in Friesland, in the year 1686. In the year
1704, he was removed to the professorship
of theology at Utrecht ; where he died in
office, A.D. 1718, aged 65. The states of
Friesland enjoined upon him in 1691, not to
teach or preach his peculiarities of sentiment ;
they also enjoined upon his opposers, to keep
r.ilence on the same subjects. Both obeyed :
r.o that in Friesland, there was no more con
tention. But in the other Dutch provinces,
no such order was taken by the government :
and therefore several synods, finding Ho iVs
opinions to exist and to spread, passed orders



mind or spirit. The tenour and amount of
his argument is as follows : The essence
of mind is thought, and the essence of matter
is extension. Now since there is no sort of
conformity or connexion between a though*
and extension, mind cannot act upon matter
unless these two substances be united, as
soul and body are in man : therefore no
separate spirits, either good or evil, can act
upon mankind. Such acting is miraculous,
and miracles can be performed by God alone.
It follows of consequence, that the Scripturo
accounts of the actions and operations of
good and evil spirits must be understood in
an allegorical sense. This is Becker s ar
gument ; and it does, in truth, little honour
to his acuteness and sagacity. By proving
too much, it proves nothing at all ; for if the
want of a connexion or conformity between



of condemnation upon them ; and decreed thought and extension renders mind incapa-



that candidates should be required to re
nounce them, in order to their receiving li
cense. He was undoubtedly a great man.
Hence Moshcim calls him vir eximius. He
was also in the main, sound in the faith.
Yet on some points, he carried his specula
tions farther than the spirit of the times would
permit. But like a good man, when he
found his speculations to produce alarm and
commotion, at the bidding of the magistrates,
he forbore to urge them and expended his
efforts on subjects less offensive. IV.]
(86) [" Our historian relates here, some



ble of acting upon matter, it is hard to
how their union should remove this incapaci
ty, since the want of conformity and connex
ion remains notwithstanding this union.
Besides, according to this reasoning, the
Supreme Being cannot act upon material
beings. In vain does Becker maintain the
affirmative, by having recourse to a miracle,
for this would imply, that the whole course
of nature was a series of miracles, that is tc
say, that there are no miracle* * all."
Mad.-]

(87) See Michael lAUcnthaVs Select*



what obscurely, the reasoning which Becker Histor. Litterar., pt. i., observ. ii., p. 17,
upon the Cartesian definition of &c. Miscellanea Lipsiet s., torn, i., p. 361,.



HISTOR\ OF THE REFORMED CHURCH.



433



confuted by vast numbers, and deprived of his ministerial office, yet on his
dying bed in 1718, continued to affirm until his last breath, that he believed
all he had written to be true. Nor did his new doctrine die with him;
but it still has very many defenders, both open and concealed.

3G. It is well known that various sects, some of them Christian, others
gemi-Christian, and others manifestly delirious, not unfrequently start up
and are cherished in Holland as well as England. But it is not easy for
o,ny one who does not reside in those countries, to give a correct account
of them : because the books which contain the necessary information, sel
dom find their way into foreign countries. Yet the Dutch sects of Ver-
sclwrists and Hattemists, having now for some time been better known
among us, I shall here give some account of them. The former derived
their name from James Verschoor of Flushing ; who is said to have so



364, where there is a description of a medal
struck in reference to Becker ; and the oth
er writers, whom we have often quoted.
Noureau Diction. Hist, et Grit., tome i., p.
. v. Balthazar Bccke.r, D.D.- was bore
hear Gromngen in 1634 ; educated there
jind at Franeker : made rector of the Latin
school in the latter place, a preacher, a doc
tor of divinity ; and lastly, a pastor at Am
sterdam, where he died in 1718. This learn
ed man, published three Catechisms ; in the
iast of which, 1670, he taught that Adam, if
he had not sinned, would have been immor
tal, by virtue of the fruits of the tree of life ;
questioned, whether endless punishment,
(which he placed in horror and despair), was
consistent with the goodness of God ; and
admitted Episcopacy to be the most ancient
and customary form of church government.
These sentiments exposed him to some an
imadversion. In 1680, he published a book,
in proof that comets are not ominous. In
his sermons, he had often intimated that too
much was ascribed to the agency of the dev
il : and being frequently questioned on the
subject, he concluded to give the world his
full views on the whole subject. This he
did in his Dutch work, entitled: Bctmcrde
Wereld, &c., i. e , The World Bewitched,
or a critical investigation of the commonly
received opinion respecting spirits, their na
ture, power, and acts, and all those extraor
dinary feat?,, which men are said to perform,
through their aid ; in 4 Books, Amsterd.,
1691, 4to. In the preface, he says : " It is
come to that, at the present day, that it is
almost regarded as a part of religion, to as
cribe great wonders to the devil ; and those
are taxed with infidelity and perverseness,
who hesitate to believe, what thousands re
late, concerning his pow r er. It is now
thought essential to piety, not only to fear
God, but also to fear the devil. Whoever
does not do so, is accounted an atheist ; be
cause he cannot persuade himself, that there
ire two Gods, the one good, and the other

