which they are made vanishes and dies But Beloved prayer is a strange thing it can never want matter It will be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è quolibet out of any matter upon any occasion whatsoever whatsoever you do wheresoever you are doth minister occasion of some kind of prayer either of thanksgiving unto God for his goodness or of praising and admiring his greatness or of petitioning to him in case of want or distress or bewailing some sin or neglect committed Is it the consideration of God's benefits that will move us to thankfulness Then certainly our thankfulness ought to be perpetual there is no person so mean no soul so poor and distressed and miserable but if he search narrowly he shall find some blessing for which he ows thankfulness unto God If nothing else yet his very misery and distress is a singular blessing if he use it to that end for which it was sent Is it the consideration of distress and affliction and some degree of the curse of God upon us that will stir our devotion Indeed this is it with most men that kindles the fire of prayer in our hearts Men for the most part are like unto the unslak'd Lime which never heats till you throw water upon it so they never grow warm in devotion till somewhat contrary to their wishes and disposition begins to afflict them then certainly our petitions to God ought never to cease For never was there man in any moment of his life entirely happy either in body goods or good name every man hath some part of affliction Blessing and cursing though they seem to be enemies and contrary one to another yet are never severed but go hand in hand together Some men have more of one some of another but there is no man but hath some part of both wherefore as it seems not onely prayer in general but all kind all sort of prayer ought to be continual Prayer must not be as it were of one threed we must blend and temper together all kind of prayer our praise or thanks our sorrow and make our prayer like Ioseph's party-coloured coat like a beautiful garment of sundry colours So then as fire goes not out so long as it hath matter to feed on so what shall be able to interrupt our devotion which hath so great and everlasting store of matter to continue it Secondly many things in the world are necessarily intermitted because they are tied to place or times all places all times are not convenient for them but in case of prayer it is otherwise it seeks no place it attends no time it is not necessary we should come to the Church or expect a Sabbath or an Holy-day for prayer indeed especially was the Sabbath ordained yet prayer it self is Sabbathless and admits no rest no intermission at all If our hands be clean we must as our Apostle commands us lift them up every where at all times and make every place a Church every day a Sabbath every hour Canonical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As you go to the market as you stand in the streets as you walk in the feilds in all these places ye may pray as well and with as good acceptance as in the Church for you your selves are temples of the holy Ghost if the grace of God be in you more precious then any of those which are made with hands The Church of Rome hath made a part of her Breviary or common-prayer-Common-prayer-book which she calls Itinerarium Clericorum and it is a set form of prayer which Clergy-men ought to use when they set out in a journey and are upon their way why she calls it Itinerarium Clericorum and impropriates it unto the Clergy I know not she might for ought I see have called it Itinerarium Laicorum The Itinerary of the Laity since it is a duty belonging unto them as well as to the Minister Yet thus much the example of that Church teaches that no place no occasion excludes Prayer We read in our Books that one of the Ethnick Emperours was much taken when he saw a woman going in the streets with a vessel of water on her head her child at her girdle her spindle in her hand twisting her threed as she went he thought it a wonderful portion of diligence thus to employ all paces and times indifferently Beloved if it be thus with bodily labour how much more should it be so with the labour of the soul which is far more easie and needs not the help of any bodily instrument to act it And how welcome a spectacle will it be think you unto the great King of Heaven and Earth when he shall see that no time no occasion is able to interrupt the labour of our devotion Is it the time of Feasting and Jollity which seems to prescribe against prayer Indeed prayer is a grave and sober action and seems not to stand with sport and merriment yet notwithstanding it is of so pliable a nature that it will accommodate and fit it self even to feasts and sportings We read in the Book of Daniel that when Belshazzar made his great and last Feast to his Princes and Lords that they were merry and drank wine in bowls and praised the gods of gold and silver of brass and of iron of wood and of stone Beloved shall Ethnick feasts find room for their idolatrous worship and praise of their golden brazen wooden gods and shall not our Christian Feasts yeild some place for the praise of the true God of Heaven and Earth Last of all is it time of sleep that seems to give a vacation and otium to prayer Beloved sleep is no part of our life we are not accountable for things done or not done then Tertullian tells us that an unclean dream shall no more condemn us then a dream of Martyrdom shall crown us and the Casuists do teach that loose dreams in the night shall never be laid to our charge if they be not occasioned by lewd thoughts in the day for they are Cogitationes injectae non aenatae they are not thoughts springing out but cast into our hearts by the Devil upon his score shall they go and we shall not reckon for them So then though sleep partake not of our devotion yet this hinders not the continualness of it Aristotle tells us that men who sleep perceive not any part of time to have passed because they tie the last moment of their watching with the first moment of their awaking as having no sense of what past betwixt and so account of it as one continued time Beloved if we do with our devotion as we do with our time if we shut up the last instant of our watching with a prayer and resume that prayer at the first instant of our waking we have made it one continued prayer without interruption Thirdly and last of all the greatest reason why many businesses of the world cannot be acted perpetually is because they must give
