of no long Standing in the World By this mâ—ans did he make account to gain the Affections of the People and at one time or other to make his advantage of those different Râ—ligions for the execution of his great Designs He knew that all those new Christians whom he protected in the Exercise of Religions were so many Creatures whom he made sure to his Party by an inviolable Bond and as many irreconcileable Enemies to Philip who was the cruel Persecutor of all those upstart Professors of Religion In the mean time Prince William who had all this while conconceal'd his Sentiments for Religion took a very convenient opportunity to lay by the Roman-Catholick persuasion which he had till then profess'd and to embrace that of the Protestants He was in Germany at his Brothers the Count of Nassaw and had been forc'd by the Intreaties of many of his Relations and some Friends banishâ—d out of the Low-Countries to try an expedition to endeavour the deliverance of their Country from the oppression wherein it was and to set it at liberty When therefore he saw that he stood in need of the assistance of the Protestants for the getting of an Army togâ—ther he thought it a fit time to cast off the Mask and to publish by his Mâ—nifesto That he had deserted the Roman Church to follow a better Religion He had also in his Eye this considerable advantage That by the Settlement of a Religion different from the Roman he rendred the reconciliation between the Provinces and the King of Spain more difficult or indeed impossible He had observ'd that some of the Catholick Provinces had deviaâ—ed from the Alliance of Gaunt and put themselves under the obedience of Philip and he saw that the Catholicks of the Confedâ—rated Provinces would rather have enclin'd him to reassume the yoke of their ancient domination It was his Fear and with reason That when the dispute should be only about the Privileges the Lawes and the Customs and in a word things of a temporal Concern King Philip coming to satisfie his Subjects or the Subjects to recede from their Rights for the obtaining of a Peace it would be no hard matter to see those people reconcil'd to their Prince Whereas on the other side having dispos'd the confederated Provinces to embrace a new Religion he thereby put an insurmountable obstruction to their reunion with Philip. He knew that That Prince who with an implacable fury persecuted all those who had renounc'd the ancient Religion would resolve rather to lose the Low-Countries than to grant his Subjects the free Exercise of a new Religion There had been a Report spread about that presently upon his Return into Spain after he had order'd the Condemnation of some men eminent for their Learnâ—ng and women illustrious for their birth to be burnt he would himself be present at so cruel an execution and was a spectator of it as if it had been a delightful Show Many persons therefore amongst the Inhabitants of the Low-Countries having embrac'd the new Religions the Prince of Orange engag'd them by the Bond of Conscience and by the Despair or Pardon to maintain the Change he had made that so they might not relapse under the power of their ancient Master Happy was it for the prosecution of his design that he had made this advantage of that Liberty of Conscience which he had given to all sorts of persons but perceiving withal that that unbounded Liberty without the establishment and preference of some one Religion occasion'd a great confusion in the Government he thought it necessary to make choice of one which should be the pubâ—ick and predominant Religion and the Religion of State Yet had he not as yet absolutely pitch'd upon what he intended nor determin'd which Religion he ought to embrace whether that of the Lutherans that of the Calvinists or that of the Anabaptists all those three Religions not making any acknowledgment of the Popes Authority or the jurisdiction of the Roman Church But he had afterwards some reasons which oblig'd him to determine upon the choice of one as well for his own private Concern as for that of the State The Sect of the Anabaptists was the least considerable upon all accounts and was not much to be fear'd as well by reason of the divisions wherewith it was shaken as by reason of its Sectators who for the most part were persons of a very obscure condition and of their Sentiments by which they are not admitted to Magistracy or the Use of Arms. For which reason the Prince of Orange could not make any Use of them as being not proper for his Design He aspir'd to the principal charge of the State and that Religion permitted not its Disciples to exercise any kind of Magistracy He needed the assistance of Arms to maintain and make good the Change he had made in the State and the new form of Government which he had establish'd and the Anabaptists would not have Arms used upon any occasion The Lutheran Religion was very considerable by reason of the affection and Support of several Princes of Germany who had embrac'd it and highly protected those who made profession thereof Prince William had more inclination for that Religion in which he haâ— been instructed from his Infancy and he might very well hope for assistance and protection from the Electoral House of Saxony of which he had Married a Daughter to his Second Wife But on the other side he hoped for more considerable assistances from the Princes who made profession of our Reformed way of Religion That which Queen Elizabeth had Establish'd in England was wholly conformable to ours as to the Doctrine and differ'd from it only as to the Form of Government and the Use of Ceremonies The Elector-Palatine who was then the most powerful Prince of the Empire did absolutely profess the same Religion The King of Navarre the Prince of Condé and the Admiral Castillon and a considerable number of the Lords and Gentlemen and a numerous people of France made a publick profession of it The Prince of Orange therefore hoping to engage all those Princes by the interest of one and the same Religion to give him powerful assistances for the corroboration of the new Republick thought fit to make choice of that Religion for himself and the State Besides as that Religion was more contrary to that of the Romish Church than the Lutheran so he thought it more fit for the Common-wealth which he had founded out of an aversion to the Tyrannical Domination of Spain The Inhabitants of the Low-Countries having a strong aversion for the Spaniards the Prince of Orange endeavour'd to persuade them That there was no likelihood that a people so corrupted should have received directions from God to serve him purely by the Worship of the true Religion He afterwards endeavour'd to insinuate to them That our Reformed Religion which was more different from theirs was doubtless the best and most acceptable
