the Synod to know their minds whether it were not fit to propose them to the Remonstrants There was great doubt whether this were a thing fit to be done since it is not likely that the Remonstrants behaviour in this behalf will be any other than hitherto it had been This question as it seems was the greatest part of their consultation It was at length Concluded that the Remonstrants should be called in and the Interrogatories put to them the next Session This Morning therefore we look for an open Session where we shall understand the last nights Interrogatories and the whole business of that Session For I must confess I do not well conceive what was then done or to what purpose I perceive there is some variance about their form of proceeding Mr. Praeses is desirous that the course he hath thought of may take place the English and others that some more ready and compendious way may be taken What will be the Issue of it I cannot yet conjecture as soon as I can understand any thing I will acquaint your Honour till when I humbly take my leave Dort this 1 â—1 of January 1619. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty and service Jo. Hales I suppose Mr. Amyes can better inform your Honour of this last nights business He hath been much with the Praeses and I imagine understands most of his intent Right Honourable my very good Lord YOur Lordship by your kind Letters doth ingage me so far as I should think it not the least part of my happiness if I could but hit on any way whereby I might express in any proportion my thankfulness for the same but since that cannot be acknowledgement of non solvendo must pass for satisfaction In that Letter which I wrote to my Lord of Buckingham wherein I mentioned your Lordships wonderful kindness to me I entreated his Lordship to move his Majesty that either by my Lord of Canterbury his Letters or Mr. Secretaries I being joyned with the English we might make up one Collegium Theologorum Magnae Britanniae Now this last week my Lord sent me word that he gave my Letter to the King who did read it over and liked the motion well and so accordingly gave order for it he sent me word likewise that the King had the Episcopii Theses which I sent and that he was mightily incensed at them So my very good Lord I am well satisfied in that point for we have now divided the business among us D. Ward his part assigned to him is Impugnatio Decreti de salvandis fidelibus unico Decreto praedestinationis My Lord of Landaff his part is Responsâ—o ad Argumenta Remonstrantium quibus prins illud decretum conantur stabilire D. Goad his part Impugnatio Electionis peremptoriae ex fide praevisa and demonstratio bujus Propositionis quod fides sit fructus Electionis which doth coincidere with the other D. Davenant his part is Orthodoxae sententiae assertio vindicatio rationunt Contra-Remonstrantium ab objectionibus Remonstrantium in utroque membro My part is Solutio omnium argumentorum quae afferunt Remonstrantes contra Orthodoxam sententiam The confusion here in handling of business is very great they do not know how to put any thing to Committees to agree of business and then afterward to propound it to the Synod to be approved or disproved which hath been the custom observed in all Councils and Synods but nothing is known till it be propounded in the Synod and then there are almost as many several voices as heads if your Lordship would give your advice to some of the Estates in this kind it may be they would apprehend it and we should bring business to some issue The Palatine Divines and we have met now three times and we have agreed on the same Propositions and have resolved to call one of every Colledge of the Forreign Divines and communicate the same with them that so if it be possible all we strangers may set up and throw down the same Conclusions For the Provincials for any thing I can see they are
so far set against the Remonstrants I wish not their persons as well as their opinions that I am afraid they will not like well of our Moderation For the Dismission of the Remonstrants since your Lordship is pleased to take notice of it I hope I may without offence say that it was such as certainly did the Synod much wrong On Friday when they seemed to yield then the Exteri Theologi could not be heard for the continuing of them in the Synod Nay the trick which was put upon them was a little too palpable For the Delegates had their Decree of Dismission written before they came into the Synod yet our voices were asked hoping it should have been answerable to their Decree but finding it was otherwise without so much as laying their heads together for consultation they published a Decree which they brought written with them into the Synod On Munday the late Acts of the Remonstrants incredible obstinacy being read the Theologi exteri gave suffrages for their dismission onely one to wit Steinius gave a bitter sentence their voices being asked only who are not above a third part of the Synod they were called in and dismist with such a powdering speech as I doubt not but your Lordship hath heard with grief enough I protest I am much afflicted when I think of it For if the Remonstrants should write that the President pronounced a sentence which was not the sentence of the Synod they should not lie The Civil Lawyers and Cannon of France who write much about the formalities omitted in the Council of Trent urge Exceptions of less moment than these so neither was there above a Third part of the voices asked ex quibus sententia ferri nequit neither was the sentence conceived in writt and approved by the Synod and the bitter words in the Sentence were not the words of any of the suffrages unless that some of them were spoken by one man only Your Lordships Censure of that Sentence is just and honourable Mr. Dean of Worcester at his going from hence with the Remembrance of his service to your Lordship desired me to signifie to your Lordship that he could not possibly meet with Deodatus The Remonstrants as Heinsius but now told me have sent a very virulent and bitter writing to Mr. Bogarmanne it may be now we shall hear of it at the Synod whither we are going so with the remembrance of my humblest Duty and service to your Lordship and your worthy Lady I must conclude a Petitioner that your Lordship would ever be pleased to reckon among your true observers Dort this 13 of Febr. 1618. Your very dutiful and faithful Servant W. Belcanqual Right Honourable and my very good Lord IT hath pleased the Synod at length finally to discharge themselves of the Remonstrants and to proceed according as they had projected by gathering their opinions out of their Books The manner of their dismission was this Upon Munday the 1 4 4 of Ianuary the Commissioners being set the Praeses Politicus made a short speech to this purpose That they had hitherto laboured as much as in them lay to have the Decree of the Estates to be kept and to bring the Remonstrants to some reasonable resolution And for this purpose had upon Saturday last in the afternoon covented them and advised them to give up their opinions quietly orderly freely and to refute the contrary as much as they thought fit reserving alwayes to the Synod Authority to judge of what was convenient what was sufficient without which it could be no Synod That they had undertaken in their behalf that the Synod should so mannage the business that they should have no just cause to complain But all this labour was lost neither would they be brought to relinquish their former plea for in a writing exhibited unto them they signified so much in effect in which writing they referred themselves to such conditions as had been by them partly scripto partly viva voce formerly required Wherefore they thought fit that it should be proposed to the Synod to judge whether or no there had not been sufficient order taken to give contentment to the Remonstrants if at least any thing could content them Yet they thought it convenient once more to call the Remonstrants before them to see whether they would leave their holdfast and submit to the Synod If no then they should without any farther delay proceed to judge of their opinions by collecting them out of their Writings This was the sum of that speech The writing mentioned by the Praeses Politicus in his speech was then read first in Dutch then in Latin in which the Remonstrants declared that they would submit themselves to the Synod upon such conditions as had been formerly required otherwise no. After this was the Synod requested to deliver their opinions whether order sufficient to content the Remonstrants had not been taken It was judged generally that more could not be granted them than had already been which was they thought abundantly sufficient Sâ—ultetus did in brief give as it were a History or rather an Inventory of the Remonstrants behaviour since their first appearance before the Synod and shewed how contumeliously they had handled it how they had contemned the Decrees of the Seculars and of the Synod that they had abused them with lyes deceitful speeches c. And concluded that it was unfit the Synod should farther condescend unto them When the Forreigners had spoken it was thought sufficient neither did the Praeses proceed to ask the judgement of the Provincials knowing belike before what it was The Remonstrants then being called in the Praeses signified to them that upon Friday Morning they had given good hope of peaceable dealing and at least in shew seemed to forgoe such conditions as they had formerly claimed he was now in the name of the Synod to require them to answer Categorically yea or no an voluit simpliciter sine conditione parere Decreto Ordinum Synodi ita simpliciter venire in rem praesentem The Remonstrants for answer require that they may be permitted to road a short writing which they had conceived it was answered that it needed not there was no more required but their yea or no but they persisted in their proposal the Writing was taken and delivered to the Seculars to be perused and they commanded to withdraw Their writing was read wherein having signified how welcome the moderation held by the Forreigners lately was unto them whereas they were injoyned to obey the Synodical Decree or look for punishment their answer was that it could not stand with their Conscience to promise Obedience to all Synodical Decrees since many of them stood not with common Equity and as for Mulct and punishment they left it to the Discretion of those to whose Government they were subject they would provide their patience That they intend not to contest with the Synod concerning order that they
