shew, that the Remonstrants had no control over his productions, but were much injured by them, since his sentiments were generally interpreted as those of the body to which he professed to belong. In the same year, he found it convenient to retire from his situation in the Theological College, of which Brandt gives the following account:

"A little time before, Peter Bertius, Regent of the Theological College of the States at Leyden, resigned that office on account of the trouble which it gave him,-particularly in these times, when the exhibitioners and other scholars were so divided into parties, and when some of them, who belonged to the party of the Contra-remonstrants, were privately exercised by Festus Hommius, a minister of Leyden, in disputations and in the composition of sermons, though they had, in Polyander, a Professor of the same sentiments. Some are of opinion, that Bertius had rendered himself so obnoxious, by several imprudent and crude expressions in his work On the Apostacy of the Saints, that he could do no more good in the University; and that he had likewise been privately warned by the Higher Powers to quit his place. After that, he was again made Professor of Philosophy; and, in his stead, the Curators called to the Regency of the Theological College, Gerard John Vossius, master of the Latin School at Dort, and a person of great learning, discretion, and other virtues."

While the Remonstrants were engaged in the lawful defence of all that was dear to them as men and Christians, they found in Bertius a deserter, who servilely conformed to the persons. unnecessary difficulties. I am surprised that the excellent man did not recollect what bad success he had, solely in the inscription of his late book.

"I have written these things with freedom, for the sake both of Bertius and of the public. I foresee many evils that will ensue, unless these things be altered. The book is not yet finished; it is comprised in a few sheets. What is this, when placed in comparison with the public tranquillity? I request you, reverend Sir, who understand these matters so well, and who are acquainted with our situation and the times in which we live,-I request you, if your sentiments co-incide with mine, to add your authority with my advice: But if your thoughts and mine on this point do not agree, I desire you to receive with complacency my solicitude, that the peace which has been obtained after so many inconveniences, and which is at present in the utmost peril, should no more be dispersed by new offences. I call God to witness, that in this matter I have had regard solely to the honour of Bertius, the tranquillity of the Republic and of the Church, and the removal of envy from the good cause."

Uitenbogaert complied with the wishes of Grotius, and Bertius expunged many of the objectionable passages from his book: Yet a sufficient number was suffered to remain, to prove that the author went beyond Arminius and his followers on some points of doctrine.—These extracts, and those which occur in App. P., serve to shew the uncommon pains that were taken, by such prudent men as Uitenbogaert and Grotius, to keep such aspiring minds as Vorstius and Bertius within the bounds of moderation and orthodoxy.

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that had assumed the supreme authority, civil and ecclesiastical. But he was not suffered long to enjoy the fruits of his compliance; for the South Holland Synod met at Leyden on the 23rd of July, 1619, to carry into effect the severe enactments of the Synod of Dort, as sanctioned by the States General. Before that assembly Bertius was summoned, and was treated with great harshness. In answer to some of their insidious questions he declared: "I am neither an Arian, Socinian, nor Mahometan, but a Christian. With regard to the state of the Church within these Provinces, I own that the Chaff may overpower the Wheat; but I will never consent, that people shall impose Chaff upon me instead of Wheat." He acknowledged himself, at length, to be a member of the Contra-remonstrant Church. In reference to his conduct while Rector of the States' College, he said, "that he had not had many pleasant days in it; that he usually studied, fasted and prayed, whilst others were merrymaking; and that nothing in all his life ever happened to him that was more agreeable, than his ejectment from that situation." In answer to an interrogation concerning his correspondence with the Remonstrants, he replied, "That he had signed the paper called the Remonstrance, but had not been concerned in any other meetings or transactions of the people of that sect; that he received the Five Points as they were proposed by the Remonstrants at the Hague Conference; but that perhaps he should explain them in a different manner from the Remonstrants themselves; and that it was possible, no two men of that denomination explained those Articles in exactly the same way." He acknowledged that he went further than the doctrine contained in the Five Points, as was apparent from the notion of JUSTIFICATION which he had advanced in his Diatriba de Fide Justificante. Being asked whether he had any scruples or second thoughts about his opinions, he replied: "The more I contemplate the nature of GOD on the one hand, and the nature of MAN on the other, the more am I confirmed in my former notions. But, notwithstanding this, I have sufficiently declared, in the Preface to my HYMENEUS DESERTOR, that I am always ready to be better instructed."*

Brandt says:-"Thus we find the matter represented in the Synodical Registers. But some of the Remonstrants acquaint us, that Festus Hommius, the President, had conceived a great aversion to Bertius, though he was his brother-in-law; each of them having married a daughter of John Kuchlinus, formerly Regent of the Divinity College at Leyden. Bertius, they say, had, for some years preceding, rendered himself obnoxious to the Contra-remonstrants, who had attacked him in every possible way. Festus in particular had railed at him, both in print and private discourse, before persons of ali ranks, and had disgraced him to the utmost of his power.

All his explanations were of no avail to those who had formed the previous resolution of effecting his ruin. This Provincial Synod excluded him from the Holy Communion in the Church, and ordered the civil part of his case to be referred to the Curators of the University; who, after receiving the report of the Synod, "discharged from their offices several Professors," says Brandt," who were either of the sect of the Remonstrants, or not disposed to truckle to the Synod, though their occupations had little or no relation to Divinity: Among others, BERTIUS, the Professor of Ethics, (who had instructed the youth for the space of twenty-six years, either in the Schools, in the College of Divinity, or in the University,) was discharged from his Professorship This gentleman writes, that the Synod of Leyden, by their insinuations and accusations against him, procured an order, that he should be turned out of his office; and not only so, but they obtained a prohibition against his receiving any young men as boarders into his house and under his care, or of reading any Lectures to instruct them in the learned Languages, History, Philosophy, or the principles of Eloquence; and this, notwithstanding the earnest interposition of the Prince of Orange, by whom he was promised, that he should not suffer the least detriment on account of his differing from the Decrees of the Synod. By these means, Bertius found himself deprived of all opportunity of supporting himself and family, and was soon reduced to very great straits."