many times draw Pictures of fair Women and call them Helen or Venus or of great Emperours and call them Alexander or Caesar yet we know they carry no resemblance of the persons whose names they bear So when men write and decipher actions long before their time they may do it with great wit and elegancy express much politick wisdom frame very beautiful peices but how far they express the true countenance and life of the actions themselves of this it were no impiety to doubt unless we were assured they drew it from those who knew and saw what they did One thing more ere I leave this Head I will admonish you of It is a common Scholical errour to fill our papers and Note-books with observations of great and famous events either of great Battels or Civil Broiles and contentions The expedition of Hercules his off-spring for the recovery of Peloponnese the building of Rome the attempt of Regulus against the great Serpent of Bagradas the Punick Wars the ruine of Carthage the death of Caesar and the like Mean while things of ordinary course and common life gain no room in our Paper-books Petronius wittily and sharply complain'd against Scholemasters in his times Adolescentulos in Scholis stultissimos fieri quia nihil ex iis quae in usu habemus aut audiunt aut vident sed piratas cum catenis in littore stantes tyrannicos edicta scribentes quibus imperent filiis ut patrum suorum capita praecidant sed responsa in pestilentia data ut virgines tres aut plures immolentur in which he wisely reproves the errour of those who training up of youth in the practise of Rhetorick never suffered them to practise their wits in things of use but in certain strange supralunary arguments which never fell within the sphere of common action This complaint is good against divers of those who travel in History For one of the greatest reasons that so many of them thrive so little and grow no wiser men is because they sleight things of ordinary course and observe onely great matters of more note but less use How doth it benefit a man who lives in peace to observe the Art how Caesar managed wars or by what cunning he aspired to the Monarchy or what advantages they were that gave Scipio the day against Hannibal These things may be known not because the knowledge of these things is useful but because it is an imputation to be ignorant of them their greatest use for you being onely to furnish out your discourse Let me therefore advise you in reading to have a care of those discourses which express domestick and private actions especially if they be such wherein your self purposes to venture your fortunes For if you rectifie a little your conceit you shall see that it is the same wisdome which manages private business and State affairs and that the one is acted with as much folly and ease as the other If you will not beleive men then look into our Colledges where you shall see that I say not the plotting for an Headship for that is now become a Court-business but the contriving of a Bursership of twenty nobles a year is many times done with as great a portion of suing siding supplanting and of other Court-like Arts as the gaining of the Secretary's place onely the difference of the persons it is which makes the one Comical the other Tragical To think that there is more wisdom placed in these specious matters then in private carriages is the same errour as if you should think there were more Art required to paint a King then a Countrey Gentleman whereas our Dutch Pieces may serve to confute you wherein you shall see a cup of Rhenish-wine a dish of Radishes a brass Pan an Holland Cheese the Fisher-men selling Fish at Scheveling or the Kitchen-maid spitting a loin of Mutton done with as great delicacy and choiceness of Art as can be expressed in the Delineation of the greatest Monarch in the world From the order of Reading and the matters in Reading to be observed we come to the method of observation What order we are for our best use to keep in entring our Notes into our Paper-Books The custom which hath most prevailed hitherto was common placing a thing at the first Original very plain and simple but by after-times much increased some augmenting the number of the Heads others inventing qâ—â—â—ter forms of disposing them till at length common-place-Common-place-books became like unto the Roman Breviarie or Missal It was a great part of Clerk-ship to know how to use them The Vastness of the Volumes the multitude of Heads the intricacy of disposition the pains of committing the Heads to memory and last of the labour of so often turning the Books to enter the observations in their due places are things so expensive of time and industry that although at length the work comes to perfection yet it is but like the Silver Mines in Wales the profit will hardly quit the pains I have often doubted with my self whether or no there were any necessity of being so exactly Methodical First because there hath not yet been found a Method of that Latitude but little reading would furnish you with some things which would fall without the