VOL. III. I 1 1



evil." He also gives a challenge to the
devil : " If he is a God, let him defend him
self: let him lay hold of me ; for I throw-
down his altars. In the name of the God of
hosts, I fight with this Goliath : we will see,
who can deliver him." In the first Book,
he states the opinions of the pagans, con
cerning gods, spirits, and demons ; and
shows, that both Jews and Christians have
derived their prejudices on this subject,
from them. In the second, he shows, what
reason and scripture teach concerning spir
its : and in the third, confutes the believers
in witchcraft and confederacies with the
devil. In the fourth Book he answers the
arguments alleged from experience, to prove
the great power of the devil. He founds his
doctrine on two grand principles ; that from
their very nature, spirits cannot act upon
material beings ; and that the scriptures rep
resent the devil and his satellites, as shut up
in the prison of hell. To explain away the
texts which militate against his system, evi
dently cost him much labour and perplexity.
His interpretations, for the most part, are
similar to those still relied on, by the believ
ers in his doctrine. Becker was not the first
writer, who published such opinions. Before
him were, Arnold Gculinx of Leyden, who
died in 1669 ; and Daillon, a French Reform
ed preacher, who fled to London, and there
published his views in 1687. But these ad
vanced their opinions problematically ; while-
Becker advanced his, in a positive tone. He
also discussed the whole subject ; and he
mingled wit and sarcasm, with his argu
ments. This difference caused his book to
awaken very great attention ; while theirs
passed unheeded. Becker was deposed and
silenced, by the synods of Edam and Alk-
maar, in 1692. But the senate of Amster
dam continued to him his salary, till his death
in 1718. See Schroeckh, Kirchengesch. seit
der Reformation, vol. viii., p. 713, &c.
TV.]



434 BOOK IV. CENT. XVII. SEC. II. PART II. CHAP. II.

strangely mixed together the principles of Spinoza and Cocceius, as out o!
them to have produced about the year 1680, a new system of religion, which
was quite absurd and impious. His followers are also called Hebrews ; be
cause they all, both men and women, bestow great attention on the Hebrew
language. The latter sect arose about tho same time, and had for their lead,
er Pontianus van Hattem, a minister of the Gospel at Philipsland in Zealand,
who was an admirer of Spinoza, and was afterwards deprived of his office on
account of his errors. These two sects were kindred to each other : and yet
they must have differed in some way ; since Van Hattem could never per
suade the Vcrsckorists to enter into alliance with him. Neither of them
wished to be looked upon as abandoning the Reformed religion ; and Hattem
wrote an exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism. If I understand correctly
the not very lucid accounts given us of their doctrines, the founders of both
sects in the first place, inferred from the Reformed doctrine of the abso
lute decrees of God, this principle, that whatever takes place, necessarily
and unavoidably takes place. Assuming this as true, they denied that
men are by nature wjcked or corrupt ; and that human actions are some
of them good, and others bad. Hence they concluded, that men need not
trouble themselves about a change of heart, nor be solicitous to obey the
divine law ; that religion does not consist in acting, but in suffering; and
that Jesus Christ inculcated this only, that we patiently and cheerfully
sndure whatever by the good pleasure of God occurs, or befalls us, striving
only to keep our minds tranquil. Hattem in particular, taught that Jesus
Christ did not by his death appease divine justice, nor expiate the sins of
men ; but that he signified to us, there was nothing in us that could offend
God, and in this way he made us just. These things appear to be per.
verse, and inimical to all virtue : and yet neither of these men unless I
am wholly deceived was so beside himself, as to recommend iniquity, or
to suppose that a person may safely follow his lusts. At least, the senti
ment ascribed to them, that God punishes men BY their sins, not FOR them,
seems to carry this import, that unless a person bridles his lusts, he must
suffer punishment both in this life and in that to come ; yet not by a divine
infliction, or by the sovereign will and pleasure of God, but by some law
of nature. (88) Both sects still exist; but they have discarded the names
derived from their founders.