is concluded they must as being better tried in these Controversies than the Forreigners are and therefore meet it was they should give them more time to advise The second thing proposed was concerning their Auditory For they question'd whether they should admit of hearers or do all in private Old Sibrandus was very hot against the Auditory and thought it not fit that any care should be had of them as being only Mulierculae pauculi juvenes incauti There is some reason of this complaint of his for many youths yea and Artificers and I know not what rabble besides thrust in and trouble the place As for women whole troops of them have been seen there and the best places for spectators reserved for them Which thing must needs expose the Synod to the scorn of those who lye in wait to take exception against it But the Synod hath determined in favour of their Auditory that Sessions consultatory and Provisional shall be private but Sessions wherein they discuss and conclude shall be publick Meetings hereafter will not be so frequent for men will take more time to advise This is the summ as far as I can learn of what was done at that time To morrow your Lordship shall receive farther information till which time I humbly take my leave Dort this 7 17 of January Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord UPon Friday the â—8 18 of Ianuary in the Evening the Synod being met Doctor Gomarus answered some parts of Scripture laid hold of by the Remonstrants after the same manner as Dr. Sibrandus had done the night before the places by him discust were for the more part the same which in the former Session had been handled The order of discussing these arguments is by continued discourse after the manner of Latin Sermons or rather of Divinity Lectures such as are read in our Schools In one thing the Discretion of both these Doctors was much approved For both of them holding that extream and rigid tenent which Beza and Perkins first of all acquainted the World with yet notwithstanding they held an unpartial and even course and never struck upon it When Gomarus had spoken towards an hour and half my Lord Bishop deliver'd himself concerning the meaning of the same places of Scripture and after him certain other of the forraign Divines After this same Copy will all the news be yet this ten days or more and these evening Sessions are only to entertain the Auditory not to determine any thing at all Each company must in private conceive and set down in writing their opinion concerning the Articles and when they have so done the Writings must be exhibited to the Synod and out of them must be gathered the Conclusion which must stand for good This is a thing which will require some good time and in the mean while besides these Theological Lectures there shall be nothing done publickly in the Synod The same day at night Bisterfieldius one of the Deputies lately come out of Nassau died When his Funeral will be I know not Upon Friday Morning Mr. Dean took his journey toward Middlebourgh Upon Saturday their was no Session at all Mr. Balcanqual commends his Service unto your Honour and required me to signifie to you thus much that he had lately spoken with Musius but understood nothing by him concerning the matter which your Lordship is privy too He willed me moreover to inform your Honour That whereas you lately spake to Mr. Dean to deal with Deodati Mr. Dean by reason of his indisposition of Body and sudden departure found no means to talk with him Thus with humble recommendation of my Service to your Honour I take my leave Dort this 11 21 of January Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty and Service Jo. Hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord THe Errours of publick actions if they be not very gross are with less inconvenience tolerated than amended For the danger of alteration of disgracing and disabling Authority makes that the fortune of such proceedings admits no regress but being once howsoever well or ill done they must for ever after be upheld The most partial spectator of our Synodal acts cannot but confess that in the late dismission of the Remonstrants with so much choler and heat there was a great oversight committed and that whether we respect our common profession of Christianity Quae nil nisi justum suadet lene or the quality of this people apt to mutine by Reason of long Liberty and not having learnt to be imperiously commanded in which argument the Clergy above all men ought not to have read their first Lesson The Synod therefore to whom it is not now in integro to look back and rectifie what is amiss without disparagement must now go forward and leave events to God and for the Countenance of their action do the best they may For this purpose have they lately by Deputies appointed for that end made a Declaration of all their procedings unto the States General from whom they have procured a Decree for Confirmation of them which Decree upon Munday the 11 21 of Ianuary was publickly first in Dutch then in Latin read at the Synod in the Evening The particulars of it I shall not need relate as being sufficiently known to your Honour The Decree being pronounced Heinsius first signified that it had been before in private made known to the Remonstrants and then in the name of the Delegates warn'd the Commissioners of the Synod Vt quam maturime celerrime de istis controversiis statuant ut possint tandem afflictis ecclesiis Belgicis subvenire I was very glad to hear that admonition and it gives me hope that our Synod shall have end not long after Easter at the farthest After this did Tysius another of the Professors discuss three other of the Remonstrants arguments taken out of the Hague Conference according to the same form as Sibrandus and Gomarus had done before This being done the Praeses required Io. Polyander and Wallaeus to provide to do the like upon Thursday next in the Evening for before that time there is to be no publick Session and requesting the Company the next Day to accompany Bisterfieldius to his Grave which accordingly was done at the time appointed he dismist the meeting So that till Thursday next we are likely to understand no no more news of the Synod I spake upon Tuesday with Mr. Praeses concerning Moulins project His answer to me was this That he communicated the thing with some of the discreeter of the Synod and that he had required my Lord Bishop and Soultetus to conceive a form of publick Confession Which as soon as it should be conceived and allowed of by those who should in that behalf be consulted withall he would send a Copy of it to your Honour to be sent to his Majesty by him to be revised and
altered according to his pleasure and so from him to be commended unto the Synod publickly Which course he thinks will take good success As touching the point concerning the Lutherans he thinks it not fit that any word at all be made I dealt with Mr. Praeses concerning a Copy of Mr. Deans Valediction to the Synod he answered me that he had delivered it to Dammannus the Scribe to be Copied out and as soon as it was done I should have it to transcribe so soon therefore as I can procure the Copy of it I will not fail to send it to your Lordship Mr. Dean at his departure had an Honorarium bestowed on him by the States Heinsius the Scribe came to his lodging to him and making a short speech unto him presented him in the Name of the States with munusculum as he called it What or how much it was no man knows Thus commending your Honour to Gods good protection I humbly take my leave Dort this 12 22 of January 1619. Your Honours Chaplain and Bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord UPon Tuesday the 12 22 of this present in the Fvening for the debating of certain particular points of controversy belonging to the first Article the Synod came together in private It hath been lately questioned how Christ is said to be Fundamentum Electionis The Doctrine generally received by the Contra-Remonstrant in this point is That God first of all Resolved upon the Salvation of some singular persons and in the second place upon Christ as a mean to bring this Decree to pass So that with them God the Father alone is the Author of our Election and Christ only the Executioner Others on the contrary teach thatâ— Christ is so to be held Fundamentum Electionis as that he is not only the Executioner of Election but the Author and the procurer of it for proof of which they bring the words of the Apostle to the Ephesians the first Chapter elegit nos in Christo ante jacta mundi fundamenta The Exposition of this Text was the especial thing discust at this meeting and some taught that Christ was Fundamentum Electionis because he was primus Electorum or because he is Fundamentum Electorum but not Electionis or because he is Fundamentum beneficiorum which descend upon us others brookt none of those Restraints D. Gomarus stands for the former sentence and in defence of it had said many things on Friday This night Martinius of Breme being required to speak his mind signified to the Synod that he made some scruple concerning the Doctrine passant about the manner of Christs being Fundamentum Electionis and that he thought Christ not only the Effector of our Election but also the Author and procurer thereof Gomarus who owes the Synod a shrewd turn and then I fear me began to come out of debt presently assoon as Martinius had spoken starts up and tells the Synod ego hanc rem in me recipio and therewithall casts his Glove and challenges Martinius with this Proverb Ecce Rhodum ecce saltum and requires the Synod to grant them a Duel adding that he knew Martinius could say nothing in refutation of that Doctrine Martinius who goes in aequipace with Gomorus in Learning and a little before him for his Discretion easily digested this affront and after some few words of course by the wisdom of the Praeses matters seemed to be a little pacified and so according to the custom the Synod with Prayer concluded Zeal and Devotion had not so well allayed Gomarus his choler but immediatly after Prayers he renewed his Challenge and required Combat with Martinius again but they parted for that night without blowes Martinius as it seemes is somewhat favourable to some Tenents of the Remonstrants concerning Reprobation the latitude of Christs merit the Salvation of Infants c. and to bring him to some conformity was there a private meeting of the Forreign Divines upon Wednesday morning in my Lord Bishops Lodging in which thus much was obtained that though he would not leave his Conclusions yet he promised moderation and temper in such manner that there should be no dissention in the Synod by reason of any opinion of his Upon Thursday the 14 â—4 of this present the Synod being met in the Evening Io. Polyander and Walaeus undertook the defence of some places of Scripture brought by the Contra-Remonstrants against the exceptions of the Remonstrants the places of Scripture were Luke 10. 20. Gaudete quia nomina vestra scripta sunt in Coelis Apocal. 21. 27. inscripti in libro vitae Rom. 9. 11. Vt propositum Dei secundum Electionem maneret and 11. 5. Reservatio secundum Electionem and Rom. 8. 13. Quos praedestinavit ut conformes fiant imagini Filii sui cos etiam vocavit Act. 13. 48. Crediderunt quotquot erant ordinati ad vitam aeternam Upon these places these two spake almost three hours It was expected that as the rest of the Professours hitherto have done so Doctour Davenant the next Professour should speak in publick It is said that he shall do it this day in a private Session for there is no publick till Munday and what will then be done I know not What the meaning is of this Audience only in private I know not But of this I will say more in my next Letters to your Honour till when I leave your Lordship to Gods good protection Dort this 15 â—5 of January 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Your Honour shall here receive a Copy of Mr. Deans farewel I fear me it is a little imperfect for I understand it not in some places If I can hear of another Copy from Mr. Praeses who promised me one at the begining of this week and find it to be perfecter I will again transcribe it The Dean of Worcesters Valediction to the Synod NOn facile mecum in gratiam redierit cadaverosa haec moles quam aegre usque circumgestâ— quae mihi sacri hujus Conventus celebritatem toties inviderit jamque me prorsus invitissimum a vobis importune a vocat divellit Neque enim ullus est profecto sub Coelo locus aeque Coeli aemulus in quo tentorium mihi figi maluerim cujusque adeo gestiet mihi animus meminisse Beatos vero vos quibus hoc frui datum Non dignus eram ego ut fidelissimi Romani Querimoniam imitari liceat qui pro Christi Ecclesiae suae nomine sanctam hanc provinciam diutius sustinerem Illud vero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nempe audito quod res erat non alia me quam adversissima hic usum valetu dine serenissimus Rex meus misertus miselli famuli sui revocat me domum quippe quod cineres meos ant sandapilam vobis nihil quicquam prodesse posse norit succenturiavitque mihi virum è suis selectissimum quantum Theologum De me profecto
