Arnunianism in history; ...

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UNITED STATES 01? AMEKICA.

By the Same Author.

Preface

When it became necessary to give a class in Historical Theology a careful view of Arminianism in its historical as well as doctrinal character, I found material for such a study, but it was undigested, ill-arranged, and very unsatisfactory. After a careful search I failed to find a book on the subject that could be recommended to students. A copy of Brandt's " Life of James Arminius'^ could not be found, though a large dealer advertised at times for a year for it. Only recently I ran across it in an old French second-band bookstore in Xew Orleans. Driven to gather and arrange such material as could be obtained, there resulted these chapters in the form of lectures, which were delivered to the class, discussed, revised, and delivered a second time. After this they were re-written and put in the present form, and a third time delivered to thoughtful men.

At the request of those who heard them, they are now offered to the public in this form. They

4 PREFA CE.

do not profess to be an exhaustive treatment of the history of Arminianism, but to make such a fair and clear presentation as shall lead young Methodists to a knowledge of what Arminianism is, what it has had to contend with in the struggle for existence, why Methodism is Arminian and not Calvinian, a part of the reason why Methodism has had such remarkable moral and spiritual victories, and what triumphs there are in store for Arminian Methodism as " Christianity in earnesf in the years to come?

GEO. L. CURTISS.

DePauw University, 1894.

Chapter I. WHAT IS ARMINIANISM?

Epochs in History — Discussions of Doctrines and Polity — Spread of Predestinationism — Calvinism, Arminianism, and Universalism — A Particular Statement of Arminianism — Original Sin as taught by Arminius — Arminianism not a New Doctrine as taught by Arminius — Augustine and Predestination to Eternal Life — Gottschalk and Foreordination to Damnation — James Arminius— Birth— Death of his Father — Adopted by ^milius — At School at Utrecht — Death of ^milius— Adopted by Suellius— At Marburg -Murder of his Mother, Sisters, ■and Brother at Oudewater — At Eotterdam — Sent to Leyden— A Brilliant Student— Adopted by the Burgomeisters of Amsterdam — Sent to Geneva — Forms the Acquaintance of Uytenbogaert— Went to Basle and studied for a Time — Went to Padua — Heard Zarabella Visited Rome— Called to Amsterdam— Examined by the Classis — <:!ommenced Preaching — How Arminius came to adopt the Doctrine called by his Name — Koornhert to be refuted — Arminius chosen for the Task— The Examination led to his Repudiation of Predestination — Married — Public Exposition of Romans— Criticism and Slander — His Traducers — His Defense— The Senators decide in his Favor.

The distinct and vigorous promulgation of important doctrines of Christianity, and their working like leaven among the people, produce epochs in history. This is especially true if the doc+rine« chance to antagonize some old and favorite doctrine of the Church, or some branch, and runs counter to the preconceived notions of any con-, siderable number of men. The most remarkable discussions that the world has ever heard, and which have produced the most marked effects upon events in history, both in individuals and in na-. tions, are those about Christian doctrine and Church government. The best talent, the greatest learn-- ing, the highest degree of enthusiasm, and, at thC: same time, the most wonderful endurance have been brought into the discussions of doctrines and polity in whatever age. If there has been mingled in the discussions of Christian doctrine any political ques-- tion, the results have entirely changed the face of history.

When Arminianism was promulgated in Holland at the Synod of Dort, Calvinism was the dom-. inant doctrine regarding original sin, freedom of the will, and God's decrees concerning human salvation. For a full thousand years it held sway over the masses of the people under the name of Augustinism, and when some enlightened ecclesias-. tics presumed to controvert and deny the truth of the dogma, and proceeded to demonstrate its fallacy from Scripture and logic, then arose agitations in the Reformed Church world of so persistent a character as to affect schools, agitate Churches, and, sometimes, to involve nations. Such a hold had

