Arminius and His Declaration of Sentiments: An Annotated Translation with Introduction and Theological Commentary

1. A Personal History

90 Arminius and His Declaration of Sentiments and West Friesland on October 30, 1608, thereafter in writing to the Noble Lords of government.4 Leiden Published by the Widow of the Deceased and her Brothers Printed by Thomas Basson, Bookseller at the Music-Book,5 1610 SECTION ONE A Personal History To my Supreme Governors, the Noble Lords of the States of Holland and West Friesland: After the Conference with Gomarus6 convened at your command here in The Hague in the presence of four Ministers of the Gospel,7 under the oversight of the Counselors of the Supreme Court, the results of that gathering were reported to you. Reference in that report regarding the nature and importance of the controversy between us has led to your requesting the two of us, along with those four ministers, to appear in your honored explanatory notes of the language dictionary composed specifically for middle Dutch: The Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 9 vols. (The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1885–1929), 1:viii, where specific reference is made to the centuries “approximately” 1200–1500. Continual reference has been made to the Middelnederlandsch Handwoordenboek, ed. J. Verdam and C. H. Ebbinge Wubben (The Hague: M. Nijhof, 1932, 1976). 4 The abbreviation “Mo.E.” in the manuscript is the equivalent of expanded expressions that occur several times in the course of the document—Edele, Vermogehende, Hoochwijse, seer voorsienighe Heeren: “Noble, Influential, Most wise, perspicacious Gentlemen.” While this list of adjectives may be offensive to modern sensibilities, it is important to remember that the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Netherlands was an era of polite titles. Also, there was an Erastian form of national governance in which oversight on the part of magistrates was comprehensive of both civil as well as religious matters. These attributions, seen in their context, are not so much fawning as they are expressions of hope that such comprehensive knowledge and wisdom would indeed be the case in matters of governance. With this setting in view, these various expressions will be rendered simply: Noble Lords. 5 The printer’s mark of an open book of music on the original title page of the 1610 edition visually represents Basson’s place of business, “bookseller in [the house named] the Music-Book.” Thanks to Jeremy Bangs for making this known to me. 6 This conference before the Supreme Court of the States of Holland took place on May 30, 1607. 7 The ministers in attendance were Joannes Becius from Dordrecht, Wernerus Helmichius from Amsterdam, Johannes Uytenbogaert from The Hague, and Hermannus Gerardi from Enkhuizen. Declaration of Sentiments 91 presence so that you might reveal to us what you consider to be of significant importance. Subsequently, Franciscus Gomarus declared that the theological differences between us were of such import that he would not dare to appear before God holding such opinions.8 Furthermore, he asserted that unless proper steps were taken to prohibit the consequences of these theological differences in our native land, armed chaos would ensue with provinces, churches, cities, and even private citizens taking up arms against one another. To these sweeping allegations I made no reply, except that I was not conscious of holding any such atrocious religious sentiments as those described by him. I also expressed the hope that I would never be the cause of division in God’s church or of division in our native land. By way of confirmation, I added that when summoned to appear before this assembly, I was prepared to make a full and open statement of all my theological opinions, not leaving until this was fully done.9 You, Noble Lords, after careful deliberation on my offer, now deem it proper to summon me here in your presence in order that I might fulfill that pledge.10 So I appear before you now with a clear conscience to keep that promise . For some time sinister reports about me have been widely circulated at home and abroad,11 indicating that I have consistently refused (despite frequent requests) to make a full statement of my theological opinions. Because these negative reports have given rise to no small amount of difficulties, I humbly request to be allowed frankly to clarify some important related matters. The Account of a Conference Proposed to Me, Which I Refused12 On June 30, 1605, three clergy representatives from the Synod of South Holland came to me at Leiden. They were Francis Lansbergius, Libertus Fraxinus, 8 In the original English translation, the words attributed to Gomarus are in quotation...