The irritation of the public mind increasing, the States of Holland, to restore tranquillity, published an edict of Pacification, by which they strongly enjoined forbearance, toleration, and silence.  This was favourable to the Arminians, but it increased the violence of the Contra-remonstrants.  Thus, it became a signal of war.  The States of Holland transmitted it to King James:  his Majesty, the archbishop of Canterbury, and the other English prelates, allowed its doctrine to be orthodox.

[Sidenote:  Remonstrants—­Contra-Remonstrants.]

Still, the troubles in Holland augmented:  riots took place and greater riots were apprehended.  In an evil hour, Barneveldt, the Grand-Pensionary, proposed to the States of Holland, that the magistrates of the cities of that province should he empowered to raise troops for the suppression of the rioters.  Amsterdam, Dort, and other towns, that favoured the Gomarists, protested against this measure, styling it a declaration of war against the Contra-remonstrants.  Yet, on the 4th August 1617, Barneveldt’s proposition was agreed to, and promulgated.

We have mentioned the enmity of Prince Maurice to Barneveldt, on account of his having promoted the armistice of 1609, and his favouring the republican party.  The Prince professed to consider the edict of Pacification as derogatory of his authority, and forbade the soldiers to obey the States, if they should be ordered to act against the rioters.  He publicly declared, that he favoured the Gomarists; he assisted, at the divine service, in their churches only, and shewed them every other mark of public favour.  Exulting in this powerful support, the Gomarists separated themselves, formally, from the Arminians.

[Sidenote:  CHAP.  V. 1610-1617.]

To bring over Amsterdam to their sentiments, the States of Holland sent a deputation to the burgomasters of that city, and placed Grotius at its head.  On the day after their arrival in Amsterdam, the burgomasters assembled to receive the deputies.  Grotius addressed them in an argumentative and eloquent speech.  He urged the necessity and advantage of religious toleration, particularly upon theoretical points of doctrine.  He observed to the assembly, that Bullinger and Melancthon had been tolerated by Deza and Calvin; that James, the King of Great Britain, had advanced, in his writings, that each of the two opposite opinions on Predestination might be maintained without danger of reprobation; that Gomarus himself had declared that Arminius had not erred in any fundamental article of Christian doctrine; that the contested articles were of a very abstruse nature; that the affirmative or negative of the doctrines expressed in them, had not been determined; and that toleration would restore tranquillity and union, and favour the assembling of a numerous and respectable synod, which might labour with success in restoring peace to the church.

Grotius delivered his speech in the Dutch language; it was afterwards translated into Latin; all, who heard, admired it; but it produced no effect on them.  The deputies were uncivilly dismissed; and the oration of Grotius, by an order of the States General, was suppressed.[023]