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

Classis sat still in those intervening times, they might then have been accused of slackness. Or had they at the time of the meeting made haste to depart, or passed over the work somewhat lightly; one might have said with some appearance of truth that the work was not earnest to them. But being busy with that case for one, two, and even three whole days, from morning until evening, even twice without eating! They gave clear enough indication that they were willing to finish it if they could. The intervening time was spent in the constant activities of their appointees with me, which cost those brothers and me more than fourteen days, before and after, yes, even nights; in a city as full of commotion as Amsterdam, besides the constant labor of the Kerkendienſt church service or ministry: this has given manifest testimony of the earnestness the Classis had to complete the case. And I myself, for once to be able to rest from too much and heavy difficulty. No: but rather without inquiry where there was such offense, barred the man from the pulpit, these people shall say: according to the old word; away with this man, for he is not worthy that he should live. Acts 22:22. For such judgment was already pronounced over me in the beginning, before the Book was properly seen, in ecclesiastical assemblies here and there outside Amsterdam, of which I have good knowledge. They hold back where there is the will and power to carry it out. Caiaphas was also of that mind: You know nothing at all, nor do you understand, he says, and so forth. John 11:49-50. In our Classis the spirit of Nicodemus was master, and the law to judge no man without previous inquiry, John 7:51. The Book was there: as it lay, it was already loathed by them beforehand. I do not wish to say what loathsome things they had found in it: they followed the Consistory and Synod. Nevertheless, the Book was firmly in the world: 750 copies of the Frisian and more than 5,000 of the Amsterdam printing; therefore it was impossible to bring it back from the hands of the people. Therefore the nearest thing was that the author improved the work, or upon refusal was punished; as they should understand who had the right to punish him, and no other. But then again, equity