mero jam silicernio quicquid fiat viderit ille Deus meus cujus ego totus sum Vobis quidem ita feliciter prospectumest ut sit cur infirmitati meae haud parum gratulamini quae hujusmodi instructissimo succedaneo coetum hunc vestrum beaverit Neque tamen committam si Deus vitam mihi ac vires indulserit ut et corpore simul et animo abesse videar Interea sane huic Synodo ubicunque terrarum sim votis consiliis conatibusque meis quibuscunque res vestras me pro virili serio ac sedulo promoturum sancte voveo Interim vobis omnibus ac singulis Honoratissimi Domini Delegati Revererdissime Domine Praeses Gravissimi Assessores Symmystae Colendissimi tibique Venerandissima Synodus Vniversa aegro animo ac corpore aeternum valedico rogoque vos omnes obnixius ut precibus vestris imbecillem reducem facere comitari et prosequi velitis Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Tuesday the 19 â—â— of Ianuary at the Evening Session the point of Reprobation was Scholastically and learnedly discust by Altingius one of the Palatine Professors His discourse was the most sufficient of any that yet I heard He began from the Definition and proceeded to how far God had a hand in it and how far man is the Author of his own Destruction and lastly answered the Remonstrants arguments He spake about an hour and a half I would willingly have given your Honour an acount of his speech but it was in the Evening and the Auditory are allowed no candles so that I could not use my Tables And thus have they discust the first Article though I could have wished that the question of Reprobation had been yet farther opened and stood upon it being a point of large extent and especially insisted on by the Remonstrant As for Synodical Resolution in this first Article that we must yet expect till all the rest be examined as this hath been There is no open Session till Friday next after dinner and then is it their purpose to enter upon the Second Article of Vniversal Grace at which time Mr. Balcanqual and Cruciger of Hassia are appointed to speak according as the rest have done before to this question Whether the death of Christ were intended indifferently for all or only for the Elect Upon Wednesday the 20 â—0 of Ianuary in the evening was there a private Session wherein belike for the making of better speed they consulted whether they should go on to examine the rest of the Articles after the same manner they had done the first or else bethink them of some more speedy order After a long disceptation even so long that Polyander put the Praeses in mind of the exceeding sharpness of the Weather they at length concluded that they would go on in the same course they had begun And this as yet is all the Newes that is passant wherefore ceasing farther to trouble your Honour I humbly take my leave Dort this 21 31 of January 1619. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty and Service Jo. Hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord UPon Friday the 15 â—5 of Ianuary there was a meeting of the Synod partly publick partly private As the Provincial Professors had done so was D. Davenant who is the first Professor of the Forraigners enjoyned by the Praeses to doe The intent of his discourse at that time was to overthrow certain distinctions framed by the Remonstrants for the maintenance of their positions and evasion from the Contra-Remonstrants Arguments The Remonstrants usually distinguish upon Election and divide it into definitam indefinitam revocabilem irrevocabilem peremptoriam non peremptoriam mutabilem immutabilem and the like For the refutation of which distinctions he first set down the definition of election brought by the Contra-Remoâ—strant and at large confirmed it secondly he brought the definition of election agreed on by the Remonstrant and Argued against it and thirdly he directly oppugned these forecited distinctions all which he did learnedly and fully When Dr. Davenant had spoken the Auditory was commanded to depart For having a purpose that others should speak at the same time and fearing that some diversity of opinion might rise and occasion some dissention it was thought fit that things should be transacted as privately as might be Many more of the Forreigners deliver'd themselves that night and amongst the rest Martinius of Breme proposed again his former doubts unto the Synod concerning the sence in which Christ is said to be fundamentum electionis and requested to be resolved But D. Gomarus at this time was somewhat better advised and thought it best to hold his peace This day will there be a private meeting wherein every company will give up their judgements in writing upon the first Article and to morrow I understand they will go on unto the second and proceed in it accordingly as they have in the former As for any Decisive Sentence they will give none till they have thus gone through all the five In this I suppose they doe very discreetly For since the Articles are mutually linked together it is most convenient they should first go through them all since a predetermination in the former might bind them to some inconvenience in the latter there being no place left to look back but stand they must to what they have once concluded For avoiding of this it is thought best to determine of all at once And this is all the news that here is currant wherefore commending Your Honour to Gods good protection I humbly take my leave Dort this â—â— â—â— of January 1619. Your Honours Chaplain and Bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord UPon Munday the â—8 27 of January in the Evening the Synod being met Scultetus spake at large de Certitudine gratiae salutis that it was necessary for every man to be assured of his Salvation The manner of his discourse was oratorial the same that he uses in his Sermons not scholastical and according to the fashion of disputation and Schools For this cause the question was neither deeply searcht into nor strongly proved And this is all was done that night I spake with Dr. Goad concerning Mr. Brent who answered me that he heard nothing at all of him and that he will shortly write unto my Lord Archbishops Secretary to be informed farther concerning him My Lord Bishop of late hath taken some pains with Martinius of Breme to bring him from his opinion of Vniversal Grace By chance I came to see his Letter written to Martinius in which he expounded that place in the third of Iohn So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. which is the strongest ground upon which Martinius rests himself Beyond this here is no news worth the relating and therefore till farther occasion offer it self I humbly take my leave Dort this 19 29 of January
1618. Yours Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Thursday the 21 â—â— of Ianuary in the Evening the Synod met privately and as they had done in the first so did they in the second Article For the speedier Direction to find the places in the Remonstrants Books where the particulars concerning Universal Grace are discust there was a kind of Index or Concordance drawn of the several passages in their writings touching that subject The next Day following that is the first of February Stylo novo Mr. Balcanqual and Cruciger of Hassia made entrance upon the second Article Mr. Balcanqual spake above an hour and did very well acquit himself When they had done the Praeses enjoyn'd Steinius of Hassia upon Tuesday next in the Evening at what time will be the next open Session to speak of the fourth Article for of the third there is no question and to sound whether the Grace of God converting us be resistible as the Remonstrants would have it This hast that is made in this suddain passing from one Article to another is much marvail'd at by our English Divines for the Colledges yet have not all given up their opinion upon the first and besides that the Remonstrants upon Wednesday last were willed to give in their Arguments upon the first Article For notwithstanding they be excluded from personal appearance in the Synod yet are they commanded to exhibit to the Synod whatsoever they shall please to command Now some time will be required for the examining of those reasons if they be of late invention and such as yet have had nothing said to them But what the reason of this haste is will appear hereafter I lately writ unto Mr. Collwall to know what Order was to be taken for the discharge of my Lodging whether your Honour were to answer it or the publick purse I would willingly be resolved of it because I have a desire to return to the Hague first because the Synod proceeding as it doth I do not see that it is operae pretium for me here to abide and then because I have sundry private occasions that call upon me to return For notwithstanding this haste of which I but now spake it will be long ere the Synod will come to determine any thing and about that time if your Honour shall be so pleased I shall be ready to come back to Dort And so remembring my service unto your Honour I humbly take my leave Dort this first of Febr. 1619. Stylo novo Your Honors Chaplain and bounden in all Duty and Service Jo. Hales Right Honourable and my very good Lord OUr Synod goes on like a watch the main Wheels upon which the whole business turns are least in sight For all things of moment are acted in private Sessions what is done in publick is only for shew and entertainment Upon Munday last the fourth of February stylo novo the Deputies met privately in the Evening where the first thing that came upon the Stage was the old impertinent business concerning the Campenses at what time Scotlerus a Remonstrant Minister who had been formerly cited to appear before the Synod having not appeared at time apppointed pretended sickness and for that cause he required the Synods patient forbearance After this they entred into consultation concerning certain Books and Writings to be conceiv'd partly for declaration of the Synods meaning in the Doctrine of the five Articles partly in Apology for it And first it was proposed that there should be scriptum didacticum a plain and familiar writing drawn wherein the Doctrine of the five Articles according to the intent and meaning of the Synod should be perspicuously exprest for the Capacity of the common sort and that in Dutch and Latin The Apological Writings were of two sorts first Scriptum Elenchicum wherein there were to be refuted such Errours as had been lately broached in prejudice of the received Doctrine secondly Scriptum Historicum which was to consist of two parts first a narration of the Synods procedings with the Remonstrant from the day of his first appearance till the time of his Ejection for the refutation of many bitter invectives which lately had been written against the Synod in that behalf Secondly a Relation de causis turbarum who were the Authors of the late Stirs in time of the separation for answer of Episcopius his Orations and other Writings of the Remonstrants in which the whole misorder in turn'd upon the Contra Remonstrant For the Scriptum didacticum the English were altogether against it and so was Vosbergius Their Reason was because it seem'd incongruous that any writing concerning the Doctrine of the Articles should be set forth before the Synod had given Sentence And indeed I must confess I see no great congruity in the proposal whilst matters are in controversie Judges walk suspensly and are indifferent for either party and whatsoever their intent be yet they make no overture of it till time of sentence come All this business of citing inquiring examining must needs seem only as acted on a stage if the Synod intempestively before hand bewray a resolution But notwithstanding any reason alleadgable against it the thing is concluded and Wallaeus Vdemannus and Triglandius are deputed to write a discourse to that purpose with the inspection and supervision of my Lord Bishop Scultetus Brittingerus and Deodatus For the Scriptum Historicum in the first part concerning the proceeding of the Synod with the Remonstrant there is required the pains of Scultetus and Triglandius in the second part de causis turbarum Latius must bestow his labour with the help of Festus Hommius of the South-Hollanders and North-Hollanders who best of any know the whole carriage of that matter To the composing of the Scriptum Elenchicum there are deputed four of the Provincials Professors Io. Polyander Lubbertus Gomarus and Thysius to whom are adjoyned as helpers and Supervisors D. Davenant Altingius and Martinius But the business of this writing past not without some opposition Deodat altogether misliked it Polyander requested that his pains might be spared Novi saith he quam sit mihi curta supellex But above all D. Gomarus was most offended at the Proposal Bella mihi video bella parantur ait And therefore quite refusing to consent to any Polemical writing he advised that the Scriptum didacticum should abstain à non necessariis privatis and contein only necessary points such as by common consent That they should expect till the Remonstrant had set forth some adversary writing and then would be a fitter time to think of somewhat in this kind I blame not D. Gomarus if he a little recoil For being of the Supralapsarii as they term them of those who bring the Decree of Gods Election from before the fall and seeing the Synod not willing to move that way but to subside in a lower sphere he is to be pardon'd if he deny his
