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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B22558	The Popish labyrinth wherein is made manifest, that the Papists are entangled in the fundamental article of their faith, that the church cannot erre / written in Dutch by ... Dr. Simon Episcopius, unto which is added, The life and death of the author ; as also, The life and death of James Arminius, both of them famous defenders of God	Episcopius, Simon, 1583-1643.; Bertius, Petrus, 1565-1629. Oratio in obitum reverendi & clarissimi viri D. Jacobi Arminii. English.; Chardon de Courcelles, Etienne, 1705-1775? Short and compendious history of Simon Episcopius.	1673 (1673)	Wing E3163	56,195	122

An Apology of the Remonstrants confession An Answer to the Essay of the Leyden Professors with other Books In Dutch he wrote a Treatise of true Antiquity against the Papists Three Treatises against James Triglandius then Preacher at Amsterdam since Professor of Divinity at Leyden with other books In the second year after his return he entred into a Matrimonial state there being then hope of a more peaceable time marrying at Rotterdam that most choice and vertuous Gentlewoman Mrs. Mary Pesser the widow of Mr. Henry Niellius a Preacher of that City and the younger brother of Mr. Charles Niellius above-mentioned They lived together but without issue most piously peaceably and comfortably to the end of the years 1641 at which time she finished her course But before this in the year 1634 He went to Amsterdam to be President in the Remonstrants Scholastick Nursery or Colledge which was erected there to be as an University for the instructing of Youth in Divinity that were intended for Ministers of the Church How faithfully and diligently he exercised himself here we have an illustrious testimony from his copious learned and most usefull Theological Institutions and the Answer of 64 Questions proposed to him by his Disciples also from his learned and eloquent Sermons to the people also his true Remonstrant Divine and his Answer to the 10 Dilemma's of a certain Popish Doctor and other works of his Whilest he was thus labouring some occasions forced him to Rotterdam where Anno 1639 he fell dangerously sick and for some moneths kept his bed and so far was he gone that there was little hope of his recovery But at length God restored him to health and so strengthened him that he returned to his charge at Amsterdam and as diligently laboured among them as before After his return it seemed good to the Remonstrants to publish a plain Catechism for the instructing of the more ignorant sort Then Abraham Heydan at that time a Preacher at Leyden afterwards Professor of Divinity there published an Examination of this Catechism the defence of which our Episcopius undertook and finished in a considerable large Volume which came not forth till after his death For in the beginning of the year 1643 when he was well nigh 60 years old he fell mortally sick His disease is called Ischuria a dangerous suppression of the Vrine which was so pertinacious and obstinate that for eleven days he could not make one drop of water although some skilfull Physicians used the utmost of their art to master or at least somewhat to mitigate this his mercyless and stubborn enemy This Excrement of which he afterward avoided but little mixing it self with the blood of the whole body so corrupted the Crassis and temperature thereof that he could not possibly long subsist He lay sick two moneths and above and for some weeks before his death was deprived of sight Which loss whilest there was any hope of his recovery had been exceeding grievous unto him had not his deep and almost continual sleeping lessened the same For sometimes he complained of it to his friends that did frequently visit him saying that he should not be able any more to serve the Church of Christ At length on the 4th of April about the 8th hour in the morning at which time the moon was in the Eclipse he peaceably fell asleep in the Lord. And the 4th day after was carryed forth a great multitude of all sorts of persons following the herse unto the West-Church and was there interred by his wife His death many much lamented and many Epicedium's or funeral Verses of his praise and commendation were published both in Dutch and Latin Caspar Barlaeus the most renowned Poet of that time and who lived not full two years after him published a most excellent Latin Epicaedium in his commendation which is prefixed to the first Volume of Episcopius his works Thus we have taken a short view of Episcopius from his birth to his death His life was unblameable and illustrious for zeal to the glory of God and mans salvation His Love to the Churches peace and concord added much to his commendation He was indeed much conversant in Controversies not of choyce but through necessity He was often wont to complain of his constraint to this kind of exercise His patient bearing of jnjuries and readiness to forgive after the example of his Master Christ contributed not a little to his praise In alms-deeds he was to his power ready and cheerfull And such