37. The churches of Switzerland from the year 1669, were in great
fear lest the religion handed down to them by their fathers and confirmed
at the synod of Dort, should be contaminated with the doctrines already
mentioned of the French divines, Amyraut, De la Place, and Capell. For
there were at that time, among the associated ministers of Geneva, certain
men distinguished both for their eloquence and their erudition, who not
only approved those doctrines, but endeavoured against the will of their
colleagues to induce others to embrace them. (89) To restrain the efforts
of these men, the principal divines of Switzerland in the year 1675, had a
book drawn up by John Henri/ Heidegger, a very celebrated divine of Zu
rich, in opposition to the new doctrines of the Frenchmen ; and with no
great difficulty, they persuaded the magistrates to annex it by public au-

(88) See Theodore Hasceus, Dissert, in 4to. Bibliotheque Belgique, tomeii.,p. 303

the Museum Bremens. Theol. Philol., vol. &c.

ii., p. 1-14, &c. Wilhelm Coerce, Kerke- (89) Seo Greg. Lett s Istoria Genevrina,

l/ke and wereldlycke Historic, Levden, 1729, part iv., lib. v., p, 448, 488, 497, &c.



HISTORY OF THE ARM1NIANS OR REMONSTRANTS. 435

ihority, to the common Helvetic formulas of religion. It is usually call
ed the Formula Consensus. But this measure which was intended to se-
cure peace, became rather the fruitful source of contentions and disturb
ance. For many declared, that they could not conscientiously assent to
this Formula : and hence pernicious commotions arose in several places.
In consequence of these, the canton of Basle and the republic of Geneva,
at the urgent solicitation of Frederic William of Brandenburg, in the year
1686, abrogated the Formula Consensus. (90) In the other cantons, it
with difficulty retained its authority for some time ; but in our age, having

E .ven birth to the most violent quarrels, particularly in the university of
ausanne, it began to sink also in these cantons, and to lose nearly all
its influence. (91)



CHAPTER III.

HISTORY OF THE ARMINIANS OR REMONSTRANTS.

v 1. The Name of Arminians. $ 2. Their Origin. 3. Their Progress. 4. The Five
Points. ^-<j 5, 6. Maurice resolves on their Destruction. f) 7. Opinion of the Synod
of Dort. 8. Condition after the Synod of Dort. 9. Recalled from Exile. 10.
Early and later Theology of the Arminians. 11. Its Aim, and principal Heads.
12. Their Confession of Faith. 13. Present State of the Arminians.

1. FROM the bosom of the Reformed church, to its great injury, there
oiiginated in the present century two sects, the Arminians and the Qua-

(90) [" It must not be imagined, from this sus ; published in 8vo, at Amsterdam, in tb

expression of our historian, that this Form, year 1726." Mad."}

entitled the Consensus, was abrogated at (91) See Christ. Matth. Pj tiff s Schedi-
Basil by a positive edict. The case stood asma de formula consensus Helvetica : Tu-
thus : Mr. Peter Werenfels, who was at the bing., 1723, 4to. Memoires pour servir a
head of the Consistory of that city, paid such 1 Histoire des troubles arrivees en Suisse a
regard to the letter of the Elector, as to avoid 1 occasion du Consensus ; Amsterd., 1726,
requiring a subscription to thts Form from 8vo. [In this Formula Consensus, (which,
the candidates for the ministry, and his con- like the Lutheran Formula Concordice, might
duct, in this respect, was imitated by his better be called Formula Dissensus), four
successors. The remonstrances of the Elec- controversies, which had previously disquiet-
tar do not seem to have had the same effect ed the Reformed churches, were decided,
upon those that governed the church of Gen- It condemned, I. the doctrine of Moses Amy-
eva ; for the Consensus, or Form of Agree- rant, respecting general grace ; and estab-
ment, maintained its credit and authority lished the most strenuous opinion of special
there until the year 1706, when, without be- grace. It condemned, II. the opinion of
ing abrogated by any positive act, it fell into Joshua Placceus (De la Place) respecting
disuse. In several other parts of Switzer- the imputation of Adam s sin : III. Pisca-
land, it was still imposed as a rule of faith, tor s doctrine, concerning the active obedi
as appears by the letters addressed by George ence of Christ: and IV. Lewis CapelVs
I. king of England, as also by the king of critical doctrine, concerning the points of
Prussia, in the year 1723, to the Swiss Can- the Hebrew text. This Formula, so long
tons, in order to procure the abrogation of as subscription to it was rigorously enforced,
this Form, or Consensus, which was consid- deprived the Swiss churches of many a wor-
ered as an obstacle to the union of the Re- thy divine, who would rather quit his coun-
formed and Lutheran churches. See the try, than violate his conscience. Sulzer of
Memoires pour servir a 1 Histoire des troubles Berlin, was a remarkable example. Schl.~\
arrivees en Suisse 4 1 occasion du Consen-



