Having given you this Summary account of the Socinians my next work is to give you that of the Arrians Those last are very numerous in this Country and many amongst the Socinians have embrac'd their Opinions You know what were the Sentiments of the Arrians concerning the Birth of Jesus Christ They believ'd That the Word the Intellect and the Word of God had had been created before all the Creatures That God had made Use of it in the old Testament as of an Interpreter of a Mediator when he had something to declare to the Patriaerchs and Prophets That that word had by a voluntary annihilation animated the Body of Jesus Christ as the Spirit of Man animates his Body the Word having taken Flesh only without Soul and without Spirit Nay they were also of a persuasion That all the Souls of other men were Spirits subsisting before the Bodies and that they assum'd not the name of Souls till such time as they actually animated their Bodies Christopher Sandius a Gentleman of Poland Son to a Councellor of the Elector of Brandeburgh was the Restaurator of the Arrian Sect in this Country His habitation for some Years past has been at Amsterdam Among other works he has written two Books which I have seen whereof one is entituled The Paradoxall Interpretations of the Four Evangelists The other is An Ecclesiastical History in which he proves or pretends to prove That all the Doctors commonly called the Fathers of the Church who flourish'd from the time of the Apostles to that of Arrius had the same Sentiments as he had concerning the Mystery of the Trinity The Borrellists had their name from one Borrell the Ringleader of their Sect a man very Learned especially in the Hebrew Greek and Latine Tongues He was Brother to Monsieur Borrell Ambassador from the States-General to his most Christian Majesty These Borrelists do for the most part maintain the Opinions of the Mennonites though they come not to their Assemblies They have made choice of a most austere kind of Life spending a considerable part of their Estates in Alms-giving and a careful discharge of all the Duties incumbent upon a Christian They have an aversion for all Churches as also for the Use of the Sacrament publick Prayers and all other external Functions of God's Service They maintain That all the Churches which are in the World and have been ever since the death of the Apostles and their first subsequent Successors have degenerated from the pure Doctrine which they had Preach'd to the World for this reason That they have suffered the infallible word of God contain'd in the Old and New Testament to be expounded and corrupted by Doctors who are not infallible and would have their own Confessions their Catechisms and their Liturgies and their Sermons which are the works of mâ—n to pass for what they really are not to wit for the pure word of God They hold also That men are not to read any thing but the word of God alone without any additional explication of men Another persuasion they have is That if there should be any Assembly wherein men would content themselves with the bare reading of the word of God however the persons who might be desirous to be receiv'd into it may demean themselves provided they acknowledg the Holy Scripture to be the Word of God they ought to be receiv'd into its Communion The Enthusiasts or Quakers who affirm That what they say or do is by Divine Inspiration maintain That the Holy Scripture ought to be explicated according to the light of that Divine Inspiration without which it is but a dead Letter written to Children and not to perfect and spiritual men and that it is not the true only and perfect Word of God or the Compleat and Necessary Rule of Faith They maintain That their own private Spirit is the true internal and spiritual Word of God the Rule and the Judg of the Scriptures That men ought to hearken to and follow that Spirit and not the words of the Scripture That a man has within himself and in his own Spirit an infallible Teacher who if he hearkens to him will inform him of all he is to believe or do in orer to his Salvation That they who hearken to that Spirit are united to God and that such union makes them Gods When they are in their Assemblies they continue a long time in a sitting posture without speaking and many times without so much as stirring for the space of one or two hours and there is nothing heard of them unless it be some sighs and groans till such time as some one among them feeling the agitation and stirring of the Spirit rises up and speaks the things which the Spirit commands him to speak Nay many times the Women are sensible of those motions of the Spirit which occasion their speaking or holding forth in the Congregation of their Brethren In their ordinary discourses they speak of their Ecstasies and Revelations and will be always sure to add very severe censures of all other Christians They very vehemently declaim against Vices and with great earnestness press the mortification of the Flesh They challenge all those who are in the Assembly and conjure them to speak if there be any one that has ought to object against what the Spirit has inspir'd them to deliver And this occasions the frequent disputes and quarrels which happen amongst them Nay it comes to pass sometimes that after they have for a good while expected the coming and inspiration of the Spirit not any one amongst them being sensible of its heat and motion in himself they depart from the place where they were Assembled without any one's having held forth As to the Libertines they seem to have each of them his particular Sentiment to himself But most of them are of this persuasion that there is only one Spirit of God which is universally diffus'd and lives in all Creatures That the Substance and Immortality of our Souls is not any thing but that Spirit of God That God himself is not any thing but that Spirit That mens Souls die with their Bodies That Sin is not any thing That it is but a simple opinion which immediately vanishes provided there be no account made of it That Paradise is but an illusion a pleasant Chimera which the Divines have invented to engage men to embrace that which they call Virtue That Hell also is but a vain Fancy which the same Divines have fram'd to divert men from that which they call Sin that is to say to hinder them from being happy in doing what they please They affirm in fine That Religion is only an invention of Politicians to keep the people by the fear of a Divinity in a subjection to their Laws in order to the better Regulation and Government of the Commonwealth In short there are in this Country a vast number of persons as I know there were heretofore in England who go under the
