should be appointed, at the next Comitia at the Hague, in the convention itself of the illustrious the States, on these five articles of the Remonstrants, between six pastors, to be chosen by each party. The Remonstrants had chosen for themselves, by the deputies of the several classes, John Utenbogardus, of the Hague; Adrian Borrius, and John Arnoldi Corvin of Leyden; Nicolas Grevinchovius of Rotterdam; Edward Poppius of Goudan; and Simon Episcopius, of Bleswick ; pastors of the church. But the rest of the pastors had chosen, by the deputies of each of the classes, Peter Plancinus of Amsterdam; Libertus Frascinus of Brilan; Ruardus Acronius of Schiedam; John Beccius of Dort; John Bogardus of Haarlem; and Festus Hommius of Leyden; pastors of the church.

March 11, 1611. When they had met together, the Remonstrants refused to institute the conference with the other six pastors, as with the deputies of the classes of Holland and West Friesland, such as they shewed themselves to be by letters of commission, (or credit, fidei,) lest they should seem to be the adversaries of the churches moreover they protested that they would depart, leaving the matter unfinished, (re infecta,) unless these would lay aside that character. When there had been for a long time much disputation, the rest of the pastors chose rather to yield to their importunity, than to contend any longer concerning that matter. And they who had been deputed by the classes, before they went into,the conference, besought the illustrious lords the States, that the promise which

had been made to the churches more than two years before, in the conference held between Arminius and Gomarus, (namely, that the conference being ended, the judgment of this cause should he committed and reserved to a provincial or national synod,) should here also be renewed.

It was agreed upon that this order of proceeding should be observed by them; that each party should comprise in writing the arguments of its own opinion; concerning which a conference should then be instituted by word of mouth. Before they came to the examination of the articles, the pastors, who we before said had been deputed by the classes, exhibited an answer to the suppliant writing (libellum) of the Remonstrants, a copy of which they had procured a little before the conference; in which they shewed that the Remonstrants had most unfaithfully (pessima fide) set forth the opinion of the reformed churches, and had feigned in addition to it (adfinxisse) many things as calumnies: and that they had not openly avowed their own (opinion), or set forth all the articles concerning which there was a controversy. And, seeing there were more controverted heads, besides those which were explained in these five articles, they humbly prayed, that, by the authority of the illustrious the States, it might be enjoined on the Remonstrants, that they should likewise roundly and openly declare themselves concerning all the rest. Therefore, when the first article of the Remonstrants was about to be discussed, (or canvassed, excutiendus,) in which it is stated, that God had from eternity decreed to 'save persevering believers,' which no Christian

denies; and this article was proposed by them, as that which contained the doctrine concerning God's eternal election; the Remonstrants were asked, (in addition) to the declaration of their opinion, as expressed in this article, to explain these two things: first, Whether they would maintain that this article contained the whole decree of predestination; secondly, Whether they thought, that this faith and perseverance in the faith were causes and conditions which preceded election unto salvation, or fruits which spring from election, and follow after it. After they had shifted about for some time, they answered at length, to the first indeed, that they acknowledged no other predestination to salvation, than that which had been expressed by them in the first article; and to the second, that faith in the consideration and view of God was prior to election to salvation; and that it did not follow in the manner of any fruit. They then proposed in return seven other questions, as well concerning election, as reprobation, to which they desired an answer to be given by the pastors deputed from the classes. These, as they did not belong to the state of the controversy concerning the first article, and moreover were most of them mutilated and intricate, were proposed by them, that by this method they might draw them from the principal point of the controversy, and the right manner of treating it into doubtful disputations (ambages).1 The pastors, having shewn by a libel (libellum) to the illustrious the States this unjust way of pro

'A common method among many controversialists, expressively called, throwing dust in men's eyes.'

ceeding, did not indeed intreat that they might not manifest their own opinion concerning reprobation; as the Remonstrants had too often iniquitously (improbè) objected to the same persons; but declared expressly their opinion, as far as they thought might suffice for the peace and edification of the churches, not only by word of mouth, but also in writing: That indeed when they state the eternal decree concerning the election of individual persons, they at the same time state the eternal decree concerning the reprobation or rejection of certain individual persons; because it could not be, that there should be election, but there must moreover be, at the same time, a certain reprobation or dereliction: yet rashly to canvass all these difficult questions concerning this article, was nothing else than to fill the church with useless disputations and contentions not profitable, and to disturb its peace: That this their declaration, suppliantly expressed in this libel, ought to suffice all men of moderate dispositions and lovers of peace; namely, that it was indeed believed and taught by them, that God condemned no one, yea, neither had he decreed to condemn any one, unless justly for his own proper sins. 1

It therefore pleased the illustrious the States, that, leaving these thorny questions, they should come to the discussion of the articles. The pas

''That God, by an absolute decree had elected to salvation a very small number of men, without any regard to their faith ' and obedience whatever; and secluded from saving grace all 'the rest of mankind, and appointed them by the same decree 'to eternal damnation, without any regard to their infidelity or ' impenitency.—Tilenus's first Article of the Synod of Dort!

thing when the deputies of the churches had understood, they thought it to belong to their duty, to admonish the illustrious the States, that a man of this kind might not rashly be admitted to this vocation, who might be as a nail or claw in an ulcer, especially in so disturbed a state of the churches. Moreover, that this might be done by them with the greater effect, they petitioned by letters from the venerable the Theological Faculty of the university of Hiedelberg, to whom this Vorstius had been intimately known, that it would sincerely declare, whether it thought that this Vorstius, in the present state of things, could with profit, and the peace and edification of the churches, be placed over the education of youth in the university of Leyden. It was also answered (by this Theological faculty) that a certain book of his had lately been published concerning God and the divine attributes, in which he attempted to refute (convelleret) the doctrine both of ancient and modern theologians; and taught, that God was, as to essence, great, finite, composed of essence and accident, changeable in his will, and obnoxious to passive power, (passivæ potentiæ,) with other similar portents: also that he had been sent ten years since to Hiedelberg, that he might clear himself before the Theological Faculty, D. Pezelius also being present, from (the charge) of Socinianism, of which he had been accused by the churches. And indeed that he had so cleared himself, leaving a writing (syngrapha) behind: but that this clearing of himself (purgationem) had not been made valid; but, on the contrary, too often and by various means he had rendered