Investigation and Answer

II.

On the Proof.

Which they intend to give through an attached writing, which they call

Extract from the Book of D. Balthasar Bekker, entitled the Bewitched World, as it was printed at Leeuwarden in octavo a standard book size where sheets are folded into eight leaves.

How far they proceed with this Extract in good faith or not, shall have to appear piece by piece in the following: but this is for a start not done faithfully nor brotherly, that they make use of the Leeuwarden printing; since they know that there is a later printing, where I have explained myself more closely in various places. But they did not want to look at that: but they would have, if something new were to be found in the new printing that they could nitpick. And I think they should be suspected with more appearance [of truth], that they have not wanted to give the Gentlemen the required knowledge of matters, but merely put something into their hands in place of proof. For it is especially noteworthy that these men, wanting to have my Book banned, as it was printed in octavo, and as it is now reprinted in quarto a larger book size where sheets are folded into four leaves, and is yet to be further printed: bring forth of 90 places no more than one from the Book itself, and one from the Preface, as it is now in everyone's hands in quarto; and all the others from the printing in octavo, which they themselves confess they did not know how to obtain now, except for a great deal of money: that they themselves did not want to go to the expense for it; when the Honorable Mighty Lords Commissioners for church matters requested such from them. Thus they pointed the Gentlemen thereby to a village where no houses stood; and showed thus at once how much they have to spare, when it costs but little money, for the luster of the Word of the Lord, for the honor of the supreme teacher Christ, and the Holy Prophets and Apostles. Truly, they do not serve this altar of the Deputyship for nothing. It was then not the sickness of the Lord Pensionary Ravens, nor the death of the Secretary Schagen, that prevented them from obtaining a favorable apostille marginal note or official response to a petition on their Petition; (as they shifted it to that in the last Synod) but that they were more ready to accuse than to prove; and that they had Gentlemen before them who wanted to see with their own eyes. But let us hear their further accusation and proof. In presenting the same I shall proceed more openly than they: for I shall point out the places in my Book, not only as they have noted them after the printing in octavo, but also after the twofold printing in quarto; the first where the second book has 35, and the second where it has 36 chapters. Thereby I want to have the Reader kindly requested,