436 BOOK IV. CENT. XVII. SEC. II. PART II. CHAP. III.

kers ; the former owing its birth to an excessive regard for human reason,
and the latter to a neglect of it. The Arminians derived their name and
their rise from James Harmensen, or as he chose to be called in Latin ;
James Arminius ; first a minister of the Gospel at Amsterdam, and then
professor of theology at Leyden ; a man whom even his enemies commend
for his ingenuity, acuteness, and piety. (1) They are also called Remon
strants, from the petition they presented to the states of Holland and West
Friesland in 1610, which was entitled a Remonstrance. And as the friends
of Calvinism presented another petition in opposition to this, under the title
of Counter Remonstrance, they obtained the name of Contra-Remonstrants.
2. Arminius, though trained from infancy in the Genevan doctrines,
and actually educated in the academy of Geneva, when he arrived at man
hood, abandoned the common doctrine of the majority in the Reformed
church respecting predestination and the divine decrees, and went over to
the side of those who believe that the love of God and the merits of our
Saviour respect the whole human race. (2) Time and reflection confirmed
him in his sentiments ; and when called to the office of a professor at Ley-
cien, he thought duty and candour required him publicly to teach his senti
ments, and to oppose the opinions of Calmn, which were embraced by most
of the Dutch divines. And this he was the more bold to do, because he
knew that many persons besides himself, and some of them men of the
highest respectability, were averse from the Genevan opinions on this
subject ; neither were the teachers required, either by the Belgic Confes
sion or by any other public law, to think and teach just as Calvin did.
Arminius inculcated what he deemed true, not without effect ; for he per.
suaded great numbers to adopt his sentiments. But at the same time, he
drew on himself immense odium from the Calvinistic school, which then
flourished greatly in Holland. In particular, Francis Gomar his colleague,

(1) The fullest account given of him, is rum; Keil, 1813, 8vo. Tr. Among their

by Caspar Brandt, in his Historia vitae Jac. Confessions, may be reckoned, I. Their Re-

Arminii, Leyden, 1724, 8vo, and republish- monstrance, in 1610} which was presented

ed, with a preface and some notes, by me ; to the States in -vindication of Arminius and

Brunswick, 1725, Svo. Add the Nouveau other divines accused of error ; and was first

Uictionnaire Hist, et Grit., tome i., p. 471, printed in 1617. II. Their proper Confcs-

&c., [and. The Creed of Arminius. with a sion, of 1621, which Saml. Episcopius set

brief sketch of his life and times, by M. Slu- forth. III. Their Apology, in 1629, in re-

art ; in the Biblical Repertory, Andover, ply to the confutation of their Confession by

1831, vol. i.,No. ii.,p. 226-308. TV. j The the Leyden divines ; set forth also by Epis-

entire works of Arminius have been re- copius. IV. Their Catechism of 1640, by

peatedly published, in a moderate sized 4to Jo. Uytenbogcsrd. V. Lastly, their Acta et

volume. I use the edition of Frankfort, Scripta Synodalia Dordracena, Hardcrwyck,

1634, 4to. Those who wish to discover (or rather, printed on board a ship), 1620,

and estimate correctly the genius of the man, 4to. These are very different from the Acta

should read especially the Disputationcs, Synodi Dordr. published at Dort in folio.

both the public and the private. His mariner Schl. ]

of teaching partakes somewhat of the dark (2) The occasion of this change is treated

scholasticism of his age ; and yet it approx- of, by Peter Berlins, Oratio in funus Armi-

imates to that simplicity and perspicuity, nii ; by Casper Brandt, Vita Arrr.inii, p. 22,

which his followers have regarded and still and by nearly all the historians of these

regard as among the primary excellences of events. The change took place in 1591 ;

a theologian. The historians of the sect and as appears from the famous letter of Arrni-

its Confessions, are treated of, by Jo. Christ, nius to Gryiusus, written in this year, (and

Kochcr, Biblioth. Theol. Symbolics, p. 481, extant in the Biblioth. Brernensis Theol.

&c. [See also G. S. Francke s Diss. The- Philologica, torn, iii , p. 384), for he there

ologica de Historia dogmatum Arminiano- states his doubu.