WBA T IS AR MINI A NISM ? \J

this doctrine of the eternal decrees taken upon men that they came to question the right of anyone to doubt the truth of the dogmas of Calvinism. It had taken hold upon the State, and stamped itself upon the Government of Geneva, dictated its <;onstitution, and enacted its laws. Having achieved this brilliant success, it reached out to other Swiss States or cantons, to do for them as at Geneva. It crossed the sea, and took a firm hold upon Scotland, and so fastened itself upon her sturdy minds that it held them with the grasp of a giant, from which thralldom the Scottish mind has not yet been freed. In England, Calvinism asserted itself, and demanded the highest place, priding itself upon being recognized as the established doctrine regarding human salvation. Intrenched in this fortified fastness for many years, it w^as impossible to advance any other claims. From England Calvinism crossed the Atlantic, and intrenched itself in the sterile soil and among the rugged rocks of New England, and refused to admit the preaching of, and belief in, the doctrine of Arminianism, until that unique pioneer of Xew England Methodism preached a salvation free to the world of men in Boston Common, while standing upon a borrowed table. Look the facts over, and see if it is not true that Episcopacy, Independency, Congregationalism, and Presbyterianism were all the professors of and in the possession of the hard dogmas of Calvinism. East and West, in the Old World and in the New, there was only a slight foothold for the warmer, richer, and more soul-encouraging doctrines of Arminianism.

In the world are three great doctrinal systems, regarding human salvation, known by distinctive titles ; namely, Calvinism, Arminianism, and Universalism. The kernel of each may be stated in a few words.

Calvinism, among other things, says that God in Jesus Christ made provision for the salvation of those in the human race who were predestinated and foreordained from all eternity to be saved in heaven, and the remainder are predestinated and foreordained from all eternity to eternal damnation for the glory of God.

Arminianism teaches that God in Jesus Christ made provision fully for the salvation of all those who, by repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, accept the terms, and all who do thus accept are eternally saved. All who rebel against God, and refuse to accept of Jesus on the terms of proffered mercy, sink under Divine wrath, and are eternally lost.

Universalism teaches that God in Christ Jesus has made such an abundant and merciful provision for human salvation that everybody, irrespective of individual moral character, and without repentance and faith in a Savior, shall be saved in heaven. In this doctrine there is no provision for the punishment of sin hereafter. All punishment of sin is in this life. Universalism has been driven to such

WSA T IS A RMINIA NISM ? 1 1

straits as strangely to equivocate in her statements as to how much punishment may be given or required in this life, and how much may be given in a possible state of post-mortem purgation. There seems to be no uniform solid ground upon which all believers in the doctrines of Universalism may stand.

According to Calvinism, there is in man a necessitated will, which can act only in certain ways. The will must act, but it is necessitated to act in a certain way. Out of that groove it can not move.

According to Arminianisn, there is a perfect freedom of will regarding man's moral condition and powers. Man must make his own choice of salvation, or choose to reject. He may will freely to use the means provided for his salvation, or he may as freely reject. In either case he must abide by the results of his free choice.

According to Universalism, there is no will in salvation. Man is in a condition of salvation without his choice. He is in the stream, and can not do otherwise than go with it into heaven.

A More Particular Statement of Arminianism.

What is Arminianism ? In the fewest words, it is the doctrine that God, by the sacrificial offering of his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, has made an abundant provision for the salvation of all human souls who come unto him in the prescribed manner. This provision is universal. Not a soul is left out of the promise. Every soul that wills to enter life eternal, by using the means designated may enter into life eternal, and not die. All souls who go down to hell, go, not because God has foreordained them to go down to blackness and despair, but because they have willed to reject the offers of mercy.

As to original sin, Arminianism teaches that man, descending from Adam, has become corrupted by Adam's sin, but is not guilty. Adam was both guilty and corrupted. No one will be lost in per dition because of Adam's transgression, but all are in the bondage of corruption because of the sin of the federal head. From the crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is corruption. This involves man's triple nature — body, mind, and spirit. This corruption has so affected the race that no one can return to God by natural means. His virtue is prostrated, his power largely paralyzed, his appetite for purity sadly vitiated, his bent to sin and folly established. But he may will to reach out to proffered redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ, and receive such gracious aid from the Holy Spirit, by the exercise of faith, as to be restored to favor with God and sealed for the kingdom of heaven.