compass of it Secondly because men of confused dark and clowdy understandings no beam or light of order and method can ever rectifie whereas men of clear understanding though but in a mediocrity if they read good Books carefully and note diligently it is impossible but they should find incredible profit though their Notes lie never so confusedly The strength of our natural memory especially if we help it by revising our own Notes the nature of things themselves many times ordering themselves and tantum non telling us how to range them a mediocrity of care to see that matters lie not too Chaos-like will with very small damage save us this great labour of being over-superstitiously methodical And what though peradventure something be lost Exilis domus est c. It is a sign of great poverty of Scholarship where every thing that is lost is miss'd whereas rich and well accomplish'd learning is able to lose many things with little or no inconvenience Howsoever it be you that are now about the noon of your day and therefore have no leisure to try and examine Methods and are to bring up a young Gentleman who in all likelihood will not be over-willing to take too much pains may as I think with most ease and profit follow this order In your reading excerpe and note in your Books such things as you like going on continually without any respect unto order and for the avoiding of confusion it shall be very profitable to allot some time to the reading again of your own Notes which do as much and as oft as you can For by this means your Notes shall be better fixt in your memory and your memory will easily supply you of things
hand to that writing which he supposes cannot be so warily indicted but he must be forced with his own pen to let fall somewhat prejudicial to his own opinion The Praeses answered that it was not his drift to force the Synod against their minds to set out such a Book but only to take hold of the present occasion whilst the Forreign Divines were here and have such a Book in readiness for use hereafter though it were not now set forth He farther advised that those who were to undertake this should have an eye to the inclination of the Synod and beware as much as might be that they toucht not there where any man was sore Whatsoever the pretence is 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 After this did they advise concerning the Exceptions against the Confession and Catechism and of such as should answer them For the Catechism the Palatine Divines undertook it for the Confession some of the Provincials were appointed whose names I have not learnt The Praeses then by the advice of the Secular Delegates advised the Synod to think of gathering a Synopsis and brief of all the Synodical Proceedings to be sent to the King of England and other Forreign Princes and States who had sent Deputies to the Synod that so they may understand what hath been done For this were there appointed Altingius Steinius the Assessors and Scribes and for Supervisors were named D. Davenant Praeses This is the summe of that Session On Tuesday at Even they met again in private where every one spake in order what they had furher to say concerning the second Article Upon some occasion I know not what the Praeses mentioned Negotium Vorstianum Bertianum Venatorianum which I note because this is the first time that Vorstius his cause was named in the Synod There hath not been any stay made amongst the Forreign Divines but only in this second Article out of which if they can well and clearly wrest themselves their passage out of the rest will be more smooth I lately told your Honour that Martinius of Breme made some doubts amongst the rest concerning Vniversal Grace Not Martinius only but Dr. Ward in this point For the composing the doubts of both these that they brake not out to any publick inconvenience there hath been of late many private meetings in my Lord Bishops Lodging where upon Wednesday Morning were drawn certain Theses in very suspense and wary terms to what end whether to give content to all parties or to exhibite to the Synod or what else I know not by chance I had a view of them but no opportunity to transcribe them On Wednesday the sixth of February there was a publick Session in the Evening at what time Steinius of Hassia spake to the fourth Article concerning the resistibility of Grace in the same manner as others had done before him He spake about an hour and a half and when he had done the Praeses gave warning of a publick Session to be upon Munday next in the Evening and so dismist the Auditory but not the Synod who after this sate a good space in private consultation 7 Febr. 1619. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty and Service Jo. Hales FINIS Dr. BALCANQVALS LETTERS From the SYNOD of DORT TO THE Right Honorable Sr. DVDLEY CARLTON Lord Embassador c. My very Good Lord MY business is now effected by your Lâ—care to my contentment since the first day of my coming to Dort they have made me an allowance equal with our English Divines which is twenty Florens a day a less allowance might very well have served me if I had not been joyned with them but being joyned it was not fit that for matter of maintenance I should be in their debts I am exceedingly beholden to Mr. Musius his kindness not only upon this but upon all occasions It doth proceed I suppose from your L. to whom as I must ever stand bound for the return of perpetual thanks and service so I would be a suiter to your L. that your L. would be pleased to give Mr. Musius thanks for his kindness For our Synod business as we went too slow before so now they would have us go too fast they would have us to dispatch one Article a week which is too little time for so weighty questions But I hope they shall be done to some purpose