was his modesty and humble temper that his rare endowments and great Atchievments he esteemed as nothing On his sick-bed his Speeches were gracious full of piety towards God charity towards men and confidence in Christ His name now and memory is blessed with them especially that without prejudice peruse his works that in two considerable Volumes are now publick in the Latin tongue which I could wish that all men well understood were it but to read Episcopius I doubt not but there are many who have much improved themselves by his writings Our famous Hales is not doubtless without companions of whom this is reported by Mr. Anthony Farindon his familiar friend that he himself often told him that at the well pressing of Jo. 3 16. by Episcopius he bade Jo. Calvine Good-night It would be in vain for me here to inlarge who am speaking to those that through unacquaintance with Latin ● are uncapable to see the great knowledge and eloquence of our Episcopius as for those who converse honestly with his Writings they need not me But I would not that any should think of me that I take all his sayings for gospel No I believe that his Writings as well as other mens must be read with judgment for I nothing doubt but that Errata's may be found in his works not only such that are justly imputable to the Transcriber and Printer but such also that are the Authors who was subject to erre though much more free from errors than many FINIS Books Printed for Francis Smith at the Elophant and Castle without Temple-bar BAptism before or after Faith and Repentance largely discussed not onely in publick Disputations Managed by many Ministers before Thousands of people but also Mr. Baxter Dr. Holmes Dr. Featly Mr. Marshall Mr. Blake Mr. Cook Mr. Cotton Their arguments for and against truly controverted being a subject very useful in these inquiring times for general satisfaction in this point so much controverted in folio 10 s. 6. d. Hooles Latin and English Grammer fitted not onely for the use of all Schools but very usefull for any person desirous to Learn the Latin tongue being a more plain and speedy help then any yet extant Sixth Edition 8o. price bound 2 s. A Caution to Christians against Mistakes in their Faith opening the nature and difference of effectual faith that will not and of the Dead faith that will at last deceive men in their hopes of Justification by it shewing also that holiness in men as well as the happiness of men is Gods aim in Contriving the tearms of their Salvation in 4o 2 s. 6 d. bound One thing needfull or a serious meditation on the 4 last things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell unto which is now added Eball and Gerizzim or the Blessing and the Curse third Edition 12o. 6. d. bound The Young Scholars pocket Book containing the first Rudiments in Arithmetick with the Rule of 3. also the way to find the Content of Board Glass Land Timber Stone Globes third Edition 12o. 8. d. bound Youths Tragedy a Poem drawn up by way of Dialogue between Youth the Devil Wisdom the Nuncius Time Death the Soul for Caution and Direction of the younger sort third Edition 4o 4. d bound Symptomes of growth and decay to Godliness in 80 Signs of a living and dying Christian with the causes of decay and remedies for recoveries in Large 8o. third Edition at 1. s. 6. d. bound A new and usefull Concordance to the Holy Bible whereunto is added beyond any extant the chief acceptations and various significations of words contained in the Old and new Testament with marks to distinguish the Commands promises and Threatnings also a collection of those Scripture prophesies which relate to the Call of the Jews and the Glory that shall be in the Latter Days in 8º at 2. s. 6. d. bound in 120. at 2. s. bound where it is also to be had printed on a fine page and bound with the Bible in 80. or 12o. FINIS

that he was never after to be so much as counted for a Pope as appears by the 11. and 12. Session CHAP. V. That none can lawfully decide this Question LO in what an intricate and inextricable Labyrinth the Papist sticks as to the first and chief Foundation of his Religion to wit that even to this day he cannot tell what that Church is that cannot err or which is that Head of the Church that is not subject to errour but he must contradict many and divers Catholick Churches and Doctors Nor can the Mind of Man devise any means whereby to bring Him out of this Maze of Errors into the way For who shall determine and decide this without Errour For either the Pope or a Council shall determine this Question disjunctly or conjunctly that is apart or together Disjunctly it is impossible because neither of them can remove the Controversie For as long as it doth not appear or it is not agreed whether is the true Church which cannot err neither can decide this Question by a Peremptory and infallible Judgment And if either should assume this right to himself it would justly be suspected by the other Party And he would in very deed make himself a Judge in his own Cause For if either deliver his Right unto other he will not only commit an unworthy Deed For to deliver the Right of