The system of theology that teaches clearly this doctrine is called Arminianism, because that James Arminius advocated it strongly against the Calvinistic doctrine in Holland, while his followers advocated it in the Synod of Dort.

Was this a New Doctrine with Arminius?

No. "Before the time of Augustine [fourth century] the unanimous doctrine of the Church Fathers, so far as scientifically developed at all, was that the Divine decrees as to the fate of the individual man were conditioned upon their faith and obedience, as foreseen in the Divine Mind. Augustine, in his controversy with Pelagius, with a view to enhance the glory of grace, was the first to teach unequivocally that the salvation of the elect depends upon the bare will of God, and that his decree to save those whom he chooses to save was unconditional."

It was left for Gottschalk, in the ninth century, to supply the second part of the doctrine ; namely, that those who are not saved unconditionally are foreordained to be damned, or reprobated to be lost. Thus stood the doctrine about 1535, when John Calvin, either at Geneva or at Strasburg, united the foreordination unto eternal life unconditionally of Augustine, and the foreordination of the reprobate to hell unconditionally of Gottschalk, and sent them out as the center of his system of Systematic Theology in the Christian Institutes. The doctrine has since that time received the name of Calvinism.

There have been some erroneous statements concerning Arminianism, which must have arisen from either a willful perversion of the truth or an 2 ignorance of it. Dr. Archibald A. Hodge, in Johnson's Encyclopedia, says: "Between these [that is, between Pelagianism and Calvinism] comes the manifold and elastic system of a compromise known as Semi-Pelagianism, and in modern times as Arminianism." There never was a time when Semi-Pelagianism and Arminianism were synonymous terms. They are now, and always have been, quite distinct in their definitions and teaching. To attempt to bring Arminianism into contempt by linking it with Arianism, Socinianism, or with any other kindred notion that is recognized in the Christian world as erroneous, is base in the extreme. It is true that some of these sects have advocated one or two doctrines as held by Arminius ; but that does not make them, by any means, Arminians, any more than because a few men are criminals, therefore all men are criminals. Arminianism is a system of its own, wholly distinct from Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism, Arianism, Socinianism, and all other isms, and especially from Calvinism.

When James Arminius taught the system now called by his name he was only restoring to the world the doctrine as found in the primitive Church. Calvinism was not the primitive apostolical doctrine or faith. The primitive doctrine universally taught that whosoever willed to come to the Father by the Son could do so, by the w^ay of Jesus Christ, and be eternally saved. Man was made with a will, and was free to act in approach to God, or free to refuse and go away into despair and darkness and eternal death. James Arminius was the rightful restorer of the doctrine as it flowed from the lips of the impetuous Peter, the beloved John, the sweet-spirited James, the polished Paul, and all the apostles and early Fathers of the Church.

James Armtxius.

Who was James Arminius, and how did he come to advocate this doctrine? With this question arises another of some importance : How did the primitive doctrine come to be so long obscured, and such antagonistic notions prevail?

Jacob Hermannson, or, as sometimes called, simply Hermann, w^as born in the year 1560 A. D., at a town in South Holland called Oude water. After he began to be a scholar, his name was Latinized into Jacobus Arminius, and in the English the Jacobus became James. His father's name was Hermann Jacobs, and his mother, Angelica, a woman of Dort. His father's occupation was that of a cutler, holding a respectable position in the town. While James was yet an infant his father died, leaving a wife and three children. Jacobus was taken under the care of a former Romish priest by the name of Theodorus ^Emilius. At an early age he was sent to school at Utrecht, to w'hich place ^milius had removed. The character of ^milius was good, being now a Reformed clergyman, and quite learned, and from him Arminius

