The articles of the Synod of Dort

Contents

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Preface

The manner in which the author was brought to the determination, of adding the present work to all his former publications, will appear more fully in the introduction to the articles of the Synod of Dordrecht, or Dort. In general, he had erroneously adopted, and aided in circulating, a gross misrepresentation of the Synod and its decisions, in his ‘‘Remarks on the Refutation of Calvinism;” and, having discovered his mistake previously to the publication of a second edition of that work, he, was induced to do what he could, to counteract that misrepresentation, and to vindicate the Synod from the atrocious calumnies, with which it has been wilfully or inadvertently traduced. But other motives concurred in disposing him, to giving his attempt its present form and order.

1. A very interesting and important part of ecclesiastical history has been obscured and overwhelmed in unmerited disgrace, by the misrepresentations given of this Synod and its articles, especially in this nation; in which very few, even among studious men, know accurately the circumstances which led to the convening of this Synod, and the real nature and import of its decisions. To

PREFACE.

excite therefore others, more conversant in these studies, and better qualified for the service, to examine this part of ecclesiastical history, and to do impartial justice to it, is one object which the author has in view.

2. He purposes to prove, that the doctrines commonly termed Calvinistic, whether they be or be not the doctrines of Scriptural Christianity, may yet be so stated and explained, without any skilful or laboured efforts, as to coincide with the strictest practical views of our holy religion; and so as greatly to encourage and promote genuine holiness, considered in its most expanded nature, and in its effects on all our tempers, affections, words, and actions, in relation to God and to all mankind.

3. In a day when these doctrines are not only proscribed in a most hostile manner on one side, but deplorably misunderstood and perverted by many on the other side; the author desired to add one more testimony against these misapprehensions and perversions, by showing in what a holy, guarded, and reverential manner, the divines of this reprobated Synod, stated and explained these doctrines; compared with the superficial, incautious, and often unholy and presumptuous manner of too many in the present day. And if any individual, or a few individuals, should by this publication, be induced to employ superior talents and advantages, in counteracting these unscriptural and pernicious statements, his labour will be amply compensated.

PREFACE.

4. The author desired to make it manifest, that the deviations from the creeds of the reformed churches, in those points which are more properly called Calvinistic, are seldom, for any length of time, kept separate from deviations in those doctrines which are more generally allowed to be essential to vital Christianity. It must, indeed, appear from the history with which the work begins, that the progress is easy and almost unavoidable, from the controversial opposition to personal election, to the explaining away of original sin, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, justification by faith alone, and even of the atonement and deity of Christ: and that the opponents of the Synod of Dort, and the Remonstrants in general, were far more favourable to Pelagians, nay, to Socinians, than to Calvinists; and were almost universally unsound, in what are commonly called orthodox doctrines, and many of them far from conscientious in their conduct. Indeed, it will appear undeniable, that the opposition made to' them by the Contra-Remonstrants, was much more decidedly on these grounds than because they opposed the doctrine of personal election, and the final perseverance of true believers as connected with it.

5. The author purposed also, by means of this publication, to leave behind him, in print, his deliberate judgment on several controverted points, which must otherwise have died with him, or have been published separately, for which he had no inclination. But

PREFACE.

he has here grafted them as notes or remarks on the several parts of this work; and he trusts he has now done with all controversy.

It is doubtless vain to attempt any thing, against many of those opponents who succeed to each other, with sufficient variety, as to the grounds on which they take their stand, and from which they make the assault; but in some respects nearly in the same course of misapprehension, or misrepresentation, as to the real sentiments of those whom they undertake to refute. It suffices to say of them, “ Neither can they prove the things of which they accuse us and to say to them, “ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” But indeed Calvinists seem to be no more considered as neighbours by many Anti-Calvinists, than the Publicans, Samaritans, and Gentiles, were by the Scribes and Pharisees!

After all that has been published on these subjects, the groundless charges brought by many against the whole body, cannot be considered as excusable misapprehension. They must be either intentional misrepresentation, or the inexcusable presumption of writing on subjects which the writers have never studied, and against persons, and descriptions of persons, of whose tenets, amidst most abundant means of information, they remain wilfully ignorant. A fair and impartial opponent is entitled to respect, but I can only pity such controversialists.

THOMAS SCOTT.

Aston Sanford, March 15, 1818.

THE

PREFACE,

TO THE REFORMED CHURCHES OF CHRIST;

IN WHICH THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THOSE CONTRO- VEIRSES IN BELGIUM, FOR THE REMOVAL OF WHICH THIS SYNOD WAS ESPECIALLY HELD, ARE BRIEFLY AND FAITHFULLY RELATED.