their Protection to a Protestant-State against a Catholick Prince Had your Politicks been known in the World those Princes would not have become guilty of what you think a great crime That a King should defend a State professing a Religion different from his own against a Prince who is of the same Religion with him If this Maxim comes once to establish'd you may very well fear that the most Christian King having his Eves open'd by your illuminations and following your example may withdraw his Protection from Geneva that so he may avoid the Reproach which may be made to him of having succour'd a City of the Huguâ—not-Persuasion against a Prince of his own Religion From this you may also take this further measure That the implicite affection which you have for the Dutch does expose you as also the Protestant-Cantons and your Allies to an evident danger of not receiving any more assistance from his most Christian Majesty against a Catholick Prince or State If it should ever happen that you were concern'd in such a War the plausible pretence of Zeal for Religion would prove very prejudicial to you in depriving you of the Assistance of the most Christian King who certainly is the greatest or to say better the only Support and Refuge that you can have Your Injustice therefore and your Ingratitude are so much the greater in as much as you cannot deny but that France has many times openly given its Protection to the Protestants in opposition to the Catholicks You know That for a long time it assisted the Dutch against the King of Spain even before there was any open War between the Two Crowns You know also That France gave an Overt Protection to the protestant-Protestant-Princes of Germany against the Emperour who had already devested several of them of their Dominions and would under the pretence of Religion become Master of all Germany The late King Lewis XIII made an Alliance with the King of Swedâ—n against the House of Austria and got that Prince to come out of the remoter Parts of the North to oppose the Ambitious Designs of that House to raise up the oppressed Princes â—nd to defend the Liberty of the Empire After the Death of Gustavus Adolphus France did again joyn its Arms with those of his Successors and the Generals of that Great King in a continuance of its Protection to the Protestants and for the re establishing of those Princâ—s in their Territories who had been dispossess'd of them But on the contrary the House of Austria had the greatest part of its Alliancâ—s with the Catholicks against the Protestants 'T was upon this that the Adherents of the Emperour and the King of Spain took occasion to publish Libels against the most Christian King whom they accus'd of being a Protector of Hereticks and fighting for them against the Interests of the Catholick Religion And yet all those Accusations which were put up against France upon that score obstructed not its persisting in the stipulations it had made to its Allies and continuing its Protection to the Protestants against the Violence of the Emperour who endeavour'd to oppress them Nay the King of France is in a manner the only Catholick Prince who allows the Protestants the Exercise of their Religion in his Dominions whereas the King of Spain would never Tolerate in his the Exercise of any other Religion than the Catholick And the Emperour has forc'd all the Protestants out of his Hereditary Countries And both the Emperour and the King of Spain think it highly meritorious in the sight of God to be the irreconcileable Enemies and implacable Persecutors of those whom they call Hereticks In the mean Reverend Sir it appears by your deportment That lâ—t the Protestants be never so transcedently oblig'd to his most Christian Majesty they should so little mind it as that the only resentment they have should have no other object than the Calamities which the Dutch endure by the War wherein he is now engag'd against them Your Compassion is so great for their Misery that you think you have a dispensation to forget all the Kindnesses which the most Christian King hath done to those of the Reformed Religion and not so much as to reflect on those he may yet do you in giving you assistance against your Enemies In a word your Bowels do so yearn for those poor Brethren of yours the Dutch that provided their preservation be secur'd you do not much concern your self what may become of you and all those of the Reformed Religion You are so blindly infatuated upon this subject that provided you demonstrate your good Inclinations for the Dutch you seem to be indifferent that you are thought a bad Huguenot and most wretched Politician The Dutch certainly are the best Politicians in the World for things relating to Religion which they never made any other Use of then that of accommodating it to the Interests of State Nay they have alwaies been so little concern'd at the danger of those who profess'd the same Reformed Religion that they made no scruple at all of entring into a War for their destruction upon the pure score of Money Of which take this instance I think you need not be inform'd Reverend Sir how that the Dutch sent a certain number of Ships to the most Christian King for the reinforcing of his Fleet by which Rochell was then block'd up That was indeed a War upon the pure score of Religion in which the most Christian King was engag'd against his Subjects to get out of their hands the fortify'd places which they were possess'd of and would keep to secure the observance of the Edicts and the Exercise of their Religion All the whole party of the Reformed-Religion in France were afraid That as soon as the King should have taken Rochell he would abrogate the Edict of Nantes and absolutely take away the Exercise of the Calvinisticall Religion All the other Reformed Princes and States had the same apprehension insomuch that publick prayers were made in all parts for the preservation of Rochell as a City on which depended the safety of all those of the Reformed Religion in France They had the same thoughts in the Vnited Provinces and prayers were made to God in all Churches that he would be graciously pleaâ—d to preserve Rochell as the impregnable Fort of those of the Reformed Religion And yet the Dutch made no scruple of hiring out Ships for money to the then most Christian King to promote the Destruction of a City which according to the apprehensions of all the World was certainly to have consequent thereto that of our Reformed Religion and of all those who profess'd it in the Dominions of France Was there ever seen any example of so detestable an impiety That a State which makes a boast of being of the Reformation should have made no Conscience for money of contributing to the Ruine of a great People who make profession of the same Religion and that at
us of the weakness of our little Flock and discover the great number of Enemies whom we should have to do withal I am satisfy'd That a great number of good Soldiers might be got out of your Canton and the other Protestant Cantons But I humbly conceive you will not be offended if I tell you That if Jesus Christ himself were upon Earth and had occasion for the assistance of your Forces you would not let him have any unless he would be sure to see you well paid for them and that he should not prevail so far with you as that for his sake you would abolish the Proverb which you have brâ—ught into Vogue Point dâ—argent point de Suisse Mo Money no Swisse or as the English Saying has it 'T is Money makes the Mare to go And that it thus happen'd is well known when the Chimerical Ambassador of the Dutch had under-hand sollicited your Cantons and had afterwards been admitted into your Assembly Conjuring and beseeching you by the love you ought to have for your dear Brethren not to abandon them in their Necessities and to maintain their Cause which was that of Jesus Christ You know very well that all he could get of you in your Diet was That you had resolved one should be assembled for their sakes that you would spare some few repâ—sts observe a Fast and pray for their Preservation and Prosperity That if it were a Warre upon the score of Religion whatever Zeal you might have for ours the Catholick Cantons having no less â—or theirs we should find more Soldiers running out of the Catholick Cantons to maintain the Party of their Religion than there