you Reverend Sir What Sâ—ntâ—ment you have of those Magistrates who are of Opinion That no Man ought to be troubled or molested upon the score of Religion and That all Christians ought to be tolerated whatever disagreeing Sentiments they may have upon that Account If â—here were some of them amongst you I do not beliâ—ve you would receive them into your Communion at least thus far I am assur'd Thâ—t according to your own Principles you ought not to receive them Hâ—w then can you be of a Persuasion That the Magistrates of the Vnited Netherlands are of the Reformed Religion properly so called when as if they were at Geneva or in Cantons you cannot admit them to communicate with you You know that Monsieur d' Huisseaâ— Pastor of the Church of Saumar was some years since depos'd and excommunicated by the Synod of the Province for the Book which he had publâ—sh'd for the Toleration and Re-Union of Christians Though I have read it yet cannot I call to mind all the Maxims whâ—ch he advances and maintains Mean time this I â—m assured of That he does not advise a greater Toleration of Christians than what the States-General do effectually grant Which is as much as to say That the Magistrates of these Countries have time out of mind practis'd that which that Minister has taught by the Book which he writ some years since If it be so I cannot imagine the Minister should be more in Fault than they are since he has offended only by his Writings and the Magistrates are effectual Offenders They have been the Doers of the Mischief and he has been but the Teacher of it and possibly induc'd thereto by their Example If you are of Opinion That the said Minister was justly and legally excommunicated you must certainly be guilty of a strange Partiality if you allow the Name of your good Brethren in Jesus Christ to the Magistrates of the Low-Countries who â—or those hundred years past have committed the Evil fâ—r which that Minister hath been excommunicated though he had not done it and but only approv'd the Doing of it If therefore you cannot own them for Brethren nor admit them to the participation of the Communion with you according to the Maxiâ—s of your own Religion and Discipâ—ines can it enter into your Belâ—â—f That the external Profession which they make of your Religion is sufficient to give him the denomination of being of it as well as you But if the Magistrates did acquit themselves of the Devoir whereto the Reformed Religion does particularly oblige Magistrates I should make no difficulty to grant them the Privilege of Attributing to the State which they govern the Name of the Religion which they profess I believe you will grant me That the Reformed Magistrates are after the Example of your Cantons oblig'd to obstruct the Establishment and publick Exercise of false Religions and the Magistrates themselves of the Low-Countries cannot be ignorant of what their own Confession of Faith review'd and approv'd by the Synod of Dort prescribes to them upon this occasion The xxxvi Article in which mention is made of Magistrates saies expressly That it is their Duty to remove Idolatry and the false service of God to endeavour the destruction of Antichrist and to advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ I cannot imagine therefore that you should endeavour to maintain That the States-General do conscientiously acquit themselves of what they are olig'd to by their charge of Magistracy after what I have said to you of the Liberty and Indulgence they grant to so many different Sects which by their erroneous opinions subvert the principal Mystery of our own Religion If you consult your own Sentiments and those of your Collegues and of all your Ministers and if you follow the Practice of all your own Churches you are oblig'd to exclude out of your Communion all those Magistrates who give that Liberty to all sorts of Sects and Persuasions How then can you think that those Magistrates whom the Ordinances of your own Churches permit not to communicate with you can give the Name of your Religion to the State which they govern Nay there are some Magistrates at Amsterdam and Rotterdam two of the principal and most wealthy Cities of Holland who make a publick and open Profession of their being Arminians The Sieur Adrian Patius who is one of the Magistracy of Rotterdam is also an Arminian and his Religion hinders not his exercising the Charge of Ambassadour from the States-General at the Spanish Court where he at present is I know not whether he be of those of the Sect who do absolutely follow the Sentiments of the Socinians But if that person be a Socinian and in his Return from Spain should be in Humour to take his way through your Cantons I know not whether the worst that might happen to him would be a Denyal of Reception into your Communion Upon the Summing up therefore of all I have said to you I am apt to think that you cannot still have the same Opinion of the States-General and continue your calling them a Holy and sanctify'd Republick Could you represent to your self that strange party-colour'd Chequer-work of Religion which is to be seen in those Countries I should hardly believe that you could persist any longer in the good Sentiments you have for this State I am ready to acknowledg That the Protestants are oblig'd to it for the liberty they have to live there without any fear in the exercise of Religion But are not all sorts of Hereticks equally oblig'd to it for the liberty they have to live there quietly in the exercise of their Religions If this State has been a Sanctuary to those of the Reformation all Hereticks have also found refuge there as well as the others In the General Diet held in Poland in the Year 1658. it was Order'd by a Publick Decree That all the Socinians who were very numerous in that Country and had their Principal Seat there should be sent away thence and that after some time allow'd them for the disposal of their Estates they were to be for ever banish'd thence The States-General did charitably receive all those amongst them who took refuge in this Country and it is particularly since that time that they have notoriously increas'd and multiply'd If this State be the School of the Reformed Party it is in like manner the School the Damme and the Nursery of all Hereticks Nay I am in some suspense whether it may not be justly maintain'd That Christian Religion has receiv'd more detriment than advantage by the establishment of this State And possibly for the same interest of Christian Religion there will be a greater obligation to wish its ruine then its wellfare It will be a very hard matter to persuade you to this since you are of Opinion That the Republick of the Vnited Provinces is a most-Christian State and one of the most Reform'd even amongst Christians I know not whether