16 A RMINIA NISM IN JUS TOBY.

received careful training. Theodorus ^milius was "a man of singular erudition, who stood high among his fellow-townsmen for the gravity of his manners and the purity of his life." When the youth was fifteen years of age his foster-father died. At once a friend, Rudolph Snellius, a "profound linguist and most expert mathematician," took him in charge, and in 1575 removed to Marburg for the advantages of that school. This was the year when the Spaniards attacked and sacked Arminius's native town of Oudewater, and cruelly murdered hundreds of innocent people without regard to sex, put its garrison to the sword, and hanged its ministers of religion. Hearing of this sad event, and fearing the worst, Armiriius hurried back to find that his mother, brother, and sisters had perished by the hands of the wicked soldiers, and with them several relatives. Overlooking the blackened ruins of his once beautiful home, and saddened by the hard conditions, and feeling that all ties that bound him to this spot had been broken, Arminius walked back to Marburg. Few can realize the sadness of that hour to this youth, — fatherless, motherless, brotherless, sisterless, and homeless, all because of the wicked persecutions of the Church of Rome. The outlook was anything but bright. Only a mysterious, overruling Providence can now provide.

For some unexplained reason he went to Rotterdam, possibly because a few remnants of his Oudewater friends had escaped there, and waited for

WHA T IS A RMINIA NISM f 1 7

something favorable to occur in their native State. Peter Bertius was the pastor of a Reformed Church at that place. He was a large-hearted and philanthropic man, and as a man of God opened his home and received young Arminius into his family. Peter Bertius sent young Arminius, with his son Peter, to the University of Leyden, which had just been founded by William, Prince of Orange. Arminius was fortunate in his teachers at Leyden. Beside Peter Bertius, Sen., was John Taffin, Walloon minister and counselor of the Prince of Orange, Lambert Dan?eus, a master of varied erudition, " versed at once in philosophical and theological studies," and John Dousa, a poet of no mean character. "Arminius," says Brandt, "soon made such proficiency that he far outstripped his fellow-students. . . . There was scarcely a field of study or department of the arts which he did not bound over with eager and joyous impulse." Here he remained six years. The brilliancy and attainments of the youth attracted the attention of the * ' Directors of the Merchants of the City of Amsterdam," a body of wealthy and noble-hearted men of strong faith, and concerned in the government of the city. It was agreed that they should furnish all the money necessary to defray his expenses while being educated for the ministry, on conditions which he accepted. On accepting this generous offer, Arminius agreed that "after he had been ordained he would not serve in the Church of any other city without the permission of the burgomeisters of Amsterdam."

Having accepted the agreement for material aid, in 1582 Arminius went to Geneva to study theology, and fully prepare himself for the work of the Church. Geneva was at that time the center of the Keformed Church. The school stood at the head, and was justly celebrated all over the Christian world. The doctrines clustering around unconditional predestination as taught by John Calvin, were taught and enforced with the intensest rigor, and their form was unchanged by Theodore Beza, who, if possible, was a stronger predestinationist than Calvin. Arminius had a profound admiration for Beza. "With the utmost gravity of manners, this theologian excelled his compeers in persuasiveness of address and in promptitude and perspicuity of utterance, while his learning and attainments in sacred literature were profound and extraordinary. With ears intent Arminius drank in his words ; with eager assiduity he hung upon his lips ; and with intense admiration he listened to his exposition of the ninth chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans." (Brandt, p. 44.) The progress made by Arminius Avas great. His mind moved and worked strongly and rapidly. He stood among the first students at Geneva.

AVhile at Geneva, he met with a student from Holland, and of the university of Utrecht, who never Latinized his extravagantly long and hard name, Uytenbogaert, a man of no mean ability and culture. Their friendship was life-long, and when the time was ripe for it, Uytenbogaert became one of ^the stanchest advocates of the doctrines promulgated by Arminius. While at Geneva, Arminius began to lecture as well as study. He sharply attacked the philosophy of Aristotle, giving offense to some of the professors by defending Ramus and his system of dialectics in opposition to that of the old Greek philosopher. Great opposition was raised to his remaining at Geneva, and soon he visited Basle, and entered the university and began his studies. So proficient was Arminius in his lecturing and studies, that the faculty of theology offered to confer on him the Doctor's degree gratis. Strange to say, this rising young star among theologians declined the honor, alleging as a reason that he was too young a man to receive such a grave degree.