wâ—uld be Protestants ready to defend the Interests of ours And as to the quality of the Soldiers of Swisserland if a computation may bâ— made of it by the Success of two Wars one wherâ—oâ— you had about 140 years ago and the other about 18 yâ—â—rs since I am conâ—ident you cannot deny but that the Catholick Soldiers are much better than all those of your Protestant Cantons Nay the Catholicks would have this advantage that their Pay would easily come out of the Exchequers of Kings and Princes if the Dispute were about the defence of their Religion Whereas yours not finding any protestant-Protestant-Prince who were able to bear the charge of them should be forc'd to keep in your own Country and content themselves with the making of Vows for the preservation of our Religion Nay I do not think that all the Princes or States of the Reformed Religion in Europe would be able all together and do their utmost to keep up an Army of Ten Thousand men when the safety of our Religion lay at stake I do not speak of the Lutherans because the greatest part amongst them have such an animosity against us as loudly to affirm That they would rather enter into the Communion of the Catholicks than into Ours If again on the other side you consider how many Kings Sovereign Princes Republicks and States there are in Europe who all profess the Romish Religion you may all imagine That as we are but a small handful in comparison of them so there is not any likelihood that we should be able to resist them if they were once engag'd in a War against us Nay if it were an open and declar'd War upon the account of Religion you would soon find the Emperour and the King of Spain deserting the party of the Dutch and siding with that of their own Religion The Catholicks have yet another most considerable advantage which would extreamly corroboratâ— their Party against ours They have the Pope whom they all acknowledg to be the visible Head of the Church upon Earth who reunites them all for their Common Interest and would with much more Zeal publish a Croisado against us then ever he did any against the Turks And indeed he has reason to have a greater animosity against us than against all the unbelieving people in the World As he pretends to be the Spiritual Head of all Christians so he considers those who do not acknowledg him as revolted Subjects and Rebels to his Empire whereas he looks on the Turks and Heathens as Strangers who are out of his Jurisdiction and not within the extent of his Superintendency And as a King is more incens'd against his Subjects who have revolted from the obedience they owe him then against forreign Enemies who are not within the Verge of his Dominions So the Pope suffers the Jews in his Territories and would never permit any of the Reformed Persuasion to harbour in them His Pontifical Dignity will not suffer him ever to be reconcil'd to those who directly shock the authority which he pretends to have over all Christians You may see by this the great danger into which those of our Religion would be reduc'd if your Zeal could enflame them so far as to make a Party in favour of the Dutch Nay I leave it to your own Judgment whether it is any fault of yours if your inconsiderate Zeal has not excited the Catholicks to fall upon those of our Reformed Religion in those places where they lye expos'd to their mercy and that they have not made it their business to exterminate them But if your Zeal without Knowledg be injurious to all those of the Reformed Religion in general it is also very prejudicial to all your own Protestant-Cantons and to your Allies in particular Assoon as ever you saw the first breaking out of this War You your self Reverend Sir in the City of Berne and all your Ministers within the Extent of your Government were continually cajoling the people by their Seditious Sermons to make an Insurrection against those of your Magistrates who had given their judgment That there should be a Regiment of men granted to the most Christian King out of your Canton If men would have believ'd you and all the Ministers of your Country-Villages it must have been accounted a very horrid Crime in you to suffer your Soldiers to be employ'd in a War against your beloved Brethren in Jesus Christ the Dutch 'T was this gave occasion to your Magistrate distracted by your Pulpit-bawling and by the clamours of the multitude whom you had inflam'd into an Insurrection to write unseasonable Letters upon Letters to the Officers of your Regiment fraught with terrible menaces if they sâ—rv'd in this War against the Vnited Provinces Nay you thought it not enough to put in a Charge against your own Canton upon the account of its having granted Forces to his most Christian Majesty and his not preventing their being employ'd against the Dutch but you must also Panegyrically celebrate the Cantons of Zurick and Schaffouse for their refusal to give him any I cannot comprehend any reason you should have to name Schaffouse which being a poor little Canton has but one half-Company in the Service but a hands-breadth of ground within its Jurisdiction and can raise but Two Companies at the most
And you speak of it as if that refusal of their Forces had been very detrimental to the Kings Affairs and much retarded the Progress of his Conquests And yet it is certain in the mean time That all the best qualify'd Persons in the Councel of that Canton had promis'd to grant the Companies which the most Christian King required of it But One Factious person amongst them occasion'd the breaking of that Resolution upon this score that besides his being a man absolutely devoted to the Dutch ever since his reception of a Present from them when he sojourn'd in this Country he was out of hopes of getting the Command of a Company for one of his own Relations that he might make some advantage thereby But as to the Canton of Zurick I must acknowledg it to be powerful and that it might have rais'd several Companies of good Soldiers I know also That its Councel consists of Persons of very good worth such as have Wit and Honour Vigour and Constancy if the thing had depended upon them and they knew their own Interest much better than to have deny'd his Most Christian Majesty the Forces he had required of them But the mischief of it as you know is That they are not the absolute Masters The Sovereign Authority lies in the hands of the Councel of Two Hundred consisting for the most part of much Heat and little Prospect of much Obstinacy and little Reason It is no wonder then that the Ministers having enflam'd that multitude with the zealous Concern of Religion they could not be dispos'd to grant Forces to his most Christian Majesty though he should have no Design to employ them against the Dutch I must confess further Sir That I am very much astonish'd at your Undertaking to make a confident justification of those Two Cantons for their having deny'd Forces to the most Christian King as also that after you had blamed your own for their having granted a Regiment you should undertake to vindicate all it did afterwards either to have it recall'd or to prevent its being employ'd against the Dutch It will be no hard matter for me to make it appear to you That this Conduct of yours bâ—sides its being most unjust may also be very prejudicial even as to what relates to the interests of Religion You cannot forbear granting your selves to be absolutely unjust if you deny the demeaning of your selves towards his most Christian Majesty as you would have him demean himself towards you For instance If it should happen that you were attack'd by the