With the remembrance of my faithfullest duty and service to your L. and your worthy Lady and my best wishes for both your health and happiness I take my leave and rest Dordretch this 2d of Febuary Stylo novo Your L. in all true respects of service Walter Balcanqual My very Good Lord SInce Mr. Hales his going here hath been nothing done in the Synod of any note On the seventh of February now still was held the 76. Session in which nothing was done but that they which before had not spoken in the second Article did speak what they thought fit there was nothing of note spoken save that one of the Transisulani took it evil that we took the Remonstrants meaning in their opinions where they speak best and soundest but he would have their meaning to be gathered out of all places in their Books where they speak most absurdly which we thought was very far besides the rule of charity so in that Session the Synodical diquisition for the second Article was ended The President told us moreover that the Delegates had sent to the Remonstrants and had demanded of them if they had any thing in writ which might serve for the explication of their opinion concerning the five Articles and that they had given to them their confirmation of their opinion concerning the first Article as likeways a confutation of that which they held for the Heterodox opinion and a beginning of their explication of the second Article now he shewed us the Book of which in good faith I was ashamed to think that men of judgement could imagine that the Synod could have time to peruse it for it is a little Book of Martyrs it doth exceed two hundred folia in folio moreover he told us that the Delegates had commanded them within eight days to bring in all they would or could say as necessary for the understanding of their minds concerning the whole five Articles On the 8. of February Stylo novo was held the 77. Session in which was nothing done but that the President did dictate to us these drawn out of the Remonstrants writings concerning the third and fourth Articles which I hold not expedient to send to your L. but if I shall understand that your L. do desire them I can easily send them It was appointed we should this Morning send our Amanuenses
an enemy to the weal-publick if I should not particularly inform your L. of all the passages here by whom if any of them go amiss they may so happily be corrected The reason why I have been so long a writing is because I wanted news of which our Synod now is very barren will be so till towards the latter end of the next week at which time all Colledges judgements of the five Articles will begin to be read The matters now in hand are matters of knowledge not of action yet I will be bold for fashions sake to send your L. a note of such Sessions as have been since my last letters to your L. Sessio 92. 25. Feb. Stylo Novo We bent on in the Synodical disquisition of the third and fourth Article which at that Session was made an end of after that the President did dictate to us and all we did write large Theses collected out of the Remonstrants books upon the five Articles Sessio 93. 26. Feb. Since the Remonstrants by commandment from the Delegates had given up the defence of their opinion touching the second Article there were read 56. pages of this their other new volume in which they studied to overthrow that distinction sufficientiae efficaciae mortis-Christi and go about to prove that those places of Scripture which say that Christ dyed pro peccatis totius mundi are to be enlarged to all particular men not to be restrained ad mundum electorum Sessio 94. 27. Feb. There were read publickly 53. pages more of this volume of the Remonst upon the second Article in which they did vindicate their own arguments propounded in Collat. Hag. from the instances and exceptions of the Contra-Remonst in the same Conference Sessio 95. eodem die post meridiem Deodatus was this Session appointed to discuss the first Article but because of the continuance of his sickness his colleague Tronchinus did perform that task for him publickly all Auditors being admitted who with good commendation did establish Sanctorum perseverantiam Sessio 96. 28. Feb. There was an end made of the reading the Remonst volume on the second Article there were read some 54. pages which were spent in the vindicating the rest of their own arguments from the exceptions of the Contra-Remonst in Collat. Hag. Sessio 97. eodem die post meridiem We begun the Synodical disquisition upon the third Article where every one of our Colledge spoke at large but especially my L. of Landaffe who I will assure your L. hath by his most accurate and excellent speech at that Session gained unto himself wonderful great reputation I doubt not but he will send a Copy of it to your L. and then it will speak for it self believe me I never heard him do any thing like it and so thinketh every one in the Synod it was learned devout and the stile masculous quicquid dixero minus erit the disquisition came to the Helvetian Divines Sessio 98. 