I HAVE here presented my selfe in your Assembly to dis­charge my selfe touching the dutie I beare towards God, towards the King my Master, and towards your Lordships. The apprehension of the publike calamitie which al­waies [Page 2]accompanieth Schisme within the Church, and Faction in the State doe giue mee too much subiect and cause for it. And there being no more cause to dissemble, how that in the space of few yeeres, men haue approached by degrees to the one, & doe at this present proceede with full pace to the other of these precipices. It were to for­get the charge which I haue on the one part of his Maiestie in the qualitie of his Ambassa­dour, and the Oath which I haue made to your Lordships as Counsellor of this estate, and the coniunct Interest of the one with the other, if I should not contribute all that which depends of mee, to search and know exactly the origi­nall, progresse and present state of this euill, to the end we may be able to apply therevnto the Remedy which is most necessarie.

It is the Rule of Hippocrates Desperatis non adhibere Medicinam. But (God bee thanked for it,) wee are not as yet come to so bad estate, although (to speake freely that vvhich is true of this matter) wee are so neare to it, seeing how the mischiefe goes forward, growing euery day worse and worse, that the Remedy will bee fruit­lesse if it be delayed any longer.

Now for to seeke the Originall of this euill any further backe then the time of Arminius Professor at Leyden, were to disguise the fact. Some others before him it may be haue had the same scruples, and the same troubles in their con­sciences vpon those high points of Predestina­tion [Page 3]and the Dependences of it; But the Church hath still continued in her peace and quiet; in such sort that the fountaine and spring of the al­teration which since his time some haue endea­uoured to introduce into the true and ancient Doctrine vvhich you haue alwayes professed, and is receiued and authorized by the common consent of all the reformed Churches (howso­euer some particular men haue had an opinion a part touching the said points) ought to bee attributed to Arminius and to none other.

Out of the Ashes and Cinders of Arminius are sprung certaine others, vvho hauing wed­ded his particular opinions during his life, haue gone about to introduce them by cunning force into the publike Churches after his death. And not able to effectuate their purpose by the ordi­narie wayes of Classes, and Synodall Congregati­ons they directed themselues to my Lords the E­states of the Prouince.

After that, followed the change of the name of an Arminian into a Remonstrant; his opposite, (vvhich seekes to maintaine the Doctrine in the ancient puritie) baptised himselfe with the name of Contre-Remonstrant: But by many instances, Counter-instances, Propositions, Answeres, Re­plyes, Diligences and craftie subtilties the said Remonstrant at last obtaines his cause against the poore Contre-Remonstrant; gets (in his fauour) a Resolution of my Lords the Estates of Holland, [Page 4]by the pluralitie of voices, though against the liking and aduice of many good & great Townes. Triumpheth ouer him in Concionibus, and vnder coulour of fiue points (which haue not as yet passed a lawfull examination) insinuates many others among the people; stames Inuectiues a­gainst the Reformed Religion, and the most fa­mous and reuerend Teachers of it; In many pla­ces changeth the Pastors and Ancients to set into their roomes such others as might be at his deuo­tion; proceedes with such rigour as well in the Townes as in the Countrie as hee giues occasion to reuiue in these Prouinces, on one side the hate­full name of the Inquisition, and of the other side the deplorable words of Churches vvay­ling and lamenting; of Churches persecuted; couering himselfe alwayes with the title of the Authoritie publike as the onely man that per­formed obedience to the Magistrate. And gi­uing the Contre-Remonstrant (vvho begins to loose his patience, and to separate himselfe from the body, in Consequence of this vnhappie se­paration of soules) the reproch of Schismatique and one mutinous and tumultuarie. Hine Spargere voces in vulgum ambiguas what was meant to the Magistrate. Et quaerere Conscius Arma for his de­fence. Men Armed themselues in the particular Towns & the example passeth into the Prouinces.

Thus you haue in few words the beginning and progresse of our euill. The present estate of it [Page 5]is an actuall Separation (if not a Schisme with­in the Church; Iealousie (not to call it faction) in the estate; Animosities and alterations be­tweene the Magistrates, sowernesse and hatred a­mongst the people: Contempt of the Ordinan­ces of the Soueraigne Courts of Iustice. Confu­sion among the souldiers, being bound by diuers Oathes: rumor and tumult betweene the people and the souldiers newly leuied and ill discipli­ned, which is come already euen to the shedding of innocent bloud, and of that, there hath fol­lowed feare terrour and a generall amazement. All this within the Countrey. From abroad all we vnderstand of it are the mockeries and scoffes of our Enemies, and the displeasure and extreame sorrow of our Friends.