In 1588, Arminius returned to Geneva, where the storm raised against him had measurably blown over, and he remained three years longer in the study of theology. His mind was permeated with the doctrines of John Calvin, and he did not to the public seem to have any doubts regarding their truth. Yet we have no means of knowing that he at any time strongly advocated them.

In 1586, Arminius was attracted to Padua, Italy, to hear the celebrated professor of philosophy, Zarabella. His mind was not greatly impressed with this master, and he tarried with him but a short time, and then visited Kome and other places in Italy. In a few months he returned to Geneva to continue his studies. The burgomeisters of Amsterdam, hearing of this journey to Rome, which he undertook without their consent or knowledge, ordered his immediate return to Amsterdam. This they claimed the right to do, because they were furnishing the money for his education, and he was practically their servant, bound to them in body and mind for a lifetime. He was accused by some enemies of having '' kissed the Pope's slipper," which meant that he had become a Roman Catholic. He promptly denied this charge, and proved it a false accusation by a traveling companion, and that he Avas as genuine a reformer as any who remained at Geneva or Amsterdam. On leaving Geneva in the autumn of 1587, he received and bore away a high testimonial from his teachers. In it occurred this sentence: "His mind was in the highest degree qualified for the discharge of duty, should it please God at any time to use his ministry for the promotion of his own work in the Church." (Brandt, p. 53.)

This matter having been settled, he was ordained in the Reformed Church in 1588. His examination took place before the Amsterdam Classis, and by the request of the authorities of the Church, he began his ministry in that city in officiating each week at the ''evening services." He delivered a discourse and conducted the prayers. This comluenced on the 4th of February. He soon attracted such atteution by his "style of speaking," which was " marked by a certain sweet and native grace, tempered with gravity," that by the action of the Consistory he was placed in charge of the Church in Amsterdam. His church was soon crowded with earnest worshipers. His great soul was on fire for the saving and reformation of Amsterdam. The spirit of a real religious reformation burned within his breast, and he preached righteousness and true holiness Avith an unusual unction. Arminius was now in the twenty-eighth year of his age. "His discourses," says Brandt, "were masculine and erudite ; everything he uttered breathed the theologian — not raAV and commonplace, but superior, acute, cultivated, and replete with solid acquisitions both in human and in sacred literature. This made him such a favorite both with high and low, that in a short time he attracted towards himself ihe ears and the hearts of all classes alike. In the general admiration of his talents, some styled him 'a file of truth ;' others, ' a whetstone of intellect ;' others, * a pruning knife for rank growing errors ;' and, indeed, on the subject of religion and sacred study, it seemed as if scarcely anything was known which Arminius did not know." (Brandt, p. 57.) Of his visit to Rome Arminius often said that it was of great benefit to him, for he " saw at Rome a mystery of iniquity more foul than he had ever mentioned." He saw some of the things that had stirred the heart of Luther, and led to a revolt from the thralldom of the Seven-hilled City.

How DID Arminius come to adopt the Theory OPPOSED TO the Long-established Doctrines OF Calvinism?

Melanchthon in Germany held very mild opinions in regard to predestination. He would not accept or teach the strong doctrine as taught by Augustine or Gottschalk, but taught it in a manner that took away almost the whole of the really objectionable. These notions were known in Germany, and spread through Holland even earlier than the doctrines of Calvin, and found genuine advocates and followers. At Amsterdam, in 1589, a citizen, Richard Koornhert, ''published several works in which he attacked the doctrine of predestination which was taught by Beza and the Genevan school." Koornhert's arguments were so fully fortified, and so sharply put, that the Holland theologians were not able to put them aside or show their falsity. The Dutch mind, ordinarily slow to act, now moved quite swiftly, and the doctrines of Koornhert were likely to become universal. To counteract these teachings, and at the same time help to remove some of the more objectionable things in Calvinism, a change or modification of the doctrines of Calvin as taught by Beza, was proposed by certain ministers about Amsterdam.