supream Authority in the Church is a wicked and unlawful Act To whom that Right appertaineth he must of necessity maintain the same but he will also thwart or go against all the Decrees of other Councils wherein either a Council is defined to be above the Pope or the Pope above a Council And supposing this were done yet will it follow from thence that the Church of Rome hath for so great a space of Time either erred in so fundamental a Point or stuck in Uncertainty and Doubt not knowing what to determine concerning this Question It is a Deep without Bottom into which hitherto the Church of Rome hath been plung'd together with all those who think her the only Church wherein alone Salvation may and ought to be had Let any one shew himself that can free himself from thence with shew of Truth and solid Reasons CHAP. VI. That a Papist cannot demonstrate from the Sacred Scripture that the Head of his Church cannot err BUt suppose we indeed that a Papist could tell the Head of his Church which yet as hath been prov'd already he cannot by what Argument I pray will he assure both himself and others that this Head cannot err What way soever he takes to demonstrate this he will see that he falls into another far more intricate Labyrinth For that he may be certain That this Head cannot err it is necessary that either he will believe it simply and without Reason or that he labour to prove it from the Sacred Scripture or from the Fathers or by Reasons If he will believe and perswade himself thereof simply and have others believe the same all Dispute will be forthwith superfluous and void and if another on the contrary will not believe the same they will then be both alike and both continue to stick in the Labyrinth of their own carnal Will However it be his Faith is not a Faith that cannot err and consequently he cannot with Certainty rely thereon If he endeavour to prove it from Scripture he entangles himself much more For first it cannot be known according to his Opinion that the Scripture is the Word of God except the true Church first certifie us thereof If this be true as he believeth it is and according to the Rules of his Church he is bound to believe he cannot take Arguments from the Scripture whereby to maintain that the true Church cannot err Or whereby to prove that his Church is the true Church that knows not how to err Secondly suppose that it be even granted to him to fetch his Reasons from the Scripture he will then find himself much more entangled For presently the Question will be concerning the true meaning of the Scripture And the Question that is raised to wit whether it be contained in the Scripture that the Church cannot err who shall by an infallible Judgement decide it Shall his Church This is no wayes possible because the Question is concerning the meaning of the Scripture to wit whether the Scripture gives to the Church this right or Priviledge of judging authoritatively and infallibly But Thirdly granting also that the Scripture doth give this Power to the true Church which it doth not yet the Question will remain which is that Church which is the true Church and to whom this Priviledge in Scripture is given And in the Power of what Church shall the Power of deciding infallibly this Question be In the Power of the Roman But the Question is moved no less concerning it then others besides it cannot pass Judgment in its own concern more than another Church concerning its If he go about to prove it by Reasons he will rove without the bounds because those Reasons are not Scriptural and we here treat or plead about the Scripture But supposing that Reasons be opposed against Reaons There will now straightway result from thence a new Question Which Reasons are strongest and infallible whereby we may be certain That the Reason taken from Succession doth not belong to this Place we shall demonstrate hereafter That a Papist should emerge from hence is impossible CHAP. VII That He cannot demonstrate this very thing from the Fathers IF he will prove this from the Fathers their Writings he falls into the same and indeed into a more intricate Labyrinth Into the same I say For immediately the Question will be whence doth it appear certainly that this Right or Power doth belong to the Writings of the Fathers that the decision of this and other Controversies in the business of Religion ought to be fetcht from them I say also into a more intricate For first it will be demanded what Fathers and what Writings do they mean If they say these or those it will secondly be asked Why those rather than other and why not all For whoso puts this Difference between the Writings of the Fathers he does by that very Deed of his make the decision And to whom shall it belong to make this Decision Furthermore suppose that there be no Controversie raised concerning some yet thirdly the Question will remain still Whether those writings which be attributed to the Fathers be their Writings whose Names they bear or whether they might not in Tract of Time through negligence through Deceit and Fraud be corrupted and depraved or whether they might not be patcht up with the supposititious Changling or forged Books of other Writers as we see indeed done at this Day by the Writings of Tertullian Justin Hierome Augustine Chrysostome c Who shall judge between the genuine or true and the supposititious or adulterate and false For that

