Twee brieven [...] aan Everhardus vander Hooght

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longer a work of the Kerkenraad Consistory, but of the Classis; in which all Ministers being present, and two Elders, who had the right to be there, had heard everything. And the other Elders who were not allowed to hear it in the Classis itself, had less reason to demand it in the Kerkenraad, where the deputies were not authorized to answer for it; as they did not have the charge from the Elders, nor from the Kerkenraad, but from the Classis. Even those two Amsterdam Ministers were not allowed to do it, besides the two others, who as well as they were charged by the Classis to that secret (you say) negotiation, and are not members of the Kerkenraad in Amsterdam. Also you do not seem to have it quite right, that the Elders, some of whom have never read my Book, nor wish to read it, should nonetheless have desired to hear things read that were negotiated over that Book, and which they, without knowing the Book itself, could in no way understand.

But now I must come to you on that one word, that you speak here in this place and even more times of veertien bekende Artikelen fourteen known Articles: as no more than 13 were ever presented to me, nor were more than 13 brought into the Classis. It is true that a fourteenth Article was also printed: but you ought also to know, that Borstius Jacobus Borstius was a printer known for publishing ecclesiastical documents. has inserted in his printing, that the 14th was never presented to me; although the name of D. Groenewegen as scriba scribe or secretary is wrongly placed after the 14th, which should have stood under the 13th. I will even say to you beyond that, that even in the Consistory Book the 14th Article does not stand; and that it is of no little importance, that everyone should know this. For the matter being properly discovered, so all appearance of right falls away, to cry out as the circular letter writers and petition signers do, that the Classis has deviated from the 13 Articles. Know therefore, that the 14th Article was indeed also proposed, but was rejected by most brothers of the Kerkenraad: who did not understand, that one should present the 13 to me as a law, or as by sentence, where that 14th then must come as a threat of punishment: but to hear my answer upon them, and then to do according to the demand of matters. It was a demand, to which the summoned had to answer, before