printed in the Italic character. We have thus two unexceptionable witnesses in support of the statement given to the world by the injured Remonstrants, These letters were published in Latin by Mosheim, at Hamburgh, in 1724, with a Life of Hales prefixed to the translation. The principal part of them were also published by Limborch in Epist. Præstant. Viror., and have been employed by every subsequent writer who made any pretensions to impartiality. That highly respectable and upright historian, the elder Brandt, has made great use of them; not because the temperate statements of the Remonstrants needed any such confirmation, for, as the good old man most properly observes, "the Contra-Remonstrants had sufficient opportunities to contradict their accounts, if they had contained any untruths: but this, as far as I know, they have never yet done." A short time, however, after making this declaration, Leydekker wrote against Brandt, and in vindication of the Synod. On this work, and that which it professes to censure, the learned Mosheim makes this remark: " After diligently comparing these two productions, I could see no enormous error in Brandt; for, in truth, these two writers do not so much differ about facts, as they do in the reasoning which they deduce from them, and in their accounts of the causes from which they proceeded. The reader will do well to consult the letters of the learned and worthy Mr. JOHN HALES, of Eton, who was an IMPARTIAL SPECTATOR of the proceedings of this famous Synod, and who relates with CANDOUR and SIMPLICITY what he saw and heard." With this excellent character of the compositions from which Bishop Womack compiled his "Brief Account," I introduce the reader to the work itself,-only requesting further to premise, that the elucidations which I have added to particular passages, are distinguished [thus] within brackets.

A

BRIEF ACCOUNT

OF THE

SYNOD OF DORT,

TAKEN OUT of the LETTERS OF MR. HALES AND MR. BALCANQUAL,

WRITTEN FROM DORT,

TO THE RT. HON. SIR D. CARLETON, LORD AMBASSADOR THEN AT THE HAGUE.

OUT OF WHICH THE READER MAY OBSERVE WITH ME,

I. THAT (generally speaking) the Synod were an adverse party to the Remonstrants and their doctrine. The evidences hereof are so many, I know not well where to begin my calculation: I will content myself with some few testimonies.

1. The President's jealousy, (which, without all question, proceeded from some guilt in himself,) That this was the sense of the Remonstrants, and made them so unwilling to submit their cause to so unequal a decision. The President's words are these: "Pretend you what you will, the true cause of "this your indisposition is this-that you take the Synod for the adverse part, " and account yourselves in equal place with them; this conceit hath mani"fested itself in all your actions." (Letter of Jan. 5-15.)

2. The Dean of Worcester discovered no less in his Latin sermon in the Synod-house, wherein he came at last "to exhort them to stand to the former

determinations,” which had hitherto most generally passed in the Reformed Churches in these points; and told them, " it was a special part of his Majesty's commission to exhort them to keep unaltered the former Confessions." Here Mr. H. refers it to the Ambassador, saying, "How fit it was to open so much of their Commission, and thus to EXPRESS themselves for a party against the Remonstrants, your Honour can best judge." (Nov. 19-29.)

3. It is probable the Lord Ambassador gave them a check for this betraying their commission; for we find them standing more carefully upon their guard afterwards." It was proposed that there should be [amongst some others] Scriptum Didacticum, a plain and familiar writing drawn, wherein the doctrine of the Five Articles, according to the intent and meaning of the Synod, should be perspicuously expressed for the capacity of the common sort. But the English were altogether against it: Their reason was, Because it seemed incongruous that any writing concerning the doctrine of the Articles should be set forth, before the Synod had given sentence. And indeed, I must confess," saith Mr. Hales, "I see no great congruity in the proposal. Whilst matters are in controversy, judges walk suspensely, and are indifferent for either party; and, whatsoever their intent be, yet they make no overture of it till time of sentence come. All this business of citing, inquiring, examining, must needs seem only as acted on a stage, if the Synod intempestively before-hand bewray a resolution. But, notwithstanding any reason allegible against it, the thing is concluded." And a little after he relates, that the President advised those who were to undertake this, "That they should have an eye to the inclination of the Synod, and beware, as much as might be, that they touched not there where any man was sore. Whatsoever the pretence is," saith Mr. Hales, “ the mentioning of these books before the determination of the Synod be formally set down, must needs be very unseasonable. It will make the world to think, they came resolved what to do; which, though perchance they did, yet it is no wisdom to confess it." (Feb. 7.)