it In all the Prophecies of the Old and New Testament he almost every where finds the Reign of Christ and that of Anti-Christ which is opposite thereto He has dispos'd the oeconomy of the Old and New Testament after a way not known before and such as had not yet been Establish'd by any Doctor He is the first that has discover'd and taught the difference there is between the Government of the Church before the Law and that under the Law and that after the Law He affirms That before the Law the Promise took place during which time of the Promise the Church was free That to the Promise God had added the Law which having been at first represented in the Decalogue contains only an abridgment of the Covenant of Grace and the Commandments of Faith Repentance and the Gratitude we owe to God as it appears by the sence of the Preface and of all the Commandements in particular He adds That after the worshipping of the Golden Calf God to Chastize his people for the Idolatry which they had committed had given them a Law consisting of Ceremonial and Carnal Commandements which were not good having impos'd upon them a Yoke by the Establishment of his Ordinances and Ceremonies Whence it comes that the Law had been made in appearance a Covenant of Works promising life to those who should obey his Commandments and denouncing malediction and death against those who should transgress them It is also another persuasion of his That the Commandement concerning the observation of the Sabbath-Day was one of those Ceremonial and Carnal Commandements which have been abrogated by Jesus Christ During all the time before Jesus Christ had paid the Father the price of our Redemption he affirms That all the Faithful were sav'd by the Security which Jesus Christ had given for us That the forgiving of Sins did not take place otherwise than by a connivance of Grace in as much as They were only under the Promise the payment or satisfaction having not been yet made by Jesus Christ That the Law being added as an obligation did reproach the People with their sins and put them into a mindfulness thereof by the Sacrifices and that it is upon that score that the Ancient people were under servitude and in fear of death till such time as Jesus Christ having by his Blood paid the Ransom of our Sins the Obligation which was in force against them being cancell'd we have fully and perfectly obtain'd the pardon of our sins He is of Opinion in fine That there is to spring up in the World a Reign of Jesus Christ which will abolish the reign of Antichrist and that when they who shall have corrupted the Earth shall be destroy'd the Church shall be in a happy condition in the World And when there shall be a restauration of the Reign of Jesus Christ before the End of the World and that after the Conversion of the Jews and of all Nations the Catholick Church shall scatter the rayes of its meridian light and glory into all Parts of the World He believes Her to be the Celestial Hierusalem which is describ'd in the Revelation the Emblem whereof represents to us the condition of the Church such as she ought to be in her greatest Splendour upon Earth and not that which is to triumph in Heaven I thought my self oblig'd to give you an account of the particular Sentiments of this Divine because he has a great number of followers as also for this Reason That Voetius and des Marets condemn his Opinions as Heretical nay indeed represent him as a Socinian in many things They affirm That he is an Innovator and give him the title of Scripturarius as if it were a great crime to be closely addicted to the Scripture and to make it the most important of our Studies There are many other Divines especially such as have studied under the Professors whom I have before named who obstinately oppose his Sentiments and endeavour to persecute and to procure the condemnation of all his Disciples It is not requisite that I should give you any account of the Roman Catholicks it being notorious to all the World what their Sentiments are You know also what the Opinions of the Lutherans are The famous Confession which they made at Ausbourg in the Year 1530 has made a sufficient discovery of them to all the World True it is that most of their Doctors have Opinions very different from their first Confession They are divided amongst themselves upon the score of very disconsonant Sentiments But as that diversity is found only in those of them who are in Germany I shall say nothing of it They who are in this Country keep closely enough to the Sentiment of their first Doctor Only observe here in what they differ from those who are in Germany Denmark and Sweden They do not use Auricular Confession Thâ—y have neither Images nor Altars in their Churches Their Ministers wear no Sacerdotal habits They have not the several Orders of Priests Deacons Arch-Deacons and Superintendents or Bishops as they have in most other Parts The Arminians took their denomination from Arminius their first Doctor who was a famous Professor in the University of Leyden They would rather be called Remonstrants by reason of the Book which they presented to the States-General in the Year 1611. to which they had given the Title of Remonstrance and which comprehended the principal Articles of their Belief You know the Five remarkable Points upon which they were condemn'd by the Synod of Dort held in the Year 1618 in which were present some Divines of your Cantons as also out of several Countries professing the Reformed Religion as England Germany and other placâ—s After the death of Arminius and in the time of Vorstius and of Episcopius a most Eminent Doctor amongst them they adopted many Errours of the Socinians Nay most of them have deserted the Opinion of their first Master upon the Point of Predestination and Eternal Election Arminius had taught That God had Elected the Faithful by the prevision of their Faith And Episcopius is of Opinion That God has not Elected any one from all Eternity but that he does Elect the Faithful in time when they actually Believe He speaks only in very doubtful and ambiguous terms of the Prescience of God which was the great Fortress in which Arminius secur'd himself These same Arminians of the present time believe That the Doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in One only Essence is not necessary to Salvation That there is not any Precept in the Scripture by which we are commanded to adore the Holy Ghost nor any Example or Indication by which it appears that the Holy Ghost has been ador'd That Jesus Christ is not a God equal to the Father That Faith in Jesus Christ by which we are saved hath not been commanded nor took any place under the Old Covenant Most of them do make it their study to avoid that Expression