President was on the plot Martinius against this speech of Gomarus said nothing but that he was sorry that he should have this reward for his far journey The disquisition went on to Thysius who very discreetly told the Synod he was sorry Martinius should be so exagitated for a speech which according to Martinius his explication was true Just as Thysius was thus speaking Gomarus and Sibrandus who sat next him pulleth him by the sleeve talketh to him with a confused angry noise in the hearing and seeing of all the Synod chiding him that he would say so afterward Thysius with great modesty desired Martinius to give him satisfaction of one or two doubtful sentences he had delivered which Martinius thanking him for his courtesie fully did the President was certainly on this plot against Martinius for at that same time he did read out of a Paper publickly a note of all the hard speeches Martinius had used all this while Doctor Crocius his patience was admired by all men who being so grossely abused and disgraced could get leave of his affections to hold his peace What this is like to come to I will tell your Lordship after I have set down the Sessions Sessio 86. 20. Feb. There were read 63. pages of the Remonstrants book which concerned the fifth Article it was for most part a confutation of the Doctors above named Sessio 87. eodem die post meridiem Dr. Mayerus one of the Helvetians publickly all auditors being admitted discussed the fifth Article de perseverantia Sanctorum he did rather like an Orator than a School-man Sessio 88. 21. Feb. There were read publickly 60. pages of the Remonstrants book which concerned the first Article they were of the same stuffe with the former a confutation of the same men Sessio 89. 22. Feb. There were read 57. pages of the Remonstrants book which concerned their opinion of Reprobation in which they did lay open the harsh opinions of many of our men which unless the Synod do condemn as well as the opinion of the Remonstrants I see not how they can give the world satisfaction touching their indifferencie among the rest which was read this was one if your Lordship can endure the smell of it instant Contra-Remon nos sumus patroni reproborum Resp. justitiae divinae patroni sumus non reproborum sicut dicendum est D. Sibrandum inscripto suo adversus Vorstium non suscepisse defensionem latrinarum dum defendit deum esse in foetidissimis latrinis sed tanâ—um suscepisse defensionem omnipraesentiae divinae quemadmodum nos justitiae this is all was worthy the noting in that lecture Sessio 90. eodem die post meridiem Deodatus was appointed to discourse of the first Article but being sick the five Belgick professors discussed it Sessio 91. 23. Feb. There were read some 35. pages of the Remonstrants Book concerning Reprobation and so the whole book is ended Now my Lord concerning this matter of the Bremenses it came to this height that they thought to have gone home and withal were ready to have printed an Apology for themselves and a narration of their heard usage in the Synod but some of the Exteri Theologi came to the English Colledge and desired them to help to quench this fire All the Exteri take to heart these two things first that strangers should be used so disgracefully for using two School terms which are both very common next that Gomarus durst openly in the Synod give such an irreverend answer to my Lord of Landaffe for which unless all the exteri may have satisfaction except the Palatines I believe there will be a shameful stir in the Synod They desired the English to labour the Bremenses to reconciliation with Scultetus which this night they are doing what becometh of it your Lordship shall hear but I have small hope for the Bremenses will take no satisfaction but publick because it was a publick imputation upon their Professions and School as if that were a place for corrupting of youth and I think Scultetus will be loth to give publick satisfaction yet my Lord Bishop of Landaffe Dr. Goad and my self have dealt with Scultetus and find him tractable Dr. Davenant and Dr. Ward have dealt with the Bremenses and find them mightily incensed Martinius hath never come to the Synod â—ince but with the rest of his Colleagues they have complained to the Delegates who I think will take order with Gomarus We the English are purposed but I know not whether that purpose shall hold to desire the Delegates to take notice of the wrong offered by Gomarus to my L. of Landaeffe My Lord all I will say is this there are two men in the Synod Sibrandus but especially Gomarus who are able to set it on fire unless they be lookt too I think there is no man will say but that Gomarus hath wronged the Bremenses infinitely hath wronged exceedingly my Lord of Landaffe and in him all the English Colledge your Lordships counsel to the President may bring much water to this fire There is here a little Pamphlet to be sold in the Synod Iambi de concordia pace written by Petrus Bertius the Author of Apostasia sanctorum they say it hath been out a great while if any of the States have seen it I wonder he is not severely punished it is the most seditious Satyr against this State that ever I read Here is all and I am sorry I had so much to write to your Lordship so with the remembrance of my humblest duty to your Lordship and your worthy Lady I take my leave and rest Dordretch this 23. of February Stylo novo Your L. faithful and respectful servant Water Balcanqual My very Good Lord FOr your L. last letters to my self and the news in the letters inclosed as I stand much obliged to your H. so much more I with all others who love peace and long for the happy success of this Synod must ever stand much obliged to your L. for your Letters to the President so full of sober good and necessary counsel the happy fruit whereof I hope during your being there we shall not cease to find as we have already begun to taste a little of the sweetness of it for the very next Session after the President had received your L. letters at the beginning in very mild and discreet words he entreated all the members of the Synod that in their disquisition of the fifth Article they should abstain from all bitterness and personal opposition and follow meekness and brotherly kindness which in that disquisition was observed by the two Belgick professors very strictly and their phrase and stile tempered otherwise than heretofore it hath been so as one might see they had been acquainted with the good counsel of your L. letters for I will assure you they followed it your L. joy cannot chuse but be great when you remember the great peace procured by your L. I should hold my self
subscriptions of his Colleagues next was read the judgement of the Geldri So my very good Lord here is the sum of all hath passed this week I hope your Lordship hath received the letters I sent these last two weeks what followeth I shall not fail to advertise your Lordship So with the remembrance of my most observant duty to your Lordship and your worthy Lady I take my leave and rest Dordrecht this 26. of March Stylo Novo 1619. Your Lordships in all true respect and service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord AFter I had written these yesternight I received your Lordships letters for which I stand much obliged to your Lordship I had before them received very particularly news from England but especially of the Star-Chamber sentence from a gentleman of good worth who was present many memorable sentences his Majesty delivered such as were these He said this sin was like the first sin committed in the world that my Lady Lake was the Serpent my Lady Rosseas Eve and Sir Thomas Lake the man He desired the Noble-men to take heed of their wives for he had now known five of his Council who had been overthrown by their wives and especially bid such look to themselves who had Popish wives if for no other thing yet for this that a Whore and a Papist were termini convertibiles Moreover speaking publickly of the Navie he gave in the Star-Chamber three reasons why he had made my Lord of Buckingham Admiral one was because the other was exceeding old second because this was young and fit for service third because of his love to this and his being near about him I am sure your Lordship hath the Kings meditation upon the Lords Prayer dedicated to my Lord of Buckingham else I would have sent your Lordship one Yesternight there landed here one English Gentleman of good worth who assureth us that on Tuesday last the Queen died and it may be true for I had a letter written the first of March assuring me that my Lord of Canterbury was sent for in hast to Hampton Court as was thought to see her die I hear likewise but cannot believe it that Mr. Dean of Worcester cometh this journey over with my Lord Hayes in his Embassage to the Emperour Now for your Lordships directions in our Synod business our thanks is but a small recompense your Lordship may justly look for your reward in heaven I pray God send us out of the second Article well and I shall be perswaded of Harmony in all the rest for in good faith some of the Provincials especially the Geldri and the North Hollandi who are of all in the Synod greatest in the President his books have delivered such propositions in that Article as I dare say never any Divine in the world dreamed of but themselves for my own part I had rather lose mine hand than subscribe them For that your Lordship adviseth from the King about the Palatines it is a thing absolutely necessary for they are the only Magistrales Doctores next to Gomarus in all the Synod and think every thing they speak should be taken for Text in good faith in their judgement upon the second Article they did gird most bitterly at some things which Dr. Ward had delivered in the Synod of that same Article with which Dr. Ward is very much moved Our judgement in the second Article is already read in the Synod so we must study to frame our selves to our directions from England in making of the Canons my Lord his Grace's Letter is to have us conform our selves to the received distinction and restriction with which his Grace acquainted his Majesty and received approbation from him but I must needs say that the directions which your Lordship hath sent from Secretary Naâ—ton do seem to will us to be as favourable to the general propositions as may be giving as little offence to the Lutherans as we can which counsel in my poor judgement we have in our Theses already followed Frequent admonitions and exhortations rather from your Lordship or by your Lordships means procured to the President for prudence and wariness and keeping the bond of peace may hinder much indiscretion in this Synod in which as I hope your Lordship will not be wanting so by God's grace I shall not be wanting to give your L. all convenient information nor be wanting in my prayers to the God of peace that your Lordship may still go on in procuring the peace of our assembly So once again with the remembrance of my most sincere Duty I rest This Sunday morning 17. March Your Lordships faithful and respectful servant Walter Balcanqual My very Good Lord SInce my last unto your Lordship there have been but three Sessions no matter of moment hath been done in them and therefore I will defer the relation of them to my next Letters