mate means, which have been sanctioned by the examples of the apostles themselves, and of the Christian church that followed them, during a long course of years, and which have before this been had recourse to (usurpata) in the Belgic church, with much advantage; and they called a Synod at Dort by their own authority, out of all the provinces which they governed; having sought out towards it both the favour of the most serene and powerful James king of Great Britain, and of illustrious Princes, Counts, and Republics, and having obtained also very many most grave theologians; that, by common judgment of so many divines of the reformed church, those dogmas of Arminius and of his followers might be decided on accurately, and by the word of God alone; that the true doctrine might be confirmed, and the false rejected; and that concord, peace, and tranquillity might, by the divine blessing, be restored to the Belgic churches. This is that benefit of God, in which the Belgic churches exult; and they humbly acknowledge and thankfully proclaim the compassions of their faithful Saviour. Therefore this venerable Synod, (after a previous appointment and observance of prayers and fasting, by the authority of the supreme magistracy, in all the Belgic churches, to deprecate the wrath of God, and to implore his gracious assistance) being met together in the name of the Lord at Dort, fired with the love of God (divini numinis) and for the salvation of the church; and, after having invoked the name of God, having bound itself by a sacred oath, that it would take the holy scriptures alone as the rule of judgment, and

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of Correspondentia and Wedevarica; to the republics of Geneva, Bremen, and Emden; in which they requested, that they would deign to send from them to this synod some of their own theologians, excelling in learning, piety, and prudence, who might earnestly labour by their counsels and decisions, along with the rest of the deputies of the Belgic churches, to settle those controversies, which had arisen in these Belgic churches, and to restore peace to the same.

All these things having been duly prepared and completed, when at the appointed time as well the deputies of the Belgic churches, as also the foreign theologians, a few excepted, had met together at Dort, that national Synod was begun in the name of the Lord, on the thirteenth day of November, 1618. But in this Synod, what now was actually done, the prudent reader may know at length (prolixè) from the Acts of the same, which now are published for the favour (satisfaction, gratiam) and use of the reformed churches. It hath seemed good also, that to these Acts should be joined, besides other writings exhibited to this Synod, the judgments also of the theologians concerning the five articles of the Remonstrants, as they were proposed in the Synod; by which they may more fully know, by the same, on what passages of scripture, and on what arguments, the canons of the reformed church do rest. It is not to be doubted, that the prudent reader will discover in these judgments the highest and most admirable agreement. If perhaps in less matters a certain diversity appear, even this will be an argument, that a due liberty of prophesying and

judging flourished, in this venerable convention; but that all, notwithstanding, by concording opinions, agreed in the doctrine expressed in the canons of this Synod; of whom all and every one, (not one indeed excepted, or declining to do it,) subscribed to testify this consent.

But all the reformed churches are requested willingly to embrace, preserve, and propagate this orthodox doctrine, so solemnly in this Synod explained and confirmed from the word of God; and to transmit it to all posterity, to the glory of divine grace, and the consolation and salvation of souls. And at the same time also favourably to receive the pious, and never sufficiently to be celebrated zeal and earnest endeavour of the most illustrious and mighty the States General of federated Belgium, for preserving the purity (sinceritate) of the reformed religion; and also to follow up with their favour the diligence and piety, in maintaining the same, of so many doctors, of distinguished churches, who were present at this Synod: and, above all things, it is requested, that they would earnestly intreat the most high and gracious God, (optimum, maximum,) that he would indeed benignly preserve the Belgic churches, and, in like manner, all others professing with them the same orthodox doctrine, in the unity of the faith, in peace and tranquillity; and that he would inspire a better mind into the Remonstrants themselves, and all others who are involved in error; and, by the grace of his own

That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth, all 'such as have erred and are deceived.'-Litany. The Calvinism of the Synod did not, it seems, prevent their prayers for those

Spirit, would at length, some time lead them to the knowledge of the truth, to the glory of his own divine name, the edification of the churches, and the salvation of us all; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, the one, true, and immortal God, be praise, and honour, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.1

who, as they supposed, were in error. It did not lead them to treat their most eager opponents as reprobates, and to give them up as necessarily consigned to destruction; as many ignorantlysuppose, or confidently assert, that decided Calvinists do, even with malignity and malignant satisfaction. So greatly are they calumniated!

Accordingly a Synod was convoked at Dordrecht in the year 1618, by the counsels and influence of prince Maurice, ' &c.'-Mosheim, vol. v. p. 450. Our author always forgets 'to mention the order issued by the States General, for the 'convocation of this famous Synod; and by his manner of expressing himself, and particularly by the phrase, Mauritio auctore, would seem to insinuate, that it was by this prince, ' that the assembly was called together. The legitimacy of the manner of convoking this Synod was questioned by Olden'Barneveldt, who maintained that the States General had no sort of authority in matters of religion; affirming that this was an act of sovereignty, that belonged to each province sepa'rately, and respectively.'-Maclaine, Ibid.

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It was by means of these disputes, about the ecclesiastical authority, (which all parties supposed to be possessed by some of them,) that the union of the confederated States was endangered in this controversy.

'Dr. Mosheim, however impartial, seems to have consulted more the authors of one side than of the other, probably 'because they were more numerous, and more generally known. When he published this history, the world had not been 'favoured with The Letters, Memoirs, and Negociations of Sir Dudley Carleton, which Lord Royston (afterwards Earl of 'Hardwicke) drew from his inestimable treasure of historical

'manuscripts, and presented to the public, or rather at first to ' a select number of persons, to whom he distributed a small ' number of copies, printed at his own expence. They were soon translated both into Dutch and French: and, though it 'cannot be affirmed, that the spirit of party is no where dis'coverable in them; yet they contain anecdotes with respect 'both to Olden-Barneveldt and Grotius, that the Arminians, ' and the other patrons of these two great men, have been studious to conceal. These anecdotes, though they may not 'be sufficient to justify the severities exercised against these ' eminent men, would, however, have prevented Dr. Mosheim 'from saying, that he knew not on what pretext they were 'arrested.'-Mosheim, vol. v. p. 449, 450. Note by Maclaine.

In a political contest for authority, between prince Maurice and his opponents in the States General, the Remonstrants favoured his opponents, and the Contra-Remonstrants were attached to him. The prince's party at length prevailed, and, Ithe men who sat at the helm of government were cast into 'prison. Olden-Barneveldt, a man of wisdom and gravity, 'whose hairs were grown grey in the service of his country, 'lost his life on the public scaffold, while Grotius and Hooger'berts were condemned to perpetual imprisonment; under 'what pretext, or in consequence of what accusations or crimes, ' is unknown to us.'-Mosheim, vol. v. p. 448, 449.