there is required a skill in Tongues continual or diligent reading an acute Judgment and an accurate Examination of the Words and Phrasiologie or manner of expression of the Fathers But supposing also that there is no Controversie touching these Things Then Fourthly the Question will be whether all those Things which the Father 's believed and wrote are to be believed and received as true If you deny it I will query in the Fifth Place why one more than another If you say because they are all agreed in that or the one then these Questions will forthwith arise First wherefore should all those Things wherein they are agreed amongst themselves be accounted or held by the Church of Rome for undoubted and certain The Second is what are those things concerning which they are agreed and which are to be embraced To know this you must attentively turn over the Writings of all the Fathers Greek and Latine from Head to Foot for the which some Years space is requisite And Thirdly if any Doubt happen either touching the Sense of their Writings as there is doubt made of the Scripture or of their Phrases and forms of Expression which they at that Time used and now are both used and understood far otherwise what end will there be But passing this seeing the Fathers agree among themselves in this that they would have neither their own nor any Writings of Men except the Books that are Canonical to be lookt upon as free from Error yea seeing they roundly confess that they may err and by Consequence would not that their Writings should be believed not to be lyable to Error but do expresly will that they be tryed by the Word of God desiring that they should be rejected if they agree not therewith What shall be done then What Certainty can there be had from their Writings against Errors Certainly none at all Yea rather if we make Use of them for this end that we may from thence be assured in our belief we use them contrary to the Intention of the Fathers and so against their plain and express Protestation and Prohibition wherein the Fathers are all agreed CHAP. VIII That the same cannot be proved by Reasons IF he at length have a mind to confirm his Thesis by Reasons he falls out of one Labyrinth into another For first what Reasons will sway with him whereon to rely when as in the main Article of his Belief he doth not only not heed Rea●ons but doth not believe so much as his outward Senses Can there be given any more solid Argument for the convincing of any one than that which is drawn from that which we see with our own Eyes which we perceive with our Senses being sound and lastly which we feel and taste These things notwithstanding the true Papist makes small Account of Seeing that neither by Reasons nor by his own Senses he suffers himself to be induced to believe that the Eucharistical Bread in the Lord's Supper is essentially and substantially Bread Yea when he will undoubtedly believe that one and the same Body is in many places together and they far distant each from other remaining individed notwithstanding that it be distant and separate from it self one hundred yea a thousand and if it were possible a thousand thousand Miles that one and the same Body at the same Time should be able to move in this Place and elsewhere not to move That one and the same Body should meet it self and move with contrary Motions at the same moment of Time that is together at once from East to West and from West to East Upward and Downward Foreward and Backward That one and the same Body here should be as hot as Fire and at Rome as cold as Ice That it should be alive here and dead at Venice He that will believe these Things which are diametrically contrary to the Nature of Man and right Reason by what Reason shall he either dare or be able to perswade himself or others of any thing Those who shame not to question so clear a Truth and obstinately to believe the cont●●ry and as I may so say wilfully to draw a Film over their Eyes that they may not see with such I say Reasons are like Counters which stand for so much as they desire they should stand for that use them in Accounts But be it that they make Use of Reasons What Reasons I pray you will they here produce Will they take them from the Scripture But then the same Difficulties will remain as we have already recounted Or shall their Reasons not be taken from Scripture But those by other Reasons may most easily and not without just cause be called into Doubt For if the Church cannot err this must necessarily proceed from the Divine Will and Decree For if God will not have the Church to be beyond or out of all Danger of Errour what Reason will there be given undenyably proving that the Church cannot err Now the will and Decree of God cannot be understood without the Scripture much less can it be drawn from mens Wit and Reasoning From whence it followeth that it is