And there was one established principle then considered throughout Europe the grand result of the Reformation; "Cujus regio ejus religio;" which was in reality as impudent an invasion of human right as any heaven-born dogma of Infallibility.

The sovereign of a country, having appropriated the revenues of the ancient church, prescribed his own creed to his subjects.

In the royal conscience were included the million consciences of his subjects.

The inevitable result in a country like the Netherlands, without a personal sovereign, was a struggle between the new church and the civil government for mastery.

And at this period, and always in Barneveld's opinion, the question of dogma was subordinate to that of church government.