1. March We went on in our Synodical disquisition of the fifth Article where my L. of Landaffe his yesterday speech was cited by two or three several Divines with great Honour and Commendation the disquisition came to the Colledge of the Geldrians This my Lord is all we have done when there is any thing worthy the relating I shall not fail to advertise your L. hoping your L. in this time of my other business which must not be neglected will pardon both the rudeness of the hand and stile for both which my necessary plea is want of time The matter between the Bremenses and Scultetus with the other two professors is taken up by the Praeses and the Delegates the Bremenses have shown their inclination to peace and were contented with private satisfaction the other three did protest they had no hard opinion of them but acounted them learned religious orthodoxal were sorry they had done that which was done and would do so no more the Bremenses desired that one of our Colledge might be present at this satisfaction but the other three would no way yield to it Gomarus was there admonished to repair to my L. of Landaffe and to testifie unto him his sorrow for the word which unawares had proceeded from him to his L. in the Synod but yet the old tuffe man is not come to his L. I hope after this we shall live in peace which I must needs confess for the greatest part of it we are debters to your Lordship Notwithstanding the late Proclamation set out by the States General for restraining the Printing of all seditious Books during the time of the Synod yet even now in the Belgick tongue there is come forth a seditious pamphlet with no name of Author or Printer containing all the Acts which have been made against the Remonstrants in this Synod especially by the Delegates a book made only to incite the common people to a dislike of the Synod they are not to be sold but they send them abroad among their favorites I have all this day been using means for compassing one of them to send to your Lordship but cannot yet there is one of them promised me but it may be your Lordship by this time hath seen some of them By my Letters from England from one who I believe knoweth it it will light heavy upon the party your Lordship nameth in the end of your Letter as much I mean as his place in the State is worth there is scuffling for to be his successor What is reported of Mr. Parker is but guessing your Lordship is in name for it at Court but upon what ground I know not I would it were as sure as my wishes are strong So with the remembrance of my best service to your Lordship and your worthy Lady I take my leave and rest Dordrecht this 2. of March. Your Lordships in all true respect and service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord THough our Synod yieldeth no great argument of writing for now we are taken up in hearing altogether yet I cannot omit my duty in letting your Lordship know how we spend the time Sessio 99. 4. March Stylo Novo The President did invite the whole Synod to the Funeral of an Helvetian Gentleman one Mr. Staffurins who came hither as comes itineris with the Helvetian Divines the invitation was against the morrow at eleven of the clock The President moreover with great joy told the Synod that he had received news from the Magistrates of Camps whereby they signifie that they rest well satisfied in the last Decree of the Synod concerning the suspension of their cited Ministers and continuance of the same suspension in case of their not comparence within fourteen dayes after new advertisment that they would do what iâ— them lyeth to perswade them to comparence which if they refused that they would not give them any more countenance or protection as heretofore they had done moreover that they did with all due respect expect the resolutions
by himself at the latter end of this Session the first three their judgements began to be read but by that time two pages were read the hour was passed and so the rest of it was continued till the next occasion only my Lord I must tell you that so much as was read giveth us little hope of agreement among them for whereas other Colleges had taken it as granted only that homo lapsus was subjectum Praedestinationis they in these two pages did only dispute by many arguments against Gomarus his opinion and proved that largely which others had only taken as a ground their arguments Gomarus I see him note what difference shall further happen in their judgements your L. shall understand by my next Sessio 107. eodem die post meridiem This Session was publick all auditours being admitted in which D. Deodatus did at great length handle these two questions 1. Quantum differat fides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu temporaneorum à vera et justificante Regenitorum fide 2. Quousque conceditur Diabolo progredi in oppugnanda justificatorum fide he did very sweetly just as he useth to preach not as Doctours use to do in Schools This is all which is done this week for this day being Saturday we have no Session The last Sunday I in which I returned the Letter your L. was pleased to send me sent to your Lordship all which had passed the week before which I hope your Lordship had your Lordship seeth there are but ordinary passages yet in the Synod if there were any thing worthy of extraordinary note I should not fail with all diligence to give your Lordship notice of it in mean time with many thanks to your Lordship for all your Lordships courtesies and the remembrance of my humblest service to your L. and your worthy Lady I take my leave ever entreating your Lordship that I may be accounted by your Lordship as I am I doubt not but your Lordship hath seen this pamphlet yet if you have not here it is Dordrecht this 9. of March 1619. Your L. in all true respect and service Walter Balcanqual My very good Lord SUch things as have passed in our Synod since my last Letters unto your Lordship I here send your Lordship as briefly as I can I hope now at length towards the latter end of the next week we shall come to the making of the Canons Sessio 108. 