King of Spain or the Emperour by the Duke of Savoy by the Catholick-Cantons or by some other Prince of the same Religion you would desire That his most Christian Majesty would assist you against them by vertue of the Alliance there is between you and him If the King should deny you the Forces you desired and alledge That he could not assist you being of the Reformed Religion against Catholick Princes you would complain of it and affirm That the Most Christian King does not observe the Alâ—iance he has made with you How then do you not see that the most Christian King has just cause of complaining That you are unwilling to supply him with Forces against the Dutch because they are of the Reformed Religion Do you not further observe That by your indiscreet Zeal you deprive your selves of all the Advantages which you might expect from the Alliance there is between You and the most Christian King by giving him just cause to deny you assistance if you should come to desire it of him If the Duke of Savoy should enter into a War against you upon the Pretensions he has to the Country of Vaud tell me Whether you would be so presumptuous as to desire assistance from the Most Christian King You would not have your Forces to serve his most Christian Majesty against the Dutch bâ—cause they are of our Reformed way of Religion though they are not your Allies By what Right can you pretend That the most Christian King should give you Forces to serve you who are not of his Religion against a Catholic Prince who besides his being in alliance with him has also the honour of being nearly related to him Besides you make but an ill acknowlâ—dgment of the Favour which the most Christian King did you not Two Years since when he openly undertook your protection against the Bishop of Basil who was going to give you some disturbance He had establish'd a Catholick Church upon some part of your Territories as he pretended that he had a right to do The Pope the Emperour and the King of Spain had openly taken his part by reason of the Concern of the Catholick Religion The most Christian King having been inform'd That he had not any Right to establish that Church upon your Territories sent a Message to him That if he did not restore things to the condition they were in before and forbear making any alteration he would openly grant you assistance against him You know Sir That the said Prelate standing more in awe of the most Christian King's Indignation than relying on the Succours of the Pope the Emperour and the King of Spain thought in his best course to renounce his Pretensions and to give over disturbing you If the most Christian King had done then what you have done at the present he would have been far enough from entertaining so much as a thought of protecting you being of the Reformed Religion against a Bishop especially in a Cause wherein the Interest of the Catholick Religion was concern'd You know also That the Emperour and the King of Spain who have a particular Alliance with the Catholick Cantons are oblig'd to assist them in case they should enter into a Warre against you or against the other Protestant Cantons Now it is manifest That upon such occasions you cannot hope for any assistance but from the most Christian King If therefore you would not have your Forces to serve his most Christian Majesty against the Dutch who are not your Allies meerly upon the score of their professing the same Religion as you do I do not see how you can desire the most Christian King to grant you Forces to serve you who are of the Reformed Religion against the Catholick Cantons who are of his Allies as well as you You know further That the City of Geneva is under the protection of France ever since the time of Henry the Third who granted it thereto against Philibert-Emanuel Duke of Savoy All the Successors of that King have continu'd their protection to the same City against the Successors of that ancient Duke who are the troublesome Neighbours and in a manner the only Enemies whom that Republick has any cause to fear You see then by this proceduce of Henry the Third of France and the Kings who succeeded him That though they were very zealous for their Religion yet they made no scruple of giving
THE RELIGION OF THE DUTCH Represented in Several LETTERS FROM A Protestant Officer IN The FRENCH ARMY to A Pastor and Prâ—â—â—â—â—â— of Divinity at BERNE in Swisâ—erland Out of the French LONDON Printed for Samuel Heyrick at Grayes-Inn Gate in Holbourn 1680. The Contents of the LETTERS THE First Letter discovers by what means and upon what motives the Reformed Religion according to the Calvinistical way was establish'd in the United Provinces The Second and Third give an account of all the different Religions that are in those Provinces and their principal Opinions The Fourth and Fifth prove That the United Provinces cannot be said to be an Estate of the Reformed Religion The Sixth makes it appear That though the Dutch were the most Reformed Christians in the World yet were it an act of temerarious Imprudence in those of the Reformed Religion to Confederate together for their Relief in the War between Them and the most Christian King And that of the Protestant-Cantons of Swisserland those were highly to be blam'd which refus'd to raise Forces for his most Christian Majesty as was also that of Berne which having granted his most Christian Majesty a Regiment kept so much stir to hinder its Serving against the Dutch THE RELIGION OF THE DUTCH The First LETTER Reverend Sir THough I have alwaies known and look'd upon you as a most zealous man in the Calvinistical persuasion yet I should never have imagin'd that your zeal would have transported you so far as to induce you to pronounce an Anathema against all those of the Reformed Religion who now serve the most Christian King in the War wherein he is engag'd against the Dutch Mean time you know that you have run into this strange Extremity in the Letter you were pleas'd to write from Borne of the 15 th of the last Moneth which yet came not to my hands till within these two daies You at the first dash tell me it is a matter you cannot be sufficiently astonished at That any Officer who makes Profession of our Religion whether he be Swisse or French or of what other Countrey soever should presume to fight against our dear Brethren in Christ the Dutch and make it their Business to destroy that Sanctifi'd Republick which has alwaies been the Refuge and Sanctuary of those of the Reformed Religion and to which all Protestants are in the highest manner oblig'd You afterwards make it your most earnest entreaty to us That out of the tenderness we ought to have of our Salvation we should quit our Employments and enter our Selves into the Service of the Dutch so to expiate the Sin we have committed in serving against them You solemnly declare to us in Fine That if we do not upon sight follow this advice of yours we are a sort of damn'd Wretches never to be retriev'd out of the deplorablâ— Condition we are in and that we ought not to expect any Forgivâ—ness for our Crime either in this World or that to come no more or less than if we had sinn'd against the Holy Ghost As for your Protestant-Cantons you highly celebrate the Prudence of those among'st them who havâ— deny'd his Majesty of France any Forces in his unjust War as you are pleas'd to call that wherein he is now involv'd against the Dutch Besides you highly condemn those who having supply'd him with such Forces have not been importunate in the recalling of them and have not been dissatisfi'd to see them employ'd in attacking