rality in the terms of communion is as injurious to the special purposes of christian edification, as too much strictness can be. This is a subject on which I have bestowed some attention; and the reader will find a copious dissertation upon it in my Calvinism and Arminianism Compared in their Principles and Tendency, Appendix H. In that portion of my work I have compared the practice of the Dutch Remonstrants with that of the Church of England; and have, I hope, satisfactorily demonstrated to every candid mind the truly liberal and mild constitution of the latter, and the obviously beneficial results of her combined moderation and firmness, in requiring a rigid adherence to those terms of communion against the strictness of which none were ever found to object, except the men whose laxity of principles disqualified them from becoming members of any Christian Community.* In that "Appendix," too, I have had occasion to combat several of the erroneous statements of the late Archdeacon Blackburne, who in relating matters of fact shews himself to have been either culpably ignorant, or guilty of designed perversion. Had the celebrated

"They condemned on the one hand the Papists, who asserted the merit of Good WORKS, and on the other hand the Antinomians who denied the necessity of them. And again they condemned the Felagians, who denied the necessity of GOD'S GRACE; and on the other hand the Anabaptists, and others, who denied all FREE WILL. But they so worded their Articles, as to comprehend all those who thought soberly and moderately on these points, though they differed from one another in the manner of explaining them. Our Reformers here in England in king Edward the Sixth's time went on the same plan, and acted with the like prudence and moderation. They were no disciples of Calvin; but they so drew up their Articles, as to include persons of different persuasions in these points. They went, as a Calvinistical writer (Bishop Hall) observes, a midway between both, guarding against the extremities on cach

side.

"The principal thing, indeed, which seems to be aimed at by most of these reformers, is the doctrine of the Trinity, so plainly taught both in our Articles and our Liturgy. This has been always, from the very beginning of Christianity, thought an essential Article of Faith; and if any come to us, and bring not this doctrine, we may and ought to shut our gates against him. I cannot but wonder how men of this persuasion should expect or desire to be included in communion with those who believe our blessed Saviour's Divinity. If we believe CHRIST, and the HOLY SPIRIT, to be really and truly GOD, we ought in our public prayers to ascribe to them the titles, the honour, the worship due to God: If we do not believe this, we cannot, I think, pay them such honours without idolatry. How then can there be any communion between persons of sentiments so diametrically opposite? How can they join in worship, who have not the same object of worship ?"-RANDOLPH's Charge.

+ The Archdeacon's palliative remarks on Archbishop Abbot's injurious description of Grotius, (contained in a letter addressed to Winwood, June 1, 1613, which I have quoted in my Calvinism and Arminianism Compared, Introduction, p. cl.,) are a fair specimen of his dashing manner. "Abbot's disaffection to Grotius," says he, "was owing to the endeavours and proposals of the latter, towards a co-alition of the Protestants and Papists, which every wise and consistent Protestant, in every period since the Reformation, as well as Abbot, has considered as a Snare, and treated ac cordingly." Archdeacon Blackburne is here guilty only of a slight anachronism; f the fac is, Grotius had not then made any endeavours and proposals towards

author of the Confessional known any thing of the true history of the case of Vorstius, he might with his accustomed subtlety have made it exceedingly subservient to the cause which he advocated, and for the triumph of which he would have found in Vorstius a more valuable auxiliary than any of those whom he has quoted, however wrongfully, as his staunch co-adjutors. I conclude this long article with a quotation from Bayle, which, as proceeding from a writer whose prepossessions were decidedly Calvinistic, is entitled to some attention.*

