most evidently demonstrated, that these controversies could not be determined at this season by any other method than by a national synod. At the same time they most solidly answered all the objections of the Remonstrants, and all their projects, concerning a provincial synod, and also concerning a general council. Soon after likewise the most ample the Magistracy of the city of Enchusen, having exhibited many reasons, in writing also approved the same. These reasons were afterwards made public; that it might be evident to all men, how unjustly the Remonstrants and their favourers acted, because they obstinately resisted the calling of a national synod, by these new projects, and eluded (subterfugerent) its decision.

The illustrious the States General, as they judged that this thing, so entirely necessary, and for the most just and weighty causes already decreed, was not to be any longer delayed, on account of projects and shiftings of this kind; again decreed, that the convocation of a national synod, without any delay or adjournment, should be immediately instituted; and they determine, that the city Dordrecht (or Dort) should be the place of its meeting; the day, the first of the next November. When some persons among the States of Holland and West Friesland, favouring the cause of the Remonstrants, opposed themselves to this decree, in the convention of the illustrious and most powerful the States General, complaining that an injury was done to the majesty, the right, and finally, the liberty of that province; the illustrious and most powerful the

States General, declared by public letters, that they did not purpose, by this convocation of a national synod, that any thing should be taken away from, or lessened in the majesty, right, or liberty, of any province; but that this was the sincere intention of their Highnesses, that, without any prejudice of any province, and of the union and confederation, by the ordinary decision of a national synod, the ecclesiastical controversies alone that had arisen concerning doctrine, which pertained to all the reformed Belgic churches, should lawfully be determined to the glory of God, and the peace of the republic and of the churches. They then addressed letters to the States of each of the provinces, in which they declared, that it had been determined by them to call together, in the name of the Lord, from all the churches of these provinces a national synod, on the first of November ensuing; that by this method the controversies which had arisen in the same churches, might be lawfully examined and settled in a beneficial manner (truth being always preserved). At the same time they admonished them, that as soon as they could they should call a provincial synod in their own provinces, after the accustomed manner; from which six pious and learned men, and greatly loving peace; namely, three or four pastors, with two or three other proper persons, professing the reformed religion, might be deputed, who in the aforementioned national synod, according to the laws constituted by them, (a copy of which they transmitted,) might examine those controversies and take them away, truth being preserved (or

safe, salva veritate). To the Gallo-Belgic churches also (of French Flanders), which used to constitute a peculiar synod among themselves, seeing they had been dispersed through all these provinces, they addressed letters of the same kind. These letters having been received, the illustrious the States of each of the provinces called together the provincial or particular synods of their own churches; in which the grievances might be proposed which were to be carried to the national synod, the persons to be sent out to the same be deputed, and the commands with which these were to be furnished, framed by the common suffrages of the churches. These things were transacted in each of the provinces, in the manner hitherto in use in these reformed churches; except that in Holland and in the province of Utrecht, because of the very great number of the Remonstrants, the customary method could not in all things be observed. For when in Holland separations had been made in some of the classes, so that the Remonstrants held their own classmeetings apart, and the other pastors their's also; it seemed proper to the most illustrious the States of that province, that, of the classes in which a separation of this kind had not been made, four should be deputed by the majority of votes, in the manner hitherto customary, who with the ordinary power might be sent forth to the particular synod; but in the other classes, for the sake of avoiding confusion, the Remonstrants should appoint two, and the other pastors in like manner two, who might be sent with equal power to the particular synod, In the province of Utrecht, the churches had not

been distributed into certain classes: wherefore it pleased the most illustrious the States of that province, that all the Remonstrants should meet together apart in one synod; and the rest of the pastors, who did not follow the opinion of the Remonstrants, of whom there still remained no small number, in another (synod); and that, from each synod and party, three should be sent forth to the national synod with the power of judging. But the church of Utrecht, as it had been torn asunder into parties, of which the one followed the opinion of the Remonstrants, but the other disapproved of it; and this (party) recently set at liberty from the oppression of the Remonstrants, had not made provision for stated pastors, but used at that time the ministry of John Dipetzius, a pastor of Dort; it so happened that he was lawfully deputed by another synod, in the name of the churches of Utrecht, which did not follow the opinion of the Remonstrants. But, when the synod of the churches of Guelderland and Zutphen, had been assembled at Arnheim, the Remonstrant deputies from the class of Bommellien refused to sit along with the rest, unless previously certain conditions should be performed to them, which the synod judged to be opposed to the decree of the illustrious the States. And, when ten articles had before this been offered by the Remonstrants of the class of Neomage, Bommelli, and Tiel, to the illustrious the States of Guelderland, and to the counsellors of the same, which they intimated to be taught by the rest of the pastors; it had been enjoined on them, that they should publicly name those pastors who taught these things, in

order that they might be cited before the synod, that it might in a legal manner be examined, whether the matter were so indeed. For it was evident (constabat) that those articles had been framed by the Remonstrants in a calumniating manner, in order to excite odium (ad conflandam invidiam) against the rest of the pastors, before the supreme magistracy. But they were not able to name any one in that whole province, except the pastor of Hattemis, who had abundantly cleared himself to the class; and, when the synod nevertheless was willing to cite him, that he might be heard before them, the Remonstrants no further pressed it. Certainly Henry Arnoldi, a pastor of Delpht, who was present in the name of the churches of South Holland, declared that there was no one in South Holland who approved or taught these things. 1 Therefore the synod severely reproved them for these atrocious calumnies; and at the same time declared, that the churches of Guelderland did not embrace or approve the doctrine contained in these articles, as it was set forth by them: though there were in them some sentences, which, taken apart, and in an accommodating sense, could not be disapproved. Then at length, having confessed the crime of a

'In like manner it is at this day confidently asserted by writers, who, on one account or another, are regarded as worthy of credit; and thus it is generally believed; that there are a numerous set of men in Britain, called Calvinists, or Methodists, or evangelical preachers, who preach doctrines, defined and stated by the writers, and justly deemed absurd and pernicious; while, their accusers, if they were thus authoritatively called on to prove their assertions would scarcely be able to substantiate the charge against one individual of the whole company.