Contraria inter se posita magis elucescunt, wee see then, before the time of Arminius what was the estate of these Prouinces: vnion in the Church and Estate; good correspondence be­tweene the Magistrates; Christian loue and cha­ritie among the people; the Soueraigne Courts of Iustice respected; the souldiers (the seruants of your Lordships) in peace with all the world except your Enemies; all cheerefulnesse, all re­ioycing, all acknowledgement of the blessing of GOD, which hath appeared miraculously in the defence of his cause, in the sight and notice of all the world in your prosperitie; whereat the Enemies of this estate, haue remained dismayed [Page 6]and amazed, and the friends of it greatly com­forted.

For the present now that euery one sees so cleerely quantum dimiss a petitis praestant, let the Re­monstrant take in good part the Remonstrance that followeth, and let him (if he please) serue himselfe thereof, Mature redeat repetatque relicta. But if the Doctrine of Arminius be so farre spread and mul­tiplyed as there be no more time to giue back, but that it behooueth to passe further to a decision, which of the two opinions is more conforme and agreeing to the truth of the Word of God; or at the least what sort of Christian toleration may be permitted without scandall in the Church, who shall be a competent Iudge in this matter?

To carry this authoritie to the temporall Magi­strate, giuing to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar, were to leane and incline too much of that side, and to take from God that which is Gods.

Wherefore to proceede with due regard as well towards them to whom God hath giuen authori­tie ouer our bodies, as of those that haue the cure and charge of our soules, that which in such oc­currences is alwayes practised, and wherevnto within Christendome at all times men haue had recourse. It is a Nationall Synode; I say Nationall, because the euill being passed from Prouince to Prouince, a Prouinciall Synode is not sufficient, but onely for so much as it serueth for a prepa­ratiue to the Nationall Synode. This is the Remedy [Page 7]which is found good by the greatest part of the Prouinces, and that which is recommended to you by the King my Master.

As for the Prouinces, I will not play the busie­body in aliena Republica, therin to Iudge how much euery Prouince in particular ought in such occasi­ons to yeeld to the publike. But whilest in this bu­sines men stand to dispute the right of Soueraign­tie of euery Prouince apart, let them not forget the Oath by which they are consolidated and clo­sed vp into one body which is the Vnion of V­trecht grounded vpon Religion. And although they seeke to euade and escape by shew of one Article which is, That euery Prouince hath its power a part in matter of Religion, This ought to bee vnderstood soundly for the maintenance of the pure & sincere Religion, and not for the autho­risation and allowance of new and strange opini­ons; And principally in this Prouince where wee are at this present, in the contemplation whereof it is to be presumed that Article was inserted for the better vpholding of the Reformed Religion in his puritie without being exposed to the will and pleasure of the other Prouinces which at that time were not reduced to such an Vnion of the Church as they enioy at this present.

But as the points of honour and Soueraigntie are nice and delicate if that respect hindreth the consent of the Prouinces there is no place on the behalfe of his Maiestie, who giueth you the same [Page 8]counsell as the most sound and wholesome, Where there is no pretension, there is no preiudice.

His Maiestie foresaw and foretold (some yeeres past) by his Letters and Ministers vpon the occasi­on of Vorstius the euils which trouble you at this time; and by other Letters he represented to you the little fruit which would spring of it in suffering the choise points of Predestination to be caried into the chaire and Pulpits, which were too high and to darke for the capacitie of the common people. In the one and the other occasion his Maiestie hath witnessed the sincerity of his affection giuing his warnings for the zeale he carrieth to the glory of God, and to the dutie of the common Alliance which hath for the foote and foundation the com­mon safety settled especially vpon the Vnity of Re­ligion. And although his wholesome aduises and prayers were not receiued with that respect which was due to his good intentions, but rather were entertained with most sinister interpretations, ha­uing beene drawne into such sence and conse­quence as was cleane contrarie to his will, his Ma­iestie notwithstanding was pleased for the third and last time (hauing then already begun his voy­age towards Scotland) to sollicite you againe in that matter by a Letter of the 20. of March, That you would at last speedily heale the euill by the way of a Synode seeing you knew not how to pre­uent it by other remedies.

Loe now his Maiestie (God be thanked for it) [Page 9]is happily returned from his voyage; wherein (al­though the same hath beene long, hauing lasted the space of sixe monethes) hee hath not changed Coelum nec animum: during his absence I haue for­borne to sollicite the answere of the said Letter, that I might not render my selfe importunate to your Lordships out of time and place. But the euill being growen to that dangerous estate as I haue vnfolded it; and hauing lately receiued a new charge to the same effect, and beholding at this present a full Assembly of worthy and wise personages busied (if I deceiue not my selfe) a­bout the matter of Religion, I know not how any longer to excuse my selfe, without praying you (My Lords) as I doe with all earnestnes) to make such Answere to the said Letter as may giue testi­monie both of the respect your Lordships beare to the counsels of his Maiestie, and of the care you haue to the vnion of your Church & Estate.