they might have retained their offices, but would have defiled their consciences, and their memory would havė gone down to posterity with the contempt such conduct justly merits.

The person who views the circumstances which led to the change of sentiment in Arminius, in connection with a knowledge of his character, must see with how little justice he can be held up as a fiery theological zealot. Amiable and unpresuming, he was diverted from the usual course of his studies by the intermeddling of others; and had he not thus been interrupted, he might have remained esteemed an orthodox divine to the end of his life, even by those who subsequent to this event designated him a heretic. But so it was not; and the writer of these pages places it among the most interesting of religious events, and second to none but the Reformation, that this great man was prompted to examine and test the doctrines of Calvin by the light of Scripture, and the writings of the fathers of the first three centuries. Of these, Mosheim says that "every one knows that the peculiar doctrines to which the victory was assigned by the Synod of Dort, were absolutely unknown in the first ages of the Christian Church." If this might be said of the Calvinism of the Synod of Dort, with how much more justice might it apply to the Calvinism of the college of Geneva. But the most important result arising out of Arminius' adoption of the system of the earlier ages of the Christian Church, is the tone that its diffusion has given to Christian zeal, benevolence, and philanthropy. For a creed, merely as a creed, the writer would not contend. Even truth, if it enlighten the mind, without changing the heart, will not contribute to the salvation of its subject, though it may add to his condemnation. Whatever others may think of the system of Arminius, the writer attributes to its bland and expan. sive character all the gracious excitement which exists at the present day, in various sections of the Church, manifested in the attempts now being made to evangelize the world. His opinion may be wrong; nevertheless, it is the result of calm deliberation; and therefore he has been prompted to prepare the following memoirs, for the purpose of presenting to the notice of the reader the history of one of its most able and eloquent ADVOCATES.

CHAPTER II.

ALTHOUGH it is the lot of the Christian Church to be continually exposed to conflict and suffering, yet these are not invariably of the same character, nor marked by similar danger or duration. Sometimes it is attacked by the fury of persecution, then darkened by the clouds of error, -now rent and distracted by dissensions and schisms,— and not unfrequently assailed by all these evils together. And if happily exempt from their influence, though but for a brief period, then the ease and enjoyment of worldly prosperity too fatally tend to produce that formality and indifference, the frequent attendants of affluence and repose. But the beneficent Creator and Preserver of men, ever intent upon the well being of his creatures and the safety of his Church, has always provided for its defence; that, amid the dangers to which it is exposed, it may continue steadfast in the faith, and overcome whatever is intended to effect its destruction. So that if any of its members fail of the enjoyment of salvation, or become inconstant, and apostatize, this is not to be attributed to the want of benevolence or fidelity in God, but solely to their own carelessness and indifference.

Among the means God has appointed to effect the safety and well being of his Church, we must rank the bestowment of those eminently gifted men whom he has raised up at different periods, and variously stationed among his people. Richly endowed with the spirit of vigilance, piety, and fidelity, they have been peculia:ly qualified to meet the dangers of the age in which they have lived. Standing like bulwarks, they have defended the Church under the most severe temptations and conflicts. At one period exhibiting a model of endurance and constancy amid persecution and suffering; at another expelling error by the evidence and force of truth; now allaying the spirit of dissension by a bland and conciliatory temper; then hushing the storms of contention by the suggestions of modesty and meekness; and finally, by self-denial and renunciation of the world, with all its glare of pomp and pleasure, they have presented to public notice the hallowed power of piety in all its attractive forms.

The effects of their labours, though highly beneficial to the age in which they lived, throwing a halo around it, have nevertheless not been confined to that period, but have cast a light on the distant of the future, the blessed results of which have remained long after they have ceased to exist upon earth. Among these distinguished individuals Episcopius may justly be considered as holding an eminent rank. For if we consider him in connection with the difficulties of the time in which he lived, the character of the controversies in which he was en. gaged, the splendid talents with which he was endowed, the productions of his pen while comparatively a youth, his constant resistance of every species of attack on the Church, with the piety of his conduct to the close of his life, proving that his actings were generally under the fear of God, it must be admitted that he appears before us not only with those claims which entitle him to be placed among these eminent persons, but also as being distin. guished with that superiority of mind which must com. mand our homage, and that excellence of character which ought to prompt us to imitate his virtues. With the desire, therefore, of glorifying God, by inducing others to tread in his steps, I have deemed it proper to compile a brief memoir of this highly gifted man, in which will be exhi bited, not only the most striking events of his life, but also the principal occurrences of the age in which he lived, and was called upon to take so prominent a part.

