that Peter Bertius, the regent of the theological college had evidently declined from orthodoxy to the opinions of Arminius, and pursued the same disingenuous course, in relation to the concealment of his true sentiments.

In consequence of the unhappy state of things, described above, the pastors who were attached to the party of Arminius, became every day more bold, in avowing and disseminating their erroneous tenets; and some of them began to inculcate opinions, which evidently appertained to the systems of Pelagius and Socinus. The deputies, therefore, did not cease to press upon the government the necessity of calling speedily a provincial Synod; but Utenbogard and his associates, to prevent this, and create a still further delay, proposed a conference between Gomar and Arminius before the convention of the States General; each being permitted to call to his aid and counsel four pastors of his own party.

When the parties met, Gomar and his friends made two requisitions: 1. That the conference should be carried on entirely in writing. 2. And that these writings should be afterwards delivered to a national Synod for their judgment. The States General, however, determined that the conference should be in the first place viva voce; and that afterwards, the arguments on both sides should be committed to writing and reserved for the consideration of a provincial Synod. Here again, a difficulty arose respecting the order in which the points in dispute should be taken up. Arminius insisted, that the subject of predestination should first be examined; but Gomar thought, that it was more proper first to consider the subject of justification; and this opinion was agreeable to the States General. This subject was then first brought under discussion; next, that of predestination; thirdly, they disputed respecting grace and free-will; and finally, concerning the perseverance of true believers. Arminius, however, declared that he never had opposed the doctrine of perseverance; nor was he now willing to oppose it; since there were testimonies of Scripture in favour of it, which he was not yet able to

answer.

Having gone over these points, they were asked whether there were any other subjects of disagreement between them; to which Gomar replied, that there were, and mentioned the doctrine of original sin; of Providence; the authority of the sacred Scriptures; assurance of salvation; the perfection of man in this life, and some others. But the health of ArmiVOL. IV. No. II.—2 I

nius not admitting of a longer continuance of the conference, it was broken off; but Gomar and his friends were assured, that they should have an opportunity of fully discussing these points in a provincial Synod, which was still promised, but still delayed. It was enjoined on the parties respectively that they should commit their arguments to writing within fourteen days, that they might be submitted to the provincial Synod. Gomar had his ready within the time prescribed; but Arminius excused himself on account of declining health; and his disorders of body so increased upon him, that he departed this life, October 19, 1609. As he, in his lifetime, had been the chief occasion of the disturbances in the Church, it was hoped, that at his death they would have ceased; but this hope was not realized; for so many pastors had embraced his opinions, that the evil could not be so easily exterminated. These men at length formed themselves into a body distinct from the other pastors, and prepared and presented to the States General a supplication, which they called a remonstrance; whence, afterwards, the whole party were denominated Remonstrants. In this paper, they greatly misrepresented the doctrines of the Reformed Churches, concerning predestination and the perseverance of the saints; and so disguised their own errors, by wrapping them up in ambiguous words, that the dangerous tendency of them was, in a great measure, concealed. The particular object of this paper was, to solicit from the government protection against the ecclesiastical censures to which they had exposed themselves.

These proceedings, amounting to open schism, greatly affected the Belgic churches; and when they endeavoured to obtain a copy of the remonstrance, they were unable to accomplish it. And what greatly aggravated their affliction was, the prospect of having Conrad Vorstius, a man strongly suspected of Socinianism, introduced into the chair of theology at Leyden, as successor to Arminius.

In the remonstrance above mentioned, the points in dispute were reduced to five, and the Arminians endeavoured to obtain an order from the government, that no candidate for the ministry should be urged, on his examination, to go further than was expressed in these five articles.

These articles were as follows:

1. "That God, from all eternity, determined to bestow salvation on those, who, as he foresaw, would persevere unto the end in their faith in Christ Jesus, and to inflict everlasting

punishment on those who should continue in their unbelief, and resist to the end of life his divine succours.

2. "That Jesus Christ, by his death and sufferings, made an atonement for the sins of mankind in general, and of every individual in particular; that, however, none but those who believe in him can be partakers of that divine benefit.

3. "That true faith cannot proceed from the exercise of our natural faculties and powers, or from the force and operation of free-will; since man, in consequence of his natural corruption, is incapable of thinking or doing any thing good; and that, therefore, it is necessary to his conversion and salvation, that he be regenerated and renewed by the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ.

4. That this divine grace or energy of the Holy Ghost, which heals the disorders of a corrupt nature, begins, advances, and brings to perfection every thing that can be called good in man; and that, consequently, all good works are to be attributed to God alone, and to the operation of his grace; that, nevertheless, this grace does not force the man to act against his inclination, but may be resisted and rendered ineffectual by the perverse will of the impenitent sinner.

