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

II. Declaration of Sentiments

Part II Declaration of Sentiments The digital files of the 1610 Verclaringhe are courtesy of the Special Collections Library at the University of Leiden, with the cooperation of Mr. Ernst-Jan Munnik. 89 A Declaration of the Sentiments of Jacobus Arminius Professor of Theology at the University of Leiden Regarding his sentiments on predestination and other doctrines1 of the Christian Religion2 about which his opinions have brought him under suspicion. Initially delivered orally3 in a full assembly of the States of Holland * The lead title reads literally: Declaration of James Arminius, of Blessed Memory, this last phrase being a common insertion regarding a deceased person held in high esteem. The insertion of definite and indefinite articles is purely for English grammatical purposes. I have retained the traditional insertion of “sentiments” from the first subtitle, which may be interpreted as a double entendre: Arminius’ theological expositions as well as his personal perspective on the totality of the events surrounding the theological controversy in which he found himself embroiled from the earliest days of his pastoral ministry in Amsterdam (August 27, 1588), with special reference to his years as professor of theology in Leiden—July 1603, to the delivery of his Declaration in 1608. 1 Lit., “points.” 2 Here Arminius uses the phrase “Christian Religion”; however, throughout the Declaration we will encounter religion as a word standing alone. This always means Christian Religion or the Christian Faith. With rare exception, I have simply sufficed to translate it as “religion.” Modern connotations about comparative religion or religious studies were simply not part of a theological frame of reference in the sixteenth century. 3 The English translation that appears in all editions of Arminius’ Works is from a Latin translation (not done by Arminius himself) from the original manuscript in sixteenthcentury Dutch. When the Verclaringhe was published in 1610, it included a rather lengthy preface. This was clearly rooted in an apologetic being carried on from both sides of the predestinarian disputes as a result of a “pamphlet warfare” that was already breaking out. A print version of Arminius’ original manuscript, housed in the Collection of the Remonstrant -Reformed Church (Rotterdam, 2201, no. 29, City Library), was published by the late Prof. dr. G. J. Hoenderdaal, Verklaring van Jacobus Arminius (Lochem: De Tijdstroom, 1960). Many of the critical notes from Hoenderdaal are taken over with some modification in this translation. Other critical annotations have been added, as well as clarifying notes for the English reader. Strictly speaking, it may not be linguistically accurate to refer to the language of this period as “middle Dutch,” as the period in which Arminius lived and worked was actually a bridge era in the language’s evolution. This is reflected in the 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...