own vindication to apply to the lord of Walwick for testimonials contradictory of this report, which he readily granted, in which he declared "that neither he nor the bishop had ever demanded, or intended to demand any such thing from them." This letter is given by Limborch, but we think it not necessary to insert it in our pages.

About this time Episcopius published two works against the Synod of Dort, one in Latin, entitled, Synodi Dordracena crudelis iniquitas, the second in Dutch, Antidotum, ofte Naerder openinge van het eygene gevoelen des Nationalen Synodi gehouden binnen Dordrecht, which he afterward translated into Latin. Of the former work the celebrated Mr. Wesley says: "Looking for a book in our college library, I took down, by mistake, the works of Episcopius; which opening on an account of the Synod of Dort, I believed it might be useful to read it through. But what a scene is here disclosed! What a pity it is, that the holy Synod of Trent and that of Dort did not sit at the same time, so nearly allied as they were in the spirit wherewith they acted, if the latter did not exceed!"

By this time many other Remonstrant ministers were deprived of their offices, and became exiles. When these banished clergymen attempted to seek an asylum in those countries where the Calvinist or Reformed were the masters, they were instantly and cruelly expelled. If they fled to Catholic countries, where the Dutch States had any influence, they applied to the governors to eject them, requesting, at the same time, that no Arminians should be allowed to take shelter among them. In consequence of this, some of the other exiles, of whom there were about eighty, joined their brethren in Walwick. In the month of August several of them left this place for Antwerp, that, in conjunction with Uitenbogaerdt and Grevinchovius, they might make arrangements for supplying the spiritual wants of their congregations, which, in consequence of the late persecutions, were deprived of their pastors. A meeting was held in September, when fortytwo of the banished ministers were present. Uitenbogaerdt was appointed president, Episcopius his assistant, and Grevinchovius the secretary. They were also elected joint directors of their affairs. Each minister was asked

if he still continued attached to the doctrines contained in their five articles, when every one answered in the affirmative. They then entered into an engagement to meet the wants of their Churches by administering instruc. tion, and discharging other duties belonging to the pastoral office. It was then asked, Who is willing, in the face of persecution and suffering, to return to the United Provinces in order to serve our Churches? Uitenbogaerdt, Episcopius, and Grevinchovius instantly offered them. selves; but it was deemed proper that their offer should not be accepted, as also a similar proposal from Poppius, Niellius, and Corvinus. The above six gentlemen, it was thought, would more essentially serve their cause by continuing at Antwerp, in order to prepare certain writings necessary to the defence of their doctrines, which might assist those who were about to depart for Holland. These, with their ejected brethren in the Provinces, and others who were banished, made a total of nearly two hundred.

We shall subsequently advert to the sufferings and imprisonment of many of these noble-minded men, who, in spite of all the rigorous and cruel persecutions which Calvinistic bigotry could inflict, boldly communicated instruction to their flocks. At this meeting it was resolved that if any of their brother ministers should be cast into prison, his wife and children should have the same portion allotted to them out of the common stock as was allowed to him while engaged in the public ministry. They also drew up the following declaration, promising to abide by its directions. "Forasmuch as the doctrine of truth, for which we all of us suffer in common, is a doctrine accord. ing to godliness, we agree that every one of us shall do his utmost to attain the enjoyment of true piety and holiness, and avoid whatever may tend to give offence, or occasion scandal. That each of us will strive against all anger, violence, bitterness, and unbecoming expressions; all improper conduct and behaviour; all excess in eating and drinking; and try to promote similar conduct in others over whom we may have any influence. wherever we discover a violation of the rules of piety, he who is acquainted with such a fact, shall first, in private, admonish the offending party in a friendly, but very serious manner; nevertheless, if this be found insufficient,

And

and the offender will not regard such admonition, he shall then be brought before the brotherhood, in order that he may be convicted of the wrong; and, if he still refuse to hear admonition, he then be accounted unworthy of our society." These and several other regulations, which bespeak the piety of these persecuted pastors, and their unflinching determination to serve their churches, in the prospect of suffering, privation, persecution, and perpetual imprisonment, bring them before us as men possessing the most lofty and unbending principles of piety, accompanied with the spirit and courage of the martyr.

After the departure of these devoted and zealous mi. nisters appointed to join their brethren in the Netherlands, who had not yet been expelled or imprisoned, the six who were left behind as directors occupied themselves in preparing for publication such writings as were deemed necessary for the vindication and furtherance of their cause. Their first publication was the Acta et Scripta Synodalia Remonstrantium, so often referred to in these pages. The preface to this volume, says Mr. Nichols, is a remarkably clever performance, and every way worthy of the holy cause which Episcopius and his colleagues defended. This work, which embraces a reply to every argument that had, up to that period, been employed against their principles, is exceedingly valuable, and even their enemies admitted, in allusion to the articles it contained, that they had defended themselves with greater ability than at the Hague conference. The Calvinist clergy manifested great opposition to its publication, and the magistrates were incited to send particular orders to every Dutch bookseller who was expected to attend the Frankfort fair of 1620, not to import any copies of it. They had just reason to dread its circulation, for such an expose of their horrid statements, and such a manly refutation of their harsh doctrines, had never before appeared.

