Nodige bedenkingen op de niewe beweegingen, onlangs verwekt door den circulairen brief en andere middelen, tegen den auteur van 't boek de betoverde weereld

back to the Church Council, and from there (as it was said) to the Classis. How I behaved myself there, I let the Acts official minutes or records themselves speak on occasion, recorded in both those assemblies from time to time. These will unanimously testify that I never made myself scarce, nor attempted to prolong the day, nor was I unwilling to be instructed where I erred, and to improve that upon being convinced. I have also restrained myself, so that I have neither given anything in print in all that time, nor taught from the pulpit, that concerned the contents of my Book, either to defend or to spread it. I avoided, where I had free choice of texts, all such that could give even the least occasion for it. And when the order of the Churches bound me to such texts, I deliberately handled them in such a way that I might satisfy the matter without touching the dispute. All who have heard me in all that time, and who have run together from all sides to catch something from my mouth, must testify to that, whether they want to or not. And all this notwithstanding that in many places, and with intent, it was preached against me; yes, even taught in catechisms religious instruction classes, with the explicit mention of my name and of my Book. Of so many evil little books, among which there is not yet one that hits the ground of my opinion; no two that do not consist of constant misinterpretation and twisting of sense and words; and very few that do not hideously scold and lie about me. I have answered none of them, except the two Letters to Haggever vander Hooght. From all this I hold for certain, that in this my Modesty discretion or restraint must be well known to all people.

I may also boldly say the same of the oppressions that I have suffered with patience in the time of this business. Those evil little books, Sermons, and Catechisms, have been a good part of it until now. Not so far as people, according to the freedom that belongs to us, have taught differently than I do in my Book concerning those matters; or even themselves advocated the opinion that I write against, or contradicted mine: but that people