only I thought good to let your Lordship know that yesterday after the forenoon Session the President called Me into his lodging and told me he would show me a miracle which in truth he did for there he showed me a Volume which the Remonstrants that morning had given into the Delegates upon the third fourth and fifth Articles I was I confess astonished when I looked on it for I could not with mine own hand lift it from the table it is above twice as much as all they have given in yet in good faith my Lord I think it is fully as big as one of our Church great Bibles which I would have your Lordship think I speak without any figure trope or Rhetorical lie for it is so big I told the President that it was a thing impossible the Synod could take notice of the Contents of that Volume under six moneths he answered me that for my comfort he would show me two lines in the Preface which would rid me of that fear and so he did for in these lines they do protest that they do not offer this Volume to the Synod for they profess that they have nothing nor will have nothing to do with the Synod since the Synod hath refused to have any doings with their living persons but only their dead books and therefore they do only offer this book to the Delegates but will not have it thought by any man that they offer it to the Synod Heinsius dyned with us yesterday and I asked him when they had given in this Book he told me that morning but with such impudence as is almost incredible for when one of the Delegates told them that he wondered why they would give in so much paper as was impossible it should ever be read in the Synod Episcopius answered they had nothing to doe with the Synod they offered it only to them who were the Delegates the former Delegate replied that the Delegats were not to judge of their opinions but the Synod that in their Letters Citatory they were warned to come and give an account to the Synod of the
Infideles damnabuntur non solùm ob infidelitatem sed etiam ob omnia alia peccata sua tam originalia quà m actualia Because they say that from thence may be inferred that original sin is not remitted to all who are baptized which opinion hath been by more than one Council condemned as heretical they have therefore at their request put it out so I know now of no matter of disagreement among us worthy the speaking of To morrow there is a Synod one way or other we shall determine what shall become of the Canons what we do your Lordship by God's grace with the first occasion shall understand I have here sent your Lordship my Speech made in the Synod I know your Lordships experience will pardon the imperfections of a discourse delivered upon less than two days warning Now my Lord to write a History of Dr. Goad his journey and mine own between Roterdam and Dort that night on which we came from your Lordship would move too much pity especially if you should make relation of the same to my Lady the compend of it is this that a little after five a clock in the afternoon we took Ship at Roterdam and about a little after one of the clock in the night we arrived at Dort but could get no entrance and therefore until half an hour past five in the Morning we sometimes lay in the Ship sometime walked on the Bulwark if we were not sufficiently assaulted with cold and watching we know our selves Mr. Downs's wooing in Greek was never so cold as we were that night Letters I have received from England the summe of the news are that the Spanish Navy is dissipated and that it never exceeded 60. sayls The King of Spain hath written large Letters with his own hand to our King in which he protesteth that he never intended any thing against England nor any Christian Kingdom The talk of the Spanish match hath of late been very fresh again in England but this is certain that the other day at Theobalds the King asking a Gentleman of good note what the people talked of the Spanish Navy received of him this answer Sir the people is nothing so much afraid of the Spaniard ' s powder as of their match My Lord I can but thank your Lordship for all your courtesies especially your Lordships great kindness at my last being with you which since my fortune will not give me leave to requite I must take leave to acknowledge With the remembrance of my best duty and service to your Lordship and your worthy Lady and my faithful wishes for both your happiness I take my leave hoping your Lordship will believe that there liveth no man of whom you may more freely dispose than of Dort this 4 1◠of April Your Lordships most faithful and respectful in all true service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord DOctor Davenant his coming to your Lordship saveth me the writing of any News here for he will perfectly relate them to your Lordship We are full of trouble about things altogether unnecessary they are so eager to kill the Remonstrants that they would make their words have that sence which no Grammar can find in them upon Tuesday in the Afternoon we had a Session in which were read the Canons of the first and second Article and were approved except the last of the second Article which we never heard of till that hour and the second heterodox in that same Article what they were Dr. Davenant will inform your Lordship The last was such as I think no man of understanding would ever assent unto On Thursday Morning we had another Session in which was nothing done but that it was reasoned whether that last heterodox should be retained our College in that whole Session maintained dispute against the whole Synod they condemned the thing it self as a thing most curious and yet would have it retained only to make the Remonstrants odious though they find the very contrary of that they would father upon them in their words That day in the Afternoon was another Session in which were read the Canons of the third fourth and fifth Articles and were approved the particular passages of these Sessions I will send your Lordship by the next occasion there were no great matters in them yet when I send your Lordship the next Sessions in which it is like that something will be done I will send a note of them too yesterday there was no Session but the Deputies met for taking order about the Preface and Epilogue of the Canons and mending those things in the Canons which were thought fit to be amended and have sent them worse than they were in case we stand and what need of counsel we have this worthy Doctour will sufficiently inform your Lordship My Lord I have had a great deal of talk with Mr. Douglas about the Controversies in this Church and find him unquestionably sound in them also that there is no fear of his Opinions if otherwise he be found sufficient I much wonder that we do not hear of my Lord of Doncaster There is here in the Synod a report of our King his mortal disease it cometh from Scultetus but I hope it is but the Gout With the remembrance of my best duty and service to your good Lordship and my Lady I take my leave and rest ever Dort this 9 1◠of April Your Lordships in all true respect and service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord NOw at last we have made an end of our business of the five Articles what trouble we have had in these last Sessions none can conceive but those who were present at them and what strange carriage hath been in them especially on the President his part it is too palpable he hath deceived all mens hope of him very far This mater of the personal censure which was a thing of great consequence we were never made acquainted with before the very instant in which it came to be read and because the Delegates must not be stayed from their going to the Hague therefore all the Synod must say Amen to it between the Forenoon and the Afternoon Session there was strange labouring with the Exteri for getting their consent to it yet we medled not with it all I can say is me thinketh it is hard that every man should be deposed from his Ministery who will not hold every particular Canon never did any Church of old nor any Reformed Church propose so many Articles to be held sub poena excommunicationis but had it not been then cruel if all had gone for Canons which they would have had gone v. g. that of an absolute necessity of similitude of nature for working our redemption None of us have the Canons yet neither shall till the Estates have approved them a note of such Sessions as have passed since my last notes which your Lordship had I do now send your Lordship our Sessions have been
potest ac debet hîc pontificiorum sententiam improbamus 8. Vere fidelis pro tempore futuro certus quidem esse potest ac debet se mediantibus vigiliis aliisque sanctis exercitiis in vera fide perseverare posse nec ad perseverandum unquam illi defuturam gratiam divinam Sed quomodo certus esse possit se officio suo in posterum nunquam defuturum sed in fidei pietatis charitatis actionibus utì fidelem decet perseveraturum in hac militiae Christianae Schola non videmus nec ut hac de re certus sit fidelis necessarium esse arbitramur Reverendissimi Patres ac Fratres habetis sententiae nostrae quoad reliquos quatuor articulos propositionem quam propugnare ei contrariam quae quoad maximam Thesium supradictarum partem Contra-remonstrantium est oppugnare parati sumus isthâc ratione ut eam porro explicemus defendamus quantum possumus necessarium judicabimus veritatis ipsius gloriae divinae conscientiae nostrae aedisicationis ecclesiarum nostrarum interesse putamus Most Reverend and very good Lord WE have sent to your Grace by this Bearer the things that have passed since the 24. of November We have been held here with matters which we look'd not for long expecting the coming of the Remonstrants They came to the Synod the 26. of Novemb. we were in great expectation at their coming to come to the points in question But many delays have been made by them and in seeking matters of delay they moved two things with the one they incumbred the Synod with the other they incumbred themselves The first was their protestation against the Synod holding it for no lawful judge of their controversies for which they gave two special reasons First because it was for the most part Schismatical secondly it consisted of such as were their Adversaries and therefore ought to be no Judges To these reasons the forreign Divines were intreated to answer in writing The answers which we gave we have sent to your Grace by this Bearer The thing wherein they incumbred themselves was upon the first speech of Episcopius in the Synod which speech he was willed to deliver to the Synod The Delegates that were present required also that it should be given with their names subscribed which was done but in delivering of it Episcopius required that either the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or at least the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof might be restored to him because he had not another copy This was generally taken to be his answer but when it was found that he had another copy thereof this was not well taken and he was thereof admonished which bred some quesion This being ended they were brought with much ado to set down their sentence of the first Article of the five which sentence as they have set it down we have sent to your Grace This is all that is yet done The French Divines have been long expected and yet are expected Thus with our Prayers we commend your Grace to Gods blessed protection and rest Dordrecht Decemb. 6. 1618. Your Graces bound in all Duties George Landaven Ios. Hall Ioh. Davenant Samuel Ward Most Reverend and my very good Lord THe things which heretofore we have been incumbred with did not yield me a just occasion to write to your Grace Of late more occasions have risen Novemb. 