2. Enmities and dissensions of the heart and affections branch out and become SCHISMS, factions, and secessions into different parties. For as love is an affection of union, so is hatred an affection of separation. Thus synagogues are erected, consecrated, and thronged with people, in opposition to other synagogues, churches against churches, and altars against altars,-when neither party wishes to have intercourse with the other. This also is the reason why we frequently hear expressions, entirely similar to those which were clamorously echoed through the assembled multitude of the Children of Israel when they were separating into parties,— "To your tents, O Israel! for our adversaries have no por❝tion in God, nor any inheritance in his Son Christ Jesus." (1 Kings xii, 16.) For both factions equally appropriate to themselves the renowned name of "the true Israel," which they severally deny to their adversaries,* in such a peremp

This was generally the practice in former days, among men of little minds: But it was no small portion of the praise due to Arminius, (his enemies themselves being judges,) that he shewed to all religious disputants "a more excellent way," and taught them to propound their sentiments, with far more efficacy, by means of modesty and mildness. (See the preceding Appendix X.) An instance of the benevolence and urbanity of his disposition towards a bitter enemy, may be seen in Appendix F, page 74. Arminianism is distinguished, even in the present age, for the same liberality as that which was displayed by the pious founder of this Christian system. All true Arminians frankly acknowledge, that they can perceive nothing of a damning nature in the tenets of Calvinism, when held by persons of exemplary lives and holy conversation. But what thorough-paced Calvinist was ever known to have made a similar public declaration concerning the Arminian doctrines ? It will readily be granted, that ignorance of Arminianism is one great cause of this unwilling recognition of the evangelical nature of its scriptural doctrines. But some persous think, perhaps uncharitably, that the more probable cause may be traced up to the policy of Calvinistic pastors in general, who, on making any such tolerant concession to their opponents, would expect to see a decline of ministerial influence among the people of their respective charges.

They have deterring instances of this description, which it is not uncommon for some of them to quote in private :-Thus, for instance, an Alderman of Bristol, who was a member of an Independent congregation, on being elected, in rotation, Mayor of that city; and while the affair was yet in limine, like a conscientious man and a good christian, he enquired of his pastor, if there would be any harm in his qualifying for office, by partaking of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, in the Established Church? The minister declared without hesitation, that, for the purpose which he had in view, it would not be wrong to communicate once or twice in a steeple-house, or to attend in a public capacity the ministry of the word during the year of his office: He, at the same time, reminded him of the higher privileges enjoyed by the Independents, and hoped to have the pleasure, at the expiration of his Mayoralty, to behold him once more occupying his former place in the chapel. But, after all this necessary precaution, at the appointed period the ex-Mayor did not return according to expectation. Wondering at his remissness, the minister waited

tory manner as might induce one to imagine each of them exclusively endowed with a plenary power of passing judgment upon the other, and as though it had been previously concluded, that the name of ISRAEL, by which God accosts in a most gracious manner the whole of his Church, cannot encircle within its embrace those who differ in any point from the rest of their brethren.

3. But the irritation of inflamed hearts does not prescribe a boundary to itself in schism alone.—For if it happen, that one party considers itself the more powerful, it will not be afraid of instituting PERSECUTIONS against the party opposed to it, and of attempting its entire extermination:* In effecting

upon him one day, and expressed a degree of regret at not having seen him for so long a time at Chapel; when he very frankly replied,- Sir, you told 'me, there would be no harm in communicating once or twice in the Established 'Church, and I had not long attended in my official costume the public 'services before I thought, that, if to do so once or twice was not wrong, I 'should not be culpable in repeating an act, which, in itself, you did not con. 'sider blame-worthy. I am therefore become a regular attendant at Church, 'where we are favoured with a most excellent and pious clergyman, whose 'conduct and doctrine give me complete satisfaction. And though I continue 'to entertain all possible respect for you, yet I decline to be any longer ac' counted a member of your community.'

This has been viewed as an unpleasant fruit of liberality; and similar incidents will naturally prove disastrous in their consequences to several of those poor Calvinistic teachers of the Independent persuasion who derive the whole of their maintenance from their congregations.-But more infectious and frequent would such examples of congregational defection become, if, in the exuberance of their liberality, these pastors were to declare the possibility of any christian being eternally saved who does not interpret scripture exactly according to the standard of the Genevan Clergy. On this account, it appears, they continue to arrogate to themselves the exclusive appellation of the TRUE ISRAEL, or EVANGELICAL DIVINES, while they stigmatize their brethren the pious Arminians as dangerous heretics.