I will add but one testimony more, which is this of Mr. Balcanqual, in his letters to the Lord Ambassador of Feb. 23. "Session 89, Feb. 22," saith he, "There were read 57 pages of the Remonstrants' book, which concerned their opinion of Reprobation, in which they did lay open the barsh opinions of many of our men, which unless the Synod do condemn, as well as the opinion of the Remonstrants, I see not how they can give the world satisfaction touching their indifferency." But the British Divines, &c., who urged it very vehemently, could not so much as get this opinion rejected, Neminem posse &c. ["a man can do no more good than he does."] Nor this, Deum movere &c. ["God moves the tongues of men to blaspheme."]

II. This leads me to my SECOND observation, viz. That the Provincials were a passionate and factious (if not a malicious) party.

For evidence hereof, (1) Consider the temper of some of them, and how they flew out into passion, beyond all measure, especially when any thing was spoken that seemed to favour the cause of the Remonstrants. Upon this account grew that great animosity of Gomarus against Martinius, mentioned in Hales's Letters of Jan. 15-25, [See page 449]; and more fully discovered in Mr. Balcanqual's Letters of Feb. 18, where he tells the Lord Ambassador, [Notwithstanding that Polyander had delivered their collegiate sentence, yet Gomarus (Martinius his professed enemy,) asketh leave to speak, and so entereth into a confutation of that which they of Breme had delivered: So that he and Martinius fell foul in the Synod, very much against the dignity of such an assembly !] In truth I must needs say, that some of the Provincials do nse Martinius very uncivilly, and all the foreign Divines do begin to take it evil at their hands.-[He is a man very learned and very honest, sound in all the Five Articles as any man in the Synod, except the second......... Notwithstanding of all this, because he doth mislike many of the Contra-Remonstrants' broad speeches in many points, (which, I think, every learned and godly man will do,)] they use him with so much discourtesy, as, I will assure your Lordship, he hath been very near leaving of the Synod, and his colleagues were half purposed to go with him. What a blow this would give to the credit

of the Synod, any man may easily perceive! The Provincials in this take not the right course. Though one be against the Remonstrants in all the Five Articles in substance; yet if he differ from them but in manner of speaking, they hold him as not sound." And in his next Letters, of Feb. 23, he relates of a plot laid ex composito, for disgracing of these Bremenses, and how the British Divines drew the indignation of those Provincials upon themselves, by interposing (though it was done by the Lord Bishop of Landaff with gravity and sweetness,) to allay their contentions. [The following extract from Balcanqual will shew the course of the plot, and will illustrate some of our former re marks, especially concerning the Presbyterian discourtesy, or rather the Republican equality, manifested both by Gomarus and Bogerman in their reply to the Bishop of Landaff: "D. Gomarus being he at whom the last disquisition of the third and fourth article ended, was entreated by the President to speak his mind of the said articles, but Sibrandus desireth the President first to give him leave to add some few things to that he had spoken the day before. Now what he added, was nothing but a renewing of that strife which was between him and Martinius in the last Session.-Whereas Martinius had alledged a place out of Pareus for the affirmative in opere conversionis, Sibrandus read a great many places out of Pareus tending to the contrary; and (no question it being plotted before) he entreateth that some of the Palatines (naming them all severally) who were Pareus his colleagues, would speak what they did know of Pareus his mind concerning the said Proposition .-Scultetus beginneth with a set Speech which he bad inwrit lying before him ;-but such a Speech it was, as I, and I think all the Exteri were exceedingly grieved, it should have come from a man of so good worth. The sum of it was this, that he did know upon his own knowledge that Pareus did hold the contrary of that which had been falsely fathered upon him in the Synod. Scultetus delivered his mind in exceeding bitter and disgraceful Words, and repeated his bitterest Sentences twice over. He having ended, Martinius with great modesty answered, first, that he would read Pareus his own words, which he did; next, that for Sibrandus, he wondered that he would now in public bring these things up, since out of his love to peace, that very day he had sent his colleague Crocius to Sibrandus, with a large Explication of that sense in which he had delivered that proposition, with which Explication Sibrandus himself had sent him word that he was fully satisfied, and so he made account that that business had been peaceably transacted.All this while Crocius spoke nothing.-Gomarus beginneth to go on in the Disquisition: but I think he delivered a Speech against the Bremenses, which none but a mad-man would have uttered. Next he falleth upon Crocius, and biddeth the Synod take heed of these Men that brought in these monstra, portenta vocabulorum, the Barbarisms of the Schools of the Jesuits, determinare et non determinare voluntatem,-with many such speeches, delivered with such sparkling of his eyes and fierceness of pronunciation, as every man wondered the President did not cut him off. At last he cut off himself, I think for want of breath; and the President giveth Celeberrimo Doctori Gomaro, many thanks for that his learned, grave and accurate speech: the Exteri wondered at it.-At last my Lord of Landaff, in good faith, in a very grave, short, sweet speech, spake to the President to this purpose, that this Synodical Disquisition was instituted for edification, not for any men to shew studium contentionis: and therefore did desire him to look that the knot of unity were not broken: In this his Lordship's Speech he named no man. The last word was hardly out of my Lord's lips, but furious Gomarus, knowing himself guilty, delivereth this wise speech, Reverendissime D. Præsul, agendum est hic in Synodo non authoritate sed ratione: that it was free for him to speak in his own place, which no man must think to abridge him of by their authority. My Lord replied nothing; but the President told my Lord, that Celeberrimus D. Gomarus had said nothing against men's persons, but their opinions, and therefore that he had said nothing worthy of reprehension. This gave every man just occasion to think the President was on the Plot. Martinius against this speech of Gomarus said nothing, but that he was sorry that he should have

