Arminius and His Declaration of Sentiments. An Annotated Translation With Introduction and Theological Commentary

228 Pages·2016·0.82 MB·English

by  W. Stephen Gunter

Arminius and His
Declaration of Sentiments
Portrait of Arminius in his study (based on an engraving). Circa 1705 by Christoffel
Lubienietzki (1659–1749). Oil on canvas, 98.5 × 81 cm. In Arminius’ right hand
is a scroll inscribed with his motto: A clear conscience is paradise. On the shelf are,
among others, a book by Augustine as well as Erasmus’ Biblia Sacra.
Used by permission, Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Arminius and His
Declaration of Sentiments
An Annotated Translation
with Introduction and
Theological Commentary

W. Stephen Gunter
Baylor University Press
© 2012 by Baylor University Press
Waco, Texas 76798
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior per-
mission in writing of Baylor University Press.
Cover design by Dean Bornstein
Cover image: Portrait of Arminius in his study (based on an engraving). Circa
1705 by Christoffel Lubienietzki (1659–1749). Oil on canvas, 98.5 × 81 cm.
Courtesy of Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Arminius, Jacobus, 1560–1609.
[Verklaring. English]
Arminius and his Declaration of sentiments : an annotated translation with
introduction and theological commentary / W. Stephen Gunter.
226 p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 195) and indexes.
ISBN 978-1-60258-567-6 (hardcover. : alk. paper)
1. Theology. 2. Arminius, Jacobus, 1560–1609. Verklaring. I. Gunter, W.
Stephen, 1947– II. Title.
BX6195.A6813 2012
230’.49--dc23
2012003690
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper with a minimum
of 30% pcw content.
CONTENTS
Standard Abbreviations vii
Preface xi
Introduction 1
Part I
The Life and Times of Arminius
1 Early Years 11
2 Student Years, 1576–1587 21
3 Amsterdam Pastor (1587–1603) and the “First Arminian
Controversy” 43
4 The Leiden Years: A Prelude to the Declaration 65
Part II
Declaration of Sentiments
§1 A Personal History 90
§2 The Theological Declaration 103
§3 The Call for a National Synod 149
Part III
A Theological Postscript
5 The Evangelical, Practical Theology of Jacob Arminius 161
Conclusion 185
Selected Bibliography 195
Scripture Index 205
Index of Authors 206
Index of Subjects and Names 208
v
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STANDArD ABBrEVIATIONS
Acta
rutgers, Frederick L., ed. Acta van de Nederlandsche synoden der
Zestiende Eeuw. ’s Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1899. reprint,
Dordrecht: J. P. van den Tol, 1980. Page references are to
the 1980 edition.
Amsterdam
Evenhuis, r. D. Ook dat was Amsterdam. 2 vols. Amsterdam:
W. ten Have, 1965–1967.
APPS
reitsma, J., and S. D. van Veen, eds. Acta der Provinciale en Par-
ticuliere Synoden. 8 vols. Groningen: J. B. Walters, 1892–1899.
Bangs
Bangs, Carl. Arminius: A Study in the Dutch Reformation. Nash-
ville: Abingdon, 1971.
BLGNP
Biografisch Lexicon voor de Geschiedenis van het Nederlandse-Prostes-
tantisme. 6 vols. Kampen: Kok, 1978–2006.
Brandt, History
Brandt, Gerard. The History of the Reformation and Other Eccle-
siastical Traditions in and about the Low Countries. London: T.
Wood, 1720–1723. Originally published as Historie der Refor-
matie en andre Kerkelyke Geschiedenissen, in en Ontrent de Neder-
landen. 4 vols. Amsterdam: Jan rieuwertsz., Hendrik & Dirk
Boom, 1671–1704.
Brandt, Life