and maintaining the Cities which have been taken from the States-General I should not have been much startled if I had receiv'd such a Letter from the Minister of some Country Village or from some person whose abilities rais'd him not above the ordinary Rate of men But I must acknowledge my self surpriz'd as much as man can be so to see that you Reverend Sir who are a Professor of Divinity and have the reputation of being one of the most experiensed men of Swisserland especially upon the score of Politicks should write me a Letter fraught with things very strange and extravagant and Maximâ—s absolutely inconsistent with sound Sence and Reason and contrary even to the end you have propos'd to your self which is doubtless the preservation and propagation of our Reform'd Religion and of the Churches which profess it I undertake to make a clear justification of the truth of the things which I advance and to let you see the Mistake you lye under and with what injustice you have so slightly pronounc'd the Sentence of Condemnation against all those of the Reform'd Religion who serve the most Christian King in the War which he is now concern'd in against the Dutch To that end it is my design to shew you somewhat at large of what nature the Religion of the Dutch is and what sanctity is to be attributed to their Republick and thence it will appear how highly the Protestants are concern'd to wish the preservation of it And when that is done I shall afterwards prove That though the Hollanders were the most reform'd of all People in their Religion as well as in their morality yet you would not have any reason to condemn either those private Persons of their Persuasion who serve against them or yet those of your Cantons who have supply'd the most Christian King with Forces upon this occasion I must acknowledge That if we consider the Dutch Confession of Faith and the Cathechism they use it cannot be denyed but that they profess the same Religion with that which is received at Geneva and in your Protestant-Cantons But in the mean time this is to be noted That though they make an external Profession of the same Religion with yours yet their Conduct and Deportment do evidently demonstrate that they make not any account of it or that they believe it not at all To that end it is requisite that I make a higher enquiry into things and go to the very source and give you a discovery by what Degrees and by what Means this Religion was established in the State and the different Conduct which the States-General have observ'd in reference thereto I am of opinion in the first place That there is not any necessity of my telling you that Religion was neither the cause nor the pretence of the disturbances revolutions and seditions of the Low-Countries and that it was not upon that score that the People of several Provinces after they had carried on the War against their Prince for many years resolv'd at last to degrade him and to shake off the yoke of his Dominion over them The great Lords of the Country as the Prince of Orange the Count of Egmont and Count Horne were extreamly exasperated to see that Cardinal de Granvelle a Forreigner and a person of very obscure Parentage had the management of all things and was the supreme Arbitrator of all Affairs and to think that they themselves had not any authority in the Government They maintained in the mean
urged That from the time of their first intertexture of the interest of Religion with that of the State in the contest which they had with the Spaniards Liberty of Conscience had been Establish'd by so many publick Decrees that they could not be violated without extremity of injustice The Prince of Orange without concerning himself much at the complaints of the one or the other of the aggrieved Parties did for his own private interest and for that of the Republick prosecute his design of making an Establishment of our Reformed Religion to be the only Publick Religion of which all those who should pretend to any concern in the Administration of the Government were oblig'd to make their profession He had a jealousie of the Catholicks upon the score of his being afraid that they might employ their credit to dispose the people to resettle themselves under the domination of the Spaniards Nor had he any greater liking to the adherents of the other Religions by reason of their being odious to all the rest of the Protestants As therefore those who profess'd our Reformed Religion were the best-affected to him so he thought it convenient to entrust them with all the Authority for the management of publick Affairs Now Reverend Sir be your self pleas'd to judg whether these Provinces deserve to be called of the Reformed Religion for this reason that out of pure interest of State and without any Justice they have made an Ordinance for the Establishment of one single Religion exclusively to all the rest But supposing I should grant that whatever is alledg'd by the Catholicks and the Sectaries against that Ordinance is groundless and irrational and that they had the justest Reasons in the World to make it yet I maintain that the bare making of it is not a sufficient inducement for any one to affirm that this State is of the Reformed Religion I cannot forbear acknowledging that this Ordinance does so expressly comprehend the sentiment of all our Doctors that if the Vnited Provinces had been as careful in the execution of it as the Elector-Palatine your Protéstant-Cantons and the City of Geneva are it could not be deny'd but that their State really and truly is of our Reformed Religion But I think Sir that you do know and if you do not know it I shall make it so clearly appear to you that you shall not in the least doubt of it That this Ordinance has been so far from being put into execution that they have always practic'd and still do practice what is directly contrary to the Contents thereof By this Ordinance there is an express prohibition of allowing any other Religion then the Reformed in the Provinces and yet we there find the publick exercise of many other Religions besides the Reformed not to say of all those who were desirous to have it And that you may not doubt of it I shall here give you a short Catalogue of the Religions in that Country which have an uncontroulable liberty of celebrating their Mysteries and serving God as they themselves think fit Be pleas'd then to know that besides those of the Reformed Religion there are Roman-Catholicks Lutherans Brownists Independents Arminians Anabaptists Socinians Arrians Enthusiasts Quakers Borrelists Armenians Muscovites Libertines and others And there are in fine some whom we may call Seekers because they are still seeking out for a Religion and do not profess any of those which are already Establish'd I give you no account of the Jews the Turks and the Persians in regard that as they are not Sects o Christians so what I might say of them would signifie nothing to the subject I have in hand And since I am well satisfy'd that there are not any Turks and Persians but what are in Amsterdam or haply in some other Sea-Port-Towns there is no consequence deducible thence for the Residence of any such in the other Cities of that Country Nor shall I say any thing of the Armenians and Muscovites who are all of the Greek Religion And as I conceive that there are only some Merchants of the one and of the other of those Nations and that none of the Natives of the Country do profess their Religion so I do not think there is any person that will condemn the liberty which is given them to serve God according to the