26. the Remonstrants came first into the Synod Episcopius made a long speech among other things he declared that they offered a Petition to the States intreating that they might have Grevinchovius and Gonlartius joyned to them which the States denyed It was declared that day in the Synod that Grevinchovius was deposed by the Church that his Deposition was made known to him by two sent from the States that Grevinchovius his answer was that he rested in that Sentence only he intreated leave to stay at Rotterdam and there practise Merchandise The same day before night came to me Episcopius Corvinus and Duingtonius three chief Remonstrants entreating me to mediate for them that Grevinchovius might be admitted to their Company I told them that the Church had deposed Grevinchovius and the States had approved the Deposition and therefore I could not meddle in that thing Yet they were very earnest I told them I would send for my Collegues and they should have a common answer Whilest we stayed for my fellows I fell into some speech with Corvinus concerning some things which he hath written and found him nothing constant in those things which he hath published When the rest came they said Grevinchovius was for present speech best able to deal in that cause I told them they must trust the goodness of the cause and not to the present abilities of any man and so they departed But before they went away they gave us a writing which they intreated us to read which they said they purposed to deliver to the other forreign Divines The writing we sent to my Lord Embassador purposing also to send when the next opportunity served to your Grace Since this time the Synod hath been somewhat warmed for before we were held with small occasions Three Speeches by them have been made in the Synod before the 2. of Decemb. one pronounced by Episcopius two other made by Duingtonius In all which speeches they declared that they held not this Synod to be a competent Iudge of their controversies When the first Speech was made the President Ecclesiastical called for a copy thereof or the Speech it self the President Political added that the Copy should be signed by their hands which was done In offering up the Copy Episcopius intreated that he might have it restored again because as he said he had not another But when Heinsius was afterward sent to him from the Delegates to require another Copy because they found that this copy which was exhibited did not contain all that Episcopius delivered he shewed him another Copy Hereupon grew a business which for some time troubled the Synod whilst Episcopius cleared himself from falshood He appealed against the President who admonished him hereof to the testimony of the whole Synod I declare to your Grace these things particularly because these two things one that they denyed the words which they spake in the Synod the other that they held the Synod for no lawful Iudge of their controversies giving these reasons because it consisted for the most part of Schismaticks and because they were adversaries to the other and therefore could not be their Judges These things as they handled them drew away the affections of men from them in so much as some of our Friends here in this Town who were well affected to them seemed to be much alienated because they accuse the Synod of Schism For if they had taken exception against some particular persons and not accused the whole body it might have been better taken but this course displeaseth their own friends In some things
they bring them in some revenue that read Scripture for no other purpose but to cull out certain thrifty Texts to pretend unto their covetousness and distrust as that Charity begins from it self that he is worse then an infidel that provides not for his family But as for those other Scriptures that perswade us to be open-handed to lend looking for nothing again having two coats to part with him that hath none these we can gently pass by as Meteors and aiery speculations and think we have done God and men good service when we have invented some shifting interpretation to put them and remove them out of the way When Azahel wounded by Abner lay in the way wallowing in his own bloud the people which followed after Abner stood still as they came to Azahel till he was removed out of the way Men are willing to be Christians and yet unwilling to leave the thriving courses which the world takes when in their pursuit of gain they meet with these or the like places of holy Scripture cannot chuse but be much amused and stand still as it were at Azahel's body Now those that have been the Authours of certain mollifying Paraphrases and distinctions and the like have removed these harsher places of Scripture as it were Azahel's body and made the way open and clear to our covetous desires How scrupulous our fore-fathers were in expounding of these or the like Texts of Scripture themselves have left us notable Monuments St. Basil makes a strange Supposition and to it gives as strange an Answer Wert thou brought saith he unto those streights that thou hadst but one loaf of bread left and that thou knew'st no means to provide other when that is spent if there should come some poor and needy man and ask thee food what thinkest thou is thy duty to do Even to take that one loaf and put it into the hands of him that requires it and looking up unto heaven say Lord thou seest this one loaf thou knowest the streights in which I am and that there is no other means but thy providence yet have I preferr'd the keeping of thy commands before mine own necessities Beloved this is a point of piety cujus non andeo dicere nomen I should scarcely durst to have taught it had I not had the warrant of so grave a man For in this Age we are taught that we must begin from our selves that we must not tempt God by making our selves destitute of means and other such thriving doctrines which strongly savour of love unto the world and distrust in God's promises There may be many reasons of mollifying some texts of Scripture and restraining them but amongst those let that be the last which is drawn from our commodity and so there be no other cause to hinder let not respect to our persons or to our purses restrain any Scripture from that latitude and compass of sense of which it is naturally capable I will yet draw a third reason why the wicked should thrive in the world above the rate of beâ—ter men and that is the negotiating of the Divil in these cases who doubtless busies himself exceedingly that those who do him service may have their hire and therefore whatsoever he can do in disposing of the things of the world he will effect and with all his might strive that their ambitious and partial and covetous desires may have good success Doubtless it was an overlashing speech which the Divil used unto our Saviour when he offered him all the Kingdoms of the world upon condition he would fall down and worship him For whatsoever the issue of the temptation had been he could not have made his promise good Yet certainly there are many cases unknown to us wherein the Divil by God's permission does dispose of the world Iob in his losses and afflictions takes notice of no such thing yet we all know that the divil had an especial hand in them Wherefore wicked men if God do not hinder doubtless have all the service that the world and the divil possibly can do them and on the contrary side could the divil and the world hinder good men should have nothing at all Needs therefore must they thrive that have the divil and the world to farther them and to do them all the good offices they can Many other reasons may you frame to your selves why the wicked should thus flourish in the world which I must leave to your private Meditations For I must not forget that there is yet a good part of my Text behind Now as Homer is wont to tell us when he speaks of Rivers and Mountains that men indeed call them thus and thus but the gods have other names for them so you must know that hitherto we have spoken of profit and gain as men are wont to like of it we will now speak of it in a sense that God and holy Saints are wont to use For besides this first there is a second profit of Godliness by which it doth reflect upon the former Care and industry without godliness brings in the things of the world upon us but in this case we cannot call them profits What profit is it for a man to gain the whole world and to lose his own soul Godliness it is therefore that makes even profit it self profitable For the true profit is the enjoying using and bestowing of them and this alone doth piety teach So that piety serves not onely as a Bayly to bring them in but as an Instructor to teach us how to lay them out For it is a greater part of wisdom wisely to dispend them when we have them then to get them at the first As one told Hannibal that he knew how to conquer better then how to use the Victory so many there are in the world who know how to gather but few that know how to use How many do our eyes see every day who make no end of heaping up wealth but never bethink themselves how to employ it By lying thus idly by us it gathers a rust as St. Iames tells us which rust eats out our soul but piety Abdita terris inimica lamnae washes off the rust of it and makes it bright by using it One onely true use there is of these outward blessings and that is it which our Saviour teaches in the Gospel Make ye friends saith he of the unrighteous Mammon The world I know makes it profit enough to have it but this other profit that comes by expence and laying it out it can hardly be brought to learn Many there are that can be content to hear that Godliness is profitable to them but that Godliness should make them profitable to others it should cost them any thing that they cannot endure to hear It was St. Basil's observation of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know many saith he that can with some ease be brought to fast to pray to lament and mourn for sin to perform all
to consider whether there might not be found some means of accommodation which might somewhat mollify the Remonstrant and yet stand well with the Honour of the Synod And first to make way they read the Letters which in the morning by publick Decree of the States were forbidden to read a pretty matter in so grave a place to break those edicts in the Evening which but in the Morning had been so solemnly proclaimed and to speak truth their Decrees have hitherto been mere matter of formality to affright them a little for none of them have been kept as being found to be Pouder without Shot and give a clap but do no harm The Letters being read they began to deliver their minds Some thought the Synod had been too favourable to the Remonstrants already and that it were best now not to hold them if they would he going since hitherto they had been and for any thing appeared to the contrary meant hereafter to be a hindrance to all Peaceable and orderly proceedings Others on the contrary thought fit that all should be granted them which they required to surcease the Interrogatories to let them speak of Reprobation in what place in what manner and how much they pleased since this took from them all pretence of exception and prejudiced not the Synods power of determining what they pleased A third sort thought it better to hold a middle course and under colour of Explanation to mollifie some of their Decrees This sort prevailed and accordingly it was concluded that the Decree of the Synod of this decree I gave your Honour the sum in my Saturday Letters made in the morning should be more largely and Significantly drawn and withall in it should be exprest how far it pleased the Synod to be indulgent unto the Remonstrants in the points in Question The Forraign Divines were requested that they would conceive some Reasons by way of Answer to these late exceptions of the Remonstrants and give them up in writing the next Session to try whether by these means they might make them a little to relent This is all was done that Session which though it seem but litle yet being handled with much and long Speaking among so many took up a long time On Munday the 21 â—â— of December in the Morning the Synod being set Iohannes Polyander made a Latin Sermon His Theme was the seventh verse of the two and fiftieth of Isaiah O quam speciosi in montibus c. he spake much of the greatness of Ecclesiastical Function First in regard of their dignity in the word Speciosi Secondly of their