altogether most absurd by Reasons which may be doubted of to prove any thing which ought now long before without all Doubt and Controversie to be believed to depend upon the meer free Will and Decree of God By these Things it is manifest in how intricate and inexplicable a Circle the Papists wander in ●espect of the fundamental Article of their Faith when they will believe nothing but what their Church believeth yet cannot certainly shew what their Church properly is or who is the Head of their Church and although they could shew that as they cannot yet were it impossible for them to prove that the Church much less that their Church cannot err And thus far of the first sort of Papists with whom we have said that Dispute is alwayes held in vain CHAP. IX That the Controversie of Succession is useless and endless THe second sort of them is those who greatly desire always to dispute of those Questions which though they be weighed by the exact ballance of Truth yet do they not assure the Consciences of Men nor convince them of the Truth that is chiefly necessary to be believed These are they who have the Antiquity and Succession both of their Doctrine and Church always in their Mouth concluding for certain that they have born away the Palm and gotten the Victory if they may glory thereof This they sound forth as the Burden of the Catholicks Song And which is worthy of the Highest Admiration the chief Cryers and Boasters hereof are even those who haply not so much as ever throughly viewed the Books and Histories of those Men from whence this Antiquity and continued Succession is to be drawn and maintained or if they have viewed them thorow are yet nevertheless no wayes fit to turn them over without Affection and Prejudice to wit being wont either

lawful if the succeeding Pope had approved of the same But now forsooth it shall be unlawful because the Pope that was made by this Council said not of himself and those like him that he was subject to the Council but on the contrary Lucifer-like maintained that he was above the Council Howbeit it is altogether credible that the Decree of the Council was approved of by Him before he was chosen for Pope Who here sees not a Circle of Absurdities However it be if the Authority of the Council be no more than the Popes it could not depose the Pope and therefore those ungodly Knaves Popes are to be reckoned among the Bishops that lawfully succeed by a continual Succession not interrupted by Reason of their Heresie Atheism Simony Force and Villanies or if there be granted an Interruption there will now forthwith be no Succession at all upon the same Account that Bellarmine denies that the Succession of the Greeks is to be accounted lawful He that seeth not that the Papists are wholly at a loss in all these Things as in an endless Labyrinth of Errours he truly seeing is blind For howsoever the Case stands touching Succession the Question concerning Truth will alwayes remain To what Purpose therefore do they enter into so intricate a Labyrinth and take so great Pains for to prove a Succession One of these must necessarily be concluded either that the Truth is sufficient to constitute a true Church or that it is not If the former be true To what End is Succession by these endless Windings to and fro proved If the latter What doth Truth avail if it do not constitute a true Church It is contrary to the Nature and Propertie of Truth not to constitute a true Church whether those who teach the Truth have it by Tradition from others or no or at least know not the List of their Names from whom they have it delivered to them Gold will be Gold although it have been hid and buried in the Earth a thousand Years But you will say it is requisite that there be some before I know Gold to teach me that that is Gold But say I shall the Church thorowly do this But then there is required some one besides by whom I may be sure that that this Church which doth affirm that this is Gold doth know it most exactly and cannot err therein Who shall that be Here the Papists make a Circle We assert that the Scripture is Truth which the Church of Rome granteth us But yet it is the Prerogative of the Church saith he to tell us that the Scripture is Truth But say I who shall tell me that the Church that affirms this saith true She hath not this Priviledge by Succession unless it clearly appear that she never defected from the Truth This cannot appear unless I know what is Truth If the Church herself assume this she then singeth to us the same Song and so the Church will be both Plantiff and Judge and that in her own proper Cause Here will be no End of contending And that is it which Tertullian meant in that most known Place and commonly in the mouth of all the Papists which they quote in all their Writings with a very perverse wresting of the Sense thereof in his Book of Proscript against Hereticks Chap. 32. Where he thus speaketh But if any Heresies dare insert themselves in the Times of the Apostles that so they may be thought to have been delivered by the Apostles because they were in the Apostles Dayes we may say that is we may in such Case demand