denomination of Seekers It is the acknowledgment of these people That there is one true Religion which Jesus Christ has brought us from Heaven and which he has reveal'd to us in his Word but they maintain withal That that true Religion of Jesus Christ which we ought to profess in order to the attainment of Salvation is not any one of those Religions which are Establish'd amongst Christians They have some particular exception to make against every one of those Religions and they condemn them all in general In a word They have not pitch'd upon any one determinate Religion as being still concern'd upon the Seeking account They read and meditate the Holy Scriptures with great attention They pray to God with a fervent Zeal That he would illuminate them in the knowledg of that Religion which they ought to embrace in order to the serving of him according to his Will and for the acquest of that everlasting Felicity which he has promis'd his Children I should not think that I have given you an account of all the Religions and Persuasions of this Country if I should omit the saying of a word or two of an Illustrious and Learned man who as I have beâ—n assur'd has a great number of Followers and those such as keep closely to his Sentiments He is a man by birth a Jew whose name is Spinosa one that has not abjur'd the Religion of the Jews nor embrac'd the Christian Religion So that he continues still a most wicked Jew and has not the least tincture of Christianity Some Years since he put forth a Book entituled Tractatus Theologo-Politicus wherein his principal design is to destroy all Religions and particularly the Jewish and the Christian and to introduce Atheisme Libertinisme and the free Toleration of all Religions He maintains That they were all invented for the advantage and conveniences which the Publick receives thereby to the end that all persons subject to Government may live honestly and obey their Magistrates and that they may addict themselves to Virtue not out of the hope or expectation of any reward after death but for the intrinsick excellency of Virtue in it self and for the advantages which accrue to those who follow it in this life He doâ—s not in that Book make an open discovery of the opinion which he has of the Divinity but he does however so far insinuate it as that we may guess at his meaning whereas in his Discourses he boldly affirms That God is not a Being endow'd with Intelligence Infinitely-Perfect and Blissful as we imagine him to be but that he is not any thing else but that Virtue of Nature which is diffus'd into all the Creatures This Spinosa is now living in this Country His Residence was for some time at the Hague where he was visited by the Virtuosi and all others who pretended to more then ordinary Curiosity nay by some young Ladies of Quality who pride themselves in being more ingenious then is requisite for their Sex His followers are somewhat cautious in discovering themselves because his Book before-mention'd does absolutely subvert the very Foundations of all Religions and has been condemn'd by a publick Edict of the States-General and a prohibition put upon the Sale of it and yet it is publickly Sold. Amongst all the Divines of whom there is a great number in this Country there has not stood up any one that has presum'd to write against the opinions which this Author advances in the afore-said Treatise And I am the more surpriz'd thereat for this reason that the Author making a discovery of his great knowledg of the Hebrew Tongue as also of all the Ceremonies of the Jewish Religion of all the Customs of the Jews and of the Heathenish Philosophy the Divines of the Reformation cannot say but that the Book does well deserve that they should take the pains to refute it For if they still continue silent men cannot forbear affirming that either they are defective in point of Charity in suffering so pernicious a Book to be scatter'd up and down without any Answer thereto or that they approve the Sentiments of that Author or that they have not the courage and abilities to oppose them And thus Reverend Sir have I given you an acccount of the different Sects of Christians which are in this Country and which have all in a manner the freedom of Exercising the Religions which they profess I leave you to make thereupon what reflections you shall think fit It will be no hard matter for me to deduce from this diversity of Sects such convincing Reasons as shall prove what I have before advanced to wit That the States-General are not of our Reformed Religion In the first place it cannot be affirmed that this State is of the Reformed Religion upon the score of the number of those who make profession of it For though it cannot be precisely known what number there are of persons professing the Calvinistical way of Reformation which is commonly called the Reformed Religion in these Provinces yet this is still out of all question That the number of those who are not of it is incomparably greater than that of those who do profess it Having thereupon consulted some of the Inhabitants they have assur'd me That there may be a Tripartite Division made of the people of these Provinces and that the three parts may be something towards an equality The one is of the Reformed Religion another of the Roman-Catholicks and the third of the Sectaries I should never have thought that the number of the Roman-Catholicks had been so great It is certain that a considerable part of the Inhabitants of Great Cities and the greatest part of those of the Campaigne and of the Boors of that Country are Roman-Catholicks and there are assuredly at least as many of those of the Reformed Religion And if we put together all the Sectaries they also doubtless make up a third part of the Inhabitants of these Provinces If therefore the Domination and the Denomination ought to be deduc'd from the greatest part those of the Reformed Religion being at most but a third part of the people of this Country cannot give the whole State the Denomination of being of the Reformed Religion It cannot therefore be such upon any other account than this that our Reformed Religion has been Establish'd and the others forbidden by the publick Edict before-mentioned It might indeed be granted that it deserv'd that name if that Ordinance had been put in execution but that having not been executed the name cannot be justly given it But that being a matter requiring much discussion I shall wave it at this time and make it the subject of my next to you and so I shall make no addition to this save only that of assuring you of my being Reverend Sir Your most humble c. Vtrecht May 7 th 1673. The Fourth LETTER Reverend Sir YOu have observ'd in my first Letter That the States-Generall have always