Ceremonies and Precepts of their Religion And whereas of all the other Religions and Sects we find a great number of persons born in that Country who make an open and publick profession thereof I conceive you will not take it amiss that I should here in few words give you an account of the Opinions of all the Religions which are in this Country As to the Doctors and Professors of our Religion I question not but you know that they also differ amongst themselves in many things Voëtius and des Marets have by their disputes distracted and dishumour'd all the Province of Holland where they have been so violent one against the other that if men would believe either the one or the other they must upon pain of Damnation stick to the sentiment of the one and reject that of his Adversary Voëtius did and still does maintain That it is Sacriledge to leave the Ecclesiastical Revenues at the disposal of Slothful Paunches which are not any way serviceable to Church or State That those who are known by the name of Lombards are not to be called or admitted to the Lord's Supper inasmuch as lending out Money at Interest they exercise a profession forbidden by the word of God That the Sabbath-Day is to be very carefully and Religiously observ'd That we ought not to Celebrate any Festival-Day no not Easter Whitsuntide or Christmas That when we speak of the Apostles Evangelists or Disciples of Jesus Christ we are not to give any one the name of Saint and that we are not to say Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint John Saint Thomas but to say downright Peter Paul John and Thomas and that all the Faithful ought to follow a severe kind of life to retrench themselves from the greatest part even of the most innocent enjoyments of life that they may the better work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling On the other side des Marets is opposite to Voetius almost in all these things and hath argu'd against his Sentiments with so much Animosity as if their Dispute had been about those points of Religion which are most important and most necessary to Salvation And I think they had not yet ended their Dispute if Cocceius had not publish'd some Opinions which were displeasing to both upon which they thought fit to agree together in order to the opposing of them This Cocceius was a Professor of the University of Leiden very well skill'd in the Hebrew Tongue who read the Scripture with a continual attention and has therein discover'd many things which were not before known to any one and hath penetrated into the mystical and profound Sence of
given Liberty of Conscience to all sorts of persons and allow'd the publick exercise in a manner of all Religions You thereby find that they never executed the Ordinance which they made in the Year 1583. to wit That no any Religion should be thenceforwards receiv'd nor the exercise of any other be permitted then that which was publickly taught in the Seven Provinces and which is the Reformed Religion It will be no hard matter for me to prove to you thereby That what external profession soever the Vnited Provinces have hitherto made of the Reformed Religion if we search the business to the bottom it will appear that they neither are nor ever were of it While the free exercise of all Religions was permitted by all the publick Decrees you will certainly acknowledg That then the States were not yet of our Reformed way of Religion For if you make this conclusion That these Provinces were at that time of our Religion because there was a publick profession of our Religion made in them I shall with the same reason make this That they were Catholicks Lutherans and Anabaptists because at that time there was a publick Profession made in them of all those Religions Let us therefore examine what Ordinances these Provinces made afterwards which might give them the name which they are so desirous to have of our Reformed Religion I have told you heretofore That it was in the Year 1572. that our Reformed way of Religion such as it was taught at Geneva in your Cantons and in the Palatinate of the Rhine was receiv'd in these Provinces for the only publick Religion But the very Ordinance which establish'd our Religion to be the publick Religion Did also openly confirm the Liberty of Conscience of all sorts of Religions with an express prohibition for the Disturbing or Molesting of any Person whatsoever upon that account The difference there upon this Score between the States-General and all the other Estates of our Reformed Religion was so great that I cannot imagine you should think the one and the others to be of the same Religion The Vnited Provinces had ordain'd it by a publick Decree That the free Exercise of all Relâ—gions should be permitted The Elector Palatine the City of Geneva and your Cantons did not in any part of their Territories permit the Exercise of any Religion ever so little different from ours I question not but that you know the Elector-Palatine did at the beginning follow the Confession of Auxbourg which was received in all his Dominions and that since that time having embrac'd our Reformed way of Religion and having estâ—blish'd it in his Country he order'd all the Lutherans who would not make profession thereof to depart out of it It is doubtless no small trouble to the Elector of Brandenbourg to see that most of his Subjâ—cts are Lutherans that there are many of them Catholicks and but very few of the Calvinistical reformed way of Religion But as you know it is not above sixty years since that Electoral House began to make profession of our Reformed Religion yet so that he could not oblige his Subjects either his embrace the same or to quit that which they had profess'd for a long time before John Sigismond who died in the Year 1619. and was Grandfather to the Elector now reigning was the first Renouncer of the Lutherane Religion which he and some of the Ancestors had till then profâ—ss'd and first the Profession of our Reformed way He publish'd a Confession of Faith in the Year 1614. In the Preface of it he saies That it was about eighty Years since Joakim he Second had renounced the Ceremonies of the Roman Church But that having retain'd a Doctrâ—ne upon the Point of the Eucharist which was not conformable to the Truth and some other things in the Temples which were not allowable he had apply'd himself to the correcting of all Abuses in order to a full and perfect Reformation And yet the greatest part of his Subjects having near fourscore years before embrac'd the Lutherane Religion he was so far from obliging them to quit it and to embrace the Profession of ours that in many parts of his Territories nay even at Berlin it self which is the principal City of his Residence he has not the Liberty of having the particular Exercise of our Relâ—gion for any but himself and those of his Houshold No doubt but he wishes that he could follow the example of other Estates who do profess it in not permitting the Exercise of any oâ—her in all his Dominions There is not any necessity of my telling you That there never was either at Geneva or in your Cantons any permission I do not say of the Exercise of our Religion but even of Habitation for those whose profess a Religion different from ours That being so I assure my self of your being persuaded that one and the same Religion cannot inspire those who profess it with sentiments that are contradictory and with an absolutely opposite Conduct and deportment There may be some in the World who would say That interest of State obliged the Palatinate the City of Geneva and your Cantons