of them the Succession of which they boast saying Let them produce the Originals of their Churches turn over the Order of their Bishops so running down by Succession from the Beginning as that first Bishop had some one of the Apostles or Apostolical men who yet continued with the Apostles for his Author and Predecessor c. And a little after Let the Hereticks feign any such Thing which is to be noted as serving our Purpose yet though they shall feign it they shall prevail nothing For their very Doctrine compared with that of the Apostles by its Diversity and Contrariety will aloud declare that it hath neither any Apostle nor Apostolical Man for its Authour For as the Apostles would not have taught Things differing among themselves so also the Apostolical Men would not have published Things contrary to the Apostles except it were those who revolted from the Apostles and taught otherwise According to this Form therefore or Manner note it well shall those Churches appeal which though they can produce none of the Apostles or Apostolick Men as their Authour as being long after and which lastly are daily instituted yet agreeing in the same Faith to wit with the Apostles or Apostolick Men they are not the less deemed Apostolical by Reason of the cousanguinity or nearness of kin of their Doctrine That is according to Tertullians style because they agree with the Apostles in Doctrine These words of Tertullian which the Papists so shamefully abuse and so violently wrest do not obscurely confirm what we have said For Tertullian says three Things First that those Churches which have the Truth agreeable with the Doctrine of the Apostles are no less Apostolical Churches then others although they cannot shew their Succession for that only Cause for that they have the Truth on their side Secondly that those Churches which glory of their Succession and Original derived from the Apostles and cannot demonstrate it are justly to be rejected as those who obtrude upon us that which is false And Thirdly that those Churches which demonstrate their Succession whether lawfully or unlawfully are not to be counted for true Churches unless it appear that their Doctrine is agreeable to the Doctrine of the Apostles What Churches agree therein the same are Apostolical although they be destitute of Succession This is more clear then the Noon-dayes Sun The same affirmeth Augustine in that Place which is also quoted as unfaithfully and contrary to the Meaning of Augustine by the Papists in his Book which he wrote against the fundamental Epistle of Manichee Chap. 4. For when he had said that he clave to the Catholick Church wherein from the See of Peter even to his Time the Succession of Bishops and Priests had been deduced he addes these words which are altogether agreeable with our Judgment With you he speaks of the Manichees where there is none of these to invite and detain me there is onely the noise of the Promise of Truth which indeed were it so manifestly shewed that it could not be questioned were to be preferred before all those Things by Reason whereof I am detained in the Catholick Church What could Augustine have spoken more clear to prove and shew that neither Antiquity nor Succession can avail so as that any one should be able to quit himself of the Labyrinth of Doubts touching the true Church but that the Truth

off himself I think for want of breath and then the President gave celeberrimo Duo Gomaro very many thanks for that his learned grave and accurate speech The Exteri the forreign Divines wondered at it Martinus onely said that he was sorry he should be so rewarded for his long journey In another letter All I will say my Lord is this There are two men in the Synod Sibrandus but especially Gomarus who are able to set it on fire unless they be lookt to Thus far he I shall say nothing of the generality of the Provincial or Dutch Divines how they were at the devotion of those that were chief Actors in the Contra-remonstratical Tragedy We are come now to the Execution of the Synodical Sentence against the Remonstrants They being thus discharged other Pastors were put and substituted in their places how unwilling soever the Chuches were to receive them In some places these new Pastors were brought in by force of arms Now lest the ejected Remonstrants should teach privately therefore the States-General propose to them a certain ingagement to abstain in the future both directly and indirectly from all even private exercise of their Ministry To which when some could not in conscience subscribe they were condemned to perpetual banishment Alas who could expect such cruelly amongst Protestants that had condemned Papists for the like unchristian practices He that takes a view of our Episcopius and some others of the Remonstrants in their deportment when this dismal Cloud appeared will see cause to admire their faith and fortitude For so dear was the truth unto them and their zeal for it so great that a promise of the same wages or stipend which they formerly enjoyed could not induce them though some of them had but a very mean Estate to oblige and bind themselves unto