HISTORY OF THE ARMINIANS OR REMONSTRANTS. 437

Has very hostile to him. Such was the commencement of the long and
most unpleasant controversy. But Arminius died in 1609, just as it began
to rage and pervade the whole United Provinces. (3)

3. After the death of Arminius, the controversy was carried on for
several years, without any decisive advantage gained by either party.
The wishes of the Arminians, who sought only to have their opinions tol
erated in the state or republic, were not a little favoured by the first men in
the commonwealth, such as John van Oldenbarnevelt, Hugo Grotius, Rom.
lout Hoogerbeets, and others. For these supposed, that in their free coun
try, every one might believe what he chose on subjects not determined by
the Belgic Confession ; and they used every means to bring the Calvinists
to bear with moderation, the dissent of the opposite party. And even
prince Maurice of Orange, the head of the commonwealth, and who after-
wards became the capital enemy of the Arminians, together with his moth
er and the court, was at first not averse from these views. Hence the
conference between the parties at the Hague in 1611 ; hence also the dis
cussion at Delft in 1613 ; and likewise the edict of the States of Holland
in 1614, in favour of peace ; and all the other efforts to reconcile the breth
ren whom religion had separated from each other. (4) But the suspicion of
the Calvinists that the Arminians aimed at the overthrow of all religion,
was so far from being allayed by these measures, that it daily became
more confirmed ; and they spiritedly censured the zeal of the magistrates,
for interposing their authority in behalf of public peace. (5) And whoever
regards truth more than every other consideration, must acknowledge, that
the Arminians were not sufficiently cautious, in regard to their intercourse
and familiarity with persons disposed to advance opinions very wide from
the Reformed religion ; and in this way, they gave great occasion to their
adversaries to suspect them of every thing bad and pernicious to the pub
lic religion.

4. The whole controversy however, which after the council at Dort

(3) No one has more copiously treated the have been published against the Remon-

whole history of the controversy, and the strants,

public schism that arose from it, than Gcr- (4) The authors who treat particularly of
hard Brandt, in his excellent work, The these events, are mentioned by the writers
History of the Reformation in Belgium, writ- of the general history: and we therefore
ten in Dutch, volumes ii. and iii. ; of which omit to Dame them. Yet Michael le Vassor,
there are extant concise epitomes, both in who in the 1st and 2d volumes of his Histoire
English and in French. To this may be de Louis XIII. has particularly treated of
added Jo. Uytenbogccrd s Ecclesiastical His- these troubles, deserves especially to be
tory [of the United provinces, 1647, fol.] read. [ But still more, Van Wagenaer, His-
also written in Dutch ; Phil. Limborch s tory of the United Netherlands, vol. iv., p.
Historia vitas Episcopii ; and the Epistclse 311, &c., of the German translation. Schl.]
clarorum virorum, (commonly called, Epis- (5) The conduct of the magistrates, who
tolos Arminianorum), published by Limborch. sought to quiet the commotions by their in-
Such as wish for a shorter narrative, may terposition, and who employed not only per-
consult Phil. Limborch s Relatio Histori- suasion but likewise commands, was elo-
ca de origine et progressu controversiarum quently and learnedly defended by Hugo
in federato Belgio de praedestinatione et Grotius, in two treatises. The one, which
capitibus annexis ; which is subjoined to is in every body s hands and has been often
the later editions of his Theologia Christia- printed, is a general treatise, entitled : De
na. But all these were Arminians. Such jure summaru in poiestatum circa sacra: the
as think proper to hear also the contrary other descends to particulars, and is entitled :
party, may consult Jac. Tri gland s Ecclesi- Ordinum Hollandiae et Westfrisiae pictas 3
astical History, written in Dutch ; and some multorum calumniis vindicata, Lugd. Bat.
likewise of the numerous writings which 1613, 4to.



433 BOOK IV. CENT. XVII. SEC. II. PART II. CHAP. Ill

assumed a very different form, and was enlarged by many additions, waa
at this time confined to the doctrines of grace and predestination ; and
was comprehended by the Remonstrants, in the five propositions which are
. so well known under the name of the Five Points. For the Arminians
taught : I. That before the foundation of the world or from eternity, God
decreed to bestow eternal salvation, on those who, he foresaw, would main,
tain their faith in Christ Jesus inviolate until death ; and on the other hand,
to consign over to eternal punishment the unbelieving, who resist the in-
vitations of God to the end of their lives. II. That Jesus Christ, by his
death, made expiation for the sins of all and every one of mankind : yet