and was in

alition of the Frotestants and Papists," nor did he write or publish a word on that subject till twenty-nine years afterwards, when Abbot himself had been eight years in his grave!-Other equally glaring misrepresentations concerning the same illustrious man, of whose principles of civil and ecclesiastical liberty he had a very confused knowledge, I have exposed in the work to which there is in this page a previous allusion. "I am of opinion, that had not Vorstius been very strongly solicited by the chiefs of the Arminians, he would never have embarked on so stormy a sea. He was beloved and honoured in Steinfurt; he enjoyed the utmost tranquillity, the highest reputation in that city; and he doubtless foresaw, that, in the state in which the controversies of Arminius and Gomarus were at that time, he should meet with great opposition in Holland. He was tempted, if I mistake not, by the glory he should gain by supporting a party which was weakened by the death of Arminius. To this were added motives drawn from conscience: They represented to him, that he would be one day accountable for the ill use he might make of his talents, in case too great a fondness for ease should cause him to neglect such a happy opportunity of establishing the truth in a country in which it had already taken root. However this may be, his evil star separated him from the Count of Bentheim, to convey him to Holland, where, amidst unnumbered rocks and shelves, he at last met with a fatal shipwreck. Had Vorstius continued quiet in Steinfurt, the errors he had inserted in his treatise De Deo would not have brought him into much trouble, and he might easily have recovered from that false step which he had taken. But the question being, whether or not he should teach at Leyden, that is, whether a rising party should oblige the other to truckle, nothing was forgiven him; this treatise De Deo became a worse book than the Koran.

"Vorstius did great injury to the Arminian party. The prevailing so far as to procure his appointment to the Professorship at Leyden, as the successor of Arminius, [though he never entered on the duties of his profession,] was considered a masterstroke; and yet nothing could have been more advantageous to the adversaries of the Remonstrants. By his new manner of dogmatizing on the attributes of God, he furnished them with so many handles, and it was so easy to raise the suspicions of the people against him, that it was no difficult matter to make him become odious. After this, it was very easy for a sect of people, who were not deficient in zeal, tongues, or pens, to cause all the hatred to fall on the new Professor, which had been excited against the Arminiau party. Nothing more was requisite, than to represent how urgent the friends of Arminius were to invite Vorstius to Leyden. In this manner the Providence of God every day takes a pleasure in confounding human prudence. That for which we labour most industriously as the most solid foundation of our hopes, is generally that which effects our ruin. It must be observed, that when the friends of Arminius fixed their choice on the Steinfurt Professor, they imagined him to be quite uninfected with the Socinian heresy: But was it easy for them to convince prejudiced people of this, or to prevent such persons from urging the contrary? If the doctrine of Predestination, with its consequences, be strongly asserted by the Protestants, it is because the disputes in it have given rise to two factions, and to a schism which is still in existence. The Church of England, which considered itself as a separate body, and

detached from that in which this schism was formed, was not fired with the ardent seal which this dispute had excited in the minds of the Contra-remonstrants: Thus it tended, by insensible degrees, towards hypotheses of a milder nature, and very different from Calvinism."-BAYLE's Dictionary.

Q-Page 33.

The younger Brandt gives the subjoined account of the further proceedings of the Curators:-Arminius, who was not ignorant of these machinations against him, attempted to direct his attention to one point-to find out a way, by which he might defend himself against the charges of his adversaries, and might destroy their force: And since he began to discover, that he had been infamously traduced before Oldenbarnevelt, it appeared to him to be the most advisable course-to defend the innocency of his reputation in the presence of that eminent man,—and to give notice of his intention, prior to his appearance at the Hague, to the honourable the Burgomasters, to Helmichius, and others, who had branded his name with infamy. But he was prevented from executing this purpose, and undertaking the proposed journey, through an infirm state of health, produced by a violent catarrh, which had been communicated by the frost, and which had affected the brain and the contiguous parts of his head. When communicating this information to his friend Uitenbogaert, on the 3rd of March, 1603, he disclosed the state of his mind and his wishes in the following words: "I wish the favour could be obtained of the right honourable Barnevelt, to command the deputies of the churches to proceed against me personally in his presence. Such a course indeed I request and desire much more ardently, than that which they suppose to be the object of my desires, that is to say, the Theological Professorship. But I am fully persuaded within myself, (and so undoubtedly it ought to be,) that those good men will not gain credence among persons of discretion and prudence; especially, when they find, that he who is the object of attack offers himself to a legitimate defence, and is an elder [Presbyter] against whom [according to the scriptures] it is not lawful to receive an accusation except before two or three witnesses. I am of opinion, therefore, that this excursion is not very necessary at this time, when a great part of the deputies have already departed, to whom Helmichius might appeal if I commenced a discussion with him. In the meantime, I retain the proper right of making a lawful experiment with him, and even with the rest of his associates: But your advice, and that of others, will determine me, in the course which I shall pursue. Yet if you account it necessary that I should disclose my mind on