this reward for his far journey.-The disquisition went on to Thysius, who very discreetly told the Synod he was sorry Maitinius should be so exagitated, for a speech, which, according to Martinius his explication, was true. Just as Thysius was thus speaking, Gomar us and Sibrandus, who sate next him, pull him by the sleeve, talk to him with a confused angry noise, in the hearing and seeing of all the Synod, chiding him that he would say so. Afterward Thysius, with great modesty, desired Martinius to give him satisfaction of one or two doubtful sentences he had delivered, which Martinius, thanking him for his courtesy, fully did. The President was certainly on this plot against Martinius; for at that same time he did read out of a Paper publicly a note of all the hard speeches Martinius had used." Insomuch that (in his letters of March 25,) he tells the Lord Ambassador, that "Sibrandus and Gomarus keep their fits of madness by course. The last fit, before this, came to Gomarus's turn; and this day Sibrandus flew out, but with such raving and fierceness of countenance, such unheard bitterness against our College, as 1 desire no other revenge on him, than the very speaking of the words; which," saith he a little after, "if they had come from a wise man's lips, had been above the strength of patience." If these men flew out thus passionately against some of their own party, for their gentleness and moderation, (which was the only provocation of their choler,) in what temper may we expect to find them, in their proceedings towards their adversaries? This we may collect from Mr. Balcanqual's letters of Feb. 13, (misplaced among Mr. Hales's,) where he reports the matter thus: "For the Provincials, for any thing I can see, they are so far set against the Remonstrants, (I wish not their persons as well as their opinions,) that I am afraid they will not like well of our moderation. For the dismission of the Remonstrants, since your Lordship is pleased to take notice of it, I hope I may without offence say, that it was such as certainly did the Synod much wrong. On Friday, when they [the Remonstrants] seemed to yield, then the Exteri Theologi could not be heard for the continuing of them in the Synod. Nay, the trick which was put upon them was a little too palpable, for the Delegates had their Decree of Dismission written, before they came into the Synod. Yet our voices were asked, hoping it should have been answerable to their decree; but, finding it was otherwise, without so much as laying their heads together for consultation, they published a decree which they brought written with them into the Synod!" This was resented so ill by some of the foreign Divines, that when (according to the custom,) repetition was made of the Act for the Remonstrants' dismission, Lud. Crocius of Breme (which perhaps began their indignation against these Divines,) signified, "That he perceived that Mr. Præses in that business had been paulo commotior, ['had evinced too much perturbation,'] and had let slip verba quædam acerba,['certain acrimonious expressions,']which might well have been spared; that in so great an act as that was, a little more advice and consideration might have been used. The Synod ought to have been consulted with, and a form of dimission conceived and approved of by all, which should, in the name of the Synod, have been pronounced and registered; whereas now the Synod stands indicted of all that unnecessary roughness which then was practised. It had stood better with the honour of the Synod to have held a more peaceable and passionless order. [The Præses replied, that, for dismissing the Remonstrants without a Synodical form, it was from the secular lords, who willed him immediately to proceed. What his apology was for his passionate speeches, I know not."] (Mr. Hales's Letters, Jan 6-16. See also the letters of Jan. 12—22.)