Brandt, Caspar. The Life of Arminius, D.D. Translated by John
Guthrie with introduction by T. O. Summers. Nashville:
E. Stevenson and F. A. Owen, 1857.
vii
viii Standard Abbreviations
BWNG
Glasius, V. B., ed. Godgeleerd Nederland: Biographisch Woorden-
boek van Nederlandsche Godgeleerden. 3 vols. ’s Hertogenbosch:
1852–1856.
BWPGN
Biographisch Woordenboek van Protestantsche Godgeleerden in Neder-
land. ’s Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoff, [ca. 1925]–1949.
Clarke
Clarke, F. Stuart. The Ground of Election: Jacobus Arminius’
Doctrine of the Work and Person of Christ. Milton Keynes, UK:
Paternoster, 2006.
den Boer
Boer, William den. “Jacobus Arminius: Theologian of
God’s Twofold Love.” In Leeuwen, Stanglin, and Tolsma,
Arminius, Arminianism and Europe. Leiden: Brill, 2009, 25–50.
Duplex amor Dei
Boer, William den. Duplex amor Dei: Contextuele karakteristiek
van de theologie van Jacobus Arminius (1559–1609). Apeldoorn:
Instituut voor reformatieonderzoek, 2008. Translated by
Albert Gootjes as God’s Twofold Love. Göttingen: Vanden-
hoek & ruprecht, 2010.
Ep. Ecc.
Limborch, Philip van, and Christian Hartsoeker, eds. Pra-
estantium ac eruditorum virorum epistolae ecclesiasticae et theologicae.
3rd ed. Amsterdam: Franciscus Halma, 1704.
Gootjes, Confession
Gootjes, Nicolaas H. The Belgic Confession: Its History and
Sources. Grand rapids: Baker, 2007.
Hoenderdaal
Hoenderdaal, G. J. Verklaring van Jacobus Arminius. Lochem:
De Tijdstroom, 1960.
Israel, Dutch Republic
Israel, Jonathan I. The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and
Fall, 1477–1806. Oxford: Clarendon, 1995.
Maronier
Maronier, Jan Hendrik. Jacobus Arminius: Een Biographie.
Amsterdam: Y. rogge, 1905.
Muller
Muller, richard A. God, Creation and Providence in the Thought
of Jacob Arminius. Grand rapids: Baker, 1991.
Standard Abbreviations ix
NAKG
Nederlands Archief voor Kerkgeschiedenis/Dutch Review of Church
History/Church History and Religious Culture.
NNBW
Molhuysen, P. C., P. J. Blok, and K. H. Kossman, eds. Nieuw
Nederlandsch Biographisch Woordenboek. 10 vols. Leiden: Sijthoff,
1911–1937.
NTT
Nederlands Theologisch Tijdschrift.
Protocollen
Protocollen der Kerkeraad Amsterdam. Stadsarchief Amsterdam,
The Netherlands. (Manuscript Minutes of the Consistory of
the reformed Church of Amsterdam.)
Rijker dan Midas
Dekker, E. Rijker dan Midas: Vrijheid, genade en predestinatie in
de theologie van Jacobus Arminius (1559–1609). Zoetermeer:
Boekencentrum, 1993.
Stanglin
Stanglin, Keith D. Arminius on the Assurance of Salvation: The
Context, Roots, and Shape of the Leiden Debate, 1603–1609.
Leiden: Brill, 2007.
Triglandius, Geschiedenissen
Triglandius, Jacobus. Kerckelycke Geschiedenissen. Leiden: Adri-
aen Wyngaerten, 1651.
Uytenbogaert, Historie
Uytenbogaert, Johannes. De Kerckelicke Historie, 2nd ed. rot-
terdam: Bastian Wagens, 1647. (Bound with Leven, Kerckelicke
bedieninghe ende Zedige Verantwoordinghe.)
Uytenbogaert, Leven
Uytenbogaert, Johannes. Leven, Kerckelijcke bedieninghe ende
Zedige Verantwoordinghe. rotterdam: Bastian Wagens, 1647.
(Bound with the 2nd edn. De Kerckelicke Historie)
Works
Arminius, Jacobus. The Works of James Arminius: The London
Edition. Translated by J. Nichols and W. Nichols. Introduc-
tion by Carl Bangs. 3 vols. Kansas City: Beacon Hill, 1986.
First published in London, 1825–1875. (The pagination in
vol. 1 of the original London edition, pp. 257–706, becomes
351–770 in the 1986 reprint.)