certain questions, you may transcribe them, and I will return the plainest and most sincere answers. For I am unwilling to commit or to omit any thing, merely because it may serve to promote or to hinder my call. I have resolved indeed to commit myself entirely to the will of God, that I may possess a good conscience, what issue soever the affair may have. In the meantime, I wish you to be in good spirits, and to abate your anguish For I know the urgent need there is of requiring this favour from you. The Lord God will himself provide, and will grant such success, as he knows will prove most conducive to his own glory, to the edification of his church, and to the salvation of myself and family. On Him I cast my every care: He will bring forth my righteousness as the light, and my judgment as the noon-day."

The honourable the Curators of the University, still promising to themselves better things respecting Arminius than were reported, thought nothing ought to be unattempted, by which they might obtain him who was the object of their wishes. Having consulted the most illustrious Prince Maurice, and communicated to him their deliberations, they added an earnest intreaty, that some one, in the name of his highness, might be associated with them for the purpose of promoting this business among the people of Amsterdam.. The Prince kindly acceded to their request; and, on the 13th of March, 1603, he called Uitenbogaert to him, and besought him in the most affable manner not to refuse to undertake this province, which was in a great measure ecclesiastical. He also pledged his faith to furnish him with letters of credence: Uitenbogaert procured his credentials on the 1st of April, and immediately commenced his journey to Amsterdam, in company with the most noble J. Dousa, and N. Zeystius the Syndic of Leyden. They were shortly afterwards joined by the honourable Ncostaduis, and N. Kromhoutius, the chief Senator of the High Court, whom the Curators had called in to their aid, and whose influence with the Senate of Amsterdam was very great.

But in order to prepare an easier way to themselves for executing the commission with which they had been entrusted, they thought it expedient to enter into previous conferences with some of the Magistrates and Ministers of the Church. On the 5th of April, therefore, having obtained a public audience with the Magistrates, they explained at large the reasons of the journey which they had taken,-Kromhoutius being the advocate of the Curators, and Uitenbogaert acting in behalf of the Prince of Orange. Their intreaties for gaining Arminius were

fortified by various arguments: But, on the other hand, the Magistrates extolled the merits of their pastor, and declared that his services were useful and necessary for the refutation of the opinions of different parties on sacred subjects, and that they could on no account dispense with the ministry of such a preacher.* These, and other arguments of the same kind, were ingeniously and with a greater force turned in their own favour by the Curators; till at length the Magistrates came to a resolution, "That they would deliberate further about this business;" and they granted leave to discuss this matter in a meeting of the ecclesiastics.

A meeting of the pastors was therefore convened on the 8th of April, before whom the delegates of the University produced the same arguments for their advice, which they had employed before the Magistrates: For the sake of promoting this business, they likewise held out hopes, and gave their word of honour, that, if the presiding members of the Church of Amsterdam resolved to substitute another celebrated Pastor in the place of Arminius who was to have letters dimissory, or even if they determined to renew the call which they had previously given to Baselius, the very eloquent minister of Bergen-op-zoom, from whom they had received a refusal,-in that case, the illustrious the States and his Highness the Prince would employ all their influence to effect the object of their wishes.

The Presbytery, having heard all these inducements and having taken some time for deliberation, thought proper on the 11th of April, to intimate to the Magistrates, by a deputation from their own body, "that Arminius was, above all others, bound and engaged to their church; and that they should prefer his being retained in her service." But since the Magistrates thought, that this opinion of the ecclesiastical assembly was expressed in terms that were in some measure doubtful and too general,† and since they requested their fuller advice and resolution about this affair, the Presbytery determined, that they would treat with Arminius himself, by the same deputation. These ecclesiastical deputies, therefore, accosted him in all the alluring softness and courtesy of which they were possessed,+ and ardently intreated him "to suffer himself to be induced to keep his promise with this church, and to devote his powers to her service." To these intreaties Arminius replied, "that he was formerly less inclined to take upon himself the professorial

From the Acts of the Presbytery of Amsterdam, quoted by Triglandius, in his History, p. 286.