they are interrogated not one amongst them confesses any thing and there could be no Discoveries made of their being guilty of it But it was for the interest of the Dutch-Company that they should be so That they might be â—ender'd such in appearance they are put to the Torture All â—he several Tortures of Fire and Water were us'd to make them acknowledg what the Dutch would have them to say After some resistance of such Cruel Torments they were at last or'e-press'd by their violence and confess'd whatever they desir'd them But after they had recover'd themselves again they disown'd all they had said in the midst of their Torments nay when they were just at the point of Execution they call'd God to attest their Innocence and besought him to make it appear after the death they were then going to suffer He who was the Commander of that place and the unjust Judg who had condemn'd them were nothing mov'd at though fully convin'd of the Innocence of those Prisoners But there beâ—ng a necessity of their Dying for the interest of the Dutch-Company Nine of the pretended Conspirators were Executed and some of them were set at Liberty who returning into England brought thither the News of that Cruel Massacre Now Sir I would fain know what you would say of so inhumane and so barbarous an Action Will you still allow those to be good Reformed Christians who make no scruple to cut the Throats of their Brethren professing the same Religion as they do for a little Worldly Goods and for their own private Interests This Tragical Story is so well known all over the World that there is not any Dutch man dares deny it Nay an Author of their own Nation one Aitzema in his Book entituled The Lyon-Combatant pag. 211 212 213 214 215. Printed in the Year 1661. gives a very large and particular description of it And he makes out withal how false and unlikely the Accusation brought in against the English was and confidently affirms that it was fram'd upon no other score than that they might have a pretence to put them to death seize into their own hands all the effects of the English Company and by that detestable imposture render themselves Masters of all the Trade of the Moluccoes Amboyna and Banda The same last-mention'd Author does in the same Book page 113. Relate another Story of a greater Cruelty which the Dutch exercis'd upon the English in the Island of Banda He says That the Dutch in order to their becoming Masters of that Island Massacred above Forty English-men and that after they had bound living Persons to dead Carkasses they cast them into the Sea and afterwards possess'd themselves of what they had which amounted to above Five and Twenty Thousand Pounds Sterling True it is that they are somewhat to blame who still reproach the Dutch with those two Actions and particularly with that of Amboyna since they have made a considerable satisfaction for it in the Treaty which was concluded between them and the Protectordome of England in the Year 1654. For the Parliament having enter'd into a War against them which amongst other pâ—etences had that of the Execution at Amboyna the Dutch gave the English several Millions of Guilders not simply to satisfie them for the damages they had caus'd them to suffer which could not have amounted to neer so great a Sum though they had taken away all the effects which they had in that Island and depriv'd them of the advantages they might have made by the Commerce of Thirty Years but also by way of Reparation for the Blood which they had Unjustly spilt and to blot out the remembrance of so barbarous an Action There would be a necessity of compiling a great Volume if it were my design to make a collection of all the Cruel Actions which the Dutch have committed in the Indies and elsewhere upon the pure interest of Commerce But I am apt to think that you will gladly spare me that Trouble and will think no doubt that I have said enough and haply too much upon a subâ—ect which is not divertive to you If then after a serious reflection upon what I have entertain'd you withal you find no abatement of the affection which you had for the Dutch I must acknowledg That your friendship does in steadiness and strength exceed that of any other person in the World And this gives some hopes that you will continue that part of it which you have promis'd me as I assure you of my ever remaining Reverend Sir Your c The Sixth LETTER Reverend Sir IT is no small affliction to me that I have given you an account of some things concerning the Dutch which certainly must have rais'd in you some disgust against me I am therefore out of a pure fear of feeding or augmenting it resolv'd to be very careful in waving to tell you any â—hing henceforward which may give you any perplexity in reference to them Nay I am willing to make you satisfaction for all I have already said to you I acknowledg therefore to humour you that the Dutch are as good Christians and as much of the true way of Reformation as you imagine them to be that is to say the best in the World Though it were so yet I do not think you have any reason to cry out Arms Arms as you do to excite and encourage all that are of the Reformed Persuasion in Europe to come in to their relief You know weâ—l enough that his most Christian Majesty is not engag'd in a War against them upon the matter of Religion but that the reason of his engaging in it was to chastize their ingratitutde to mortifie their violence and to teach them a new Lesson of paying him the respects they owe him and to keep within the bounds of modesty and reason Were it a War upon the score of Religion do you think that the one or the other Branch of the House of Austria that of Germany and that of Spain which are the natural Enemies of our Religion and which ever have been the cruel Persecutors of those who profess it would have openly undertaken the defence of the Dutch in this cause against the interests of the Catholick Religion of which they make it their oftentation That they are the Proâ—â—ctors and especially the King of Spain whom for that reason the Pope has honour'd with the Title of Catholick King But to shew you again how desirous I am to please you I will acknowledg also That this is a War of Religion Let us see whether it will turn to our advantage to raise an Army consisting only of men professing the true Reformed Religion and to bring it into the Servâ—ce of the Dutch Let us make a computation of all those who may be for us and of all those who in this case might be against us But I think it were better we never meddled with that troublesome discrimination which would only convince