industry in the word Montibus which argues them either to be Pastores or Speculatores Thirdly of the suavity of their Doctrine in the word Peace and Good things After this he fell Pathetically to bewail the torn State of the Belgick Churches and to commend the diligence of the Synod in endavouring to establish their Churches Peace This was the sum of his Sermon it being only a passionate strain and conteining nothing much Remarkable either for Doctrine or News The Praeses in the Name of the Synod gave him great thanks and signified that he had many causes Sperare optima quaeque de Synodo but that Gods good Spirit was indeed amongst them he gathered especially by this Argument that so many Learned and Pious Sermons had in this place been lately made and so he dismist the Company Concerning Monsieur Moulins proposition of which your Honour required my opinion thus I think His project consists of two heads of a General Confession and of a peaceable treaty for Union with the Lutheran Churches I imagine that the Generality of the Confessions must not include the Lutheran For if it doth then are both parts of his proposition the same it being the same thing to procure one general Confession of Faith and a Union Supposing then that this Confession stretches not to them I will do as Iupiter doth in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will grant him one part and deny him the other For a general Confession of Faith at least so far as those Churches stretch who have Delegates here in the Synod I think his project very possible there being no point of Faith in which they differ If therefore the Churches shall give power to their Delegates to propose it to the Synod I see no reason but it should pass But I did not like the intimation concerning Church-Government It had I think been better not mentioned not that I think it possible that all Churches can be Govern'd alike for the French Church being sub cruce cannot well set up Episcopal jurisdiction but because it may seem to his Majesty of Great Britain that his excepting the point of Government might not proceed so much from the consideration of the Impossibility of the thing as from want of love and liking of it in the Person Now for that part of the proposition which concerns the Lutheran either it aimes at a Union in Opinion or a mutual toleration The first is without all question impossible For in the point of the Sacrament and the dependences from it as the ubiquity of Christs manhood the Person of Christ the Communicatio idiomatum c. Either they must yield to us or we to them neither of which probable Their opinions have now obtain'd for a Hundred years ever since the beginning of the Reformation and are derived from the chief Author of the Reformation It is not likely therefore that they will easily fall that have such Authority and so many years to uphold them But I suppose Monsieur Moulins intended only a mutual toleration and be it no more yet if we consider the indisposition of the persons with whom we are to deal I take this likewise to be impossible The Lutherans are divided into two sorts either they are Molliores as they call them or Rigidi What hope there may be of moderation in the first I know not but in the second we may well despair of For they so bear themselves as that it is evident they would rather agree with the Church of Rome than with the Calvinist He that is conversant in the writings of Hunnius and Grawerus will quickly think as I do The first of which hath so bitterly written against Calvin that Parsons the Jesuit furnisht himself by compiling Hunnius his Books If the whole lump be Leaven'd as those two pieces which I but now named they are certainly too sowre for Moderate men to deal with The French wits are naturally active and projecting and withall carry evermore a favourable conceit to the Possibility of their projects Out of this French conceit I suppose proceeded this of M. Moulins Mr. Dean went away to the Hague giving notice to no man I understood not till dinner that day of any intent he had to go I wisht him an ill journey for this discourtesy but I hope he had a good one I fear I well wearied your Honour
the Clock every College would depute one who might meet about the conceiving of the Canons that one should relate to the rest of their College what Articles they agreed upon and accordingly consult with them to know what they would have added paired or changed so after these deputed and had agreed the Canons should be publickly read and approved This is all but that I think our President hath need of your Lordships good counsel for carrying himself in making the Canons I find every man murmuring already that he would make them and doth but only dictate them to the rest With the remembrance of my best service to your Lordship and my Lady I take my leave and am Dordrecht this 23. of March New style Your Lordships in all true respects and service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord WHat stir we have had about the making of our Canons your Lordship shall understand by Letters from our whole College if we had not written a common Letter and then your Lordship should have taken some particular notice of the contents of mine the rest of my Colleagues must needs have suspected that your Lordship had had intelligence from me And therefore I did presently deal with my Lord and the rest of our Society that they would write a common Letter to your Lordship concerning the particular passages of this troublesome business These three things I may say in it First that the President would take upon him more than ever any President did to make Canons and â—ass them by placet or non placet and then he hath so many of the Provincials at command to pass what he will I cannot I consess yet see how it can consist with the dignity of any much more of some of the Members of the Synod that the President should dictate Canons and the rest especially a Bishop write after him so that he maketh the Canons and the whole Synod are called non ad consilium sed tantum consensum Next I think my Lord that if the Synod had wanted but two men which are of it we had wanted a great deal of contention which I perceive will not forsake the Synod so long as they are in it I mean Sibrandus Gomarus they keep their fits of madness by course the last fit before this came to Gomarus his turn and this day Sibrandus flew out but with such Raving and sierceness of countenance such unheard bitterness against our College as I desire no other revenge on him than the very speaking of the words which while they were in his mouth were checked by both Presidents Politick and Ecclesiastical Dr. Davenant who is a very moderate man would have answered him much against my will no man could blame him for Sibrandus his words against our College if they had come from a wise man his lips had been above the strength of patience I was glad the President gave not way to Dr. Davenants speech which notwithstanding I am sure would have been full of discretion and for Sibrandus I blame him and Gomarus no more for these extasies than I do a stone for going downward since it is both their natural constitution Thirdly if your Lordships care do not now most of all shew it self for procuring of good counsel to be sent hither for the constitution of the Canons we are like to make the Synod a thing to be laughed at in after ages The President and his Provincials have no care of the credit of strangers nor of that account which we must yield at our return unto all men that shall be pleased to call for it their Canons they would have them so full charged with Catechetical speculations as they will be ready to burst and I perceive it plainly that there is never a Contra-Remonstrant Minister in the Synod that hath delivered any Doctrine which hath been excepted against by the Remonstrants but they would have it in by head and shoulders in some Canon that so they might have something to show for that which they have said God his goodness towards his Church and your Lordships vigilant constancy in perfecting this good course which you were so careful to procure I hope will teach us to overcome all these difficulties In my last letter I wrote as I suspect that the Palatines inveighed against some things delivered by Dr. Ward in the third and fourth Articles If I had so I was mistaken I should have said the second Article We shall have no more Sessions till all be agreed upon in private Colleges and therefore I thought to have come over to have done my duty to your Lordship this Easter but I understand by a Letter from Sir Thomas Iermyn that my Lord Hayes had warning to make himself ready for his Embassage against the tenth of Marcb I think he will come by the Hague if I understand of his coming I must likewise do my duty to him and I can hardly make two journies and so with my humblest service for your Lordships kind invitation and for all the rest of your Lordships most undeserved favours to a stranger which since my fortune is not likely ever to give me leave to requite I must take leave to acknowldge and with my best prayers for your Lordships and my Ladies happiness I take my leave and am as I ever shall be Dordrecht this 25. of March Your Lordships in all true respect and service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord ALL my answer to your Lordships arguments is my acknowledgement of your Lordships extraordinary courtesie in your kind invitations I could not be so fitted in my mourning apparel as I would before Saturday at night besides we must now narrowly look to the Canons which are sent to us by the Deputies of the Synod for we are required upon Tuesday next to give in our observations upon them my Lord of Landaffe being one of the Deputies hath already delivered his opinion of them and therefore his Lordship may here be spared till Wednesday next the rest of us have not and it being the main business of our coming hither we must plie it so as it may be done to some good purpose My Lord of Landaffe his coming to your Lordship telleth me that the writing of any occurrences here are needless so with the continuance of my best wishes for your Lordships health and happiness I take my leave and shall ever account it a great part of my temporal happiness if your Lordship shall be pleased to account me as I am Dordrecht this 29. of March Stylo loci Your Lordships in all dutiful respect and service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord THis Place is yet still barren of News but I make no question but my next Letters shall send your Lordship some The Deputies appointed by the Synod have taken pains I must needs confess to give our College all satisfaction besides the second Article some of our College have been earnest to have this Proposition out