11. Martii Stylo Novo Georgius Fabricius a Nassovian Divine substituted in the place of Dr. Bisterfield who died here was with the accustomed solemnity admitted into the Synod◠We go on in reading the judgement of the three Belgick professours which was very sound and of a just length it was subscribed by their three names Iohannes Polyander Antonius Thysius Anthonius Wallaeus and a little beneath that it was thus written Ego Sibrandus Lubertus hoc collegarum meorum judicium perlegi per omnia probo Gomarus his name was not at it but he presently rose and testified viva voce that he had read it and did in all things approve the judgement of his Colleagues excepting only that part of it which did determine hominem lapsum to be the object of Predestination which he said had not as yet been determined in the Belgick Churches in the French nor English Churches and many others Next was read the judgement of Dr. Sibrandus upon the same Article which differed nothing from that former of his Colleagues but that it was longer it was subscribed with his own name and a little beneath the former three Professors by their subscriptions testified that they had read it and did approve it Gomarus stood up and viva voce gave this same testimony to this judgement which he had given to the former making the same exceeption Next was Gomarus his judgement read upon the same Article he said nothing of that question of the object of Predestination whether it was homo lapsus or not which silence in that point being excepted his judgement in all points agreed with the former judgements of his Collegues it was only subscribed with his own name but D. Polyander did vivâ voce testifie in the name of himself his Colleagues that they did approve all things in Gomarus his judgement excepting only that opinion of the object the contrary whereof they professed themselves to hold the President instructed us concerning some particulars of the business of Camps and desired us against three of the clock in the afternoon to consult about it the particulars whereof your L. shall see in the next Session Sessio 109. eodem die post meridiem The president told us first that the time of fourteen days granted to the two suspended Ministers of Camps for their comparence was now passed and so that they contemned this favourable respite granted by the Synod and persisted in their contumacy Next that the other two Ministers of Camps who were here among the cited Remonstrants had been appointed by the Synod to give in within fourteen dayes an answer to the accusations layed against them by the Deputies of the Reformed-Church of Camps the Copy of which accusations at their own earnest request had been delivered to them by one of the servants of the Synod but that now in place of their answer which was expected they had sent to him a Letter which was read unto the Synod it had two great faults it was exceeding long exceeding foolish to this sence or rather non-sence they did show that they could not at the day appointed give in their answer to the accusations and why they could no more go on in this Synodical action which was commenced against them for many causes such as were first because they were wholly taken up making ready some writings for the Synod concerning the five Articles which were imposed on them by the commandment of the Delegates 2. Because the Copy of the accusations brought unto them by one of the Synod officers was not subscribed by the President nor by either of the Scribes of the Synod and therefore they thought it not an authentick Copy or of any Credit 3. Because crimes in it were objected to them both promiscuously and that laid to both their charge which only one of them had delivered and therefore their accusation was not exact according to form of law 4. That there were many things in it objected to them not warranted by any witness unless it were by some proofs taken out of their Colleague Foskculius late book which they christened with the name of stultum aud tenebricosum scriptum 5. Because it was full of false spellings and writing therefore they thought it was but negligently slubbered over for these and many more such causes as idle as these with which I hold it not fit to detain your L. though they might decline the judgement of the Synod especially since against the practice of the Belgick Church their own Consistory Classis and
they erred greatly for want of knowledge of what was done in the Synod which seemed strange that of 400 or 500 persons which are spectatours not one would tell them what was done seeing that might so easily be done because they keep in a chamber that is hard by the door of the Synod-house If they shall proceed hereafter in Doctrinalibus as hitherto they have done in Agibilibus it will appear that there is a great judgment of God upon their judgments They are marvellous loth to be brought to the point wherefore they and we meet They have held the Synod with delays stays and evagations from Novemb. 26. until Decemb. 3. with dilatory evasions exercising the Synod Decemb. 4. they gave up their sentence of the first of the five Articles but so confusedly that they have bred a greater dislike of their proceedings They declare most in Negatives what they hold not Of that one Article they have made ten in some one of their ten are twelve propositions contained To follow them would make a long work Corvinus one of the Remonstrants came to Mr. Mayer the Professour of Basil and told him that he was drawn into these troublesom courses by others and shewed some dislike as if he meant to withdraw himself from them I make your Grace acquainted with this In your wisdom you know that if this were made known to some in England he might have notice thereof out of England which might hinder his resolution which I think by all good means should be forwarded For from England they have had no small encouragements heretofore We are in good hope that though there may be some delays yet the matter will have a good end We hear that the Iesuites are much offended at the Synod It must be some great good that offends them All things are here carried with great honour to his Majesty and hearty prayers are made for him daily as well by others as by his own Subjects If