churches. This rendered the churches more and more anxious; seeing they understood that not only Arminius in the university, but Bertius also, in the seminary of the churches of Holland, set before the youth entrusted to his fidelity, and destined to the ministry of the churches, heterodox doctrine; and, having drawn them aside from the sincerity (or purity) of the doctrine, instilled into them (imbuere) new opinions. The churches saw these things, and grieved; yet they were not able to apply the lawful remedy to these evils, though it was that which they chiefly wished and judged necessary; Utenbogardus, and others, whose authority was at that time great among certain chief persons of the country, hindering with all their power, by their means, all synodical conventions and ecclesiastical judgments.

Hence the pastors attached to Arminius were made more bold to propose their own heterodox opinions; and they began, even publicly before the people, to defame the received doctrine with various calumnies, and to rage furiously (debac

There was not, however, any public law, or confession of 'faith, that obliged the pastors of the reformed churches, in any part of the world, to conform their sentiments to the theological doctrines that were adopted and taught at Geneva.' Mosheim vol. v. p. 366. Arminius knew, that the Dutch divines and doctors were not obliged by their confession of 'faith, nor by any public law, to adopt and propagate the prin

ciples of Calvin.' Ibid. p. 441. It might be supposed from this, that the opposers of Arminius, and all concerned in procuring the Synod of Dort, wanted Arminius and his party to adhere to the Geneva Confession and the creed of Calvin, &c: whereas, in fact, these are never mentioned in the history prefixed to that of the Synod, but the received doctrine of the Belgic churches alone.

every where the pastors, daily more and more revolted from the orthodox doctrine, discords and contentions spread abroad, the churches were disturbed, and the citizens were drawn into parties,) that the promised national synod might as early as possible be called; in which, the causes of these evils having been legally examined, a suitable remedy might at length be applied. The deputies of the churches also soon after petitioned for the same but by the endeavours of Utenbogardus and others it was effected, that this calling of the synod should always be deferred.

April 4, 1609. They (the deputies of the churches) likewise several times admonished Arminius, to send to them the considerations contained in the writing which he had promised; who at length answered by letter, that he did not deny that this had been promised by him, but because he had understood that the illustrious the States had ordered the pastors to send their considerations sealed up unto them, he had changed his mind, (consilium,) and that he would wait till the same also should be enjoined on him. Peter Bertius, the regent of the theological college, being admonished by the same deputies, that, if he had any thing against the received doctrine of the churches, he should freely explain it, declared his own opinion concerning most of the heads of doctrine openly without any evasion; and shewed that, in the articles of the justification of man before God, of predestination, of the grace of God, of free will, and, finally, of the perseverance of true believers, (vere fidelium,) he thought differently from the doctrine of the Belgic

churches. This rendered the churches more and more anxious; seeing they understood that not only Arminius in the university, but Bertius also, in the seminary of the churches of Holland, set before the youth entrusted to his fidelity, and destined to the ministry of the churches, heterodox doctrine; and, having drawn them aside from the sincerity (or purity) of the doctrine, instilled into them (imbuere) new opinions. The churches saw these things, and grieved; yet they were not able to apply the lawful remedy to these evils, though it was that which they chiefly wished and judged necessary; Utenbogardus, and others, whose authority was at that time great among certain chief persons of the country, hindering with all their power, by their means, all synodical conventions and ecclesiastical judgments.

Hence the pastors attached to Arminius were made more bold to propose their own heterodox opinions; and they began, even publicly before the people, to defame the received doctrine with various calumnies, and to rage furiously (debac

There was not, however, any public law, or confession of 'faith, that obliged the pastors of the reformed churches, in any part of the world, to conform their sentiments to the theolo'gical doctrines that were adopted and taught at Geneva.' Mosheim vol. v. p. 366. Arminius knew, that the Dutch divines and doctors were not obliged by their confession of faith, nor by any public law, to adopt and propagate the principles of Calvin.' Ibid. p. 441. It might be supposed from this, that the opposers of Arminius, and all concerned in procuring the Synod of Dort, wanted Arminius and his party to adhere to the Geneva Confession and the creed of Calvin, &c: whereas, in fact, these are never mentioned in the history prefixed to that of the Synod, but the received doctrine of the Belgic churches alone.

chari) against it, as horrid and detestable. Among these a certain person, (called) Adolphus Venator, the pastor of the church at Alcmaar in North Holland, was not the last; who, besides that he was of too little approved a life (vite minus probata,) openly and by no means in a dissembling manner, scattered abroad Pelagian and Socinian errors, with incredible impudence, publicly and privately for which cause he was suspended from the office of teaching, by the legitimate judgment of the churches of North Holland. He (however) despising the judgment of the churches, persisted in the office of teaching, against the will of the churches. The orthodox pastors in the class of Alcmaar judged that this unholy man, (impurum,) having been lawfully suspended from the ministry, and a few other pastors whom he had drawn over into his opinion, and who pertinaciously refused to testify their consent to the doctrine of the reformed churches, by the subscription of the Confession, should not be admitted into their assembly. They, having complained of this matter to the illustrious the States, by the aid of Utenbogardus, obtained a mandate, by which this admission for them was commanded; which when the orthodox could not do, because of their conscience, they submissively requested the illustrious the States, that they might not be burdened by mandates of this kind, which they could not conscientiously obey. The deputies of the churches, when they saw that these dissentions and scandals were daily more and more increased, again earnestly intreated (or adjured, obtestati sunt) the illustrious the States, in the name of the churches,

that the promised provincial synod might be called together at the earliest time, for the removal of these evils. But, when Utenbogardus, and the rest of the pastors addicted to Arminius, observed the minds of the illustrious lords the States to incline to this; in order that they might avoid the ecclesiastical decisions, they effected by certain individuals who seemed more attached to their cause, that, in the stead of the provincial synod, a conference, concerning the controverted articles between Gomarus and Arminius, should be held, in the convention itself of the illustrious States; in the which each might take to himself four pastors, whose counsels they might be allowed to use. Arminius had taken Jannes Utenbogardus, of Hague, Adrian Borrius of Leyden, Nicholas Grevinchovius of Rotterdam, and the before mentioned Adolphus Venator of the Alcmaarian church. But Gomarus took Ricardus Acronius of Scheidam, James Roland of Amsterdam, John Bogardus of Harlem, and Festus Hommius of Leyden, pastors of the church.

When they had come together, Gomarus and the pastors who had joined themselves to him requested these two things: 1. That this conference should be instituted in writing to be exhibited on each side; by which means, vain rumours of whatever kind might be counteracted: 2. That these writings should afterwards be delivered to a national synod, to be examined and judged, by which the judgment of an ecclesiastical cause might be reserved entire to the churches. The illustrious

That this cause might be regularly condemned, it was 'judged proper to bring it before an ecclesiastical assembly or