the very time when for the compleating of the Impiety it order'd Prayers to be made to God in the Churches for their Preservation This puts me in mind of the Emperour Charles the Fifth who caus'd publick Prayers to be made all over Spain for the Liberty of Pope Clement the Second whom he himself kept a Prisoner at Rome in the Castle of Saint Angelo But there are yet some particular circumstances in this action of the Dutch which do very much aggravate the horrour and perfidiousness of it In the first place then before the doing of any act of hostility against those of Rochell and before they had made any declaration of being enemies they endeavour'd by Surprize to become Masters of the Port. Though what I say seems strange and at some distance from credibility yet is there not any thing in the world more true An illustrious person amongst the Dutch and the Author before by me cited when I gave you an account of the affair of Amboyna I mean Aitzema in the Book entituled The Lyon Combatant pag. 241. sets down at large this History of the design which the Dutch had to surprize Rochell Take here in express terms what he saies of it On the fourth of July in the Year 1625. Hautyn Admirall of Holland appeared before Rochell with nineteen men of War The Inhabitants of Rochell writ to him as did also the Count Dela Val to let him know what astonishment they were in to see him in the posture of an enemy as being not able to imagine that either the States or the Prince of Orange would have entred into a war against the Reformed Religion Hantyn told those who had brought him the Letters that he could not return them any answer still he had had some conference with those of the King's Councel The next day he sent them back to Rochell with two of his own people and told them That he knew not whether they were come by the order of all the Inhabitants or of some part of them only and that he was going to send to them to be assur'd of it and that in case they continu'd in their subjection to the King they were not to fear any harm In the mean time those Deputies having left him in order to their going to Rochell he came up with part of his Fleet very near the City which gave occasion to two men of Rochell whom he had kept aboard to tell him That he did not deal fairly Monsieur de Soubize having perceiv'd that he was advanc'd with a good number of Ships made him stand off and one or two days after he absolutely defeated him burnt his Vice-Admiral and four or five Ships and kill'd him five hundred men so that the whole Fleet being in great disorder got away as far as Nantes And this was the unhappy success which that perfidious man had who under pretence of friendship would have surpriz'd the City and so betray'd it to the King After Hauntyn had refitted his Fleet he joyns that of the most Christian King commanded by Monsieur de Montmorency who would fight that of the Rochellers assoon as he came in sight of it But news was brought him That the Dutch Admiral would not be concern'd in the action for this reason no doubt that he was afraid to be beaten once moro Montmorency presses him and conjures him not to desert him in so important an occasion He alledges for his Excuse as we find in Gramond Hist Gall. pag. 635 and 636. That without an express Command from the States he durst not employ their Ships to give a decisive battel to the Protestants of France who were of the same Religion with his Masters Mons de Montmorency being extreamly troubled that the Dutch did by their refusal to fight defeat him of the Fame which he expected infallibly to acquire by the Victory was forc'd after a fruitless application of intreaties and promises to make Use of an expedient which ever prevails with the Dutch He with good palpable money corrputed their whole Fleet and engag'd the Admiral the Commanders and the Soldiers by oath to fight against those of Rochell So the most Christian King's Fleet being reinforc'd with that of the Dutch de Montmorency gave an absolute defeat to that of the Rochellers commanded by Mons de Soubixe So that the Inhabitants of that City could not equip another and from that very day lost the Soveraignty of that Sea which they had kept for some time Whereupon they having no Fleet and that of the most Christian King having the absolute command of the Sea his Land-Army undertook that memorable work of the Digue The City finding it self depriv'd of all hopes of relief surrender'd to the King after the endurance of incredible inconveniences by famine during so long a Siege If the Dutch had sent in this assistance to his most Christian Majesty by vertue of any Treaties of Allyance which they had had with him there would not have been any thing to quarrel at in the said Action But is it not an infamous thing that after they had plainly alledg'd their not being empower'd to fight against those of the Reformed Religion without an express command from the States they should nevertheless be lur'd in by money to do a thing which they knew to be contrary to their duty and might have contributed to the ruine of all those who profess'd the Reformed Religion in France if the most Christian King had had any such design as some imputed to him And by this you may judge of the Friendship which the Dutch have for those of the Reformed Religion since they make no scruple to hire out themselves and their Ships to be assistant in their extermination If you can without passion examine all I have written to you concerning the Dutch I am confident you will not persist any longer in the good opinion you have hitherto had of them But I think you will hardly be induc'd to lose it because you are extremely propossess'd in their favour Mean time since I look upon you as a very just and rational Person I hope you will not think it much to aquaint me with the Reasons which you may have had for your not being mov'd with those which you have reciev'd from me Shew me that there is not any ground in all those by which I have pretended to prove That the Vnited Provinces are not of the Reformed Religion according to the Calvinisticall way of Reformation Make it appear to me that you have done well in endeavouring to make an insurrection in your Canton about the Regiment which you had rais'd for his most Christian Majesty and that all those of the Reformed Religion ought to unite together for the relief of the Dutch in the present War between them and the most Christian King If you can prove all these things to me I assure you I shall submit to your Reasons And I shall moreover give my thanks for your deliverance of me out of the errour in which I have hitherto continu'd and for the illuminations I shall receive from your documents This I do sincerely promise you as also that howe'ere it may happen I shall ever be Reverend Sir Your most humble c. Vtrecht May 19 th 1673. FINIS