things shall be transacted with quietness your Grace may think of it whether it were not fit that some motion might be made to the States for some consideration or stipend to be given to the Remonstrants if they shall be deposed for they look for no other than Deposition Their Request in the Synod to the Delegates was that they would be means to the States that they would impose no other punishment upon them than Deposition I must make your Grace acquainted with one thing that was told me by Mr. Montgomery a Scottish Gentleman in these parts He said that he came to the sight of a Letter written to some of the Remonstrants to encourage them in their courses promising that if they were deposed they should have honourable maintenance for themselves and their Families This was before the late times which if it hold now it may give warning to others not to plead hastily for their maintenance I crave pardon for this length Mr. Dean of Worcester hath not had his health well these two or three days the rest are all well God be thanked Thus commending your Grace to Gods blessed protection I rest Dordr Decemb. 6. 1618. Your Graces in all Duties bound George Landaven May it please your Grace DOctor Goade of whose coming it pleased your Grace to advertise me by your Letters of the 21. of the last arrived here with your others of the 29. the 4. of this present The fifth I presented him to the States General in whose assembly by an extemporary Speech he very well acquitted himself and left good impressions of a conceit which he expressed very lively how this Church and State like two inseparable Twins must live and die together and how both have been always and are still cherished by his Majestie The same day I brought him to his Excellency and Count William as I had formerly done the rest of the Divines and there I took the boldness to read unto them out of your Graces Letters his Majesties and your Graces Judgment of the Remonstrants and their opinions which being so clearly set down his Excellency said was bon françois and if I be not deceived in conformity to what your Grace doth wish when the Synod hath done with the Remonstrants opinions this course will be taken with their persons that the chief Ring-leaders as Vterbogan Episcopius Grevinchovius and Vorstius with some others will be branded with some note of infamy and thrust out both of Church and State Some others of the chief will have their entertainments continued but be suspended in their functions The rest by reason of want of fit men to supply their charges will be continued in hope the example of others will keep them within their bounds This course is like to be taken rebus sic stantibus but if the French Embassador's endeavours for the delivery of our Prisoners about which they have now had two publick audiences or their private practices in favour of the Arminian party should take any place we must then expect a mutation mean time things go on very well both in Church and State for even this day I am advertised from Schonover which hath been one of the hottest Arminian Towns there being at this present certain Deputies of the Provincial Synod to visit that Claâ—sis within the space of these three days three Remonstrant Preachers of the Villages adjoyning have renounced their Doctrine acknowledging under their hands that it is false and contrary to the Doctrine of the Old and New Testament and that the Doctrine teached by the Contra-Remonstrants is the Orthodox from which they will never hereafter swerve We have here a persecuted man by Barneveld and his Faction Monsieur Arsens whom your Grace may remember by his quarrel with Vandermyle advanced to the Nobless of Holland So is also Monsieur Marquett the Lieutenant General of the Horse both men of good sufficiency and well affected in Religion They were both admitted to their Seats in the Assembly of the States of Holland yesterday One of the Nobless in put is place of Vandermyle in the Council of State and another in the place of Matiness in the Assembly of the States General These two last being Curators of the University of Leyden out of which charge they are likewise removed brought in Vorstius and he is thereby in so much the worse case in that they stand now in need of Patrons themselves which were his Protectors I shall not need to advertise your Grace what passeth at the Synod from whence you will hear how the Remonstrants being excluded from further conference by reason of their Opiniatrity their Opinions are now collected out of their Books The course is approved by the States yet the manner of their dimission in very rough and uncivil terms used by the President Bogermannus who before won much commendation of modesty and temper is generally disliked Quanquam illi digni hà c contumeliâ the place and quality of the Assembly required another manner of proceeding
90. Christian Omnipotency Philip. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that enableth or that strengthneth me p. 114. Luke 18. 1. And he spake a Parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint p. 131. My kingdom is not of this World John 18.36 Iesus answered my kingdom is not of this world If my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Iews c. p. 146. 