Chapter 5 Part 2

The Life of James Arminius
Chapter 5, Part 2 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.
--------------------

The noble curators regarded as unduly harsh and sufficiently violent the judgment of so great a theologian respecting this eminent minister, who was held in the highest esteem by those with whom he was connected, and who up to that hour had not given the very smallest indication of an ambitious longing after the office. Gomarus accordingly was asked by these very influential men, 'Whether he really knew Arminius? and whether he had perused the correspondence he had had with Junius?' He candidly replied that 'he only saluted him once, as he descried him at a little distance; and as for the discussion with Junius, he had not indeed read it, but still he had got information respecting it through certain ministers most worthy of credit.' On this, being more straitly questioned as to who the fabricators of those charges were, he at length named Plancius.

But the chief rulers of the Academy, not disposed to attach much weight to this testimony, deemed it of the first importance to inquire more thoroughly into all those accusations by which Arminius was assailed. Wherefore, having first called into their counsel John Oldenbarneveldt, the prime minister of the States of Holland, they deemed it proper to consult Uitenbogaert concerning all these matters, and what was best to be done for the interests of the Academy. He, after a brief pause of deliberation, began forthwith to complain of the injury which Gomarus and Kuchlinus had inflicted on Arminius. Then, after giving an account of the controversy which happened at Amsterdam some considerable time previously, on the occasion of Arminius expounding the seventh chapter of the Romans, and after reading the opening and concluding portions of his discussion with Junius, he showed very plainly that what Gomarus had called 'serious disputes' had rather been the interchange of friendly correspondence. Junius besides, had cultivated a genuine friendship with Arminius; yea, and subsequently to that correspondence he had often prefaced any reference he made to him with expressions of praise. As Gomarus, however, was pushing this business with so much animosity, and that doubtless at the instigation of others whose authority was very influential in sacred matters, it appeared to him to be advisable that the call should be decided in favour of another, rather than of Arminius. As to the willingness of Arminius to undertake this professorship, it was in the highest degree doubtful; and much more uncertain was it besides, whether, in the event of his assenting to the call, the people of Amsterdam would grant him a dismission. He looked upon this movement as one full of hazard and difficulty; and so much the more difficult as he had heard Gomarus was actuated by a very strong prejudice against Arminius, and bent all his energies to this: that whatever the latter might advance in defence of his reputation and his faith, he would at once proceed to invalidate and subvert. He (Uitenbogaert) was not willing to take upon himself a business of such magnitude, or that this cause should be determined by his judgment alone. So far from this, although, according to the dictate of conscience, he had advanced what made for the commendation of Arminius, and was fully confident that Arminius would never do aught that was unworthy of himself or the Academy, he nevertheless committed this whole affair to the consideration and decision of the honourable curators. If, however, they adhered to their purpose to invite this theologian, he thought it would be in the highest degree advisable that Arminius should be made aware of all the things which had been said and done against him, in order that after hearing his reply they might be the better able to consult for their own concerns, and for the welfare of the Academy. [Ex Diario Uitenb. MS.—Vid. et Vitam Uitenb. Belg. Idiom, ab ipso conscript, cap. v.]. Thus spake Uitenbogaert in the presence of the curators. On the same day he declared to the most noble Oldenbarneveldt, a man who held the place of the highest dignity in the Republic of Holland, that 'Arminius, yea even a hundred Arminiuses, did not bulk so largely in his estimation that, for the sake of promoting him, he could be willing to have the Church and the Academy disturbed.'

Some time after, by order of the curators, he faithfully divulged everything, as far as matters had gone, to Arminius, who had been summoned by letter to Haarlem; and he earnestly besought him, seeing the matter concerned not him only, but also the entire Church besides, that he would not hesitate to declare his own mind on the subject candidly, freely, and without any reserve [Ex Diario MS. Uitentog.]. On receiving this information, which astonished him mightily, Arminius related the particulars of all the controversies which had ever been stirred against him on the ground of doctrine, and what plan he had invariably adopted in order to get them allayed. From this the conversation passed to the subject of the professorship, and of the very high esteem in which he was held by the rulers of the academy. By and by, also, according to the charge devolved upon him by these rulers, Uitenbogaert proceeded to ask him what might be his own mind and judgment as to undertaking the office. Arminius replied, that 'many reasons presented themselves on the ground of which he could prefer to remain at Amsterdam. He owned, indeed, that he was rather prone to an academic mode of expressing himself, nor was he altogether destitute of freedom in composition and in promoting the public good by his pen; but still he was wanting in many endowments of mind and genius that were necessary to the proper discharge of this function. Moreover, as he had by no means the right, he would decide nothing whatever, either on the one side or on the other, till the church and civil authorities of Amsterdam had granted him full liberty of choice. This done, he would consider what might be for the advantage of the Academy, as well as for his own. At all events he would never consent to give his services to the noble curators until he had first obtained a friendly conference with the distinguished Gomarus, and disabused his mind of all the doubts which he had conceived respecting him. He was aware how much ought to be sacrificed for the peace of the academy, and how imperatively necessary it was to apply the promptest remedy possible to the ecclesiastical dissensions so much to be deplored, rather than to contribute fresh material for their increase. Never for the sake of any dogma would he furnish occasion, even the least, to violate the peace of the Church; and in this same mind he put a fair and charitable construction on everything which the learned Gomarus had done, at the instigation, doubtless, of others, rather than of his own accord.'