III. And this will not only lead our way to it, but also clear our THIRD observation, viz. That this factious Provincial party swayed matters in this Synod as themselves listed.

That they were able to do so, is evident, because they made up two parts of three, and so could out-vote the rest at their pleasure; and that they did so, appears, not only by what is alleged already, but also by Mr. Hales's letters of Jan. 6-16, where he saith, "The foreigners think themselves a little indirectly dealt withal, in that it being proposed to the whole Synod to

pass their judgment concerning the behaviour of the Remonstrants, the Provincials were not at all required to speak; and by these means the envy of the whole business was derived upon the foreigners. Whereas, on the contrary, when the like question was proposed formerly, and the foreigners had spoken very favourably in the Remonstrants' behalf, the Provincials struck in and established a rigid sentence against the foreigners' liking. So that there is little regard given to the judgment of the foreigners, except they speak as the Provincials would have them."

IV. This will lead us to our FOURTH and last observation, viz. How matters were carried by them; which may easily be resolved by the former passages. But, for further satisfaction, the reader may take it in these instances following:

1. Mr. Balcanqual, in his Letters of March 25th, tells the Lord Ambassador, that "The President would take upon him more than ever any President did, to make Canous, and pass them by placet or non placet; and then he hath so many of the Provincials at command to pass what he will. I cannot, I confess, yet see how it can consist with the dignity of any, much more of some of the members of the Synod, that the President should dictate Canons, and the rest, especially a Bishop, write after him. So that he maketh the Canons, and the Synod are called non ad consilium, sed tantum ad consentum, [not to give their advice, but only to express their consent."]" And, a little after, he saith, "The President and his Provincials have no care of the credit of strangers, nor of that account which we must yield, at our return, unto all men that shall be pleased to call for it. Their Canons they would have so full charged with catechetical speculations, as they will be ready to burst; and 1 perceive it plainly, that there is never a Contra-Remonstrant Minister in the Synod that hath delivered any doctrine which hath been excepted against by the Remonstrants, but they would have it in by head and shoulders in some Canon, that so they might have something to shew for that which they have said."-And yet he tells the Lord Ambassador, (March 16,) that "the Geldri were too rigid in many things; that the North Hollandi had many things, which we thought not only to be rigid but false; that the Drentani delivered many false and absurd propositions."—And, in his next letters (of March 17th,) he saith, "In good faith, some of the Provincials, especially the Geldri and the North-Hollandi, (who are, of all in the Synod, greatest in the President's books,) have delivered such propositions in that [second] Article, as 1 dare say never any Divine in the world dreamed of but themselves; for my own part, I had rather lose mine hand than subscribe them."-And, in his letters of March 25th, he saith, "What trouble we have had in these last sessions, none can conceive but those who were present at them; and what strange carriage hath been in them, especially on the President's part, it is too palpable! He hath deceived all men's hopes of him very far. This matter of the personal censure, which was a thing of great consequence, we were never made acquainted with, before the very instant in which it came to be read; and because the Delegates must not be stayed from their going to the Hague, therefore all the Synod must say AMEN to it. Between the fore-noon and the after-noon session there was strange labouring with the Exteri for getting their consent to it, yet we meddled not with it. All I can say is, Me thinketh it is hard that every man should be deposed from his ministry, who will not hold every particular Canon; never did any Church of old, nor any Reformed Church, propose so many Articles to be held, sub pœna excommunicationis, ['on peril of excommunication.']" &c. 2. They misreported and perverted the sense and doctrine of the Remonstrants: For Mr. Balcanqual, in his letters of Feb. 9, informs the Lord Ambassador, "That one of the Transinsulani [Over-Yssel] took it evil, that we took the Remonstrants' meaning in their opinions, where they spake best and soundest; but he would have their meaning to be gathered out of all places in their books, where they spake most absurdly, which we thought was very far besides the rule of charity.”—And, in his next letters, (of Feb, 15,) where he relates the reading some part of a huge volume, which had been presentedto`· VOL. I. II