Some of the ministers of Delft considered this teaching of Kooruhert incendiary and destructive, while others became convinced that Beza was possibly in error to some extent in his presentation of the doctrine of predestination. The Dutch mind was confused as to its theology as most of them received it. While ' ' they agreed, with Beza, that Divine predestination was the antecedent unconditional and immutable decree of God concerning salvation and damnation of each individual," yet they could not agree with Beza that man, considered before he was created, Avas made the object of unconditional salvation or reprobation. The Delft ministers w^ere not all of them advocates of supralapsarian predestination and reprobation, but held to sublapsarian election ; and this blast of Koornhert did not allay the excitement.

The objection of Koornhert to Calvinism was that the "doctrine of absolute decrees represented God as the author of sin, as such decrees made sin necessary and inevitable no less than damnation." The view he published in a book called " Responsio ad Argumeuta Bez^ et Calvinse," etc. The book was reckoned heterodoxical and dangerous by the theologians of Delft. It savored too much of free thought and liberal interpretation of God's plans. It seemed to bring man into too familiar and easy intercourse with God. The book must be answered or refuted.

Koornhert was Secretary of State of Holland — a man of learning, who looked into philosophy and

24 A RMINIA NISM IN HIS TOE Y.

religion with the eyes of a layman. He attacked Romanists, Lutherans, and Calvinists alike, and brought forward an array of antagonisms not easily answered. ' ' He maintained that every religious communion needed reformation, but he said that no one had a right to engage in it without a mission supported by miracles." The Calvinists of Holland, more than Romaoists or Lutherans, took umbrage at his treatment of predestination, and demanded its answer. The task of formulating a proper and convincing answer was assigned to Lydius, a professor at Franeker. He besought Arminius to make the answer, to which the Amsterdam scholar and minister consented.

When Arminius commenced the task of examining the book of Koornhert, he went about it like a thoroughly conscientious man, honest in purpose and devoid of desire to deceive or be deceived. Arminius began at the foundation and traversed the entire theme of Koornhert, patiently going over the arguments and counter-arguments, the illustrations and Scriptures, weighing them as to their value and force, until his own mind was filled with doubt as to the truth of Calvinism. How long before he adopted the primitive doctrine and forsook Calvinism can not be determined. His sermons at Amsterdam very soon began to have the flavor of the freedom of the will in matters of salvation, in opposition to the dogma of a necessitated will, and that whoever Avills to come to God by Jesus Christ

WHA T IS A RMINIA NISMf 25

may come and be made free. For about two years this clear, forcible, primitive preaching continued. It called forth many questions and frequent discussions between himself and the Calvinists. In 1593 his lectures on Romans ix were published. He, in these, quite sharply disputed the teachings of the Genevan school. A party was formed against him ; disputes and contentions ran high. Staid old Amsterdam and her burghers were for once theologically stirred from center to circumference. It was soon discovered that Arminius was a disputant not easily handled. His steel was sharp, his arguments pointed, and his wit keen. It was agreed that between all parties for the time there should be a truce. It was not rigidly maintained.

The mental and spiritual exercises of Arminius in coming out from the mysticism and bondage of doubt under the doctrine of predestination and a necessitated will into the clear light and mental freedom of the doctrine as taught by the early Fathers of the Church, is a story of interest, for it is one of victory. About this time he took for a wife Elizabeth Real, "a woman of elegant manners and a great mind." She was the daughter of one of Amsterdam's greatest judges and senators, and one who had most actively defended his city and country against the unmitigated tyranny and cruelty of the Spaniards. She proved to be "endowed and adorned with hereditary virtues, most exemplary manners, and the love of unaffected piety" — just such a life as encouraged and stimulated the mind and heart of Arminius to study and teach what his conscience told him was the mind of God.

Finding so much antagonism arising against his teaching of salvation provided for all men and the possibility of all men accepting by faith and receiving pardon of sin, Arminius set a watch over his lips, and continued his studies carefully and persistently. He saw the carnal bondage of many of his Church, and how they needed enlightenment regarding the nature and bondage of sin, together with a freeing of their minds from '' vicious and distorted interpretations " of " several passages of Holy Writ on which, not infrequently, as an axiomatic basis, were reared carnal views at variance with genuine Christianity."