In a morbid state of mind, and with feelings deeply wounded, he resolved to take a journey to Paris; immediately before which, he wrote to Ruarus, April 6, 1620, and detailed the hard usage which he had received from the Calvinists, but promised at the same time, "that he would afford to posterity a striking example of constancy and moderation," and that, on his arrival in Paris, he would unite himself to the Reformed Church in that city. But this confident declaration, like that of his apostolic namesake Peter, was only the precursor of his sad defec

tion.

The following is Brandt's account of the apostacy of Bertius: "After a very different manner behaved the famous PETER

Yet for a long time he had held no correspondence with the Remonstrants: He avoided them, and they him; for they observed something in his humour which did not please them. At the time of the Synod of Dort, he kept himself neutral: but as soon as the Remonstrants were condemned, he declared for their adversaries, and, in order to win their favour, instantly frequented their sermons and desired to be admitted to their communion. Yet they would not receive him, except upon condition of his first retracting what he had published, which he refused to do: This was followed by his citation before the Synod."

BERTIUS, late Regent of the College of the States, and afterwards one of the Professors at Leyden, who had formerly been a great stickler for the Remonstrants. This man, after his deprivation, had taken much pains to insinuate himself into the good graces of his adversaries, by a constant attendance at the public established worship. This was done, he said, to let the world see, that he had no hand in the late unhappy schism and separation; but that it was to be laid to the charge of such persons alone, as, after having broken the bonds of mutual love and brotherhood, took delight in chasing away those persons whom they might have kept among them by moderation and gentleness. He petitioned the States of Holland in March, [1620,] for a small pension, to enable him to support his numerous family; but it was refused. Thus, not knowing what course to take, he thought that he would go to France, and hoped to meet with some support or favour in that country: For the king had, about two years before, admitted him into the number of his cosmographers, that he might produce a description of that kingdom. There he endeavoured to obtain one year's pension, which was due to him, from the king; but he met with more difficulties than he had expected.*

"On the 11th of June, he had a conference with the ministers of the Reformed Community of Paris, and desired to be admitted to the celebration of the Lord's Supper at Charenton: But they raised several scruples against it, which very much grieved and afflicted him, who was already in great distress. In the meantime, he was attacked on the one hand by several of the Doctors of the Sorbonne, both with arguments and promises of being made a Professor among them, provided he would come over to the Popish religion. Being thus rejected by one party

• This was the method by which the French Papists afterwards attempted to shake the constancy of Grotius, who was a close prisoner in the castle of Louvestein, at the time when Bertius apostatised. But neither the flatteries which were artfully connected with the due payment of his pension, (for the short time it was duly paid,) nor the coolness and indifference exhibited by those who purposely delayed it, could induce Grotius to attend Mass, or even to write a word in favour of a christian pacification between Protestants and Papists. He saw the snare which was spread for him, and, with the deterring example of Bertius before his eyes, avoided the entanglement. If the French Ministry, according to their first proposal, had given him a public appointment as a Protestant, Grotius would have remained in France. But he left that country in disgust at the insidious conduct pursued towards him; and, on his return, a few months afterwards, as Ambassador from the kingdom of Sweden to the court of France, he was able, in consistency with his own character and opinions, and with the political views of the Chancellor Oxenstern, to advocate a co-alition between Protestants and Papists, but it was on such terms as the Church of Rome will never concede as long as she continues to be "the mother of Harlots." See my Calvinism and Arminianism Compared, pp. 582-613.

and courted by another, he resolved at length to throw himself into the arms of those who had made such advances towards him, and with whom he might consequently find the greatest encouragement. Accordingly, on the 25th of June, he declared himself a member of the Church of Rome, by going to Mass, receiving the Sacrament after their manner, and by publicly abjuring all schism and heresy. He was likewise obliged to sign certain articles and engagements, of the particulars of which I could never procure an account. Thus did he forsake the communion of Protestants, and thus was he received into the bosom of the Romish Church: But it soon appeared, by his looks, words, and actions, what were the motives and inducements to this his change of religion.

"The very same day, he waited on the Heer van Langerack, the Dutch ambassador at the Court of France, and with a sad and melancholy countenance, (as that gentleman expresses it in a letter which he wrote home the next day,) acquainted him that he had embraced the Romish religion, and, upon abjuring his own, had been admitted to the Sacrament. He pretended, that he had long since been inclined to this change, after mature consideration of all matters, not only by reason of the violent disputes and quarrels between the Remonstrants and Contraremonstrants, but more especially because the Synod of Leyden had excluded him from the communion-table, and threatened him with excommunication. The Heer van Langerack immediately notified this event to the minister Peter du Moulin, who joined with that ambassador in using his utmost endeavours to bring him back, but in vain. He continually exclaimed against the treatment he had met with; and especially his hard usage, as he called it, from his own friends and relations. When he discoursed about the affair itself, he said, "It was not such 'a strange thing; since it was only returning to the ancient, true, catholic Church, scattered abroad over the whole world, 6 with which all the Primitive Fathers had held communion.' He added, that many more would follow his steps,' without naming any one. He complained besides of his poverty and inability to maintain his own family; and at length owned, that he had given his solemn word and promise to the gentlemen of the Sorbonne, in hopes of some preferment, without having had any discourse with the Jesuits: He added, that he durst not stir out of Paris to fetch his wife and children, for fear of the reproaches which he should encounter; but that his friends and patrons had engaged to procure a recommendation from the King to the States, to obtain their leave for his wife to follow him, and to