which it declares a Resolution to profess it and not to permit in its Territories the Exercise of any other Religion when instead of a sincere Accomplishment of what had been resolved by its Decree it is so far from performing of any thing of it that it acts dâ—rectly to contrary thereto I do not imagine you will pretend That State to be of our Religion by Virtue of a Decree which it makes and never did put in Execution You will tell me That the States-General are of our Religion because they affirm it and make a publick Profession thereof And I on the other side maintain that That is not sufficient for their assuming a name which they do not deserve since they destroy the external Profession they make of it by a Practice quite opposite and very odious to all those of the Religion If they permitted in their Country but one or two Religions whose Sentiments were not much different from ours and that in some of the less principal and lesser important Points there would be no great Cause for men to wonder at it It might be urged That Prudence and Charity oblig'd them to have some Complyance for Christians who as to the principal Part retain the ground-work of Faith though they have not received such Illuminations from God as might create a Belief of all our Mysteries But is there any thing in the World so surprizing as our finding That the States give an unlimited liberty to all Sorts of Religions insomuch That in the very Province of Holland there are more discover'd and acknowledg'd Sects than there are in all the other Parts of Europe and that there is not any Master-Heretick who has a mind to frame a nâ—w Sect but is there kindly received to teach and propagate his Religion and to make a publick Profession thereof Some Years since John Labadie the Apostate having been depos'd and excommunicated by the Walloon-Churches of this Country addressed himself to the Heer Van Beuninghen desiring to be taken into his Protection Van Beuninghen makes him this Answer That as long as he was willing to continue in the Communion of the Walloon-Churches he was oblig'd to submit to their Ordinances and Discipline but that if he would frame a new Sect he should participate of the Protection which the States granted to all sorts of Religions I do not question but you know the said person and are doubtless able to judge That it was not out of any Scruple of Conscience that he thought it not convenient to establish his Sect in this Countrey He had amongst his Devotes the Illustrious Gentlewoman Mrs. Mary de Schurmans and other young Ladies of more than ordinary quality but being in some Fear That their Relations might get them out of his Society which began to be cry'd down and to appear very scandalous he thought it his better way to settle himself elsewhere with his sanctified Company of both Sexes whom he took along with him Had he thought it convenient to make his Abode in this Country he would have augmented the Number of Sects which have their Establishment here and made some Additions to the Religions which have a publick Liberty in these parts But though this Liberty of Conscience is of so great a Latitude as I have told you yet I am in some suspense whether you know it to be so comprehensive as to extend to the countenancing and protecting of those Hereticks whom you would sentence to death if they were amongst you This I am satified you know That above a hundred years ago your Canton and the Republick of Geneva condemned Michael Servetus and Scipio Gentilis to be buâ—nt alive for the erroneous Opinions they held concerning the Trinity The principal Errours upon which they were Indicted are much the same or at least are not more dangerous than those which the Socinians maintain upon the same Mystery of Christian Religion Do you not then wonder at the extraordinary difference there is between the Conduct observ'd by your Canton and the Republick of Geneva towards those two ancient Hereticks and that which the States observe in reference to the Socinians who propagate the same Heresies or others that are equally pernicious Geneva and your Canton could not endure the one Servetus and the other Gentilis and pass'd their judgment that they both deserv'd death The States-General do without any Scruple suffer a great number of Socinians most of whom are born and brought up amongst them and never had the least thought of doing them any harm upon the score of their Religion Your Canton and the City of Geneva would have thought themselves guilty of a great Crime against God if they had not by death taken off these two Hereticks who hâ—ld such strange Errours against the Divinity of Jesus Christ But the States-General would think they had committed a great Sin against God if they should put any of the Socinians to death whatever their Errours may be Your Cantons and the City of Geneva thought themselves obâ—ig'd in Conscience out of their zeal for the Glory of God and Christian Religion to take all the Courses imaginable for the smothering of those Heresies which are so destructive to our Principal Mysteries The States-General have on the contrary done all that lay in their Power to countenance and to improve them Not many years ago the Books of the Socinians were very scarce Amongst those which had come forth into the World as they had been printed in very remote places and but very few Copies had been taken off so were there not any to be had but at very dear Rates nay most of them were not to be had at all The States-General have out of their special Favour and Indulgence and out of an unparallel'd tenderness of Conscience found out a Remedy for that inconvenience To satisfy the Socinians and those who were desirous to become their Proselytes they have permitted the works of Four of their principal Doctors to be printed at Amsterdam to wit those of Socinus Crellius Slichtingius and Wolfogenius At this very time there is publickly sold at Amsterdam that Library of the Socinians in Eight Volumes in folio which costs but a hundred Guilders Not many years since two hundred Pistols would not have purchased one part of those Works which at present may be had altogether for less than ten True it is That not long since there was burnt at Amsterdam a certain book of the Socinians but it was done no doubt upon the very Intreaty of William Bleau for whom it had been printed Not many dayes after that publick Execution he publickly expos'd the very same Book to sale and the more to recommend the sale of it and to enhaunce the Price of it he had got an Advertisement put into the Title-Page that it was the very same Book which had been by Order of the States condemn'd to be publickly burnt by the hand of the common Executioner I question not but you
