Chapter 4 Part 1

The Life of James Arminius
Chapter 4, Part 1 of 3.

This biography of James Arminius was written in Latin by Caspar Brandt, published by Gerard Brandt in 1724, and translated to English by John Guthrie in 1854.
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CHAPTER IV.
INTENSE ARDOUR OF ARMINIUS IN INVESTIGATING DIVINE TRUTH, WITH CONNECTED INCIDENTS; AND HIS DEVOTED AND BENEVOLENT PASTORAL LABOURS AT THE TIME OF THE PLAGUE. A.D. 1597 - 1602.

NOTWITHSTANDING the silence of Junius, the subject of our memoir abated nothing of his zeal to find out the truth, being prepared to grasp it with both hands by whomsoever it might be shown to him. In this spirit, he sought the assistance of no one more than that most eloquent minister of the Church at the Hague, J. Uitenbogaert, whose refined and cultivated judgment he held in such esteem, as to think that scarcely any one could pronounce with more accuracy and decision on controversies of this kind [Vid. Arm. ad Uitenb. Epist. 19 Octob. 1597.]. It was this high estimate, moreover, which led him to submit those considerations on the papers of Junius, of which we have just made mention, to the judgment of this friend alone, some little time before they were dispatched to Junius himself. We think it well here to transcribe his own words, as worthy of record, which he addressed to Uitenbogaert, at the same conjuncture, in a letter dated October 19, 1597: — 'Care ought to be taken,' says he, 'to search out arguments for a known truth which shall be at once solid and plain, in order that such truth may gain the assent of those who, with sincerity of heart, and from a dictate of conscience, controvert it, among whom I enrol my name as one, if, in any respect, I do err from the truth. But I cannot sufficiently marvel at the presumptuous boldness of some men, who brand whatever suits not their own palate with the ignominious mark of heresy, seeing they are unwilling to bestow almost any pains in acquainting themselves with controversies, and, if ever so willing, are not competent, inasmuch as they are destitute of the erudition necessary to determine matters of such vast moment. Truth, even theological truth, so far as concerns the accurate knowledge of controversies of this sort, has been sunk in a deep well, whence it cannot be drawn forth without much effort. So true is this as respects that point with which we are now occupied, that the man who should question the justice of the remark would, by this very fact, declare that he had never bent his own mind to the serious consideration of the subject. O that the God of truth may grant me it ere long, that my mind may be set at rest! Then, indeed, shall I exceedingly rejoice as one who had discovered a precious treasure; while to all those who had contributed any measure of assistance, I should acknowledge myself bound by many and deep obligations.'

To this same divine, and pre-eminently esteemed friend, Arminius, with the view of striking further light into these controversies, transmitted, in the year following (1598), a sort of theological table on the subject of predestination, in which were exhibited, as in a mirror, everything relating to that question which stood out to his view as worthy of discussion [Vid. hanc Tabul. inter. Epist. Eccles. Ep. 20. p. 41.]. Nor did he deem it dutiful to stop short at this stage, but shortly after wished further to try whether the help of foreigners would avail to extricate him from those difficulties that distressed his mind. Accordingly, after the publication, about this time, of a work of William Perkins, a very celebrated divine in the University of Cambridge, entitled, 'A Christian and Perspicuous Discussion concerning the Mode and Order of Predestination, and concerning the Extent of Divine Grace,' — the name of this author having been previously well known to him, through other publications of distinguished merit, he resolved to procure the treatise without delay, and give it a careful perusal. He did so; but finding himself sticking as fast as ever in the same labyrinths of doubt, he thought it might not be unadvisable to institute a friendly correspondence with this theologian on the subject of his treatise. Wherefore, prompted by the occasion, he applied his mind to the composition of that most elaborate and temperate Examination of this same Treatise of Perkins, which, without doubt, would have been sent to him, but for the circumstance, that almost at the very time when he was already in the act of applying a finishing hand to it, the intelligence reached him that this distinguished divine of the Anglican Church and University had exchanged the present life for another and a better [Ex Epist. dedic. huic Arminii libello praemissa.]. From that moment, he kept this very polished little production, along with others of the same stamp, to himself and his friends.

About the same time, too, and with the utmost alacrity, he set himself to construct a kind of Synopsis of Theological Common Places, with the sole view of becoming richer and more practised in that heavenly wisdom which everywhere presents itself for our understanding in the Sacred Scriptures, and to the investigation of which he was impelled by an inextinguishable ardour. With this view, in the course of the year 1599, he resolved to peruse carefully whatever authors might be at hand, or within his power to consult, at once the ancient and the more recent theologians; to weigh accurately the several topics; to observe everything worthy of note, and to enter each under its appropriate division; and to subject to strict criticism whatever might merit any measure of animadversion. What he accomplished, and what kind of progress he made in this undertaking (the remains of which, and a certain fragment only, it has been permitted us to see), may be gathered from several letters of his to Uitenbogaert, which will be found inserted among the Epistles of Distinguished and Learned Men [Epist. Praest. Vir. p. 98, 99, &c.].

Moreover, during this year, he certainly evinced, in a very conspicuous manner, his signal affection and kindness for the celebrated J. Drusius, who professed Hebrew Literature, at Franeker, with distinguished renown. For, entertaining the opinion, and freely expressing it to others, that this man was destined to promote Hebrew Literature, and illuminate the genuine interpretation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew sources themselves, Arminius left no means untried by which the Church of Christ might obtain from his labours that benefit which was meet. There happened, about that time, to be much talk of a new translation of the Sacred Books into the vernacular tongue, the charge of preparing which had, five years previously, been committed, by the honourable States, to Philip van Marnix, Lord of St Aldegonde, but he having been removed by death, nothing occasioned more solicitude to the deputies of the churches of North and South Holland, than that this very grave undertaking, commenced under propitious omens by St Aldegonde, should either be carried on to its completion, or by some other arrangement begun anew. As, moreover, these deputies seemed resolved to agitate the matter with the States on the first opportunity, the subject of our memoir left no stone unturned to get those who presided at the helm of the Republic to have regard to Drasius first of all, and to his judgment on the matter. He felt that he had reasons the most satisfactory for commending him above all others [Vii Arm. Epist. ad Uiteub. 8. Sept. 1599.], both on account of his known and approved skill, for many years back, in the Oriental languages, and also because St Aldegonde himself, at the very time when many were requesting him to undertake the task, had urged the churches rather to turn their eyes and their thoughts towards Drusius [Vid. Epist. Aldegondii ad Drusium 17 Jun. 1594. Vitse Drusii insertam.]. The recommendation of Arminius, however, as also of Uitenbogaert, availed nothing, owing to the sinister judgments of certain leaders in the Church respecting that celebrated divine, and his soundness in the faith. For, suspecting that he cherished I know not what monster in his breast, and that he allowed his mind too much license in explaining certain passages of Scripture (a decree having previously passed the Synod of South Holland, which circumscribed within very narrow limits whoever should be appointed to superintend the version of the Sacred Book), the ministers referred to excluded Drusius not only from the task of translation itself, but even from the province of inspecting the translation. To avoid the appearance, however, of setting at nought the labours of this distinguished man, the States-General, in the year following, commissioned him to write a Commentary, or Notes, on the more difficult passages of the Old Testament, duly comparing and examining, on every such text, the Chaldee, Greek, and Latin interpreters; and, by way of remuneration, they stipulated to pay him, for a series of years, an annual salary of four hundred florins [Ex Vita Drusii.].