to proceed one way and that the same interest of State obliges the Vnited Prvinces to take a quite different Course in the same case and upon the same Oceasion But I do not imagine that you approve that strange Maxim of some Politicians who accommodate Religion to the Interest of State and I hope you will acknowledge that they who do so have not any at all At the very time that our Religion was establish'd by a publick Decree Liberty of Conscience was also solemnly confirm'd by the Union of Vtrecht Nay it is expressly granted That as to matter of Religion Every Seignory or Province should make such regulation as it thought fit according to its own customes It is therefore manifest That the united Provinces cannot be said to be of the Reformed Religion according to the Calvinistical way but only from that time and by Reason of the Regulation which they made in the Year 1583. But if as I think I have evidently made it appear the States have no other ground than that from which they may have the demonination of being of the Reformed Religion methinks I shall without much ado make it further appear to you that they have not any at all If then the Decree they made by which it was expressly ordained That there should not be the permission of any Religion amongst them but of ours only does justly give them the Name of a State of that Reformed Religion the continual Conduct which they have hitherto observ'd in a constant Practice of what is quite contrary to the Ordinance does if I mistake not deprive them of the Name which they pretended to by its Establishment I do not think Sir that you will undertake to maintain That for a State to be of our Reformed Religion it needs do no more than make a Decree by
they are interrogated not one amongst them confesses any thing and there could be no Discoveries made of their being guilty of it But it was for the interest of the Dutch-Company that they should be so That they might be â—ender'd such in appearance they are put to the Torture All â—he several Tortures of Fire and Water were us'd to make them acknowledg what the Dutch would have them to say After some resistance of such Cruel Torments they were at last or'e-press'd by their violence and confess'd whatever they desir'd them But after they had recover'd themselves again they disown'd all they had said in the midst of their Torments nay when they were just at the point of Execution they call'd God to attest their Innocence and besought him to make it appear after the death they were then going to suffer He who was the Commander of that place and the unjust Judg who had condemn'd them were nothing mov'd at though fully convin'd of the Innocence of those Prisoners But there beâ—ng a necessity of their Dying for the interest of the Dutch-Company Nine of the pretended Conspirators were Executed and some of them were set at Liberty who returning into England brought thither the News of that Cruel Massacre Now Sir I would fain know what you would say of so inhumane and so barbarous an Action Will you still allow those to be good Reformed Christians who make no scruple to cut the Throats of their Brethren professing the same Religion as they do for a little Worldly Goods and for their own private Interests This Tragical Story is so well known all over the World that there is not any Dutch man dares deny it Nay an Author of their own Nation one Aitzema in his Book entituled The Lyon-Combatant pag. 211 212 213 214 215. Printed in the Year 1661. gives a very large and particular description of it And he makes out withal how false and unlikely the Accusation brought in against the English was and confidently affirms that it was fram'd upon no other score than that they might have a pretence to put them to death seize into their own hands all the effects of the English Company and by that detestable imposture render themselves Masters of all the Trade of the Moluccoes Amboyna and Banda The same last-mention'd Author does in the same Book page 113. Relate another Story of a greater Cruelty which the Dutch exercis'd upon the English in the Island of Banda He says That the Dutch in order to their becoming Masters of that Island Massacred above Forty English-men and that after they had bound living Persons to dead Carkasses they cast them into the Sea and afterwards possess'd themselves of what they had which amounted to above Five and Twenty Thousand Pounds Sterling True it is that they are somewhat to blame who still reproach the Dutch with those two Actions and particularly with that of Amboyna since they have made a considerable satisfaction for it in the Treaty which was concluded between them and the Protectordome of England in the Year 1654. For the Parliament having enter'd into a War against them which amongst other pâ—etences had that of the Execution at Amboyna the Dutch gave the English several Millions of Guilders not simply to satisfie them for the damages they had caus'd them to suffer which could not have amounted to neer so great a Sum though they had taken away all the effects which they had in that Island and depriv'd them of the advantages they might have made by the Commerce of Thirty Years but also by way of Reparation for the Blood which they had Unjustly spilt and to blot out the remembrance of so barbarous an Action There would be a necessity of compiling a great Volume if it were my design to make a collection of all the Cruel Actions which the Dutch have committed in the Indies and elsewhere upon the pure interest of Commerce But I am apt to think that you will gladly spare me that Trouble and will think no doubt that I have said enough and haply too much upon a subâ—ect which is not divertive to you If then after a serious reflection upon what I have entertain'd you withal you find no abatement of the affection which you had for the Dutch I must acknowledg That your friendship does in steadiness and strength exceed that of any other person in the World And this gives some hopes that you will continue that part of it which you have promis'd me as I assure you of my ever remaining Reverend Sir Your c The Sixth LETTER Reverend Sir IT is no small affliction to me that I have given you an account of some things concerning the Dutch which certainly must have rais'd in you some disgust against me I am therefore out of a pure fear of feeding or augmenting it resolv'd to be very careful in waving to tell you any â—hing henceforward which may give you any perplexity in reference to them Nay I am willing to make you satisfaction for all I have already said to you I acknowledg therefore to humour you that the Dutch are as good Christians and as much of the true way of Reformation as you imagine them to be that is to say the best in the World Though it were so yet I do not think you have any reason to cry out Arms Arms as you do to excite and encourage all that are of the Reformed Persuasion in Europe to come in to their relief You know weâ—l enough that his most Christian Majesty is not engag'd in a War against them upon the matter of Religion but that the reason of his engaging in it was to chastize their ingratitutde to mortifie their violence and to teach them a new Lesson of paying him the respects they owe him and to keep within the bounds of modesty and reason Were it a War upon the score of Religion do you think that the one or the other Branch of the House of Austria that of Germany and that of Spain which are the natural Enemies of our Religion and which ever have been the cruel Persecutors of those who profess it would have openly undertaken the defence of the Dutch in this cause against the interests of the Catholick Religion of which they make it their oftentation That they are the Proâ—â—ctors and especially the King of Spain whom for that reason the Pope has honour'd with the Title of Catholick King But to shew you again how desirous I am to please you I will acknowledg also That this is a War of Religion Let us see whether it will turn to our advantage to raise an Army consisting only of men professing the true Reformed Religion and to bring it into the Servâ—ce of the Dutch Let us make a computation of all those who may be for us and of all those who in this case might be against us But I think it were better we never meddled with that troublesome discrimination which would only convince
