had drawn over to their party the pastors of Neomagen, Bommelien, and Tilan; who from that time placed over the ministerial charges of the neighbouring churches only men of their own opinion. And that they might do this with the more freedom and safety, Utenbogardus, Borrius, and Taurinus, going into Gelderland, when the meeting of the Illustrious the States was held in the same place, with the other Remonstrants effected this, that in the province also the ordinary and annual meeting of the synods should be prevented. In Overyssel also, some pastors, especially in the church of Campen and Deventer, by the endeavour and artifices of certain persons, had been drawn over to the opinion of the Remonstrants; who in those places thenceforth disturbed peaceable churches with new contentions.

Sept. 27, 1612. When the Belgic churches saw that this evil, thus crept also into the other provinces, was spread abroad in them; as they judged it to be most highly necessary that it should be inet as soon as possible, and that the remedy should not be longer deferred, having communicated counsels one with another, they sent away two delegates from each of the provinces, to the illustrious the High Mightinesses the States General namely, from Gelderland, John Fontanus and William Baudartius; from Holland, Libertus Fraxinus and Festus Hommius; from Zealand, Herman Frankelius and William Telingius; (those of Utrecht refused to send their's ;) from Friesland, Gellius Acronius and Godofrid Sopingius; from Overyssel, John Gosmannus and John Langius; finally, from the state of Groningen and the

Omelands, Cornelius Hillenius and Wolfgang Agricola; who, together with the deputies of the church of Amsterdam, which was synodal, Peter Plancius and John Hallius, having set forth copiously the difficulties and dangers of the churches, as well in the name of the churches themselves, as also most of them in the name of the illustrious the States of their own provinces, (whose letters also they laid before them,) most strenuously requested and adjured the illustrious their High Mightinesses the States General, that pitying the most afflicted state of the churches, they would at length seriously think concerning a remedy of these evils; and for that purpose, at the earliest time call together a national synod, (which had been) first promised many years before. Though most persons among. the States General judged, that the convocation (of a synod) was not to be deferred any longer, and even themselves urged it; yet, because the delegates of the province of Utrecht were absent, and those of Holland and West Friesland said, that they had not been furnished with mandates sufficiently clear as to that business, by those who delegated them; the matter was put off, until the delegates of all the provinces had agreed to it by their common suffrages, which was thenceforth hindered from being done, by the endeavour of the Remonstrants in Holland and Utrecht.

In the mean time, the Remonstrants did not desist from strenuously promoting their own cause, (or cease) to court (aucupari) the favour of the great men, to occupy the minds of the magistrates, to render suspected to the politicians, and

to impede, all synodical meetings, to seize on the vacant churches, to propagate their own opinion by sermons and public writings, to rail at the orthodox doctrine with horrid calumnies, to draw. over the people to their party, and to alienate them more and more from the doctrine of the reformed churches. For this purpose they earnestly scattered pamphlets (libellos) in great number, among the common people, written in the vulgar tongue, under the titles of The bells of a conflagration,' (or the fire bells, campana incendiariæ,) A more compressed declaration,' ' A more direct way,' and others; in which they not only fought in defence of their own doctrine, but both excused Vorstius, and most atrociously, with a canine eloquence, canvassed the received doctrine of the Belgic churches, by most impudent calumnies, and most absurd consequences deduced wickedly and unjustly against the same. Hence bitter disputes and altercations were excited among the people, which sounded throughout all places and the minds also of those who were most nearly related, (or connected, conjunctissimorum) having been embittered among themselves, (with the great wound of charity, and the disturbance of the churches and of the public peace; and with the immense grief and offence of the pious,) were torn asunder in the most miserable manner. And, as in most of the cities, they had the magistracy more favourable to them, and could do every thing through J. Utenbogardus, with the advocate of Holland, they insolently exulted over the churches, and their fellow

ministers.

Omelands, Cornelius Hillenius and Wolfgang Agricola; who, together with the deputies of the church of Amsterdam, which was synodal, Peter Plancius and John Hallius, having set forth copiously the difficulties and dangers of the churches, as well in the name of the churches themselves, as also most of them in the name of the illustrious the States of their own provinces, (whose letters also they laid before them,) most strenuously requested and adjured the illustrious their High Mightinesses the States General, that pitying the most afflicted state of the churches, they would at length seriously think concerning a remedy of these evils; and for that purpose, at the earliest time call together a national synod, (which had been) first promised many years before. Though most persons among. the States General judged, that the convocation (of a synod) was not to be deferred any longer, and even themselves urged it; yet, because the delegates of the province of Utrecht were absent, and those of Holland and West Friesland said, that they had not been furnished with mandates sufficiently clear as to that business, by those who delegated them; the matter was put off, until the delegates of all the provinces had agreed to it by their common suffrages, which was thenceforth hindered from being done, by the endeavour of the Remonstrants in Holland and Utrecht.

In the mean time, the Remonstrants did not desist from strenuously promoting their own cause, (or cease) to court (aucupari) the favour of the great men, to occupy the minds of the magistrates, to render suspected to the politicians, and

to impede, all synodical meetings, to seize on the vacant churches, to propagate their own opinion by sermons and public writings, to rail at the orthodox doctrine with horrid calumnies, to draw over the people to their party, and to alienate them more and more from the doctrine of the reformed churches. For this purpose they earnestly scattered pamphlets (libellos) in great number, among the common people, written in the vulgar tongue, under the titles of The bells of a conflagration,' (or the fire bells, campanœ incendiariæ,) A more compressed declaration,' 'A more direct way,' and others; in which they not only fought in defence of their own doctrine, but both excused Vorstius, and most atrociously, with a canine eloquence, canvassed the received doctrine of the Belgic churches, by most impudent calumnies, and most absurd consequences deduced wickedly and unjustly against the same. Hence bitter disputes and altercations were excited among the people, which sounded throughout all places and the minds also of those who were most nearly related, (or connected, conjunctissimorum) having been embittered among themselves, (with the great wound of charity, and the disturbance of the churches and of the public peace; and with the immense grief and offence of the pious,) were torn asunder in the most miserable manner. And, as in most of the cities, they had the magistracy more favourable to them, and could do every thing through J. Utenbogardus, with the advocate of Holland, they insolently exulted over the churches, and their fellow ministers.