Introduction To This Preface

BY THE TRANSLATOR.

In perusing this preface, and the history contained in it, the reader should especially recollect, that it was drawn up and published by the authority and with the sanction of the States General, and the Prince of Orange, as well as by that of the Synod itself; and that, in every part of it, the acts, or public records in which the events recorded were registered, are referred to, with the exact dates of each transaction. No history can therefore be attested as authentic, in a more satisfactory and unexceptionable manner: for, whatever degree of colouring, prejudices or partiality may be supposed to have given to the narra-

INTRODUCTION tion; it can hardly be conceived, that collective bodies, and individuals filling up such conspicuous and exalted stations, would expressly attest any thing directly false; and then appeal to authorities, by which the falsehood of their statement might at any time be detected and exposed. It should also be remembered, that prejudices and partiality would be as likely to colour the account given to the world, and transmitted to posterity by the opposite party; while the very circumstances, in which they were placed, would render it impracticable for them to substantiate the authenticity of their narrative in the same manner. Yet, contrary to all rules of a sober and unbiassed judgment, the unauthenticated histories of the Remonstrants* concerning the Synod of Dort have, almost exclusively, been noticed and credited by posterity, especially in this country, to the neglect of the authentic records.!

* So called from a Remonstrance presented by them to the States of Holland and West Friesland, against the doctrines of their opponents, or those of the Federated churches of Belgium.

t Neither Mosheim, nor his translator Maclaine, mention this history, while they refer to a variety of authorities on both sides of the question, in their narrative of these transactions. So that it is even probable that they had never seen it. Whether the severe measures by which the decisions of this Synod were followed up; and espe-

TO THE HISTORY, ETC. 85

In giving the translation of this history I would merely say, Audi alteram partem . “ Do not read the authenticated narration with greater suspicions of unfairness than you do those, which are not so fully authenticated. Let not your approbation of what you suppose to have been the doctrine of the Remonstrants, or your aversion to that of the Contra-Rerponstrants, bias your mind in this respect; but judge impartially.” One of these histories was drawn up by a man, (Heylin.) who has been fully detected of misrepresenting the very articles of the Synod, in the grossest manner; and has thus misled great numbers to mistake entirely the real import and nature of the decision made by it. I appeal to the abbreviation, as it is called, of the Articles of the Synod of Dort, as compared with the real Articles themselves, in another part of this publication. So scandalous a misrepresentation, which has been too implicitly adopted by many others, should render the impartial reader cautious in giving implicit credit to other statements

cially the strict prohibition of printing or vending any other account, in Latin, Dutch, or French, in the Federated provinces, during seven years, without a special licence for that purpose, did not eventually conduce to this, may be a question. The measure, however, was impolitic, if not unjustifiable.

INTRODUCTION made by the same party, however celebrated the names of some of them may be.

When I first entered on this part of my undertaking, I purposed merely to give a short abstract of the history, just enough to render the subsequent part of the work intelligible to the less learned or studious reader: but, whether it were the result of partiality, or of unbiassed judgment, I found myself so deeply interested in the events recorded, (which were almost entirely new to me,) that my reluctance to translating and transcribing the whole was overcome: and, (with a few remarks on different parts) I determined to give it entire to the English reader. As far as I am competent to judge, it possesses every internal evidence of authenticity and fairness: and of impartiality , as far as even pious men, exactly circumstanced as the writers were, in the present imperfect state of human nature, can be expected to be impartial. It is, I think, also drawn up, with a degree of calmness and moderation; far different from that fierce and fiery zeal, which is generally supposed to belong to all, who profess, or are suspected, of what many in a very vague and inappropriate manner call, Calvinism. And

TO THE HISTORY, ETcj. 87

though according to the fashion of those times, epithets are in some instances applied both to men and opinions, which modern courtesy, nay, perhaps Christian meekness, would have suppressed; yet, if I mistake not, they are more sparingly employed in this, than in any contemporary controversial publication. Indeed the higher points of what is called Calvinism, are far less insisted on, and the opponents of those points far more moderately censured, than might have been expected; while the doctrines commonly called orthodox, as opposed by Pelagians, Arians, and Socinians, are strongly maintained, and the opposers of them strenuously, nay, severely, condemned. Even Mosheim allows, that the triumph of the Synod was that of the Sublapsarians, not only over the Arminians, but over the Supralapsarians also.*

In order to the impartial reading of this history, it should be previously recollected, and well considered, that all the Belgic churches were, from the first, Presbyterian, in government and discipline; and constituted according to that plan, with Consistories,

* Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History, vol. v. p. 368.