* In all the Latin editions of this oration, the subjoined five sentences are printed in the Italic character, to distinguish them from the rest, on account of the striking similarity between many of the persecuting effects here described, and those which actually occurred, thirteen years afterwards, at the Synod of Dort. Arminius seems indeed, for some time prior to his death, to have felt a strong presentiment of the disastrous events which afterwards took place in Holland. Without pretending to any thing like inspiration, he perceived, from the manner in which his plain and scriptural doctrines were received when tendered with his characteristic modesty, that they would be nurtured and matured amidst all the storms and tempests which unsanctified hearts and hostile affections could raise; and that no weapon which the refined ingenuity of Calvinian intolerance could form against them, would be spared.

But the following curious extract, which is still more prophetic of the disgraceful occurrences of the year 1619, was written five years before the meeting of the Synod of Dort. Grotius had then recently published his masterly production, entituled, Pietas Ordinum Hollandia, in vindication of the pious and moderate counsels of the States of Holland with regard to religious matters. It was published in Latin, French, and Low Dutch, with the approba

this, it spares no injury, which either human ingenuity can devise, the most notable fury can dictate, or even the office of

tion of the States; and it excited a great commotion among the Calvinistic clergy. Sibrandus Lubbertus, afterwards a very conspicuous member of the Synod of Dort, and Bogerman, who was chosen the ecclesiastical President of that Synod, attempted to answer the Pietas Ordinum. The book which Lubbertus wrote, was such a libellous performance as to draw down upon it the public interdict of the government, and its sale was consequently suppressed. Corvinus answered Bogerman's book, in a very satisfactory manner; but Gaspar Barlæus, at that time Vice-regent of the Theological College at Leyden, and one of the most able and elegant writers of the age, wrote a pamphlet against the principles avowed in Bogerman's preface. Having stated, that the spirit and temper exhibited by Bogerman and his party precluded all hopes of a Toleration, and that the only matter about which they appeared solicitous, was, a decision of the controversy by a Synod," he proceeds thus :

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"But, by what sort of a Synod? I will tell you: a Synod which the States must suffer to be called and holden where, when, and how the Clergy please, whose charges also the States must defray; to which they are to send only one or two persons as lookers-on, in order to take cognizance of what passes, lest the people might be induced to imagine that the debates of the Assembly related chiefly to the betraying of the nation into the hands of the Spaniards. In fine, a synod to whose decrees the States must affix their seal, to give them the sanction of laws, as soon as possible, against their adversaries. The rest of the synod will be composed of Divines: Those who make their appearance there, must be such as are deputed by the Classes or ecclesiastical powers; men, whose minds are formed for disputation, able to refute gainsayers, furnished with unexceptionable testimonials of their orthodoxy, and entirely free from all spots of suspicion; and men, who, by the constant exercise of their weapons in the discipline of the Church, have acquired great expertness in the use of them, and can skilfully employ them either in attack or defence. When these Fathers have taken their places, a President or Prolocutor will commence the business of the meeting, and will in a diffusive harangue recount the troubles and sufferings of the church which is militant in the midst of such monsters of error and heresy. He will then bless God, that the period is at last arrived when they find themselves at liberty, according to ancient custom, to devise remedies for these distempers, and, once for all, to condemn the heretical opinions of their adversaries. He will also proceed to exhort the brethren to moderate counsels, to a serious enquiry into the FIVE POINTS in order to form a pious and impartial judgment of these matters, whatever else may serve to give the matter a specious

and to

..........

appearance.

"After this introductory discourse, the Synod will cite the Remonstrants before them, and will accuse them of the propagation of false doctrines, and of having presumed, of their own accord and without consulting the Synod, to depart from those received formularies of doctrine, the Catechism and the Netherland Confession, and to speak in disparagement of that excellent summary of sound words. If the accused attempt to make any reply, they will be required to deliver it briefly and by way of position,-that if there be any truth in what they have to allege, it may be approved by a synodical decision, -and, if their counter allegations be accounted false, that they may submit to the spirits of the prophets and obey their decrees, unless they wish to be reputed Heathen men and Publicans.-It will next be warmly debated, whether the Articles of the Remonstrants are opposed to the Holy Scriptures, and to the truth which is taught in the Church, and as it is taught there. One part of the Synod will maintain the negative, the other the affirmative.