they erred greatly for want of knowledge of what was done in the Synod which seemed strange that of 400 or 500 persons which are spectatours not one would tell them what was done seeing that might so easily be done because they keep in a chamber that is hard by the door of the Synod-house If they shall proceed hereafter in Doctrinalibus as hitherto they have done in Agibilibus it will appear that there is a great judgment of God upon their judgments They are marvellous loth to be brought to the point wherefore they and we meet They have held the Synod with delays stays and evagations from Novemb. 26. until Decemb. 3. with dilatory evasions exercising the Synod Decemb. 4. they gave up their sentence of the first of the five Articles but so confusedly that they have bred a greater dislike of their proceedings They declare most in Negatives what they hold not Of that one Article they have made ten in some one of their ten are twelve propositions contained To follow them would make a long work Corvinus one of the Remonstrants came to Mr. Mayer the Professour of Basil and told him that he was drawn into these troublesom courses by others and shewed some dislike as if he meant to withdraw himself from them I make your Grace acquainted with this In your wisdom you know that if this were made known to some in England he might have notice thereof out of England which might hinder his resolution which I think by all good means should be forwarded For from England they have had no small encouragements heretofore We are in good hope that though there may be some delays yet the matter will have a good end We hear that the Iesuites are much offended at the Synod It must be some great good that offends them All things are here carried with great honour to his Majesty and hearty prayers are made for him daily as well by others as by his own Subjects If things shall be transacted with quietness your Grace may think of it whether it were not fit that some motion might be made to the States for some consideration or stipend to be given to the Remonstrants if they shall be deposed for they look for no other than Deposition Their Request in the Synod to the Delegates was that they would be means to the States that they would impose no other punishment upon them than Deposition I must make your Grace acquainted with one thing that was told me by Mr. Montgomery a Scottish Gentleman in these parts He said that he came to the sight of a Letter written to some of the Remonstrants to encourage them in their courses promising that if they were deposed they should have honourable maintenance for themselves and their Families This was before the late times which if it hold now it may give warning to others not to plead hastily for their maintenance I crave pardon for this length Mr. Dean of Worcester hath not had his health well these two or three days the rest are all well God be thanked Thus commending your Grace to Gods blessed protection I rest Dordr Decemb. 6. 1618. Your Graces in all Duties bound George Landaven May it please your Grace DOctor Goade of whose coming it pleased your Grace to advertise me by your Letters of the 21. of the last arrived here with your others of the 29. the 4. of this present The fifth I presented him to the States General in whose assembly by an extemporary Speech he very well acquitted himself and left good impressions of a conceit which he expressed very lively how this Church and State like two inseparable Twins must live and die together and how both have been always and are still cherished by his Majestie The same day I brought him to his Excellency and Count William as I had formerly done the rest of the Divines and there I took the boldness to read unto them out of your Graces Letters his Majesties and your Graces Judgment of the Remonstrants and their opinions which being so clearly set down his Excellency said was bon françois and if I be not deceived in conformity to what your Grace doth wish when the Synod hath done with the Remonstrants opinions this course will be taken with their persons that the chief Ring-leaders as Vterbogan Episcopius Grevinchovius and Vorstius with some others will be branded with some note of infamy and thrust out both of Church and State Some others of the chief will have their entertainments continued but be suspended in their functions The rest by reason of want of fit men to supply their charges will be continued in hope the example of others will keep them within their bounds This course is like to be taken rebus sic stantibus but if the French Embassador's endeavours for the delivery of our Prisoners about which they have now had two publick audiences or their private practices in favour of the Arminian party should take any place we must then expect a mutation mean time things go on very well both in Church and State for even this day I am advertised from Schonover which hath been one of the hottest Arminian Towns there being at this present certain Deputies of the Provincial Synod to visit that Claâ—sis within the space of these three days three Remonstrant Preachers of the Villages adjoyning have renounced their Doctrine acknowledging under their hands that it is false and contrary to the Doctrine of the Old and New Testament and that the Doctrine teached by the Contra-Remonstrants is the Orthodox from which they will never hereafter swerve We have here a persecuted man by Barneveld and his Faction Monsieur Arsens whom your Grace may remember by his quarrel with Vandermyle advanced to the Nobless of Holland So is also Monsieur Marquett the Lieutenant General of the Horse both men of good sufficiency and well affected in Religion They were both admitted to their Seats in the Assembly of the States of Holland yesterday One of the Nobless in put is place of Vandermyle in the Council of State and another in the place of Matiness in the Assembly of the States General These two last being Curators of the University of Leyden out of which charge they are likewise removed brought in Vorstius and he is thereby in so much the worse case in that they stand now in need of Patrons themselves which were his Protectors I shall not need to advertise your Grace what passeth at the Synod from whence you will hear how the Remonstrants being excluded from further conference by reason of their Opiniatrity their Opinions are now collected out of their Books The course is approved by the States yet the manner of their dimission in very rough and uncivil terms used by the President Bogermannus who before won much commendation of modesty and temper is generally disliked Quanquam illi digni hà c contumeliâ the place and quality of the Assembly required another manner of proceeding
90. Christian Omnipotency Philip. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that enableth or that strengthneth me p. 114. Luke 18. 1. And he spake a Parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint p. 131. My kingdom is not of this World John 18.36 Iesus answered my kingdom is not of this world If my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Iews c. p. 146. 1 Sam. 24.5 And it came to pass afterward that Davids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls Skirt p. 161. John 14.27 Peace I leave unto you My peace I give unto you p. 177. The profit of godliness 1 Tim. 14.8 But Godliness is profitable unto all things p. 193. A Second Sermon on the same Text. p. 214. Iacobs Vow Gen. 28.20 And Iacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and give me bread to eat and rayment to put on c. p. 228. Dixi Custodiam Psal. 36.1 I said or resolved I will take heed to my ways p. 244. MISCELLANIES p. 257. Letters concerning the Synod of Dort A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and sold by Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet EPiscopacy as established by Law in England not prejudicial to Regal Power written by the special command of the late King by R. Sanderson late Lord Bishop of Lincolne The Whole Duty of Man laid down in a plain and familiar way for the use of All but especially the meanest Reader Necessary for all Families with private Devotions for several Occasions The Gentleman 's Calling Written by the Author of The Whole Duty of Man The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety Or an Impartial Survey of the Ruines of Christian Religion Undermin'd by Unchristian Practice By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man A Scholastical History of the Canon of the Holy Scripture Or the Certain and Indubitate books thereof as they are received in the Church of England By Dr. Cosin Lord Bishop of Durham Divine Breathings or a Pious Soul thirsting after Christ in an hundred excellent Meditations Hugo Grotius de Robus Belgicis Or the Annals and History of the Low-Countrey Wars in English wherein is manifested that the United Netherlands are indebted for the glory of their Conquests to the Valour of the English A Treatise of the English Particles shewing much of the variety of their significations and uses in English and how to render them into Latin according to the propriety and elegancy of that language with a Praxis upon the same By William Walker B. D. School-master of Grantburn with a Table newly added The Royal Grammar commonly called Lillies Grammar explained opening the meaning of the Rules with great plainness to the understanding of Children of the meanest capacity with choice observations on the same from the best Authors By W. Walker B. D. Author of the Treatise of English Particles A Catalogue of the names of all the Parliaments or reputed Parliaments from the year 1640. A Narrative of some Passages in or relating to the Long Parliament by a person of Honour Sober Inspections into the Long Parliament By Iames Howel Esquire Dr. Sprackling against the Chymists Nemâ—sius's Nature of Man in English By G. Withers Gent. Inconveniences of Toleration A Letter about Comprehension A Collection of Canons Articles and Injunctions of the Church of England By Anthony Sparrow Lord Bishop of Exon. The Bishop of Exons Caution to his Diocese against false doctrines delivered in a Sermon at his Primary Visitation The form of Consecration of a Church or Chappel and of the place of Christian Burial by Bishop Andrews A Thanksgiving Sermon preach'd before the King by I. Dolhen D. D. Dean of Westminster and Clerk of the Closet Bishop Brownrigs Sermon on the Gunpowder Treason A Letter to a Person of Quality concerning the Fines received by the Church at its Restauration wherein by the Instance of one the richest Cathedrals a fair guess may be made at the receits and disbursments of all the rest A Narrative or Journal of the Proceedings of the Lord Holles and the Lord Coventry Ambassadors Plenipotentiaries for the Treaty at Breda Written by a person of Quality concerned in that Ambassie A Narrative of the Burning of London 1666 with an account of the losses and a most remarkable Parallel between it and MOSCO both as to the Plague and Fire Lluellyns three Sermons on the Kings Murder A Collection of the Rules and Orders now used in Chancery Iter Lucitanicum Or the Portugal Voyage with what memorable passages interven'd at the Shipping and in the Transportation of her Sacred Majesty Katherine Queen of Great Britain from Lisbon to England By Dr. Samuel Hynde All sorts of Law Books A TRACT CONCERNING SCHISME AND SCHISMATICKS WHEREIN Is briefly discovered The Original Causes of all Schism HEresie and Schism as they are commonly used are two Theological scar-crows with which they who use to uphold a party in Religion use to fright away such as making inquiry into it are ready to relinquish and oppose it if it appear either erroneous or suspitious for as Plutarch reports a Painter who having unskilfully painted a Cock chased away all Cocks and Hens that so the imperfection of his Art might appear by comparison with Nature so men willing for ends to admit of no fancy but their own endeavour to hinder an inquiry into it by way of comparison of somewhat with it peradventure truer that so the deformity of their own might not appear but howsoever in the common manage Heresie and Schisme are but ridiculous terms yet the things in themselves are of very considerable moment the one offending against Truth the other against Charity and therefore both deadly when they are not by imputation but indeed It is then a matter of no small importance truly to descry the nature of them and they on the contrary strengthen themselves who through the iniquity of men and times are injuriously charged with them Schisme for of Heresie we shall not now treat except it be by accident and that by occasion of a general mistake spread through all the writings of the Ancients in which their names are familiarly confounded Schisme I say upon the very sound of the word imports Division Division is not but where Communion is or ought to be Now Communion is the strength and ground of all Society whether Sacred or Civil whosoever therefore they be that offend against the common society and friendliness of men if it be in civil occasions are guilty of Sedition and Rebellion if it be by reason of Ecclesiastical difference they are guilty of Schisme So that Schisme is an Ecclesiastical Sedition as Sedition is a lay Schism yet the great benefits of Communion notwithstanding in regard of divers distempers men are subject to Dissention and Dis-union are often necessary For when either false