1 Sam. 24.5 And it came to pass afterward that Davids heart smote him because he had cut off Sauls Skirt p. 161. John 14.27 Peace I leave unto you My peace I give unto you p. 177. The profit of godliness 1 Tim. 14.8 But Godliness is profitable unto all things p. 193. A Second Sermon on the same Text. p. 214. Iacobs Vow Gen. 28.20 And Iacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and give me bread to eat and rayment to put on c. p. 228. Dixi Custodiam Psal. 36.1 I said or resolved I will take heed to my ways p. 244. MISCELLANIES p. 257. Letters concerning the Synod of Dort A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and sold by Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet EPiscopacy as established by Law in England not prejudicial to Regal Power written by the special command of the late King by R. Sanderson late Lord Bishop of Lincolne The Whole Duty of Man laid down in a plain and familiar way for the use of All but especially the meanest Reader Necessary for all Families with private Devotions for several Occasions The Gentleman 's Calling Written by the Author of The Whole Duty of Man The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety Or an Impartial Survey of the Ruines of Christian Religion Undermin'd by Unchristian Practice By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man A Scholastical History of the Canon of the Holy Scripture Or the Certain and Indubitate books thereof as they are received in the Church of England By Dr. Cosin Lord Bishop of Durham Divine Breathings or a Pious Soul thirsting after Christ in an hundred excellent Meditations Hugo Grotius de Robus Belgicis Or the Annals and History of the Low-Countrey Wars in English wherein is manifested that the United Netherlands are indebted for the glory of their Conquests to the Valour of the English A Treatise of the English Particles shewing much of the variety of their significations and uses in English and how to render them into Latin according to the propriety and elegancy of that language with a Praxis upon the same By William Walker B. D. School-master of Grantburn with a Table newly added The Royal Grammar commonly called Lillies Grammar explained opening the meaning of the Rules with great plainness to the understanding of Children of the meanest capacity with choice observations on the same from the best Authors By W. Walker B. D. Author of the Treatise of English Particles A Catalogue of the names of all the Parliaments or reputed Parliaments from the year 1640. A Narrative of some Passages in or relating to the Long Parliament by a person of Honour Sober Inspections into the Long Parliament By Iames Howel Esquire Dr. Sprackling against the Chymists Nemâ—sius's Nature of Man in English By G. Withers Gent. Inconveniences of Toleration A Letter about Comprehension A Collection of Canons Articles and Injunctions of the Church of England By Anthony Sparrow Lord Bishop of Exon. The Bishop of Exons Caution to his Diocese against false doctrines delivered in a Sermon at his Primary Visitation The form of Consecration of a Church or Chappel and of the place of Christian Burial by Bishop Andrews A Thanksgiving Sermon preach'd before the King by I. Dolhen D. D. Dean of Westminster and Clerk of the Closet Bishop Brownrigs Sermon on the Gunpowder Treason A Letter to a Person of Quality concerning the Fines received by the Church at its Restauration wherein by the Instance of one the richest Cathedrals a fair guess may be made at the receits and disbursments of all the rest A Narrative or Journal of the Proceedings of the Lord Holles and the Lord Coventry Ambassadors Plenipotentiaries for the Treaty at Breda Written by a person of Quality concerned in that Ambassie A Narrative of the Burning of London 1666 with an account of the losses and a most remarkable Parallel between it and MOSCO both as to the Plague and Fire Lluellyns three Sermons on the Kings Murder A Collection of the Rules and Orders now used in Chancery Iter Lucitanicum Or the Portugal Voyage with what memorable passages interven'd at the Shipping and in the Transportation of her Sacred Majesty Katherine Queen of Great Britain from Lisbon to England By Dr. Samuel Hynde All sorts of Law Books A TRACT CONCERNING SCHISME AND SCHISMATICKS WHEREIN Is briefly discovered The Original Causes of all Schism HEresie and Schism as they are commonly used are two Theological scar-crows with which they who use to uphold a party in Religion use to fright away such as making inquiry into it are ready to relinquish and oppose it if it appear either erroneous or suspitious for as Plutarch reports a Painter who having unskilfully painted a Cock chased away all Cocks and Hens that so the imperfection of his Art might appear by comparison with Nature so men willing for ends to admit of no fancy but their own endeavour to hinder an inquiry into it by way of comparison of somewhat with it peradventure truer that so the deformity of their own might not appear but howsoever in the common manage Heresie and Schisme are but ridiculous terms yet the things in themselves are of very considerable moment the one offending against Truth the other against Charity and therefore both deadly when they are not by imputation but indeed It is then a matter of no small importance truly to descry the nature of them and they on the contrary strengthen themselves who through the iniquity of men and times are injuriously charged with them Schisme for of Heresie we shall not now treat except it be by accident and that by occasion of a general mistake spread through all the writings of the Ancients in which their names are familiarly confounded Schisme I say upon the very sound of the word imports Division Division is not but where Communion is or ought to be Now Communion is the strength and ground of all Society whether Sacred or Civil whosoever therefore they be that offend against the common society and friendliness of men if it be in civil occasions are guilty of Sedition and Rebellion if it be by reason of Ecclesiastical difference they are guilty of Schisme So that Schisme is an Ecclesiastical Sedition as Sedition is a lay Schism yet the great benefits of Communion notwithstanding in regard of divers distempers men are subject to Dissention and Dis-union are often necessary For when either false