Shortly after the publication of this work, it was deemed proper that a Confession of Faith should be drawn up, bearing the following title: Confessio, sive Declaratio Sententiæ Pastorum qui in fœderato Belgio Remonstrantes vocantur, super præcipuis articulis Religionis Christiana. Some time, however, elapsed before this work was accom. plished. This arose out of the sensitiveness of several

of the ministers on the subject of confessions and canons, seeing that they were suffering severely from the rigid and dogmatical manner in which a similar instrument had been previously used by the Contra-Remonstrants against them. And as men smarting under the effects of such measures, it was very natural for some of them to say "that Confessions, though generally composed with the purest intentions, and without any design of their being made the occasion of persecution on the part of the composers, had, nevertheless, in most instances, after a lapse of time, been made instrumental in such a result." But to this it was replied that means might be adopted to prevent it, while it was expedient to produce a confession in the way of self-defence, since the Contra-Remonstrant ministers were endeavouring to make them hated by their own Churches and people, by spreading reports that they dare not make a public declaration of their sentiments; for in so doing they would have to publish the most revolting errors. It was therefore resolved, in order to refute such charges, that a confession should be composed and published; but to prevent its becoming an occasion of persecution at any future period, a preface should accompany it, in which the right use and end of such confes. sions should be stated, their authority described, the manner in which they ought to be received, and, in their case, to be considered only as declarative of the opinions of those who published and adopted it. And that its doctrines should always be considered as subject to examination by the word of God, and binding upon no person, any farther than he judged it to be in accordance with the

same.

In this preface it is expressly stated "that the Remonstrants wish that this declaration of their sentiments should never be examined until this preface has been read." The persons chosen by the brethren to draw it up were Uitenbogaerdt, Episcopius, Grevinchovius, and Niellius; but since a work of this kind, says Limborch, must chiefly devolve upon one person, Episcopius was requested by the other three to undertake it, who immediately engaged in the task assigned him, drew up a Confession, and presented it to the other three ministers. These gentlemen, after frequently and carefully reading and examining it, were

perfectly satisfied with it. They then sent for seven ministers to Antwerp, to whom they submitted it for examination, and subsequently for twenty-seven others, for a similar purpose. They afterward forwarded it to several of their brethren in Holland, and especially to those who were confined in common jails and other prisons, as likewise to Hoogerbeets, formerly pensionary of Leyden, who was imprisoned in the Louvestein; all of whom declared their approval of it. Only two ministers objected to it, and that on the ground of their being altogether opposed to the publication of a confession, asserting that it was an infringement upon Christian liberty; but as they had left the Remonstrants, or had refused to act with them, their opinion was deemed of no authority; and, therefore, it was resolved that the Confession should be instantly published. Grotius, after he had escaped from prison to Antwerp, hastily read it, and on his arrival at

The escape of Grotius by a stratagem of his wife, who sent him out of prison locked up in a chest, which was accustomed to be filled with books, is too well known to be repeated here, and is only mentioned with the design of showing that in more instances than the above, the good ladies of the imprisoned Remonstrants became the means of the escape of their husbands.

Sapma, a minister, had arranged it with his wife that she should come into the prison about four o'clock in the afternoon, with her face wrapped up, as if she had the tooth-ache. When it grew dark, he then put on her clothes, bound up his face, and put her wedding ring on that hand with which he intended to hold up a handkerchief to his face, and having put on his wife's veil, sallied forth, dreadfully alarmed lest the keeper's wife, a cunning old woman, should detect the bad fit of his dress. The old dame addressed some comforting words to the supposed sufferer, when Sapma's wife's sister, who was with him, made signs that he was not capa. ble of speaking through pain, and in this way he escaped. Never," said he, can I describe the confusion of transport I felt when I heard the prison door shut after me;" and, bursting into thanksgivings, he praised God for his deliverance. He nevertheless declared that in leaving his good wife behind, he still remained above half in prison.

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Another made his escape by seizing the keys of the prison while the daughter of the keeper, who had laid them down, was occupied in conversation with his wife, and locked them both in his cell. He then proceeded to the outer gate, and made his escape. The Dutch magistrates were deeply mortified at the ministers thus escaping through the arts of their good wives, and would fain have punished the latter by detaining them in the place of their hus bands, but shame prevented them from doing it.