According to the entry of his birth, found in the regis try at Amsterdam, Simon Episcopius was born in the year 1583, on the eighth of January, and baptized on the sixteenth of the same month. His father's name was Egbert Remmetzen Bisschop; his mother's, Geertruyd Jans. They were both of honourable and unsullied character, and as such were highly esteemed. Their attachment to the doctrines and institutions of the Reformation was genuine, and their avowal of it decisive, though attended at that period with great peril and danger in our fatherland.* They were married in the year 1572, and had a

*The reader will admit this statement to be true, when he remembers that this was the very period when Alva exercised his awful cruelties upon the Belgians. This wretch was accustomed to say, that this people dwelt nearer to hell than any other, and

numerous family; namely, seven sons and three daughters. But the whole of these, save Simon and his two brothers, Rembert and Jan, died, either in their infancy, or at an early period of life. Simon was the youngest but one of the seven sons. Of Rembert and Jan, we shall have occasion frequently to speak in the subsequent part of these memoirs.

From his childhood, Simon gave decisive proofs of a viorous understanding and capacious memory, accompa nied with an ardent desire to obtain information, which was evinced by his availing himself of every opportunity of reading such books as were accessible to him, so that he was seldom seen without one in his hand. The circumstances of his parents were not affluent; and from the number of their children, they had some difficulty in providing for them in a respectable manner. Thus being

sportively stated his right to send them there. The atrocities he committed almost exceed belief. Grimestone states his reluctance to enumerate them; nevertheless, he asserts that his cruelties were so unnatural and ungodly that neither Pharaoh, Nero, Herod, nor any heathen tyrant could ever have invented greater. He then proceeds to detail them through upward of five folio pages. Mr. Grattan, the writer of the History of the Netherlands, in Lardner's Cyclopædia, says, "History exhibits no horrors parallel with those committed at this period in the Low Countries."

One of the practices of Alva was, to set spies in the corners of the streets to observe the countenances of the people, and if any one assumed a serious aspect, it was sufficient to subject him to the charge of Protestantism, and he was instantly hurried to slaughter. Brandt, vol. i, p. 280.

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One horrid effect arising out of this system of persecution and murder under the name of religion, was that of extinguishing all the kindly sympathies of brotherhood and humanity: in proof of this the following facts may be adduced :--Two brothers meeting in the market place of one of the cities of Holland, during a contest between the Papists and Protestants, the one asked the other where he was going; he replied, to join the Protestant party, and I, said the other, to join the Catholic: If you meet me in conflict do not spare me, for I shall not spare you." In the winter of 1569, a Protestant being pursued on the ice by an officer of justice, under the direction of a popish magistrate, the officer fell, and the ice being thin he was likely to be ingulfed in the water: the other, perceiving the danger of his pursuer, returned, gave him his hand, and at the risk of his own life saved his enemy's. The officer was half disposed to let him go, but the magistrate threatening him, he there. fore secured him, and he was subsequently burned as a heretic.Brandt.

without the means, it was not their design to give Simon an education that would fit him for any of the learned professions; but from the earnest and continued entreaties of his eldest brother Rembert, joined with an offer on the part of the Heer Cornelius Benning, formerly one of the burgomasters of the city, to assist in paying the expenses of his education, they were at length prevailed upon to devote him to the pursuit of literature. He was accordingly sent to the public Latin school, of which Peter Veckemannus was at that time the rector or master. Here, in a very short time, he made such rapid progress in the acquisition of the Latin and Greek languages as to attract the special notice of several learned and distinguished gentlemen; so that it was deemed proper to propose him to the notice of the venerable council of the city of Amsterdam, in order that he might be received as an alumnus* or voesterling of the city. To this proposal, his parents, in the first instance, were very much opposed; but yielding at length to the council and entreaties of Joannes Kucklinus, and Jacobus Arminius, both eminent ministers then residing at Amsterdam, he was accordingly received by the honourable senate as one of their alumni, who subsequently showed him the strongest marks of their esteem and regard.

Having passed through the usual course of studies taught in his native city, in the year 1600, he was considered by the honourable curators of the school as being fully competent, and deservedly meriting, to be sent to one of the universities, where he might farther pursue his studies in the higher branches of literature. It was accordingly resolved, that he should be removed to the university of Leyden, belonging to their high mighti. nesses the States of Holland and West Friesland.

To this account, as given by Limborch, we can but add, that although this circumstance was highly honourable to the talents and character of Episcopius, yet the case was not of rare occurrence; it having taken place

* I have left this word untranslated; adding, as Limborch has done, the Dutch substantive, voesterling, which is like our word foster-child. In the review of the report of public education in Prussia, in 116th No. of the Edinburgh, I find it invariably untranslated.