5. That they who are united to Christ by faith, are furnished with abundant strength, and with succours sufficient to enable them to triumph over the seductions of Satan, and the allurements of sin and temptation; but that the question, whether such may fall from their faith, and forfeit, finally, the state of grace, has not yet been resolved with sufficient perspicuity."

Afterwards, however, the Arminians adopted the opinion positively, that the saints might fall from a state of grace. It is easy to see, that in these five articles, as here expressed, the poison of error which lurks underneath a heap of ambiguous words, does not appear in its true character.

It was now determined to hold another conference at the Hague, on the five points; and six distinguished theologians were chosen by each party, who met March 11, 1611. The remonstrants refused to enter into a conference with the other six pastors, as with the deputies of the classes of Holland, lest they should seem to be the adversaries of the churches. When this obstacle was removed, it was agreed that each party should express, in writing, the arguments in favour of his own opinion, and afterwards discuss the points viva voce. But before they entered on the conference, the pastors of the

churches produced an answer to the remonstrance, a copy of which they had at length obtained.

Much time was spent in this conference, and when the discussion was brought to a close, the parties were required to express their opinion, how these dissensions could be most effectually healed. The remonstrants answered, that, in their judgment, the only method to promote peace, was to grant mutual toleration, and liberty to each party to teach and inculcate its own opinions. The answer of the pastors was, that the proper remedy was the calling of a national Synod. On this subject, the States General divided, and went to different sides.

After much controversy and many petitions and solemn warnings from various quarters, it was determined, that Vorstius should remove from Leyden, where he had taken up his residence, and that SIMON EPISCOPIUS, a leader among the Arminians, should be the successor of Arminius. Before this, Gomar had resigned his office, and Polyander, an able and orthodox theologian, was put in his place.

A. D. 1613. Another attempt was made to promote peace and restore order to the agitated churches. Three men were selected by each party, who should confer together on the best method of bringing about a better state of things. This new effort was made, at the earnest suggestion of the Count of Nassau, who took a deep interest in the concerns of the afflicted and agitated church. He applied to Utenbogard and to Festus Hommius, begging them to consider and inquire whether some practicable method of restoring peace to the church might not be discovered. And as all attempts to change the opinions of the parties by conference or disputation had proved abortive, whether some plan of mutual toleration could not be devised. The remonstrants had continually pleaded for toleration; but it was such a toleration as would virtually nullify the Confession and Catechism of the Belgic churches. The deputies of the churches, therefore, had uniformly resisted their demand; especially, on the ground, that many of the Arminians entertained opinions of a Pelagian or Socinian kind, which were utterly subversive of the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel.

Festus, in answer to the applications from the Count of Nassau, declared, that if the remonstrants held nothing more objectionable than what was contained in the five articles published in their remonstrance, that, in his opinion, a plan

of reconciliation and mutual toleration might be agreed upon; but he alleged, that there were other points of difference, and more important than these, which had not been brought forward. And he expressed the opinion, that the only method of establishing such a plan that would be at all satisfactory to the churches, would be by a national or provincial Synod.

When the illustrious the States had heard that such a plan of conference was in contemplation, they highly approved it, and directed that it should immediately be carried into effect. The persons selected on the part of remonstrants were, Utenbogard, Borrius, and Grevenchovius. On the part of the orthodox, Beccius, Bogardus, and Festus Hommius. In this conference, the remonstrants still insisted on unlimited toleration as the only effectual plan of peace; the other pastors considered it necessary to obtain from them a declaration, that they received the fundamental doctrines of the Confession; and they still urged the calling of a national or provincial Synod, as the most regular and only probable plan of quieting the disturbed churches. This conference, therefore, ended as all former ones had done, without any other effect than to increase the uneasiness of the churches, and to render them more suspicious of the designs of the remonstrants. But the Arminians being in favour with the ruling powers of the State, by various artifices, succeeded in obtaining a decree for such a toleration as they had always demanded. As the churches considered this decree as repugnant to the fundamental principles of the Belgic constitution, many of them resisted it, and chose rather to incur the displeasure of the States General, than give their consent to an arbitrary decree on the subject of religion, when the matters contained in it had never been submitted to the judgment of a lawful Synod.

A state of miserable confusion and even persecution now ensued. Many of the orthodox pastors were suspended, and others driven from their charges, because they could not conscientiously receive the remonstrants into the communion of the church.

By these commotions on account of religion, the very pillars of the state were shaken, and things were manifestly approaching a crisis, when James I. King of England, addressed a friendly, but admonitory epistle, to the States General, in which he earnestly recommended the calling of a national Synod, to restore tranquillity and the genuine doctrines of the reformation. This occurred early A. D. 1617.