have had the relation or haply you your self remember it very well how that not much above Forty years ago the Magistrate of Geneva caused Nicholas Anthony a Minister at Divonne in the Balliage of Gex to be burnt alive upon a discovery made of his being a Jew The Twelve Articles which he signed and upon which an Indictment was drawn up against him make it evidently appâ—ar that he did not beliâ—ve any one of our Mysteries of the Incarnation and Death of Jesus Christ for the Salvation of men and that he expected the coming of Jesus Christ as the Jews do expect him for their Deliverance and the Establishment of a Temporal Kingdom upon Earth No doubt but you know that the Jews are very numerous in this Country that they have an absolute Liberty and their Synagogue in which they make their Assemblies for the Service of God and that there never was the least Thought of driving them hence or putting any one of them to death You know also better than I do my self what you did at Berne in reference to some Mennonites who were found in your Territories They gave them the dreadful name of Anabaptists purposely to render them odious and abominable to all your people You cast them into Prison and you there kept them a long time out of the Zeal you had for your own Religion and the aversion you had to theirs nay for a certain time you would not set them at liberty in order to their departure with what they had into some other Parts But at last you granted them that Favour and it is not unlikely that you did it upon the Intreaty of the Magistrate of Roterdam who writ to you a very pressing Letter on their Behalf Some years before the Canton of Schasfhouse had also banish'd out of their Tâ—rritories certain Mennonites and thought they had done them a kindness in permitting them to take along with them what effects they had into some other parts Nay I have been also assured that not many Years since a certain Number of Mennonites being to their Misfortune found in the Canton of Zeurich they were taken into custody and had indictments drawn up against them on these two Capital Crimes There were at that time some Comapnies raising upon some extraordinary occasion which the Magistrates had for the safety of the Country The Mennonites would have excused themselves from being listed in those Companies alledging That they did not believe a Christian could with a good Conscience bear arms upon any occasion whatsoever They preferr'd however voluntarily to lay down what money should be required of them for the payment of such Person as might be put in to serve in their stead They would moreover engage them to oblige themselves by Oath to be faithfull to the State and to obey their Magistrates They acknowledged That they were in Conscience oblig'd to that Duty and that they should be very careful in the discharging of it They promis'd to do so and declar'd that they conceiv'd themselves as deeply engag'd by their bare word as if they had confirm'd it with a solemn Oath But that they could not be induc'd to take any for this Reason that they believed that Jesus Christ had commanded such as profess'd Christianity simply to say Yea for the affirming of a thing and Nay for the denying of it expressly forbidding them to swear upon any occasion whatsoever The Magistrate of Zurich judging that those two Errours were pernicious to the State pass'd this Order against the Authors thereof That within Fifteeâ—â—â— dayes they were to depart out of Switzerland and to remove thâ—â—ce all their Effects and Concerns or abjure their Doctrine be ready to take their Oaths and to take up Arms if the Magistrate commanded any such thing And if any one did not obey this Order that he should be taken and banish'd after he had receiv'd a severe Chastisment by Whipping If he were taken a second time That he should be whipped again and that after he had been burnt with an hot Iron on the Shoulder he should be again sentenc'd to Banishment but if he were taken the third time he was to be brought to the Magistrate as a Rebel and so to be put to death But all the Cities of this Netherlandish Country are full of these Mennonites who have their publick Assemblies and an absolute Liberty of Exercising their Religion Nay there is at Amsterdam That Christopher Sandius of whom I have heretofore spoken to you who makes an open and publick Profession of being an Arrian and he has many Disciples If therefore you will seriously examine the thing I think you will meet with but little Encouragement to maintain That those Governments which follow so contrary a Practice one to the other upon a matter of Fact so important Reference to Religion can in the mean time be of the same Religion I do not Imagine that you will approve or what some affirm upon this occasion That in things which are indifferent two States may demean themselves the one this way and the other that way and be both in the mean time of the same Religion Things indifferent as to practicability are if I am not mistaken such as may or may not be done or be done after one manner or after another quite different manner yet all without offending God But I am not easily to be persuaded that the things we now speak of can be called Indifferent For I pray tell me Was it not well done by your Magistrate and by that of Geneva when they burnt these two ancient Hereticks and this last Jew If it was well done it was not therefore a thing Indifferent and they could not have omitted the doing of it without offending God If they did well in their procedure methinks you cannot deny but that the Dutch do very ill in tolerating and protecting the Socinians who as to the main hold the same Errours as those ancient Hereticks unless you would haply affirm That there are some things in reference to Religion which may be done after one way in Switzerland and at Geneva and after another way in the Low-Countries For I cannot comprehend how one and the same Religion can incline some of those who profess it to do things directly contrary to those which the others do Moreover I do not think that you will be so confident as to affirm that it was a thing indifferent for your Magistrate and for him of Geneva to put those two unforunate Hereticks to death You have too great a respect for your Lords and Superiours to charge them with the Odium of so rigorous an Execution if they had not been thereto oblig'd by the Precepts of their Religion If the Magistrates of the Low-Countries are of the same Religion as yours why does it not induce them to follow the same Practice in reference to the same Hereticks or others who are yet more dangerous In short I would make this Interrogatory to