"At last, after having commanded the Remonstrants to withdraw and suffered them for a season to cool their heels, the next subject of consideration

the infernal regions can supply. Rage is excited and cruelty exercised against the reputation, the property, and the persons of the living; against the ashes, the sepulchres, and the memory of the dead; and against the souls both of the living and the dead. Those who differ from the stronger party are attacked with all kinds of weapons; with cruel mockings, calumnies, execrations, curses, excommunications, anathemas, degrading and scandalous libels, prisons and instruments of torture. They are banished to distant or uninhabited islands, will be, What is to be done with them? But as the Fathers will not be unanimous in their opinions and judgments about this question, they will put it to the vote, and the majority will pass a decree to the following effect: The ·Synod has judged and decreed, as it does hereby judge and decree, that the Five Articles of the Remonstrants are not orthodox, either in themselves or in respect to their consequences, but are contrary to the established doctrine of this church, and are therefore on no account to be tolerated in any pastor or teacher. However, all those amongst the Remonstrants who will consent to be entirely silent concerning the controverted points, and who will solemnly promise not to offer the least opposition to the orthodox doctrine, shall be spared, for the sake of their wives and children. But as for those who will pertinaciously defend the aforesaid articles, and will profess them by words and writing, let them be expelled from the Christian ministry and let others take their office. *And if those who have hitherto by their writings opposed the Church and reviled her doctrines, do not recant what they have written, and, most humbly owning their fault, beg pardon of the Synod, they shall be smitten with the thunderbolt of excommunication.

"This decree will be presented to the States, and they will be requested to ratify it,—not that there is any actual need of such a formality, but because their signature may be of some service. If the States approve of such a decree ́as this, they will be called, the Fathers of their country, the nursing fathers of the Church, Constantines, Theodosiuses, and most Christian Princes: They will be accounted the very men for gratifying the wishes of Bogerman, the ́expectations of Lubbertus, and the longings of many pious souls.-But if the States reject it, and declare that the cognizance of these matters belongs to none but them, and that they will abrogate the Synodical decree because it is full of nullities in many parts, the Fathers will then revert to their old course and former practices. No probability of peace or hope of christian forbearance will then remain, and the States will not obtain that epithet which they desire to receive, LOVERS OF TRUE RELIGION AND HATERS OF HERESY, but will rather be stigmatized as the patrons and promoters of heretical opinions.—This 'is a just portraiture of the Synod by whose righteous judgment Bogerman designs to terminate our differences."

From these quotations it is very evident, that the man who wrote this description was intimately acquainted with the materials of which that assem bly would be composed, and knew full well the temper which the members of such a Synod might be expected to display.

+ Against the souls of the living, by their malicious, cruel, and vexatious treatment; and, against the souls of the dead, by cousigning them with much assurance to the place of eternal torment. In the latter case, however, it is generally some alleviation to the distress of surviving friends, to know, that such vile calumniators do not occupy the Supreme Seat of Judgment in the world to come; but that the eternal states of all men are decided according to the righteous equity of the Lord, who is a God of knowledge, and by whom the spirits as well as the actions of men are weighed.' (Prov. xvi, 2.)

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Cc

condemned to the mines, prohibited from having any communication with their fellow-creatures by land or sea, and excluded from a sight of either heaven or earth. They are tormented by water, fire, and the sword, on crosses and stakes, on wheels of torture and gibbets, and by the claws of wild beasts, without any measure, bounds or end, until the party thus oppressed have been destroyed, or have submitted themselves to the pleasure of the more powerful, by rejecting with abjurations the sentiments which they formerly held, and by embracing with apparent devotion those of which they had previously disapproved; that is, by destroying themselves through the hypocritical profession which had been extorted from them by violence. * Call to mind how the Heathens persecuted the Christians; and the persecuting conduct of the Arians against the orthodox, of the worshippers of images against the destroyers of images, and vice versa. That we may wander to no great distance, let us look at what has occurred within the period of our recollection and that of our fathers, in Spain, Portugal, France, England, and the Low Countries; and we shall confess with tears, that these remarks are lamentably too true.

4. But if it happen that the contending parties are nearly equal in power, or that one of them has been long oppressed, wearied out by persecutions, and inflamed with a desire for liberty, after having had their patience converted into fury, (as it is called,) or rather into just indignation,-and if the oppressed party assume courage, summon all its strength, and collect its forces,-then most mighty WARS arise, grievances are repeated, after a flourish of trumpets the herald's hostile spear is sent forth in defiance, war is proclaimed, the opposing armies charge each other, and the struggle is conducted in a most bloody and barbarous manner. Both the belligerents observe a profound silence about entering into negotiations for peace, lest that lest that party which first suggests such a course, should, from that very circumstance, create a prejudice against its own cause and make it appear the weaker of the two and the more unjust. Nay, the strife is carried on with such wilful obstinacy, that he can scarcely be endured who for a moment suspends their mutual animosities by a mention of peace,

* There was much of this tampering with consciences, and some consequent trimming and tergiversation, in the different classes, when a subscription to the decrees of the Synod of Dort, (that is, to common unmasked Calvinism,) was required of every ecclesiastical person.