This reply Uitenbogaert reported to the honourable curators of the Academy. After maturely considering and weighing the fact that divines of the Reformed Church had not always cherished the same opinion on the subject of Predestination, and that no synod of the Primitive Church had ever determined anything respecting it — yea, further, that the celebrated J. Holmann had stoutly defended, in the Leyden Academy, the same opinion which Hemmingius had maintained on that question — the curators judged that there was no call for further deliberation on the subject of inviting Arminius. On the contrary, they instantly decided on doing so; and in order to obtain their wish, C. Neostadius and N. Zeistius, men of great influence, undertook a journey to Amsterdam, which, however, failed of its end; for the noble rulers of this city (on the 19th November) not only decided that they couldnot dispense with his services, but would not permit them to treat with the ecclesiastical court on the matter.

On learning this the deputies of the churches [These were functionaries appointed by the Dutch Synods (resembling the Commission of the General Assembly in Scotland), on whom devolved a certain current and ill-defined care of the cburches, and who figare much in the ecclesiastic embroilments of that period. They were often officious; and hence Grotius calls them 'Ruling Masters.'—TR.] exerted themselves to the utmost to interpose delay, and even obstruction, in the way of this call. At an extraordinary meeting accordingly, held at the Hague, they judged it expedient to invite certain pastors to that place — Uitenbogaert being summoned among the rest. After prayer, the president of this conference, Arnold Cornelis, immediately submitted whether it would not be for the interest of the Church seriously and gravely to warn the noble Oldenbarneveldt, and the curators of the Academy as well, of the dangers which impended over the Church and the Academy, in the event of calling a man so deeply suspected of erroneous opinions; and to entreat them rather to think of calling some other who might be fit to undertake the office, and at the same time be clear of suspicion of this kind.

Uitenbogaert being asked among the first to express his mind as to this counsel, declared that he would he no party to any such thing [Ex Diario MS. Uitenb. Vid et Uitenb. Vitam ab ipso conscript. vernaculo idom. cap. v.]. After many preliminary remarks as to the danger into which those who urged such a decision would precipitate themselves in the event of not being able to prove the charges preferred against Arminius, he proceeded to explain more at length all that he himself knew of the matter, and showed that the opposition to the clergyman in question was grounded on suspicions rather than on reasons.

On this, after here repeating ad nauseam the allegation as to his very serious disputes with Junius, and the long-settled affair about the interpretation of the seventh chapter of Romans, the president of the conference openly declared, that 'Arminius was no theologian, but a young man, destitute of experience and prone to quarrels and petty disputations.' In opposition to this, Uitenbogaert rejoined, that 'this same Arminius sustained the character of a distinguished divine, and to how great an extent he was skilled in sacred things could not be altogether unknown to his present accuser, inasmuch as when on a previous occasion Arminius requested a friendly conference with him on the subject of religion, he heartily shrank from it. The frivolous objections as to his youth were also applicable to Gomarus himself; preeminently so, at all events, to Trelcatius, junior, concerning both of whom, however, in this connexion, there was a profound silence. Arminius was of full age, and possessed of a judgment thoroughly cultivated and matured. The professorial function was theoretical rather than practical, and experience was not required in universities to the same extent as in churches; still it was not to be thought that he could be devoid of experience, who had for so many years, and with so much applause, sustained the charge of by far the most influential of the churches. Besides, that he was party to discussions occasionally about sacred things was proof not of a contentious, but of a subtle mind, and gave indication that he was born for academic rather than for pastoral functions.'

On this, one objected, that 'still Arminius differed if not in substantials, at least in accidentals — (here and elsewhere in narrating the discussions of divines, we must be allowed to speak in theological rather than in chaste and classical Latin [This, it is scarcely needful to remark, is an apology interposed by our author, for deviating occasionally from his excellent Latinity into unavoidable scholasticisms.—TR.]) — and while this perchance might be connived at in the Church, in the Academy it certainly could not be borne with.' Uitenbogaert rejoined, that 'the liberty of plying controversies which did not subvert the foundations of the faith, ought by no means to be banished from academic institutions. Never had these, any more than the churches, been so well constituted but that at all times some differences, and these occasionally very serious, had existed in reference to sacred things, and yet the peace of the Church had been preserved inviolate; yea, between that very divine, Junius, and his colleague, Sohnius, at Heidelberg, and between Gomarus and Junius at Leyden-in-Holland, there had not, on all points, been a perfect agreement. The same principle applied to the case in hand. Arminius was desirous of peace, nor was any strife to be apprehended from him, although in some things he might differ from others in opinion.'

After he had thus spoken, some member of the conference vociferated, that 'everything, even what seemed safe things, furnished matter for just suspicion;' to which the very eloquent pastor of the church in the Hague further and spiritedly replied, that 'a statement of this description was diametrically opposed to Christian charity; and that it was much rather to be desired that all the ministers of the Church would more frequently recall to memory that saying of Paul, Charity thinketh no evil.' After he had uttered these words, and followed up his remarks with a very grave admonition that the brethren would act circumspectly throughout this business, and attempt nothing of which they might subsequently repent, Uitenbogaert asked leave of departure, and withdrew.