the very time when for the compleating of the Impiety it order'd Prayers to be made to God in the Churches for their Preservation This puts me in mind of the Emperour Charles the Fifth who caus'd publick Prayers to be made all over Spain for the Liberty of Pope Clement the Second whom he himself kept a Prisoner at Rome in the Castle of Saint Angelo But there are yet some particular circumstances in this action of the Dutch which do very much aggravate the horrour and perfidiousness of it In the first place then before the doing of any act of hostility against those of Rochell and before they had made any declaration of being enemies they endeavour'd by Surprize to become Masters of the Port. Though what I say seems strange and at some distance from credibility yet is there not any thing in the world more true An illustrious person amongst the Dutch and the Author before by me cited when I gave you an account of the affair of Amboyna I mean Aitzema in the Book entituled The Lyon Combatant pag. 241. sets down at large this History of the design which the Dutch had to surprize Rochell Take here in express terms what he saies of it On the fourth of July in the Year 1625. Hautyn Admirall of Holland appeared before Rochell with nineteen men of War The Inhabitants of Rochell writ to him as did also the Count Dela Val to let him know what astonishment they were in to see him in the posture of an enemy as being not able to imagine that either the States or the Prince of Orange would have entred into a war against the Reformed Religion Hantyn told those who had brought him the Letters that he could not return them any answer still he had had some conference with those of the King's Councel The next day he sent them back to Rochell with two of his own people and told them That he knew not whether they were come by the order of all the Inhabitants or of some part of them only and that he was going to send to them to be assur'd of it and that in case they continu'd in their subjection to the King they were not to fear any harm In the mean time those Deputies having left him in order to their going to Rochell he came up with part of his Fleet very near the City which gave occasion to two men of Rochell whom he had kept aboard to tell him That he did not deal fairly Monsieur de Soubize having perceiv'd that he was advanc'd with a good number of Ships made him stand off and one or two days after he absolutely defeated him burnt his Vice-Admiral and four or five Ships and kill'd him five hundred men so that the whole Fleet being in great disorder got away as far as Nantes And this was the unhappy success which that perfidious man had who under pretence of friendship would have surpriz'd the City and so betray'd it to the King After Hauntyn had refitted his Fleet he joyns that of the most Christian King commanded by Monsieur de Montmorency who would fight that of the Rochellers assoon as he came in sight of it But news was brought him That the Dutch Admiral would not be concern'd in the action for this reason no doubt that he was afraid to be beaten once moro Montmorency presses him and conjures him not to desert him in so important an occasion He alledges for his Excuse as we find in Gramond Hist Gall. pag. 635 and 636. That without an express Command from the States he durst not employ their Ships to give a decisive battel to the Protestants of France who were of the same Religion with his Masters Mons de Montmorency being extreamly troubled that the Dutch did by their refusal to fight defeat him of the Fame which he expected infallibly to acquire by the Victory was forc'd after a fruitless application of intreaties and promises to make Use of an expedient which ever prevails with the Dutch He with good palpable money corrputed their whole Fleet and engag'd the Admiral the Commanders and the Soldiers by oath to fight against those of Rochell So the most Christian King's Fleet being reinforc'd with that of the Dutch de Montmorency gave an absolute defeat to that of the Rochellers commanded by Mons de Soubixe So that the Inhabitants of that City could not equip another and from that very day lost the Soveraignty of that Sea which they had kept for some time Whereupon they having no Fleet and that of the most Christian King having the absolute command of the Sea his Land-Army undertook that memorable work of the Digue The City finding it self depriv'd of all hopes of relief surrender'd to the King after the endurance of incredible inconveniences by famine during so long a Siege If the Dutch had sent in this assistance to his most Christian Majesty by vertue of any Treaties of Allyance which they had had with him there would not have been any thing to quarrel at in the said Action But is it not an infamous thing that after they had plainly alledg'd their not being empower'd to fight against those of the Reformed Religion without an express command from the States they should nevertheless be lur'd in by money to do a thing which they knew to be contrary to their duty and might have contributed to the ruine of all those who profess'd the Reformed Religion in France if the most Christian King had had any such design as some imputed to him And by this you may judge of the Friendship which the Dutch have for those of the Reformed Religion since they make no scruple to hire out themselves and their Ships to be assistant in their extermination If you can without passion examine all I have written to you concerning the Dutch I am confident you will not persist any longer in the good opinion you have hitherto had of them But I think you will hardly be induc'd to lose it because you are extremely propossess'd in their favour Mean time since I look upon you as a very just and rational Person I hope you will not think it much to aquaint me with the Reasons which you may have had for your not being mov'd with those which you have reciev'd from me Shew me that there is not any ground in all those by which I have pretended to prove That the Vnited Provinces are not of the Reformed Religion according to the Calvinisticall way of Reformation Make it appear to me that you have done well in endeavouring to make an insurrection in your Canton about the Regiment which you had rais'd for his most Christian Majesty and that all those of the Reformed Religion ought to unite together for the relief of the Dutch in the present War between them and the most Christian King If you can prove all these things to me I assure you I shall submit to your Reasons And I shall moreover give my thanks for your deliverance of me out of the errour in which I have hitherto continu'd and for the illuminations I shall receive from your documents This I do sincerely promise you as also that howe'ere it may happen I shall ever be Reverend Sir Your most humble c. Vtrecht May 19 th 1673. FINIS