silence which was commanded them Moreover these Generous spirits did with much boldness after the pronouncing of the of sentence of Banishment defend openly to the States-General their own and their associates Innocency appealing to God the avenger of them that are unjustly oppressed who would at the last day take cognisance of their Cause and judge without respect of person as well their Judges as them Hereupon these Stout Champions for truth were so hastily carryed away by the States Officers out of the limits of the Vnited Provinces that they after their detaining eight moneths at Dort whether they were called as they thought to a free Synod had not granted to them so much as one day in which to bid their families farewell and to set in order their domestick affairs notwithstanding they petitioned for it Episcopius therefore and the rest betook themselves to Brabant and inhabited at Antwerp during the peace between the King of Spain and the States This place these Exiles made choice of for their abode not to joyn with the enemies of their Country in a conspiracy against it nor to endeavour any thing detremental to the Reformed religion as some malevolent persons were bold enough to suggest slaunderously against them but because that place was near and from which they might more commodiously than from any place remote take care of their beloved Churches and Families How faithfully those imployed their talent received of God I shall here pass over in Silence being now to speak onely of Episcopius whose disputations with Peter Wadingus a Jesuit of Antwerp and his Antidote against the Canons of the Synod of Dort do abundanly testify his great care and diligence And also the Confession of faith which he with the other Remonstrant Pastors there did compose and publish that they might stop the mouths of them who calumniously gave forth that the Remonstrants cherisht in their breast monstrous and strange opinions which they durst not expose to publick view When the war was renewed between the King of Spain and the States our Episcopius see ng he could no longer with safety remain in Brabant departed thence into France and inhabited sometime at Rhoan sometime at Paris If thou inquire how in these parts his time was spent those Writings of his there compiled will give thee a worthy Account in case thou art able to peruse his Paraphrase and Observations on the 8 9 10 and 11 Chapters of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans also his Bodecherus ineptiens his Examen Thesium Jacobi Capelli his answer to to the Defence of Jo. Cameron his Treatise of Christian Magistracy and that of free will with other works of his laboured there He that with these considers his sollicitous Care for the Churches of his own Countrey which in this time of persecution being destitute of their ordinary Pastors he by diverse Writings and Epistles instructed comforted and incouraged to presevere in the Faith also the many conferences he had with learned men concerning Religion by which he endeavoured to bring them to a more accurate search and inquiry after the truth he I say that considers these things will be so far from thinking that he had many wast hours that he will greatly wonder where time was found for so many and great Atchievments Here Stephen Cureelleus got with him his first Acquaintance and professes that he heard him discourse of some hard points of religion and learned so many things of him that he always afterwards esteemed it a singular happpiness to him that he had acquaintance with so worthy a man Here also Episcopius contracted such a friendship with that most cordial man and eminent Mathematician Mr. Edmund Mercer which afterwards no distance of place or length of time could dissolve or weaken This was he that published this Book by which Camerons opinion of Grace and free-will is examined and intituled it Epistola viri docti and he that was so familiar a friend with Hugo Grotius that Grotius when he last left France committed to him the most precious Treasures he had his Elaborate Manuscripts that by him they might be communicated to others At length Episcopius being desirous to have a perfect Survay of France who as yet knew little more than the Northern part of it went from Paris to Lyons After that he visited Marseille Nismes Mompelier Tholouse Afterwards Burdeaux Rochella Poictiers Angiers Tours Orleance and other places And when he had finished his perambulation he returned to Paris and Rhoan where when he had remained a while and had heard that the fervour of the persecution raised in his own Countrey against the Remonstrants was some what alayed he purposed to return thither Leaving therefore France in the year of our Lord 1626 and in the eighth year of his banishment he came to Rotterdam that he might with other brethren lay out his abilities for the gathering of that very numerous Church which is there out of the dispersed Remonstrants And that afterwards he might take care for other Churches in the Vnited Provinces In the mean while by his Writings both in Latin and Dutch he strenuously defended the truth He published in Latin