13.

Thus, that has not happened before. Let these people do it now if they can. But I do not want to be indebted to them for what I promise the Classis there. For I have no offense to remove from such people who have been pleased to give this new offense themselves, and to disturb the Church and the Land anew when they were becoming more at rest. Of the Book, they may make, think, write, or say what they want. No judgment over me belongs to them. That belonged to those who have already pronounced it themselves, and even carried it out.

They, knowing this, nevertheless intend with this new commotion to bring about that the Classis shall retract, lengthen, and strengthen the Verdict once given and executed: or in such a way as it wishes, to stir up so much movement anew that I shall finally still have to tumble from the Predikstoel Pulpit. But is this now only to be done because of me? Yes, primarily because of me, so they speak in public. The secret, if this succeeded for now, would then soon discover itself, and is already sufficiently discovered by some with mouth and pen to those who are knowledgeable of the matters. But I have reason to say no more of this here.

Then this shall be the question here: if what they aim for were possible, would it also be just? They want to say, yes. For how else do they come so unanimously to this demand? But has what they are doing now ever happened? Has it ever been in use among Christian people, or to be found in divine right or human laws, that someone is punished twice for one matter, or condemned to punishment by a final verdict? The great God, the Judge of all the Earth, has never done such a thing. Take note. God had banished Ben-hadad, the king of the Syriers Syrians, and commanded Achab Ahab, king over Israël, to carry it out. He acted too weakly in that. What followed then? The LORD said:

original: "om dat gy den man, dien ik verbannen hebbe, uit de hand hebt laten gaan, soo sal uwe siele in de plaatse fijner siele zijn." "Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life." 1 Kings 20:42.

But did He have Ben-hadad punished anew? Not at all. Instead, He allowed him twice more to make war against the people of Israel, as one reads according to 2 Kings 6:8, 24, and after that he died on his own bed, though not simply of his sickness 2 Kings 8:7, 10, 15.